Trudging up Half-Blood Hill to Thalia's tree where the golden fleece was glittering brightly. Argus had come to pick up Grover, Annabeth, Evangeline, and Percy from Manhattan.

Chiron greeted them at the Big House with hot chocolate and toasted cheese sandwiches. Grover went off with his satyr friends to spread the word about what happened in New Mexico. Within an hour, the satyrs were running around agitated, asking where the nearest espresso bar was.

Evangeline had gone off to see where Landon was, he was sitting on the roof off the Hermes Cabin, fiddling with a small yellow bracelet with a key on it.

"Landon," She called, snapping him from his stupor as she climbed up. He looked like he hadn't slept, well it wasn't unusual for him, he never slept. He had even given up his space on the floor for the new kids, said he didn't need it.

"You're back," he looked up. "And with a new hairstyle, nice look grandma."

"You're not funny," she told him, she glanced at the bracelet in his hand. "What's that?"

"Uh—it's nothing," he shrugged. "Something from home, my aunt sent it."

"For you?"

Landon shifted on his feet, he stuffed the bracelet into his pocket. "Yeah, she said I should have some things here with me."

"How is Sofia?"

"She's fine, she's liking it well in San Francisco."

"You're going to go stay with her or stay here?" The daughter of Hades asked as she sat down next to him.

He drummed his fingers on his leg. "I'll go, I have to see some things, and figure stuff out."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Stuff."

"That's not suspicious at all," she stared out in the snow. "You're not going to join Luke are you?" She joked, she knew she shouldn't be suspicious but she couldn't help it.

Landon frowned, his eyebrows scrunched together. "I would rather die than ever side with Luke. I mean I get why you would have your doubts, I'm a son of Hermes."

"That's not what I meant." Evangeline frowned. "I just have to be—"

"Cautious," Landon finished. "I know."

The silence that settled over the two was a weird one, she wasn't really fond of it.

"How's Annabeth?" He murmured.

Evangeline glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Landon had always had an attachment for Annabeth, even if he always denied it. "She's tired, she held up the sky for twenty two hours."

"Oh," Landon looked down at the hands in his lap. "Is she okay?"

"Why don't you go and ask her?" Evangeline arched a brow. "You know it'd be nice for you to talk to her instead of the short glances from the distance."

"Yeah, I don't think so." He sighed. "It's better if I just keep doing the short glances than talk to her, sometimes I don't even know what I'm saying."

The daughter of Hades's lips twitched up into a smile. "You like her."

"I do not."

"Yes, you do!"

"If I open my mouth and tell you who you like, you won't like the results Eve." Landon shot her a knowing look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She tilted her head.

"Idiots," he mumbled under his breath but she heard it. "Nothing, just um, I'll leave it for you guys to figure out."

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm so tired," she said. "You ever think we'll ever get a happy life?"

Landon placed his head atop hers. "Nah," he said. "The assholes up there love seeing us suffer, it's their entertainment."

"So I'll get a peaceful life when I die?"

"Let's just run away," Landon said. "So fucking far away they won't find us, we can take Annabeth and Grover too."

"I like that plan," she sighed. "Maybe Percy can come too."

"Only if he wants to," Landon said. "I don't think he likes me that much."

The earth rumbled like it was being cracked open in half. "Did you do that?" The son of Hermes asked as he lifted his head.

"No," she murmured. "I should probably go find Percy and the others. I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yup." The Martin boy nodded and bid her goodbye as she hurried off. Evangeline climbed down the roof and walked across the snow fields of Camp Half Blood until she came across the dining pavilion and froze.

In the middle of the dining pavilion was a twenty-foot-long scar that wove across the marble floor of the dining pavilion. She saw Nico running down the steps, heading for the dark woods all around them.

"What did you do, Percy?" Evangeline rushed toward the raven haired boy. She grabbed his hand and helped him up. "What did you say to him?"

"Evangeline," Percy said. "Do you still have the statue Bianca gave you?"

She frowned, she patted her pocket. "It's in my jacket back at Cabin 11. Why?"

His face paled in the moonlight. Percy looked at her. "Evangeline, his dad...Hades..."

"Form full sentences, Perseus," She urged.

"When I was telling Nico that Bianca was dead, he said he could feel it. He said that she was in the Fields of Asphodel, standing before the judges right now."

She felt like the sky was on her shoulders again, like it was crushing her under its weight. "So?" She asked.

"So..." Percy trailed off, shooting her a knowing look. "He summoned skeletons, Evangeline. Last time I checked Hades has control over the dead and you do too, you just don't use it."

"You're saying Nico's my brother?" The daughter of Hades let out a humorless laugh. "You hit your head?"

"Evangeline, I'm not joking." He said.

The brunette narrowed her eyes. "That's not possible," she fiddled with her sweater. "He would never break an oath."

"You and I met Nico in the hotel, remember?" Percy stepped closer. "You stayed there too,"

It was like the dots were connecting themselves, she had been too blind to realize. Gods, she was stupid not to see it. "I—how did you come to know? Lots of kids stayed at the hotel, no big deal."

"He summoned skeletons, Evangeline!" Percy spread his hands. "Last time I checked, your dad controls the dead and it's only him who can do that, and back in New Mexico, Bianca stabbed that skeleton and it burst into flames!"

