Chapter XXIII

To say that I was jealous of Autolykos' powers was a vast understatement, nor could I truly blame him for becoming a thief anymore. I mean the gift of changing the shape not just of yourself but also of what you stole, now that was simply asking you to become a criminal...

Still he hadn't revealed how he had stolen them, perhaps he had simply turned into a cow himself and led them away before transforming them out of sight,, that certainly offered itself. But we would never really know I suppose. Especially since he was not particularly talkative anymore, having become much less easygoing after once more being sentenced to eternal damnation.

What I was not jealous of, however, was the furious Titan dragging him away. Menoites had been very glad for our help and return of his cows, but with how friendly he appeared I didn't think he would have it in him to become this angry. I almost felt sorry for Autolykos, then I considered the fact he was horrible enough to be in the Fields of Punishment and also that he tried to kill me, turning pity to satisfaction.

Nonetheless I really wanted to know how he had managed to take them, but after our little dip in the Acheron the whimpering mess of a shade was barely able to do much more than was necessary to not get taken by Styx for breaking his oath. Clearly the River Acheron was a lot more terrifying for true sinners, at least that's what I told myself to calm my mind.

"You are incredibly lucky that worked," Bianca told me as Menoites disappeared into the shadows again.

"Hmmm, what are you talking about, that was all as planned." I said, managing a weak grin.

"Seriously," She said, her tone growing serious. "You could have died down there, if you did..."

She didn't finish, nor did she need to. She was right, of course, I had taken a risk far too great for even my liking back there. It worked, somehow it always did, but if I hadn't caught myself in that river, I'd have not only lost Autolykos, but also myself.

"I know, Bi," I said, sighing. "I don't like risking my life any more than necessary either."

"Could have fooled me," She said, slightly smirking. "considering you more than readily did so back in Arizona."

"That's a horrible example. You are alive, aren't you?" I asked her. "That's far from unnecessarily risking my life."

"Oh, so now it was about me?" Bianca asked, her smirk turning to one of her brilliant smiles as she lightly laughed. "I thought it was all about you and your responsibility?"

"Well, that's why I originally wanted to go," I said as I tried to distract from my blushing. "but I could hardly let you die either, could I now?"

Eleanor pushed between us, clapping both of us on the back and I winced lightly, as she did so, my body still felt like a quivering mess of jello from that river.

"Alright you two sweethearts," Eleanor said, her voice tired. "You can keep on flirting all you want, but please do so somewhere where I can sleep in peace while you do so, healing broken ribs that quickly is rather taxing."

Bianca blushed as well, and mine deepened further, growing even redder. Not just because of the teasing but also the reminder that I had indeed managed to break two ribs in the crash, something I had failed to notice at first.

That was rather embarrassing, though it had also made me notice something else, something worrying, the Acheron didn't heal me or energize me anymore down here, unlike how it had in the cave. Thankfully Eleanor's healing worked without any real hindrance, and while I didn't like relying on her, I was still very thankful for that fact.

"Great not to hear any arguing from you two," Eleanor said, chuckling at us before turning to Bianca. "So I guess we should pay your dad another visit?"

"Um, yeah," Bianca said, trying to compose herself. "you are probably right, I am sure he already knows we were successful anyways."

Clearly she was right, judging by the security ghoul which approached us not long after. It chattered in its strange bat like noises and though none of us understood anything of what he was saying, it was clear he wanted us to follow him.

With little else we could do we followed him and once more I concluded that distance didn't work the same in the Underworld. When we had first entered the Underworld it didn't take long to reach Hades' palace in the grand scheme of things and neither did it now, which was strange, this place had to fit billions of shades, yet you could cross it in hours at most.

Once more we approached Hades' palace and I felt no less anxious than the last time. It simply made me uneasy, and my body was telling me to turn tail, but I guessed that was only natural. This was in a way the same as flying on anything but a Pegasus for me. I was happy that Hades' didn't strike me down for merely entering the Underworld as my other Uncle would have, though I was unsure whether that spoke for Hades or against Zeus, both probably.

