The three of them seemed to be in the middle of an argument.

"- told you he was a bum!" the older woman said.

"Mother!" Persephone replied.

"We have visitors!" Hades barked. "Please!"

Hades smoothed his black robes, which were covered with the terrified faces of the damned. He looked the same as last time I was here. He had pale skin and the intense eyes of a madman.

"Percy Jackson," he said with satisfaction. "At last." His dark wild eyes looked down at me and his face twisted. "What is she doing here?" He pointed a long slender finger at me.

"What's up Uncle Hades?" I saluted him.

"Lady Persephone." I bowed respectfully.

The older lady standing between them, was obviously Persephone's mother. She had the same hair and eyes, but looked older and sterner. Her dress was golden, the color of a wheat field. Her hair was woven with dried grasses so it reminded me of a wicker basket. I figured if somebody lit a match next to her, she'd be in serious trouble. I pressed my lips together trying not to giggle.  I gave her an over the top bow with much arm flailing.

"Lady Demeter."

Her eyebrows shot up. "You never said she was respectful!"

Persephone covered her smile with her hand before she cried, "Mother! That was the first thing I said about her. Also, Honey," Persephone turned to Hades and forced his still raised hand down, "be nice. I have already told you my thoughts on the girl. Leave her alone. As for Perseus Jackson..."

Next to me, Nico knelt. I heard Percy growl and narrow his eyes at the boy. I elbowed him and shook my head. I saw his one hand twitch like he wanted his sword.

"Father," Nico said. "I have done as you asked."

"Took you long enough," Hades grumbled. "Your sister would've done a better job."

Nico lowered his head. I felt Percy tense in a completely different way, his head whipped up to Hades, this time I growled at the guy. My hands felt tingly and I clamped them into fists. I was ready to shoot fireballs at the dude. If his wife and mother in law weren't beside him (and if Demeter wouldn't catch fire so fast) I would have.

I glared up at the god of the dead. "What do you want with Percy, Hades?"

"To talk, of course." The god twisted his mouth in a cruel smile. "Didn't Nico tell you?"

"So this whole quest was a lie. Nico brought me down here to get me killed." Percy snarled. I rolled my eyes. Percy was glaring at me now.

"Oh, no," Hades said. "I'm afraid Nico was quite sincere about wanting to help you. The boy is as honest as he is dense. I simply convinced him to take a small detour and bring you here first."

"Father," Nico said, "you promised that Percy would not be harmed. You said if I brought him, you would tell me about my past- about my mother."

I folded my arms and looked at Hades. Waiting. I had a feeling Hades had other plans, but we would deal with that when it came.

Queen Persephone sighed dramatically. "Can we please not talk about that woman in my presence?"

"I'm sorry, my dove," Hades said. "I had to promise the boy something."

"Hey! We talked about this...My Lady. It's not our fault the gods have kids with mortals. Stop taking your anger out in us! We did nothing."

Persephone pursed her lips and looked back at me and sighed dramatically again, and sat back in her chair with her arms folded.

The older lady harrumphed. "Back talking half bloods! She is no good! I warned you, daughter. This scoundrel Hades is no good. Look how many disrespectful half bloods are here! You could've married the god of doctors or the god of lawyers, but noooo. You had to eat the pomegranate."

"Mother-"

"And get stuck in the Underworld!"

"Mother, please-"

"Hey! You! You got no right to chide Persephone! She has not once broken her marriage vows, no half blood children! Hades on the other hand..." I raised my eyebrows at the way he looked away and wouldn't meet his wife's eye. I let him cook a second before going on. "but at least...he tries to keep his family in one piece. He brought you down here didn't he? He could have left you up there to fight Kronos, I mean...it was an attempt, he's gonna come here and do the same thing as he plans up in the living world."

"The disrespectful half blood has a point. A small point...we should make her work in the fields. I agree with her, this husband of yours...how many mortal wives has he had?"

"Hey!" I yelled, interrupting her wild ranting, "I've met Katie, your daughter. And the MANY other kids in your cabin at camp. Lovely people. Must have gotten their lovely personality from their mortal father's."

Demeter looked like she was ready to strangle me with her straw. Persephone covered her laugh with her hands and a well timed cough. Hades looked taken aback for a second and then he also had to suppress a cough. I just raised an eyebrow at her. Nico shrunk and looked like he tried to hide in my shadow. And Percy was looking at me like he'd only just met me.

"Problem?" I asked innocently.

Demeter sputtered for a second before she rounded on Hades and Persephone.

"You see why half bloods should be seen and not heard! Is this how it always is here? This is why we need to bring back physical punishment! Find a wood spoon! Maybe a few hard years in the hot sun with a plow! Mouthy little half-blood children running around your... your-"

"Mother!"

