Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

JASON

This is where the beginning would go. If only I could remember it.

There is no beginning. I'm afraid I've lost it. But then again, it's hardly the worst thing I've lost.

If you're reading this right now because you too lost something, then this story is for you. I was in the same boat as you once. Believe me, I get it. I'm so terribly sorry.

Maybe you're one of us. Maybe you just forgot. It can happen. They can do that. If any of this feels familiar, keep reading.

You need to remember.

But if you'd rather believe you have all your memories intact, that your memories are real—if you know who you are, where you came from, and who your friends are—you're still more than welcome to read on. I'll be really jealous, but I can't deny a fellow bookworm.

Who knows?

Maybe you'll find yourself along the way.

It all comes down to two words.

How and why.

How something like this could even happen and why did it have to happen specifically to me?

Imagine: one minute you're a normal kid—with a life, with friends, worrying about school, or getting your first job—then you wake up on the side of the road, with no family, no home, and no identity.

My name was Jason, I at least was sure of that. I didn't know what my last name was, or if I ever had one.

I had nothing. I was utterly, completely alone. A person with no past, on a road to nowhere.

That all changed when I met them.

When I snuck onto that bus in Phoenix. When I went on a school trip, even though I never went to school. When everything went from bad to worse.

Like I said, I can't tell you how this story starts. So instead of starting in the beginning, let's start in the middle...

... of a storm.

Chapter Text

LEO

It was our last trip of the school year. In just a week the summer break would begin.

For you guys that probably means visiting different countries, spending time with friends at the beach, or a road-trip across the states. Congratulations, your lives don't suck.

Me on the other hand, my life sucks a big one. Summer means one thing for me, and one thing only—going to a foster home.

They always act like you're ungrateful if you don't like them, foster parents, even though if they didn't get money out of you, they'd never consider taking you in. Some people will say they want to be your family. That they really care about you, and you belong there. Don't trust them. There's always a catch.

Here's a warning from a much more experienced friend—eventually everyone who says they care about you will either leave or disappoint you.

I can't wait till I turn 18. Then I won't have to bother with foster care, or this stupid school.

You may be wondering why I couldn't just run away. That's an excellent question. It's not like I lack the experience to pull it off. I did some daring escapes back in my day. But I've got someone to look after now. And she wouldn't last long in this school without me.

I don't know what Piper's deal is really. She doesn't talk about her home life, and she doesn't ask about mine. That's why we became friends. Whoever her parents were, I feel like they must've kept her locked up in her room her whole life. The first day she came to school it was like an alien trying to blend into human society.

“Psst. Valdez, right? How do I open this thing? I've only seen lockers in movies.”

“Damn, what's her problem? Does she have a stick up her— Crap, she heard me!”

“What is even the point of homework? Can't we just do all this stuff in class so we don't have to do it after?”

Come on, I had to help her out. They would've eaten her alive. She's a total dork, but she's my dork. And I was going to lose her the moment this school year ended. She said she didn't know if her dad would make her come back after the summer was over. If I'm being honest, I wouldn't blame him if he didn't. This place sucked.

So yeah, I wasn't exactly looking forward to the summer break. The storm didn't improve my mood either.

“How unlucky are we that we're in the middle of the desert, and yet the moment we step out of the bus, it starts raining!?” Piper said, rigging the water out of her hair like a towel.

“Welcome to Arizona, baby! We call this a monsoon thunderstorm.”

She shot me an angry glance. I shot her a winning grin. Being annoying is like my special superpower.

“Ugh, stupid hair!” she said, trying to untangle a knot.

I reached into my tool belt. Nuts and bolts. Disassembled MP3 players. A half eaten sandwich. Aha!

“Here you go,” I said, handing Piper a palm hairbrush.

She looked confused, but she gratefully took it from my hand.

“Dude, how do you keep all that stuff in there?” she said, brushing her dark brown hair.

“I just like being prepared for any situation.” I shrugged.

“You still look like a dork with that tool belt,” she shot. But she still couldn't help but smile.

“Alright, cupcakes, good news, it looks like we left the storm back in Williams. It's smooth sailings from now on! We'll be at the Grand Canyon in no time!” Coach Hedge yelled from the front of the bus.

If Danny DeVito became a P.E. teacher instead of an actor, you would get Coach Hedge. Short, squat and grouchy. The only thing that set him apart was the fiery red goatee, and curly hair poking out from his baseball hat, which he probably wore just to hide the fact that he was balding. A whistle hung from the fat rolls on his neck, which he was eager to use whenever we got out of line.

“Could you speak up, Coach? We can't hear you from up here,” Bobby Nelson said, and everyone on the bus exploded with laughter.

Personally, I was above that kind of humor. Because I was 6'8", with washboard abs, and all that jazz, so I was above most things. Word.

Without missing a beat, Coach walked up calmly to Nelson, slowly pulled out a megaphone strapped to his belt and the windows in the bus shook.

“CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW, NELSON?!”

“Yes!” Bobby whined, covering his ears.

“WHAT WAS THAT?! SPEAK UP, I CANNOT HEAR YOU FROM DOWN HERE!”

“Yes sir, I can hear you, sir!”

“GOOD!”

Satisfied with his work, the teacher spun the megaphone on his finger and strapped it back to his belt.

“We'll be at the Grand Canyon in five minutes!" he said like it was a threat. "If I hear one of you monsters stole anything, I will destroy you!”

I should probably explain. Piper and I go to the Wilderness School. “Where kids are the animals”. Basically this is where you go when you're too bad for any normal school, but not bad enough for juvie. A transitional period between the two, if you will.

I got sent here because I ran away from 7 different foster homes. Bobby Nelson was a pickpocket. Dylan Bones had anger management issues. Mary Richards was a shoplifter. And Piper... I have no idea. Personally I can't really picture Piper committing any crime, let alone one worthy of getting her here.

“Alright cupcakes, we're here. Leave the bus in an orderly fashion and make sure you have a buddy!” Coach said looking at his writing pad.

“If your buddy is planning an escape, do not join his poorly constructed plan. That goes especially for you Valdez. We don't want a repeat of the stagecoach incident." (Some of my finest work). "You should immediately inform me, or Miss Parker over there about anything of the sort, got it?” he said pointing at the mousy looking teacher, with mousy looking hair who stood next to him. “First thing on our list is the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Please do not try to shove anyone off of it, because I would have to file a lot of paperwork, and I don't really feel like it. Then we're gonna go explore the Native Village. Who knows, maybe you'll actually learn something.”

Jill Abernathy turned to Piper with a stupid grin. “You hear that, Tanto? You're going home.”

I kicked her seat so hard she almost fell backwards.

Wilderness School. Where kids are the animals. And if you stick out from the pack, they will eat you alive.

“Speaking of shoving people off the skywalk...” I mumbled.

Piper put her hand on my shoulder.

“Stop it. It's not worth it.”

Piper had this amazing ability to calm me down, even when my classmates made me want to do something unethical. Unlike me, she was always trying to be nice and well behaved. I really have no idea what she was doing in a place like this.

As I was pondering it, getting out from my seat, some guy in a grey hoodie crashed right into me, and basically stormed out of the bus. I didn't think much of it at the time. That's just how you leave a bus in Wilderness School.

I yelled at the dude to watch where he's going, but then I realized I have no idea who that is. And I know everyone in my class.

“We've got a new kid before the end of the year?”

Piper looked his way, and shrugged. She didn't recognize him either. “I guess so.”

I tried to get a better look at him, but he already blended into the crowd.

“Weird.”

It was an ordeal to push past the other students, especially if you're short and scrawny, like me. You wouldn't believe the amount of times I almost got trampled under other people's feet.

Fortunately Coach was right. The weather here was much nicer than in Phoenix. The sun shone bright on the clear blue sky, but it was breezy enough so that you didn't feel the heat. I could see the Canyon a few paces from us. It sure was something to behold. Orange peaks spanning beyond the horizon.

If you asked me, this was the best part of school trips.

Now came the worst. I heard an obnoxious voice behind me.

“Heeey, Piper!”

Pipes groaned. “Not him again.”

It was Dylan. Of course.

Let me paint you a picture of Dylan, so you can soak in all of his nasty stank. Dylan is one of those guys who think they're super hot, when they clearly weren't. I'm not saying I'm a supermodel, but at least I know it. He gelled up his hair, and always shot girls his shit eating grin, that only showed off he didn't own a toothbrush. He was also really bad at shaving, as you could tell from all the pimples on his chin. Gross.

“Hey there, beautiful,” he said, leaning on the bus, trying to look all cool.

“Hey, Dylan,” Piper sighed, rolling her eyes.

“I was thinking maybe, you and me, just the two of us, buddies? How's that sound for you?”

He wiggled his eyebrows, and I could see Piper struggling not to throw up.

All the guys at school hit on Piper. I guess she's pretty. It's not like I think she's ugly, I just never thought of Piper in that way. She was more like a sister to me than anything. And most of the guys at our school are assholes, so I don't think she enjoyed the attention all that much.

“Oh, man, what a shame,” Piper said, pretending to be sad. “I would love to be your partner, but the thing is, I already promised Leo.”

“Who?”

“Down here,” I said, taking Piper by the hand. “I hope you have your worksheet, because I used up mine for spit takes hours ago.”

We followed the rest of the group, laughing together. Dylan just stood there in front of the bus, still struggling to comprehend that a girl just rejected him.

“We were supposed to bring worksheets?” was the last thing I heard from him, before he left my periphery.

It must've been a slow day. Outside of us there weren't that many visitors.

An older couple with a dog walked past us, amazed at everything they read on the information tablets.

Piper followed them, writing down what they said on her worksheet. Piper had dyslexia, which made it harder for her to do homework. I didn't have dyslexia. I just didn't like to read. Or do homework.

I looked around at the other people. There was a group of tourists, who were probably German judging by the flag strapped to their tour guide's back. They snapped pictures of everything, even the toilets.

I left them alone, and looked around some more. There he was. The new kid from the bus. He sat in the corner away from the rest of the group. He didn't exactly look like Wilderness material. If it wasn't for his disheveled clothes, the raggedy backpack slung over his shoulder, and dirt on his face, he would've looked kinda preppy. Short blonde hair, and big blue eyes, made even bigger by his gold-rimmed glasses.

He was looking as intently as I was at him, but his attention wasn't on me. My eyes followed his.

He was staring down a man in a long, dark trench coat. He seemed perfectly comfortable, despite the fact the way he was dressed didn't match the weather in the slightest. He wore a black bowler hat on top of his pale, bald head. I must've been staring too long, because he turned his head to look at me. He wore a pair of round blue shades, but I still could feel his gaze burning a hole inside me. I turned myself around and hurried after Piper.

“How's our homework coming along?”

“Hardy har har. You could at least try to help you know? Come on. 'What's the name of the river that flows through the Grand Canyon?'”

“Rio Grande.”

She paused for a moment.

“Really?”

“Totally, dude.”

I stopped her right as she hovered her pen over the paper.

“It's Colorado. You dolt.”

“You jerk!” she poked me in the ribs with her pen and laughed, I laughed with her, and helped her with the next question.

Our good mood dissipated when we heard an annoying voice behind us again.

“Hey, you over there! Lenny!”

I turned around to see Dylan standing in front of me in all his grossness.

“Leo,” I corrected him. “We've been classmates for two years.”

I could tell from the look he was giving me that he wasn't even listening.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Listen, I've had this problem, and I think you can help me get rid of it.”

He wrapped his arm around me in a friendly gesture. Except his arm was around my neck, and was squishing a little too tight for comfort.

“Mind if I borrow him for a moment, Piper?” he grinned at her. It wasn't a very friendly smile.

She looked me in the eyes, unsure.

“Leo...”

“You can do our worksheet without me, right? I'm just gonna have a nice chat with my buddy Dylan over here. Right Dylan?”

I patted him on the back as hard as I could and challenged Dylan with my own “friendly” smile.

Bring it on, asshole.

“Yeah, just a nice, civil conversation between two bros,” Dylan said, looking at me with murderous intent.

I was pulled away from Piper before she could protest further. I looked over my shoulder and gave her a nod that said I would be okay. She didn't seem to buy it. Neither did I, to be honest.

I was hoping that maybe Coach Hedge would've noticed we were splitting from the group, but no such luck. We already passed the gift shop, disappearing behind the group of German tourists.

He opened the door into some unattended corridor and carried me off.

My stomach twisted itself in anticipation of the beating I was about to get. See, I was very good at picking fights with people. Now actually winning them, that was another story.

“You know, if you wanted to confess your feelings, you could've found a more romantic spot.”

“Shut up and keep moving,” he spat into my ear.

We turned towards a flight of stairs. We passed the second floor and kept going up the steps. I had no idea how Dylan knew the layout of this place, but that wasn't my biggest concern at the moment. He shoved me through the door and I found myself on the roof. Air immediately escaped my lungs as he pushed me against the wall.

“It's not my fault Piper likes me more than you," I tried laughing through the pain. Dylan pushed against me, and I felt my ribs bending. "M—maybe she just enjoys the company of a guy who uses soap from time to time."

Something was wrong. Dylan shouldn't be this strong. And the look in his eyes didn't belong to a hooligan getting in a fight. He looked like he actually wanted to kill me. And like he could actually follow through with it.

“Shut your mouth already, half-blood mutt!” he growled.

I felt the blood in my veins run cold.

“What did you just call me?” I said putting on a smile. “Is this some roundabout way of calling me short?”

I forced a laugh. Dylan wasn't laughing.

“I think I'm going to start by ripping out your throat. I don't like my food talking back to me."

I got a much better look at Dylan's teeth than I even wanted to. His breath stank like hot garbage, and I could see the bits of food between them, and— Were they always this sharp?

Oh, no.

I felt his death grip on me weaken, as his arms pulled away, shaking. I could hear a noise, something bending or cracking. Dylan's spine curved as he stumbled in pain.

The ugly stubble on his face turned into a full blown beard, but then it just didn't stop growing, spreading through his whole body. His face squashed and stretched, his ears traveled from the sides of his head to the top, his cheeks became flabbier, until they turned into flaps of skin, hanging off his mouth. He tore off his hoodie with a loud howl, revealing a dog tag on his neck.

Gnasher.

He looked like a man with a head of a bulldog. A really pissed off bulldog.

I've had some run-ins with stray dogs in my life, I knew that look. That's the look that said “If you know what's good for you, you will run”.

“I was going to start with the girl, but you really pissed me off, kid. Two demigods for the price of one! What a catch! I'll suck the marrow off your bones!”

I jumped away, and Doggie Dylan crashed into the wall. That pissed him off even more, probably. But I didn't look back to make sure. I was too busy running for my life.

Maybe if I wasn't in mortal danger, I would've noticed that the sky has changed, clear blue replaced with heavy, dark storm clouds. Maybe if I noticed then I could've prevented what came after.

I looked down over the banister and saw a flight of stairs wrapping around the building. Doggie Dylan was already recovering from his light concussion.

I took a deep breath and jumped.

Chapter Text

PIPER

I am convinced that school was invented to torture kids. I've never really been to one before, but based on this past year, I'd say that's about right.

With Leo gone I had to work on my worksheet alone. Which stunk.

I grew up home schooled, and even then, I wasn't exactly top of my class. But I lost that privilege after The Accident. That's how my dad always referred to it whenever he brought it up. The Accident.

Outside of serving as my punishment, Wilderness School held one important distinction—no one would look for me here, and no one here knew who I was.

