Chapter 32: Our hearts know what is in them, even if our mouths remain silent.

The smell of sweet strawberries washed over Leo as he crossed out of the Big House and into the camp. The son of Hephaestus held a hand up to shield his eyes from the glaring sun. He spied the stone cabin: slanted roof and shimmering green writing fading in and out of sight. Leo slowed his walk, his mud-slicked arm dipping into his tool belt before withdrawing fine gold filament wire and small gears. His fingers worked rapidly as his mind whirled.

Four modules. Four entrances–four ways for Lou to escape. Wonder if the rumor about the stones is true?

Leo recalled Will mentioning the ability of a dropped Cabin 20 stone to turn anything with a pulse within a half-mile into a tree.

So, don't want to draw her out. Want to force her to invite me inside. Unknown territory. Could be dangerous. How to keep her from turning me into a damn pig?

Leo's fingers danced nimbly over the fine wire, twisting and pulling and winding until a small figure started to form. Eight spindly legs, a compact cephalothorax, and an almond-shaped abdomen. He grinned and flipped the metal spider over, pulling a small tweaker screwdriver out of his toolbelt.

"Going to cut down some demigods, are we?"

Leo stopped in his workings and looked up. Dionysus leaned against a tree, watching Leo with bored watery blue eyes.

Leo scowled at the god. "I'm not going to cut them down. Geeze. Not everything has to be solved violently, you know. Is that all you gods think about?"

"Ughh." The God of Wine and Madness rolled his eyes and heaved a dramatic groan. Then, he straightened and uncrossed his arms. "There's no need to be so dramatic, Leopold."

Leo's scowl deepened. "What does it matter to you anyway?"

Dionysus raised an eyebrow, his splotchy skin reddening. "Watch your tone. I'm not above–"

"Turning me into a dolphin or something? Honestly, taking a dip in the harbor doesn't sound half bad." Leo met Dionysus' eyes steadily before challenging, "Do your worst. I'll still find a way to come back and be a ginormous pain in your ass. Sir."

The god's face grew darker, red quickly changing into ominous violet tones. His eyes flashed, but Leo stared at the god defiantly. Dionysus straightened abruptly, threw his head back, and laughed, belly heaving up and down in mirth. Leo blinked.

"Well. I guess there's always tomorrow for that swim." Dionysus studied the demigod before him for a moment. "Seeing as you're here, I assume that son of Hades is running around here somewhere as well." The god cocked his head to the side as if listening to something before rolling his eyes again and sighing. "I thought I told him to come straight to me."

Leo shrugged and unwound another length from his spool of wire. "Plans changed. You can thank the campers for that. Isn't this your camp? Shouldn't you know?"

Dionysus returned his gaze to Leo, reconsidering his generosity in not turning the demigod into a dolphin. After a moment, the god motioned to the parts in Leo's hands. "I would focus more on what you're doing. Wouldn't want any accidents to happen now, would we?" The god smirked and turned on his heel, crossing over and into the Big House.

Leo stared after him before shaking his head and returning to the task at hand. Leo finally looked up and rolled his neck, unkinking muscles with a groan but sighed in satisfaction as he surveyed the eight spiders in his hands. He felt the grin curl about his lips and strolled down the hill, making a beeline for Cabin 20.

Several campers caught sight of Leo as he made his way toward Lou Ellen's cabin. By the time he made it to the front door– hope it's the front door– a small group had gathered, trailing behind him like ducklings. Leo paid them no mind. Instead, he raised his hand and, curling it into a fist, rapped his knuckles across the door.

A muffled curse came from within, but there was no answer. Leo knocked again. "Lou Ellen! Come on. Open up."

The son of Hephaestus heard a door creak open and then feet hustling through the grass.

She's running.

"Gods damnit!" Leo sprinted around the side of the cabin, campers parting to let him through. But, too stunned, none of the other demigods made to follow the pair as the daughter of Hecate tried to escape Leo. "Stop!"

But Lou Ellen didn't stop. If anything, she began running more earnestly. She tossed something onto the ground and, if Leo hadn't been looking for it, he would have missed it. Another pig ball.

"You're gonna have to do better than that!" Leo called out.

And do better she did. Lou Ellen abruptly stopped running and turned about-face, a wild look in her eyes. Leo couldn't stop– he braced himself for impact with the other demigod.