"You don't even come visit anymore! And here it is August, and do you come home like you're supposed to? Do you ever think about your poor lonely mother?"

"DEMETER!" Hades shouted. "That is enough. You are a guest in my house."

"Oh, a house is it?" she said. "You call this dump a house? Make my daughter live in this dark, damp-"

"I told you," Hades said, grinding his teeth, "there's a war in the world above. You and Persephone are better off here with me."

"Excuse me," Percy broke in. "But if you're going to kill me, could you just get on with it?"

All three gods looked at him. And I puffed my cheeks and rolled my eyes. This would go a whole lot smoother if Demeter wasn't here. As awful as Hades could be...he was kind enough to bring his Mother in law here to try keep her safe too. He got one point for that.

"Well, this one has an attitude," Demeter observed.

"Indeed," Hades agreed. "I'd love to kill him."

"Father!" Nico said. "You promised!"

"Husband, we talked about this," Persephone chided. "You can't go around incinerating every hero. Besides, he's brave. I like that. Remember the last time you tried cursing a hero? She blocked it and I got to redecorate."

Hades rolled his eyes and grumbled. "You liked that Orpheus fellow too. Look how well that turned out. Let me kill them, just a little bit. She's not even part of the prophecy!"

"Father, you promised!" Nico said. "You said you only wanted to talk to him. You said if I brought him, you'd explain."

Hades glowered, smoothing the folds of his robes. "And so I shall. Your mother- what can I tell you? She was a wonderful woman." He glanced uncomfortably at Persephone. "Forgive me, my dear. I mean for a mortal, of course. Her name was Maria di Angelo. She was from Venice, but her father was a diplomat in Washington, D.C. That's where I met her. When you and your sister were young, it was a bad time to be children of Hades. World War II was brewing. A few of my, ah, other children were leading the losing side. I thought it best to put you two out of harm's way."

"That's why you hid us in the Lotus Casino?"

Hades shrugged. "You didn't age. You didn't realize time was passing. I waited for the right time to bring you out."

"But what happened to our mother? Why don't I remember her?"

"Not important," Hades snapped.

"What? Of course it's important. And you had other children- why were we the only ones who were sent away? And who was the lawyer who got us out?"

Hades grit his teeth. "You would do well to listen more and talk less, boy. As for the lawyer..."

Hades snapped his fingers. On top of his throne, the Fury Alecto began to change until she was a middle-aged man in a pinstriped suit with a briefcase. She- he- looked strange crouching at Hades's shoulder.

"You!" Nico said.

The Fury cackled. "I do lawyers and teachers very well!"

"Ew. That's disturbing." I muttered.

Nico was trembling. "But why did you free us from the casino?"

"You know why," Hades said. "This idiot son of Poseidon cannot be allowed to be the child of the prophecy."

I thought of the vision I had back in May Castellan's house. Everyone was so worried about this stupid prophecy- they focused so heavily on riddles and trying to beat it. Yet the harder you fight it the worse it becomes.

Percy plucked a ruby off the nearest plant and threw it at Hades. It sank harmlessly into his robe. "You should be helping Olympus!" He said. "All the other gods are fighting Typhon, and you're just sitting here-"

"Waiting things out," Hades finished. "Yes, that's correct. When's the last time Olympus ever helped me, half-blood? When's the last time a child of mine was ever welcomed as a hero? Bah! Why should I rush out and help them? I'll stay here with my forces intact."

"You said the same thing to me a month ago, you practing the speech? So when Olympus begs you to help you have this dumb speech ready?"

"No!"

"Yes." Persephone said at the same time. "He died practice in the bathroom mirror with a toothbrush in his mouth."

I roared with laughter, Hades eyes flickered with fire. Persephone rolled her eyes and waved a hand.

"And when Kronos comes after you?" Percy asked, bringing the attention back to him.

"Let him try. He'll be weakened. And my son here, Nico-" Hades looked at him with distaste. "Well, he's not much now, I'll grant you. It would've been better if Bianca had lived. But give him four more years of training. We can hold out that long, surely. Nico will turn sixteen, as the prophecy says, and then he will make the decision that will save the world. And I will be king of the gods."

"You're crazy," I said. "Kronos will crush you, right after he finishes pulverizing Olympus." Percy cried throwing his hands in the air.

"No one is going to live more than a month if Kronos destroys Mount Olympus! Also," I add, frustrated with how he treated Nico. "Bianca gave her life for her friends and a cause she believed in. Do you know how many times Nico has helped out? No? Because you have your head stuck up you a-"

"Nora!" Nico yelped.

"Well it's true!" I looked at Nico for a second and then looked up at Hades. "He's not his sister! And he's not Percy. He's not Thalia. He's not me. He's his own person and you should remember that! You should know how powerful and unique he is! But because your SO stuck on Biaca- which I'm sorry for. I really am, but stop comparing your kids and take him for who he is! 'Cause he's freaking awesome! This kid has more love and compassion in his one finger than you do in your whole body."

