Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and the Olympians
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" 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 . .
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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 !" 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 plucked a ruby off the nearest plant and threw it at Hades . It sank harmlessly into his robe . " You should be helping Olympus !" I 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 ."
" And when Kronos comes after you ?"
" 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 ." Hades spread his hands . " Well , you ' ll get a chance to find out , half-blood . Because you ' ll be waiting out this war in my dungeons ." " 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 . 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 this little hero go ? He ' s awfully brave ." " No , my dear . I ' ve spared his life . That ' s enough ." 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 ."
" Cereal ," Demeter said . " Mother !" The two women disappeared in a swirl of flowers and wheat . " Don ' t feel too bad , Percy Jackson ," Hades said . " My ghosts keep me well informed of