Saving a Hero

CHAPTER 16

Percy and I didn't say a word to each other. He would try to meet my eyes and I wouldn't even give him a glare. How could he say we weren't dating? We had something romantic between us, we've kissed, slept in the same bed, and he broke up with Annabeth for me. I wasn't mad. I was maybe, a little mad. But mostly I was confused. What were we? Two bros hanging out? Was it normal for two straight guy friends to kiss each other? I didnt think so...

"What's wrong Neeks?" 

Percy asked me. I could feel all of my emotions about to flow over. I stopped and faced him, gave him my meanest glare. I opened my mouth about to tell him.

"Hello Nico, Percy, were you two about to leave without saying goodbye?" 

Persephone chided happily from her garden. She was wearing overalls now, the overall knees were covered with dirt along with her hands, arms, and parts of her face. Her hair was in a bun with flowers sticking out of some places. She got up and wiped her dirty hands on her dirty overalls. As she got up she held out her hand to Percy. He shook it and smiled at her. 

"Hi," 

She said happily to Percy. 

"I'm Nico's stepmom!"

Percy raised his eyebrows. 

"Didn't you turn him into a plant once?"

Percy asked her, she chucked and waved her hand dismissively as I shuddered. 

"That was a long time ago dear. I trust that Hades gave you your dagger, Percy?"

She continued smiling and walked over to another part of her beautiful garden. She got back on her knees and continued digging up soil and planting various flowers that sprung out of her palms. 

"Um yes. Why?" 

She shrug and began gathering flowers together. The piled up about ten and picked them up. She stood up again and placed them in Percy's hands. He stood there awkwardly glancing at the flowers then at Persephone. She pulled a mason jar out of thin air and put it under Percy's hands. He put the flowers inside. Persephone put the jar's lid on and shook it a little, the flowers turned into a white liquid, and she handed me the jar. 

"I now understand that you have two identical mason jars and white liquids inside of them. When the time comes. You will eventually have to use both of them. They won't work unless both of them are used at the same time. One will harm one will take something important away from the user. I hope you pick wisely, I'll try to help you as much as possible." 

Persephone's face turned grim. She began working on her garden again, totally forgetting that we were still there. Percy and I looked at each other and walked away wordlessly. We reached an opening that took us out of the underworld. I sung an Italian lullaby that Bianca used to sing to me and the dirt opening crumbled. We walked out of the underworld and into a forest. I had no clue where we were, but luckily it was still light outside. We could just ask somebody that we see where we were. I reached for my backpack to put the mason jar in it. I remembered that I didn't put it on this morning and I panicked. But when I reached for it, there it was, and my sword was also on my side. I figured that either Persephone or Hades had given them to me at some point. My backpack reminded me of the marks from the harpies under my arms. I ran my hands under my arms and voila! They were healed! I decided that Hades had done that at some point too. Percy pulled me out of my thoughts by tugging on my sleeve. I shot him a glare. 

"What?" 

 Yeah, maybe I was being a bit harsh. 

"That news paper says its June 17th. That means we have three days until the summer solstice, the deadline." 

Percy informed me in a grave tone. I looked at the newspaper's date and Percy was right. We had found the woman in the woods, but we still had no idea where Will was.  
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