Escape from camp half blood

Chapter13

Nico stared at Thalia with dark, solemn eyes. His gaze was so intent that it was almost like he was trying to look through her rather than at her. Then finally, he nodded. "I'm okay," he told her. "I really am."

"But everything's not okay," said Annabeth, her biting tone almost enough to make Thalia wince.

She expected Nico to shut down and close them off then, and go back to being sullen and withdrawn, but the younger boy surprised her.

"But it will be okay," he said with conviction. "I really believe that."

"Okay," Thalia said, deciding to leave it at that. She shot Annabeth a look, which Annabeth caught and nodded.

"But you'll let us know if you need help?" Annabeth couldn't seem to help but ask.

Nico blinked, and looked surprised. He glanced at Percy briefly, then at Carter and Sadie who were watching this exchange in silence. Then he looked back to Annabeth and Thalia and nodded. "I will."

"Then say it," pressed Annabeth.

"I just did!"

"In as many words."

Nico rolled his eyes, but obliged. "If I need help, I'll let you know. Both of you." He glanced at Thalia too. "I promise."

Thalia fished out several of her business cards. She handed one to Nico, then also gave one to Sadie and Piper. "If you need me, Nico, you can reach me at this number. And Piper, Sadie, if you two ever want to join the hunters, give me a call. We can always use girls like you."

"Thanks," Sadie said and tried to hand the card back, "but I'm sticking with my brother."

Thalia held up her hand motioning for Sadie to keep the card. "Then use it to call me if the two of you need help. Since you seem to be involved in whatever mess Nico's gotten himself into."

Sadie hesitated then nodded. Then she did some sort of sleight of hand trick and made the card disappear. Or maybe it wasn't slight of hand because Thalia thought she could feel some sort of power around Sadie as the card vanished, but had no idea what it was. "Thanks," said Sadie, a smile on her face. "Thanks a lot."

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From there things took a turn for the tedious. Chiron had to be informed about what had happened. Testimonies had to be given and repeated. Sadie wasn't quite sure how the others worked it out so that she never had to tell the story of what happened to Chiron, but somehow they pulled it off. It probably helped that Nico and Piper were both able to provide an account of what had happened when Maya attacked Sadie, and that Percy has hustled Sadie off to get her arm treated before Sadie's turn could come. Naturally Carter went with Sadie, then Percy took them to the Hades cabin to hide out for the rest of the day.

Nico finally joined them just before dinner, as it started to get dark. He looked tired, Sadie noticed immediately, but not as bad as she'd seen him look in the past, like when he'd been kidnapped by Aziza. He was wearing his jacket again, and a new shirt since his blood had dissolved the one he'd been wearing earlier that day. There was a bandage taped to his neck that covered up the bite wound that Maya had given him, and since it hadn't been dissolved, Sadie guessed he must have stopped bleeding.

"Time to get out of here," Nico told Sadie and Carter.

"You're sure it's okay?" Carter asked.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Would you want to stay even if it's not okay?"

"Alright, stupid question," Carter acknowledged. "Sorry. I'm just trying not to cause more trouble for you than we have to, since we've already caused quite a bit."