⸻

The courtyard went quiet. Not completely. Somebody dropped something. A metal clang echoed across stone. A bird screamed from a nearby tree. But human conversation died almost instantly. Raine stepped out. Noah followed. Maya exited from the other side. Every eye turned. Noah's blood boiled. He knew these people. Some were friends. Some classmates. Some instructors. Most weren't trying to be cruel. They were curious. Afraid.

The first child of the Three in almost a century had just arrived covered in blood. Still. Noah wanted to punch all of them. Raine stood beside the car. Very still. His face had disappeared behind something Noah recognized. A mask. Not magical. Better. The same one Raine used when he was frightened and determined nobody would know. Sarcasm would come next. Or anger. Maybe both. One student whispered:

"That's him?"

Noah turned. The student immediately looked away. Good. Maya moved to Raine's side. Not touching. Close enough. Raine looked toward the courtyard. The broken helm. Then the tower. Then the students.

"So."

His voice carried farther than expected.

"This is subtle."

Noah almost laughed. Several people did. The tension broke slightly. Raine looked irritated. Excellent. Better than terrified. A woman came down the infirmary steps. Dr. Celeste Ward. Head healer. Daughter of Asclepius. Forty-something. Terrifying. Noah liked her. Mostly because she had once reset his dislocated shoulder while calling him an idiot seventeen consecutive times. Her eyes moved over Raine. Blood. Bruising. Hands. Expression. Then Noah. Her face hardened. Wonderful.

"Santiago."

"Hi."

"What did you do?"

Raine snorted. Noah looked at him. Raine covered it badly. Celeste's attention shifted.

"You must be Raine."

Raine's humor vanished. He nodded.

"I'm Dr. Ward."

"I'm fine."

Celeste looked at Noah. Noah mouthed:

"Told you."

She returned her attention to Raine.

"That's lovely."

Raine blinked.

"You're still coming inside."

Maya smiled. Raine stared at Celeste. Then at Noah.

"I like her less than you."

"Give it time."

Celeste pointed toward the infirmary.

"Inside."

Raine looked around. Dozens of people still watching. His jaw tightened. Then he walked. Maya beside him. Noah followed. As they passed the courtyard, the shadows beneath the broken helm moved. Noah saw it. So did Raine. The darkness spilled from beneath the pedestal. One thin line. Across the stone. Toward him. Raine stopped. Everyone noticed. Fuck. 

The shadow reached his boot. Then— the cracked pieces of the helm shifted. Stone scraped stone. Someone gasped. Noah's hand moved automatically toward his weapon. Raine stared. Nothing else happened. The darkness curled once around his foot. Then vanished. Silence. Raine looked at Noah. Noah had absolutely nothing useful to offer. So Raine whispered:

"Is that normal?"

Noah exhaled.

"No."

"Great."

Celeste opened the infirmary door.

"Inside before you accidentally resurrect the architecture."

Raine stared. Maya choked. Noah laughed. He couldn't help it. Raine pointed at Celeste.

"I like her."

"I knew you would."

⸻

The infirmary smelled like antiseptic and ambrosia. Raine noticed immediately.

"What is that?"

"Which part?" Maya asked.

"The smell."

Celeste pulled gloves on.

"Ambrosia."

Raine stopped.

"Like the salad?"

Noah made a noise. Maya covered her mouth. Celeste stared. Raine looked between them.

"What?"

"No," Noah said.

Raine's eyes narrowed.

"Then why the fuck did you call it that?"

"Because the food was named after the mythological—"

"Don't care."

Celeste pointed toward an examination table.

"Sit."

Raine sat. Mostly because he looked too exhausted to argue. Noah stayed near the wall. Distance. Good. Raine noticed. Bad. Maya sat in a chair beside him. Celeste examined his shoulder. Raine hissed.

"That hurt."

"Yes."

"You could apologize."

"No."

