A/N: Hey, everybody! Sorry for the total spam yesterday. ^^' Now I'm debuting the third-and final!-part of my fanfiction! I hope you've all enjoyed everything up to now, and I can't wait to see what you think of the final part! PLEASE REVIEW! If you enjoyed it, or saw something I could have fixed, or noticed something interesting, please, feel free to let me know! I LOVE critiques~
Title: Three-Way Bridge, Part 3: Check... And Mate
Universe: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus / Kane Chronicles
Main Characters: Erasmus Porter (OC) / Nico di Angelo (canon)
Carter Kane (canon) / Khaemwaset 'Setne' (canon)
Rating: M for sexual content and language
Summary: Erasmus has to hide from the popularity chasing him now. On top of being the only living link between the Greek and Roman demigods, he's known worldwide for being the only person to go head-to-head with Gaea and surviving. Now he's captured by Setne... and fulfilling a prophecy he hasn't even heard!
It's eerie how things you didn't see connecting somehow do. Especially when all the pieces of the puzzle are right there in front of you. Of course, silly me; some of the pieces can be upside down, sideways, or even completely flipped over. And if you aren't expecting a puzzle... Well, let's just say I could have pieced it together a long time ago if I'd been paying any attention.
The biggest piece of the puzzle, I'm sure you can guess... Was me. For whatever reason, Fate chose me to be the key to the mystery that baffled and worried Chiron and the Greek and Roman gods. Not to mention the Per Ankh, and the Egyptian gods. And, obviously, it also terrified my husband-to-be.
§§§
Nico and I had been dating for seven years. To the day. I took him to a wonderful little restaurant in Canada on our anniversary, a double date with Carter and Zia. They'd been dating a lot longer, but he still hadn't proposed to her, so when he suggested I take Nico to the old-fashioned Lullaby Diner, I suggested he and Zia come with us. It took a little convincing, but I managed it.
Carter and I worked out the details easily, even those of the proposals themselves, over the week leading up to the venture; Nico and Zia both thought it was a regular double date, despite the tight-lipped demeanor we took on that week.
When we went to pick up our dates from Camp Crossover—the demigods under my supervision had named the camp even though it wasn't official yet—I almost didn't want to use Freak; my stomach bunched nervously as I thought about climbing into the griffin-harnessed boat at the Brooklyn House with Carter and I worried it might rebel. But I was careful not to ruin the suit I wore; thankfully, the sturdy cotton-and-silk blend was designed to resist dirt, wear, and tears fairly well. And before we left, I made sure to check my reflection one last time for anything out of place.
I wore a tailored black suit with green and gold embroidery along the front and the bottom hem of my jacket, as well at the hems of my sleeves and across both of the wide, gold-thread-trimmed lapels. The pants had two strips, one gold and one forest green, lining the outside hems from hips to ankles. I checked to be sure my shoes were properly polished and my icy green shirt was free of wrinkles. I'd ironed it myself that morning, but I was paranoid, so I checked anyway.
My waist-length hair—I didn't see the point of cutting it, especially not when Nico loved using it to control me at night—had been brushed back into a low queue, minus one strand at the front that refused to be harnessed; I tucked that bit behind my ear. Then I ran my hand across my jaw, making sure I hadn't missed a spot when I'd shaved this afternoon. Satisfied, I joined Carter on the roof of Brooklyn House.
Carter had on a slightly simpler outfit; his suit was dark grey, with no adornments beyond a bright red rose in his lapel. The nervous excitement on his face more than made up for his lack of garish clothing.
"You look good," I noted as I helped him climb into the boat. Freak screeched and pawed at the roof, impatient to go.
"Thanks," the Kane boy grinned. "You, too." A light smile turned my lips up, my stomach unwinding just a bit. I gestured at the magician's bag over his shoulder.
"Are you going into a battle zone?" I asked teasingly. He chuckled, dropping the bag at his feet.
"We're late," he pointed out. "I'm going to store it in the Duat on the way. Anything you want to put there?" I thought about it a moment, and then shrugged.
"Nah; I've gotten pretty good at doing something similar with the Mist," I said, nodding my thanks for his offer.
"Whatever you like," he shrugged, taking up Freak's reins and urging the griffin into the sky. I held on, savoring the cooled evening air that splashed across my face. Subconsciously, I pulled Mist around the boat, hiding it from the eyes of any mortals watching the skies for stars. It wasn't really necessary, since the majority of our trip took us over the ocean from Manhattan to the southern edge of New Jersey, but it gave me practice.