But it never came. Leo fell straight to the ground. He rolled onto his back and looked up to see Lou Ellen grinning down at him. She winked, her green eyes glittering with delight before she disappeared in a green sparkle of energy.

Leo hit the ground with his fists before pushing himself up. A scowl drew down over his face. Taking his time, Leo dipped a hand into his toolbelt and removed the spiders he had created less than half an hour ago. He held them in his palm for a moment before upending them onto the ground. As soon as the gold spiders hit the lush grass, they twitched. Their long limbs stretched and undulated like tentacles in a free-flowing tide before pushing themselves up onto their spindly feet. As soon as they got their feet beneath them, the spiders skittered forward, zigzagging across the grass and heading straight for Cabin 20.

Leo walked unhurriedly toward the cabin. He was ten feet away from one of the entrances before hearing a shrill scream.

"Get them off! What– aghhh!"

Leo shoved his hands in his pockets as he approached the cabin. The gathered campers stared back and forth between the building and Leo wide-eyed. Leo gave them a cheeky grin before reaching the door. He didn't bother knocking but called out, "That was a pretty neat trick, Lou Ellen. How about you let me in now so we can talk?"

Leo could only hear muffled noises of frustration from the cabin. He smiled. "I know you're probably a bit preoccupied right now, but I'm sure you can figure out a way to answer the door. You seem to be somewhat clever, so...I'll wait."

Several seconds ticked by without change, and then–

Snick.

The door opened a fraction of an inch. The gathered campers pushed closer, but Leo turned and winked. "Nothing to see here, guys. Why don't y'all go do something else, yeah?"

Without waiting for an answer, Leo pushed the door open to let himself in and closed it behind him. Lou Ellen glared at him from across the room. Small gold disks– the spiders– adorned her body. The fine gold of their delicate legs wrapped around her body, crisscrossing and binding. One disk lay across her mouth.

Impressed, Leo studied the spiders. "Not half bad, don'tcha think? Sorry, they're a bit rough– I didn't get too much time to work on them."

Lou Ellen tried to open her mouth to bite out a retort, but the spider legs wrapped around her face bit into her skin and she stopped.

Leo frowned and crossed toward her. "Sorry about that. Still a few kinks to work out. Hold still."

The son of Hephaestus reached a single finger toward the spider. He placed the pad of his finger on the almond-shaped body of the spider and willed his skin to heat well past his average body temperature. Before the metal could heat to a dangerous level, the spider slightly shuddered. Its legs went limp and reeled back into its body. Leo caught the contraption as it fell and placed it back into his toolbelt.

"Well," Lou Ellen snapped. "Are you going to remove the others?"

"In time," Leo answered, unconcerned. "I wanted to have a chat first."

Leo looked about the room. A simple wooden table made of rich mahogany stood in the center of the room. Six chairs with burgundy velvet cushions ringed the table precisely. An elegant candelabra adorned the center of the table, each candle lit with a steady green flame. He looked back at the daughter of Hecate and motioned to the table. "Mind if I sit?"

Lou Ellen just scowled. Leo shrugged and crossed to the table. He pulled a chair out and plopped into the seat, kicking another chair out. "You're welcome to sit down, you know. I didn't rig the chairs to explode or anything."

The girl sneered but, after a moment, awkwardly ambled toward the table. Then, her progress somewhat impeded by the gold spiders, she slowly sank into the seat that Leo had pushed out.

"Alright. You got me. So what the hell are you planning to do to me?"

Frowning, Leo asked, "Do to you?"

"I'm assuming you're here to get revenge for me turning Nico into a pig. Aren't you?"

Sighing in disgust, Leo said, "I'm not going to do anything to you."

"Then what's with the spiders?" Lou Ellen glanced down at the delicate gold spiders and back up at the son of Hephaestus.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Didn't want you running. Didn't want you pulling any more tricks. Figured I'd take a page out of my old man's book and just..." Leo shrugged. "If you promise to just stay and listen, I'll take the spiders off."

Eyes narrowed in distrust, Lou Ellen considered for a moment before nodding. "Fine. Get them off."

Leo smiled cheerfully. "Alright then." He clapped his hands together and, after heating his hands, touched each spider until he had a small collection of inert traps gathered into a pile on the table.

The daughter of Hecate rubbed her wrists and glowered. "So what? You want an apology or something? Fine. I'm sorry I turned Nico into a pig."

