Chapter Fifteen

                                    

                                          

Percy found his way to the gateway to the Underworld just as a girl was walking out.
She had black, leathery wings, like Nico's, but red horns. Her long, curly hair was golden-brown, and her skin was the colour of toffee. Her eyes were gold, too. She looked like a statue that Midas had touched. He guessed her to be around fifteen.
She looked at him, confused. "Who are you?"
"Percy," said Percy. 
Before he could even say his last name, hello, or ask for help, she punched him.
He fell backwards. His face was stinging. He had never been punched before. He hadn't even felt pain. "What... what was that for?"
"For being an idiot."
"What did I do?"
"You threw away the best thing that ever happened to you."
It took Percy a while to catch on. "You... know him? You know Nico?"
"Yes, I do. I'm practically his sister!"
"Bianca?" said Percy, confused. She didn't fit Nico's description at all. Also, he thought she was dead.
The girl looked suddenly sad. "No."
"Well, I need to get in." Percy walked past her and tried to get through the gates. He could see a staircase, made out of dark red stone, leading downwards, see the red light filtering up like dragonfyre. He was so close.
"No. You're not allowed in."
"Why?"
The girl stared at him. "Nico is never, ever sad."
"What do you mean?"
"He gets angry. He resurrects skeletons to fight them. He knocks people out with dark energy. He goes out to lure innocent people to their doom. But he never... hurts. He never feels hurt. Ever."
Percy felt as if she had punched him again. "Hurt?"
"You hurt him. And that is very strange."
"Strange?"
"Nico does not care about many people. To my knowledge, he only loves Bianca."
Percy looked at the ground.
"He is the strongest person I know, and I don't know what you did, but if I were him, I would never forgive you. And I am way more forgiving than he is."
"I don't..." Percy felt uncomfortable. Her golden eyes were so knowing. She seemed to read his entire life from one glance. "Please, let me in."
"No."
"What will happen if I ignored you and went in now?"
"I'll scream, and it doesn't matter how much holy water you've got, you can't fight off a hundred devils at once."
Percy lifted his hands. "No holy water here!"
"I don't care. You'd have some nerve, bringing holy water into here, if you did have it."
Percy lowered his gaze, abashed. "Who are you?"
"Hazel."
"Well, Hazel. I want to see Nico."
Hazel slapped him.
"Ow."
"Good." She glared. "Now you're definitely not allowed in. Go back up to your shiny palace with your shiny wings and your shiny friends!"