Ch. 14: There are strange flowers of reason to match each error of the senses. Admirable gardens of absurd beliefs, forebodings, obsessions and frenzies. Unknown, ever-changing gods take shape there.

Days passed and the weather dipped into cooler temperatures as September faded away into October. Time at the Waystation became routine and comfortable. Nico found he quite liked having a schedule to which he could adhere. Then there were the unwritten understandings between him and Leo: whoever came out of the rooms first waited for the other one for breakfast; dish duty was always split: Nico washed, Leo dried; Leo helped Nico with Friday dinners in Lit's absence; each patrol was filled with conversation, jumping from topic to topic.

"So, wait...do spirits have a preference on soda? Because I'll tell you right now that if you were trying to summon me from the Underworld, I wouldn't come up for no Coke- Manzanita Sol all the way, baby! And do they prefer burgers or chicken nuggets? Have you tried switching it up? Maybe it would be easier to summon them if you gave them something better than a hamburger."

"How many clothes did you burn through before you decided to make fire-proof ones?"

"How can you not have a favorite food? Everyone has a favorite food!"

"Do you think you'll ever be any taller, Valdez?"

Finally, Leo asked something that had been on his mind since Nico had told him about his "ghosting" incident. "So, do you think you'll ever be able to use your spooky powers again?"

Nico frowned as they rounded the corner of Maryland. "I don't know. I guess it just depends on me. Dionysus thinks that if I can find a way to control my emotions, I should be able to do it again." Nico shrugged. "He said that I can try to put my negative thoughts in a box and put it away- I just have to come back and unpack them later. If that makes sense."

But Leo was already nodding. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you're like Robin Williams in 'Hook.' You just gotta think happy thoughts."

"Who in what?"

"Robin Williams. Captain Hook captures his kids, and he has to go to Neverland to save them, and he has a tough time because he doesn't remember who he is, and he's become a big fat lawyer, and so he doesn't have any happy thoughts and Hook is trying to brainwash his kids but Robin Williams-"

Nico held up a finger. "Wait, like, Peter Pan?"

"Yeah. It's, like, what would happen if Peter forgot who he was after leaving Neverland for good. He married Wendy's granddaughter, and they had kids. So, I mean, it's kind of like the same situation."

Raising an eyebrow, Nico retorted, "I'm pretty sure I haven't forgotten who I am...and I definitely don't have any kids floating around."

Leo waved his hand. "Nah, man. It's like him forgetting how to fly- he needed to think happy thoughts. Happy, happy thoughts. Maybe you can think happy thoughts, and you'll be able to use your shadow stuff again."

Nico opened his mouth, but Leo interrupted. "And don't say you don't have any happy memories or thoughts, Mr. Doom and Gloom. You live with one of the funniest demigods in all of existence- there's plenty to be happy about!"

Looking confused, Nico answered, "Huh. I didn't think that Olujime was that funny."

Leo stuck his tongue out. "Not cool, man."

"Maybe you're rubbing off on me." Nico gave a slight half-smile as he glanced sideways at the son of Hephaestus. "It's not a bad idea."

"It's a brilliant idea. Admit it."

"Eh. It'll be brilliant if it works."

Grinning broadly, Leo cocked his head toward Nico as the pair continued walking. "So, you'll try it?"

Nico just rolled his eyes. "Any ideas on what project you're going to pitch on Monday?"

Leo checked the surrounding area, sighing in boredom when he saw the coast was clear. "Actually, Mrs. Gugaitis asked if we could help the kids make costumes." Leo smiled impishly and looked at Nico. "How good are you with a sewing machine?"

Frowning, Nico asked, "What do they need costumes for?"

"Halloween?" Leo looked at the other boy in disbelief. "You know. Trick-or-treating and scary stories and parties and stuff?"

"Oh. Is that coming up?" Nico shrugged. "We never did any of that stuff in Italy. And...I mean, being stuck in a hotel when you don't even know time is passing? Not conducive to seasonal activities."

