I looked up from my mother's hug, and Annabeth was standing there looking pretty awkward. I nodded to my dad, and he walked over to Annabeth. "So I heard you are rebuilding Olympus, is that right?"
Annabeth looked up, her eyes gleaming, if there was anything she loved just as much as Percy, it was architecture. "Yeah, that's right. Do you want to see the blueprints? It's going pretty well, we are right on time. Maybe even a little bit ahead of schedule if anything." She reached into the backpack she was wearing and pulled out some blueprints.
Dad chuckled and replied, "I would love to see the blueprints. If Olympus is really going to be as amazing as I hear it's going to be, maybe you should redo the underworld sometime soon, eh?" Wow, that's so like my dad. Trying to sweeten her up to redo this black world.
"It would be my honor, Hades." They started talking about meaningless stuff that I had no idea what it meant. They were totally engulfed in architecture.
"I'm glad it was me that-" I was cut off from a ringing that sounded in my head. It sounded like a telephone, but I knew there were none of those in the underworld. Hades looked up from Annabeth's blueprints. "Dad, what was that?"
He looked around my room confused and finally said disbelievingly, "That hasn't been heard in over a century."
Persephone let go of me, she walked over to Hades clutched his hand and asked, "Do you mean that-?" The ringing sounded again, getting louder every ring.
"Dad! What does that ringing mean?" I asked, totally confused. Annabeth was giving me a questioning look, and I replied with a shrug of my shoulders. The ringing sounded time even louder than before, and sounding more urgent.
"Someone is calling the Underworld." He replied with blank eyes. What did that mean, "calling the underworld"? That didn't make any sense, we don't have any phones here, much less any reception!
"Calling the Underworld? Like with a phone?" Annabeth asked. Okay, I have to admit that for a daughter of Athena that was a really stupid question. Her eyes were starting to fill up with wonder. But mine were only clouded with confusion.
"No. With their mind." Persephone said. I had never seen my parents this serious before, what was so special about this stupid ringing noise?
I took a deep breath and tried not to get angry, "Okay, so what the Hades does that mean?" I didn't mean to offend my dad, but I was getting really confused. Normally dad would have scolded me for saying that but he just kept silent, listening to the ringing, which was starting to give me a headache from how loud it was.
"Only a daughter or son can do that." My dad replied. Now I understood. If that wasn't me calling… it was Nico.
"You mean that, Nico is calling us?" I asked. This couldn't even be possible, after one day of finding out he's alive, I find out we can call eachother, and now he's going to talk to us? UNBELIEVEABLE.
"Yes." Persephone and Hades answered in chorus.
"Well, ANSWER IT!" Annabeth broke the tension. At least there was one smart person here not just standing there doing nothing about it. I needed to take action!
"Right. Alright here I go. Sorry Annabeth. You won't be able to hear it. Only Emily, Persephone, and I can." The ringing stopped, and I heard my brother's voice in my head. It was talking very fast, and he sounded urgent. I quickly rummaged through my desk and grabbed a pencil and paper to write down what he was saying.
Help! Watch the Sunset on the horizon and follow Apollo.
There you will find the way to the sea.
Then only will you save your family.
Take the wrong path, and everything will go wrong.
So be careful, Sister and whoever dares to follow you.
Who could possibly want my brother? Then it dawned on me. The Sunset was tonight. We had to get there tonight…
"Well? What did he say?" Annabeth asked.
I handed Annabeth the notepad with what he said scrawled in it. My throat was dry, I couldn't talk. All I could think about was my brother was alive and someone had him. He had been careful enough to call us, but gave us a riddle. Ugh! It was like another prophecy. Hades was the first to break the silence, "Well. The Sunset is in a few hours. You must go back and tell Percy and Zach, and tell Chiron."
I nodded, still speechless. Annabeth said, "Thank you for everything Hades. It was nice meeting you Persephone. But we are in a rush as you can see."
Persephone waved goodbye and said, "Be careful Emily. Find your brother, and bring our family back together."
I nodded and mouthed, I love you. My parents nodded and mouthed I love you back.
