Chapter 8: Nico

For six years, we managed to avoid them. Hermes found us during our second year as we were hitchhiking. Ares found us practicing our weaponry in a deserted baseball field a few months later. Demeter found us in the cereal isle of Food Lion getting food. Hera was there on our wedding day last year. It was a quiet affair with only a few guests. I don't know how she managed to get in. Anyway, we managed to get away alive, which I suppose was a good thing. Hades helped us out a few times, but he almost got thrown off Olympus for it. Kenzie's still the same. Her heritage is clear however. She has eyebrows that are long and slanting and eyes to match with pointed ears. She moves with lithe almost feline grace. She's almost otherworldly in appearance. But underneath, she's still the same. We have a small apartment in Los Angeles and I work as a defense lawyer and Kenzie as a school teacher. We're both good at what we do, although I wish we got more time together sometimes. Still, as long as we're alive and together, I can't complain much. Anyway, today was a Saturday and neither of us had plans. We were planning on seeing a movie but something happened that started the beginning of the end.

"Nico," Kenzie gripped my hand.

"What?"

I looked up and down the road. My eyes widened in shock. Artemis stood alone in front of us with a drawn bow and two notched arrows aimed straight at our hearts. I took a step back. At once, she raised a hand and made a signal. Ares stepped behind us, drawing as he did so, a lethal looking sword. Percy emerged from an alley on the left; I understand that he became the god of Heroes after Annabeth ditched him. On my right, Hephaestus stepped forward, a mighty hammer in his huge hands with his wild beard in complete disarray. I swore a violent oath and drew my sword as Kenzie drew two wicked knives from her belt. Her deep blue eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and fear. I knew there was no escape this time. We were surrounded. There was no one to help us.

"Stand aside, son of Hades," Artemis called, prowling closer. "It's time to end the fantasy. Surrender and you will not suffer eternal punishment."

"Never!" I yelled back, with as much ferocity as I could muster.

"Your father will not protect you; he will have to yield to the will of The Council this time, despite his wishes." Her voice had an edge to it that I had never heard from her before, not that Artemis had ever addressed me before. Still, it took me a moment to decide what it was. Then I recognized it. Fear. But why would she be afraid now? The other gods seemed edgy too, shifting from foot to foot, glancing around out of the corners of their eyes as if waiting for something. Or someone.

"Stop this monstrosity!" a new voice cried. I heard a grunt as the woman pushed Ares roughly aside and stood, facing Artemis with cold fury in her face. She had the same elfish features as Kenzie, the same fluid grace, the same hair, eye color, the same aura of power. I knew this must be Nimn. She glared at Artemis. "Put your weapons away," she snapped.

Artemis hesitated. "No."

Nimn made a quick gesture and the yew bow snapped in half. Artemis snarled in rage and drew twin hunting knives in its stead. Her face set, she looked ready and willing to take her down. Percy soundlessly drew Riptide and I flashed him a look that shouted 'Traitor!' He avoided my eyes and fixed his own upon Nimn. "Leave my daughter alone Artemis. It's me Zeus wants."

"He wants you both," she snarled. "You must return to Tartarus sister, and your offspring must be destroyed."

Nimn's face went rigid. Then she leapt forward landed square on top of the Hunter Goddess. "Now you listen here," she said, very low and dangerously. "You harm them in any way; I swear on the River Styx, you'll regret it."

Thunder boomed from overhead, sealing the oath. Artemis's eyes flashed and her hand closed on Nimn's. Their bodies glowed brightly, then vanished.

"No!" Kenzie screamed and ran forward. Percy lunged at her, but she sidestepped. Percy pushed himself up and grabbed her around the neck. That was it. I swung my sword. Percy and Kenzie vanished just before the blade struck. Instead, it passed through the air like a knife through water. Ares seized me and the next thing I knew, we were on Olympus. Percy was dragging Kenzie beside him, holding onto her hair while she kicked and struggled. Artemis and Nimn fought every step of the way, but one blow from Hephaestus' hammer settled that. Nimn slumped unconscious, with blood running down the side of her face. Kenzie screamed again and punched Percy full in the face. He reeled back and she dashed forward, throwing herself at Artemis. The goddess silenced her with a blow to the back of the skull and she too, crumpled to the ground. Ares didn't relinquish his hold, and I knew that it was pointless to offer resistance. Instead, I hung limp, vowing to cause Zeus as much pain as possible when we reached the throne room.

I didn't have long to wait. Percy, bleeding slightly from what appeared to be a broken nose, threw open the great doors and Ares pulled me inside. Nimn and Kenzie were lashed together with chains of blue-white fire. I got the idea that they would be impossible to break. Apollo stood up from his throne and hurried forward, looking shocked. A few quick words later, the gash on Nimn's head closed up and her eyes fluttered. Kenzie sat up and started struggling. I had to admit, she fought against her bonds like a lioness, but they refused to give. As Zeus entered the throne room with a very smug expression on his face, the other gods seated themselves while Ares still stood next to them, refusing to relinquish his hold on me. I gritted my teeth. I could be patient, but my patience was waning fast.

Zeus eyed the goddess before him with a mixture of apprehension, relief, and contempt. Nimn matched with stare with one of her own, and Zeus was the first to look away. Kenzie glared at their bonds like they should have released them a long time ago. "You do realize," Zeus said at last, "that for refusing my will, I shall have to kill you."

Kenzie's eyes went slit pupiled with anger. "Your will!" She laughed. A crazed, out of control kind of sound. "Let us go, or it will be you, Uncle, who suffers the worst fate."

"Brave words daemon child," Zeus replied evenly. "But courage alone will not save you now."

"She will not be alone," Nimn spat. "You underestimate us Brother, and that shall be your downfall."

"She won't live long enough to fulfill the prophecy, I alone will see to that. However," he raised a hand. "We must consider the treachery of another as well in this. Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, what so say you?"

I glared my best death glare at Zeus. "I say you release us you daemon spawn, before you get killed."

Ares laughed. "He's got spunk, this one does."

Percy looked sorrowfully at me. "It's best to give up now," he counseled. "I will personally make sure your fate isn't so harsh if you do."

"You?" I snorted. "You betrayed us, why should I trust you now?"

He looked angry, but when he replied his voice was calm. "I only alerted The Hunters of the presence of Kenzie at Camp. I didn't know that she had a death sentence hanging over her." I started to protest, but he overrode me. "I didn't betray you at all Nico. I never did anything wrong. I'm sure that anyone else would have done the same had they known the prophecy."

My heart thudded. "You know of it?" I hadn't thought of it for years now.

"Of course," Percy replied. "She knows her destiny, it was told to her, after all."

Apollo stepped down and approached me and recited in a voice that was clear and true:

The child of the exiled goddess

With eyes as blue as lapis,

Born from love

Slain easily as a dove,

Shall obliterate the god

Who in nature flawed

Banished the underserved

And thus became depraved.

The great power shall fall

And she shall at last stand tall

Only to be diminished

And love shall be relinquished

Slave to destiny

But defied most brazenly

The end of the gods

Shall come like clouds

Vanishing in sunlight.