I was literally bouncing with excitement when I heard Percy had finished his quest. I could see Bianca again! I rushed to the parlor, my face glowing with delight. I couldn't wait to tell her that I hit a bull's eye in archery! A bull's eye! She would be so proud of me, especially since she joined that archery girl group, the Hunters. I bet she had taken a souvenir from the quest! I can't wait until I'm old enough to get a quest, then I can follow in Bianca's footsteps! When I reached the parlor, I heard muffled snippets of voices.

"How do you know? Why would he care about camp?"

Percy! Oh boy, he's gonna want to know I climbed the whole climbing wall with the lava! I heard Chiron's voice distinctly, before I couldn't wait anymore and burst through the door, panting.

"Hey!" I yelled cheerfully.

My first clue that something was wrong was when I saw Percy's panic-stricken face and looked around anxiously. Where is Bianca?

"Where's… where's my sister?"

Percy exchanged some glances and stood up slowly. My second clue was the way he spoke.

"Hey Nico," he said gently, the way you would speak to an injured animal, "Let's go take a walk, okay? We need to talk."


I skipped beside Percy, who was looking at me as if I was going to die. My third clue. I smiled up at him to show that he could tell me anything. He looked down at the floor, a lone tear tracing down his cheek.

"Percy? Is… is something wrong?" I asked, with a hint of fear in my voice.

"Nico… quests are dangerous," He started, "and sometimes people don't come back."

"You mean that girl with the spiky black hair died? I'm so sorry Percy," I said empathetically.

I wish I knew what was coming, and then maybe I wouldn't have been so dense.

Then maybe I wouldn't have done what I did.

"No Nico, she didn't die. Her Huntress friend, Zoe, died, along with…"

Oh no, did Grover die? I liked him a lot, especially since he had funny furry goat legs. Or did Annabeth die? I felt sorry for Percy, I could just see his love for her like little pink hearts floating around him (although he was absolutely oblivious). Just like that pink flower there, and a butterfly! Oops, off topic again! Stupid ADHD! Percy took a deep breath.

"Nico…"

I leaned forward but my instincts told me NO! Don't listen!

"Bianca's dead."


I remember when I was in Westover hall in my first year. I had been called a freak because I said I saw Abraham Lincoln once, gliding down the playground- just like a ghost. I cried and after school I complained to Bianca about it, but she smiled and said,

"Nico, we all get bullied some days. Even I was bullied!"

I sniffled and said, "But they called me names!"

She tickled my stomach and I started to laugh hysterically.

"Always remember Nico, sticks and stones may break your bones-"

"-But words can never hurt me," I finished.

I always believed it.

But it's not true.

Because it only took 2 words to shatter my heart and crush my dreams.

It only took two words to lose my last strand of life.

Bianca. I remember her very clearly. The way she smiled, the way her hair swirled when she ran. I remember her bright eyes, which will never look at me with pride and love again. Never. Percy's voice broke my train of thoughts.

"She wanted you to have this," Percy said, his voice filled with sorrow that almost fooled me, but I know he let her die.

He placed a Mythomagic statue in my hand as if it would make things all better. A Mythomagic statue. I stared at it with hatred. It was just another reminder that Bianca was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt hollow inside. This… this was all Percy's fault!

"You promised you would protect her," I said, my voice empty.

He winced but I knew I was an act. He doesn't care about me! He was the reason Bianca died! He… he destroyed my life!

"Nico," he said desperately, "I tried. But Bianca gave herself up to save the rest of us. I told her not to. But she-"

"You promised!" I yelled.

He's lying. He's just trying to make excuses! I glared at him, my eyes watering. He did this!

"I shouldn't have trusted you!" I spat into his face. I remember my nightmares, with a lulling voice warning me about this. My voice broke. "You lied to me. My nightmares were right!

He looked dumbfounded.

"Wait. What nightmares?"

I glared at the good-for-nothing statue before I threw I to the ground, hoping it would crumble like my world did.

"I hate you!" I yelled.

"She might be alive, I don't know for sure-"

"She's dead," I said calmly. I closed my eyes and saw the vision I had thought was just my fears. Bianca standing on a field looking up at three judges.

"I should've known it earlier. She's in the Fields of Asphodel, standing before the judges right now, being evaluated. I can feel it."

Percy asked me what I meant but I wasn't listening, more intent on the skeletons that was behind him. I can't believe that after he killed off Bianca, he had to kill me! I thought he was my friend!

"You're trying to kill me?" I screamed. "You brought these… these things?"

"NO! I mean yes, they followed me, but no! Nico, run! They can't be destroyed!"

"I don't trust you!"

The… things charged at us and he swung his sword, but I knew it was just some part of his act. He just wanted to destroy me, and I wasn't going to let him!

"Run Nico, get help!" He yelled at me.

As if I'd fall for the trick again. I've had about enough of his lies!

"No!"

I tried to block out his fake pleas for help. I heard him screaming but I wasn't going to help him.

"No!" I yelled again. "GO AWAY!"

The ground shook and a fissure opened, swallowing the things with its fire. For a moment I thought about showing Bianca but then I remembered she was gone… all thanks to HIM!

"How did you-"

"Go away! I hate you! I wish you were dead!"

I ran away from all of this.

Away from that liar who killed my sister.

Away from those painful memories.

Away from that figurine that seemed to mock me.

Away from that wretched camp that means nothing to me anymore.

Away from his broken promise.