"You gotta be careful around the woods," Nico counseled as he gave me a tour around camp. "We've got the Fleece, but that doesn't mean we're entirely protected from monsters."

I rolled my eyes. "I've survived for 10 years on my own without getting killed," I scoffed. "I don't think some small little monster can do much to me."

"And how did you do that?" he inquired. "I find it very hard to believe you spent a decade avoiding extreme death."

As we got closer to the Zephony Creek, I took a deep breath. "I mean, I guess Hades was just on my side," I answered. "Maybe he didn't want to see me."

Nico shook his head. "Don't toss powerful names around like that," he scolded. "Our father knows what we're talking about now."

My eyes closed but I continued walking as if they were opened.

"Tell him to go to Hell," I spat. "He left us. He left my mom."

"He's already experiencing it," Nico replied. "It's not like he didn't want to void you. Us."

"Why couldn't he at least visit?" I asked, opening my eyes into the dark sky. "Why? He just left me and my broken mom."

"Percy Jackson," he said. "His godly parent was abandoning his duties to be with him, so Zeus declared that no god should stay with their child. The rule is disbanded, but it stuck for awhile."

I balled my hands into fists. "That jerk," I hissed. "That absolute jerk."

Nico didn't reply. Instead, I saw something that I hadn't seen since the day he found out he had another sister.

He smiled.

"What's so funny?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Nico's grin immediately faded. "It's just," he started, "you remind me of this other girl."

"Who?"

"This person," Nico answered, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "You probably haven't heard of her yet. Um, her name was Annabeth Chase."

"Was Annabeth Chase?" I pushed. "What happened?"

"She died," Nico responded blandly. "On a quest. By the hands of a monster."

I let out a soft sigh. "She died on a quest?"

"I was there too," he added. "I just couldn't save her. I wish I could have, though. She left Percy broken when he got the news."

"But I thought Percy just wasn't into anyone," I said. "I thought he liked being by himself."

Nico's head shook. "It's been two years. He's still healing. They loved each other, you know. He fell into Tartarus with her."

"Then why didn't he go on the quest instead of you?" I asked.

"He couldn't," Nico said. "I don't know the details."

The darkening sky overhead filled with gray clouds. Small droplets of rain dripped down, softening the camp shirt.

"How much did he love her?"

"He'd rather die than be without her."

"So how is he still alive?"

"Because Annabeth would like him to stay alive and like a long life. She'd want him to live a happy life without her."

"He doesn't seem happy."

"Not yet."

Nico took a deep breath.

"Percy loves Annabeth more than I love my sister Bianca. I used to blame him for letting my sister die, but I was surprised at how understanding he took the knowledge that I let Annabeth die too."

Nico looked at my face, his eyes burning bright with hope.

"Can you save him?" he asked. "Can you save Percy Jackson?"

I shook my head. "He's beyond saving," I replied.

Nico's lips slid upwards once more. They grew, going higher and higher, and a slip of his mouth opened.

And he laughed.

Into the night sky, into the rain that we had ignored.

His laughter was beautiful.

"If there's one thing Percy Jackson has ever taught me, it's that nothing is impossible."

After we got into our warm cabin, Nico's smile began to fade.

"Promise me," he said sternly. "Swear on the River Styx you'll rescue him."

Once more, I collapsed on the soft cotton bed.

"I swear it on the River Styx."

And then I knew.

I will heal the broken soldier.

I will fix the shattered heart.

I will save Percy Jackson.

Even if it kills me.