Page 141 of The Court of the Dead
“No problem!” said the karpos. “But I’m sticking with you. I much prefer cats anyway. What’s the plan?”
Hazel pointed up ahead. “Pirithous.”
“Oh, yeah.” Quinoa cracked his tiny knuckles. “I’ve got some things to discuss with that— LOOK OUT!”
Kelli the empousa pounced from out of nowhere, landing on Hazel and knocking her to the ground. Hazel managed a wild slash with her spatha, cutting clean through Kelli’s cheerleader jersey. The empousa screamed “NOT AGAIN!” as she exploded into dust and pom-pom tassels, but the back of Hazel’s head slammed against the asphalt. Anger was thrown from her arms. Quinoa shrieked as he catapulted off her shoulder.
Hazel wheezed, struggling to sit up. She’d lost her hold on the Mist.
The world had changed again. The scent of freshly popped popcorn hit her nostrils. She heard the whimsical melody of a carousel. A tall man nearly crashed into her, his view obstructed by an enormous stuffed teddy bear.
She was in the midst of a fully functioning carnival.
Nico weaved around a ghost—not a real one, but someone wearing a sheet with eyeholes. He did his best to push his panic down, but even with Semele’s help, his brain was having trouble piercing the Mist. The plaza still looked like a Halloween party in which everyone was sleepwalking through different nightmares.
“Dolus! Apate!” he screamed. “You have to stop this!”
If the twin gods heard him, they didn’t respond. They just kept waltzing and singing to each other in their fancy skeleton costumes.
“Nico!” said a muffled voice. Someone grabbed him by the shoulder from behind, making Nico yelp. He spun, his sword ready to run through whoever it was, but he froze as he found himself facing…a giant banana.
At least, it was someone in a very realistic giant banana costume, with oversize sunglasses covering the eyeholes.
“Nico, it’s me!” the banana said, the voice muffled behind layers of yellow foam padding.
“Me who? I don’t know any bananas!”
“It’s Will!” he said. “Wait, I’m a banana?”
“It’s the Mist,” Nico said. “And I lost my Cocoa Puff.”
Banana Will offered him a regular-size banana. “Here, take mine! You need it more.”
“Wait, wait, wait. Where are the others? Did you get them sorted out?”
“I think so,” Will said. “At least, I got Frank and Yazan reunited with their Puffs, and they’re helping the others. I wanted to follow you, though. Thought you might need the help.”
Nico felt equally exasperated and grateful. He would’ve hugged his boyfriend if he weren’t a giant banana with sunglasses.
“It’s fine,” he decided. “Keep your banana—I mean your Puff. I can see well enough. The twins are just up ahead.”
“Lead on!” said Banana Will.
First, Nico took a moment to still his mind, the way Mr. D had taught him.Breathe. Find a center of calmness.
Within him, Semele’s mind reacted well to this idea. A comforting warmth spread through Nico’s body.
Did he teach you that?she asked, obviously pleased.That’s an excellent lesson.
She lent him her focus, and despite the chaos around them, Nico’s thoughts started to clear, as if all the sediment of his jumbled emotions were settling to the bottom of his skull.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw regular non-banana Will standing next to him, his fingers curled around Loneliness like a baseball.
“Better?” Will asked.
“Somewhat,” he admitted. But mythics were still fighting all across the park. The di inferi were sending their army of undead into battle, and Nico was pretty sure those lost souls would not be affected by the Mist. They would hack down anyone in their path—mythic, demigod, house cat, or banana.
Nico had hoped the minor gods would be freed from Pirithous once the chains of Prometheus were broken, but maybe theylikedworking for him…or maybe something else was needed to free them.
