"No . . . choice?" he gagged.

 

I wished he hadn't said something logical like that. I let him go.

 

Nico curled into a ball and made retching sounds while his throat recovered.

Finally he got to his feet, eyeing my sword warily. His own blade was sheathed.

I suppose if he'd wanted to kill me, he could've done it while I slept. Still, I

didn't trust him.

 

"We have to get out of here," he said.

 

"Why?" I said. "Does your dad want to talk to me again?"

 

Fie winced. "Percy, I swear on the River Styx, I didn't know what he was

planning."

 

"You know what your dad is like!"

 

"Fie tricked me. Fie promised — " Nico held up his hands. "Look . . . right now,

we need to leave. I put the guards to sleep, but it won't last."

 

I wanted to strangle him again. Unfortunately, he was right. We didn't have time

to argue, and I couldn't escape on my own. Fie pointed at the wall. A whole

section vanished, revealing a corridor.