By Amanda Pizzolatto (alias Aurora Mandeville)

Word Count: 31845

Rating: PG for scary situations

Summary: Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades, is used to being alone, until one day a girl with auburn hair waltzes into his life…

“Are you sure he’s fine enough to come downstairs?” asked a female voice.

“Oh, perfectly. Nico? Nico, time to get up. Breakfast is ready,” said Lucy, softly.

Nico groaned and turned over, pulling the covers over his head. “Just five more minutes, please.”

“Another five minutes, and Riccio will take it as an invitation to eat your share,” stated the female voice.

Nico peeked out from under the blanket and saw Lucy kneeling over him and another girl standing in the doorway, her dark hair woven into a long, tight braid.

“Hornet’s right, though they just really want to meet you.”

Nico sighed. “Oh alright, I’m coming.”

He kicked off the blankets and stretched a bit before rising. He caught Hornet’s eye; both were as wide as saucers. But the expression quickly changed from surprise to downright giddiness before she took off. He glanced at Lucy, who had risen, but didn’t say anything as she took the lead out to the balcony and down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they walked towards the theater stage where Hornet stood with four boys, none of whom was Scipio, but all of them were staring at Nico and Lucy as they approached. The youngest, a five-year-old blond cherub, ran up to Lucy, grinning from ear to ear.

“It’s true, it’s all true!! I can’t believe it!” he squealed, jumping up and down, pulling on Lucy’s hand.

Lucy chuckled. “Well, believe it, it is true.”

Hornet rushed over to them and three jumped around in circles.

“So . . . anyone care to tell me what’s going on?” Nico asked.

The trio stopped bouncing around, and the little blond stared at Nico like he was crazy.

“Oh, uh Nico, these are Scipio’s friends. You already know Hornet; this is Bo, his older brother Prop, Riccio, and Mosca. Guys, this is Nico Di Angelo.”

“Yeah, we know who he is. You and Scipio brought him in last night all bloody and . . .”

“Wait, last night? Are you sure? How could I have healed so fast in a few hours?”

“You really don’t know who Lucy really is, do you?” asked Bo. Nico glanced at the little boy, but didn’t say a word as previous suspicions arose in his mind. “Well, you should know who she is, she’s really famous! Her family’s adventures have been put into books! She’s Lucy the Valiant, Queen of Narnia!”

Nico’s eyes grew wide at the announcement. “Th-the Queen Lucy? As in, The Chronicles of Narnia?”

Bo laughed. “Yeah, she healed you with her fireflower medicine! That’s how come you healed so fast! I can’t believe she even has it with her, she supposedly left it in Narnia!”

Lucy smiled. “Aslan said that I would need it here, and apparently he was right!”

Hornet and Bo crowded around Lucy again with sheer excitement, but she glanced at Nico with concern. He still couldn’t believe what he had just heard; the girl he had met in the cemetery, this down-to-earth girl and her family had traveled to another world and gotten their adventures in print! Nico wasn’t sure what he wanted to do when he noticed his hands trembling.

“Hey, uh, Nico, are you alright?” asked Prop.

Everyone turned to look at him.

“I-I’m not sure if fireflower agrees with me,” mumbled Nico before turning and running off towards the balcony.

Calling out his name, Lucy followed him, but he didn’t stop nor turn back to look at the queen. He stumbled into his room, sweating and panting; what was he to do with this new information? What other secrets were they hiding? For that matter, should he reveal his secret? Nico turned towards a corner, and a nice large shadow seemed to call to him from behind a shelf. Pushing all caution aside and reaching for the need to get away to process everything, Nico shadow-traveled.

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