Raine stared. Maya smiled. Noah looked at the ceiling. God, he was fucked. Celeste pressed along the shoulder again.

"Bruised. Possibly mild strain."

"I told you I was fine."

"You're covered in blood."

Raine went completely still. The room changed. Celeste froze. Noah's stomach dropped. Wrong. Maya reached for his hand. Raine pulled it away. Not angrily. Fast. Like contact hurt.

"That isn't mine."

His voice was quiet. Celeste's expression softened immediately.

"I know."

Raine stared at his hands. Dried red beneath the nails. Across his knuckles. He swallowed. Noah wanted to do something. Anything. Wash them. Get him clothes. Make tea. Kill whoever had done it. That last one felt achievable. Good. Noah latched onto it. Someone killed Raine's mother. Someone signed H. Someone wanted Raine to believe Hades had done it. Maybe Hades had. Noah didn't know. But he could find out. That was a task. A direction. Useful. Celeste pulled a basin from beneath the counter. Warm water. Cloth. She set it near Raine.

"You can wash whenever you're ready."

Raine stared. Then slowly put his hands into the water. Red bloomed away from his fingers. Noah looked down. He couldn't watch. Coward. Probably. Maya watched for him. Of course she did. Raine scrubbed once. Twice. Harder. The water pinkened. Then red. He scrubbed beneath his nails. His breathing became faster. Celeste touched his wrist gently.

"Slow."

Raine stopped. His eyes filled. Fuck. Noah looked away again. He hated himself. Maya didn't. She moved closer. Raine whispered:

"I can't get it off."

"It's coming off," Maya said.

"No."

He scrubbed again.

"Maya."

"It is."

"There's still—"

"I know."

She took the cloth.

"Let me."

Raine let her. Noah's chest hurt. Maya washed his hands. Slowly. Carefully. Like this was something ordinary. Like she had done it a thousand times. Maybe that was what Raine needed. Not Noah. Definitely not Noah. Celeste looked toward him. Then toward the door. Message received. Noah nodded. He stepped outside. The door closed behind him. He leaned against the stone wall. Breathed. Once. Twice. Then punched it. Pain exploded through his knuckles. Good. Again. A hand caught his wrist before the third. Noah turned. His instructor stood beside him. Marcus Vale. Son of Athena. Mid-thirties. The voice from the phone. Of course.

"Finished?"

Noah pulled his hand free.

"No."

Marcus looked at his knuckles.

"Helpful."

"Fuck off."

"Also helpful."

Noah glared. Marcus looked through the infirmary window. Raine. Maya. Celeste. His expression changed.

"His mother?"

"Dead."

"I heard."

"Then why ask?"

"I didn't."

Noah looked away. Marcus folded his arms.

"What happened?"

"You read the report."

"I read six words."

"Efficient."

"NOAH."

There. Instructor voice. Noah hated instructor voice. He leaned against the wall.

"Two monsters at the school. We handled them. Raine manifested."

"How strongly?"

Noah laughed once.

"How strongly?"

"Answer."

"He nearly strangled one with every shadow in the hallway."

Marcus went still.

"Without training?"

"Yes."

"Conscious control?"

"Eventually."

Marcus looked toward the infirmary. Noah stepped between him and the window. Marcus noticed. Of course.

"Move."

"No."

"Noah."

"He's not a fucking exhibit."

"I didn't say he was."

"You're looking at him like one."

Marcus stared. Noah didn't move. Eventually Marcus sighed.

"The Oracle was right."

Noah's jaw tightened.

"Apparently."

"Has he been claimed?"

"He doesn't need to be."

"That isn't how claiming works."

"His father is Hades."

"We suspect."

Noah laughed.

"Come on."

Marcus's expression remained serious.

"We do not make assumptions with divine lineage."

"His shadows almost murdered a monster."

"Hecate."

"No."

"Nyx."

"No."

"Erebus."

"No."

"Thanatos."