"Hm. That's nice. Maybe you should tell him?" Leo paused and waited to see if the other demigod would respond. When she remained silent, Leo continued. "I don't need an apology from you. You should apologize to Nico, but that's not what I'm here about. You really think you were helping them? Will and Nico? I thought you were Will's friend?"

Lou Ellen's face went slack with the sudden and unexpected question before she regained composure. "I am Will's friend."

Leo laughed, the sound harsh and hollow in the quiet of the cabin. "Really? Because where I'm from, friends don't force each other into situations they might not be ready for."

"But Nico–"

"Forget about Nico for a second. It was plain as hell that Will wasn't expecting his ex to be in the infirmary. And you forced him into that. That's on you."

Lou Ellen's face fell. "I just wanted them to talk. To see if–"

"If what?"

"If they could be together again. I know Will still has feelings for him."

Leo pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed deeply. "It's none of your business. What if Nico doesn't want to be with him? You're just going to force him?"

"No, but– maybe Nico could just try harder and..." The daughter of Hecate trailed off, her eyes becoming glassy. She took a deep, shaking breath. "I screwed up, didn't I?"

Leo leaned back in his seat and glared up tiredly at the ceiling. "I'd say."

The pair sat in silence, Lou's sniffling the only sound. Leo tapped his fingers against his head as he closed his eyes, trying to calm down. He blew out a slow and steady breath before opening his eyes and sitting up straight. Leo looked to Lou Ellen who sat with her arms crossed. Her eyes were red-rimmed but dry now.

"You took away their choices, Lou Ellen. You transformed my–" Leo cut himself off and bit the inside of his cheek, cursing silently. Does Nico even want anyone to know? What are we even?

Leo shook his head and started again. "You transformed Nico against his will. That's...that's awful. I can understand you being hurt and worried and...whatever else you were. But, that doesn't give you the right to cause harm to another person. Because that's what you did, Lou Ellen."

Leo met the girl's gaze, his eyes narrowing with cold anger. "Listen, I can accept that you made a mistake– hell, you're human. It happens. But you hurt Nico. And that's not something that I can look past. Nico might forgive you, but...I don't forget so easily. So, I'm only going to say this once: if you ever hurt Nico again, you'll wish that spiders were your biggest problem. ¿Te queda claro?"

Lou Ellen's eyes became slits, her own anger rising to the surface once more. "You really think you'd be able to best a daughter of Hecate? In a fair fight?"

The grin that slowly spread across Leo's face turned feral and his eyes glinted at the challenge. "In a fair fight? Dunno. But," he blew a stray curl out of his face and said, "something tells me we wouldn't be fighting fair. And I'm one hundred percent okay with that."

Lou Ellen studied Leo closely and something like respect flitted across her face. She nodded and uncrossed her arms. "I didn't...I didn't mean to hurt him."

The son of Hephaestus regarded the girl coolly. "It doesn't matter what you meant. There are consequences to all of our actions. You'd best learn that real quick before you make a mistake with someone like you who doesn't question the consequences and damns themselves with their actions."

The pair fell quiet again and Leo held Lou Ellen's gaze for a moment longer before he grinned and slapped the table. He pushed himself up to his feet and scooped his spiders into his hand before letting them drop back into his toolbelt. "Well, that's all I wanted to say. Thanks for having me and all that jazz. Real nice place you got here. I'll see myself out."

Lou Ellen didn't move from the table, but she asked before he could move toward the door, "Are you together? You and Nico?"

Leo cocked his head to the side before saying, "I don't see how that's any of your business." He turned on his heel and waved a hand over his head in a farewell gesture. "Later, Green Eyes!"

Leo let himself out of the cabin, blinking rapidly as sunlight temporarily blinded him. As soon as his eyes adjusted, he let out a weary sigh and began to shuffle to Cabin 13, eager to see the son of Hades.

Dark and imposing, the black obsidian walls of the cabin stood in stark contrast to the lively camp. Green Greek fire danced and licked at the air from the torches jutting out from either entry side. Hanging directly over the door, a skull grinned down at Leo as he approached. The son of Hephaestus gave a small chuckle at the theatrics of the cabin but let himself drop to a sitting position on the front steps.

Leo tapped his fingers against the stone step, his leg bouncing up and down with energy as he waited. Several minutes ticked by and he let his thoughts drift to the Waystation and Dayspring. He wondered if they were gearing up for his lesson the next day or if anyone besides Mrs. Gugaitis would notice his and Nico's absence.

