"Who is Aunt Rosa?" Theo asks me.
I don't want to talk about her. Nemesis's words are still buzzing in my ear. What she said to me, but also what she said to Theo. I'm surprised she even wants to speak at all, but she seems strangely calm.
"Long story." I reply. "She abandoned me after my mom died, gave me to foster care."
"I'm sorry." Theo places her hand on the back of my neck, her fingers twisting lightly in my curly hair.
"Yeah, well..." I'm anxious to change the subject. "What about you? What Nemesis said about Gaea? And your choice? How are you not freaking out right now?"
"I'm ignoring it right now. I'll have my freak out later." She shrugs, but her eyes are full of fear. "Hazel, what about you and what she said about your brother?"
Hazel blinks like she got salt in her eyes. "Nico... he found me in the Underworld. He brought me back to the mortal world and convinced the Romans at Camp Jupiter to accept me. I owe him for my second chance at life. If Nemesis is right, and Nico is in danger, I have to help him."
"Sure." I say, even thought the idea makes me uneasy. I don't think the revenge goddess ever gives advice out of the goodness of her heart. "And what Nemesis said about your brother having six days to live, and Rome getting destroyed... any idea what she meant?"
"None." Hazel admits. "But I'm afraid..."
Whatever she's thinking, she decides not to share it. She climbs up a boulder to get a better view. Theo is looking at me strangely. Like she's afraid.
"What?" I ask her.
"I'm having a hard time not freaking out over what Nemesis said." She admits. "She said I'm going to pay a great price. And she said that Gaea knows what I care most about. That Gaea is going to try and convince me, and try and stop me. The more powerful she grows, the more she can do, Leo."
My heart hurts for her. I wish I could just build a box and stick her in it until this is all over. Keep her from suffering any more. But she'd kill me if I did that. Because Nemesis is right. Theo would sacrifice anything to do the right thing. I don't think I've ever seen her be selfish. It's moments like these that I wish I was better with people. I wish I knew what to say to make her feel better.
She seems to read my mind. She half-heartedly smiles warmly at me. "Leo I don't expect you to know what to say."
"We should keep going." Hazel jumps down from her rock, startling us both. "I wonder what Nemesis meant about finishing before dark." She looks at the both of us, just noticing our expressions. "Sorry, did I interrupt something?" She looks almost annoyed.
"No." Theo seems to be back to her usual cheery self, but I also get a sense of something else. Like she can tell that Hazel is annoyed that she and I were having a moment, and in return, it's annoying her too. "Who do you think is this cursed boy she mentioned?"
"Cursed boy she mentioned." A voice says nearby.
At first, I don't see anyone. Then, my eyes adjust. A young woman is standing only a few feet away from us, at the base of the boulder. Her dress is a Greek-style tunic the same color as the rocks. Her wispy hair is somewhere between blond and grey, so it blends with the dry grass. She's not exactly invisible, but she's almost perfectly camouflaged until she moves. Even then, I have trouble focusing on her. Her face is pretty but not memorable. In fact, every time I blink, I can't remember what she looks like, and I have to concentrate to find her again."
"Hello." Hazel says. "Who are you?"
"Who are you?" The girl answers. Her voice sounds weary, as if she's tired of answering the question.