Cheers rose up from the camp as we circled it, Carter maneuvering Freak to land on the training field. The demigods and few magicians hanging around kept a good distance from the griffin, so as not to get caught in the helicopter-blade wings. I hopped out of the boat and Kohn came to greet me, Orinda on his heels. They had all but taken over my camp, and I let them do practically whatever they wanted, so long as they ran it by me first.
Kohn and Orinda, at 25 and 24 years old, respectively, had grown much in the past seven years. Orinda, though she still had the deadly aura from her father that dared anyone to battle her, had softened a bit over the years and was much more likely to smile when she met someone than she used to be. Her jet black hair contrasted sharply against Kohn's honey-blonde locks, and her piercing, deep blue eyes, almost navy in color, stood out next to the stormy green-gray of Kohn's eyes. Both were well muscled, and both were exceedingly intelligent, especially when it came to battle; her battle-savvy complimented his strategic prowess, making for a deadly duo that had more than once been the salvation of the camp. For that, I owed them much, and they knew it.
"Hey, Ras," Orinda greeted, smiling and holding out her hand for mine. I clasped her wrist in a warriors greeting, something we'd been doing for pretty much the last seven years; we started the friendly salutation not long after the whole debacle with me and Kohn.
"Nice to see you, Rin," I said, returning her smile. When her firm grip loosened, I turned to Kohn and held out my hand for his. "Been a while, Robertson."
"It has," he agreed, taking my hand and pulling me into a quick hug. "What's it been, five weeks now?"
"Six," I corrected.
"And a half," Carter added behind me.
"Yeah, that," I laughed, throwing an arm over his shoulders. "I guess I lost track of time with all that training. Not to mention all the monsters."
"You can say that again!" Orinda snorted. "I don't think we've gone a single day without an attack of some kind. The worst was last week, though..." Her mirth faded, and so did mine. My arm slipped from Carter's shoulders.
"Who'd we lose?" I asked softly.
"No more than we gained," Kohn answered gruffly. "A couple of satyrs brought some youngsters in. About half of them stayed here and the rest went with the satyrs to Half-Blood, and the very next morning a couple dozen ipotanes attacked. I don't know how they got through the wall—Kyle's working on that now—but they killed practically all the new kids and injured a few of the older ones."
"Practically?" I repeated hopefully.
"Jezebel Whitman, Jordan Alistair, and Girtin Reynolds," Orinda said. "They're the only ones that survived, and Jordan's in a partial coma." I grimaced.
"So, that's the bad news," I said. "Is there any good news?"
"Well, Jezebel is a daughter of Asclepius, just like Bella and Norman. And Girtin..."
"Tin-Tin," Kohn cut in, rolling his eyes. "That's what she wants to be called."
"Girtin," Orinda said pointedly, "is a daughter of Hecate, like you and Lindsey." The report made me brighten significantly.
"That is good news," I said. "And Jordan?"
"We don't know yet," Kohn answered. "He's only ten years old, and like we said, he's not exactly responding to us."
"Maybe I can help," I said, moving toward the medical tent. Orinda immediately barred my way.
"Not a chance, Ras," she scoffed. "You've got a date tonight. A rather important one, if I remember correctly." A heated blush spread across my face and neck.
"Yeah," I agreed, not bothering to hide the grin stretching my lips wide. My hand went automatically to the pocket where I'd put the tiny metal box containing the engagement ring I bought a few days ago.
"Hey, hey," Carter grinned, winking. "We've got some hot dates to pick up, don't we?" I laughed and led him to my tent, where Lilianna and Enova waited by the entrance. Both smiled in greeting and reached to hold aside the entrance flaps. Arsine stepped out, followed by Zia.
She wore an elegant off-white gown with an empress waist, wrapped by a long gold cloth belt with tassels at the ends. The top crisscrossed and wound around her neck, leaving her upper back bare. Old-fashioned sandals were tied to her feet, the straps wrapping around her ankles and calves, disappearing under the mid-calf hem of the front of the dress, which just reached the ground at the back. Dozens of gold bangles adorned her wrists, and two wide bands of gold clung to her biceps. A matching gold collar rested across her shoulders, and coupled with the stunning gold circlet glinting in her pixie-cut black hair, she looked like a queen stepped straight from ancient Egypt, the kohl around her dark eyes giving her a regal look.
