This Cold Year ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase²

―xviii. hello

AT SUNSET, Naomi found Nico and Percy at the pedestal of the Athena Parthenos. Well, Percy was walking away, and he didn't look particularly pleased.

Naomi sent him a confused look but didn't slow on her way to her brother.

"You'll be careful, right?" she asked.

Nico tightened one of the knots in the rope. "I will."

Naomi managed to crack a small smile. "You said you'd be careful in December," she reminded him. "And the next time I saw you, you were at Camp Jupiter and pretending you didn't know who I was."

Nico winced. "I said I was sorry," he mumbled.

"And I said I forgave you," Naomi said. "I'm just teasing."

"Oh." Nico looked up at her. "Will you be okay?"

Naomi looked away. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "What happened down there..." She swallowed. "It feels like I left part of myself behind. And Bob..." Her throat grew tight. "We should have done better with him. I should have done better."

"You were his friend," Nico said quietly. "You cared about him."

"Not enough," Naomi managed.

"You were still his friend," Nico reminded her.

Naomi took a deep breath, mostly to keep herself from crying.

"Naomi," Nico murmured. "Percy told me about your journey. He mentioned..."

"Erebus?" she asked.

Nico nodded. "Did he really... take over?"

"Only as long as he needed to hold Tartarus off," Naomi said. "He's gone now—gone gone." Her throat threatened to close again. "I felt him die, Nico, but it wasn't—it was nothing like when a mortal passes. It was like—like a part of the universe died. Like a part of me died, and I can't—I can't stop thinking about it. About—all of it."

Naomi was only a little surprised when Nico dropped the rope and hugged her tight. She hugged him back, praying to every god out there that this wouldn't be their last goodbye.

"Being out in the open helped me," Nico mumbled against her shoulder. "And having a light on. I know you like darkness, but—"

"Not right now," Naomi murmured.

Nico nodded. They finally pulled apart.

"Take care of yourself, Nico," Naomi said. "I mean it. I can't lose you."

"I will," Nico whispered. "Promise."

Naomi nodded.

It wasn't long before Annabeth and Percy joined (or re-joined) them on the hill.

"Good luck," Annabeth told Nico.

"Yeah." He didn't meet her eyes. "You too."

A minute later, Reyna and Coach Hedge arrived in full armor with packs over their shoulders. Reyna looked grim and ready for combat; Coach Hedge looked like he was on his way to a surprise party.

Reyna gave Naomi and Annabeth hugs. "We will succeed," she promised.

"I know you will," Annabeth said.

Coach Hedge shouldered his baseball bat. "Yeah, don't worry. I'm going to get to camp and see my baby! Uh, I mean, I'm going to get this baby to camp!" He patted the leg of the Athena Parthenos.

"All right," Nico said. "Grab the ropes, please. Here we go."

Reyna and Hedge took hold.

The air darkened. The Athena Parthenos collapsed into its own shadow and disappeared along with its three escorts.

❈

The Argo II sailed after nightfall.

They veered southwest until they reached the coast, then splashed down in the Ionian Sea.

It would have been a shorter trip to Athens over land, but after the crew's experience with mountain spirits in Italy, they'd decided not to fly over Gaea's territory any more than they had to. They would sail around the Greek mainland, following the routes that Greek heroes had taken in the ancient times.

Naomi stood with Percy and Annabeth at the starboard rail, watching the sky. Images of Tartarus kept burning in her mind—the River Phlegethon, the blistered ground where monsters regenerated, the dark forest where arai circled overhead in the blood-mist clouds. Most of all, she thought about a hut in the swamp with a warm fire and racks of drying herbs and drakon jerky.

She wondered if that hut was empty now.

Naomi tucked herself further into Annabeth's side, needing the warmth.

"I know," Annabeth murmured. "I can't get that place out of my head, either."

"Damasen," Percy said. "And Bob..."

"I know." Annabeth's voice was fragile. "We have to make their sacrifice worth it. We have to beat Gaea."

Naomi stared into the night sky. She wished they were looking at it from the beach on Long Island rather than from halfway around the world, sailing toward almost certain death.

She wondered where Nico, Reyna, and Hedge were now, and how long it would take them to make it back. She imagined the Romans drawing up battle lines right now, encircling Camp Half-Blood—one home against another.

Fourteen days to reach Athens. Then, one way or another, the war would be decided.

Over in the bow, Leo whistled happily as he tinkered with Festus's mechanical brain, muttering something about a crystal and an astrolabe. Amidships, Piper and Hazel practiced their swordplay, gold and bronze blades ringing in the night. Jason and Frank stood at the helm, talking in low tones—maybe telling stories of the legion, or sharing thoughts on being praetor.

"We've got a good crew," Naomi said. "If we have to sail to our deaths—"

"You two aren't dying on me," Annabeth said. "Remember? Never separated again. And after we get home..."

"What?" Percy asked.

Annabeth kissed them both. "Ask me again, once we defeat Gaea."

Naomi smiled.

"Whatever you say," Percy said, smiling as well.

As they sailed farther from the coast, the sky darkened and more stars came out.

Naomi studied the constellations—the ones Annabeth had taught her and Percy so many years ago.

"Bob says hello," Percy told the stars.

The Argo II sailed into the night.

❈

and that, my friends, concludes the house of hades portion of our story! only one more act to go, and then naomi's story will be through

...i'm totally okay :')