A group of scared young women huddled together on the rowboat that drifted through the dark sea. Green water lapped the sides of the boat, soaking their gowns. One of the smaller ones stared out into the vast waters and asked meekly, "Hylla, why do have to leave?"
"Well did it look like we could stay with those pirates any longer?" the one by the name of Hylla answered gruffly.
"No, Hylla." Reyna leaned sorrowfully against the side of the boat. She dropped her arm over the side, letting the freezing water bite her bare skin. The stars glimmered in the water and Lady Dianna's moon glowed radiantly, covering nearly the whole of the visible sea.
Yet with the beautiful night scene before the ladies, the spa attendants of C. C.'s Spa and Resort could not bring themselves to be awed. So many sisters sent to Erebus. Most girls just lamented pitifully where they sat.
Hylla and Reyna did not mourn in their seats, though. Hylla rowed at a steady pace whilst her younger sister plotted revenge. Perhaps not the best of things, but Hylla reasoned that the determined expression Reyna held would inspire the other girls to also be strong.
And then Reyna saw it. She jumped up, tipping the boat. The ladies screamed and splashed around until they got themselves sorted out. Hylla grumbled, "Reyna, what in Tartarus was that all about?"
"A shooting star! The gods themselves agree that I should get by wish! Look sisters—look!" And sure enough a blazing bright line zoomed across the night sky. The girls laughed as each made a silent wish. Hylla thought quietly to herself that she hoped Reyna would learn that vengeance was never the right choice.
On the contrary, Reyna wished that someday, any day at all, she would have the opportunity to strike Perseus Jackson down to the ground, just like Mistress Circe.
No. The ten-year-old thought. No, it can't be!
You knew it all along.
That doesn't mean it's true.
Yes it does, silly.
No! She can't be… you know….
Dead? His other half reasoned. Your sister is gone, just as the Jackson character said she is. You had dreams about her death, remember?
The dreams were wrong!
Oh really?
Nico di Angelo collapsed on the ground. He curled up against Zeus's fist, sobbing desperately. "She can't be dead. Bianca can't die." He wiped his tears on his arm. So cold. He noted. Of course he was cold, though. It was a cold winter night and Nico wore only a camp T-shirt, a pair of ill-fitted jeans, and some ratty tennis shoes Travis and Connor swiped from the camp store.
Nico gazed at the stars. Zoe Nightshade now rested amoung the stars, so why couldn't Bianca? Percy, Annabeth—beautiful Annabeth Chase—and Grover returned, so why couldn't Bianca? Thalia left with Artemis, so why couldn't Bianca?! Anything was better than his only family being dead. Even if he couldn't see her, or talk to her, or even talk to her, he wished she lived.
Nico kept his head tilted back at the sky. Just as he felt his body fall backward, sliding deep into the rock, he noticed a shooting star. He landed painfully on the bottom of a hall. It was dark, but he found himself able to sense his surroundings. Nico rested his weary head on the wall. Give me my sister. He wished. You stupid, stupid star, please—give me my sister.
Percy sighed. He'd lost the son of Hades. Crap. He cursed a few times, and Grover joined him in the colorful talk. Annabeth scowled at the two boys for their behavior, but said nothing.
"What now?" Percy asked.
"We go out and find him?" Grover suggested with a shrug.
"We already tried that." Annabeth replied sternly. "And just look at how well that plan went." She slouched where she sat at the table. The trio rested in the dining pavilion just next to the large rift Nico created in his fit of depression.
"We could try again. It wouldn't hurt."
"Percy!" Annabeth sighed.
"Alright, alright. I get it. Give up and leave the poor kid to die in the woods. Great idea!" Percy gave the daughter of Athena a thumbs up, "And hey, maybe we'll find his body during capture the flag." The son of Poseidon glared at Annabeth.
"Or part of it." Grover added.
"Not helping, Goat Boy." Annabeth mumbled.
"Sorry."
The three sighed in unison and turned their heads to the sky.
"Hey look," Percy pointed far out, half-hidden behind the trees, "A shooting star."
"Maybe it'll bring him home." Whispered Grover, referring to Nico di Angelo.
"Yeah," Percy agreed while Annabeth nodded, "Maybe."
Leo stared up at the stars from the deck of the Argo II. He could see everything that night—Orion, Pegasus, Zoë Nightshade, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor—Leo could see it all.. The night sky seemed so calm and peaceful, even if life itself wasn't at the time.
"I've really done it this time, huh?" He said to the stars. "I've started a war, concocted bad blood between one of the guys on this ship and me, and Nemesis has cursed me with a fortune cookie." He laughed sorrowfully, "And you know, I bet there's going to be something really stupid inside of it."
The sky had nothing to say to the son of Hephaestus, so it just kept on twinkling as always. Leo smiled sadly. He hadn't been looking for an answer, but he got one. A shooting star zoomed across the starry backdrop. Leo gaped at the sight.
"Make a wish." His mother told him once as a child. Leo's heart ached at his mother's memory.
"I wish," he mumbled, "That… that I could fix everything. I wish I could go back in time and set things right." Leo's eyes glistened with salty tears on the verge of spilling over. But Leo Valdez knew he couldn't cry. Not after messing up so much. No, nothing in Hades could make that son of Hephaestus cry.