Despite the fact I had only been here a day ago, I was still just as awed by Hades' palace, the sheer imposing appearance of it and the dazzling wealth displayed. I could swear that the gems and golden roses and what not had already been replaced by even more beautiful works of art.

Surely the Underworld could get terribly monotonous even for its absolute ruler, seemingly he tried to at least lessen that by switching up his decor regularly.

Not only had the decor changed but the current guards had as well, those at the side way doors leading off the hallway that led to the throne room, but also at the throne room as well. Instead of the British officers, a pair of Knights Hospitaller stood guard, surely skeletal beneath their great helms as well. Their black cloaks admittedly did fit in well with the rest of the palace, but I couldn't help but notice the irony, crusaders in service of an in their eyes pagan god, hilarious.

But my mirth was short-lived as they pushed open the doors to Hades' throne room. Was I scared of the lord of the dead, no. I was utterly terrified, as most any sane being, dead or alive, should be. Still I walked forward, by all accounts there was no reason to be terribly afraid, sure, he could always just incinerate me, but he had no real reason to as far as I saw it, still it didn't calm me much. Hades presence could be felt even before they opened the doors and made me want to cower or run.

My Uncle was sitting on his throne, appearing as regal and superior as he had before, his expression just as unreadable as then. Trying to at least appear somewhat confident, I walked forward, approaching him before stopping for a deep bow.

"Lord Hades," I acknowledged him and heard Bianca and Eleanor do the same.

"You have returned, son of Poseidon," Hades said, his voice carrying a very faint hint of dry amusement as he added. "Quite a bit earlier so than I had expected."

"I'd like to be able to claim sole responsibility for that," I said. "but alas I had further help, beyond my companions that is."

"Yes, that you have, but speaking of those who helped you," Hades agreed, seeming indifferent, but his expression turned more caring as he turned to Bianca. "but you truly have done excellent work my dear, as I had expected you did not disappoint me."

"Thank you, papà." Bianca said with a light blush.

"It seems my eldest child shares my opinion," Her father said. "she seemed rather happy about meeting you as she informed me about her decision to aid you."

"Which I am of course very grateful for," I stated swiftly. "it has saved us a great deal of time, time we couldn't have spared without raising the risk of our failure."

"You might be well advised to learn some patience, nephew, but you are right in this instance," Hades told me, before continuing. "just as right as you would be to reconsider whether you truly want to continue your chosen path. But we had an agreement and I shall uphold my end of the bargain, you will have your passage to the Land of the Oneroi."

I didn't answer in words, nor did I need to, my relief was surely evident. I was quite happy there were no more surprises in that regard, at least he didn't pull the Eurystheus on me and tell me it didn't count because I had outside help, I did truly not have the time for eleven more labors. But of course, I would come to regret my statement about no more surprises with his very next sentence.

"However, seeing as you have not merely returned my cattle and its thief, but also a rather elusive escapee from the Fields of Punishment with it, I shall give you a further warning." Hades started, piquing my interest again. "That being that while I can very much provide your passage to it, I cannot guarantee safety for you to the same extent I can within my direct domain, at least in light of recent developments."

I nodded, of course I would have preferred knowing earlier, that they are not in total control was not necessarily something gods liked to admit, which meant that the situation had to be rather dire. And I already had a suspicion as to which the source of these troubles were, not that it was hard to guess.

"Lord Hades, forgive me," I addressed him. "but I then presume not even the Underworld is entirely exempt from those who'd prefer Kronos' rule?"

"Of course it is not," Hades replied with a scoff. "but neither is it so simple here, I lost all communication with the Oneiroi a few months ago. They are not in open rebellion, at least not yet, but they refuse to answer any summons. My servants cannot enter their domain without their permission, though you can, I cannot say how they will react if they notice you."

I nodded again, of course there was another problem, there always was. It already stank of Kronos, surely some disgruntled overconfident minor gods, a lot of empty promises and a good bit of manipulation were involved.

Couldn't they see Kronos would care little for those allies that had no use to him after his victory? He was not going to fulfill most of their wishes anymore than the Olympians.