"What about that boarding school you went to? Weston?"

"Westover," Nico corrected. "It was a military boarding school. Not really a kid-friendly environment."

"So, hold up. You've never gone trick-or-treating?"

Nico shook his head.

"Or dressed up for Halloween?"

"No." Nico sighed. "It's really not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Leo's voice rose. "Not a big deal?! You haven't gone through the timeless rite of passage of childhood debauchery. You get to rot your teeth out with candy corn and almost drown bobbing for apples! For a few hours' worth of your time, you can collect a whole pillowcase full of candy and be out past curfew! You get to dress up in something you wouldn't normally wear! And just…" Leo's voice turned into a low whine. "Come on, man. It's just fun."

Nico rolled his eyes. "What're you dressing up as then?"

Leo mimed zipping his mouth shut. "Nuh uh. Nope. You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

An annoyed look flitted across Nico's face. "That's really how you're going to play it, Valdez?"

Smirking, Leo nodded. "Of course. And, if you wanna see my costume, you'll just have to come trick-or-treating with us. In costume. Any ideas what you're going to go as?"

"Seriously?" Nico scoffed. "You think I'm going to tell you what I'm going as when you won't tell me? Dream on, Leo."

Shrugging, Leo smiled. "Worth a shot. You have a little less than two weeks to impress me with your costume."

The pair of demigods neared the end of Maryland and turned onto Meridian in companionable silence. Tiki Bob's was in a random disarray of repair, boom lifts parked in a disorganized fashion. As they passed by, Nico asked, "Did you go trick-or-treating a lot when you were a kid?"

Leo didn't answer immediately. Instead, he shoved his hands in his pockets and chewed on his lower lip. When he finally spoke, his voice was subdued.

"Yeah. My mom used to take me. Before she died. We would always get dressed up together. One year I wanted to go as Mario. So she dressed up as Luigi. It was pretty great. We'd trade candy. Somehow, she'd find a way to get me to trade her all of my Reeses Peanut Butter Cups."

Leo cracked his neck to one side and continued, his voice tired. "After...after the fire, if I was in the group home, we didn't really do anything for Halloween. Sometimes they'd put out a bowl of candy and, if we were lucky, we might get to watch a movie or something- if someone hadn't broken the TV. I don't think I was really with any foster families during it. 'Cept Teresa."

Leo's face darkened as he mentioned his foster mom.

Nico picked nervously at the hem of his sleeve before asking, "You've mentioned Teresa a couple times before. Was she...was she really awful?"

A bitter laugh forced its way out from Leo's mouth, twisted and ugly. "She was super great."

"I didn't mean to pry." Nico's shoulders stiffened as he apologized. "I'm sorry."

Sighing dejectedly, Leo focused his gaze on the starlit sky. "Nah, man. I just- she wasn't a good person, you know? I mean, she was on the outside. Maybe that's why no one ever believed me? She went to church every week. She volunteered at nursing homes and crocheted scarves for the freaking homeless, dude. She was just different behind closed doors."

Shaking his head, Leo dropped his gaze and stared at the ground as they walked. "But...she wasn't horrible all the time. Teresa was really, really nice to me- nicer than my mom's family was. She seemed to actually care about me. But, honestly, I think it made it that much worse on her 'bad' days." Leo looked over to Nico, a sad smile on his face. "It made it hard to fully run away because I always thought that, maybe, she'd had a really messed up childhood too, and that's why she was the way she was; I thought she could get better. That if I just didn't screw up and if I tried harder, everything would be okay."

The son of Hephaestus trailed off, and the pair walked for some time in silence before Nico softly asked, "What made you finally run away?"

