the_blood_of_olympus_-_rick_riordan

lvi
Nico
AT DAWN, HE WAS STILL AWAKE when someone rapped at the door.
He turned, registering a face with blond hair, and for a split second he thought it was Will Solace.
When Nico realized it was Jason, he was disappointed. Then he felt angry with himself for feeling
that way.
He hadn’t talked to Will since the battle. The Apollo kids had been too busy with the injured.
Besides, Will probably blamed Nico for what happened to Octavian. Why wouldn’t he? Nico had
basically permitted … whatever that was. Murder by consensus. A gruesome suicide. By now, Will
Solace realized just how creepy and revolting Nico di Angelo was. Of course, Nico didn’t care what
he thought. But still …
‘You okay?’ Jason asked. ‘You look –’
‘Fine,’ Nico snapped. Then he softened his tone. ‘If you’re looking for Hazel, she’s still asleep.’
Jason mouthed, Oh, and gestured for Nico to come outside.
Nico stepped into the sunlight, blinking and disoriented. Ugh … Perhaps the cabin’s designers had
been right about the children of Hades being like vampires. He was not a morning person.
Jason didn’t look as though he’d slept any better. His hair had a cowlick on one side and his new
glasses sat crookedly on his nose. Nico resisted the urge to reach out and straighten them.
Jason pointed to the strawberry fields, where the Romans were breaking camp. ‘It was strange to
see them here. Now it’ll be strange not seeing them.’
‘Do you regret not going with them?’ Nico asked.
Jason’s smile was lopsided. ‘A little. But I’ll be going back and forth between the camps a lot. I
have some shrines to build.’
‘I heard. The Senate plans to elect you Pontifex Maximus.’
Jason shrugged. ‘I don’t care about the title so much. I do care about making sure the gods are
remembered. I don’t want them fighting out of jealousy any more, or taking out their frustrations on
demigods.’
‘They’re gods,’ Nico said. ‘That’s their nature.’
‘Maybe, but I can try to make it better. I guess Leo would say I’m acting like a mechanic, doing
preventative maintenance.’
Nico sensed Jason’s sorrow like an oncoming storm. ‘You know, you couldn’t have stopped Leo.
There’s nothing you could have done differently. He knew what had to happen.’
‘I – I guess. I don’t suppose you can tell if he’s still –’
‘He’s gone,’ Nico said. ‘I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but I sensed his death.’