"Thank you for your warning, lord Uncle," I told him and he nodded.

"As said, you have done me a service," Hades told me, deadly calm, his black eyes glittering dangerously. "I very much wish you to succeed on this quest and for you to return alive and well, for all of you, that is understood, is it not nephew?"

An obvious statement, though I wouldn't exactly call it a threat, I mean it was one, but not a direct one. But its message was still very clear, Hades obviously cared about Bianca and her survival far more than ours. I wasn't all too bothered, at least he cared about her and frankly her survival was as non-negotiable for me as it was for him.

"Without doubt, Lord Hades." I answered, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Good," The god reaffirmed. "Charon shall provide you with passage on the Styx up to the Lands of the Oneiroi if you wish so. Approach him when you are ready, but as you have said yourself, time is not something you have to spare, do not idle for long."

This, however, was something I was not so sure what to make of. Though it gave me one very essential piece of information, the Land of the Oneroi laid upstream on the River Styx, how far I did not know, but if we moved past it, well, at a certain point the Styx sprung from the ocean.

Usually such a destination would have made me confident, the ocean potentially meant I was far more powerful, but in these extreme depths my father was not necessarily the highest authority, at least not since Oceanus had started openly challenging him again.

"We shall heed your advice, Lord Uncle," I said before adding. "and again, thank you for your help, my lord."

"You are dismissed," Hades said and beckoned us to leave with his hand.

"Lord Hades," I said again as I bid goodbye with a bow, before turning and leaving the hall, Bianca and Eleanor following.

The doors were closed behind us once more as we left and I came to a stop not long after and turned to the other two.

"So that's done with, the thief has been caught," I said, before bitterly adding. "by traitor's hand, my hand."

"I don't know," Eleanor said, her eyes seemed to have that faint golden glow again. "I don't feel like that's actually the case."

I gave her a strange look. What was that supposed to mean? At least if you asked Kronos and the Acheron I was a traitor and I had very much caught the thief. It was the obvious interpretation by all accounts, of course that didn't necessarily make it correct, but everything just seemed unlikely by now.

"I thought you didn't have any of your dad's prophetic abilities." Bianca told her frowning.

"I don't," Eleanor said firmly. "it's just... well I don't really know what it is, but it just feels like what Theseus is saying is wrong."

"Well, maybe you are right, though I hope you aren't," I said and shook my head. "whatever it may be, I think we should keep pushing on."

"You know, my father sure is right about you and learning some patience." Bianca said, smiling. "I know you want to keep going, but I think we should rest up before continuing."

"Agreed," Eleanor said and yawned. "I mean if you really want to we can keep going, but…."

"I don't know, can we really afford to lose that time?" I said, uneasily biting my lip.

"We aren't losing much time," Bianca argued. "Time spent resting now, is time we can spend moving later. Besides, we never know when we will actually get another chance."

Outmatched both numerically and also in reasoning, I nodded begrudgingly, they were right, even if I was eager to push on. I stretched and felt my sore muscles. Bianca was right, today had taken a lot out of all of us and I could really use some rest from all the earthquakes and free fall two hundred feet river-diving.

"Fine, sleep it is." I concurred.

"Great, just follow me," Bianca said before adding. "I am sure father won't mind us using my room for a while."

Frankly I wasn't eager on possibly overstaying Hades' welcome, but I hoped he wouldn't mind a few more hours, besides, I was admittedly curious to see just what Bianca's room entailed. We followed her through some of the hallways, climbing a few flights of stairs before entering through an inconspicuous black wooden door.

"You know I am not calling you a spoiled daddy's girl, but," I teased as I looked around the room. "most people wouldn't call this a room, this is a penthouse."

"Nonsense," Bianca said, smirking. "this isn't even the top floor, nor does it occupy all of it."

"Semantics," I said as I looked around, impressed. "not that I am complaining."

"You better not be," Bianca told me. "Go ahead, make yourself at home."

Eleanor was the most eager to follow her invite, dropping on one of the ludicrously comfortable couches and becoming unresponsive within seconds. But while I was no less tired, sleep was not on my mind right now, far too many other thoughts were swirling around my head, I needed to focus and sort them out...