"...W-wow," Carter breathed, staring at her. He held out his hand for hers and she smiled as she took it. "You look..."
"Pretty?" She suggested hopefully, her usual smug demeanor replaced by bashfulness and insecurity.
"Gods, no!" he answered. "I was going to saw gorgeous, but that word is much too tame for you." A bright pink blush spread across Zia's cheeks and she looked away.
"They are a nice couple, aren't they?" a deep, familiar voice asked, drawing my attention back to the tent. A smirk touched my lips as I turned.
"I couldn't have said it bet-" I cut off, my stomach flipping and my heart slamming against my chest as I saw him.
Nico wore an off-black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off his muscular forearms. A dark maroon tie hung around his neck, loosened slightly. The top button of the shirt was undone, giving me an excellent view of his neck, which made me want to run my tongue up his throat. Pitch black slacks fit to his long legs hugged his hips, taunting me. Thick black work boots matched perfectly with the outfit, made complete by the jacket slung over his shoulder. His lengthy black hair, which glinted with a touch of auburn in the fading sunlight, was swept back, but otherwise untouched. I desperately wanted to muss it with my hands, pull him into a hot, steamy kiss by it. Or, better yet, pin him down in my bed by it.
"Are you ever going to finish your sentence?" he asked, cutting into my thoughts. His lips twitched upward; I noted the stubble darkening his chin, giving him a roguish look that made me hard.
"I doubt it," I said, shaking my head to restart my malfunctioning brain. "I can't think straight anymore; all the blood's gone from one head to the other." He laughed, nudging me with his elbow.
"You have a one-track mind, Erasmus," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Hey, you coming?" Carter called to us.
"Yeah, yeah, we're coming," I called back, slipping my hand into Nico's. He twined his fingers with mine, leaning up to kiss my cheek. We'd both grown taller over the years, but I still held a scant half-inch of height over him, a fact of which I never stopped teasing him.
"Good luck, master," Lilianna said, winking.
"Be safe," Enova reminded.
"We will," I assured her. "Good night, girls; see you tomorrow."
§§§
It was probably a good thing Freak knew where to go; Carter was entirely distracted by Zia, and I had no clue how to drive a griffin.
We arrived at the Lullaby Diner quickly, without any issues, and were greeted by the owners on the roof of the cozy little building at the edge of a cozy little town surrounding a cozy little lake. They were an older couple, in their mid- to late-forties, but looked remarkably fit.
"Carter! So nice to see you again," the woman said joyously, stepping forward to hug him. "And Zia, my goodness, you've grown!" She went to hug Zia while her husband held out a hand to Carter.
"Welcome to the Eighteenth Nome, Kane," the man nodded.
"Thank you for having us, sir," Carter said, shaking his hand. "Erasmus, Nico, meet George and Belinda Samson, owners of the Lullaby Diner and leaders of the Eighteenth. Mr. Samson, these are Erasmus Porter and Nico di Angelo."
"Pleasure to meet you," I greeted, taking the man's hand. His grip was firm enough that mine was loosened.
"Same," Nico nodded, shaking his hand in turn. George returned the nod and glanced at his wife.
"We've got places all set up for you," Belinda smiled. "Come along!" She led us through the building to a closed-off balcony and opened the door. "This is for Carter and Zia; the servers will be right up with your food." They stepped past her onto the balcony and Belinda winked at Carter as he passed. The Kane boy glanced back at me.
"Good luck," I grinned, giving him a thumbs-up.
"Right back at you," he chuckled. Belinda closed the door behind them and ushered Nico and I down the hall.
"This way!" she chirruped.
"What was that all about?" Nico asked curiously as we followed her. I shrugged, hoping it didn't look too forced.
"Nothing," I answered. Belinda saved me from an interrogation by stopping and opening another door.
"And this is for you two," she said, beaming. "Your servers will also be up in just a moment." I took Nico's hand and pulled him in behind me. The door opened onto another small balcony, which looked out over the lake. Lights from the downtown portion of the city on the other side reflected off the water, making it glint and sparkle like jewels. Suburbs spread out around the edges of the lake, giving the area a comfortable feel.
I let go of Nico's hand to go stand at the railing, looking out at the waterscape. It was beautiful, especially with the almost full moon hovering just beyond the city. Stars, though dimmed by the lights, still gleamed proudly in the sky.
