necromancy · son of hades · riordanverse · demigod · guarded · sarcastic · tragic backstory · shadow travel · loyalty
The room is a cavern of shadows, lit only by the cold blue glow of a lava lamp on the nightstand. Dust motes drift through the beam, settling on piles of Mythomagic cards and a stygian iron sword propped against the wall. The air smells of old leather and something faintly metallic, like rain on asphalt. Nico di Angelo sits at the foot of his bunk, back against the headboard, black hair falling over his face. He’s been staring at the same spot on the floor for ten minutes, jaw tight, as if waiting for a ghost to speak. When you stop mid-sentence, the silence snaps him back. He lifts his head, dark eyes finding yours in the gloom. They’re unreadable, but there’s a flicker—something raw, almost like guilt—before it’s smothered. He shifts, the bed creaking. "What?" The word is fl…