Chapter 4

Nico sighed as he shadow traveled from his father's throne room to Persephone's garden. His irritation rose when he still came up empty. Where could his father be? It's not like the man had that much of a social life. He didn't exactly leave the Underworld all that often recently, even if he now had a throne on Olympus. Something about his siblings being far too annoying.

Still, he had looked all over the palace, he'd even asked Charon if he'd seen the old man, which led to a long monologue about how the Ferryman was not paid to keep an eye on the God of the Underworld and in fact he was not actually being paid at all and really Nico needed to tell his father to stop being so stingy. He'd left halfway through, not in the mood to listen to the common griping of the reaper.

Still, he'd thought his father would be around. After all the man had sent him on a quest to secure (i.e. steal) a rare gem that stole souls. It was apparently similar to the real Hope diamond, which was cursed to kill any who looked upon it. Hades had had to have one of his other demigod children switch that one out for a convincing fake in an effort to keep his work load down.

"Well if it isn't Gloomy Jr."

Nico sighed, shoulders slumping. Really? He had to deal with this today?

"Thanatos," he greeted rather reluctantly, turning to the primordial god of death. As usual the man had his nose glued to his I-pad, either checking his lists or watching Netflix. He could ask the other where his father was, but he wasn't sure he wanted to pay whatever price the god would demand.

"Looking for your old man," the death god asked casually, though the smirk curling his lips belied his intentions.

"Maybe," Nico hedged. "Why?"

Thanatos chuckled darkly. "So distrusting. Just like your father."

"Considering the last time we ran into each other you refused to tell me the time unless I put a snake in Persephone's bed room, a dead one to be precise," he stated dryly, arms now crossed as he eyed the other male.

"And yet you said no," Thanatos pouted. "You have no sense of humor."

"It's called survival instinct."

"Boring."

When the god just continued to play with his computer Nico started to get fed up. Really he had better things to do, like find his father and get rid of this stupid trinket!

"Are we done here," he asked impatiently.

"So you don't want to know where your father is," Thanatos queried innocently.

"Not if it's gonna cost me something I'm not willing to pay," he snarked.

"For the son of the God of Wealth, you have no sense of haggling," Thanatos mocked. "But this time I'll allow you a free-be. You'll find everyone in Poseidon's palace, watching Percia's latest quest."

Nico turned to leave only to stop short. "Percia? They're able to see what she's up to?"

"Oh? Didn't you know? Poseidon has a permanent viewing portal to allow him to check up on our missing hero," Thanatos murmured distractedly, eyes glued to whatever was on the screen. "Seems she got caught up in something again. Girl just attracts trouble."

"Don't I know it," he huffed. "Thanks." It always paid to be polite to powerful beings, even if it was grudgingly. Still the God of Death didn't seem to hear him, already walking off, fiddling with his I-pad. Rolling his eyes he tried to lock in on the last place he'd seen his cousin Thalia. He knew if he didn't inform her of what he'd just learn she'd electrocute him the next time they met up.

It didn't take long to lock onto her presence. The Hunters of Artemis hadn't moved all that far since the last campsite. His sudden appearance startled several of the guards, but those that recognized him calmed quickly, used to his popping in and out to speak to their second in command.

"Well if it isn't death breath." He heard his cousin call out before he could even ask where she was.

"So original sparky," he drawled, one brow hiked in mock derision.

Thalia shrugged not caring. She looked just as she had at 16, having stopped aging since that time. Nico had grown taller, and even had a few age lines, though not many. It was strange meeting up with her, but she was one of the few cousins he actually liked.

"What brings you here," Thalia asked, waving off the hunters that looked like they wanted to interfere.

"I just learned Poseidon has a viewing portal to allow him to look in on Percia in her new world," he announced without preamble. No sense wasting time.

Thalia blinked, before little sparks of electricity danced along her skin and hair, a clear sign she was upset. "And why weren't we told?"

"Don't know," he admitted, equally unhappy, but not willing to get overly worked up. "I found out from Thanatos. Apparently she's gotten dragged into another quest and they're all watching it. Again."

A growl proceeded the flash of lightening she threw at a nearby tree. "Stupid gods never telling us things." Gathering herself she turned back to her cousin. "Think we'd be able to join in?"

"It's in Poseidon's palace, which means underwater, so I doubt it," he advised blithely.

"Well good thing I can manipulate air. I'll just make a bubble around us," Thalia told him. "Then when we get there we can ask our dads to make a better barrier."

"You think they will?" He seemed rather reluctant to agree to her thought process.

"We'll make them."

Nico rolled his eyes at Thalia's typical bravado, but figured it was worth a try. "Alright, hold on."

The two shadow-travelled to Poseidon's palace, a place only Nico had been once, very VERY briefly. Thalia immediately pulled the air molecules in the water around them. One of the guards almost attacked, but another recognized them and directed them where to go. He knew better than to harm the children of Zeus and Hades.

Soon enough they found the room where all of the gods had gathered, sprawled around a large screen watching Percia and her companions like it was some kind of soap opera.

"Was reality TV too dull for you dad," Thalia sassed at her father, somewhat pleased at his startled look.

"Thalia? Why are you here?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because I heard my cousin was on another life-threatening quest and instead of telling those of us that care, you guys just decided to treat it like a movie night!" Her voice had risen towards the end, eyes narrowed in anger at her father.

It was somewhat amusing to see the king of the gods tongue tied at his daughter's statement.

"How did you find out," Hades addressed his son, waving a hand to make it easier for both of them to remain to watch the progression of Percia's latest adventure.

"Thanatos," Nico informed his father dryly, sending him a flat look when he chuckled. He then tossed the gem his father had requested he… acquire. "You're welcome by the way."

"I never doubted you for a moment," Hades murmured as he scanned the jewel before tucking it into his suit pocket.

"So what's happened so far," Thalia asked, already making herself comfortable in a beanbag Hermes kindly materialized.

"Percia got hurt by Bilbo's magic ring. Gandalf figured out ring was super evil ring created by the supreme bad guy. Gandalf told Percia and Bilbo to take said evil ring to Rivendell, land of elves. They met up with Strider on the way; he's a ranger friend of theirs and practically a brother to Percia. Also two of Bilbo's cousins tagged along for the ride. The group met up in Bree, where the minions of the supreme bad guy, who are evil wraith things, almost found them. They then make way to the elf city and run into evil minions again, managing to get away. Once at elf city they meet up with Gandalf again and learn the head wizard dude is really working for the enemy. Main elf dude called a council of the good guys where they decided to destroy the ring. Bilbo and Percia agreed to take it along with a few volunteers. Now they were starting their journey to the supreme bad guy's home turf to destroy the ring," Hermes summed up for them.

"Ok…"

"Elf boy is also along for the ride," Apollo piped in. "We've got a betting pool going on if they will admit their feelings or not, or if someone else will win Percia's heart."

Thalia and Nico both glanced cautiously at Poseidon and his sons.

"Are you sure that's a good idea," Thalia asked quietly, as she noted the irritation this pool seems to be causing the sea family.

"It's fine." Hades waved away their concern. "They'll pout about it and Fish face will growl and grumble, but in the end they just want her to be happy. Our little pool is just a spot of fun. It's not like we can actually affect the outcome afterall."

"And that is SO boring," Aphrodite moaned. "Just think of all the fun we could have had if we had the ability to interfere!"

"I have said it before and I will say it again," Poseidon threatened. "Leave my children's love lives alone!"

"Spoilsport!"

Nico and Thalia shared a look. Their family was indeed crazy.