Hands slipped around my waist, wrapping me in a warm hug from behind. I rested one of my hands on the clasped pair in front of me and reached up with the other as a chin settled on my shoulder. My fingers ran through Nico's silky hair as I turned slightly to kiss his cheek.
"You picked a wonderful spot," he murmured, pressing his lips to my neck. I sighed, closing my eyes as a pleased smile touched my lips.
"Thank Carter," I replied. "He suggested it and made the arrangements." Nico chuckled placing a tender kiss just below my ear.
"Should it be Carter I think about when I bed you tonight?" he rumbled teasingly. I snorted.
"I'd have to skin him alive." We both laughed softly.
A knock at the door brought our attention back to reality and we turned from the railing as two young men in white cook coats brought in a trolley with several trays on it. They moved the trays to a small, two-person table off to one side and uncovered them, releasing small plumes of pleasant-smelling steam. One of the servers uncorked a bottle of wine and poured a sample into one of the wine glasses, handing it to me. I took a sip and nodded approvingly as I handed the glass back. The server filled it part way, did the same with the other glass, and left the bottle in an ice bucket by the side of the table, following his partner back inside.
Turning to Nico, I offered him a smile and gestured for him to sit, pulling out the chair for him. He smirked, rolling his eyes and sat.
The food was pleasant, and we talked idly about anything and everything, laughing occasionally. Partway through the meal, we heard loud laughter and found Carter and Zia about a hundred yards away, their balcony on the opposite end of the building from ours.
The servers returned every few minutes to check on us, and brought dessert when we finished.
"...but the movies make it look so much worse than it is," Nico was saying.
"And yet romanticize it," I nodded, smiling.
"And yet they try to romanticize it," Nico agreed, "which, in turn, shows that real life is ten times worse." We paused there until the servers left.
"It makes you wonder whether any of the producers were demigods," I said, leaning back in my chair. "Some things are true, but others are obviously made up."
"Ri- Exactly," he replied, nodding. "I have yet to see a film that portrays reality where it concerns our lives as demigods, but at the same time, I can understand why the producers would keep it a bit off from the truth."
"To keep mortals from figuring it out," I chuckled. "But if..." I trailed off as a high-pitched squeal of excitement reached us from Carter and Zia's balcony. I glanced over at them and then checked my watch. Midnight.
"What the...?" Nico frowned, partly amused, partly confused.
"I guess that's my cue," I said nervously, managing a smile as my stomach flip-flopped at the thought of what I was about to do. Standing, I moved around to Nico's side of the table, took a deep breath and lowered to one knee, at the same time pulling the little metal box from my pocket.
"...Ras..." he whispered when he saw it, eyes widening. Swallowing the lump of apprehension in my throat, I opened to box, revealing the silver leaflet-style ring engraved with swirling designs.
"Nico di Angelo," I said, somehow managing to keep my voice from quavering. "You would do me great honor by accepting this ring and the offer of marriage it represents." One hand went to his mouth as he stared in shock, and my nervousness took over. "I know the setting is really cliché, and dinner isn't exactly an original idea, but it fit perfectly, and honestly I'm not the most creative person in the world, and I was really just grasping at straws; I tried to make it perfect for you, I really did, a-"
"Oh shut up," he interrupted, grabbing the front of my jacket and yanking me forward. His lips met mine in a flurry of passionate excitement. His tongue slipped into my mouth, sliding across mine in a way that heated every part of me. I moaned softly, reaching up with my free hand to cup his cheek. Stubble prodded my fingers, sending spears of desire through my body. My body hardened at the feel of his whiskers scraping against my cheek, my jaw, my neck. I groaned aloud, tangling my fingers in his hair.
"Should I take that as a yes?" I asked breathlessly. He chuckled lightly and I felt him smirk against my throat.
"Absolutely," he answered, pulling me up onto his lap. I set the ring box on the table and wrapped my arms around his neck. Leaning down, I gently kissed his cheek.
"My lover," I whispered, moving to the other cheek. "My boyfriend... My husband." I laid my lips across his, kissing him with a passion that surprised even me.
Suddenly, he broke away, laughing. I sat back and tilted my head, giving him a curious look. He shook him head in amusement.
"Nico Porter," he said. "It sounds... Normal." He laughed again, and I smiled.
