I am Persephone” she said, her voice thin and papery. “Welcome, demigods.Nico squashed a pomegranate under his boot. “Welcome? After last time, you’ve got the nerve to welcome me?”I shifted uneasily, because talking that way...

I will see you again,’ Hades promised. ‘I will prepare a room for you at the palace in case you do not survive. Perhaps your chambers would look good decorated with the skulls of monks.’...

Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover helped me fix up my wounded arm.”It’s green!” Nico said with delight.

As for my brothers,’ Zeus said, ‘we are thankful -‘ he cleared his throat, like the words were hard to get out – ‘erm, thankful for the aid of Hades.’ The Lord of the Dead...

Nico di Angelo ran up to me with a big grin on his face.”Percy, this is awesome!” His blue-feathered bronze helmet was falling in his eyes, and his breastplate was about six sizes too big....

Nico didn’t like to be touched, but somehow this brief contact with his father felt reassuring – the same way the Chapel of Bones was reassuring. Like death, his father’s presence was cold and often...

not giving people a second thought…that can be dangerous.

Hades allowed himself the faintest smile, but there was nothing cruel in his eyes. ‘I can entertain the possibility that you acted for multiple reasons. My point is this: you and I rose to the...

I still don’t get it” Coach Hedge muttered as they roamed the centre aisle. “They named a whole town after Leo’s table?””I think the town was here first, Coach” Nico said.

Hey, can I see that sword you were using?”I showed him Riptide, and explained how it turned from a pen into a sword just by uncapping it.”Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?””Um, well,...

Oh, he’s not like that,” said Favonius.Jason flinched. “You can read my mind?””I don’t need to.” Favonius tossed his bronze hoop in the air. “Everyone has the wrong impression of Cupid… until they meet him.

Nico scowled. ‘It’s none of your business, but I don’t belong. That’s obvious. No one wants me. I’m a child of –’ ‘Oh, please.’ Will sounded unusually angry. ‘Nobody at Camp Half-Blood ever pushed you...

Really? That would be a first. I’m the son of Hades, Jason. I might as well be covered in blood or sewage, the way people treat me. I don’t belong anywhere. I’m not even from...

He looked at the silver pocketknife in his hand. An idea came to him – possibly the stupidest, craziest idea he’d had since he thought, Hey, I’ll get Percy to swim in the River Styx!...

It’s more than that.’ Reyna rested her hand on Nico’s. ‘While you were asleep, I did a lot ofthinking. What I told you about my father … I’d never shared that with anyone. I guess...

As for my brothers,” Zeus said, “we are thankful”-he cleared his throat like the words were hard to get out-“erm, thankful for the aid of Hades.”The lord of the dead nodded. He had a smug...

Please tell me your master isn’t Aeolus.””That airhead?” Favonius snorted. “No, of course not.””He means Eros.” Nico’s voice turned edgy. “Cupid, in Latin.”Favonius smiled. “Very good, Nico di Angelo. I’m glad to see you again,...

I don’t feel that way anymore,” Nico muttered. “I mean… I gave up on Percy. I was young and impressionable, and I- I don’t…”His voice cracked, and Jason could tell the guy was about to...

Jason’s fingers itched to draw his sword. He’d met plenty of scary demigods, but he was starting to realize that Nico di Angelo–as pale and gaunt as he looked–might be more than he could handle.

He remembered Apollo, smiling and tanned and completely cool in his shades. Thalia had said, He’s hot. He’s the sun god, Percy replied. That’s not what I meant. Why was Nico thinking about that now?...

Think long and hard about how you proceed, Nico di Angelo. You cannot lie to Cupid. If you let your anger rule you… well, your fate will be even sadder then mine.

Images flashed through his mind. He saw Nico and his sister on a snowy cliff in Maine, Percy Jackson protecting them from a manticore. Percy’s sword gleamed in the dark. He’d been the first demigod...

We need music,” Nico said. “How’s your singing?””Um, no. Can’t you just, like, tell it to open? You’re the son of Hades and all.””It’s not so easy. We need music.”I was pretty sure if I...