Leo laughed, dry and hollow. "My report card. She was so proud. I had brought all of my grades up from mostly D's and C's to all B's. Teresa reminded me of my mom when she used to be proud over something I'd done." The demigod's voice dropped further, and Nico had to strain to hear Leo. "Teresa wanted to celebrate and went to the kitchen to grab one of the takeout menus. I forgot to wash my plate from breakfast because I was running late to school, and she just...lost it."

Leo shook his head as if doing so could rid him of the memory. "El tiempo lo cura todo. It's in the past, and I'm here now." Leo flashed a quick smile at Nico and nudged the other boy with his shoulder. "Anyway. You better come up with a costume. Betcha it won't beat mine."

Smirking, Nico chided, "It'll be my first Halloween costume, and it will still blow your costume out of the water, Valdez."

The two continued to joke as they approached the Waystation. Nico stopped short before the door and reached out to take Leo's hand, holding the boy back. He released it when Leo turned, a question on his face.

"Leo...I just...thank you for telling me about Teresa. If you ever- I mean, if you need-want-" Nico broke off, frustration pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Why can I talk to a cavern full of troglodytes that wouldn't mind eating me, but it's so hard to have conversations like this?"

Leo smiled and spoke softly. "I know you're there if I feel like talking. Thanks, Spooks."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "That's a new one. Been thinking of it long?"

Laughing, Leo shook his head. "Just kinda slipped out."

Leo swallowed heavily and bit his lip, uncertainty pooling in his gut. "You know, I think it's pretty great that you felt comfortable talking with me. About Will and everything. And I just wanted to let you know that I think I'll be okay without Cal too. I think it took being not together to realize that I don't...feel...for her in that way. I mean, I'm confused, I guess? Don't get me wrong. I care about her, but... you telling me about Will and how you were feeling kind of made me think about everything I was feeling and how I am feeling and, I mean, there's just a lot of feelings that have been on my mind lately but-and, well, not just now but back on the Argo and when we-"

"Leo. You need to stop talking." Nico's eyes were narrowed, but Leo didn't notice.

"Dude. I'm trying to talk to you. You just said that I could talk to you and, I mean, I know I'm straying away from Teresa but this is really important stuff that I have to tell you and I really think that we need to talk about it so don't think you can just brush me off right as I'm about to tell you that-"

"Leo. It's not that I'm trying to make you stop talking right now," Nico's voice was low and calm and very nonchalant. "But I really do need you to stop talking and take a step toward me."

Leo stared at Nico in confusion. "Man, what-?" Leo abruptly stopped after hearing the low growl behind him.

Leo froze and, very slowly, stepped forward. Nico sidestepped, his Stygian sword held low by his side as he tensed, ready to defend. Leo took a deep breath as he turned.

Immediately, his shoulders relaxed and a smile sprung to his face. "Abelard! You're home!"

Nico still held his sword at the ready, caution curling about every muscle of his body. "Abelard? You know this griffin?"

"Hey, dude. You remember me, don'tcha?" Leo's voice took on a crooning tone as he walked toward the griffin, hands outstretched with palms facing upward to show he was no threat. The griffin didn't move, and it wasn't until Leo ran his fingers softly through the creature's gold and white plumage that the low growl which had been on a constant rumble subsided. Once Leo got to the brown fur gleaming like copper, he scratched the griffin's shoulder like he would a cat. Abelard began to purr, his blood-red eyes closing in pleasure. "Where ya been, big guy? Huh? We've been waiting for you and your egg-"

"Egg?" Nico warily lowered his sword and looked suspiciously at the griffin. "Frank and Hazel told me they were attacked by griffins heading to Alaska. He doesn't look like what they described, though."

"Cal said that Apollo told her they've become more scrappy for survival. Uglier things don't always get poached, and traveling in packs means safety. This guy is a beauty. Like they used to be." Leo continued petting the giant griffin, massaging his fingers through the fur. "He's been gone for a while. We thought it would just be a couple of weeks, but I didn't think it would have taken this long."

Nico took a shy step forward but halted when the griffin opened one red eye and fixed it on the demigod. "Why was he gone?"

