Page 76 of The Court of the Dead
Will was awake. He’d already dressed and prepared his backpack. Now he was filling his cargo shorts’ pockets with every conceivable kind of emergency supply. When Nico arrived, the Cocoa Puffs were bouncing around Will’s feet, excited and eager, like they all wanted a ride in his pouches.
The sight filled Nico with mixed emotions. On one hand, he loved how the Puffs were becoming part of their lives. He felt certain they were trying to help—heightening his awareness, giving him better access to his feelings. Grief had even bitten a goddess in the leg, which was definitely a bold new stage in the mourning process.
On the other hand, he worried about how the Puffs were changing, and how they might be changing him. He didn’t understand it, which made him feel vulnerable. Nico had heard the expressionwearing your heart on your sleeve. Taking the Puffs into an unknown hostile environment would be like going into battle with his entire soul exposed. He didn’t want to risk it, even if the Puffs provided a boost to his demigod observational powers.
“Hey, Puffs.” Nico knelt in front of them. “Listen…I’m going to ask Frank to look in on you later today, but I’m afraid that you’ll need to stay here while we go into town.”
The cacodemons immediately went into temper-tantrum mode—whining, growling, and throwing their bodies against one another. Loneliness gave him the sad Cyclopean puppy-dog eye, which nearly broke Nico’s heart.
“I know, I know,” he said. “But we have no idea what we’re going to encounter out there. I want to make sure you’re safe. I promise we won’t be gone long.”
Defiance puffed up his spines, leaped onto the bed, and sat facing the wall. All the other Puffs followed his example, making a line of pouting demonic puffballs with their backs turned on Nico.
Will joined Nico at his side and frowned. “Are your emotions on strike?”
“I think so,” Nico said. “Down with Nico, I guess.”
Will hefted his backpack over his shoulder. “I’m Team Nico,” he said to the Puffs. “Sorry. But I think you should all stay.”
Another chorus of disapproval rang out, and Nico’s heart broke further.
Before Nico could crumble and relent, Will gestured for Nico to follow him. The two of them left the guest barracks. Nico wondered if this was what it felt like when a parent dropped their kid off at kindergarten for the first time. He sensed he was doing the right thing, but he also felt like each one of those pouting cacodemons had stuck a tiny knife into his heart.
Will squeezed his shoulder. “They’ll be okay. And hey, I hope you’re not going to be upset with me, but I was thinking we probably shouldn’t shadow-travel into the city. Better to just take the BART train.”
“Totally agree,” Nico said.
“Wait, really?”
“We have to be prepared for whatever we find at the courthouse. I don’t want to arrive there exhausted.”
“Huh,” said Will. “That was easier than I thought it was going to be.”
“Come on, I’m notthatreckless. Just promise me you won’t tell Hazel that poop-on-the-subway story.”
Will threw his hands in the air. “But it’s a classic! Everyone who takes public transportation has a story like that!”
“I think you wildly overestimate how much poop people encounter on a daily basis, Will.”
His boyfriend rolled his eyes. “Whatever. You love my stories.”
As they walked to the camp’s western gate, munching their breakfast burritos, Nico sensed Will sizing him up. “You look like you got some actual rest, at least. Is the Underworld freezing over?”
“Some parts of it actuallyarefreezing over, Sun Boy.”
“Oh? I wouldn’t know. My boyfriend only takes me to the most romantic destination spots.”
Nico laughed. “I love it when Sassy Solace shows up.”
Hazel was waiting for them at the gate, pacing back and forth like she was deep in thought.
“The Mist,” she said.
“What about it?” Nico asked.
“I think I’m going to have to use it to hide us when we get there.”
Will tilted his head. “All three of us? For the entire time?”
