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‘What’s going on?’ asked Piper. ‘Is there an emergency? Did something happen?’

‘No emergency any more,’ he said. ‘I just got back from a quest.’

‘A quest?’ Piper’s eyes widened. ‘Oh, no.’

He started with the prophecy during the summer, after they’d defeated Nero. He had to stop every so often so that Piper could explain something to Shel, who listened attentively, nodding.

He told them about the quest. The journey into the Underworld. Epiales, the troglodytes, Menoetes, the garden and the Acheron. Both girls were transfixed once he got to the plunge into Tartarus and the nightmares that awaited him and Will.

When he’d finished, he was exhausted. This was the second time that morning he’d had to summarize what had happened to him and Will, and his boyfriend wasn’t even around to do half the work. But Nico needed to do this by himself, especially once Piper asked him why he had reached out to her.

‘Not that I don’t like hearing from you,’ she said. ‘It’s just that … well, we haven’t spoken in a long time. Not since …’

Silence fell on Piper’s side of the message, and Shel pulled her close in a hug.

‘That’s kind of the point,’ Nico said. ‘Because Ishouldhave reached out to you after …’ He sighed. ‘After Jason died.’

Piper turned away for a moment, and when she looked back to Nico her eyes were red and glassy.

Shel kissed her on the temple. ‘I’ll be right back,’ she said, standing up.

‘You don’t have to leave,’ said Piper.

‘I know. But … this is something you two should discuss alone. Come find me once you’re done.’

Shel disappeared, and Nico smiled at Piper. ‘I like her. She seems nice.’

‘I like her, too,’ she said with a wry smile. ‘She’s never been weird about my grief over Jason, either.’

‘I’m glad you have someone to share that stuff with. I’ve learned the hard way that I shouldn’t bottle up my feelings.’

‘Nico, after all you’ve been through – and not just on this quest – I think it’s understandable toeveryonewhy you’ve tried to protect yourself. I don’t think it’s irrational or anything.’

‘But you wereright there,’ he said. ‘You were grieving the loss of someone you loved so much, and I didn’t even think to drop you a message. That wasn’t right.’

She nodded. ‘I mean … yeah, maybe it was a little weird. To be honest, I expected you to reach out to me at some point, but then it never happened, and life changed so much for me. I guess I kinda forgot?’

‘Well, I’m sorry to open old wounds, but this experience got me thinking. I really want us to be better friends, but I knew that couldn’t happen unless we talked about Jason.’

‘I appreciate that,’ said Piper. Then: ‘I really miss him, Nico.’

‘Me, too,’ he said, a lump forming in his throat. ‘There are days when I forget he’s dead. My mind thinks he’s on a quest or something, and he’ll just come waltzing into Camp Half-Blood with you, Leo, Frank or Hazel. And I know that’s partially because I’m still getting over it – I’m adjusting to him not being here. But I’m also realizing that maybe I’ll never get over it completely. A part of me is always going to hurt because he’s gone.’

‘That partdoesget smaller.’ She flicked her braids over her shoulders. ‘The more you live life, the more your life sort of grows around the hole in your heart. And sometimes a person comes along and helps you build a whole new room in your heart, and you get to fill that with love and memories.’

‘You mean Shel?’

She tilted her head and smiled. ‘Well, I was referring to Will Solace, your smokin’-hot boyfriend, but yeah, Shel, too.’

‘How are things going with her?’

‘Really good,’ said Piper. ‘It’s a lot of firsts. First relationship with a girl. First time I’m with someone who’s Native like me. It’s really freeing, Nico. We have this shared language and experience even though we haven’t lived identical lives.’

‘That’s amazing!’ he said. ‘I’m really happy for you.’

‘It’s weird sometimes, too. Dad is still wrapping his mind around the whole thing.’

‘Oh, no,’ said Nico. ‘Is he being judgy?’