grumpy nico is hard to argue with.
After our brief discussion, I catch up to Annabeth as she heads to the Athena cabin to pack.
"Annabeth, are you sure this is a wise decision? We just got free from all this crazy shit..." I ask, trying to understand why she agreed without a fight.
"Percy, I would prefer if we didn't anger Zeus, so we have to comply." She states, her gray eyes locking with my blue ones.
I groan. "Fine, Wise Girl. We're counting on ya."
We exchange our goodbyes, and I walk toward the empty Cabin Three, since my brother Tyson is with our dad.
---TIME SKIP (BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE WOULD PACK)---
A whining noise wakes me from my nap. I groan. "Holy Hera—who's killing who?"
"No one's killing anybody," a voice from the shadows says.
My body tenses, then relaxes. "Nico. Gods, you're scary when you ...break into my cabin. Wait—why did you do that?"
Nico looks at me like it’s obvious. (News flash: it is not.) "Apollo has arrived, and he and Will are having a... family reunion. Awkward to watch."
I sigh. "And...?" Irritation creeps into my voice.
"Annabeth also told me to wake you up. I figured waking you up properly meant waking your senses, too."
"Couldn't have said that earlier?"
"No."
Gods, I don’t want to deal with a grumpy Nico today.
I walk out of the cabin and take in the chaotic scene. A very happy Apollo is talking to Will Solace. Annabeth, looking irritated, is glaring at them. Leo is bickering with Piper.
Annabeth's eyes light up when she sees me.
"Percy! Took you long enough," she says, walking over.
"Nice to see you too, Annabeth."
She rolls her eyes fondly before disappearing inside, emerging moments later with my suitcase—and a still grumpy Nico.
Miranda Gardener loads our suitcases into the chariot, which I just now notice. (Wow. I think I’m blind.)
It looks shockingly similar to the one I saw when I first met Apollo, just bigger.
Apollo greets me enthusiastically. "Percy!"
"Apollo," I reply, already bracing myself. I am not ready to deal with this.