Leo patted the creature's side before moving his hand to gently run a finger down the griffin's beak. "Abelard lost his mate Heloise when Commodus attacked the Waystation. He was grieving. They have an unhatched egg."

Leo groaned and stopped stroking the griffin's beak. "Schist. That means Britomartis should be here any time. Abelard is her griffin which means that if he's back-"

"Then I should be too?" The sultry voice came from behind the demigods. Nico whirled around, bringing his sword up as Leo turned to face the new arrival. A young woman stood across from the pair, arms crossed against her chest. Forest-colored mesh camouflage draped around her lithe frame, her skirt layers of fabric below which sandals laced up her legs in elaborate patterns. Dark eyes peered out from behind tendrils of auburn hair escaping her fishbone braid.

She looked the son of Hades up and down, scoffing before turning her attention to Leo. "Hm. Still short and scruffy, I see. And keeping the company of a child of Hades. Although," she returned her gaze to Nico, looking him up and down with eyes that lingered too long. "He is rather handsome- he must take after his father. Did you and poor Calypso call it quits? Well, it seems like she can't keep hold of any man even off her island."

Leo ignored the goddess and cast his gaze about the ground. "Don't move anywhere, Nico. She could've set a trap."

Britomartis raised a hand to her cheek, feigning indignation. "Now, why on Gaea's green earth would I do that?"

"Because you have in the past," Leo replied flatly.

"Oh, hon. It was just a little fun here and there."

"You planted a bear trap in an armchair! Calypso could have been killed."

"Minor pranks."

"You rigged a sofa with a tripwire to trigger a modified pressure-activated S-mine. It would have killed everyone in the room with shrapnel."

The goddess waved her hand. "Mere child's play! Come now, Leo. Why don't we all go inside and have a nice, lovely chat? Shall we?"

Britomartis' grin was full of malice. She laid her arm out, gesturing to the door in a 'Ladies First' kind of way.

Leo scowled and put a hand on Nico's shoulder. "Hold up." Nico kept his eyes trained on the Lady of Nets and nodded. Leo dug into his tool belt, pulling free a bouncy ball, a set of pliers, and a brick. He shrugged and returned the ball and pliers back to the belt before hefting the brick into his hand. "That'll do."

Leo tossed the brick on the ground in front of the Waystation entrance. Immediately, the earth opened up and the brick fell, pummeling into multiple spikes set into the ground at opposite angles. Leo glared at the goddess. "So, making Leo and Nico shish kabobs is just a harmless way to have fun?"

Britomartis sighed. "No sense of humor." She held up her hands as if surrendering. "Fine, fine. I'll go first."

Britomartis jumped over the pit with a graceful leap and reached the door, which opened without the goddess saying a word. She arched an eyebrow at the demigods. "Well?"

Nico looked over to the son of Hephaestus. "Think it's safe?"

"Reckon it's as safe as anything else in our lives." Leo took a deep breath and jumped across to join the goddess. He clenched his eyes shut as he landed, preparing to be blown to bits by a trap he missed. When he didn't feel horrendous pain, Leo opened his eyes. All body parts were still intact. He turned and motioned to Nico. "Come on over!"

Nico didn't wait to be told twice. He vaulted the pit with an ease that made Leo jealous and landed with almost as much grace as Britomartis.

The goddess had already begun to enter the building when Nico turned and motioned to the griffin, speaking quietly to Leo. "What about Abelard?"

"He'll find his way to the roost. Don't worry."

With Britomartis in the lead, the trio entered the Waystation. Leo scowled as they entered the Grand Hall.

"Should I go get Emmie and Jo for you?"

The goddess waltzed over to the sitting area and draped herself across the sofa. "Oh, dear. If I wanted to talk to them, do you really think I would need you to get them for me? This is my house, remember?" She motioned to the other seats nearest the sofa. "Why don't you two take a seat?"

