This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―xxi. home at last

AFTER HIS TALK WITH POSEIDON, Percy went back to his mother's apartment to see her—alive, because apparently Hades was the kind of god to hold up his end of bargains—and Naomi took a cab to Half-Blood Hill. 

At the top of the hill, Naomi stopped, taking a moment to take in the camp in its entirety. The cabins, the Big House, the climbing wall and crafts building and armory. She hugged the bouquet of lilies to her chest as she took it all in. 

She was home. 

And for once, she was happy to be there. 

The Hermes cabin was empty when she reached it. Naomi was too tired to wonder where they were—maybe the strawberry fields or the sword-fighting arena. She managed to find a big enough cup for the lilies, and she filled it with water, placing it on one of the window-sills so it could get ample sunlight. As she untied the small thread holding the flower stems together, she realized something else was holding them together. 

A ring. 

Carefully, Naomi slid it off of the stems, placing the lilies in the cup before examining the ring. It was a simple bronze band, just wide enough for something to have been engraved on the inside of the band. 

Kôneion.

It took a moment for the Greek to translate in Naomi's exhausted brain: Hemlock. 

Naomi frowned, looking back at the vase, then back to the engraving.

Those were definitely lilies—not hemlock.

Despite the strange dissonance, Naomi slid the ring onto her finger, surprised by the perfect fit. She rubbed a thumb over the smooth, shiny metal, a smile tugging at her lips. She'd never had a piece of jewelry, really—just hair ties and one of those cheap plastic friendship bracelet she'd made in third grade and lost a week later during recess.

She took a long-anticipated shower, then changed into a spare set of clean clothes—a too-big Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and shorts. Despite her exhaustion, Naomi figured she should probably check in with Chiron before she passed out in the Hermes cabin. 

Annabeth, Grover, Chiron, and Mr. D were sitting on the porch of the Big House when she arrived. Annabeth and Grover looked freshly showered, and there was a giant bowl of grapes on the table they were all picking at. 

Annabeth smiled tiredly at her. "Where's Percy?" 

"Went to see his mom," Naomi explained, returning the smile as she sat down next to her. "Hades released her." 

"Thank the gods," Annabeth sighed, handing her a bundle of grapes. 

Naomi took them with a grin. 

"So, how was old Corpse Breath?" Mr. D asked, leaning back in his chair. "Have a nice little family reunion?" 

Naomi shook her head, chewing her grapes. 

"Chiron, I don't think Hades is her godly parent," Annabeth told the centaur. "The way he acted toward her—he barely even acknowledged her. Would he have acted like that if she was his child?" 

Mr. D shrugged. "Never know with gods." He popped a handful of grapes into his mouth. 

"That is good news, Naomi," Chiron told her, giving her a reassuring smile. "To be a child of Hades, especially right now... it would not be a kind fate." 

"But if he's not my godly parent... who is?" Naomi asked. "What's taking them so long?" 

"Hey, gods are busy," Mr. D said defensively. "Give 'em a minute."