Page 81 of The Court of the Dead
Nico took a deep breath and then slowly opened the door wide.
The demigods quickly shuffled inside. They lined up against the back wall of what looked like a normal human courtroom. It was wide and brightly lit, with light brown wood paneling on the walls. About a dozen spectators sat in multiple rows of cushioned folding chairs, watching the proceedings. A lawyer was addressing the jury while a black-gowned judge observed from the bench.
A court officer glanced at the demigods as they entered, but she looked more bored than suspicious.
Nico found three empty seats in the back row. He sat, his nerves vibrating with fear and confusion. Hazel and Will slid in on either side of him.
Nico scanned the room but saw no sign of the courier they’d been following. The lawyer droned on about some sort of contract violation, which clearly had nothing to do with minor gods kidnapping mythical creatures.
“Did we take a wrong turn?” Nico whispered.
“I don’t think so.” Hazel pressed her fingertips to her temples. “Gods, my head…”
Her burgundy pantsuit flickered. For just a moment, her outfit changed into Hazel’s normal street clothes; then it reverted to Lawyer Hazel.
“You okay?” Will murmured.
“Can’t concentrate.” She winced. “You know how I said the Mist has currents? In here, it feels like whitewater rapids.”
“I have something that might help.” Will flipped open the canvas top of his backpack, which for some reason the Mist had chosen not to disguise. He was probably looking for a Kit Kat bar, but he got more than he bargained for. Multiple Cocoa Puffs tumbled from the pack and scurried under Nico’s chair.
Hazel clamped her hand over her mouth. “You brought thePuffs?” she whispered through her fingers.
“No!” Will whispered back. “I didn’t know they were in there, honest!”
In the row in front of them, a woman turned and put a finger to her lips.
Nico glared down at Defiance. The cacodemon puffed up its spines, as if daring Nico to say something.
Then Anger jumped into Hazel’s lap, making her gasp. Her eyes widened. Her forehead beaded with sweat.
“What’s wrong?” Nico murmured. He reached over to take the cacodemon from Hazel, but Anger snarled at him, revealing its glowing yellow tongue and hundreds of sharp teeth.
“Leave it,” Hazel whispered. “In fact, pick up a Puff. Both of you.”
Nico locked eyes with Will, who shrugged as if to sayDude, I don’t know!
“Do it,” Hazel said softly. “Just…trust me.”
Will scooped up Guilt. Nico let Defiance jump into his lap. As soon as he ran his hand across the Puff’s spines, the whole world spun.
The courtroom went blurry and out of focus. He squeezed his eyes shut and saw stars glowing in the darkness.
“What’s happening?” Will groaned.
Nico couldn’t reply. His tongue was thick in his mouth, like he’d swallowed a gallon of molasses.
When he opened his eyes again…the courtroom had become a cave.
Torches lined the walls, bathing the rock in red light and causing shadows to dance among the stalactites on the ceiling. Descending rows of semicircular benches filled the cavernous space, creating a sort of underground theater. There were not dozens buthundredsof spectators…most of whom were not human. Ogres and empousai, centaurs and blemmyae, dryads and harpies all milled together. The court officer had transformed into a Cyclops—seven feet tall, with a nail-studded wooden club resting across her shoulder.
Everyone’s attention seemed fixed on the front of the room, where the judge’s desk had been transformed into a much grander tribunal—three thrones of red velvet behind a long bench of dark mahogany. Occupying the thrones were three figures in identical black robes, their faces hidden behind golden comedy masks like in an ancient Greek play. Each mask was terrifyingly grotesque in its own way—a leering satyr’s face on the left, a snake-haired gorgon on the right, and in the center…
Oh, yikes. Nico recognized that face, even though the mask was an exaggerated caricature, like the kind people wear pretending to be American presidents on Halloween. The central judge wore the grinning visage of Hades.
Nico met Hazel’s gaze. The mask had clearly unsettled her as well.
Fake Hades rose. The entire assembly did the same, forcing the three demigods to their feet while trying to keep hold of their respective Cocoa Puffs. Nico wasn’t sure how, but the Puffs were obviously heightening their senses again, helping them see through the torrents of Mist. Nico just hoped the Puffs didn’t start howling and jumping around, like they’d done when Laverna showed up at the principia.
