¹On This Spring Day.

008.

               Violet stared off, watching cows sleeping in their pastures. She didn't respond after that, letting the conversation settle, but Nico had another topic to pick.

               "I don't want you to think I'm trying to make you Bianca." He glanced at her, seemingly suddenly self-conscious. "Don't take it the wrong way, but—I mean, you're not—"

               "I would never try and become Bianca." Violet shook her head. "I get what you're trying to say. And I never wanted to replace Bianca for you, either. I want to be Violet to you, not Bianca."

               He nodded. "Yeah, I would like that."

               The daughter of Eros smiled slightly, trying to lessen the anxious mood. "I didn't even think about it, if I'm honest. I never even thought about trying to replace Bianca for you. That would just be ..."

               "Disgusting."

               "Yeah." She nodded. "Disgusting. That's one way to put it."

               "I know Minos would try and convince me that's what you were doing," Nico admitted. "He tried really hard to get me to leave you alone, but ... I liked your presence. It got really lonely with only Minos."

               "I'm sure it did," she agreed, glancing in his direction. "By the way, how'd you get to the Underworld."

               Outwardly, Nico didn't react. But Violet knew the son of Hades well enough to see the shift in his eyes. "It was Minos, Violet. He helped me navigate the Labyrinth. And he didn't want you getting to the Underworld, so whenever you were around, he'd lead us in circles."

               "But why?" Violet pressed the issue.

               Nico only shook his head. "I dunno. Every time I would ask, he would just say, You're father spoke to her last winter. Sometimes he'd say It would be dangerous for the girl to know the truth. Dangerous for the gods and Kronos."

               "Dangerous?" Violet repeated. "How the hell could me finding the Underworld be dangerous?"

               "Maybe ... maybe it would be dangerous if the answers you need are down there."

               Nico's tone made a shiver crawl up her spine. "How are we going to find it then?" she asked.

               He glanced at her with furrowed brows. "Violet, you can't. You have this quest you're on."

               "After the quest is finished." She didn't say the word If. They would find Daedalus and stop Luke and Kronos. "After we find Daedalus, you and I will find a way to the Underworld without Minos's help."

               Nico shifted. "I've been thinking ... What if my dad spoke to you last winter for a reason? Curiosity kills the cat, that's what he said right?"

               "Something to the effect."

               "So, why don't we just leave it alone? You've mastered your powers over shadows well enough."

               Violet frowned. She didn't like what Nico was suggesting at all. "But why can I control shadows?" she asked. "What makes it so that I, a daughter of Eros, can control shadows? It just doesn't make sense. And why was it easier in winter to control it than in summer? And why, when I went back to Camp, did the grass suddenly grow when I touched it—"

               "What?" Nico shifted to look at her. "You've never told me about that!"

               "I haven't seen you to tell you until now," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, that happened, too. That's why we need to find the Underworld, Nico. So, hopefully, I can find some answers as to why any of this is happening."