mostly I was just roaming around New Rome, because it was so beautiful. Frank and Hazel tried their best to guide me throughout, but they were Praetors, which meant they were always busy.

I also spent time watching Nico sleep, it's been two days since we've been here and honestly I didn't even know if I could still save my mother because of the amount of time that's passed. I couldn't just leave Nico here. I'd die if he wasn't with me.

He's saved my life countless of times already, constantly Shadow Travelling and fighting against monsters and, er, gods alike. I didn't know the reason why he was so hateful towards Eros, but all the while I managed to trick him making him think that I was afraid of my feelings.

In return, the love god cursed me by making my heart ache every single time I touch Nico. Although, when I woke up I noticed that when I touched Nico, it wasn't as painful as before. Maybe it's because he was asleep.

At first, I wasn't so sure about my feelings for Nico. I was trying to distinguish my feelings , I was almost sure these were just feelings of infatuation. Because we haven't known each other for very long so I found it odd that I was crushing on him. But I was just so comfortable around him, and occasionally when my heart jumps because of him, it's like I'm just an ordinary teenager.

Then Eros came, when Nico slept, he told me knew of my feelings for Nico. At first, I was embarrassed because who goes crushing on someone they just met two weeks ago? But Eros only laughed saying that we've spent enough time together.

He wanted me to openly admit that I had a crush on Nico. Which I gladly did, because all the while Eros thought he'd be humiliating me, I already got a gut feeling that Nico already knew. Eros must've done something similar to Nico before.

When I stupidly didn't know about the poisonous spines, I resisted the urge to ask Nico who he liked, and asked about his sister Bianca that he kept muttering in his sleep occasionally. When he was tending to my wound, I've never seen a heavy look of concern from Nico, and it made me so giddy.

Not to mention he gave me a kiss on the forehead before we shadow traveled. I would've squealed and swooned over it like a normal girl, I mean, I would've done so if I wasn't injured but trust me I was swooning on the inside. Even if Nico meant that kiss as a sisterly kiss.

After unleashing a huge amount of power to destroy the manticore, he managed to shadow travel us to Camp Jupiter. I was worried, but he seemed fine after a day of rest. He still slept of course, and I was willing to let him sleep for as long as he could.

My mother no longer showed herself to me in my dreams, I was also worried that we might've been too late but just last night, a black labrador retriever showed herself to me. For a second I thought it was one of my mother's consciousness again, but it turns out that it was one of her attendants.

Turns out, Camp Jupiter had no idea where my mother was as well. But Nico had a hunch, in Mount Orthys. Hazel promised that they'd check out the mountain later so we wouldn't have to waste our time in case they weren't there.

I sat by Nico's bed, playing with his soft hair as he slept like the dead. He was so pale when I first wake up, but Hazel reassured me that he'd be fine because he's been through worse. Now the color was starting to return to his face.

"Hey Treya, wanna grab some lunch?" Hazel asked, entering with a small smile on her face.

"It's okay, I just ate an hour ago," I replied, which was true. I ate the food I brought along, left some gummy bears and marshmallows for Nico. I was still a little full.

"Okay, take care of yourself too" Hazel softly called out and went out.

I've finally run out of extra shirts from Camp Half Blood, and was now wearing the purple Camp shirt from Camp Jupiter.

I made a mental note to visit my house before we go back to Camp Half Blood. I was already beginning to think that I actually belonged at Camp Half Blood. Because I'm exactly like them. I can't keep hiding in the mortal world forever. I was starting to think that it would be nice if I just stayed at Camp Half Blood for good.

And plus, Nico stayed there. It would be fun to, er, hang out with him. As friends. If he's bothered about the Eros thing, I'll just have to tell him that I was fine with it and was okay with being friends.

An hour later, after searching for some snacks, I went back to the infirmary. But as I reached out for his hair again, his hand suddenly stopped me.

Nico drowsily blinked as he took notice of his surroundings.

"Hey," I greet, taking his hand off of my wrist.

He then sits up straight and his eyes suddenly goes to my abdomen.

"I'm okay now, don't worry," I tell him and expected him to throw a remark like he wasn't worrying or whatever, the usual stuff he says.

"Oh thank gods, I was worried," He exhales, laying back down.

I prevent a smile from breaking through, "You should worry about your own self,"

"I'm used to it," He mutters

I roll my eyes, "Just because you're used to it doesn't mean you have to make it a practice, it's bad for you," as I reach for the Unicorn thingy they have here at Camp Jupiter and hand it to him. Unicorn tears? I don't know, but it worked well as it brought Nico back to his current state.

"You should've went ahead, we lost so much time," Nico said as he sat up again, frowning.

I gave him a frown as well, "But we're a team, right?"

"Yeah but-"

"We're a team. We stick together, you saved my life countless of times. I'm glad it was you I cursed," I smile at him brightly.

Nico coughs and looks away, his ears tinging red "You still have to undo this curse by the way, my father met me in my dreams and told me I could pass off as a fairy with pixie dust everywhere,"

I chuckle, "Well, he's not wrong,"

Nico only rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, "So, let's go?"

"Go where?" I asked stupidly. I had no idea if Nico wanted to eat, wanted to tour me around Camp Jupiter though I already walked around here and there, wanted to leave, or wanted me to meet his friends.

"To Mount Othrys," He answered, standing up and putting his signature jacket on that Hazel left for him.

"Hazel said she was gonna check it out or something, they said they didn't think that the, er, Kronos hideout was still standing" I added, as I followed him out.

Nico put on a calculating face, "Do you not want to leave now?"

"I do, but what if we just waste our time by going there? Plus, I don't think you're ready to shadow travel yet, did you forget that we were in Vegas and shadow travelled us here in Berkeley?" I exclaimed

Nico sighed, "I'm fine now, I slept for.... how long?"