Leo looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"About time, Ghost Boy. I was starting–" Leo cut off as he realized it was not the son of Hades standing before him but Will, who looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else. "Uh. Hey, Will. Where's...where's Nico?"

The neckline of Leo's shirt felt suddenly too tight and he pulled at it with a finger. Swallowing heavily, Leo took a deep breath and waited for Will to say something. Anything. Leo's eyes drifted past Will, hoping to see Nico behind the son of Apollo. But, there was no one. Leo's attention flicked back to Will.

The other demigod studied Leo before frowning and saying, "Your ears are smoldering."

Immediately, Leo raised his hands to his ears and patted them down, feeling heat rise to his cheeks which had nothing to do with fire. "Malditas orejas," he muttered. Stupid ears catching fire. Could I have a bigger tell?

"So, what's up, Solace? Nico's okay, right? I'm assuming you'd look more concerned if he'd turned into a ghost or vanished or something. Maybe raised the legions of the Underworld or–or–Lou Ellen didn't come back to the infirmary and turn him into something else, did she? Man, if she did, I–"

Will held up one hand and it was then Leo noticed the box tucked under his other arm. "No. Nothing like that. Dionysus came by and," Will shrugged and continued, "Well, you know Mr. D. Didn't want to be kept waiting anymore, I guess."

"Oh. Yeah."

The two fell into an awkward silence: Leo sitting and looking up at Will, who stood in front of the Hades cabin looking completely unsure and like he wanted to be anywhere else.

Leo cleared his throat. "So...is that it? You were just letting me know Nico was gonna be late?"

"Huh?" Will started as if he forgot why he was standing in front of the son of Hephaestus. "Oh, yeah. I mean, yes."

Leo raised an eyebrow. He didn't have anything against the son of Apollo, but...

"Cool. I guess I'll just hang out here until Nico's done with Mr. D."

Will nodded but made no move to leave.

"Was there something else?" Leo asked, trying not to let his discomfort show.

Will sighed and shifted the box from under his arm to hold it in front of him. He crossed to Leo and sat down next to the demigod, putting the box to the side. "Nico and I talked. He wanted me to tell you–"

Leo's breath caught in his throat.

This is it. Will's here to tell me that he and Nico are getting back together. They're giving it another shot. Spooks avoided Will for a whole month. Wonder how long he'll avoid me. If he even comes back to the Waystation– Leo's doubts ran rampant, and he barely caught the end of Will's words.

"–late but also wanted you to fill me in about the prophecy?"

"What? Nico wanted me to– the prophecy?"

Will looked at the son of Hephaestus as if Leo had grown two heads. "Yeah?"

"He's not...you're not–"

The son of Apollo looked more confused than ever. "Are you alright? Nico mentioned you guys shadow traveled. It can have adverse side effects. Do you need me to check you out?"

Leo waved away the healer's question. "Nah, man. I'm good. Melinoe got us here anyhow. The last stretch, anyway. So he just...wants me to tell you about the prophecy?"

"Yeah," Will nodded. "He started telling me about it, but Mr. D...wait, did you say Melinoe? Like, goddess of ghosts?"

Shrugging, Leo said, "Yeah." He pushed himself to his feet. "Might as well grab my bag. I have a notebook with all the prophecy stuff written down. I left it at the pavilion after– after–"

"Lou turned Nico into a pig?" Will provided. "Sorry about that. She's kind of a hothead. Doesn't think everything over the way she should."

Leo shrugged again but didn't comment, feeling a small knot of anger twisting in his gut.

Will must have read something on Leo's face as he added, "I didn't ask for her to do it, you know."

Leo looked down at Will, who still sat on the steps in front of the Hades cabin. "I...I didn't think you did. He wasn't expecting you to be here. Neither of us did." Even as the words left his mouth, Leo heard how accusatory they sounded.

Sighing, Will joined Leo, walking several paces ahead before turning back to Leo. One eyebrow raised, Will asked, "You coming?"

Leo followed the son of Apollo, waiting for the other boy to speak.

"I came back. I was supposed to be gone until January. But, there were some issues with my family."

Leo nodded but didn't say anything, unsure what words would suffice. Instead, he made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat and looked away over the grounds. He had nothing against Will but damn if he didn't feel guilty.