I finally cleaned off the last speck of greenish plant matter from the swamp off my helmet. Some scratches of the Strix could still be seen in it, but nothing too bad, but among all the scratches one stood out, the one along the top carved by Bianca's arrow. I smiled, I had a while ago decided not to keep fixing all minor damages from quests and I was already gathering quite the tapestry.

On one side of my cuirass, I could see where the butt spike of Atlas' spear had hit me. There were quite a few spots where Thorn's spikes had glanced off, leaving very faintly shining bronze gashes in the darkened metal. looking at the numerous scratches the bird's claws had left on my helmet I decided that I would at least fix those, they weren't marks of fought battles, but simply ugly.

Still I'd keep the long one Bianca had made, it was a better memory I felt, speaking of, I still needed to talk to her.

Leaving my armor for now, I crossed the main room towards Bianca who was sitting on a couch on the open terrace to which it led. She seemed sunken in thought, but she wasn't sleeping thankfully, I wouldn't have wanted to wake her.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked and she moved to make space, though she remained silent.

"So, about earlier," I started as I sat down beside her. "I think we should talk... unless you don't want to of course?"

"No, you are right, maybe talking about it is for the best" Bianca said with a small sigh. "I appreciate the concern though."

I hummed, while I really wanted to talk about this considering how uneasy she had been, the least I wanted to do was make her more uncomfortable. I had learned over the last months that Bianca really didn't like talking about herself, not many demigods did. Often it was a case of tragic pasts, but with Bianca it was rather the lack thereof, or any past she could really remember at all.

"You said that you weren't good at necromancy, but you very much were capable of it," I recounted and she nodded hesitantly. "but you seemed uneasy about it. I haven't seen you become that cold before, clearly there was something wrong."

"I am sorry for how I reacted," Bianca said and I gave her a smile.

"It's alright," I told her calmly. "not like it was personal."

"Yeah, but still I shouldn't have snapped at you," She insisted.

"Seriously, Bi, I said it is alright," I told her, meeting her eyes. "whatever it is, I am more than willing to listen."

"Thank you," She told me and I nodded.

"So what's the problem?" I asked. "Bad experiences?"

"Yeah, you could say that," She said, her eyes darkening, she pursed her lips before continuing. "Two months ago or so, when I first came to the Underworld. I was meant to properly start learning how to do it, summoning the dead."

"Something went wrong?" I guessed, though she shook her head.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Bianca bitterly told me. "It all went well at first, I had no trouble learning what I had to do and performed the rites as necessary. I wasn't meant to go through with it, but at that moment something pushed me on. I wasn't even summoning anyone in particular, it just happened. I don't know why or how-"

Her voice started becoming more hectic, quavering before breaking for a moment. I looked at her with pity and let one of my hands reach out to hers, softly squeezing it in support.

"You don't have to go on," I said softly, but she didn't even seem to hear me.

"Somehow I must have called her to me," Bianca said, her voice still shaking. "I didn't even realize who she was at first."

"Who, Bianca?" I asked carefully, though she didn't answer for a good few seconds.

"My mother..." Bianca finally replied, with heavy voice.

I winced, Bianca didn't remember anything about her mother as far as I knew. To say that must have been shocking was surely an understatement, but even then I wasn't sure this was enough to shake Bianca up this badly. Bianca was admirably resilient, or at least appeared so, judging by how well she took the sudden change of being a demigod and going questing days after.

But after something like that it made sense she didn't want to try again. I could only guess, but she probably was scared to summon her again, and I couldn't blame her for that. I knew ghosts from your past could be all too unsettling, though hers were a lot more literal, perhaps I would have smiled at that, but this was far from a laughing matter.

"Did you talk to her?" I asked hesitantly and she nodded.

"Yes, but not for long," Bianca answered. "only a few sentences, Father instantly noticed what was happening and intervened before anything really happened. He stopped it and forbid me from ever doing it again. He knows I didn't mean to and I think he just wants to protect me but..."

