It was late when Hermes' message came. Connor was asleep. He heard something rustling on the pillow next to his ear, then felt it poke his cheek. He opened one eye. There was a paper airplane on his bed. Connor sat up.
He knew it was from his dad. He couldn't explain why. He just did. Connor picked the airplane up and unfolded it. It was made of ordinary notebook paper; Hermes hadn't even bothered tearing off the part that connected to the spirals.
Hey son!
Wish I could come down so we could chat in person, but I'm swamped! Don't worry about ghosts. This was a rare occurrence. You were very brave today and I'm glad to know you weren't hurt. Though you do have the ability to travel in certain spaces off-limits to mortals, I wouldn't go poking around if I were you. Those places can be dangerous.
You and your brother stay safe, Connor.
—Hermes
Connor folded the message back up and tucked it underneath his mattress. It hadn't calmed him at all. He laid back down. He spent a few minutes staring at the bunk above him, listening to the gentle breathing of his brothers and sisters, then kicked the sheets off and went outside.
The night air was cool. Connor half expected another ghost to materialize, but nothing happened. He thought about waking Travis up to tell him about the note, then decided against it. It was probably better if he let it go. Connor looked around at the other cabins. The lights were still on in Athena's. Green torches burned above the door of the Hades cabin, creating an unearthly glow against the obsidian walls.
Without stopping to think, Connor headed in that direction. Judging by the bags under Nico's eyes, that kid did not sleep well. He might be awake too. Connor planned what he would say in advance. He needed Nico on board with what he had in mind.
This time, he had to knock twice. Again, Nico opened the door a sliver and peered out. The cabins didn't have locks, but Connor could picture Nico getting a chain installed. He didn't trust anyone who stopped by. Connor wondered if Percy got the same treatment.
"It's the middle of the night. What do you want?"
"Can I come in?"
"No. Go away." Nico moved to close the door. Connor stuck his foot in the gap. It only hurt a little bit. The door was heavier than it looked.
"I need to talk to you. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."
"If it's about the ghost…"
"It is. But there's more. Please, hear me out." Connor put his hand in the jamb as well, just beneath Nico's. He hoped Nico wouldn't be so cruel as to smash his fingers. "It'll only take a minute. If you're not interested, you can go back to sleep and I'll do this on my own."
Connor waited while Nico thought it over. Then, the door opened. "Fine," Nico said. "Where's your brother?"
"I decided not to get him involved. One of us has to stay here." Connor sidled through the entrance. In the low light, Hades's cabin looked even more forbidding. He noticed that while Nico's bed was definitely in use, his pillow was propped against the wall, a book and flashlight resting beside it.
"You're planning on going somewhere?" Nico asked. He was in his pajamas. They were black (of course they were) with a Jack Skellington pattern. It was one of the cuter things in the room.
"I started thinking. What if that girl died somewhere nearby? That would explain how she showed up here. They can't move very far, can they?"
"No."
"She wasn't a camper, so she must have come from outside. She was looking for help, but… not just for herself."
"You're making wild guesses. There's no way you know that."
"It was a feeling. Why would she come all this way if it was going to evaporate her? There must be something else. Something we're missing."
"I'm a little troubled by your use of the word 'we' here. Like we're working together."
"That's what I came to ask you." Connor put his hands on Nico's shoulders. "Nico. I need your help."
Nico shook his head. "No way. I told you to drop it."
"I need to know what happened. It might not be some huge quest. It might not be a big 'fate of the world' thing, but if there are spirits out there who haven't been able to move on, then that should matter to you." Connor hated what he was about to say, but he had to do it if he wanted to convince Nico. "If it was Bianca…"
Nico tore himself free of Connor's grasp. His face was pale in the faint light. "Don't bring her into this! You barely knew her."
"That's true," Connor admitted. "But these people mattered to someone. That's why we should help them. I would go on my own, but I honestly don't know if I can. If you say no, I'm going to try anyway, even though it might get me killed."
"For one lost soul?" Nico said.
Connor nodded. Nico's harsh gaze softened.
"It got to you," he said. "When she passed through you like that."
"Yeah."
Nico rubbed his eyes. "I shouldn't have let that happen. You wouldn't let me."
"Then it's my fault. I'll take responsibility." Connor walked to the door. "I'm sorry I bothered you."
"Wait." Nico grabbed his arm. He immediately let go, as if startled by his own actions. Connor turned to face him again. Nico looked at the floor. "You'll screw something up if you go by yourself. I'll go with."
Connor changed quickly and stuffed a few necessary items in a backpack. Then he shook Travis awake. Travis groaned as he opened his eyes. He'd been drooling on his pillow.
"What is it?" he asked blearily. "Emergency?"
"No. I'm going on a trip. It's a secret mission. I need you to cover for me."
Travis pushed himself up. "Where are you going? This can't be an official quest."
"It's not," Connor admitted. He could lie to everyone but his brother. "I'd ask you to come too, but there needs to be at least one Hermes counselor."
"This is about the ghost, isn't it? Did you hear from dad?"
"I did. He said that we could go places other people can't."
"Makes sense. God of travelers." Travis let his head fall back onto the pillow. "Don't worry. I'll make something up. I'm a little hurt that I'm getting left out, but if you come back alive, I'll forgive you. You're not going alone, are you?"
"Nico's coming with."
"You convinced Nico to go with you?" Travis laughed. "Man, you must've been persuasive. Dad would be proud."
Connor grinned back at him. "I won't be gone long. I'll see you in a few days, Travis."
"See you in a few days." Travis made a warding sign against evil. "Love you, bro. Don't die."
