"So, Demeter sent you."

Dionysus couldn't have looked less pleased to have the son of Hades back at Camp Half-Blood, but Nico figured that was more a result of his usual, bad attitude than his own presence. He'd learned a long time ago not to take anything Dionysus said or did personally, even though the old man often intended things to be.

"Yes." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "She said I needed to be a 'normal child' for a summer."

"That is odd," Chiron admitted. He'd been the first one, besides Annabeth, to learn of Nico's presence, and that was because Annabeth had dragged him directly to the old centaur, much to his annoyance. She sat at the table with Mr. D now, a fan of cards in her hand, though she was clearly more focused on the new arrival than the game she was playing.

"Demeter does not usually take kindly to Hades' children," Chiron continued. "That you piqued her interested at all is interesting, but to think she would go to such great lengths, that she would stand against her own husband's wishes, supposedly for your well being…." The activity director trailed off, shaking his head as he thought. "That is indeed very strange."

"Not that we're not thrilled to have you." Annabeth amended. Mr. D shot her a dark look.

"Of course, of course." Chiron agreed, smiling up at the boy from his wheelchair. "Forgive me. I just love a good mystery. We are delighted to have the son of Hades back at camp. Your cabin has been kept clean, as a sign of respect to your father, and I can have it ready for you by this evening."

Nico crossed his arms and leaned against the Big House's wall. They were all seated inside the parlor—a large room lined with windows that looked out over the sprawling camp below them. "You don't need to wonder so much about her majesty's motivations," he muttered. "She didn't actually do this for my own good; she did it because she's tired of having me around."

So much for trying to conceal his bitterness.

Chiron arched an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be so sure, Mr. di Angelo. Demeter may not enjoy the memories of her husband's past transgressions that your presence elicits, but I doubt she would take her frustrations out on you directly."

"Oh yeah, because the gods are so reasonable and merciful, right?"

"Hey." Mr. D barked. Everyone turned to look at him as he took a long swig from his diet coke. He crushed the can on the table when he was done and belched. "Someone bring me another soda."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Maybe she's punishing your father, Nico. After all, didn't you say you were running errands and doing work for him? Maybe he enjoyed having you around, and her sending you away is her way of—"

The front door to the house burst open.

"Annabeth? Annabeth, where are you?"

Nico suppressed a moan and tried to blend in with the shadows around him. That voice. He recognized that voice.

He really did not want to see the owner of that voice.

"We're in here, Percy!" Annabeth called back. Mr. D muttered something uncomplimentary and took another swig from a new diet coke that had apparently been conjured from thin air.

A few seconds later, Percy Jackson himself burst into the room. He wore a bright orange, Camp Half-Blood sweatshirt, just like the last time Nico had seen him, and a set of worn jeans. His black hair wasn't nearly as long as it had been back in Italy, but it wasn't short either. Had he actually attempted to brush it, for once?

"Where is he?" Percy gasped. "Someone said—they said you sent for me. They said Nico was back."

"He is." Annabeth answered, hiding a smile. She gestured over to where Nico stood, perfectly still, willing the Earth to absorb him and drag him back into the underworld.

Percy's eyes flickered over him at first, but a second later they seemed to find him. They were just as amazing as Nico remembered—a deep, rich green. The color of the sea.

"Nico!" He smiled and took a few steps forward, but something—maybe the look on Nico's face, maybe the aura radiating off him—stopped the son of Poseidon dead in his tracks. Annabeth had taken him by surprise, but he was over the teleportation-induced dizziness now. He wasn't interested in anymore surprise hugging.

"Uh," Percy shook his head. "I—I'm glad you're back." A smile flickered back to life on his tanned face. "It's been too long, man. Where have you been?"

"Better places." Nico answered. "And I intend to go back as soon as possible."

"Hmm." Chiron murmured. "You might want to watch your words, Mr. di Angelo. From what you've told us, it sounds like Demeter is genuinely invested in giving you a few months of what she perceives as a normal life. If you spend the entire summer just waiting to go back, she may extend your banishment even further."

"Banishment?" Percy repeated, glancing between the two. "Demeter? I don't—"

"My father won't let her keep me away for too long," Nico insisted, though he didn't feel confident that that was true. If there was one person in the world capable of lording their power over the king of the underworld, it was Demeter, and Chiron was right. She seemed pretty dedicated to this twisted idea.

"How about," Annabeth suggested, rising from her chair and setting down her cards. "Percy and I take Nico on a tour of the camp?" She smiled at him. "A few things have changed since you were last here. The Romans have had quite the influence on us."

"Yeah." Percy agreed, wearing a smile of his own, though Nico could still see a mix of confusion and curiosity in his eyes. "Besides, now that you're back, maybe Hazel and Leo can come and visit!"

Nico stared at him, momentarily forgetting his supposed hatred for the kid. "Frank Zhang? Why would he be with Hazel?"

"Didn't you stay in touch with your sister at all this last year?" Annabeth laughed. "They're dating. Practically inseparable now!"

Nico continued to stare, unsure of how to respond to this news. Admittedly, he hadn't stayed in touch with Hazel, and he felt guilty about that. He'd just been too busy, and honestly, he'd grown tired of rejecting her pleas for him to come and visit every time they talked. She seemed more determined than Demeter to get him out of the underworld.

But she didn't have the divine ability to snap her fingers and send him away, so yeah, now seemed like as good a time to catch up as any. Maybe he'd even lie and make it sound like he'd come here willingly.

"Let's go." Percy said, turning on his heel and marching out the door. Annabeth started to follow him when Mr. D barked her name.

"Ms. Chase! Since when is it proper manners to abandon a game in the middle of a hand?" His eyes narrowed. "Especially a hand you're about to lose!"

Nico resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Nothing could entice the daughter of Athena into staying better than a thinly veiled challenge, and especially with a game like pinochle, he knew she couldn't just walk away.

"I'll join you two later," She said, giving Nico a wink. "Go catch up with Percy. He's…." She cocked her head to the side, a strange expression coming over her face. "He's missed you."

Nico really would've rather do anything else in the world just then than go on a tour of Camp-Half Blood alone with Percy Jackson, but the looks Chiron and Mr. D were giving him made him think he had no choice. Stupid Olympians. They were really beginning to get on his nerves.

With a martyred sigh, he pushed off the wall and stalked out onto the porch, where Percy was waiting for him with an eager smile.

"Where's Annabeth?"

"She has a game to finish with Dionysus." Nico answered. "How about we just postpone the tour until she's done?" Or forever?

"Nah, that's alright." Percy shrugged it off and turned, leaping off the porch with an easy grace. "Come on! She'll catch up later!"

He started walking away before Nico could protest. Briefly, he considered mutiny. What could Percy really do if he just left and hunkered down in his cabin? Demigods weren't technically allowed in one another's bunks, and Hades in particular was known for having a bad attitude about such things.

I'll never hear the end of it from Chiron, though, Nico thought. Besides, he'll just keep pestering me. I might as well get it over with now, right? Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe it'll be short. Maybe it'll distract me from how utterly miserable this entire situation is.

"Nico?" Percy called. "Are you coming?"

With a sigh, the son of Hades trotted down the front porch steps of the Big House. The sun was beginning its descent, but the entire camp still hummed with activity—activity that grated on all of Nico's senses simultaneously. He wanted nothing more than to go home, to the underworld. He wanted to hide from his problems, from the questions and unwanted desires that were already beginning to tug at his consciousness.

But he couldn't do that, so instead, he set off after the son of Poseidon—the one and only boy he'd ever loved.