Her voice broke again and she damn near started sobbing. I let go of her hand and instead leaned forward slowly and gently hugged her, feeling her let herself sink against me.

Again her voice failed as she tried to continue speaking. I pulled her closer, at that moment barely even noticing just how close she was or how long I had been holding her, though usually I would probably have been hyperventilating at this point.

"It's alright, Bi," I whispered. "take all the time you need."

She remained silent, though I felt her head on my shoulder as she nodded. I wasn't sure how long it was, maybe only five seconds, ten or even a minute, but after what felt like an eternity Bianca finally spoke again.

"When I said there hasn't really been anything coming back to me, I wasn't quite honest with you," Bianca told me, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I have been regaining small shreds of memories ever since, though nothing complete or telling."

Bianca pulled back from me, and wiped a couple of tears from her cheek and gave me a weak smile. I felt my heart wrench as I remembered something else concerning her mother.

Last year on Olympus, Hera had shared a few fateful words with me. What she had said hadn't been all too direct except for the fact Zeus had attempted to kill Bianca and Nico, but it didn't take Athena to piece it together.

Zeus had killed their mother, that I was sure of that and he would have killed them if he had been able to. My throat tightened at that as I was once more reminded that I was very much aiding a paranoid tyrant, Luke was right about that part of his screwed way of viewing things.

I hadn't told Bianca, at first because there was no appropriate opportunity to, but later on I simply didn't know if I truly should. I didn't want to hurt her and there was no telling how she'd react, at best I would bear the brunt of it, at worst… well a big three child with a strong hate for Zeus was not what we needed right now. And while I still was worried, I didn't think I could stand keeping it from her even a minute longer.

"Bi," I softly said. "there is something I should tell you, or rather should have told you for a while now."

"What?" Bianca asked, still smiling.

"When we were on Olympus, last winter, I spoke to Hera," I started and she nodded, though her smile faltered slightly. "she said that Zeus had attempted to kill you and Nico and also spoke of your father's wrath at your mother's death."

"So you are saying Zeus killed my mother," Her smile faltered completely and she scowled. "I was sure my father had good reason to be angry, but this..."

"I am sorry for not telling you earlier," I said quickly, trying to apologize.

"There is no need," Bianca said, trying to smile, though she failed. "it's not like father couldn't have told me, he surely had his reasons not to and so did you, but at least you did in the end."

"You might be right," I said, but shook my head. "but it still doesn't excuse me withholding it. I didn't want to hurt you, but you have and had a right to know nonetheless."

"Maybe, but at least you had good in mind when you kept it from me, and changed your mind," She told me and weakly smiled. "I guess that's why I like you as much as I do..."

This time Bianca was the one who leaned forward, raising her head slightly. And before I even realized what was happening I felt her plant a gentle kiss on my cheek.

My heart pounded and my breath hitched as I sat there, stunned. She pulled back and smiled broader than before. I felt like I was back in Elysium or even the Isles of the Blest, though not even that did it justice.

"Again, Thee, thank you for telling me," Bianca said softly, standing up. "I'll go for a walk for now, alright?"

I wanted to go after her, or answer at least. But before I could do either, Bianca had already slipped out of the room, causing me to curse myself silently.

Leaning back I sighed, this had gone far better than I had expected. I had Bianca expected to be angry at me, hit me even, or just not say anything at all, the latter being the worst of them by far.

What I hadn't expected was for her to kiss me, on the cheek, sure, but a kiss nonetheless, and it didn't feel platonic at all to me.

Not just that, she had pretty much told me she liked me…

I blushed, thankfully there was no one to see here, or at least I hoped there wasn't, I didn't want to hear the shovel talk the lord of the dead could give, surely he needed no shovel to bury me deeper than Tartarus even.

A good part of me wanted to run after her right now, talk to her, but I was rather sure she probably wanted to be alone right now even if I wanted little more than to be with her.

Anxiously I paced around the room, leaning on the railing, trying to concentrate on the architecture and decor, anything to distract me.

But it was no use, my mind was simply entirely focused on Bianca and what had happened.