She couldn't believe it, but it made sense. It all added up, they even looked more like their father more than she ever had.

"Evangeline?" She heard Percy's voice snapping her out of her thoughts. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she clenched her fist . "We need to find Annabeth and Grover and look for him, or I'm going to be the worst sister ever."

When they got Annabeth and Grover to help, they searched the woods for hours, but there was no sign of Nico.

"We have to tell Chiron," Annabeth said, out of breath.

"No," Percy shook his head. The blonde and the satyr stared at him.

"Um," The satyr said nervously. "What do you mean... no?"

"We can't let anyone know. I don't think anyone realizes that Nico is a—"

"A son of Hades," Annabeth said. "Percy, do you have any idea how serious this is?

"It's really not," Evangeline said. "Honestly, I've always wanted a sibling."

"Now is not the time for you to want siblings." Grover hissed.

Evangeline glared at him. "Look, my father is the only one out the Big Three who didn't break the oath."

Annabeth and Grover looked at her like she had something weird. "Uh," Grover said. "Evangeline, you exist."

"No way," she said sarcastically. "What I'm saying here, is that my father didn't break the oath. You guys remember the Lotus Casino right?"

"That hotel where we got stuck in time?" Annabeth raised a brow.

"Yeah," she said. "When I was nine, the lady who I lived with took me there and left me alone. That was sixty three years ago."

Annabeth and Grover's eyes widened. "What?"

"So, when we went there on our quest I met this kid," Evangeline explained. "Who is..."

"Nico," Percy finished.

"Exactly," She said. "Which means Bianca and Nico were hidden in the hotel too."

"But how did they get out? And you need to explain everything to me later." She pointed at the brunette.

"I don't know," Percy admitted. "Bianca said a lawyer came and got them and drove them to Westover Hall. I don't know who that could've been, or why. Maybe it's part of this Great Stirring thing. I don't think Nico understands who he is. But we can't go tell anyone. Not even Chiron If the Olympians find out—"

"It might make them start fighting amongst each other again," The blonde said. "That's the last thing we need."

The satyr looked worried. "But you can't hide things from the gods. Not forever."

"I don't need forever," Percy said. "Just two years. Until I'm sixteen."

The Chase girl paled. "But, Percy, this means the prophecy might not be about you. It might be about Evangeline or Nico. We have to-"

"No," Percy said. "I choose the prophecy. It will be about me."

"Why are you saying that?" she cried. "You want to be responsible for the whole world?"

"I can't let Nico be in any more danger," The raven-haired boy said. "I owe that much to his sisters and...I let them down. I'm not going to let that poor kid suffer anymore."

"That poor kid who hates you and wants to see you dead," Grover reminded the boy.

"Nico's a child." Evangeline said. "He just lost the only family he'd ever known, he just needs some time."

"Maybe we can find him," Percy said. "We can convince him it's okay, hide him someplace safe."

Annabeth shivered. "If Luke gets a hold of him—"

"He won't" The daughter of Hades spoke up.

"I'll make sure he's got other things to worry about. Namely, us." The son of Poseidon added, motioning between him and the brunette.

"So young," Chiron sighed, his hands on the rail of the front porch. "Alas, I hope he was eaten by monsters. Much better than being recruited into the Titan's army."

"There is something seriously wrong with you." Evangeline scowled, Annabeth nudged her in the side.

"You really think the first attack will be here?" Percy asked, to change the topic to something just as heavy-hearted.

The activities director stared at the snow falling on the hills. "It will not be until summer, at least," he said. "This winter will be hard... the hardest for many centuries. It's best that you go home to the city, Percy; try to keep your mind on school. And rest. You will need rest."

Percy looked at Annabeth. "What about you?"

Her face was flushed from the biting cold. "I'm going to try San Francisco after all. Maybe I can keep an eye on Mount Tam, and make sure the Titans don't try anything else."

"You'll send an Iris message if anything goes wrong?"

She nodded. "But I think Chiron's right. It won't be until the summer. Luke will need time to regain his strength."

Percy looked at Evangeline who looked like she was having a mini war with herself. "What are you going to do?"

Evangeline shrugged staring off into the distance. "I'll go back home, and talk to Dad about some things."

"Okay," he said when suddenly he had an idea. "You can stay with me in New York if you want,"

Evangeline felt her ears burn hot. "What?"

"You can spend the winter with me," He said, then his face flushed. "I—I don't mean like with me like just the two of us—I um, mean with me and my mom in New York."

"Thanks, but I don't want to cause any trouble for Mrs Jackson." She said.

The son of Poseidon was about to respond when Grover came stumbling out of the Big House, tripping over tin cans. His face was haggard and pale.

"He spoke!" The satyr cried.

"Calm down, my young satyr," Chiron said, frowning. "What is the matter?"

"I...I was playing music in the parlor," he stammered. "and drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee! And he spoke in my mind!"

"Who?" Annabeth demanded.

"Pan!" The satyr wailed. "The Lord of the Wild himself. I heard him! I have to... I have to find a suitcase."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Percy said. "What did he say?"

Grover stared at Percy. "Just three words. He said, 'I await you' "

------✧------

A/N:- I can't believe that we're done with Titans Curse, ugh I'm so sad, but I'm glad I've managed to make it this far. I'm excited to write about Evangeline and Nico's bond in tbotl.