"Two days," I replied

"Two days," Nico repeated and spread out his arms and made a 360 degree turn

"See? I'm fine now," He grumbled

I snickered, holding back the urge to just tackle him into a hug.

"No you're not," I quickly replied

Nico groaned, "Who says?"

"Okay, geez we'll leave when Hazel or whoever she sent comes back. For now, don't you want to eat or something? I'd be hungry after two days of not eating," I tell him

"Alright," Nico agrees, trudging along to find some food.

-

After Nico ate, he insisted on showing me a certain place. Although thinking about how romantic it sounded, Nico just sounded urgent and wanted to get away from the Lares that constantly bothered him while he ate.

Nico and I walked towards the temples and the shrines, after Nico actually managed to shoo them away. The sun was nearly setting again, I was getting worried that Hazel still had no news about Mount Orthys.

I was just worried that we might've ended in a dead end.

"This is my favorite spot in Camp Jupiter," Nico introduced, as we stood in front of Pluto's shrine.

"Isn't Cabin 13 your favorite spot in Camp Half Blood as well?" I asked, looking at Pluto's shrine.

Nico paused, "Well, yeah but I've got multiple favorite spots at Camp Half Blood"

I cross my arms eyeing the shrine that was smaller compared to the other temples, "Why is it your favorite spot? Because it's your father's?"

Nico rolled his eyes, "No, you'll understand. Come on," He said, taking his hand out for me to take? Or shake?

"Are we shadow travelling?" I asked as I hesitantly touched his hand but to my surprise, Nico grabbed my hand and put it on his jacket. He must've remembered about the Eros thing.

"Yeah," He said as he dove for the shadows with me trudging along.

"We're here," Nico said after a second later.

I opened my eyes and I found myself standing on the roof of Pluto's shrine while I tightly held Nico's jacket with both of my hands.

I coughed, letting him go quickly and looked around me. There had to be hundreds, no, thousands of valuable gems on the roof. Under the sun setting, they all seemed to glow beautifully

They were the prettiest things I've ever seen— but only second to Nico.

"Woah," I whispered

"But they can't be taken, or so Hazel says," Nico says as he sits on the edge of the roof.

I find myself sitting beside him as we watched the sun set quickly. Comfortable silence fell between us. All we could hear were the shallow voices of those who were training, and those led by their centurions to do whatever.

"Did you really mean it?" I ask him, breaking the silence.

Nico looks at me and tilts his head, "What?"

"You said you'll still be my friend after all of this, despite knowing my feelings, did you mean it? Or did you just say it out of spite?" I gently explained, looking at him.

He stares at me and blinks, "Of course I did. I hardly say things that I don't mean,"

"If- if I don't make it back or something, will you visit me in the Underworld?" I try to stifle a laugh but I sounded to nervous it just sounded forced and nervous.

Nico frowns, "You're not gonna die,"

"It's just a what if," I quickly reply

Nico sighed, "Still. You're the one who said it. We're a team. We're going back together,"

I huffed, "Oh if you'd only answer me with a yes or no, it'll be easier,"

"I don't want you to die, okay?!" Nico raised his voice

"I'm not saying I'm gonna die! It's just a hypothesis!" I also raise my voice, but I felt my face heat up along the way with Nico's words.

Nico had a good way with his words, and his actions. It wasn't hard to like him at all. Well, maybe he was infuriating at first, but Nico was kind.

Nico scowled, "Then I'll raise you back from the dead! I'll take you away from Elysium and bring you back here!"

I stared at him with my eyes wide, when Nico realized what he had said he turned away.

"I mean it," He mumbled

I smiled widely, "You flatter me a lot," I say before I hit his shoulder.

Nico looked at me again, with a soft gaze, "Hey, listen I wanted to say something—

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you two!" Frank said, as he waved his hands around in front of the shrine of Pluto. His face looked frantic, and as much as I wanted Nico to finish his words, Nico already pulled me into the shadows with him.

And surprisingly, the Eros curse didn't hurt as much anymore.

"What happened?" Nico asked

Frank huffed, "There's nothing,"

Nico looked at Frank confusingly, "What do you mean?"

Frank's shoulders slumped, "Just like I said. There's nothing. The fourth legion went over to check on Mount Orthys, and even made a spontaneous trip to Mount Diablo but there's nothing there. No signs of any goddess, especially not a chained goddess. They're both just.... empty" He finished

Nico scowled, "How's that possible?"

Then he turned to me, in which I probably had a face as blank as a canvas.

He held my shoulder, "Do you want to go back to that man for more information?"

"No, she has to be around here. It's just a gut feeling, but I feel her around here in the West. I don't know how far, or how near, I just do. Nico, we have to find her. We're really starting to run out of time," I tell him worriedly

Nico's face softens, "We'll find her. Don't worry,"

"We can lend you a horse, in case you're still tired from shadow travelling," Frank quipped, smiling lightly as he showed a horse that neighed behind him.

"We'll take it!" I reply instantly, knowing how Nico can easily be drained from shadow travelling and using too much of his other underworldly abilities.

"Nico! Treya!" Hazel called out as she came running with my mother's black labrador trailing behind her.

"This is your mother's companion. She came to me, I think she can lead you to your mother. I also think she's been tracking you for ages, but with Nico's constant shadow travelling, it's been hard to track you" Hazel explained before taking out a map and laying it on the floor.

"Can you try to point us out where Hecate is?" She asked the dog, who then came forward and pointed to an area of the west which was all too familiar with me.

I took a step back, "She's there?" My voice cracked

Hazel looked at me with concern, "Why? What's wrong? It's not too far,"

"That's where my hometown is," I whispered my mind immediately wandering over to Gavin.

Nico firmly held my shoulder, "Let's go,"