Maybe they just weren't up to date with modern trends, who knows? Or maybe people really do look drastically different without makeup. That was fine by me. I never really liked the stuff anyway.

I needed to disappear, and one of my dad's agents suggested this place. I guess he didn't look into what it would really mean for me to be stuck here for months. Or maybe he just didn't care.

I've been thinking about it more and more lately. Maybe it was because soon my sentence here would be over, and I'd have go back to California, leave my first ever real friend behind, and face my dad for the first time in—

"Ow!" My face smashed hard into something solid. Or rather, someone.

I got too lost in thought and didn't even realize I was heading for another student. I practically walked right into him.

He looked kinda pretty, at least by Wilderness standards, even with dirt all over his face and clothes. I didn't really have room to judge, since I didn't really care either if my clothes looked that pristine anymore.

“I'm so sorry!” he blurted, and picked me up from the floor.

Wow, a genuine apology? That was new.

The way he fixed those gold-rimmed glasses on his nose looked really nerdy, but when I grabbed his hand I was surprised by how strong his arms must've been.

That's when I realized I recognized that jean jacket hoodie from the bus.

“You're the new kid!”

“Pardon?” he cocked his head.

“Sorry— You're new in Wilderness School, right?”

“Uh... Yes! Exactly. They signed me up just a few days ago, this is my first day.”

“Well then, my condolences,” I chuckled and extended my hand to him. “I'm Piper.”

He looked at my hand weirdly. Like he briefly forgot what handshakes were. Then the realization came to him and he shook it.

“Jason,” he smiled.

“My work partner is a bit occupied at the moment, do you mind helping me with this stupid worksheet?” I whipped the paper in the air.

His interest seemed peaked.

“I'm pretty knowledgeable about American parks. Not to brag,” he grinned, like that was somehow a cool thing to say.

I had to give him one thing. He definitely wasn't lying about being knowledgeable. By the time we reached the actual skywalk, he had already almost finished the worksheet. He didn't even look once at the informational tablets. Dude was just working off memory. He looked so focused too.

“Having fun?” I asked.

“Huh?” I broke him out of his concentration. He pulled out the pen he was chewing on from his mouth. “Oh, sorry. I should probably leave some questions for you.”

Then he noticed the state of my pen.

“Oh my gods, I'm very sorry about that!” he said guilty, grabbing his head.

“It's alright,” I assured him. “It's not even really mine.”

“Oh,” he said a little embarrassed. “Well, I'm still sorry. It's a bad habit.”

“Chill. My friend Leo has ADHD. When he's bored he starts playing percussion with his fingers or starts unscrewing every screw he can get his hands on. I've gotten used to it.”

I assured Jason he could answer as many questions as he'd like, and we went on our merry way.

I caught him popping up from behind the worksheet and scanning the building several times. I wondered if maybe someone was bullying him. In my one year at this awful place I've seen my fair share of runaways and bullied kids. They all acted like that, unsure, alert, like at any moment, from anywhere an attack could come. I started noticing other things, like his scraped knee, the scar on his lips, the tape holding his gold rimmed glasses together. I doubt he was covered in dirt because he just tripped.

We stepped onto the skywalk, and I briefly had to shield my eyes from the sun.

“Wow. I never knew I'd actually see it in person,” Jason said. There was a spark in his eyes, like he was genuinely in awe.

He was so not like any kid from Wilderness School. All our classmates were busy shoving each other around, and spitting loogies into the Colorado river (Yeah, Leo, I remembered it's not the Rio Grande!).

I relaxed on the banister with my new buddy, enjoying the view of the great striped peaks, and the great blue river flowing bellow. You'd think it was some fantastic alien planet if not for the green folliage and the flocks of birds flying between the ravines. I felt that cool summer breeze brushing my hair, and breathed in slowly.

“It's something beautiful, huh?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is.”

Then the cool summer breeze ripped the worksheet out of my hand.

“Crap! There goes my best grade this year,” I laughed, watching the piece of paper spinning into the blue sky.

The wind was picking up now. My hair flew into my face. Jason wasn't laughing. He was pale and his eyes were wide.

“We have to get out of here.”

He looked really serious all of a sudden. The staff was telling my classmates and the tourists to leave the skywalk in an orderly fashion, cause it wasn't safe to use it in this kind of weather.

I stole one last glance at the landscape before me. Dark clouds were rolling by from the south. The storm was catching up to us all the way from Phoenix.

“I mean, yeah, school trip ruined, but it's just a storm,” I said. But he looked like he's just seen a ghost. “Are you okay? Are you scared of lightning?”

He didn't answer me, he just grabbed my hand and bolted to the building.

Everyone else already vacated the entrance to the skywalk. We were the last stragglers. Jason was getting frantic. I didn't like it.

“You have to hide. It's not safe here.”

“Dude, what's going on? You're freaking me out.”

He took my hands in his.

“Piper, something dangerous is about to happen. I don't really have time to explain. You have to find your class, and get out of here, okay?”

I was deeply aware that I very well could be dealing with a crazy person. That would explain why someone like him was in Wilderness School. He seemed so nice, so intelligent, so obviously there had to be something wrong with him.

But there was something about the look in his eyes. Maybe I was being an idiot, but he didn't seem like someone lying, or someone who's delusional. He was for real.

"I—"

“Step—away—from—her.”

I snapped my head in the direction of the voice.

I have never seen Coach Hedge this angry. He's always had a bit of short fuse, all the students knew that, but this was different. This was cold fury. His eyes were shadowed deeply bellow his brow, and he looked like he was about to rip Jason to shreds.

Jason quickly let go of my hands.

“Uhm... sir?”

“I said step away from my student,” Coach spoke through gritted teeth. “Right now.”

Jason took a few steps back, and Coach was on him in a matter of seconds.

“You think I don't know what you are?” Coach growled, grabbing Jason's jacket and pushing him against the wall.

“Coach, what are you doing?!”

“Don't come any closer, Piper!” he yelled. His voice didn't sound angry when he spoke to me, only concerned. I didn't move. Coach sounded serious.

“You think I don't know what you're doing?”

“Sir, we have to get out of here. There are—”

“I'm the one talking now, not you!”

“I'm sorry,” Jason said.

“And drop the nice guy act! I know what you really are! But you won't even get a bite in, you hear me? Cause I'm protecting these demigods!”

“Demigods?” I repeated.

“Bite?” Jason repeated. He looked confused, then his eyes widened. “Ooooh! You think I'm the monster!”

“Monster?!” I repeated, more and more confused.

But Coach and Jason weren't paying attention to me. Coach's face turned pale.

“Di immortales, you're not?”

I was getting impatient, and was about to yell at both of them what the hell they were talking about. But I couldn't make out a word. I froze.

Someone was breathing down my neck, and their breath was as cold as ice.

“I'm afraid he isn't.”

I barely managed to turn my head around to look at the person—the thing—standing behind me.

Tall, dark man, in a trench coat, with eyes hiding under sunglasses. His voice was as cold as his breath.

Even though the howling wind outside didn't follow us into the building, his coat was billowing in the air.

I walked back to Coach and Jason as slowly as I could. I didn't want him to notice. But I also couldn't move any faster. My legs felt heavy, like they were made of led.

“Hello, Demigod Boy,” the man rolled the vowels in his mouth. I could hear the humor in his voice. Jason now looked at him the way Coach Hedge was looking at Jason just a moment ago. “I just knew that if we let you go, you'd lead us to more of your kind.”

Demigod. Coach said that word too. Whatever it meant, Jason was one. And I guess this thing thought I was one as well, which didn't bode well for me.

I locked eyes with the new kid. He was thinking the same thing.

“Help,” I whispered.

“I'll get you out of this, I promise,” Jason whispered back. He was trying to sound confident, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. He looked scared. But not for himself.

For me.

“So what exactly are you, huh?” Coach Hedge walked casually between us and the grey man, seemingly unafraid. He stroked his red beard. “Not any kind of monster I've faced before.”

The dark man made a noise that was probably supposed to be laughter. It sounded more like someone hyperventilating.

“Oh, I'm sure you've slain a lot of monsters, satyr,” he said the last word like it was something shameful. I didn't know what it meant, but I felt anger welling in me. Coach Hedge was a jerk, but he was our jerk. He was the only teacher at Wilderness School that ever stood up for me and Leo.

“But I am not some vile beast stalking for children in the forest. I am a proud nature spirit.”

Jason was still giving him the death glare.

“Him and his friends attacked me in Phoenix. They caused the storm. They're venti.”

“Venti? Like at Starbucks?” I asked.

Listen, I was panicking, okay?

“Anemoi thuella,” Coach Hedge explained. I didn't know what language he was speaking in, but it somehow sounded familiar. Like I knew the words, but I've forgotten them.

“Hurricane winds,” Jason translated.

The man laughed that breathless laughter of his again.

“That's right girl. And if you don't want to get hurt, you'll come quietly with me.”

Coach Hedge raised his eyebrows.

“Now what does a nature spirit want with a couple of demigods? You said it yourself, you're not a monster.”

“I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to tell you, satyr. And if I was, I probably wouldn't feel like it.”

“Don't call him that,” I said. I don't know why. When I get scared, I lose my filter.

He snapped his head in my direction and I froze again. His glasses fell from the bridge of his nose. He had no eyes. Just two holes glowing with electricity. A crooked grin split his face.

“Or what?”

I couldn't muster the courage to answer, and he just laughed. He lifted his hands in the air, and all the lights started flickering. The closed doors to the skywalk busted open, letting the storm in. My hair stood on end. I could just feel the electricity in the air.

It pooled around the spirit's hands, like two glowing orbs of light.

“This is the part where you run, little heroes.”

He extended his hands, and the wall next to me exploded with light. I barely managed to duck from the sparks. I saw Jason's hand, and I took it without the second thought. We all jumped to our feet and sped down the corridor, the wheezing laughter following after us.

Light bulbs exploded in the corridor with each step of the grey man. I covered my head, my arms stinging as they were showered in glass.

I felt Jason's fingers uncurl from mine, and he slowed down.

“What are you doing?” I yelled after him.

“I'll hold him back!” he turned to Coach. “Get her out of here!”

Coach nodded solemnly.

“Wait!”

I tried to catch him, but he was sprinting down the dark corridor. Coach Hedge grabbed my hand and pulled me away. I tried not to think about what was going to happen next. As we turned the corner I could hear screams. Then the corridor behind us was illuminated in an explosion of light.

I kept running, not daring to look back. He was unarmed. He barely knew us, and he run to his certain death just to make sure we were safe.

A familiar voice woke me up from my stupor.

“Hey!”

Leo! I was so focused on all this insanity that I completely forgot about him. He ran right at me knocking me off balance. I grabbed him by the shirt, using his momentum to stop mine.

“Dylan dog!” he screamed into my face like a lunatic.

“Lightning man!” I screamed back.

“What are you talking about?!” Coach Hedge yelled.

Leo never got to answer. Because the wall next to us exploded.

I think I blacked out for a second or two. I was on the ground, covered in dust. My ears were ringing.

I got up in time to see that we were surrounded. On one side of the corridor, from the hole in the wall, came the storm spirit. On the other...

"Hello, Piper."

I recognized that obnoxious voice.

“Dylan” I said looking the weird human/dog hybrid over, trying to regain my composure. “You've gotten uglier.”

“To think I complimented your perfume,” he snarled.

“I don't wear perfume, dumbass.”

“Oh, but you do have such an inviting scent. Eau de Demi-dieu. Haha!”

My French was pretty good, but even if it wasn't I would've understood. He said 'demigod'. Everyone kept calling me that. I was getting really sick of it.

I turned to Coach Hedge. He was cradling his head.

Somewhere along the line his baseball hat fell off. There was something on his head. They looked almost like horns. But I've had enough crazy for one day, so I shoved that thought into the back of my head.

“What is he talking about?” I said motioning with my head at Dylan. “What's a demigod?”

“Ignore him. He's nothing compared to that thing behind us,” he shook his head. I noticed he didn't actually answer my question.

“Excuse you? I'm a powerful cynocephalus! Stop ignoring me!”

“Cyno-what?”

“Cynocephalus. Dog-headed,” Leo explained.

“Since when do you speak Latin?”

“It's Greek actually,” he corrected.

“Well isn't this just adorable. You adopted a dog?” the tall man laughed. “Shoo, Fido! Find some other kids to eat.”

Dylan stopped looking at us and turned to the man-not-man in the trench coat.

“Who do you think you are?! These demigods are mi—”

Doggie Dylan didn’t have a chance to finish that sentence. Doggie Dylan was a pile of ash.

Well, that takes care of one problem.

We all turned to the lightning man. Scratch that. Our problems were multiplying.

Because from behind the first one we could see two more enter the room.

“Any ideas?” Leo turned to me. I shook my head.

Coach stepped between us and the creatures, and pulled the megaphone off his belt. I was about to ask what good that would do, before he shouted into it.

It was as loud as a jet engine.

“HALT!” the coach bellowed, and the building shook. The sound wave blew the ghosts away into the aether. My ears were ringing again.

The coach spun his megaphone on his finger like a cowboy, and attached it back to his belt.

“That will take care of them, but not for long. You have to go!”

In the background, the grey shapes already started reforming.

“What about you?!”

Coach Hedge reached into his backpack, and pulled out a baseball bat. It looked like it was made of metal. And it sounded solid.

“I'm your teacher. I'm supposed to protect you.”

I felt Leo pulling on my hoodie.

“We have to go. They want us. The sooner we leave, the better for everyone else.”

“Coach, I—Are you taking off your legs?!”

“Huh? Oh yeah,” he kicked off the two very lifelike human legs like they were prosthetic, and he stood before us on a pair of hairy, cloven hooves. “I fight better without those two unwieldy things limiting my movement.”

“You—You're a—You're a goat?!” I felt my brain melting out of my ears.

“There's no time for that, Piper. Reinforcements are on their way. When you see a girl with blonde hair and grey eyes, tell her I sent you. She'll understand.”

The spirits already regained their forms, and were charging another attack.

“You don't stand a chance, satyr!”

“Stop calling him that!” I yelled.

“It's okay, kid,” Coach smirked, stretching his arms, then testing his baseball bat. “I am proud to be a satyr.”

He didn't even turn around to say his goodbyes. He roared, with a manic grin painted on his face, and rushed the terrible trio.

“I'm the satyr that's about to kick your asses!”

The ball of lightning ripped through the air, and right before it burned Coach Hedge to a crisp, it met his baseball bat. The soft blue glow turned red as he swung, returning to the senders.

Another explosion shook the building.

Leo grabbed my hand. I didn't want to run. I didn't want to leave another person behind. But I knew deep down that I would be of no help to the coach. I followed my friend, and run like a coward.

One of the spirits escaped Coach Hedge, and speed after us. I couldn't see him, but I could feel his breath on my neck. I heard something crash into the wall as we turned the corner. We were slowly running out of space to run.

As was evident when we stopped at a dead end.

I turned around to see the lightning man smiling a triumphant crooked grin.

He lifted his arms in the air, and the lights in the hallway started going haywire again, until dying, covering it in darkness. He was sucking the electricity out of everything around him. My hair stood on end again.

We looked into each other's eyes. The light reflected in Leo's black pools, making the shadows on his face darker. We knew what was coming next.

I guess I always knew I was going to die young.

The dark room was illuminated again, this time by the electricity flowing through the grey man. He aimed his arms at us, and lightning poured from his fingertips.