"Look," Will stopped, an exasperated edge to his voice. Leo halted and turned, heart pounding. "Nico told me, okay? I know you guys are dating."

Leo's heart leaped from where it was pounding in his ribcage until it lodged firmly in his throat. His voice, when he spoke, was higher. "He told you that?"

Looking as though the answer pained him, Will answered, "Not in so many words. You know how it is with Nico. But...he told me you guys are together." The demigod shoved his hands into his pockets before saying, "I don't...I don't want this to be harder than it already is. I still care, okay? It's not going to be easy, and it won't be overnight, but...I still want to be a part of Nico's life. We were friends before everything, and I want to think that maybe we can be again. Someday."

Will held Leo's gaze and his eyes became steely. "And because of that, I would feel remiss if I didn't say that if you hurt him...if you–I'll–"

Will struggled to find the appropriate words. Finally, Leo licked his lips and offered, "You'll make sure I don't do it again or something?"

The son of Apollo jerked his head in a nod, resolve flashing in his eyes.

Leo smiled though he felt it did little to warm his own expression. "Understood, Doc. Although, as a doctor, don't you have an oath or something? Do no harm?"

Will's expression lost some of its fierceness, but his voice was still strained as he said, "I'm not a doctor. Not yet, anyway."

Leo shrugged. "Fair enough. You gotta realize that things happen in relationships. I can promise that I'll never do anything with the intent to hurt him, but..."

Breathing out heavily, Will gave Leo one last searching look before nodding his head. "Things happen. I get it." His shoulders sagged as the pair walked toward the dining pavilion.

"Look, Solace," Leo said, his own voice seeming to grow softer with weariness. "Will...I really like Nico. But none of what I feel is gonna really matter if Nico decides he doesn't want to be with me. And just..."

Will glanced over at him, a puzzled expression on his face. "Why do you think he doesn't want to be with you?"

Shaking his head, Leo replied, "It's not that I think that, really. Just...seems a bit too good to be true. You know what I mean?"

Will didn't answer immediately but seemed to think for a moment before giving a short laugh. "You two...you're something, you know that?"

Startled, Leo looked over to Will. "What? What's so funny?"

"I think you two have your work cut out for you. I can see it now– you guys arguing over who's doing the most bone-headed thing to save whoever you care about who needs saving." At Leo's continued confusion, Will went on. "Between you literally dying and Nico almost killing himself to return a statue– and willing to go to Tartarus..." Will trailed off before laughing again, even if the mirth was somewhat subdued. "You guys have more in common than I think you realize."

The demigods reached the deserted dining pavilion and Leo spotted both his and Nico's packs under the Cabin 13 table. Crossing the hall, Leo plopped onto the bench at the table and grabbed his bag. He unzipped the top and thrust his hand inside, rooting around for his notebook. His fingers brushed against it and Leo grabbed the bound paper with an "Aha!" before pulling it free. He flipped open to the correct page and thrust it into Will's hand as the other demigod took a seat.

The Apollo camper took the notebook and set it on the tabletop. He flinched slightly as his eyes scanned the heading: "Ghost Boy and McShizzle: The Prophecy Edition."

"Will, I–"

But Will held up a finger and shook his head as he delved into the writing, his mouth silently forming the words as he read. Leo felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he realized just how untidy his scrawl was on the lined pages. He anxiously watched as Will read, and once the boy flipped through the first few pages and settled on the diagram, Leo cleared his throat self-consciously and explained, "The first bit was just everything that's happened since Nico came to the Waystation and stuff."

Will raised an eyebrow and shifted the notebook so Leo could look at the pages as well. He gestured to the diagram. "And this?"

Leo looked down and began to explain.

*First Person:

Nico?- Tartarus 1/3. Two more times. 2nd–knowledge. 3rd–with the first fall of second person.

Percy? Annabeth?- Fell together 1/3. 2nd–see above. 3rd–see above.

"So, the prophecy says that another battle is coming, right? And that two people are gonna fall to the abyss, right? Okay, so the abyss– Tartarus. And two falling– one three times and the other just the once. You with me?"

Will nodded slowly. "I know this."

Leo tapped the paper. "Alright, so, the first person– the one who has to fall three times. The first fall has already happened. And, besides gods, who do we know who has fallen to Tartarus?" Leo answered his own question, shoving his finger over the three names. "Nico, Percy, and Annabeth."