"I don't think we could ever be normal," I chuckled, resting my forehead against his. "And I'm pretty sure our last names get combined; di Angelo-Porter."
"Sometimes I wish it were possible, being normal," he noted somberly, giving my nose a chaste kiss.
At that moment, the door opened. A waiter entered, a grim expression on his face, as we looked up. I noticed a shimmering around him and frowned. Unless he was a magician moving through the Duat, there should be no reason for the shimmering; I knew he wasn't a demigod, since we were in a magician's establishment, so he had to be a magician.
"Sirs," he greeted with a slight bow. "I have an important message for you." My frown deepened. Something was very, very wrong with the waiter.
"A message?" I echoed, standing. Nico started to stand as well, but I gestured for him to stay, eying the waiter suspiciously.
"Yes, sir," he said, looking up to meet my gaze. I froze, realizing what was wrong; his eyes. The blank look, the shimmering... He was a mortal. Under a Greek spell.
"From whom?" I demanded sharply. Fear ran undercurrent to the spell in his features, but only for a moment before returning to bland indifference.
"From Master," the waiter responded. He held out a slip of paper. Cautiously, I took it, half expecting it to blow up. Or the guy to attack, at least. Neither happened; the waiter bowed slightly again, and left without another word.
"What was that about?" Nico murmured, frowning. I shrugged slowly.
"I have no idea." Glancing at him, I gave him a quirky grin. "Why would you want to be normal? You'd miss out on the weird stuff like that." He rolled his eyes.
"What does the note say?" he asked, ignoring me and standing. Turning so he could see, I unfolded the paper and read it aloud.
"I know something that can help you. Something you have wanted to know for nearly eight years. If you want to find the answer you're looking for, meet me on the anniversary in Helena, Montana. And don't worry about finding me; I'll find you." There was no name at the bottom, and I flipped it over, but it was blank there too. "No signature."
"The hell is this guy talking about?" Nico scowled. "What's this; 'I'll find you'? Sounds phony to me."
"I don't know," I countered. "Eight years... What happened eight years ago?"
"No idea," he admitted. "I think that was when I first found out I was a demigod... Unless it was before then..." He shook his head dismissively. "I don't know." I studied the note, looking for some hidden message between the lines or something, anything we might have missed simply reading it.
"Eight years...?" I whispered. There had to be something one of us was missing. Who was the message intended for, anyway?
A scream of terror from inside the restaurant made both of us look up sharply. Glass shattered and tables crashed. Exchanging a momentary glance that needed no words, I summoned our swords from the Mist 'backpack' that always stayed near me. Handing his ice-cold blade to him with a smirk, I drew my Heavenly Steel and went to the door.
"This is going to be fun," he said, a sarcastic grin on his face. "Monsters just love a buffet."
"Let's go let them know the restaurant is invite only," I offered, clicking open the door. "After you." Snorting, he slipped past me and darted silently down the hall. I followed, almost running into Carter as he and Zia came bounding down the hall.
"You heard it too?" he asked, gripping his khopesh tightly.
"Yeah, let Nico and I get this one," I said. "You've got a pretty fiancée to watch out for."
"You haven't asked him yet?" Carter frowned.
"Oh I asked him alright," I grinned. "And he accepted. We'll have to talk marriage plans later. For right now, though, you should go prep Freak. We might need a quick getaway."
"But..!" he began. Too late; I was already down the hall.
The dining room was a mess. Tables were thrown all over the place, some broken, some simply overturned. Chairs littered the room. Mortal patrons scrambled this way and that, frightened for their lives. Glass and food were everywhere, making a disaster zone for anyone trying to get through. You know, like me.
And right in the middle of all the chaos, Nico faced off with a Minotaur. I beamed happily as my husband-to-be sidestepped a swipe of the monster's horns and slashed its leg with his sword, taunting it. The beast roared in pain and reared back, preparing for another strike. I was already moving, sending the Mist to throw of the Minotaur's aim. It raised a fist and slammed it down mere inches from Nico who ignored the near miss to give me a look.
"You're slow," he criticized tauntingly. "I've already got four marks on you."
"Three," I corrected, smirking. "It would have smashed you a moment ago."
"Details," he snorted, rolling his eyes in amusement. I gripped my sword and grinned at him.
"Better make that two," I said, and proceeded to lunge forward, dodging under the monster's punch and jabbing it in the side. It vanished with a puff of gold dust, making me sigh. "Damn. Looks like I'll have to wait to even the score."
