Solangelo 2

Part 46

WILL

I fall on my face, the jagged floor cutting into my cheek. I taste a little blood.
'Are You okay?' A woman, who I assume to be Persephone, asks.
'I'm fine. I'm fine. Where's Nico? Is he here?' I ask, unable to contain myself.
'Not yet. Hades is close. Stick by me.' She says, calmly.
I follow her through to a overwhelmingly dark room, and I'm unable to see a foot ahead of me, when fires light up around us.
'Darling, where did you find this boy? He seems to be following you quite closely.' I look up to see Hades sitting on his throne.
'Hades.' She says, 'I've come to bargain.'
'How old this gets.' He says, 'I thought we were over this. You are lucky to get half a year above ground, and I don't see how this boy changes that.'
'I've not come to bargain for myself.' She says.
'You don't recognise me?' I ask, slightly appalled.
'Should I?' He asks, uninterested.
'I'm your son's boyfriend.' I say, 'I'm the one you made Nico think was dead. Remember that?'
'It rings a bell.'
'Let the boy go, my darling, what do we stand to gain from having him here?' Persephone asks.
'You're far better suited to Spring Persephone, bargaining doesn't suit you.' He replies, unaffected.
'These children will keep harassing you till you do.' She continues, 'it's in your best interest.'
'I did this for him.' He counters.
'How he lives is his choice. You should not be involved. I know you didn't do this out of love; It's just for preservation.'
'You say I have nothing to gain by keeping him, but you forget that I have nothing to gain from letting him go, either. So what if it is preservation. It worked once before.'
'Let him go.' She says, and he looks up, intrigued by her tone of voice.
'Go on.' He says, standing up and walking towards her, 'you have a proposition. I can tell. Let's hear it then.'
'I will stay another month.' She says.
'Persephone.' I say, but Hades waves his hand and I suddenly can't speak.
'Two.' He counters.
'One.' She insists.
'Every year?' He asks, she nods, 'swear on the river Styx.'
'I swear on the river Styx that if you free Nico then I will willingly add another month to my sentence.' She says quietly.
'My darling, I don't know what drove you to make this decision, but I do enjoy how reckless you've become.' He says, tucking her hair behind her ears, 'he's free.'
Nico suddenly drops down in front of me, coughing as he tries to hold himself up. He sees me and his eyes widen. He drags himself over to me and I close the gap between us, I hug him tightly and hold his face between my hands, staring at him, taking him in, before I kiss him.
'I missed you too.' He says. I go to speak, but words don't come out. And not because I'm speechless, because I still cannot speak.
I point to my throat to signal I can't speak, and point to Hades to show it's his fault.
'Give him his voice back!' Nico yells at his father. Hades rolls his eyes and clicks his fingers.
'That better?' Nico asks.
'Yeah. Yes.' I say, then look up at him again, 'Gods, I missed you. I thought you were gone. Like really gone.'
'Can't get rid of me that easy.' He says.
'Here, eat this.' I say, passing him ambrosia, 'and drink. You must me so thirsty.' He drinks and eats but quickly bats me away.
'Hey. Hey, just let me look at you a sec, okay?' He asks, 'just let me look at you.'
I nod, holding onto his hand tightly, not wanting to let go.
'Hold on.' He says after a moment, as if just catching up with things, 'you were dead. I was...you tricked me.' He says, turning to face his dad, 'you made me think Will was...you bastard.'
'Watch your tone boy.' Hades threatens, 'I'll send you right back.'
'Not if you want me to keep my word.' Persephone says quickly, jumping to Nico's defence, 'Nico goes free. Or the deal's off.'
'Fine.' He snaps. Then his eyes flick over to me. He smiles slightly, 'no one's got dibs on the boyfriend then?'
The ground rumbles behind me and I turn to see an army of skeletons emerge from the dark, all of them armed, and all of them coming straight for me.