Will looked at the paper, a stubborn frown on his face. "It doesn't mean it has to be Nico."

The son of Hephaestus looked over at the other demigod. Will sat stiffly in his seat, staring at the notebook with glassy eyes. "He's already been through so much. It doesn't have to be him. He doesn't have to go."

"Will..." Leo hesitated only briefly. "We both know that it's about him. Look at the whole picture. It's his friend in Tartarus. The prophecy was given to him. He's the one having the dreams. Besides, do you think that if Annabeth or Percy fell, the other wouldn't make sure it's them that fell again? Which would not add up in the prophecy." Leo poked at the page again, his finger running underneath another jotted note:

*Second person:

- Percy? Annabeth? Has to be first time (it would be their second)

"I know it's hard to think about, Will. You think I want the prophecy to be about him?" Leo laughed hollowly. "But, you know Nico. And he's the most capable of pulling this off and still coming back to us, yeah? And I sure as hell will make sure he's in the best position to come back. If we stop trying to deny it and accept it, then maybe we can make the best of it...have him be the most prepared he can be. Right?"

Sighing, Will agreed, "Yeah. So...what about the rest of it then?" The son of Apollo gestured to the last of the writing directly underneath Percy and Annabeth's crossed-out names.

- Kool-Aid, Grapes and Raisins, Mr. D., Does Prometheus have any kids?, Apollo, Doc, Grey's Anatomy Cast, McShizzle.

"Alright. So, a few contenders for the second person falling."

Will frowned at the page. "I don't understand any of your nicknames on here."

"Of course not," Leo said off-handedly. "The first three– Mr. D's kids. Dakota, Castor, Pollux."

Will blinked. "But why–"

Cutting him off, Leo continued, "Just wait and I'll explain. First, everyone got code names because I couldn't remember how to spell Mr. D's kids' names, and then I just thought the rest were funny."

"That's not what I was going to ask–"

"Well, wait. I'll explain in a second." Leo waited for a moment to see if Will would interrupt again. Then, when the son of Apollo stayed quiet, Leo explained further. "Mr. D and Prometheus are self-explanatory. So is your dad. Then there's you– Doc– and all of your siblings. And me."

"But that doesn't explain anything. Why did you settle on these people? For falling?"

Leo flipped back to the first page and pointed to a line in the prophecy as he read it aloud. "Look into a depth unknown. All hope is lost if seen alone. Unless a sacrifice is made– by fire, madness, or by shade." Leo raised his eyebrows at Will. "See?"

"See what?" Will let out an explosive breath. "What does how Nico dies matter?" Will pushed himself up from the table angrily. He crossed his arms, hugging them tightly to his body, and turned away. His voice was strained as he asked again: "Why does it matter?"

Leo stared at the boy for a moment, his mouth open. He sat in momentary stunned silence before standing to join the Apollo camper. "But...but I don't think he'll die, Will. Look at the words."

Will made no motion to move, so Leo walked around and positioned himself in front of the demigod. He shoved the notebook under Will's nose, forcing the boy to see the writing again. "Fire, madness, and shade. It's not talking about what the sacrifice will be. It's talking about who will make the sacrifice. Don't you see?"

Will's eyes bored into Leo's before flicking down to the writing. He uncrossed his arms and gently reached for the notebook. He read over the passage quickly before looking back up to Leo, a hopeful expression replacing the desolate one from the moment before. "So...the sacrifice..."

"Will be made by someone representing one of those three things." Leo shoved his hands into his pockets to keep them from tapping a frenetic beat against his legs.

Will glanced down and flipped back to Leo's diagram. "So, shade...shade is Nico?"

Nodding, Leo added, "I mean, it could mean anyone else of shade, but..."

"It wouldn't fit." Leo nodded at Will's conclusion and watched as Will worked through the other names. "So, Mr. D? And his kids? Guessing that's for madness?"

"Yeah. Obviously, it can't be Castor or Dakota– they're already gone. So maybe Pollux? Or Mr. D himself? And you and your dad and, well, all Apollo kids...I mean, it's a stretch but with the sun and everything. Maybe representing fire? But I doubt it. And Prometheus...I don't know if he has any kids with mortals or anything or if it would even count." Leo took a deep breath and added, "But a kid of Hephaestus? Who has a pyro streak? He could represent fire."

Will fixed a calm gaze on Leo. "You?"

