[ it's a relief nico's not going to try and play peacekeeper between the two of them. luke doesn't trust clarisse to not put her spear in his back if they'd been left alone in tight quarters. another boy's trip — even though luke feels as though it's going to be awkward as hell, he figures it's better than lingering around caer glaem with the child of war fuming over him. ]

Kill us how? [ monsters. luke's not too worried about losing all sense of direction when it comes to their equipment. he figures he'll be able to figure out a route, even if it means taking a few wrong turns at first. ] I get you're the kid of death himself, but I've just bounced back from having to wait in line for my ticket to Elysium. I'm not too keen on going back down there.

[ even though he's worried, he has backbiter now. nico and jason have their weapons, and luke is no longer a liability, a child they need to babysit and watch out for when they're too spent and exhausted from battling the creatures that have tried to tear them limb from limb. ]