Annabeth likes architecture.
They start a conversation, but Rachel isn't really paying attention to the blonde, who is blabbering on about facts.
She instead, is listening to Nico talk. His voice reminds her of melted chocolate.
"Thanks for coming after us," Percy says awkwardly.
"I owed you for the ranch, Percy. Plus... I wanted to see Daedalus for myself. Minos is right, in a way. No one should live that long. It's unnatural."
"That's what you were after," Percy says thoughtfully. "You wanted to trade Daedalus' soul for your sister's."
"Rachel?"
She turns back to Annabeth.
A while later, she freezes. There is an aura of pure evil surrounding that way. Rachel stares at it in horror. Percy insists on taking alone, and he leaves.
A heavy silence follows and suddenly she knows something is wrong.
"Something is happening," she says frantically, and her, Nico and Annabeth run down the dark hall until the reach the stone building.
"PERCY!"
With all of her might, she throws the blue hairbrush in her back pocket as hard as she can at the blonde guy's eye. They run.
"FOLLOW THEM!"
"NO!" Nico closes his eyes and a huge rock bursts from the ground.
Her mouth falls open but still they run, as fast as they can.
Nico is scared. Kronos knows now. He knows about Nico's parent. He will be after him.
He shudders and sits down, watching as Annabeth sobs brokenly. Annabeth is always so strong. She is a pinnacle of safety. It shocks and terrifies him to see her cry.
They continue on and Percy sees a crumpled Rasta cap.
Nico realizes it is Grover's.
The great god Pan's presence makes Nico sit up straighter. He feels energized, better.
He feels alert enough the feel the words left unsaid as Pan doesn't talk to him.
He feels strong enough to pretend that doesn't hurt.
Percy whistles sharply, and five beautiful horses with wings land elegantly on the road. Rachel gasps.
"Their beautiful!"
Percy laughs. "Yeah."
And then he asks about her dad. Uncomfortably, she tells him about Jonathon Dare and his business. Percy reassures her he will judge her.
"I kind of memorized it," he says of her number she scribbled on his hand so long ago. She smiles at him.
Right before she leaves, Rachel meets Nico's eyes. She will miss him, his presence. With him there she feels whole again, and she knows she'll see him soon, because as she's walking away, he smiles at her and mouths: I will find you.