It was silent for a second.

"Well said daughter of Apollo." Persephone smiled and inclined her head. Demeter looked like I had shoved a bunch of wheaties in her mouth and tried to make her swallow them dry.

Hades looked ready to murder me, his eyes flamed purple. "Well." He said rather calmly, which made his threat more sinister , "you can join Percy in the dungeon and find out for yourself if war will be brought here and how- what did you say? How freaking awesome, my son is in a few years at 16."

"No!" Nico said. "Father, that wasn't our agreement. And you haven't told me everything!"

"I've told you all you need to know," Hades said. "As for our agreement, I spoke with Jackson. I did not harm him. Even though you change the terms of our agreement and brought this treacherous mouthy half blood. You got your information. If you had wanted a better deal, you should've made me swear on the Styx. Now, go to your room!" He waved his hand, and Nico vanished.

"That boy needs to eat more," Demeter grumbled. "He's too skinny. He needs more cereal."

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Mother, enough with the cereal. My lord Hades, are you sure we can't let these little heros go? He's awfully brave. And...I like her spirit. She reminds me of me."

"No, my dear. I've spared his life. That's enough. And I know what you did last time she was here...do not play so innocently."

I was sure she was going to stand up for me. The brave, beautiful Persephone was going to get me out of this.

She shrugged indifferently. "Fine. What's for breakfast? I'm starving." She glanced at me briefly and I swear she winked.

"Cereal," Demeter said.

Persephone's head snapped back and she rolled her eyes, "Mother!" The two women disappeared in a swirl of flowers and wheat.

"Don't feel too bad, Percy Jackson and Eleanora Blofis." Hades said. "My ghosts keep me well informed of Kronos's plans. I can assure you that you had no chance to stop him in time. By tonight, it will be too late for your precious Mount Olympus. The trap will be sprung."

"What trap?" I demanded. "If you know about it, do something, you coward! At least let me tell the other gods!"

Hades smiled. "You are spirited, as my wife claims. I'll give you credit for that. Have fun in my dungeon. We'll check on you again in- oh, fifty or sixty years."

He waved his hand, the thrown court yard disappeared and we reappeared in the stone  doungae. I sighed. It was the same one as last time, I saw my Nectar Aid juice box in the corner.

"Great! Just great! That treacherous little-"

"Dude chill!"

"Nora! He set me up! Set us up! I should have know better! When I get my hands on that kid!"

"Percy!" I whirled towards him, giving him a hard shove, making him look at me. "Enough. I know when I'm being lied to. Nico didn't lie! He knew nothing of Hades plans. He didn't know. If Poseidon promised you answers about your mom?"

He clamped his jaw tight and glared at me. "Fine. So what do we do?"

"Wait. I have full confidence in Nico." I promptly sat down intending to wait.

"Why do you trust him so much?"

"Why don't you?"

"I asked first."

"He saved my life in the Labyrinth, Perc. I owe him my life. A few times. And just because who his godly parent is means nothing to me. Look at Luke. His godly parent is Hermes. And he's hosting Kronos. Nico is the son of Hades, the out cast god, and people treat Nico the same way they treat Hades. I love him like a brother. I trust him. He's a good kid. Hang out with him more and you'll see. He's just looking for answers and acceptance."

"Why are you being so...logical and right?" Percy grumbled, "it's annoying."

"'Cause I'm your big sister. And I'm always right."

Percy rolled his eyes. I reached a hand into my pocket and tossed him his sword.

"Wait...how?"

"You dropped it. I picked it up."

"Well great...now I can attack the walls all I want."

"Oh you're so dramatic."  I rolled my eyes. I had pulled out my marker and was doodling on my pants. Percy walked over and slid down the wall, looking miserable. He tossed his hand in my lap and I started doodling on the back of his hand.

"So?" He finally asked, "Think this room is airtight?"

"Probably. Hades's dungeon was meant for dead people, and they don't breathe."

"So forget fifty or sixty years. We'll be dead in fifty or sixty minutes. Meanwhile, if Hades wasn't lying, some big trap was going to be sprung in New York by the end of the day, and there's absolutely nothing we can do about it."

"Just be patient. Nico won't leave us hanging. Last time Persephone came and helped me out. One of them will get us out."

"Sometimes you have too much faith in people."

"And sometimes you don't have enough." I challenged. "He's never let me down."

Percy just huffed, still looking like he wanted to strangle something. I thought it best to just let him cool off. I capped my marker and leaned my head back and closed my eyes. It was true though, Nico had never let me down before- unlike someone who said they loved me. 

I don't remember dozing off. Then again, it must've been about 3 or 4 in the morning, mortal time, and we had been through a lot.

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