Don’t talk to my sister that way.” Nico said. His voice quivered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all. — Percy

It’s not mind-reading,’ she said. ‘Not even an empathy link. Just … a temporary wave of exhaustion. Primal emotions. Your pain washes over me. I take on some of your burden.’Nico’s expression became guarded. He...

Frank heard a laugh behind him. He glanced back and couldn’t believe what he saw. Nico di Angelo was actually smiling.”That’s more like it,” Nico said. “Let’s turn this tide!

Nico drew his sword. His smile was even more unsettling than his scowl.”Underground,” he said. “My favorite place.”Underground was not Jason’s favorite place.

Nico studied his face – his sea-green eyes, his grin, his ruffled black hair. Somehow Percy Jackson seemed like a regular guy now, not a mythical figure. Not someone to idolize or crush on.

Percy scowled. “I-I know you.”Nico raised his eyebrows. “Do you?

I (Percy) set Nico on guard duty with Beckendorf and the Stoll brothers, figuring he’d be safely out of the way….”What’s happening?” Nico demanded, trying to climb up next to me.

Nico drank from the chalice, then offered it to Jason. “You asked me about trust, and taking a risk? Well, here you go, son of Jupiter. How much do you trust me?”Frank wasn’t sure what...

With great power… comes need to take a nap. Wake me up later

Please!’ That word didn’t make sense to Nico. The Underworld had no mercy. It only had justice. ‘You’re already dead,’ Nico said. ‘You’re a ghost with no tongue, no memory. You won’t be sharing any...

Poor Nico di Angelo. The god’s voice was tinged with disappointment. Do you know what you want, much less what I want? My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love. It was the...

Then she did something so unexpected Nico would later think he dreamed it. She walked up to Nico, who was standing to one side in the shadows, as usual. She grabbed his hand and pulled...

I had a crush on Percy,” Nico spat. “That’s the truth. That’s the big secret.

Nico started to crawl away, groaning. Percy wanted him to move faster and groan less. He considered throwing his wonder bread at him.

Yeah, okay. But, Nico, you do choose how to live your life. You want to trust somebody? Maybe take a risk that I’m really your friend and I’ll accept you. It’s better than hiding.

Nico, you can do this,” Jason said. “It might be embarrassing, but it’s for the scepter.”Nico didn’t look convinced. In fact he looked like he was going to be sick. But he squared his shoulders...

The Underworld had no mercy. It only had justice

Nico’s voice was like broken glass. “I- I wasn’t in love with Annabeth.””You were jealous of her,” Jason said. “That’s why you didn’t want to be around her. Especially why you don’t want to be...

No,’ Nico said. ‘Getting a second life is one thing. Making it a better life, that’s the trick.’ As soon as he said it, Nico realized he could’ve been talking about himself. He decided not...

For a long time,’ Nico said, ‘I had a crush on you. I just wanted you to know.’ Percy looked at Nico. Then at Annabeth, as if to check that he’d heard correctly. Then back...

Nico was devastatingly alone. He’d lost his big sister Bianca. He’d pushed away all other demigods who’d tried to get close to him. His experiences at Camp Half-Blood, in the Labyrinth and in Tartarus had...

She’d felt more pain from Nico in their brief connection than she had from her entire legion during the battle against the giant Polybotes.

Nico clenched his sword. Sharing his secret crush hadn’t been the worst of it. Eventually he might have done that, in his own time, in his own way. But being forced to talk about Percy,...

I am the son of Hades. I go where I wish. The darkness is my birthright.

About five meters ahead, Nico was swinging his black sword with one hand, holding the scepter of Diocletian aloft with the other. He kept shouting orders at the legionnaires, but they paid him no attention.Of...

You will suffer, son of Hades!’ What else is new? Nico thought.

Nico strode forward. The enemy army fell back before him like he radiated death, which of course he did.Through the face guard of his skull-shaped helmet, he smiled. “Got your message. Is it too late...