Noah stopped. Marcus noticed. No. The Oracle said Death. Death has fathered mortal blood. Not Hades. Death. Actual Death. Thanatos. Noah's stomach twisted. Wait. Raine's mother had referred to his father. The note had H. Raine had connected H to Hades. Noah had told him Hades. But— Fuck. Marcus's eyes narrowed.

"You hadn't considered that."

"No."

"You should."

Noah looked through the window. Raine sat with Maya. His clean hands now curled in his lap. Black hair. White streaks. Shadows. Noah swallowed.

"No."

"Very compelling argument."

"No."

Marcus sighed.

"The Oracle said Death. Hades is lord of the dead. He is not death itself."

"I know mythology."

"Your recent decisions have made me question several things."

Noah glared. Marcus ignored it.

"Until a god claims him, we do not know."

Noah's blood went cold. Claim. Raine didn't even know that existed yet. And if Hades wasn't— No. Stop. One catastrophe at a time. Marcus continued.

"We need to speak with him."

"Not tonight."

"Noah."

"His mother died three hours ago."

"I'm aware."

"Then act like it."

Marcus's jaw tightened.

"He is potentially the most significant demigod to enter Soteria in a century."

"And?"

"And we have responsibilities."

Noah stepped closer.

"So do I."

Marcus looked at him. There it was. The problem. Noah heard himself. Too protective. Too angry. Too personal. Marcus's expression softened slightly.

"Did you get attached?"

Noah laughed bitterly.

"Fantastic timing."

"That wasn't an accusation."

"It sounded like one."

"I told you not to."

"I KNOW."

Too loud. A few students nearby looked over. Noah lowered his voice.

"I know."

Marcus stared at him. Noah rubbed his face. 

"I tried."

There. Pathetic. True.

"I fucking tried."

Marcus didn't speak. Noah looked through the glass again. Raine had leaned against Maya. Eyes closed. Exhausted. Alive. That mattered.

"I didn't know."

Marcus's voice was quieter.

"About what?"

Noah laughed.

"All of it."

He looked down at his bruising knuckles.

"I didn't know it was him."

"At first."

"No."

"And when you suspected?"

Noah said nothing. Marcus understood.

"Ah."

"Don't."

"Noah."

"I said don't."

Marcus sighed.

"What happened?"

None of his business. Absolutely none. Noah answered anyway.

"I kissed him."

Marcus closed his eyes. Noah stared.

"That reaction feels excessive."

"You kissed the target."

"Don't call him that."

Marcus opened his eyes.

"You kissed the unidentified demigod you had been ordered to observe."

"Three times."

"Why would you add that?"

"I don't know."

Marcus rubbed his forehead.

"I'm going to develop a migraine."

"Probably."

"And now?"

Noah looked through the window. Raine opened his eyes. For one second, they looked directly at each other through the glass. Raine looked away. There. Answer.

"Now he hates me."

Marcus followed Noah's gaze.

"No."

Noah frowned.

"What?"

"He's angry with you."

"Difference?"

"Yes."

"Helpful."

Marcus looked at him.

"You're eighteen. Everything feels terminal."

"That's dramatic."

"You are the son of Apollo."

"Fair."

Marcus stepped away from the wall.

"Give him space."

Noah laughed.

"That's exactly what I've been doing."

"Good."

"I hate it."

"I know."

Marcus started walking. Noah frowned.

"Where are you going?"

"To tell everyone that the terrifying child of Death needs several hours before we interrogate him."

Noah's shoulders relaxed.

"Thanks."

Marcus stopped. Looked back.

"And Noah?"

"What?"

"If you punch another four-hundred-year-old wall, I'm making you repair it."

Noah looked at his hand. Then the stone. A small smear of blood.

"Fair."

Marcus left. Noah remained. Behind the infirmary window, Raine sat beside Maya. Noah watched him. Then forced himself to stop. Space. Right. He could do space. Probably. Maybe. Fuck.