"Hah, good luck, Ras," Nico laughed, brushing monster remains from my shoulder and leaning over to kiss my cheek.
"Mm, thanks," I chuckled. "I'll need it." Turning, I caught his mouth with mine and kissed him warmly.
"How nice," Carter cut in sarcastically. "A Greek monster just attacked an Egyptian restaurant, and you two are standing around making out instead of finding out why." I snorted a laugh, pulling away from Nico. The other couple stood off to one side, but the rest of the room was empty; they must have gotten the mortals out. Gods know what they thought was happening.
"You know, I think Sadie and Zia are finally rubbing off on you," I noted. He shrugged, his cheeks tinting. "Where is your sister, by the way?"
"She's hanging out with Annabeth," Zia answered.
"Annabeth?" Nico frowned. She nodded.
"Yeah, they've been really close since you," she glanced at me, "brought demigods and magicians together."
"Really?" I asked, surprised. "I guess that makes sense; they seemed to hit it off pretty quick when they met at the camp."
"At the camp?" Zia scoffed. "They met long before that, Ras. Remember that subway crash on Rockaway Beach?"
"Wait, let me guess," I said, shaking my head with a smile. "Annabeth and Sadie destroyed the place fighting with a monster."
"Forget the monster," Carter said. "They battled Serapis himself."
"Serapis?" Nico asked, frowning again as he rested his chin on my shoulder.
"The name is familiar," I muttered, scratching my temple as I tried to remember where I'd heard it before.
"Maybe this'll jog your memory," Carter said, crossing his arms. "Alexandria, Ptolemy, merging of the cultures and the gods..."
"Oh!" I exclaimed, suddenly remembering. "Serapis was the ruler of the gods! Ptolemy created him from a minor god and sought to become a god-king like the pharaohs of old, but over both cultures, Greek and Egyptian!"
"And nearly succeeded," Carter nodded. "According to Sadie's recount and my follow-up research, Serapis took over the Underworld from Hades and Osiris, denied and possibly killed Ptolemy, and ruled strongly for quite a while. He tried to return just before you showed up with Nico, Reyna, and... the satyr, whatever his name is. Sadie and Annabeth stopped him, but only just." He grimaced. "And Sadie came back to beat me over the head for not telling her I met Percy." I smiled, recalling how Sadie had whapped him for thinking I was Percy when we first met. I could easily see her bopping him over the head with her staff.
"How did he get back in this world in the first place?" Nico asked, interested. I suspected his interested stemmed from hearing that the god had taken his father's place as lord of the Underworld.
"We think Setne was behind it," Zia replied, her tone bitter.
"Setne?" Nico and I asked at the same time.
"A horrible, powerful magician that has managed to escape my father several times," Carter scowled. It was obvious this Setne was not a friend.
"Your father? He hosts Osiris, right?" I noted. He nodded. "I met him when I died; he doesn't strike me as the type to let someone like Setne run free."
"He wouldn't," Carter said glumly, "...if he could catch him."
"...I take it Setne is the Houdini of magicians," I said, partly amused and partly worried.
"Try Houdini, bin Laden, Hitler, and every other tyrant you can think of all mixed into one," Zia snorted. "Oh, and add a suave personality and the ability to charm his way out of practically any situation."
"Oh."
"Yeah, he's bad," she sighed. "And as much as I hate to admit it, he might be behind a Minotaur crashing through Lullaby Diner."
"Joy," I winced. "So... how do we beat him?"
"No idea," Carter grunted, annoyed. "Like we said, he's managed to escape from the Duat many times, and he's really tricky."
"Then we're going to need all the help we can get," I said, pulling out from under Nico and surveying the wrecked dining room. "Give me a moment and we'll go back to the camp to get backup." Closing my eyes, I used magic and the Mist to restore tables, chairs, glasses, dishes, and silverware to their proper places and conditions. I replaced the food with fresh things, and repaired any damage to the walls, ceiling and floor. When I finished, I felt drained, and wobbled. Nico quickly grabbed my shoulders, supporting me.
"It never ceases to amaze me the things you can do," he said, shaking his head and looking around. "You ok?"
"Yeah, just tired," I smiled wearily. "Let's get back to camp and start working on a plan to defeat Setne if he ever shows up."