I closed my eyes and held Leo tight. I felt him do the same. I braced myself for the pain. The burning heat melting my flesh. The shock stopping my heart. The void of nothingness that was death—

Isn't this taking too long?

I didn't feel no heat. In fact I was feeling a little chilly. I opened one eye. Still at Grand Canyon Skywalk Entrance Building. Still alive.

Huh. Neat.

Someone was standing between us and the grey man, a shield in their hand. I could hear the electricity crackling in the air, the blinding light that only the small strip of shadow from the shield protected us from. The lightning man kept pushing, and our hero braced themselves, the electric discharge slamming into the shield and shooting in every direction like jets of water, but never touching us.

The figure turned to us, and I recognized the golden rimmed glasses connected with tape.

“Uh... Hi?” Jason said smiling shyly.

Leo and I just stood there dumbfounded and said “Hi,” in unison.

The stream of energy sputtered, and Jason looked over from his shield, held aloft a silver sword, and the lightning that just shot at us shot back at the creature. It tried to run, but the beam was too fast. I could hear it's quiet little scream as the light incinerated it into atoms.

“Sorry it took so long. You guys want to get out of here?”

We nodded. He sprinted down the corridor in the direction we just run from, and we followed. We veered into another room, and I could feel the air getting colder again, announcing that the storm spirits were on our tail.

“Okay, are we just gonna breeze through the fact that our coach is a goat?!” I yelled, flailing my arms around.

“He's technically not my coach,” Jason pointed out barricading the doors with whatever he could find. A potted plant, a chair, a trash can.

“Not the point, buddy,” Leo informed him.

“Could someone please explain what the hell is going on?”

“Is this really the best time?”

“Uh, okay, right! That thing is a monster. A nature spirit to be exact,” Jason said, kicking down the emergency exit. “It's trying to kill us.”

The makeshift barricade was blown into smithereens

“Run.”

That was all the info I needed.

Chapter Text

LEO

We were in the middle of a hurricane. At least that's what it felt like. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was night time. The black clouds eclipsed the sun, spinning and toiling, encasing the whole perimeter in a churning, dark vortex. The only source of light were the occasional bursts of lightning. I could barely make out the outline of our school bus.

I was briefly considering making a run for it, before the wind picked it up, and flung it into the air like it was made of tissue paper.

Great.

Luckily for us, it seemed like we were in the eye of the storm, at least for now. The wind was still biting, the dust still stung my eyes, and my brown curls made it harder for me to see, but we weren't flying off anytime soon.

“We have to get back inside!” I shouted as loud as I could over the wind.

“But those things are still in there!” Piper yelled back.

“You think this is any better?!”

“Coach said reinforcements are coming!” she insisted.

I could tell by the tone of her voice that she wasn't sure if she believed that herself. No matter who Coach's friends were, there's no way they had any chance against this.

The main entrance to the Grand Canyon Skywalk burst open and five or six anemoi flew out of it.

Going back inside stopped being an option.

They ditched their trench coat disguises and now appeared to us in their true form. Their shapes still looked sort of human, but they didn't have flesh or muscles. Their bodies were made up of rolling black clouds. From time to time lightning would illuminate their faces, like scars appearing and disappearing on their nonexistent skin.

I turned around, considering our options. Seven or eight spirits stood in our way, descending from the clouds on their steeds. They were made out of ionized air, just like their riders.

We were surrounded.

“This doesn't have to be this difficult, little heroes!" one of the riders spoke. I recognized it as the leader of the trio from before. "We're not going to hurt you. Just come with us.”

The new kid put his arms behind his back, like he was trying to shield me and Piper with his body. He didn't even acknowledge the storm spirits.

“What's your name?” he said turning his head to me. There wasn't even an ounce of fear in his steely gaze.

“Leo.”

“Take this, Leo,” he said handing me his shield. It had pictures engraved on it, in bone white, and shining gold. It looked so heavy, but when I took it in my hands, it felt like it weighed nothing at all. Whoever made it knew what they were doing.

“In case the ones in the back try anything stupid.”

His look softened and he smiled at me.

“I'm Jason, by the way.”

And then all hell broke loose.

Jason pushed his feet off the ground, and run at the group of anemoi in front of us. He threw his sword in the air, and it extended into a giant pole with a spearhead at the end. He calculated where it would land perfectly and like an expert athlete he used the giant spear to launch himself in the air.

His jacket was billowing behind him like a cape. He made sure to pull his weapon with him, and it shrank to better accommodate his needs. The spirit in front of him defended itself with another energy ball, but he was too late. The attack missed Jason by a thin margin, only managing to singe off one of his trainers. His spear went through the anemos and his horse like butter.

The other riders sent bolts of electricity at him, but he just backflipped out of the way.

“I like your new boyfriend,” I turned to Piper, shielding us from the attacks from the angry anemoi behind us as we followed our bodyguard.

“He's not my boyfriend!” she huffed, twisting her neck to avoid a stray energy blast.

At the other end of the battlefield Jason was making short work of the slowly dwindling horde of storm spirits.

He spun his spear like a windmill as an approaching wraith zapped him with electricity.

It did nothing to stop Jason. He just stood there with a smirk, the electricity now flowing around his body. His blue eyes looked like they were charging up.

“My turn.”

He pointed his spear like a wizard's staff, and a bolt of lightning flew out of it, shooting past the three spirits, before turning around and one by one hitting them all.

My jaw was on the floor.

“Where did you learn how to do that?!”

“I have no idea!” he exclaimed with a big, goofy grin, and skewered a spirit's head without even looking.

Then not missing a beat he did a few cartwheels to retrieve his weapon. He flipped it in the air and it shrunk into a tiny disc, the size of a nickel.

With an inhuman shriek, another anemos spun in the air, charging at him. He threw that disc into it's mouth, and it burst out of it's stomach as a spear. Jason just extended his hand and the dying spirit's momentum delivered the spear into his hand, right in time to shoot a lightning blast at a grey shade sneaking behind Piper.

We just followed his lead as he tore us an escape path through their ranks, occasionally ducking to avoid a spirit rider swooping down from the clouds to grab us.

The last one came a little too close for comfort, and Piper angrily reached into her pocket, and chucked the hairbrush I gave her into his head.

It flew right through his noggin, not doing anything, but it distracted the steed at the exact right moment. It's hooves were supposed to make contact with the ground, instead the horse slipped, crashing it's rider under it's own weight.

“I didn't mean to do that!” Piper gasped in horror. “Poor horsie.”

I just gawked at her as we run, trying to remind her that they were trying to kills us.

Their numbers were starting to dwindle. I was actually beginning to think we may be able to survive this.

But I got too distracted watching Jason fight. One of the riders finally got close enough to knock right into me.

I heard the shield reverberating like a gong as I flew into the air. I felt weightless for a moment, before my stomach jerked when the same rider bragged me by the suspenders.

Piper screamed my name, as he carried me over in the direction of what was left of the skywalk.

There was no way Piper and Jason could catch up to the speeding spirit rider. I was on my own.

A bolt of lightning illuminated the clouds, and the light reflected in my shield. I looked at it for a second, and an idea planted itself in my head. I remembered what happened when Piper threw that hairbrush. I pulled the straps of the shield off my arm.

I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do, Piper.

I took aim and swung my shield as hard as I could into the ghost horse's head. The creature whined in pain as sparks flew out of it's eyes. I definitely wasn't as strong as Jason, but it was enough to make it stagger.

The rider let go off me as him and his steed spun around in the air and crashed into the course dirt.

The spirit glared at me in fury, and I realized I just screwed myself by throwing my only defense away. The wraith charged a ball of lightning in it's hand, but it never got to use it. Jason's spear flew from out of the corner of my eye and impaled it in the stomach.

Relief washed over me. I turned to thank him, but instead I saw Piper with her arm still extended towards the puddle of water where the two spirits used to be. Jason was way, way behind her, wrestling the electrically charged anemoi with his bare hands.

Okay, note to self, this guy is a literal superhero.

I gave Piper two thumbs up, and was just about to say some witty remark, when something slammed into me with full force, propelling me backward.

An anemos flew past me. It wasn't even attacking, it was just trying to escape from Jason. But it still spelled my doom.

I wanted to regain my balance, but I was still heading for the fall. It was like skating on ice. Piper's eyes widened in shock.

I tried to brace my feet against the ground, only spilling the sand from under me, making me slide backwards. I felt that numb feeling you have when you realize you're about to fall off your bike and scrape your knee.

My body fell backwards, and the tips of my boots lost contact with the ground.

I went over the edge.

Then my body lurched, and I slammed into the rocky wall of the Grand Canyon. I felt something wrenched tightly around my suspenders.

“Going somewhere, short stuff?” Piper's hopeful face looked down at me.

“Pipes!”

I've never been so happy to see her in my life.

“I feel really stupid for making fun of that tool belt now,” she strained out a little chuckle. I could see she was struggling to hold me. “Come on, give me your hand, I'll pull you up.”

I almost laughed with her, before I felt my body being pulled downward, and the sand spilling over my head. Cold fear spread through my limbs. She grabbed me at the last minute. She didn't have time to look for any leverage.

“Piper, you're slipping!”

“I can still pull you up!” But even as she said it, I felt her body jerk forwards. “Give me your hand!”

She was begging me. I looked into her big brown eyes. They were watering with tears.

She was the only real friend I've ever had. When I broke my leg, she brought me homework and sweets. When I broke the only award that Wilderness School has ever won—the women's basketball trophy—she risked detention to help me glue it back together before anyone found out. She always encouraged me to be better, but she never once told on me, no matter what I did. I promised myself I'd look out for her.

I wasn't going back on that promise now.

I kept looking into her eyes, and with absolute certainty, I unhooked my belt.

I couldn't hear her scream over the howling thunderstorm. I could only feel the cold air hitting my face, and the grey clouds enveloping me.

Chapter Text

PIPER

My fingers were still clenched around his tool belt. Like if I held it tight enough he would come back. I couldn't move. I just laid there, motionless, staring blankly into that blackness, lit up from time to time by the blue lightning. It was like an ocean of clouds, churning and splashing against the walls of the Grand Canyon. My mind was absolutely blank. I couldn't allow myself to think, I couldn't register it. Because then it became real. Because then I would have to face the fact that he's gone.

He's gone.

He's gone, he's gone, he's gone...

I'll never see him again. I'll never hear his stupid jokes. I'd never see him pull apart a radio, or steal my chocolate pudding.

I never even got to tell him my secret. He died protecting a girl that was a lie. He died never knowing who the real Piper was. He died because of me.

He's gone. And it's all my fault.

I was so lost in my own grief that I briefly forgot where I was. I didn't even see it coming. He launched out of the toiling storm clouds, like a shark catching a seal. A lightning man, on a horse made of thunder. I felt the coldest hand wrap itself around my hoodie. He pulled me off the ground so fast I had motion sickness. My boots were scraping on the sand as he dragged me behind his horse. I kicked and screamed, but he was stronger than me.

“You kids are such a pain!” he snarled. I'd know that voice anywhere. He was the leader of the pack, the one that attacked us first. “I just wanted to do this the easy way, but if you insist on the hard waAAAAAAAH!”

He screamed when his hand was severed from his wrist. I fell to the ground, seeing something round and shiny fly off into the distance. We both turned around to see Jason standing with his sword drawn.

“If you don't want to loose your other hand, I suggest you keep it to yourself, ventus.”

The spirit narrowed his eyes. Jason's gaze didn't waver. They circled each other, eyeing the other up, like two gunslingers in the old west. They were standing dangerously close to the edge of the canyon. The other spirits didn't interfere. They all understood, this was between their boss and the sword boy. Mano a mano.

The storm spirit fluttered his fingers, readying for an attack, and Jason wrapped his tightly around the hilt of his sword. I crawled away from the grey man, making sure I was a safe distance away. Either from the giant ravine, or them, take your pick. But I still had an angry storm spirit separating me from safety.

“You're playing a dangerous game, boy,” the rider drawled.

Jason's clothes billowed in the wind. The storm horse snarled aggressively sending vapor out of it's nostrils.

“This is between you and me. Leave her alone.”

“Oh, there you are wrong, this is far, far bigger than you or me,” the ventus said, shaking his head. "She's part of this."

Jason's gaze softened. He extended his hand. His voice was pleading.

"We don't have to do this. We can walk away and never meet each other again. Nobody has to get hurt."

The spirit laughed. It almost sounded... sorrowful.

"The problem, kid... is that I've got no choice."

The spirit rider's feet sparked as he slammed them into the sides of his steed, and the beast reared up and slammed it's hooves into the ground. Canter turned to gallop in a blink of an eye, and you'd think the rider and his horse actually did turn into pure lightning with how fast they moved. Jason stood his ground, not even blinking. I screamed at him to run, but he didn't hear me or didn't listen.

They crashed into Jason like a bullet train, and he fell to the ground, trampled underneath the hooves of the ventus. His body looked limp. I felt like I couldn't breathe.

Then the spirit horse let out a thunderous howl, and it's stomach ripped open, spilling out wind, water and electricity.

Jason stood up, only a little worse for wear, despite a few horseshoe prints on his jacket. He turned his head and gave me a weak smile.

"Tuck and roll."

The spirit rider fell to the ground along with his beast, but unlike the others he didn't hesitate to throw a bolt of lightning at Jason. Jason swiftly blocked it with his weapon, sending the lightning flying off into the distance. The ventus growled, and jumped to his feet, sending a barrage of energy attacks at Jason, all of which he deflected.

“What's the matter? Getting angry?” Jason mocked with a big grin.

The spirit slammed his foot into the ground, and with the sound of rolling thunder a large chunk of Earth separated from the desert and fell into the drop bellow. I scrambled to get even further away from the edge. Jason just barely managed to leap away from the rock at the last moment, but he was knocked off-balance, and the spirit used it to his advantage. He sent another attack. The next bolt of lightning only grazed Jason's arm, but it was enough to make him scream in pain. Apparently his immunity to electricity had a limit. I guess the pack leader was stronger than his goons. Jason gritted his teeth and took up his battle stance once more, but his right arm was now useless. He had to switch to his left.

“Is that your non-dominant hand, Demigod Boy?”

Jason snarled. Even one arm down, he wasn't going to back down from this fight.

“What's the matter? Getting angry, kid? Is it because you let that demigod and satyr die?”

I could see the words had the desired effect. Jason's eyes flashed dangerously. Sparks bounced of his body, making his hair flow in the wind.

“Don't let him provoke you! It's what he wants,” I cried.

The ventus turned to me, and I shrank into a ball.

“Sorry, young lady, do you mind? We're trying to have a duel over here. Go play with dolls or somethi—”

I guess I served as a good distraction. While the spirit was talking to me, Jason just run up to him and slugged him in the face. To add insult to injury he did it with his hurt right arm.

“Shut—your—trap!” Jason sneered, kneeing the ventus in the stomach, before punching him in the face again.

“Some hero you are!” the spirit laughed as Jason smacked him with the butt of his sword. He spit up a bunch of rainwater out of his mouth, like he was coughing up blood. “You realize you did this? You got them all killed.”

Punch.

“You brought us here.”

Kick.

“You put the damsel and her friends in distress.”

Left hook.

“All your fault.”

Right hook. Right hook. Right hook.

I could practically hear the tendons in Jason's injured arm snapping. He was too angry to care about the pain. And the spirit relished it.

“All—your—fault!”

Jason's eyes lit up, and his body sparked with electricity again. He was ready to give the ventus a taste of his own medicine, which was exactly what the spirit was waiting for. He spun around, and sent a bolt of lightning at me.

