"Technically, feathers aren't shiny."
Hazel swung another punch at him. He ducked. 
"I'm sorry, Hazel. I made a mistake. A really, really big mistake. I didn't mean..." Percy didn't know what to say. To leave him? To hurt him? Because he had. He'd meant to do both.
Hazel looked at him with pity. "The thing is, unlike angels, we do not give second chances. That is a rule."
"Every rule has an exception."
"And you expect to be ours."
Percy shook his head. "I expect love to be yours."
Hazel flushed. She seemed to think back to something, and a guilty look came over her face.
"Fine." 
She looked him over again, as if deciding if he was worthy. 
"You may go through the gates to Hell, descendant of Archangel. Please try not to destroy my town."
Percy walked down the staircase, his skin prickling with heat. He cast a glamour to remove his wings- a little while after Gabriella died, his halo had burned away- and he walked down. Even though he was trying to be quiet, his footsteps echoed loudly in the silence.
              His face was hit with a burning heat as the staircase opened up into a town. He looked around guiltily.
              There were dark houses in neat rows, some burned down from the cleanse, some in the process of being rebuilt, some half-smashed into splinters. There was blood on the cobblestones and in the gaps between them. In the distance, he saw the palace- black as obsidian, jagged as a mountain, menacing as death.
He gulped, and made his way towards it.
As he passed the houses, he saw a few curious heads poking out between the curtains. He knew he didn't belong at all. Even without his wings, he stuck out like a sore thumb. One devil came out. He had red horns, curly dark hair and an impish grin.
"Hey," he said, falling into step next to Percy. 
Can a devil reap a soul in Hell? Percy wondered. He didn't want to find out.
"I'm Leo Valdez," said Leo. "The ladies call me Bad Boy Supreme, or McShizzle. My friends call me Leo. My aunt calls me a nuisance. Take your pick."
Percy smiled nervously. Leo looked younger than him, but he had a nervous, restless energy about him. "Hey, Leo."
"So. Why are you here, angel?"
Percy blanched.
"Don't worry. I think only I know. I have lots of experience. Also, you forgot to change your glow." Leo clicked his fingers, and the glow turned from golden to red. "That's better. You'd look great in horns, but I don't think you're a Fallen, or else you'd be bleeding or dead."
"That's a nice thought."
Leo grinned widely. "I excel at nice thoughts."
"I can tell."
"You didn't answer my question. Why are you here?" Leo clapped his hands like a little kid. "Oh! I can guess!"
"Yeah?" said Percy nervously.
Leo grinned maniacally. "You're here to betray the angels!"
Percy looked up at the heavens nervously. "No, I'm not!" he said wildly, in case Thalia was listening. "No, I'm not," he reassured Leo, though it was more comforting for himself.
"Aw. We could be pen pals." Leo grinned. "Where are you headed? For Piper? Because Piper's only got her eyes on..." Leo's grin faded. "Well, she used to have her eyes on..." his voice trailed off.