§§§
I fell asleep on the way back. Well, dozed. As soon as Nico sat by the railing next to me, I leaned against him and slipped off. I could feel the boat moving, and heard the others talking in low voices so as not to disturb me, but otherwise I was unaware of anything.
"Ras," Nico said softly, brushing my hair back and rubbing my cheek with his thumb. "Hey, time to get up." I blinked a couple of times, rousing myself, and sat up, inhaling to get oxygen to my brain.
"Back?" I asked, sounding a bit drunk as I pressed my knuckles to my eyes.
"Yeah," he replied, toying with the loose strand of my hair. "You slept the whole way." Sighing, I stood.
"Then let's grab Kohn and see about g-" I trailed off as stars cluttered my vision and my head felt light. Groping blindly, I reached for the railing before I fell over. I missed. Nico caught and steadied me, chuckling.
"Remind me not to get you drunk," he teased. My head cleared slowly; I waited until I could hold myself upright and then shoved him away playfully.
"Just dizzy, genius," I retorted. "I stood up too fast."
"Then maybe you should lie down," he said mischievously. Despite the banter, I could see the seriousness in his dark gaze.
"Only if you're going to also," I returned, stepping up to him. He snorted.
"You're full of contradictions," he stated. "Pushing me away and coming right back to me."
"What can I say?" I chuckled, bracing my hands on the railing on either side of him. "You're addicting." Leaning in, I nipped his bottom lip, catching it and sucking lightly.
"Hey, lovebirds, get a room." We broke apart and looked over at Carter. He watched us, amused, but he wasn't the one who'd spoken. He jerked his head toward the edge of the boat. To my utter surprise, Hermes leaned against the railing, chin propped up on his palm, eyeing us with the same look of amusement as on Carter's face.
"Hermes?" I said, blinking. "What...?"
"An engagement present, from your mother," he answered. "Do you want it now, or should I come back after you've finished celebrating?" Heat spread up my neck and across my cheeks.
"Ah, no... Now, please," I managed. Smirking, he stood upright and snapped his fingers. A large box, about as tall as my waist, appeared next him. FedEx. For some reason, I found that funny and tried not to smile in case I offended the messenger god.
"Sign here, please," he said, conjuring his staff, which instantly turned into a pad. I signed on the line and cocked my head at the package, curious. "Congratulations, by the way." With a nod, Hermes vanished.
"I really want to open it," I said, still eying the box. Nico laughed.
"Go ahead," Carter chuckled. "Although I would much prefer it if you opened it in your tent. Too often I've had things blow up with me..."
"Oh, so you're fine if my tent gets blown up, but not if your boat does?" I asked, raising my eyebrow skeptically.
"...Pretty much," he grinned.
"You're so nice," I said sarcastically. "Nico, would you help me get this to the tent?"
"I'm as curious as you are," he answered, sitting on the edge of the box and holding out his hand. I took it and brought it to my lips, brushing a gentle kiss on his knuckles. The boat disappeared and a moment later, my tent faded into view.
"You have definitely gotten better at that," I said, impressed. Over the past couple of years, he'd finally been allowed to stop visiting Will at Camp Half-Blood whenever he shadow-traveled. He'd also trained under the son of Apollo's supervision until they were sure he wasn't in danger of vanishing whenever he tried to use the ability.
"Thank you," he grinned as I stepped back. "Are you going to open it?" Standing, he moved to one side and I chuckled.
"Why not?" Crouching beside the box, I picked at the tape until I could peel it away. The top came off easily, and when I pulled the packing paper away, my eyes widened; I couldn't suppress a soft gasp of shock.
"...Your mother... got you armor?" Nico asked, wide-eyed.
"Um... Is that a good thing, or is Mother going crazy?" I asked.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "Put it on; let's make sure it fits." I pulled out the first piece, which looked almost like a Kevlar vest made out of metal, and complete with pockets and straps. But it moved like fabric, which surprised me.
A letter was taped to the front. I pulled it off, draping the vest over the edge of the box and all but tearing open the envelope, which had my name written on it in delicate, flowing script.
"My dear son," I read aloud, "I'm so proud of you. Congratulations on the engagement! I was sure he'd accept, so I talked to Archangel Michael..." Pausing, I blinked and reread that. No way. My mother had talked with the Archangel? The leader of the angels that threw Lucifer and his followers out of heaven?
"Talked to him about...?" Nico prompted, curiosity in his gaze. I pushed aside my amazement for a moment and continued reading.