You know those moments they tell you about, when someone is about to die and they see time slow down before their eyes? It was like that for me. Except I knew there was nothing I could do. I didn't have Jason's reaction time. There was no way I could dodge literal lightning in time.

Jason let go of his enemy, running as fast as he could towards me, launching his feet off the ground, leaping over the lightning, just to have it hit him right in the back. And another person sacrificed themselves for me. 

His sword flew right out of his hand. I could briefly see the string of electricity connecting it to him. Jason looked like a rag doll as he fell to the ground, his body sliding diagonally, precariously over the edge of the Canyon. Just like Leo did.

His sword cluttered to my knees.

Jason was breathing heavily, hanging onto the edge of the cliff for dear life. He looked me in the eyes and for the first time I saw genuine fear in them.

“Run,” he gasped.

He still cared about safety of others more than his own.

The ventus laughed. He knew he'd won. He didn't even bother to look at me. He already took care of anyone that could be a threat to him. Coach Hedge, Leo. and now Jason.

He enjoyed every little step. He took his time. Either he killed Jason, or the fall would. He didn't seem very picky which it was.

“I expected more out of you, boy. But I suppose you're not the man you used to be, huh?” I had no idea what he was talking about, but judging from the shocked look in Jason's eyes, he did. The spirit's healthy hand lit up with electricity. “It's a shame really. He'd actually put up a good fight.”

Sweat dripped down Jason's face as his injured arm struggled to keep him up. The spirit was now standing right over him. Jason's sword still laid in my lap.

And I just got a very stupid idea.

“Pathetic,” the spirit spat, basking Jason's face in blue light, as he struggled to look up at his imperious glare. He wasn't giving the ventus the satisfaction of seeing him afraid. He was one of those people who faced death with dignity. But he wasn't dying today.

Because there was a silver blade poking out of the grey man's chest.

I heard stories of people who were struck by lightning on TV. I always wondered what that would really feel like. When I stabbed the storm spirit, his body slipped off the blade very easily. In his last dying moments, as his body spun into the abyss, he sent his last attack at me. All of the electricity that once coursed through his veins ripped through my insides. It felt like a hundred Bobby Nelsons clobbered me in the chest at once. I was launched backwards and hit my head on a rock. I smelt something burning.

I managed to open my eyes. All I could see was Jason's baby blues looking at me. Where they watering, or did I just imagine it?

He was screaming something, but it felt like I was underwater. All the words were muffled, and far away. I don't know what he was so upset about. Everything was fine. I could make out the rays of sunshine spilling in through the cracks forming between the grey clouds. It looked so pretty. But only for a moment. Even though the world was filling with light again, everything before my eyes was growing dim and dark.

I forced my eyes to open for one more time, hoping to catch that pretty sunshine for the last time.

A fierce pair of eyes looked at me. They weren't blue. They were the same color as the storm clouds.

I managed a weak smile.

And then I let the darkness take me.

Chapter Text

LEO

My head felt like Athena was about to burst out and do a little dance. The constant swaying wasn’t helping either. It made me want to throw up.

I wonder if this is what waking up with a bad hangover feels like.

My whole body ached, and the last thing I wanted to do was open my eyes, but somehow I was able to force myself to do it.

It was nighttime already. But something was off. In my dazed state it was hard to pick up what, until I realized the ground was upside down.

Something brushed against my back. I turned my head to see Coach Hedge's unconscious face. At least I hoped he was unconscious. I didn't like the alternative.

This was getting weirder and weirder. How did we get here? I fought through my migraine, trying to recall what happened. There was a new kid on the bus. Then a storm hit. But it wasn't an ordinary storm. Images of the snarling storm spirits flashed in my head. They attacked us. Coach hedge was a satyr. And the new kid had a sword. Then one of the storm spirits grabbed me...

I remembered falling to my death. I remember Piper trying vainly to save me...

Piper!

Gods, I hoped she was okay. What if the storm spirits got her? I turned around. It was just me and Coach. No sign of Piper, or the pretty boy with the sword. Which either meant that she escaped or...

No, she escaped. Piper's a tough cookie. And she had a superhero helping her.

I tried to remember what happened to me after I fell into the storm clouds, but my mind drew a blank. If the anemoi captured us, then where were they? I looked down (or I guess up) at the ground bellow us. The landscape still looked like Arizona, but there was no sight of the Grand Canyon, or the building complex at the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

There was also another thing that didn't fit. The smell. I'd recognize that stench anywhere. From the angle I was hanging I couldn’t see the eye, only an animal skin loincloth and vast expanses of a hairy beer gut, but I knew instantly we were at the mercy of a Cyclops.

Thank goodness we weren't hanging any lower.

Another Cyclops peered over his shoulder. I quickly closed my eyes, playing dead.

“I never ate a demigod before. What do they taste like?” the second Cyclops asked.

“Like meat. Now piss off!”

I heard the sound of a Cyclops licking his lips, and I felt that puke coming back to me. Then I almost screamed when the giant fat fingers closed around Coach Hedge and gently picked him up.

“Can I at least have the satyr then? I love goat kebab.”

Luckily the one carrying us slapped him away.

“I fucking said ‘Piss off’, Sump! They’re for Ma! And she’ll know that I caught them, while you did jack shit!”

“Wait a minute, Torque” Sump said. “Does this one look familiar to you?”

The wind howled in my ears as Torque lifted us up to his face.

Wait. Sump. Torque. Ma.

Oh, no.

Oh dear, useless gods, no.

Of all the Cyclopes I could run into , why did it have to be them?

Torque scratched his chin.

“Holy shit, you’re right, Sump! If it isn’t our old pal Pipsqueak!” Torque laughed.

“Wakey wakey, Pipsqueak!” Sump said, and flicked me in the head. It felt like someone punched me in the face with a medicine ball. I wanted to play dead, but I figured if I did, then soon I wouldn't be playing anymore. So I opened my eyes, and greeted my old friends with a big forced smile.

“The Gasket brothers! What a reunion! How's it hanging, guys?”

“It really is you!” Torque exclaimed. "I'd recognize that annoying voice anywhere."

“Ma Gasket missed you so much, Pipsqueak,” Sump snickered.

“Oh no, what a shame! I would love to catch up with dear Ma, but me and my friend really have to go. Sorry, maybe some other time?”

The two brothers cackled so hard the Earth started shaking.

“I’m afraid you and your friend are staying for dinner whether you like it or not!”

“The dinner is your friend!” Sump said, grinning from ear to ear, showing off his peanut butter colored teeth.

“Stop explaining my jokes, you bolt head!” Torque said, slamming his fist into Sump's head. Then his humor got better. “Look at that, Pipsqueak, we’re here!”

Torque held me in the air so I could see their hideout. A mine.

I was lost for words. It was a giant mining complex. A huge wound in the Earth, bronze strata intertwined with the pale ivory rock. The Cyclops miners worked tirelessly, illuminated by giant fluorescent reflectors. The worst part was I knew what they were digging for. Any Hephaestus kid worth their salt would recognize the smell, the sound, and the subtle glow. Celestial bronze.

Unlike regular bronze, which was an alloy of copper and tin, celestial bronze was a naturally occurring resource. But there was one little issue. It was extremely rare. Endemic one might say. It's only deposits resided in one place, and one place only.

“Go tell Ma about our little guest,” Torque ordered, and Sump giddily pranced away.

“You're mining celestial bronze?" I asked the older Gasket brother.

Torque reached into a passing by cart, and pulled out a big, bright nugget of bronze. It was around the size of a cow.

"Beautiful, isn't it? First class, high-grade celestial bronze. Those demigod brats wish they had weapons from metal this pure."

"But—but that's impossible! Celestial bronze can only be found on Olympus! What is it doing on Earth, in the middle of Arizona?”

"Nevada, actually. And who cares?! We ain't gonna look a gift horse in the mouth,” Torque shrugged. “Why dig through godly trash, when such riches present themselves to us on a bronze platter? Imagine how many weapons we could build with this much material!”

Oh, I imagined. But I really didn't want to. There was enough celestial bronze here to build an army. Kronos' little war effort would look pitiful compared to this. Entire battleships made of celestial bronze. Colossal battle automatons. The only upside of the Gaskets finding the reserve first is that the family weren't warriors. They didn't lay down evil plans, they only carried them out.

They were followers. Goons. Flunkies.

If they were making weapons it wasn't for themselves.

Sump came back, with a big nasty grin on his face.

“Good news, Pipsqueak, Ma wants to see you!”

“Oh joy,” I mumbled to myself. "I can't wait."

Sump took a deep breath, and his body started receding. His arms grew shorter, his giant eye shrank, his legs got thinner, until he looked like a miniature version of himself. Except he was still larger than me. I was untied from Coach Hedge, and dragged through the mine, getting a better look at their whole operation. Huge carts filled with raw material were logged around to the makeshift refineries, before the metal could be melted down and turned into weapons, or armor, or whatever the cyclopes wanted. My tour was over when my feet met a set of rickety metal stairs. At the end of those steps was what I assumed to be the mine's main control room.

“Come on! Walk!”

I didn't like the way those stairs creaked with every step, especially with a 300 pound cyclops walking behind me. Fortunately (or unfortunately), we managed to reach the big steel doors without the floor collapsing under us. The turning wheel rotated slowly with a shriek, before the door opened. Sump pushed me in, and slammed it shut.

The room was dark, contrasted by how brightly the excavation site was lit up. I could see it all through the window, thanks to how high the control room was.

I ventured forward. The walls were decorated with pictures of all of Ma’s one hundred and nine children. The floor was covered with an ugly, puke colored rug. On the control panel was a pot of wilted flowers. Ma probably wanted to make the place seem more 'homely'. At the end of the room sat a lonely black chair, surrounded by a dark oak desk. I stepped into something. The floor was littered with chocolate wrappers.

“And the prodigal son returns,” a voice at the end of the room growled.

Ma Gasket turned in her chair to look at me.

She was way smaller than her sons. Way smaller than me even. Every Cyclops had the ability to change their size, but not Ma. Gears Gasket, the only Gasket sister, once told me that with age Ma just started shrinking and shrinking, until she was this shriveled up, disgusting old baby. The only thing that didn't shrink with her was her giant, bloodshot eye, which was ironically a lazy eye. She moistened her dried up lips to talk.

“Took you long enough,” her voice sounded like she burned through a pack of cigarettes a day. In reality she burned through two. She hung onto her box of chocolates for dear life, like a koala bear.

“You know, I always wondered, what was Pa Gasket like?” I asked, feeling the sweat run down my forehead.

“Tasty,” Ma said, pulling out one chocolate, and eating it along with the wrapper.

“Ah. I see,” I said. “I uh... Didn't expect to see you... here.”

“After the Titan War, we had to run from the gods. Nevada was as good a place as any to start up shop. I couldn't in my wildest dreams imagine we'd be so lucky, but here we are.”

“You're still making weapons? What for? The war's over.”

Ma laughed.

“There will never not be a demand for weapons! Monsters, ancient tribes, warlords, they all have someone they want dead. Sometimes they want each other dead! There will always be conflict. Wars end, but war profiteers will never long for work.”

Her face turned darker.

“But I gotta say, it was hard to start from scratch, after everything we owned burned down on Princess Andromeda. You know, after you left us for dead!”

She spat the words along with the wrapper onto the ground.

“You're fireproof! I knew you'd survive!” I lied.

“You left us on a sinking ship! If my boys weren't expert swimmers, I could've drowned! I can't believe you could do this to me, Leo! After I took you in! After I treated you like my own child!”

“You tried to eat me!” I snapped.

“Exactly!” she yelled, slamming her fist onto the desk. Her demeanor quickly calmed down. Her hands stopped shaking.

“But that doesn't matter now. It's all in the past. The point is, you're back. And you can be a part of the family again.”

“You mean work for you again.”

“Same difference.”

My heart sank. I thought I escaped this hell, but here I was again. I didn't even know if Piper was alive. I was all alone, again. Even on the chance I managed to escape, there's no way I could take all of those Cyclopes at once. I couldn't even take one. I wasn't a fighter.

But maybe Coach still had a chance.

“Okay, I'll join you, but on one condition. You let the satyr go.”

Ma Gasket laughed, but it quickly turned into a coughing fit.

“I have a better idea! We eat your satyr, and if you don't cooperate, we'll eat you too!”

It took all the mental strength I had to not break down. I knew what I was going to do. I was going to let the Cyclopes eat the man who risked his life for mine, the only teacher who ever stood up for me, and then I was going to spend the rest of my life working away for one of the most evil creatures imaginable, helping her invent new weapons she can send to other monsters so they can kill demigods more easily. I didn’t even have the dignity to die with my friends. Because I was a coward.

Ma smiled.

“Welcome home, Leo.”

Then the whole mine shook. And I heard screaming.

Chapter Text

PIPER

I was driving a car.

It was awesome, but a little weird. Because I wasn't driving on a road.

I was driving through the air.

I shifted to a higher gear, and the cherry-red Maserati cut through the clouds, sending a flock of birds flying. I wondered how fast I could make it go.

Freedom. That's how it felt. The ultimate freedom. You could see every town, every forest, and every field passing you by. From up here it all seemed so small. I laughed and rose even higher, like I was piloting a jet. Now I was above the clouds. Nothing but white, billowy peaks as far as the eyes could see.

“Alright, stop showing off. You're going too fast.”

I turned to my passenger seat to see Leo looking at me. He held onto his seat belt tightly. Even though he was joking, I could see a hint of fear in his eyes. He never wanted to admit he was scared of anything.

“You worry too much, Leo,” I laughed, and stepped harder on the gas. He yelped but didn't say anything.

I closed my eyes. I felt the wind in my hair. My ugly pink dress billowed in it.

Then a loud noise startled me to attention. My eyes shot open. Black thunderclouds formed in the distance.

“Something's wrong!” Leo shouted over the rumbling sky.

The wind was building up speed, making the Maserati shake with it. I was losing control.

“Piper, you have to slow down,” Jason begged me from the passenger seat. His voice was pleading, concerned.

“I—I can't!”

I wasn't even pressing on the pedal anymore, but the car was still speeding, propelled by the now howling wind. I was spiraling. The world was spinning and the car spun with it. I couldn't see the ground. Just dark stormy clouds.

“Please, Piper, you have to,” Jason said.

“How?” I cried. We were falling faster and faster. I couldn't see the sun anymore, everything was enveloped by the storm clouds. I could hear a cold, shrill laughter in the distance. I could smell burning skin.

“I can't tell you,” my passenger said. She was beautiful, but blurry. I couldn't quite make out her shape. Was she blonde, or brunette? Dark skinned, or pale? No.

She was me. Except this Piper looked older. More mature, more self-assured. More. She frowned as she saw the fear in my eyes.

“You have to find the answer on your own.”

I didn't get to ask what she meant. She disappeared, and the car finally reached the ground. There was no crash. Earth beneath me split into a massive ravine. It almost looked like a grin. It swallowed the car whole. I heard screaming. Fire and lightning surrounded my body.

My nose was filled with the smell of burning flesh.

To storm or fire, the world must fall.

I jerked off my bed struggling to breathe. I've never had an asthma attack, but this is how I imagined they felt like. I needed air, but my lungs wouldn't accept it.

Something cold and wet was dripping down my forehead.

I've never had such a vivid nightmare before. It felt so real. I could swear I felt my skin burning.

