Inheritance - a sequel to Shelter

All the Fruitless Searches - Nico

It's nine in the morning when Nico collapses the tent. He pockets the tiny square of cloth it turns into when he spots Will saying goodbye to Porkpie on the shore of the lake. The sunlight reflecting off the water makes Will's hair gleam like gold, the exposed tips of his ears shine red. The sight sends shivers of pleasure thrumming down Nico's spine.

Will's in it with him for the long run. They actually have a future together. For the first time since losing Bianca, Nico has a personal interest in surviving the battles facing him. It wasn't until he'd nearly lost that future that he finally realized how much he does love being alive. As the pegasus takes to the sky and Will turns and waves at him, Nico sends up a silent prayer of thanks to Hypnos for helping him realize that fact.

Will grins crookedly as Nico approaches. "What?"

"What?" Nico asks, his lips turning up at the corners. He hooks his fingers into the belt loops of Will's jeans and pulls him close.

"You're looking at me funny." Will says, holding onto the sides of Nico's waist.

"You are too sexy to be allowed and you don't even realize it."

Will smirks, leaning down and pressing his forehead to Nico's. He wraps his arms around Nico's back and then squeezes his butt. "Yeah, Death Boy? Well, you don't even realize that I think the exact same thing when I look at you, even when I tell you to your face."

Nico cocks an eyebrow as Will straightens his posture, holding onto the gaze in his clear blue eyes. The only sense he gets from Will is one of sincerity, and it makes his stomach do a funny little flip. They have to get through this quest, no matter what. Seeing it through will mark the end of their demigod training and the beginning of their adult life together. Nico grins, eager to get on with it.

"Hold on tight, Sunshine and brace yourself. Who knows what we'll be popping into on the west coast."

Will hugs Nico close and nuzzles his neck as Nico fades with him into the nearest shadow.

~*~

Shadow-travel with Will feels as natural as breathing. It's odd, Nico thinks, how much Will seems to boost Nico's demigod abilities. Apollo had verified that Will's powers complemented Nico's, but as Nico reaches out to connect with the shadows cast by the tunnel leading into New Rome, he wonders if the boost only goes one way. How had he never thought to ask Will about it? He tucks the thought away to consider later.

Will hums next to Nico's ear, his breath warm against Nico's cool cheek. They hover at the edge of the shadow realm, the tunnel looming over them. Nico's face explodes in heat, a feat he never thought he'd experience while shadow-jumping. He clears his throat, letting Will know they've arrived, and then catches sight of the freeway. His blood runs cold.

A giant crack splits all four lanes across the middle, stopping in the center dividing the southbound traffic from the north. On the left side of the crack, cars sit in twisted piles while half a dozen tow trucks and emergency personnel work hard to clear the wreckage. The freeway on the right side of the crack is entirely clear and looking down the stretch of asphalt at the vacant lanes gives reminds Nico of the same stillness he feels when standing amongst ancient ruins.

Will lets out a low whistle, bringing Nico back to the present. They're still standing in the shadows, Will's arm tucked around Nico's back as he surveys the wreckage. "Wonder what we missed."

Nico shakes his head, his brow furrowed. "I don't know, but the fields of Asphodel stretch out right under that crack." He points at it, then down the empty lanes. "And a ways further, the realm of Erebus begins." His thoughts fly back over the previous night's dreams and he grips Will's arm tightly as a memory surfaces. "Last night, Hermes told Hades about this. He said Asphodel had broken open and the dead were escaping. It looks like it's closed now."

"Let's get to Camp Jupiter," Will suggests. "They'll be able to tell us more."

"Yeah," Nico says, breathing out slowly. "Maybe we should – Whoa!" The shadows shrink and Nico pulls Will with him back into the real world as the shadowy realm vanishes around them, an engine roaring loudly in Nico's ears.

"Seriously?" Will says, looking down the freeway. Nico follows his gaze as the sun Maserati thunders the wrong way toward them, blasting them with a massive wave of heat. The mortal emergency workers don't seem to notice Apollo's arrival, but a number of them wipe their foreheads with their sleeves.

The sun chariot screeches to a halt a few feet before the crack, the smell of burning rubber wafting up towards the tunnel. The passenger door opens and Rachel Elizabeth Dare climbs out; her bright red hair looks like fire and amplifies her dark expression, her furrowed eyebrows. Another kid climbs out after her, this one shorter, his hair streaked with blue.

"It's Cecil!" Will exclaims, sounding confused. He waves at them. "But why ..."

Apollo rolls down the driver's side window, his hair as golden blond as ever, and dark shades covering his eyes. He waves back, his smile bright as Rachel slams the passenger door closed behind Cecil and folds her arms across her chest.

She rounds the front of the car and says something that makes Apollo drop his grin, then stomps up the side of the hill toward them without looking back. Cecil scrambles to catch up with her.

Apollo gives them a farewell salute before revving the engine. He backs up, does a three point turn, and then races back down the freeway, disappearing with it over the next hill.

"Hey, Rachel," Will says as she reaches the tunnel.

"Your father is impossible," she snaps back. She turns and gestures impatiently. "Come on, Cecil. You want to do this or not?" Rachel pushes past Will, ignoring Nico altogether, and storms into the cave leading to New Rome.

"Wonder what that's about," Will says under his breath. Nico shrugs.

Cecil stops to catch his breath with his hands on his knees at the tunnel entrance. "Hey, Will," he says. He nods at Nico. "Nico. We've had quite an adventure. You guys know where the Romans are?"

Nico wrinkles his forehead, resigning himself. One way or another, they're about to find out what the Styx is going on and he wants to get it over with. He leads them into the tunnel, following Rachel's blazing red hair as it bounces off her back a hundred paces ahead of them.