"...so I talked to Archangel Michael and got some more of the metal you call Heavenly Steel. I called in a favor from Hephaestus and had him make you a full set of armor. Don't worry, it's light, but still durable, and it has three unique qualities that together set it apart from any other material or metal in existence: first, it will never break or tear, except by Heavenly Steel, and given that you have to only such blade in the world, I doubt you have to worry; second, it will never get dirty, so you never have to wash or polish it; and third—I think you'll really like this one—it can change shape, size, and appearance, so you can wear it like a second layer as a hoodie or jacket, or you can simply..." I trailed off, shocked at the next words. Glancing up at Nico, I couldn't help but grin. "...or you can simply wear an invisible layer of protection."
"Ok, I have to admit, that is pretty cool," he said, impressed.
"And she's not finished," I noted. "Listen. 'Either way, I know you'll find this gift a great help in your line of work. I love you, son, and I wish you the best of luck in everything you do. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll be more powerful than me. In fact, you might even earn your own godhood someday.'" That made me smile. "'With love, your mother.' And she wrote something for you, too. 'P.S. Tell your boyfriend... excuse me, fiancée (unless he's already reading this) that his father sent him a gift as well. It's supposed to be at the top of the box, but knowing Hermes, it's probably at the bottom. Enjoy, both of you.' Sounds fun."
"Dad sent me something?" Nico clarified, definitely interested now.
"I didn't think it was possible for me to get any more curious than I was," I said, picking up the vest again. "I guess I just got proved wrong." Piece by piece, I pulled out my armor. Then I frowned, a chill running up my spine. I ignored it. "And... curiosity has just increased. There's nothing else." Nico frowned.
"Really?" he asked. "You sure?" I shrugged, gesturing to the box.
"It's empty." He stared at the bottom of the box and tilted his head to one side. Curious, I watched him. "What?"
"...There is something," he said, his brow furrowing. "I just can't tell what."
"How do you know?" I asked, intrigued.
"It calls to me, just like my sword," he answered. Which meant whatever was in there was definitely Underworld-made, and was probably the reason I'd felt that tremor of fear just a moment ago. Nico reached in and pulled something out. Something invisible. My eyes widened as a thought occurred to me.
"Could it be...?" I gaped. "Nico, you know your dad has the Helm of Darkness, right?"
"This isn't it," he said, shaking his head. "I've seen it before, and this is... different... not as big or bulky, and..." He ran his hands over the object, which was about the size of a fist, and circular. "...it's not a helmet."
"Can you make it visible, or does it stay like that?" I asked, nodding at it. He shrugged.
"I have no clue. But I'll bet if I put it on it'll work just like Dad's Helm." Turning it over in his hands, he inspected it with his fingers. Suddenly he grinned. "It's a bracelet. Well, ok, not a bracelet; more like a cuff."
"Put it on," I urged, eager to see if it did work. Doffing his shirt so it wouldn't get in the way, he slipped his hand through the center of the object and slid it up his arm to his bicep. Normally I'd be admiring his washboard abs and sculpted shoulders, but at the moment I was more interested in the cuff. It stuck for a moment just past his elbow, but he worked it up further until it rested under his shoulder. Nothing happened. I figured it was something else, and would only activate when he was in battle, or maybe just when he was in trouble. He stared at the place he'd put the cuff, thinking. Then he grinned and vanished. My jaw hit the floor.
"Yeah, it works just like Dad's Helm," his voice chuckled from where he'd been standing.
"How did you...?"
"Part of my abilities," he pointed out, coming back into view. "If I want to be invisible while wearing it, I will be. Same as with the Helm." I glanced at his arm and my lips twitched upward.
"And I'll bet the same goes for the cuff," I noticed, pointing out the now-visible gold band about two inches wide and decorated with several white gems that I realized a moment later were actually skulls. Greek symbols were etched into the gold, symbols for death, I knew. Nico glanced down and eyed the band. A moment later, it vanished. Then it reappeared.
"It's much too pretty to leave hidden," he said, glancing at me with a crooked smile. I chuckled.
"Pretty, huh?" Standing, I stepped toward him.
"Yeah, yeah, make fun of me," he snorted, rolling his eyes. I shrugged off my jacket, tossing it on the bed beside my armor.
"Making fun of you is enjoyable," I noted, putting my hands on his shoulders and brushed them slowly down his back, "but making love to you is much better."