A horrible realization dawned on me. I pulled down my shirt and my chest was covered in bandages. There was some pleasant coolness to the dressed wound, but the pain was still there. Someone must've rubbed some aloe vera or whatever into the burns. The ointment smelled like the forest, but it couldn't cover up the other scent I smelled. Burnt human flesh.

It was real. The boy on the bus. The storm. The man in the trench coat who wasn't a man.

I looked at the nightstand next to me. Pink hoodie. A wrist sweatband. Silver coin. Tool belt.

I felt something heavy drop in the pit of my stomach.

Leo falling into the black clouds.

I grabbed his tool belt and hugged it tightly, not caring that it hurt my scarred chest. It was like a safety blanket.

I was still struggling to comprehend what happened. It all felt like a bad dream.

I looked around. It was nighttime, but I was pretty sure I wasn't at the Grand Canyon Skywalk. I could make out shapes of other people sleeping in beds similar to mine. It couldn't be a hospital either. I've never seen a hospital that looked like this. Instead of the white, clinical walls, the room was made out of rustic logs. The nightstand and the lamp next to me looked antique. My bed wasn't one of those hard, robotic looking hospital beds. It was like a bed you'd find in your childhood bedroom—used, soft, covered with marks it gathered throughout the years.

I took the coin from my nightstand between two fingers. It was old. It wasn't perfectly round like a quarter, the edges were uneven. It looked like a piece of metal someone flattened to the best of their ability. Like something you see in a treasure chest.

There was something inscribed on it, but I couldn't make out what. I risked turning on the lamp to get a better look. The sleeping shapes mumbled some protest, but they didn't wake up.

The coin showed a profile of a lady, with text that read IVNO underneath. At least that's what I could read with my dyslexia in the barely awake state I was in.

I heard footsteps outside. I hastily turned off the lamp and wrapped myself in the blanket.

Someone walked into the room. The footsteps grew louder and then slowed down. I tried to calm my breath. But I was never good at pretending to be asleep.

“You're awake,” the pretty voice said.

“No, I'm not,” I answered stupidly.

The owner of the voice walked up to my nightstand and turned the light on.

A pair of familiar grey eyes was looking at me.

She sat next to me. Her mess of blonde curls was tied in a ponytail. Even though she looked my age, I could see a streak of light grey in that blonde. The confidence in her step, and the tiredness in her eyes belonged to someone much older.

Maybe it wasn't the grey hair that didn't match the rest of her, but the other way around.

She was one of those girls that looked pretty without trying. I'd almost feel jealous if I didn't have other things on my mind.

“You were there,” I whispered. “You're the back-up Coach Hedge told us about.”

“We arrived a little too late,” she frowned, looking at the tool belt that was still in my arms.

I looked away. “Yeah.”

“I'm very sorry about your friend, Piper.”

I didn't ask how she knew my name. It just made sense.

“His name was Leo, right?” she asked.

I nodded my head.

“My classmates were at that building... Are they...”

“The mortals are fine. When the storm started they all huddled together. Some of them were injured, but they were easy to patch up.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, but it didn't make me feel any less tense. She said mortals. Now was the time for the harder questions.

“Who are you people? What is this place?”

“I'm Annabeth,” she said as she stood up from my bed, turned around, and gestured around the room, “and this is Camp Half-Blood.”

Something was written on the back of her blue hoodie. My dyslexia was pretty bad, but I could make out Swim Team, and Jack-something.

It looked a size too big for her.

“Half-blood,” I repeated.

“That's what we are.”

We. Was that 'we' as in 'me and others' or 'we' as in 'me and you'?

“Demigods,” I said more so to myself than to her. “That's what the spirit said. Venti or whatever.”

“You mean an anemos?” her brows furrowed. She cupped her chin in thought. “Ventus in Latin means 'wind'.”

“We fought a couple of them actually. They said I was a demigod. Whatever that means.”

“Strange. Nature spirits can be dangerous, but they usually don't attack demigods.”

“Well someone should give those guys the memo.” My voice sounded more bitter than I would've liked.

She looked sympathetically at me. Like she's been through this process before. She sat back on my bed. It creaked, which was weird. She was just a little shorter than me, she couldn't have weighed that much more than I did.

“It's alright. You're safe now. Monsters can't find us here. You better get some rest.”

She turned my lamp off, and was readying to leave.

“Wait. Where are we? I know in some camp, but geographically where are we?”

She smiled.

“Long Island.”

“Long Island? West coast?! B—but that's on the other side of the country! How long was I asleep?!”

“It's June 15th.”

The same day. I felt like I was back in that car. Spiraling.

“How?”

“A god gave us a ride. He owes my friend a favor.”

A god. Not the God. A god. As in there was multiple of them.

I wasn't particularly religious. At best I was a passive believer in Big Foot, but I never bought into any supernatural stuff, like aliens, or ghosts, or demons. That stuff seemed too outlandish to be real. Too silly. Until yesterday.

“You're kidding, right?”

She smiled sympathetically at me. “Sure.”

She opened the door and was ready to walk away, before she turned to me one last time. “You know, we looked everywhere, but we didn't find any bodies. Maybe your friend and coach are still somewhere out there. We can always hope.”

Her breath sounded shaky before she spoke the next thing. I'll always remember the sadness in her voice when she turned those grey eyes to me and said quietly:

“Sometimes hope is the only thing we have left.”

The door closed. And the girl with the stormy eyes was gone.

I rolled over in my bed, hugging my safety tool belt. I don't know if I was ready for more dreams. I was worried they'd be full of possibly dead friends, monsters and gods.

Luckily for me, my sleep was dreamless for the rest of the night. It made me feel a little stronger in the morning.

I had to contemplate for almost half an hour if I should even get out of bed. My bed was safe and warm, and the world that waited outside was full of worries and questions. But even as I thought about it, I knew it wasn't an option.

I put the tool belt on over the pink hoodie, being careful not to agitate the scar on my torso. By some miracle the hoodie was untouched, safe for some minor singe marks on the zipper. I made sure to pocket the silver coin and the wristband. They felt important somehow. The doors of the infirmary were painted dark blue, and it felt like they were staring back at me as I walked up to them. I took a deep breath, turned the doorknob, and stepped through the threshold.

If only I knew what this place had in store for me, maybe I would've stayed in bed.

My ears were filled with the sounds of the forest; pines rustling in the wind, birds calling in the distance, crickets chirping. This place looked like something you'd see in a brochure. The grass was green, the sky was blue, and the happy campers swam in canoes over by the clear lake.

“Enjoying the view?”

I turned my head. Annabeth, was already waiting for me outside, leaning against the wooden column on the porch. Somehow it didn't surprise me. I knew she'd be there.

She didn't change her clothes. Still wore the Swim Team Jack hoodie. Did she sleep in it? The bags under her eyes made me question if she even slept at all.

She was talking to a guy. Just like Coach Hedge he had goat horns sprouting from his head, and goat legs instead of human ones. Except if Coach Hedge was a middle-aged goat-man, this guy was one in his prime. Long, dark curls fell down from his head and framed his boyish face. He had a goatee that most stubbly Wilderness boys would be jealous of. And his horns were long and proud, curving backwards slightly. I doubt he could hide them under a baseball hat.

He looked pretty fit under that orange T-shirt he wore. I wouldn't say muscular, but he was definitely not scrawny. Athletic, was the word that came to mind.

“We were just talking about you,” Annabeth said with a smile. “This is Grover. He's a member of the Council of Cloven Elders, Lord of the Wild, and the carrier of the soul of Pan.”

“Oh, stop it, Annabeth. I'm just a regular satyr,” Grover laughed, clearly embarrassed. “If you keep hyping me up to every new camper, all you'll do is set them up for disappointment.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, feeling a bit weird that I was staring at him earlier. It was mostly because of the horns. That's what I told myself. I didn't understand what any of his titles meant, but the fact that he had titles in the first place made me a little nervous.

“Nice to be met,” he smiled and waved. His energy reminded me a bit of someone. “You must be very confused about... this.”

He pointed at his horns.

“Uh-huh.”

“It's okay,” Annabeth said. “A lot of new campers go through this at first. You'll learn everything in due time.”

“Sure,” I said, only half-listening. My brain was on autopilot.

They looked unsure at each other.

“Piper, we would like to ask you some questions. But only if you feel like you're ready to talk about what happened yesterday.”

Yesterday. I was in Arizona yesterday. I'm in Long Island now, if Annabeth is to be believed. I found out magic exists yesterday. I nearly died yesterday.

Yesterday. It felt so much further away than just yesterday.

“No, it's fi—I can do it,” I said, hoping that if I fake it then maybe it becomes true.

Grover didn't seem convinced, but it was clear from the concern on his face that he needed to know the answer to the next question.

“Do you know what happened to the keeper that was with you? Is Gleeson okay?”

“Glee-son?”

“He was undercover as your P.E. teacher,” Annabeth explained. “Gleeson Hedge.”

I think I was more shocked than when I found out he was a satyr. Coach Hedge had a first name?! And it was “Gleeson”?!

I imagined how pissed he would be if me and Leo ever found out. It made me want to laugh, and then it made me want to curl up into a ball and cry. I looked down at my white sneakers.

“He did everything he could to protect us from the storm spirits. He went down fighting.”

Grover's hands tightened into fists. “I knew we shouldn't have sent him alone,” he grabbed his horns in frustration. “It was so predictable that he would do something like this!”

Annabeth patted him on the back. “Hey, calm down. This is not your fault. It's mine. He called for backup, and I was too late to help him. He did what any Keeper would in this situation.”

“Is charging a pack of electric ghosts with a baseball bat something he does often?”

Grover looked away. I think he might've felt guilty.

“He's... impulsive. Especially lately. He was supposed to have retired long ago. But he still insisted that this is his last charge, and we should trust him,” he brushed his fingers through his curly hair. “How will I ever tell Clarisse?”

Annabeth patted him on the shoulder.

“It's alright, goat boy. We'll tell her together.”

I could feel the many years they've shared between each other from the way they looked and talked around one another.

“Ask her,” Grover said to Annabeth. Now she looked nervous. She held her hands together so tight her knuckles were white.

“Piper. I need to know what happened to you on that school trip. The whole story.”

We went back inside, and they pulled up two chairs to sit next to my bed. I tried my best to explain everything, though it was hard, because there were still parts of it I didn't understand myself.

When I called the ventus a Starbucks spirit, Grover burst out laughing.

“You sound a lot like my friend.”

“Is that... good?” I wasn't quite sure if he meant it as a compliment.

“It's high praise. He was—” I saw sadness flash in his brown eyes briefly, before he regained that peppy attitude. “He is a great dude.”

I continued the story. When I got to the parts about the new boy I just met pulling out a sword and fighting off storm spirits, Annabeth's frown depended, but she didn't interrupt me.

It was very hard to finish the story. I unconsciously grabbed the suspenders of the tool belt wrapped around my body.

“Piper, you don't have to continue if you don't want to,” Grover assured me.

I shook my head. “No, I can do it. After Leo—After he fell, a ventus grabbed me. The new kid, Jason, saved me, taking that thing head on. But the spirit got him, and then he was the one dangling over the edge. I looked at his sword, and then, I don't know. Instinct took over I guess. I had to do something...”

“So you grabbed that sword and drove it through the anemos' body,” Annabeth finished for me. I nodded. Even though through the course of my story she seemed more and more glum with each word, there was a glint of pride in her eye.

“Yeah. And then he shot me. And I woke up here.”

“I see,” she said, thought it sounded more like a sigh. She stood up, ready to leave, but Grover stopped her.

“Piper... did you by any chance see a boy—”

“Grover. She already said everything she had to say. Drop it.”

“A boy with what?” I asked.

“Green eyes. And black hair. One grey stripe in it.”

Grey stripe. Just like the one in Annabeth's hair.

I looked at her. Despite her angry expression, I could see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. I couldn't look at it knowing what I was about to say. I hanged my head.

“I'm sorry. I didn't see anyone like that.”

I could hear another sigh escape Annabeth's mouth.

“It's fine,” she said. It sounded like how I always said it to my dad. In a tone that said that nothing was fine at all. “Your friend kept asking for you.”

I looked up at them and frowned.

“What friend?”

Grover thought for a moment, then smiled.

“You know, the new boy. Tall, blonde, wears glasses.”

“Jason! He's here? Is he alright?!”

Thank God. Or a god. Multiple gods. Whatever. Finally some good news.

“Kind of,” Annabeth said scrunching up her face. “You'll see.”

I bolted to the door, but she stopped me.

“Before you go, you should know, we're not really allowed to have phones here,” Annabeth said, pulling out a yellow plastic box full of electronic devices. “Demigods and technology is not a good mix. Phone calls, texting, browsing the internet—they attract monsters. Last fall I had to rescue a kid in Cincinnati because he Googled the gorgons and got a little more than he bargained for.”

"What about fax?" I asked trying to lighten the mood. Annabeth shook her head.

I sighed and pulled out probably the most battered phone she has ever seen. The screen straight up looked like a spider web. And the casing was of course, pink, like everything my dad's assistant bought for me. When I left for the Wilderness School she gave it to me “For emergencies only”, which in my dad's vocabulary meant “Call me if you're on fire, and I may decide to pick it up”.

“Take it. You can keep it”

I threw it in the box a little too hard.

We left the infirmary, and I followed Annabeth's lead, but I noticed Grover didn't.

“You're not coming with us?”

The satyr looked uneasy, but he was trying to hide it. What put him so on edge? Was it Jason?

“I'll sit this one out. I'll wait for you guys at the Big House.”

And with that, he bolted off. I didn't know what that was about, but I decided to not think about it. I had more important matters to attend to.

She walked me across the whole camp, it felt like. My legs hurt already. But at least I got the opportunity to get a better look around. It was definitely not an ordinary summer camp.

The campfire looked more like the Hollywood Bowl. It was a circle dug in a hill, with winding steps on which people could sit. Around the camp, I could see satyrs like Coach Hedge and Grover walking about. They mostly just stayed on the sidelines, looking after the campers, or picking strawberries. Then there was what looked like a tiny Roman Colosseum, where I could catch a bunch of children playing with what looked like actual swords. And for whatever reason, this campsite was built around a small active volcano, and wait—Are those kids climbing it?!

This place was a lawsuit waiting to happen. Of course somehow I doubted you could find it on any maps, or in any government papers.

Annabeth led me to where the camp grounds ended, and a deep, green forest began. It didn't look like a place you'd see in Long Island, something about it felt... wild . Untamed. Like a human foot hasn't stepped in it for decades, even though that couldn't be true. The trees somehow seemed higher, and older, their canopies blocking out the sun, making the place seem dark, even during the day. I could only see so far inside it, the lush greenery obscuring what hid around the bend. Jason sat on a rock, on the edge of that forest. He didn't look all that happy about it. His mood however got better when he noticed me.

He run to greet me, but when he got closer, his body was blown back, like he hit an invisible wall. When he pulled himself off the ground, he dusted off his shirt, sighed, and put his hands on it, like he was looking through a window.

It didn't deter that big, bright smile he had on his face.

“You're alright!”

“Thanks to you! Are you okay?”

“Sort of,” he said, and banged on the invisible barrier for good measure. It made a strange wobbling sound, like when you knock on a frozen lake. I noticed his right arm was now completely healed. Which didn't really add up, since according to Annabeth, only a couple of hours have passed.

“What's going on here?”

“For whatever reason he can't pass through the camp borders,” Annabeth said, lost in thought.