Nico moved to sit in one of the chairs, but Leo held him back again and shook his head. "Gonna be a trap, Ghost Boy. Let me." Leo pulled out a measuring tape from his toolbelt and tapped the seat of the chair. Nothing happened. "Well, color me impressed- looks like you've learned a little self-control."

Britomartis studied her nails, but her eyes flashed. "Hm. Why don't you go ahead and try the other two before you give me your inane backhanded compliments? Go on," she jibed. "I dare you."

Leo scowled but crossed to the loveseat. He quickly spotted another tripwire. "Getting sloppy there, ¿no te parece?"

The second armchair was activated with a tap of the measuring tape. A net woven from metal barbed wire sprung up and around the chair, coiling about the end of the measuring tape.

Britomartis laughed. "Oh me, oh my. It seems I can't fool you, Leo Valdez." She gestured to the first armchair. "Why don't you go ahead and take a seat then?"

Leo jerked his head in the direction of the chair. "Go ahead, Nico. I think I prefer to stand."

Nico hesitated, but the goddess of nets glared at the son of Hephaestus. "I insist. Sit down." She pointed and the chair shot forward, crashing into the back of Leo's knees and then Nico's. The two fell into the armchair, sprawling over one another.

"Sorry, sorry!" Nico tried to scramble away from Leo to avoid crushing the other demigod. Britomartis laughed as the son of Hades turned red. He settled on the arm of the chair and glared daggers at the goddess while Leo dropped back against the cushion, rubbing his chest from where Nico's elbow had jabbed him.

"What do you want?" Nico's voice was a low growl, anger teeming just below the surface.

"Well, now, he speaks! Is that any way to speak to a goddess who brings you news, boy?" She smirked as Nico tried to school his expression into polite indifference.

"Alright then. What do you have to tell me?"

She spoke in a singsong voice, returning to studying her nails. "I shan't tell you, 'less you say please."

Through gritted teeth, Nico ground out, "Please tell me what news you have."

The goddess' ferocious grin showed a full set of sharp teeth. "The nets I weave are vast and varied, far-flung and far-reaching. I catch more than my prey, son of Hades. Sometimes," the goddess paused and looked up to the ceiling far above. "Sometimes, I catch whisperings. Tidbits and scraps," her eyes flicked back down to the two demigods. "Words spoken between lovers." She eyed the two of them, expression unfathomable. "Dreams of those long forgotten and thought to be scattered, asleep and creating worlds in their infinite slumber."

Britomartis swung her feet onto the ground and sat up, her spine straight as an arrow. "I will speak with Hemithea and Josephine before I depart, but know this: changes are on the horizon. Voices I have not heard speak since before Artemis took me into her service have called softly to me. And all of them sing to me of you." Her ruby-colored eyes hardened as she studied Nico. "I do not know what task you have been given, son of Hades. I do not know what it entails or how it will end. But know that, should you continue alone, you will fail us."

Nico blanched, and his skin lost all color. Leo frowned. "Since when did you start speaking prophecy?"

Britomartis stood, smoothing her skirts against her frame. "I never have, and I never will. Leave it to that pompous ass Apollo and all of his oracles to divine the future. I just keep my eyes open and my ears to the ground."

She looked at the demigods and nodded. "That's all."

Before either demigod could utter a word, the Lady of Nets vanished.

Leo was the first to break the silence. "So, that wasn't foreboding at all. Want some hot chocolate?"

Nico sat frozen on the arm of the chair. His color had yet to return, and he looked as if he were about to be sick.

"Nico?"

The son of Hades jerked as if he had been slapped. "What? Oh, I-" He stood up quickly and staggered sideways. Leo vaulted to his feet and grabbed Nico's elbow to steady the other demigod.

"Whoa! ¡Tranquilo! Sit back down, Ghost Boy. You look like you're gonna pass out."

