BLOODSHOT . . . piper mclean

51.

"Coach," Annabeth said, "it was an accident. We were talking, and we fell asleep."

"Besides," Percy said, "you're starting to sound like Terminus."

Hedge narrowed his eyes. "Is that an insult, Jackson? 'Cause I'll — I'll terminus you, buddy!"

Percy stifled a laugh. "It won't happen again, Coach. I promise. Now, don't we have other things to discuss?"

Hedge fumed. "Fine! But I'm watching you, Jackson. And you, Annabeth Chase, I thought you had more sense—"

Perfect Jason cleared his throat. "So grab some food, everybody. Let's get started."

The meeting was like a war council with donuts. Then again, back at Camp Half-Blood they used to have their most serious discussions around the Ping-Pong table in the rec room with crackers and Cheez Whiz. The only thing that wasn't there was Connor. Eden missed him too much.

Percy told them about his dream — the twin giants planning a reception for them in an underground parking lot with rocket launchers; Nico di Angelo trapped in a bronze jar, slowly dying from asphyxiation with pomegranate seeds at his feet.

Hazel choked back a sob. "Nico . . . Oh, gods. The seeds."

"You know what they are?" Annabeth asked.

Hazel nodded. "He showed them to me once. They're from our stepmother's garden."

"Your step . . . oh," Percy said. "You mean Persephone."

Eden had met the wife of Hades once. She hadn't been exactly warm and sunny. Eden had also been to her Underworld garden — a creepy place full of crystal trees and flowers that bloomed bloodred and ghost white. It was hauntingly gorgeous.

"The seeds are a last-resort food," Hazel said. Eden could tell she was nervous, because all the silverware on the table was starting to move toward her. "Only children of Hades can eat them. Nico always kept some in case he got stuck somewhere. But if he's really imprisoned—"

"The giants are trying to lure us," Annabeth said. "They're assuming we'll try to rescue him."

"Well, they're right!" Hazel looked around the table, her confidence apparently crumbling. "Won't we?"

"Yes!" Coach Hedge yelled with a mouthful of napkins. "It'll involve fighting, right?"

"What he said," Eden took a bite out of her crepe for the memories of Drew and Connor. How those two worked together to engrave themselves in her mind the past three months.

"Hazel, of course we'll help him," Frank said. "But how long do we have before . . . uh, I mean, how long can Nico hold out?"

"One seed a day," Hazel said miserably. "That's if he puts himself in a death trance."

"A death trance?" Annabeth scowled. "That doesn't sound fun."

"It keeps him from consuming all his air," Hazel said. "Like hibernation, or a coma. One seed can sustain him one day, barely."

"And he has five seeds left," Percy said. "That's five days, including today. The giants must have planned it that way, so we'd have to arrive by July first. Assuming Nico is hidden somewhere in Rome—"

"That's not much time," Piper summed up. She put her hand on Hazel's shoulder. "We'll find him. At least we know what the lines of the prophecy mean now. 'Twins snuff out the angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death.' Your brother's last name: di Angelo. Angelo is Italian for 'angel.'"

"Oh, gods," Hazel muttered. "Nico . . ."

Eden had always liked Nico, especially after she knew Bianca's true parentage. She'd taught him a lot about his stamina, stuff that Minos didn't teach him. When he came to camp to give Annabeth information, he'd spend sleepless nights with her on the roof, talking about stuff that was and wasn't important.