“She showed up after that ventus got you,” he gestured with his head at Annabeth. They weren't giving each other the friendliest of glances. “There was this man—or I guess god with a flying car. They said they can help you. I didn't know what else to do, and you were fading fast. We flew all the way up here from Arizona, but when we reached the camp I uhh... fell off.”

He blushed, and Annabeth barely contained a snicker.

“He bounced off the barrier. Several times,” Annabeth said, with the gigglies in her eyes.

“I'm fine by the way. Thanks for the concern,” Jason said narrowing his eyes at her.

“You left him out here the whole night? Aren't there like wolves in the woods or something?”

“I'm not afraid of wolves,” Jason huffed. “I was more worried about the ants.”

Annabeth put her hands on her hips, and raised her eyebrows. “The myrmekes didn't give you too much trouble, did they?”

Jason didn't look amused. I wasn't sure if I liked Annabeth as much as I previously thought.

“No,” he said levelly, pulling out what looked like a big red spike out of his shoulder.

“Can't you just... I don't know, let him in?” I said gesturing at the invisible boundary. “Why can't he pass through the border?”

“That's what we'd like to know as well,” Annabeth said rubbing her chin.

“We?”

“The camp counselors,” Annabeth explained. “We were going to discuss everything that happened yesterday. Including... this, especially.”

She gestured at Jason. He didn't seem to like being gestured at, or being called a “this”. And Annabeth didn't seem to care. She was already leaving.

“We're holding the meeting at the Big House. We've got some more questions for you, Piper, so you better come.”

And she just walked off, leaving me speechless. I guess this was just her thing.

I turned to Jason and put my hand on his. I could actually feel the energy separating us. I knew instinctively I could walk out at any time, but he couldn't come in.

“Are you going to be alright? I'll try to figure something out.”

He looked into my eyes hopefully and nodded his head. I nodded back, and walked after Miss Dramatic Exit.

The Big House lived up to it's name. The infirmary where I was treated was just a little extension to it, a side built. The main body of the building was large, about three stories high. The log walls were painted sky blue, and the roof and window frames were white. It sat on an incline, nestled between spruces and birches, with a winding wooden path leading up to it.

I was on the porch, staring at a dark blue door. I reached for the doorknob, but my hand wavered.

“Annabeth, what is a god?” I looked at her. “I mean, I know what that word means, but that doesn't make sense. What are we like magic? Are we descended from aliens or something?”

“There's no aliens. Don't be ridiculous.”

“Right. 'Cause that would be crazy.”

“Have you ever heard about Greek mythology?”

Of course I did. Who didn't read those stories as a kid? Dad and I used to love watching Jason and the Argonauts. The stories of great heroes traveling ancient, uncharted lands, and fighting off terrible monsters.

But that's all they were. Stories.

Right?

“Greek mythology? Hercules, and the Minotaur and Mount Olympus?”

“Heracles,” she corrected. “Only Romans called him Hercules.”

It felt like that was an important distinction for her. It reminded me of my dad.

“There's a world of difference between different tribes, Piper. Navajos, Sioux, the Six Nations, Cherokees, those are all different cultures. You can't just lump them all together.”

But he would never explain to me what the difference was. It was like he was immediately embarrassed he said it, then he would change subject. I was hoping Annabeth was more talkative.

“Medusa, and the Hydra, and warrior skeletons, and sea monsters, those are all real?”

“Too real,” she cringed. Like she had seen them personally.

I took a closer look at her. The scars peeking from under her clothes. How the bed creaked when she sat on it, like she was made of steel. I remembered Jason doing pirouettes and ripping through storm spirits like they were nothing. I wondered if she hid biceps under that hoodie.

“And you're like Hercu—I mean Heracles?”

She said exactly what I was afraid of.

“We both are.”

I felt like I needed to sit down. I could buy that the mysterious stranger I met yesterday was in reality some kind of modern Hercules. I've seen with my own two eyes as he pulled out a sword and charged an army of lightning spirits. I could even accept that my Coach who loved Chuck Norris movies, and constantly nagged me to join the exercises, was a goat.

But the idea that I was one of them, that I belonged to this world, that was some kind of cosmic mistake. I was a normal kid. As plain Jane as it gets. I wasn't athletic, I wasn't intelligent, and I definitely wasn't brave. The only thing special about me was that I had a big trust fund. I was no hero material.

Worst of all, even though I tried to ignore what everyone said, I was able to read between the lines. Phones attract monsters. Monsters could smell I was a demigod. Monsters kill demigods.

No, I couldn't be some kind of a Greek hero. I was just a normal American kid who got caught up in... whatever this was on accident.

“And everyone in that room... they're also Greek heroes?” I asked Annabeth cautiously.

“Most of them. Some are satyrs. Or centaurs.”

“I can't do this,” I said, bracing myself on the banister so that I don't pass out.

“That's okay. It happens to a lot of newbies—”

“I'm not a demigod!” I insisted. “My mother was a biker from Texas!”

“And my mom was a student at Harvard. But she was also Athena, goddess of wisdom. Most gods appear to mortals in disguise at first. Do you have dyslexia, or ADHD?”

It was such a matter of fact question that I was taken aback. How did she know?

“Uhm... Dyslexia. My friend Leo had ADHD.”

She smiled.

“That's because you're a demigod, Piper. And so was Leo. Your brain is hardwired for ancient Greek, that's why it's hard for you to read in American English! And a lot of demigods have ADHD. They're restless, always on the go—that's battle instinct," she explained. "Are there things in your life that just don't add up? Do you see things, and when you tell adults no one believes you? Can you do things no one else can? Is the person who raised you weirdly secretive about your mom from Texas?”

I scoffed. “My dad doesn't talk to me about anything, let alone my mom. I don't even know her name.”

Annabeth's facial expression changed. It was like a sad understanding dawned on her.

“I get how that feels.”

That helped me relax a little. It told me that at least on some level she got me. And unfortunately for me, she was right on the money with other things too. I rested my head in my hands, and mustered out a defeated laugh.

“Great. With my luck my mom is probably Gladys, the goddess of stupidity.”

“You're thinking of Koalemos, the god of stupidity and foolishness.”

“Of course there's a god for that,” I sighed.

It didn't make sense. But it also made too much sense.

Leo's magic tool belt that always had whatever I needed inside it. Everything I saw yesterday. The invisible barrier separating Jason from the camp. The Accident.

Coach Hedge always singled me out when he encouraged us to lift weights or run track. “This isn't math, and this isn't history! You're learning things that will actually be useful in real life. This world will beat you down, and you have to be strong enough to fight back.”

This was one of those moments when the world starts beating you down. The only problem was I didn't know if I was strong enough to fight back.

But I would have to fake it. For Jason. For Leo. For Coach Hedge.

“I think I'm ready to come inside.” I said, taking a deep breath, and staring down that door.

I've had some bad cases of stage fright before, but nothing compared to how I felt when all those counselors looked at me.

Annabeth wasn't lying. They looked like normal kids for the most part, but most of them looked like they've been working out. Some of them argued between each other, others just ate snacks, enjoying the spectacle. One of them was snoring.

They all sat huddled around two Ping-Pong tables connected together. You'd think Greek heroes would have a better place for group meetings. Like the Oval Office, or the Hall of Justice or something. But I guess not.

The only person who seemed happy to see me was Grover, who gave me a friendly nod when I entered the room. He was helping other satyrs with serving the counselors snacks and drinks.

I thought I was slowly acclimating to the weirdness, but I nearly screamed when I walked in and saw a man who instead of legs had the whole body of a horse.

“It's alright. I get that reaction pretty often,” the centaur said, laughing it off. “Allow me...”

He walked over to the corner where one of those newer, remote controlled wheelchairs stood. He daintily put one of his hooves inside, and his whole lower half was sucked up into the wheelchair. Suddenly he looked very normal.

I blinked slowly at the centaur. “That's a neat trick.”

He smiled. “Thank you, young lady.”

I was so shocked that I didn't even notice theguy behind him, reclining in his comfy armchair. He looked like a divorced dad on vacation. He sipped his diet coke, not at all surprised at the presence of a half-man, half-horse in the room.

I was offered a seat in another armchair by one of the heroes. He looked a little bit like Jason, with blonde hair and big blue eyes, but his features were much softer, and his frame was much leaner.

I sat down, feeling a little apprehensive. My whole body was tense, my shoulders were hunched, and both of my hands rested in my lap. It was like sitting in a waiting room at a therapist's office. I tried a weak smile at the demigods. Most of them didn't smile back.

“How's your wound? It's not giving you too much trouble?” the blonde asked me attentively. “My father was able to speed up the healing a bit, but the damage was pretty severe.”

“It's alright. Uhh... Tell your dad I said thanks,” I said unsure what to say. He just smiled politely.

“Here. This will make you feel better,” he said offering me a drink.

It was translucent and golden. At first I looked at it skeptically. A thought crossed my mind that I probably shouldn't accept drinks from strangers, but I suddenly felt really parched. Who knew getting struck by lightning made you so thirsty? I sniffed the liquid, but it didn't smell weird. In fact it smelled really nice. I figured that if they wanted to poison or drug me, then they've had plenty of chances to do so last night.

I took a tentative sip, and waited for something weird to happen. When it didn't, I took a bigger sip. Then I chugged the whole glass. It didn't taste the way I expected it to. It tasted like a papaya smoothy. The greatest drink invented by man.

“Better?”

“Better,” I said gasping for air.

That was an understatement. I felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout my whole body. My wounds hurt a little less, and the ball of stress in my chest got a little less tight. I was able to relax a little into the armchair.

“What is that?” I said looking at the glass. “And where can I get some more?”

“I think one glass is enough,” he said taking it gingerly out of my hands, like I was going to fight him for it. “I guess you could consider it medicine. It's nectar.”

“Like the thing bees collect?”

“Not exactly,” he gave me that same full of pity look as Annabeth did in the infirmary, and walked back to his seat next to the others. I looked at him unimpressed, then at Annabeth and the centaur. They seemed to be the ones in charge.

“This is something mythological, I take it?” I said. “It's like manticore milk, or something like that?”

“You must be very confused. Normally we'd show you an orientational film, but given the circumstances—”

“Oh yeah, an orientational film would make the fact my world is collapsing around me much less terrifying,” I scoffed. Then I realized that what I just said was really mean, and gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I've been through a lot of stress, Mr.—Uhh...”

“Chiron,” he said with a kind smile.

“Mr. Chiron?”

“Just Chiron is fine. We were discussing the matter of your friend,” the centaur explained patiently. “We were hoping you could give us some insight that we lack.”

I nodded my head a little unsure, and turned to the demigods.

“Right,” one of the campers said. He wouldn't look that out of place in Wilderness School. His head was shaved, and there was a mean look in his eye. Even the My Little Pony T-shirt he wore couldn't detract from his intimidation factor. “As I was saying, don't you think it's all a little suspicious?”

“Suspicious?” I said, leaning forward in my seat. “Why?”

“Well,” a dark skinned girl in brown overalls wouldn't meet my eyes. “The magical border is supposed to protect the camp and everyone in it. In theory it's supposed to let friendlies in, and keep the enemies out.”

“The camp's magic boundaries, as powerful as they are, are not foolproof,” Chiron said.

“Exactly!” Grover concurred, placing a bowl of crackers on the table. “Have you guys forgotten the skeleton warrior incident? Or the fact that Kronos had spies in the camp for years, and the border never rejected them?”

The crowd huddled around the Ping-Pong table got a little quitter. That was a good sign. Maybe things would work out. At least Chiron and Grover seemed to be on my side.

“I think we all agree what happened to that poor young man—”

“Jason,” I interrupted. I don't know why that mattered to me so much. I didn't like how they already acted like they didn't like him.

Chiron's eyes shifted to me. Now that his horse half wasn't there to distract me, I realized he looked and sounded a lot like a teacher. Not the kind of teachers we had at Wilderness School, but the kind you'd see in the movies. An older man, with a big bushy beard, and a tweed jacket with those patches on his elbows. The kind that never shouted at his students, because he didn't need to, her ruled by respect. The kind that actually cared about imparting important life lessons to the kids he was teaching.

He smiled in the way only a teacher could and nodded his head. Then he turned back to his campers.

“What happened to Jason at the border is most unusual. But it doesn't necessarily mean the worst.”

“It was super funny though, right? Dude was straight up doing backflips off that thing,” a skinny guy, with a mischievous-looking face said, shoveling a bunch of Cheez Whiz covered crackers into his mouth. Some counselors barely contained their laughter. I tried to ignore them.

“So why can't Jason pass through this whole border? He's a demigod, right? I saw him whip out a sword and shield and fight a ventus.”

“We're still trying to come up with an explanation,” Chiron said. “This certainly hasn't happened before with a demigod.”

“But if he was a demigod, then he would be able to pass through,” Annabeth said. “There's something more to him. What if he is just a clever monster, pretending to be a demigod?”

“I agree with Annabeth, I don't trust the look of that guy,” the girl in a bandana sitting in the back said. She was the strongest looking one out of the whole group. “But like, if he were a monster, how strong would the Mist surrounding him have to be? Shouldn't at least one of us be able to see through it?”

“Rachel can see through the Mist,” the girl in the overalls exclaimed. “She's will know for sure!”

“It would be smart to consult the Oracle on such an important decision,” a ginger girl agreed. She looked like she just finished gardening. She had an apron on, with a trowel and that little claw thing gardeners used to dig through the dirt that I never knew what it was for.

“Rachel is running late, Katie,” Annabeth said, clearly not pleased about the situation. “We don't know when she'll get here.“

“But Jason is not a monster!” I insisted, getting up from my armchair. “He's a human, or demigod, or whatever you want to call him. He saved my life.”

All the eyes were now on me.

“Did he now?” Chiron asked, curious to see what I was going to say.

“We were attacked by ventuses, or ventises , or whatever.”

“She means the anemoi,” Annabeth interjected.

“These storm spirits,” I said through gritted teeth, side-eying Annabeth, “attacked us in Arizona, and he showed up and shielded us with his body. He even charged one head on to buy time for me and Coach Hedge.”

“Coach Hedge?” the buff girl scoffed, making a face that almost looked like a smile. “I like that. Suits him, the old goat.”

“That doesn't sound like something a monster would do. Not a monster that would wish us harm at least,” Chiron said. I could practically see the gears turning in his head. He looked knowingly at Annabeth.

“We have learned not to judge a book by it's cover before.”

She looked away. Whatever he was implying she was not having it right now.

“You seem to be pretty sure that he's on our side,” a girl sitting in the back turned to look at me. She was pretty, and she looked like she knew it. Her voice sounded bored.

“I am!”

“Then where is he from?” she asked, tilting her head lazily.

It felt like I was hit between the eyes. “I don't know, but—”

“Parents?” the kid who looked like he was sleeping through the whole meeting said groggily. It almost sounded like he yawned the word.

“Good point as always, Clovis! A demigod's gotta have a godly parent,” the elvish kid concurred.

“I—I don’t know, but—”

“Do you even know his last name?” the pretty girl pressed on.

“I don't, but—” I stammered. What was I planning to say? But what? I felt like a total fool. “I uh—I don't know him.. well. I don't know him well. We—we met yesterday and I—”

Something hot was running down my face. My eyes stung. It all sounded so stupid when I said it out loud.

“Uhm... awkward,” the Cheez Whiz kid whispered, then recoiled when someone kicked him under the table.