Shaking his head, Nico shuddered. "No, I need to go. I need to-"

"Hey, hey, hey now. Where do you need to go? It's the middle of the night, man. So take it easy, okay?"

Nico shook his head, but Leo was adamant. "I'm not taking no for an answer, di Angelo. Come on. I'll make you some hot chocolate, and you can talk to me about it. Or not. But you are drinking the hot chocolate."

Leo steered Nico in the direction of the kitchen and guided him into a seat at the table. He brought a pot of water to boil over the stove before placing a pitcher of milk in the center of the water. Once it was hot enough, Leo poured chocolate chips into the milk and whisked it until the chocolate had melted.

"Eh, Nico? You want any cinnamon? Or cayenne?"

When Nico didn't answer, Leo shrugged and added both. He divided the drink into two mugs and placed one in front of Nico before taking a seat beside the son of Hades.

"So, what's going on, Ghost Boy?"

Nico stared into his mug for almost a minute before speaking. "The prophecy. She was talking about the prophecy."

"Yeah. Kinda figured that out, dude. But, I mean, she didn't say you would definitely fail, right? Only if you do it alone. Sooooo…don't do it alone?"

"It's not that simple."

Leo arched an eyebrow and slurped his hot chocolate, receiving an annoyed look from Nico in the process. "Why not?"

Rolling his eyes, Nico huffed, "I told you- it's not a happy ending. I can't let that happen to someone else too."

Leo tilted his head from side to side as if trying to see the pros and cons of the situation. "Well, I guess you don't have to. But she said you'd fail. So, I guess it depends on if the prophecy has a really bad consequence if you fail? What's the consequence?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Nico swung his mug up to his lips and took a cautious sip. His eyes widened in surprise and he took a deeper drink before setting the cup down. "This is really good. I thought you were just making hot chocolate?"

"I did." Leo smirked at the other demigod. "I just added cayenne and cinnamon. My mom used to make it that way when I was upset."

The two sat in a silence that lessened in tension as the minutes passed. Eventually, their cups drained, washed, and set drying, the boys ascended the stairs that led to their rooms.

"You know," Leo started. "It might be none of my business, or it could very well be my business if it means the end of the world and civilization as we know it, but…." He looked over to Nico, his hands shoved into his pockets. "Maybe you should open up about the prophecy. You know? Get a different angle on it." Leo shrugged as Nico struggled for words. "Just a suggestion."

As they reached their bedroom doors, Leo yawned. "Goodnight, Nico. Sweet dreams if you can manage it. And just... you're not alone in this, yeah? Don't let yourself be." He smiled at the son of Hades and let himself into his room, letting the door click shut behind him.

Flicking the light switch to the on position, he crossed over to his bed and threw himself down with a tired sigh.

"Oh, hon. If I were an enemy, you'd be dead."

Leo sat up with a startled yelp and almost fell out of bed. Britomartis smirked at him from where she sat at his desk. "What the- I thought you were going to talk to Emmie and Jo? So what gives, lady?"

"I'm talking to them right now, Leo. Just because you puny demigods can't split your essence doesn't mean I can't. We gods like to multitask."

Leo glared, but he knew it didn't have much bite to it- he just wanted to sleep. "What do you want?"

Britomartis rose from her seat and slinked toward Leo like a panther stalking prey. As she neared him, she leaned down and, surprisingly, pulled Leo into an embrace.

She brought her lips to his ear so that her breath ghosted over his skin, tiny hairs pricking up across his neck. Leo closed his eyes and shuddered.

"Do not let him fall to ash alone, Leo. He must not fall alone."

Her lips pressed against his temple. He heard a rustle as if a slight breeze was blowing through his room. When he again opened his eyes, the goddess was gone.

"There are strange flowers of reason to match each error of the senses. Admirable gardens of absurd beliefs, forebodings, obsessions and frenzies. Unknown, ever-changing gods take shape there." ~Louis Aragon