It was two days after the Solstice and everyone was slowly recovering from the festivities. Joey Salim and Miranda Gardiner had drank some potion and now bubbles came out of their mouths when they tried to speak. I suspected it was Hermes himself who was responsible.

I stopped by Nico's room after my rounds were over. The second I walked in the door, I felt like something was wrong but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. He was sitting on his bed in the blue gray infirmary pajamas and there were text books and Mythomagic cards everywhere.

I went over and looked through one of the piles of books. There were books on the Stonewall Riots and WW2 and American history. "What are you reading?"

"It's about the forming of the Geneva Convention. Chiron thinks it's important for me to learn."

"Is it important?"

"Yes." It was clear from his tone that he wouldn't elaborate.

"He finally enrolled you, huh?"

He didn't look up but kept reading "Yeah. I don't really have much of an education. So we have to figure out where I am."

"That's going to be a lot of work."

"It's not like I have anything better to do."

"So... the other day Annabeth told me it was really important that you and Percy talk things out. Privately."

Nico just nodded.

"Do you mind if I ask what you guys talked about?"

He looked up at me and his eyes had changed, again. Originally they had been dark, then they were clear like broken glass and now they had almost a luminous quality about them. It was very disconcerting. I folded my arms and leaned on the door frame. "Oh man," I muttered under my breath.

"He just explained to me that I needed to forgive myself. That the things I was blaming myself for were not actually my fault."

"Nico, are you alright?"

"It was Hestia that drove the point home. She told me that it was okay that I'm not okay. And that's not my fault either."

Why did I feel like the walls were closing in on me? "Is there something I can do to help? I mean..." I never felt more helpless as a healer or a person.

"You can stop looking at me like that. You're the one who told me I was not defeated. So please stop being so dramatic.

You have a choice to make. I'm leaving for New Rome in two weeks. They have better facilities and more resources. And I've decided to do the Conservatorship. Chiron will control my finances and arrange for... around the clock care for me before I leave.

I trust him. He took care of things with Zeus and I didn't think it was going to work. He got more funding for my care and education. He said he could help you transfer your credits if you wanted to go with me."

"Does everyone forget I'm only fifteen too?"

"Oh get over yourself. You think it's so bad for you because your mom's a fanatikós and you're overworked? My mom's dead, Bianca is dead and I can barely get out of bed most days but I'm still doing what I have to and please will you come with me and help me?

I know it's a lot to ask. So think about it and let Chiron know but I'm leaving in two weeks."

It was like I was seeing for him the first time. He was skin and bones; his eyes were sunken and the pajamas were too big for his frame but he was in complete control.

Something had changed but I was wrong about what it was. "I'm so dumb, okay? All this time I thought you weren't able to consent but I'm an idiot."

"So what does that mean?"

All this time I had been hoping to get into Yale or Harvard Medical next year. Berkeley was an amazing school but it was still a step down but I didn't know anything about New Rome University.

Plus, I have to think about the infirmary and Kayla and Austin.

"It means that I can't just leave in two weeks. But..." He looked at me expectantly while I tried to gather my thoughts. "You are easily one of the kindest, bravest, most incredible person I've met. I'm lucky to have you in my life and I would follow you anywhere. I just need more time. Let me at least finish this semester, okay?"

He nodded. "This might be good for us. Some time apart. Besides we'll both be able to focus on our studies more."

I hated this whole thing. I hated that he was being forced to make these kind of decisions right now. What was Chiron thinking?

My next thought was about how wrong I was. I wasn't giving either of them enough credit. I thought back to the first sleepwalking incident.

"The loss of autonomy is often impossible for the mind to grasp. It's a known fact that human beings are responsible for the things they say and do," Chiron had told me that night.

Now I finally understood what he meant by that. The Giants had removed Nico's autonomy for a time and Chiron helped him regain it. "You're amazing. Really. Of course, I'm going to join you in New Rome." I kissed him.

"So we're officially a thing now?"

I grinned at him. "Oh yeah. We're definitely together now. I'll be along soon enough."

(Eleos is the Greek Goddess of mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Roman equivalent is Clementina)