I stumbled back into the armchair and covered my face so they couldn't see. Or maybe so that I couldn't see them. It was too much. I was on the other side of the continent, Leo was gone, and the only thing I had close to a friend was a complete stranger. Did everything that was good in my stupid, miserable life have to be taken away?

Someone stood between me and the demigods. It was the scary looking girl with the bandana. I was expecting her to yell at me, but instead she turned to the campers.

“You see what you did, you dimwits?! You pushed her too hard!” she whisper-yelled to the rest of the counselors, before turning to me. “Hey, it's going to be alright, girl. We'll figure this out. We're all like you, you don't have to be scared.”

She knelt in front of me and put her hand on my shoulder. It was almost as big as my head. I sniffed, and wiped away my tears.

“Thanks.”

“I'm Clarisse,” she said. Her voice was weirdly tender despite being so gruff. “What's your name?”

“P—Piper. Piper McLean.”

“Your last name is McLean?” A counselor with a pixie haircut looked at me. They looked pretty, kind of androgynous, with broad shoulders, svelte body and big, bright eyes. They were playing with a deck of Tarot cards, shuffling it. “Sorry, it's none of my business, but that sounds... familiar.”

“It's a pretty common name,” I fibbed.

“I guess,” the pretty girl from earlier narrowed her eyes at me ever so slightly. “What does your dad do?”

Clarisse still crouched next to me. I noticed the way she glared back at that girl.

She asked me an innocent question, but I couldn't help but feel like the way they looked at me has changed. Surely if Jason was a monster, and I vouched for him then maybe I wasn't who I appeared to be either.

“He’s got a degree in the arts,” I said automatically. “He’s a Cherokee artist.”

The standard response. Not a lie, just not the whole truth.

Most people, when they heard that, figured my dad sold Indian souvenirs at a roadside stand on a reservation. Sitting Bull bobble-heads, wampum necklaces, Big Chief tablets—that kind of thing.

“I don't see what the big deal is,” the divorced dad said sipping his diet coke. It was the first thing I heard from him since I got there. “One less half-blood to worry about. We're already overcrowded. Maybe we just exceeded the border's max capacity.”

“Leaving a demigod outside to die would go against the whole point of this camp, Dionysus. I'm sure whoever the boy's godly parent is wouldn't approve either.”

“Dionysus?! As in, the god of wine?”

“Yeap. And you must be the brightest bulb in the box, miss Pipe McCleaner. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, by the way. Don't flatter yourself, I have to contractually say that to every demigod.”

“You're a god.”

“Yes, young lady.”

"For real?" 

What was he the god of? Ugly shirts?

“I think I'm having that feeling, what was it called? Deja vu? Or maybe you demigods are just that predictable.”

“We usually call him Mr. D,” Annabeth whispered in my ear.

“I can see why.” I whispered back. Clarisse snorted.

“You're not telling them everything, Annabeth," Grover said, crossing his eyes with hers.

“Yes, there seems to be a piece to this puzzle you are missing, children,” Chiron said patiently, eyeing Annabeth.

“I was getting around to it,” Annabeth said defensively. She went quiet for a moment, like she was gauging what she should say.

“I actually... sought the Oracle's counsel weeks ago. And she answered. It's why I stayed in contact with Hedge. She told me to help his charge, and to look for the boy with one shoe, 'cause he would lead me to... what I seek.”

“A ventus singed off Jason's left shoe! The Oracle must be talking about him!”

“But that doesn't mean he's on our side.”

“Well... did he lead you to what you seek yet?”

Her hands balled into fists. I briefly worried that she was about to punch me, but she looked at the floor instead. The mood in the room has become much more grim. Even the annoying elvish guy took on a serious expression.

“No,” Annabeth said.

I knew I was in the middle of something I wasn't a part of. This moment of grief between the counselors.

It would be very insensitive to speak up at a moment like this.

So I did that.

“You're a child of the goddess of wisdom, right?” I looked at Annabeth, trying to sound confident. “If Jason is supposed to lead you to something important, then it would be the smart move to keep him around. Even if he is a bad guy. Heck, especially if he's a bad guy. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, right?”

“That's stupid,” Annabeth scowled.

“What if he decides to run away, and you realize you missed your chance?”

Her scowl deepened, but I could see her mind working on overdrive. Now she really looked like she wanted to punch me. All the counselors held their breath, like something was about to explode. Or someone.

Then Annabeth looked up with a defeated sigh.

“She's right.”

I smiled. Now it was on. I knew exactly what to say. I turned to the other campers.

“I'm not asking you to take him in with open arms. I'm asking for... what's the word?” I searched my brain for the right phrase, then snapped my fingers when I found it. "A probation period! Yeah, that's the word. A probation period for Jason. At least until the Oracle arrives. She can confirm if he's legit, right? That's what you said.”

The counselors looked at me. A few of them raised their hands to argue, but they quickly put them down when they decided they couldn't.

“Well done,” Chiron whispered. “I for one found you very convincing, miss McLean.”

“Thanks,” I said, blushing a little at the compliment.

“Alright,” Clarisse said rising to her feet. “Any demigods in favor of inviting a possibly dangerous stranger into camp?”

Her hand was already raised. Annabeth begrudgingly raised hers. Grover and Chiron opted not to take part in the vote, which Grover seemed particularly happy about. He was sympathetic to my cause, but he didn't seem to like Jason that much. Mr. D. refused to vote as well. Don't know why, based on my first impressions, he didn't seem like the type of guy to refuse a chance to screw with a demigod. But he just sipped his diet coke, eyeing me. He seemed deep in thought. Or maybe he was just bored.

I couldn't hear what the counselors were saying between each other, there were too many voices to make out any particular one. To my surprise, the pretty girl raised her hand first. The girl in the overalls followed. Then the person with beautiful eyes and a pixie haircut. The sun-kissed boy joined them as well. And a Latino looking counselor raised his hand when the blonde explained the situation to him in another language.

The guy with the pony shirt, the gardener and the elvish boy crossed their arms as a sign they voted against. They were joined by a kid who looked a lot like Mr.D, who to his credit looked a little ashamed to do so. Then there was a kid who's hair was so blonde it was practically white. He had no problem sneering at me, but he was sneering at everyone, so I didn't take it personally. The two twins, who were co-counselors as Annabeth explained to me, fought over what their shared vote should be, but ultimately they decided it should be against in a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. So they were out. Finally a conflicted girl with short hair and fierce eyes crossed her arms with the rest, sneering back at the white-haired boy, like she was mad she gave him the pleasure of agreeing with him.

7 to 7.

The deciding vote was left to the kid who's been asleep this whole time we were talking. I was worried. I was going to lose this. I was sure the only reason he didn't vote against me was because he slept through the vote. The elvish kid was already jabbing him with his finger, rousing him up so he can join his side. His eyes fluttered open.

I held my breath.

And Clovis cast his vote.

Chapter Text

JASON

I sat on my lonely rock, away from the barrier.

"You belong with your own people."

"Find your pack."

"They are going to need you. And you will need them."

Lupa's words were mocking me.

Need me? What a joke.

I found other demigods, and all I did was put them in danger.

I barely just met Piper, and she almost died because of me. Her best friend, her teacher; they were both dead. They sacrificed themselves to keep her safe, and all of that could've been in vain, because she risked her life to protect me.

Me.

When it was my fault she was in danger in the first place.

I couldn't pull myself over the cliff's edge fast enough. The burnt muscles in my arm screamed in pain, but I just gritted my teeth and pressed on. I didn't even care where I was anymore, I just had to get to her.

I had to cover my mouth not to scream. There was a giant wound burnt into her chest. The lightning tore right through the skin, exposing muscle underneath. The body was still smoking. Piper's hair stood on end, and her eyes were glass, staring vacantly into nothing.

I grabbed her in my arms, leaned over, and listened. Thank the gods, I heard a shaky, pained exhale. Her chest depressed, then raised slightly.

“It's alright. It's alright. Stay with me, Piper,” I said trying to reach her. But her stare was as empty as it was before.

“Come on, talk to me. You have to stay alive,” My eyes were stinging. I didn't know why. “I haven't even thanked you for saving my life.”

Piper looked past me, into the clouds. Her lips curled, almost like she was smiling. Whatever she was seeing, it made her feel at peace. Like she already accepted what was coming. But I couldn't. Her inhales were becoming shorter, with more and more time passing between them.

I bit my lip.

“Why? Why would you do that!?” I didn't know why I was talking. I knew she couldn't hear me anymore. “You don't even know me.”

Piper let out another labored breath and for just a moment, she looked at me, like she could really see me. Then her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and the breathing stopped.

“No! Hang on!” I cried, trying in vain to give her CPR. My hands were wet as they pressed into the scar tissue, but I didn't care. “I'll—I'll get us help! Just hang on!”

I pressed on her ribcage and breathed air into her lungs. I knew I was only prolonging the inevitable. The help wouldn't come. She was going to die. I was shaking, feeling like I was burning on the inside. It got so bad I couldn't even do the contractions.

This is all your fault.

I tangled my fingers in her hair and pulled her closer, like I could somehow keep the life from escaping her body if I held on tight enough. I could practically feel the storm spirits creeping up on me, but I didn't care.

Then I heard a sound roll through the desert. The sound of a revving up engine.

The clouds over the canyon burst in bright light. It was like a supernova. I barely managed to cover my eyes.

When I opened them again, I saw a small bus speeding out of the the dark clouds, basked in brilliant light. But that wasn't the most aamazing part.

It jumped over the Grand Canyon.

Not even jumped. Soared. The car horn played a melody as the vehicle flew through the air. It slammed into the ground skidding across the dirt, the force of impact not slowing it down at all.

What's even more insane is that there was someone standing on the hood of the vehicle. He spread his arms wide and proclaimed in a singsong voice, “DRRRRR-AMATIC ENTRANCE!”

With his curly blonde hair, tan skin and the heavenly light he was basked in he could've passed for an angel. Except instead of a white toga and a pair of wings, he had a leather jacket, torn jeans, and a pair of sunglasses. They were like nothing I have ever seen before, the lenses weren't black, but swirled with every color of the rainbow.

He pulled a bundle of golden arrows from his quiver, and effortlessly shot down every ventus in my vicinity.

He was like a rapid fire machine gun. Before the first arrow even hit, he was already shooting another one. The bus drifted and veered between roaring storm spirits, but the turbulence didn't seem to bother him at all. The faster the vehicle got, the hotter it got. To the point that half the venti were killed by the arrows, and half of them by the burning trail left behind by the bus.

By the time it finally stopped, and a bunch of warriors wielding weapons jumped out of it, most of the spirits were already gone. The golden boy left cleaning up to the rest to his friends, and turned to me and Piper.

“I know, I know, I'm amazing. You don't need to clap all at once.” He gave us a charming smile, then he turned to his driver and laughed. “Didn't I tell you it would look glorious, Annabeth Chase?”

The girl behind the steering wheel looked at him like she was about to back up and run the guy over. Her blonde hair looked frazzled. She unbuckled her seatbelt and followed her friend.

A storm spirit snuck up on her, and was welcomed with a swift dagger to the throat. It dissipated with a pained hiss, and the girl cocked her head curiously.

“What are those things?”

“Ah, just some anemoi. Pesky things. Nothing to worry about,” he waved his hand dismissively, before sending a flurry of arrows at the storm clouds with inhuman speed. Everywhere an arrow hit, they would part. 

“Though I admit, there's usually not this many of them,” he frowned.

They both looked around my age, which was... I don't know. Sixteen? Seventeen? It's hard to tell your own age, when you didn't even know the date of your birth. The boy was taller than the girl, on eye level with me, but they could almost pass for siblings with their matching dark skintones, and their beautiful blonde hair.

“Hey, there's no need to cry. I know I am awe-inspiring, but—”

“My friend is dying!” I screamed despite my chocked up throat. “Help her, please!”

The girl gasped when she saw what I was holding, and quickly run to my aid. She put two fingers to Piper's throat and her face fell.

“Di immortales, she's got no pulse,” she turned to the boy, looking hopeful. “Lord Apollo, could you do something?”

The boy, Apollo, brushed a hand through his hair.

“Well, I'd hate to see young lovers separated so brutally...”

“We're not—”

“Let me see what I can do. I think it's not too late.”

He sat cross-legged opposite of me, and laid Piper on his lap. He took of his glasses, concentrated and I heard a strange melodic sound. He was muttering some incantation in a language I didn't understand. The glow surrounding him became brighter. His golden hair flowed like it was underwater, igniting with that same light. His eyes lit up so bright I could see them through his eyelids. He gently put his palms over Piper's wound and whispered the soothing song. The light flowed from his hands and into Piper's body, illuminating her in winding patterns, like vines swirling under her skin.

The tortured flesh filled with new life, healing right before my eyes. Her skin regrew, the muscles reconnected and the injury became just a scar. Color returned to Piper's cheeks. The blonde girl put an ear to her mouth.

“It's faint, but she's breathing again. Thank the gods.”

"Thank me indeed," the boy grinned smugly next to me. He was in the process of healing my arm, but I was too focused on Piper to even notice at first.

Her eyes opened a little and the voice caught in my throat. She looked like she didn't know where she was, like a person that's been forcefully awakened. The girl and the boy smiled at her comfortingly, before Piper closed her eyes again.

I never felt so relieved. At least as far as I remember. I was so relieved in fact that I didn't even notice the two warriors were leaving.

And taking Piper with them.

I screamed before I could even think.

“NO!” I stood up like I was the one struck by lightning. “You're not taking her!”

“Calm down, hot shot,” Apollo said, raising his hands. “She's badly hurt. I did what I could do, but she still needs proper help.”

The young man pressed a button on his car alarm. The bus went chirp, chirp, and transformed into an ambulance. Normally I'd be amazed, but my thoughts were focused on the girl who saved my life.

“How can I trust you?” I said narrowing my eyes at Apollo and his friend.

“You don't have a choice,” the girl said. “If we don't take her to camp right now, she'll die.”

I weighed my options. I know they helped me, but something about them rubbed me the wrong way. Convenient how they arrived after the whole party was dead or dying. How did I know they weren't working with the venti? But even if they were, so what? I couldn't save Piper. Maybe they could.

I steadied myself with a deep breath.

“I'm coming with you then.”

The girl assessed me coolly. I was expecting her to refuse, or maybe surprise stab me with her dagger, instead she just said. “You have only one shoe.”

For some reason I felt embarrassed. I normally didn't care what my clothes looked like, as long as they served their purpose, but her glare made me a little self-conscious.

“Uhm, yeah. I lost it in a fight with a ventus.”

She frowned. “That's not good.”

“I mean, it's not that bad,” I assured her. “It's a little annoying to walk maybe...”

That didn't seem to put her at ease. If anything she looked even more addled. "No, no, no! He should be here! She told me if I came here I'd find the answer."

"Have some trust in my Oracle, please, Annabeth," the young man scolded her, a little annoyed. "Rachel may be a rookie, but she learned a lot in these past few months."

"What are you—"

“Did you see a demigod here?!” she snapped at me. “Tall, dark hair, green eyes?!”

I frowned.

“N—no. There was another demigod with us. Leo. But he was short, with brown eyes. A storm spirit pushed him off the cliff.”

The last sentence came out of my mouth as a whisper. The girl's grey eyes were cold. They looked a lot like the storm clouds above. They spoke of similar danger.

“Get in. Now,” she snarled.

The girl, Annabeth, left to give orders to her men, the ones staying behind to help the civilians, while I helped the boy put Piper on a stretcher. He put a translucent mask over her mouth, and something about that imagine made me uneasy. Even with all the pieces of me missing, somewhere deep inside that imagine brought back bad feelings.

