Nico spoke first. "We're screwed." I wanted to say something encouraging but I didn't even believe myself, so I just laughed shakily. Nico gave me an incredulous look. "Is this a time to laugh stupid?" I held up my hands in surrender.

"At least I'm not stating the obvious!" I retorted. Nico looked like he wanted to argue, but he couldn't because I, like always, was right. While glaring at me he didn't notice that a sleek black greyhound was crouching right behind me ready to strike at him. "Nico! Watch out!" The greyhound struck the same time I lunged for Nico sending both of us sprawling. I felt dog spit right next to my ear and I forced myself to resist gagging. I turned my face to get a peek of Nico and saw that he was summoning 4 skeletons. A searing pain traveled through my entire arm and I cried out in pain. The dog had taken his paw and raked it across my arm. I couldn't even move it without feeling an unbearable pain. Fortunately, the skeletons took the fight from me.

"Will!" Nico ran to my side. He started when he looked at my arm. It looked and felt severe. I wasn't going to worry Nico though.

"It's just a little bit of bleeding, I'm sure it's fine," I said casually.

Nico snorted.

"If that's your definition of little, I don't want to know what you think severe is," he shook his head and stood up. I took his hand and he helped me up. We both turned around to see the skeletons open a dark portal and pull the dog in with them. I heard a thump behind me. Nico had fallen onto his knees. I knew exactly what had happened. He must have used all of his energy to avoid killing the hound.

"Nico, that was a stupid thing to do," I chided softly. "You could have just killed it." I kneeled down to wrap my arms around him. My nico. My love. The person that I would die for. I felt him rest his head on my shoulder and then he gasped.

"Will, your arm!" I looked down to see my arm begin glowing. The deep scratches began to knit and close, and I felt much more energetic. It seemed to affect Nico too, just because his hand was on mine.

"Whoa," I said at last. This had never happened before, and I had no idea how to respond. Nico scowled. "It looks like the sunbeams healed you."

"I guess," I said, deciding to just go along with what Nico said, he was the expert after all. He began to chew his nails, lost in thought. I nearly shuddered; biting your nails was an extremely unhealthy habit and could cause multiple diseases. He finally spoke.

"Are your parents your real parents?"

"What?!" I spluttered. "Of course they are!" That seemed like an extremely stupid question. I wasn't adopted or anything, and both of them loved me equally. Nico opened his mouth but I cut him off. I didn't need anymore questioning of my parents. "Nico why didn't you kill the hound and get it over with?"

He asked. "Remind me, what was the name of the girl we had met?"

"Europe?"

"Yeah, short for Europa. Zeus sent her and her dog laeleps to intercept us, and Laeleps can't be killed."

I had heard from my mythology teacher that the fates had literally made it impossible to kill. It was against destiny to go against Europa's hunting dog. I swore.

"We're screwed."

Nico chuckled. "Now who's stating the obvious?"