Though there was one silver lining, Eleanor was asleep and Bianca was away. If I could find one, I could take a shower and gods I surely needed one from all the blood and grime today.

I stretched as we passed through the gates of Erebos once more. The gray grass and flowers below us turned to black sand and the acidic smell of the Styx whipped into our faces.

To say I didn't trust the Styx was an understatement, it made my skin crawl.

I could control the sea, any lake or river if their gods were not opposing me, even the Acheron to an extent, but the Styx was too mighty, even for me.

I wasn't surprised, she was not just the goddess of this river and of hate itself, she was Oceanus' firstborn child and daughter. Though I wasn't sure I found that reassuring, Styx was on our side as far as I knew, but I had sworn plenty of oaths on her river which I had weaseled around, though none that I had outright broken, still she was probably not fond of that.

Charon was just landing his boat and herding off the shades when he spotted us.

At first he looked at us with a scowl, though it was quickly replaced with a seemingly uncaring smile.

I was about as happy to see the ferryman as he truly was, not at all. I found Charon annoying, especially his greed, his uncooperative nature and his general demeanor.

"Ah, young lady Bianca, you have returned, and so have your companions" He greeted us, far from enthusiastically.

"Hello Charon," Bianca answered, trying to remain friendly. "we are again in need of your services."

"Oh, I am already well aware," Charon muttered, annoyed. "and may I mention that this is very much outside my contract? My job description involves transportation of deceased, immortals and heroes across the River Styx, not on it."

"And we are of course very thankful that you are doing it nonetheless." Bianca said and he sighed.

"As if I had any choice," He grumbled and looked back on his boat with a sigh. "Well, might as well get it behind me, hop on then."

We climbed into the boat, there was a lot of space there with the lack of souls to fill it.

I looked to Bianca, we hadn't talked yet since yesterday, at least not in form of a proper conversation.

But this was neither the place nor the time for such a conversation, I'd have to wait for a proper moment where I could talk to her in peace.

Though this made it all the more awkward to sit next to her on the boat for what was an hour at best, but probably far more.

"You know how much of a crowding this is going to create at the entrance?" Charon grumbled as he cast off. "And even worse how many payments we are going to miss out on."

Ah, so that was why Hades mentioned economic damage. Though perhaps some stop to the flowing dead would help clear up that congestion on the Fields of Asphodel.

But I couldn't help but feel excitement at our destination, the land of the Oneroi, the land of dreams.

It was unexplored, unknown, I'd be more or less the first mortal and hero there, as far as I knew. I grinned, now that was a legacy for the times, if I survived that is.

Still, what Hades said was worrying to say the least. The lord of the Underworld clearly wasn't as careless of a ruler as some of the other gods, that I had to say.

For him to lose control of part of his domain like that, that was seriously unsettling and it made me wonder just who or what we were facing this time.

I looked into the murky waters of the Styx and frowned, a good part of the prophecy had passed, unfortunately that was the easy part.

Especially the line about keeping on the verge of life and death made me shudder. That spelled trouble already and it wasn't a foretelling, it was a warning to heed, one I did not understand, which made it rather dangerous.

Frustrated I shook my head, there was little point in dwelling on such uncertainties.

Speaking of uncertainties, I once more glanced at Bianca, who was standing at the boat's back with Charon. She caught my glance, answering with a smile and I felt my heart flutter.

"Ooh, I know that look…" Eleanor whispered with a smirk as she came to stand beside me.

"I do not know what you are talking about in the slightest," I told her as I turned to her.

"Sure," Eleanor drawled. "Whatever you say, anyways…."

She reached into her backpack and pulled a pack of cards from it, causing me to raise a brow.

"You up for a game of Texas hold' em?" Eleanor asked and I couldn't help but smirk.

"Eh, why not, it'll be just like old times and we still have some catching up to do anyways." I told her as I sat down before adding. "Besides, I am always open for some shady gambling, so what are we betting?"

AN:

I have returned.

As always before I hereby thank you for reading and want to say that I'd highly appreaciate a follow or favorite. Especially though I am asking you to please review or give me feedback in whatever other form you desire!