Chapter Eleven
Nico's P.O.V
I had lost it all. Everything I cared about in this world was gone. And I couldn't do a thing about it... and I hated it. It felt so horrible, to feel useless.
Well... I had lost almost everything. But there was still one person, and I cared the most about her, and I wouldn't let her slip away from me.
Hazel was dead. For the second time. And this time, it wasn't Gaea's fault. I was sure it was mine.
We found out that she had a strange sickness, and her injuries were a factor, but I knew what the cause really was. She missed Frank. That's why she didn't take the nectar. She must have thought that it she died... that she would get to see him, and be with him forever. I was sure of it. I was also sure that she had gone to Elysium. She is a hero, if there ever was one. I had though 'is'. I meant 'was'. I had to get used to the past tense when talking about my sister.
Bianca was dead.
She had been for a while. That didn't change. It wouldn't. She went for rebirth.
I learned to let it go.
My mother was dead.
I didn't exactly remember why, something having to do with my father and Zeus. I was young when it happened, so I didn't understand it completely, and I still don't understand. I probably never would. It didn't matter much.
My father was a jerk.
That hadn't changed a bit. And it probably wouldn't, of course, because he was a god. That little fact really annoyed me sometimes. But he didn't matter now, and he wasn't the one I cared about the most.
Yet I still had one person I cared a lot about.
Charli was still alive. And Charli was way better then nothing. She was much more then nothing.
But yet... I wasn't allowed to be seen with her. Not if I wanted Percy to find out the secret.
She did find out what he brother did. And she said she wouldn't let him tell.
Of course, then my secret came out.
I didn't mean to tell her. It just... sort of slipped out.
"It's okay Nico." She whispered to me, walking back from the infirmary with me the night that Hazel died.
"I don't have a crush on him anymore, honest, I'll even swear it upon the River Styx. It was just for a small period of time, and it was because I guess I was a bit amazed with the whole hero stuff. But if that secret gets out..."
"I know." She said, lightly brushing her lips against my pale cheek, like a piece of soft pink velvet against a white sheet. "That's why we'll meet at night. Or where Carter can't see us, just until I can get him to swear he won't tell. And I will get him to swear he won't."
She started to walk back to her cabin.
"Thanks." I whispered.
She stopped. "Don't mention it. And I'm so, so sorry about Hazel. I know she was your only family left, besides your dad..." She ran back and hugged me. I hugged back.
"As long as I have you here, Charli, I'm not lonely." I whispered to her, and I could feel her face flush, her lips curve in to a small smile.
Then she pulled away, smiled at me, then silently walked back to her cabin.
Charli's P.O.V
I wasn't sure what to do.
But I was keeping my promise to Nico. I would not let Carter ruin his life here at Camp Half Blood.
But I know someone was trying to. And so far, they were doing a pretty good job, from what I could tell.
It's crazy how some things come together to ruin someone's life.
Someone destroyed Bunker Nine.
Leo blamed Nico, who hadn't done anything. I knew, because I saw him at the stables and waved at him, after walking back from Bunker Nine to go to the beach. I think best near the water.
Nico got mad at Leo for blaming him, and Leo ran off in anger. Hazel ran after him.
Leo was on fire.
Hazel caught fire, somehow killing Frank.
Hazel died of her injuries, and sickness.
It all seemed to fit together... so why did it seem way too familiar? Because for some reason, I was getting the strangest case of deja vu. I had seen it all before, somewhere.
But that didn't matter. What did matter, though, was getting Carter not to tell Percy. So from now on, I couldn't be seen with Nico. At all.
It might not be fair, but for now, that had to happen.
Carter's P.O.V
I walked along the beach, looking at the shells that had washed up, now discarded and scattered all along the empty beach.
I hated myself.
I shouldn't have messed with Charli's life, and now... now, Hazel and Frank were gone.
Maybe that's what that dream meant. That I was going to kill them. And I did. In a way, at least.
And how could I have been so cruel to Nico? I found out about his secret by listening around camp. I had found out about Bianca Di Angelo the same way.
And I threatened to tell his secret.
Then I killed his only family member left, besides his dad, which I was pretty sure there wasn't a way to kill him.
And all because I wanted to protect my sister.
I was such a... such a jerk!
I knew what I was going to do. It may not be safe, but I knew what was best for this camp.
And I definitely was not it.
Not at all.
Far from.
