Too Late

Chapter 23

~ Nico ~

Nico blinked, "How did you know?"

Reyna smirked, "I just do."

"I haven't told Hazel yet." He admitted.

The daughter of Bellona frowned, "You should."

"I know." He didn't want to talk about this, not now. "So, how are your ghost treating you?"

Reyna flinched, as if she hadn't been expecting the question. "They come occasionally, once or twice a month. But them seem to be leaving me alone."

Nico nodded, "That's good."

The daughter of Bellona studied him, "Do you know what's in the woods?"

He shook his head, "No one knows. We aren't allowed in, most people who have gone in came out insane or disappeared. Like that girl, I was telling you about,"

"Tell me about her."

"Her name was Esprit."

"Spirit." Reyna translated.

"Yes. She was a daughter of the spring wind."

"How well did you know her?"

"I only met her once."

"What was she like?"

Nico hesitated, why would Reyna want to know? Then he continued, this girl was a warrior, planer and a leader. If anyone would have the answer, Reyna might. "She knew things. Small details. She remembered everything too. And she was scared."

"Of what?"

"Probably monsters. Most new demigods are."

Reyna stared at her dagger, "You said she knew things, what if she knew something she wasn't supposed to know? What if she was scared they would come after her? And what if they did?"

"That seems a bit far fetched."

"It's still possible."

Nico sighed, "I'm not sure. All I know is that she went into the woods and didn't come back. A boy named Felix when in after her. Will and I found Felix and he said that they burned her."

"Who burned her?"

"We don't know. But for now the woods are off limits."

Reyna nodded slowly, "It could be Romans."

Nico turned to face her, "What makes you say that?"

She tilted her head, "You haven't heard the stories? About Nero? Fiddling away while Rome burned behind him?"

"I've heard them. I know. But why blame all Romans?"

"Us, Romans, have a liking for power. A thirst for destruction. And it wasn't just Nero, he only started the trend. Fire was  a way to symbolize the start of a new era. It still is."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"To be completely honest with you, I don't know what I'm trying to say, di Angelo."

Nico forced back a laugh as a something occurred to him, "Was Nero actually the one who burnt the city?"

"History has blamed Nero for the disaster, implying that he started the fire so that he could bypass the senate and rebuild Rome to his liking. Much of what is known about the great fire of Rome comes from the aristocrat and historian Tacitus, who claimed that Nero watched Rome burn while merrily playing his fiddle."

"That's history, don't the Romans know the truth?"

Reyna sighed, "Nico, the Romans are as divided on this subject as the rest of the world. No one knows, and if they do they don't say. And all this, about the forest, the girl, Lord Apollo, it's all connected somehow."

* * *

Hazel sat down beside him, on the roof of their fathers temple, just like old times. "We showed Will around, he's with Frank right now at the unicorn stables."

Nico nodded absently.

"Is something wrong?"

"What?"

Hazel knit her eyebrows, "Nico, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"If you want to talk we can."

"Hazel it's fine."

She sighed and let the subject drop. "Have... have you heard from Leo?" She said his name so quietly, he almost didn't hear.

He hesitated for a moment, "You know I would tell you if I had heard anything."

She nodded, "I know. But his death felt different, as if he had built his own way down and then gotten a catapult to launch him back into the world of the living."

"That sounds like something he would do."

His sister smiled, "Nico, you look happier."

"I do?"

"Yes. It's nice to see you smile."

"Thanks?"

She laughed, "You've met someone special, haven't you?"

Nico pursed his lips and Hazel's smile got wider, "I knew it." She leaned over and gave him a gentle hug, "I'm happy for you, Nico."

"How did you know?" He asked quietly.

"I just had a feeling."

"Hazel, you're the daughter of Pluto. Not Aphrodite."

She laughed, "Leo said the same thing..." Her smiled died away, "Nevermind."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Hazel spoke, "So, who is it?"

Nico didn't respond at first, hoping to find a way out of this. Then he spotted Frank and Will walking towards them, "Hazel, Frank's coming."

She smiled at him, "You're telling me later."

* * *

Nico sat down on the couch, next to Will. They were alone, for now. Hazel had gone with Frank. Nico found himself leaning against his boyfriend, Will's arms around him.

"Have you told her?"

"Not yet."

Will sighed, "It's your choice but she'll find out sooner or later. if you don't tell her she might get upset because she'll think you didn't trust her enough to tell her."

"But that's not why."

"I know, but that's what could happen."

"Will, that doesn't help."

"Sorry, but this might." The son of Apollo readjusted himself so that he was face to face with Nico.

"What are you-" His question was interrupted, and answered, by Will's kiss. Nico felt Wills face getting hot, but he didn't care. He wrapped his arms around Will's neck and returned the kiss. When he pulled away Will smiled, "I'll always be here for you death boy."

Nico was smiling like a little kid, "Same here, sunshine."

Will wrapped his arm around Nico's shoulders once more, "I thought you aren't using that name for me, since I like it."

"I changed my mind." Nico said simply, leaning over and giving Will a soft kiss on the cheek. His lips met his boyfriend's skin as the door opened, and Hazel stepped in.