"If I do, I'll just talk Nico into bringing me back."
Travis smirked, but he didn't laugh this time.
"We're going to shadow travel out of camp," Nico said.
"Why not just sneak out?"
"It increases the chances of getting caught. This way, we can slip in and out without anyone noticing. I leave this way all the time." He held out his hand. "I usually don't take people with me. It might make you sick, so be aware of that."
Connor took Nico's arm and followed him into the greenish shadows surrounding the Hades cabin. The darkness bent around them. Connor's head throbbed. He felt like he'd been flipped upside down in a narrow, pitch-black alley. Luckily, it didn't last long. They slipped back into reality on the other side of Camp Half-Blood's borders. Connor blinked a few times.
"That was weird," he said. He rubbed his temples. "I understand why you go it alone."
Nico's head swiveled toward the road. "There's something over there," he said.
"Monsters?"
"Death." Nico took off at a jog. Connor hurried after him.
They arrived at the edge of the road in a few minutes. At this hour, it was pretty much deserted. Connor noticed that someone had stuck a makeshift cross in the ground on the other side. There was a wreath hanging off it.
"That's new," Nico said, walking toward it. He crouched beside the marker. "There was an accident here."
Connor joined him. "It wasn't a monster attack, was it? There are lots of kids who never make it inside."
Nico shook his head. "Car accident. I can feel it. There are echoes."
"See? I knew it was a good idea to bring you along." Connor looked closer at the display. There was a beanie-baby sitting at the base, a little multi-colored bear. It was weighing down a photograph. Connor nudged the bear aside so he could see.
Two girls. A teenager and a little kid. The teenager was definitely the girl they'd seen at the lake. She was wearing different clothes in the picture, but her hair and what Connor had been able to discern of her face were the same. She smiled at the camera, her eyes bright. Connor felt another stab of sympathy for her.
Nico grabbed the back of Connor's t-shirt. "Look over there," he whispered.
A shape floated a few inches above the road. The longer Connor looked at it, the more it started to resemble a little girl. She grew pigtails and sparkly sneakers with Velcro. Her face was like the older girl's — blurry, but still recognizable as a person's. Also like the other ghost, Connor could see her bones through her flesh, like a walking X-ray.
"There's your other one," Nico whispered. He slowly stood up. "Hey," he called to the girl, "over here."
The ghost looked up. Her features morphed with sudden fear and she floated back a few feet. Connor stood up, but stayed low. He didn't have much experience with kids who were this young, but he did know it was good idea to get on their level, so that he wasn't talking down to them.
"It's okay," Connor said. "We're here to help." He extended a hand, palm up.
The ghost didn't move. She didn't even try to speak.
"She's been here for a few weeks," Nico said. "I'm surprised she hung on this long."
"Do you think she'll come to you if you tell her?" Connor asked.
"I can try." Nico stepped forward. He gestured for the girl to come closer. "Come here."
She floated warily forward, then stopped.
"A little more," Nico said. "We're not going to hurt you."
Again, she moved a few feet and halted. Nico made an exasperated noise.
"Maybe she has a name," Connor suggested. "Is there anything written on the memorial?"
Nico checked. "There are two on the back of the picture. Abby and Becca."
Connor shuffled closer to the little girl, hand still outstretched. "Are you Abby? Becca?"
The ghost shivered. She crept closer. She lifted her arm, her tiny hand reaching for Connor's. When she touched him, he felt the chill. It reminded him of holding an ice cube, but he didn't let go; he curled his fingers around hers. The girl's shape grew clearer.
"Everything's going to be alright," Connor assured her. "We can take you to where you need to go. You don't have to wait here anymore."
She made a chattering noise. It sounded like a question, but Connor couldn't be sure. He smiled and got to his feet. Nico stood to the side, regarding the girl with a strange mix of emotions. Connor wished he knew what Nico was thinking. He obviously felt sorry for her. She couldn't be more than five years old.
"I know a nearby entrance to the Underworld," Nico said. "It'll take a day or two to reach. How are you going to take her there?"
"I'll think of something."
They were able to leave the accident site easily. Nico was puzzled by this.
"She should be tethered to the spot where she died."
"I think, and this is just a theory," Connor said, "it's because of me. My dad delivers souls to the Underworld, so obviously he's got to move them. Maybe I can transport ghosts."
Nico's brow furrowed. "What happens if you let go of her?"
"I'd rather not." They had already traveled far away from that particular piece of road. If Connor stopped holding her hand, she might snap back to her death site like she was attached to an invisible bungee cord. He would rather not take any chances.
"It's going to be tough with her hanging off you like that," Nico pointed out. "Isn't there some other way you can carry her?"
"She could ride on my back. She doesn't weigh anything." To demonstrate, Connor lifted his arm. The ghost girl went with it. This time, her chattering sounded like laughter.
"It would be a lot easier if we could put her soul in something."
"Oh come on, I'm not going to stuff her in a bottle. If you think it's going to be that difficult, why don't you open up the ground with your sword and we'll go through there."
"That's not how it works." Nico shook his head. "I can summon and dismiss. I can't just open doors to the Underworld whenever I want to. I can find them."
"Then we carry her." Connor bent down. "Here, sweetie. Hop up." He patted his shoulders.
The ghost crawled up his back and sat with her legs over Connor's shoulders. He waited for the icy feeling to go away before he stood up. If there weren't twin cold spots where her legs rested, he might not even know she was there. Connor realized Nico was staring at him.
"What?" he demanded.
"Nothing. Don't get too attached, is all."
