Nico Visits 12 Grimmauld Place

11. Chiron Grants Talking Rights

N I C O

Sadie laughed like we were joking, "Ha! I've heard that before." Then just as quickly she peered at us the way teachers look at you when they're trying to tell if you're telling the truth. I used to get that look a lot, so I know what I'm talking about. "You're not lying aren't you?"

We shook our heads simultaneously. "Nope."

Sadie's mouth made an 'O' shape, so I could tell that her bubble gum was grape flavored. "Wow. Well then. Amos might have mentioned other gods. Are you in a hurry to go somewhere? You did say you were on a mission."

"We finished," I said, not wanting to go into the details of my time at 12 Grim Old Place.

"Oh goody," Sadie put her wand back in her bag, which was probably stuffed with more magical items I did not want to touch.

Sadie pointed down the street, "There's a Monster Donut shop somewhere that way," she said. "Shall we go talk there?"

Percy was reluctant. "Uh, can we not?"

"Well, there's a café near it, too. It's nice and quiet."

We agreed to go there, but by somewhere that way, Sadie meant nine blocks away.

We chose a table outside, with a nice view of the park close by. Seconds passed as we sat there staring at each other, not sure how to start the strange conversation.

Percy used a napkin to rub some bird poop off the table.

"Right," Sadie broke the ice. "I'm assuming you Greeks don't host gods?"

Percy shrugged. "I dunno if I'm supposed to tell you."

Sadie nodded like he was being smart. "Well, you're less impulsive than me. Maybe I shouldn't tell you anything either."

"Then why are we here?" I asked.

"To talk about the weather," Sadie said sarcastically.

Percy looked at the sky, "It's going to rain in an hour or so."

"We should contact Chiron," I told Percy, ignoring his comment. "Ask him if it's okay. I have a feeling that meeting Sadie here wasn't supposed to happen. Maybe something bad—"

Sadie interrupted: "Don't mind me sitting here by myself with no idea what's going on. Are you going to contact this Chiron or not?"

"Patience," I told her.

"I don't have any. Get on with it."

Percy waved his hand, and water from his cup swirled up into mist, making a rainbow. Sadie stared in mild interest. "You Greeks have magic too?"

"I suppose you could call it that," I said.

The silly mortals around us paid no attention as I got out one of my leftover drachmas, "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering." I threw in the coin, which disappeared once it hit the rainbow. "Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood."

"Half-blood?" Sadie demanded.

Then Chiron appeared in all his wheelchair glory, playing pinochle with Mr. D. Grover sat awkwardly between them, peeling grapes for the wine dude and chewing on a soda can.

Chiron looked up at Sadie like he was trying to recognize her. Mr. D glanced at her, then looked back at his cards, pretending to be uninterested.

"Perrcyyy!!" Grover said excitedly. "You found Nico!"

Percy nodded. "Yep. Chiron, we met this girl here—"

"Sadie," Sadie said. "I have a name."

"Oh right. Sadie Kane," Percy said. Then he switched to a loud whispering voice, "She says she's Egyptian."

"Indeed?" Dionysus looked up slightly. "Perhaps I should make the girl go mad." He looked at Chiron hopefully.

"Excuse me?" Sadie demanded.

"That won't be necessary," Chiron said before she could say more. "Sadie Kane," he muttered to himself. "Ah, yes, Iskander told me about you and your brother."

Sadie blinked. "When?"

Chiron tapped his head as he thought. "A bit after you were born I believe. Iskander and I go way back."

"Who's Salamander?" I asked.

Sadie glared at me like I'd said something incredibly offensive. "Iskander."

"Oh, right," I muttered. "Sorry."

Percy met my eyes, and we made a silent decision to tell Chiron about the wizards later.

Percy cleared his throat. "Um, right. So uh, I'm guessing Egyptian gods are real now? And so can we tell her stuff? We can trust her?"

Chiron nodded, and Mr. D grumbled to himself.

We cut the connection, but not before Percy promised to save Grover the linen napkins.

Sadie popped her bubble gum, "So who's going first?"