Leo shrugged and held out his hand for the journal. "It would make sense. Besides," Leo licked his lips as Will passed him the notebook. "Nico's not the only one the gods have warned."

Leo proceeded to tell Will about his and Nico's conversations with Britomartis. When he finished, Will appraised Leo. "You don't seem too worried about it."

"Well, I guess if I'm the one who falls with Nico, it just means that I'll be there to help him more, you know? Make sure he doesn't die."

Will continued to study Leo until the son of Hephaestus could feel his ears growing hot again. Self-consciously, he raised his hands to his ears and batted down his hair just in case he started smoking and asked, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Will frowned and spoke in a hesitant voice. "I...I heard you speaking to Nico in the infirmary. Back when I thought...when I thought it was Calypso."

Leo tapped his foot against the stone floor, nerves flooding his stomach. "And?"

"And I'm just saying...listen, I love– loved– Nico, alright? I get it. I do. Just...take care of yourself. Make sure that you're ready if he can't reciprocate your feelings."

Leo felt a surge of panic and anger at the other boy's words. "Oh? And you know how I'm feeling?"

Will looked at him with a plaintive expression. "Yeah. It was pretty obvious in the infirmary. And now. The way you talk about him."

Leo opened and shut his mouth several times, lost for words.

Will gave him a small smile and shrugged. "Maybe I'm wrong. But I doubt it."

The Cabin 9 counselor began to walk to the pavilion's edge but turned and asked, "Can you tell Nico...tell him I'll write?"

"Why not tell him yourself?" Leo asked, still processing Will's earlier comments.

"I'm taking his advice," Will said. "Just...let him know you talked to me and that I'll write him. But I'm going to talk to my mom. Can you do that?"

Leo cocked his head to the side and raised a hand to salute the other demigod. "Will do, Doc."

Will raised a hand in farewell and left the dining pavilion. After stuffing his journal back into his bag, Leo shouldered his and Nico's packs and began to walk back toward the Hades cabin.

Nico paused as he approached his cabin, watching from a distance.

Leo sat on the top step leading to Cabin 13, laying back with his hands propped behind his head. One foot jostled up and down from where his leg crossed over the other. Nico smiled softly at the seemingly ever-present energy of the son of Hephaestus.

He reached for a shadow cast by one of the cabins nearby. A quiet calm stole over him as Nico slipped into the shadow. There was darkness– a cool breeze on a summer day– before his vision lightened again. The son of Hades stepped out from the shadow cast by the overhang from Cabin 13. He stood above Leo, gazing directly down at the other demigod. Leo's eyes were closed, and he hummed softly, his foot keeping rhythm as it moved up and down.

"What're you humming?"

Leo's eyes flew open. He looked up at Nico with a startled expression. "How did you get up here? Without me noticing? Are you, like, the Flash or something now? Another Hades' talent I wasn't aware you possessed?"

Nico grinned wickedly. "Us Hades kids have a lot of talents we don't share. But, I think I could be persuaded to share a few." Nico's grin widened as a faint blush colored Leo's cheeks. He laughed and reached a hand down to the son of Hephaestus. "Come on, Valdez."

Once Leo was standing, he stooped and picked up his and Nico's packs, gesturing to the box Will had left behind. "Will left that for you."

Nico bent to pick up the box and asked, "So, he did come and talk to you?"

"Yeah," Leo confirmed. "We, uh, talked about the prophecy and stuff."

"Stuff?" Nico raised an eyebrow, but Leo just nodded and didn't expand further. "Alright. Well, did he have anything to say? About the prophecy?"

Leo followed Nico to the door. "Not too much. I, uh, explained some of my thoughts and theories, and...he said he was going to take your advice? He said he'd write but had to talk to his mom. That mean something to you?"

Nico gave a slight shrug and shouldered the door open. He crossed the threshold, Leo following on his heels. The inside of the cabin was dimly lit by matching torches in brackets crackling with the same green fire that kindled the sconces outside. "You can set the packs down on that bunk over there." He jerked his chin in the direction of the bunk nearest to the bathroom. "That's Hazel's when she's here."

After setting the packs down, Leo sat next to them, running his fingers over the lush scarlet velvet comforter that covered the bed. "So what's in the box?"

Cheeks reddening slightly, Nico glanced over at Leo and cleared his throat. "Oh, just some things I left in the Apollo cabin. I didn't get a chance to collect them before I left for the Waystation." Nico set the box down on the other bunk in the room and sat next to it.

Nico pulled the letters out of the box and brandished them at Leo. "Just, you know, letters and stuff. Sketchpad. A book Austin gave me."

"Ah. Letters. I had no idea you were so...so...lettery."

"Lettery?" Nico scoffed. "That's not a word, Leo."

Leo shrugged. "Eh. It should be. So, who was writing you letters?"

Nico traced a finger over the edge of the bundle of letters, biting his lip softly before answering. "Reyna and Hazel. Annabeth sent one. Mostly Jason."

Leo stopped running his hand over the velvet bedspread. It was a moment before he stood and crossed the room to sit next to Nico. When the son of Hades looked over at Leo questioningly, Leo simply said, "I miss him. A lot."

Nico hesitated but pulled the rubber band that encircled Jason's letters off. He flicked through the stack before pulling the fourth away from the bundle. Nico set the other notes down and handed the single envelope to Leo. "Here. Read it."

Leo stared at the other demigod as if not understanding. "Dude. That's your letter. I can't just...I can't just read it. It's private."

"Yes. It's my letter. But it's probably the only one that I think Jason wouldn't mind me sharing." When Leo still hesitated, Nico sighed and pulled out the folded lined paper from within. He thrust it under Leo's nose. "Either take it, or I'll just read it aloud."

Leo seemed as if he would argue but then nodded and gently enclosed his fingers around the page. He looked down, his eyes reading over the first line. "Damn, he had good handwriting. I forgot how nice it was." Leo stared at the page for several seconds, his eyes becoming glassy. He glanced up at Nico and held the letter out to him. "I can't...I–"

Nico gingerly took the proffered papers back. "It's alright." The son of Hades studied Leo for a moment and asked, "Do you...do you want me to read it to you?"

Leo swallowed heavily and then nodded once.

Clearing his throat, Nico started.

"Nico: Thanks for that last letter. I think I'll visit camp soon– it's getting a bit cramped in my dorm, and I could use a small break from being the official "Pontifex Maximus.' How are things with you? Still having some doubts? Listen, it's not the worst thing that can happen, alright? And, if things take a turn south, just know you won't be alone."

Nico felt Leo shift beside him and gave a small start when the son of Hephaestus laced his fingers through Nico's. The demigod paused in reading, but Leo gruffly said, "Keep reading. Please?"

"I find myself not knowing what to do with my days. My work with the gods only gets me so far. I grew so accustomed to training with the Legion and fighting. What are we supposed to do when there's no war? How do I stop feeling like the other shoe is about to drop? Don't get me wrong– I don't miss the constant running and fighting and surviving. I definitely don't miss Coach Hedge's cooking or 4 a.m. wake-up calls."

Leo snorted and Nico smiled.

"When I'm sitting here and looking out my window, I realize there are aspects of the war that I miss. Even though we broke up, I miss Piper. Even from before. I miss the sound of her voice and her laugh. And I miss Leo."

Nico felt Leo's fingers tighten around his own, but he continued.

"Sometimes, I wish I could go back to those specific points in time. I swear you don't know freedom until you've flown on Festus. And having friends like Leo and Piper to share it with? Makes it all the better. Maybe instead of meeting back up at camp, we could plan on tracking Leo down or something (are you sure he didn't mention where he was going in the scroll?). I'm sure Pipes would be game. Maybe even Reyna would take a break with Praetor duties to come– I know you've been missing her too (it's alright to say it, you know)."

"Just remember that you're not the only one struggling without something bigger going on...and I feel it too. I know that something's coming...I'm just not sure what. Anyway, if Leo makes it back to camp, try to keep him there until I can make it back– I miss his horrible jokes (but don't you dare tell him I said that). And, while you're at it, maybe you can admit that you miss him too. Just saying. Until next time, di Angelo. –Jason."

Nico stopped reading and folded the letter one-handedly. He ran his thumb against the back of Leo's hand, not speaking.

It was several seconds before Leo said in a tremulous voice, "My jokes are not horrible."

Nico chuckled, a knot that had formed at the thought of Jason– the absence of Jason– coming loose. Nico turned his head to the side and pressed his lips against Leo's curls before muttering, "They really are the absolute worst, Leo."

"Our hearts know what is in them, even if our mouths remain silent." ~Paul Auster