I wanted to do something for her. This brave, kind girl I barely knew. The girl who saved my life.

I reached into the pocket of my jean jacket. Sure enough, they came back, just like they always did. I slipped an old coin and the wristband into the pocket of her hoodie. Hopefully if I willed it hard enough they would stay with her. Just in case. I also gave her something else. I made sure to collect it before we left.

I put the tool belt in her hand, and her fingers instantly wrapped around it. I smiled.

Annabeth finally came back, making sure to glare at me over her shoulder as she took her seat. But somehow that wasn't as bad as the look Apollo was giving me over the rear view mirror as the ambulance took off.

He was trying to hide it, but he looked uncomfortable.

“What?” I finally asked him.

“I don't know,” he said. His voice sounded weird. His brilliant smile was gone. “You just seem... off.”

You know what happened next.

I reached out my hand and felt the invisible wall. There was a barely noticeable electric hum to it. But when I tried to push, the background hum turned into a massive electric discharge.

The message was clear. I was not welcome inside.

Maybe it was for the best. What if I endangered them too, like I did Piper?

Lupa said they'd be like me, but they didn't feel like me. Something was off with me, Apollo said so himself, and I couldn't shake the feeling that they could tell. That's why Annabeth didn't want me there.

That's why I didn't want me there.

Figures.

I don't belong anywhere, even with my own people.

I unzipped my jacket and looked down at my shirt. It was the only pair of clothes I owned. I doubt that they smelled that great to normal people, but what choice did I have? I didn't have access to modern conveniences, so the only way I could take care of my hygiene was taking a dip in a river or a lake every once in a while, and waiting for my clothes to dry on a warm rock by the shore.

There was something gnawing at me in the back of the head whenever I looked at that shirt. Like I could remember what it was if I just tried hard enough, but no matter how much effort I put into it, my mind drew a blank. I looked once again at the purple garment. But the gold letters were too faded and scratched up to read them.

It was like trying to put together a puzzle, but only from missing pieces.

I sighed defeatedly and leaned further back on the rock I was sitting on, propping myself up on my hands. One thing I would give them was the sky looked really nice here. Light blue, with small fluffy clouds moving lazily to their destination. I wondered if they knew where they're going, now that I knew they were alive.

Melodic chirping took me out of my thoughts. A little robin perched on the rock, next to my hand. I was expecting it to fly away the moment I moved, but it didn't seem scared. I tilted my head, looking at it, and it titled it's head back.

“What do you think, little buddy?” I sighed. “Do you think they're better off without me?”

The bird just started pecking at the moss growing on the rock. I scoffed and looked up again.

“Great. I must be really desperate if I'm talking to a bird.”

Yeah, leave me alone, weirdo, the bird said with a deep voice and flew away.

My back straightened instantly, as I gawked at the orange wings disappearing into the woods, wondering if I just heard what I thought I just heard.

“Good news Jason!” someone shouted excitedly in my ear.

I fell head first off the rock I was sitting on.

“What are you doing?” Piper asked, looking down at me.

“Nothing,” I said, checking behind me at the woods to make sure the bird wasn't coming back.

“Ooo—kay,” Piper said slowly. “So anyway, guess what? I've talked a bit to the counselors..." She paused for dramatic effect. "You're now welcome inside!”

She shook her hands excitedly at me.

“Oh. Great,” I said. I must've sounded less excited than she expected.

“Hey, come on. Yeah, they're a bunch of antisocial weirdos, but they're not all bad. At least I don't think so. And they have running water, and food, and this awesome drink that tastes like papaya smoothie, and is basically like a drinkable spa day.”

“What's a spa?”

“It's like this thing you go to to feel refreshed, and de-stress. Some people—”

“Piper,” I interrupted her. I knew we were just talking around the real issue here. She didn't want to talk about it, but I had to. “I'm sorry.”

She looked at me confused.

“Sorry? What for?” she laughed.

“For everything. I was supposed to protect you, and instead I let that ventus provoke me. You could've died because of me.”

I hanged my head low.

Her hand touched my shoulder.

“Hey. Don't sweat it, dude,” I could see the sadness in her eyes that she was trying to hide before. I noticed for the first time that she was wearing Leo's tool belt. “You saved my life. I was only paying back the favor.”

I shook my head. She didn't get it. She didn't know how much I screwed up.

“No! I lead the venti to you! They followed me. It's my fault you almost died. It's my fault Leo and that satyr...”

Her smile disappeared. She suddenly went very quiet. I realized then why she had been so chatty at the Grand Canyon, and why she was like that now. It helped her calm down. She looked so miserable when she was quiet. She rubbed her arm with her free hand.

“You know,” she started, apprehensively. “For the last two days everyone's been telling me that I'm some demigod. At first I didn't know what that meant. Do you?”

I nodded my head.

“It means that we're children of the gods. Like heroes from the Greek myths.”

She smiled bitterly.

“Of course you already knew. I'm the only one who never knows anything.”

“You're not.”

She looked up at me.

“There's a lot of things I still don't know.”

“Well, the point is, if we're really alike, and I am a demigod like you, then I was already in danger of attracting monsters, right? So stop feeling so sorry for yourself, 'cause without you I would've been dead. You saved my life. Deal with it.”

I couldn't help but smile. I felt some of the weight I didn't even realize I was carrying go away.

Just a little bit.

“It's not your fault those venti or whatever tricked you. Don't blame yourself,” she looked me in the eyes. “I don't blame you.”

Somehow I knew she was being honest.

“We've got to stick together now, dude,” she said. “Are you with me?”

I closed my eyes and let the stress out with one exhale.

“Yeah.” I nodded my head.

“Good. 'Cause everyone's staring at us.”

I turned my head so fast. There was a crowd at the boarder, staring at us.

How long have they been standing there? Did they overhear our talk? Oh my gods, did they see me talking to the bird?!

I could feel all their eyes on me.

A wholy different experience to sneaking on the bus in Wilderness School. I might as well have been invisible to everyone there. Not so much here.

Somehow these kids looked way scarier than the ones in Wilderness School. I could see the years of experience they had. They couldn't be more different from each other, but they formed a unified front.

Next to them stood a white centaur. I have encountered some centaurs as I traveled through the states, but never one dressed like that. He looked like a teacher ready for a lecture in his tweed jacket.

I could see a couple of campers making faces and pointing at me and Piper and my cheeks felt all hot all of the sudden.

Thankfully Piper didn't notice. She was smiling awkwardly, standing like a wall between me and them.

"Aaal-right. Everyone, this is Jason. Jason, this is everyone. Now say 'Hi' to each other."

"Hi? Everybody," I said.

They didn't answer.

"Miss McLean, would you do the honors?" the centaur suggested.

“Okay, let's see if I got this right," she cleared her throat, then recited. "I, Piper McLean, give you permission to enter camp.”

At first I didn't feel any different. Then the sound of thunder shook the ground, despite the clear sky. There didn't seem to be any rain that followed, and no one reacted to it except for Piper.

Tentatively, I reached out my hand to press it against the barrier, but instead it passed through easily.

"Welcome on the other side, young man," the centaur welcomed me as I stepped through.

"This is Chiron. He's kind of in charge here. Just don't tell that to his boss, he's a real..." Piper was talking, but I was only half-listening.

I stood on the other side of the boarder. I couldn't wrap my head around it. For some reason my first instinct was to bolt. Now that I was here, the only thing I wanted was to get out. There was this overwhelming sense of wrongness about the whole situation. I was there, on the other side, in a Greek camp, surrounded by Greek demigods. I thought I was going to pass out.

"I shouldn't be here."

"Jason, you okay?"

I shook my head. My legs felt a little weak.

"This is some kind of mistake, I'm not supposed to be here."

"I know it's scary. I'm not sure if I believe any of this is happening either—"

"I'm not talking about that, Piper."

I forgot everyone was watching us. I was too busy freaking out.

"You feel it too, don't you?" Annabeth said, stepping closer to me. "Something here feels wrong. "

“Ignore Annabeth," Piper said, growing frustrated. "She thinks you're a monster or something.”

“Maybe she's right.”

Piper's eyes went wide.

I thought about it too. Many times. It would make sense, wouldn't it? Why all the half-bloods were suspicious of me. Why I couldn't pass through the boarder. Why I had similar powers to the venti, and I could touch them without getting hurt. Maybe that's why they were so interested in me. Because I was one of them.

“What are you talking about?” Piper shook her head.

“I'm saying Annabeth may be right,” I said, looking into Annabeth's eyes. Her expression was unreadable.

“You're acting like you don't know,” Piper said bewildered.

“That's because he doesn't," I watched the realization dawn on Annabeth's face. I simply nodded.

"You're right. I don't."

Hushed whispers filled the air, but no one would dare talk to me directly. They knew instinctively I didn't belong, just like I did. Everyone looked concerned, save for Chiron.

“Grover. Does Jason smell like a monster to you?” he said turning to a young, handsome faun.

Grover, which I guess was the faun's name, walked up to me, looking a little apprehensive, and leaned in. He sniffed and had to think for a moment. He even went for a second sniff to confirm. It felt really awkward.

“Nope. He's definitely not a monster, that's for sure,” he said after some deliberation. “I think he might be a half-blood.”

I should've felt relieved, but I didn't. At all.

“You think?” Annabeth raised her eyebrows.

“He smells like a half-blood... but also he doesn't,” Grover said, sounding like he struggled to put what he was feeling into words.

“Like something about me is off?” I suggested. The whole group looked very uncomfortable, save for a few members.

“You can say it. I know you've all been thinking it.”

"Alright." A white-haired kid smirked. "Something about you is—OW!"

A girl standing next to him slapped him upside the head and cursed in Italian.

How did I recognize it was Italian?

The centaur walked up to me.

“I'm very curious, young man, how can someone not know if they're human or not?”

“Well, it's very simple, sir. It's because I have no memory of who I am.”

Now everyone really did go quiet.

“What?” Piper was the first one to break the silence.

“What do you mean?” Annabeth said.

“I mean that I don't remember who I am, or where I came from. I don't even know my last name.”

“You've got amnesia? That's cool!” one of the counselors said. I didn't like something about his face. His lips were always quirked in a half-grin, like he was plotting something.

“How would that even work? Did you get hit in the head really hard or something?” another counselor added. She looked like the women I saw on magazines, with long, black hair, and bored eyes.

“If I knew that, do you think I would be here?”

"How do we know he's even telling the truth?" the white-haired kid from earlier said.

"I swear! I swear on... uhh..." What do Greeks swear by? Zeus' beard?

"On Styx?" the magazine model suggested.

"Jason, don't!" Annabeth yelled.

"Fine. I swear on Styx that I really don't remember who I am."

Once again thunder boomed across the hills. I was ready for a bolt of lightning to come from the sky and strike me down. One strong enough to actually kill me. Instead...

"Nothing happened," a girl in brown overalls said, relieved.

"You were telling the truth," Annabeth put her fingers to her lips, thinking, looking stunned.

Chiron cleared his throat. He went from mildly concerned to deep in thought.

“I believe our meeting is adjourned for now. I would like to talk a little with Jason.”

All the counselors stood where they stood.

"Privately," Chiron added with emphasis.

The campers voiced their disappointment, but they seemed to respect the wise centaur too much to disobey. Piper and Annabeth were the last ones to leave.

“Come on, Piper,” Annabeth said. I could see she was hurt Chiron didn't want to include her in his secret interrogation, but she didn't want it to show. “How about I give you a tour of the camp?”

Piper looked at me unsure, but she followed Annabeth regardless. She looked like that was the last thing she wanted to, but I didn't try to stop her.

We were now alone.

“I figured you'd appreciate some privacy,” Chiron said turning to me.

The group of campers has already split up into smaller groups. I could see them still shooting me wayward glances, and talking between each other. Something told me by the time this day was over, everyone in camp would already know who I was.

“You figured right, sir.”

He wasn't smiling either.

“Well then. How about we talk in my office? Follow me. We have lemonade."

“I don't know,” I said again, getting a little annoyed.

I was leaning against the wall with my arms crossed. Chiron offered me a seat on the sofa, but I politely declined. He already made me feel small as it was. Ever since I got there, he's been asking me all kinds of things in the hopes that maybe it would jog my memory. From simple stuff like "Tell me about the town you grew up in" to weirdly specific things like "Do you remember your first lost tooth?".

Sometimes the answer was almost on the tip of my tongue.

"Something starting with 'M'?... I think? I don't know."

"I think I was... seven? Eight? I remember something hard falling on me, and blacking out."

But it lead nowhere. I couldn't pull the memories back, hard as I tried. They were there, I was so sure of it. I felt it to my very core, I had those memories. But they were vague shapes. Whispers of thought. A memory of what remembering felt like.

I focused on the room I was in, like maybe looking around at all those artifacts from the past could help me remember my past as well. There were bookshelves filled with all kinds of tomes, and with all kinds of antiques. Wood-carved figurines; ancient looking vases with scenes from myths painted on them; old vinyl records; clay jars, with lids that looked like animal heads.

I noticed a lot of the books were in different languages too. It almost resembled a library. But even that couldn't make me feel better.

There was one of those music players, or boomboxes, or whatever it was called on the windowsill. Even the music couldn't help me focus.

"Nat King Cole," Chiron explained with a smile. "'Unforgettable'. Just like he was. They don't make music like that anymore."

I wasn't really in a mood for chit chat.

“Look, if I knew the answer to any of your questions, sir, I wouldn't have this problem in the first place.” I threw my hands in the air. "I told you, I don't remember anything, not one bit." I pointed at my head. "Carte blanche."

Evidently this was a big deal to Chiron. He didn't even touch his lemonade the whole time we spent in his office. The ice cubes in the jug already melted.

"Maybe I've been going about this the wrong way," he pressed his fingers to his temple. "What's the first thing you do remember?"

"No offense, but I feel like we're going in circles."

"I mean after you woke up, Jason." Chiron said patiently. Somehow that made me even more angry.

I didn't want to remember what happened that night. He couldn't even imagine what that felt like. How terrifying it is to literally forget who you even are. To find yourself adrift, completely, and utterly alone. Inside and outside.

But if it could help, then I had no choice. I had to do it.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes; remembering every detail.

“I woke up in the middle of nowhere. I was on... some desert highway"

"What did you find in your pockets?"

"Nothing." I shook my head. "No documents, no money, only some ancient coin, and a sports wristband. Every word on my clothes was faded, like they were whiped away along with me. After the initial panic, I realized I had to do something. I realized there had to have been other people in the world, and I had to find them, ask if they could help me. I had to hitch-hike my way to the nearest city."

"Do you remember the name?"

I focused. I knew it was in there somewhere.

"Sacramento. A nice old lady gave me a ride. But... there was something wrong with her."

"What was it?"

"She was a monster." I opened my eyes and looked into his. "She grew sharp teeth, and scales, and attacked me and I... I crashed the car. I killed her. And she dissolved into dust."

“I'm so sorry, Jason, that sounds horrible,” To his credit, he genuinely did sound concerned. But I was too angry to care. I wasn't stupid. He felt sorry for me, but that didn't mean he trusted me. He saw me as an intruder just as much as everyone else did, he was just better at hiding it.

“Do you really remember nothing before that? Anything? Even a tiniest detail?”

I shook my head.

“I was hoping that if I found other demigods, then maybe they would be able to help me. Figure out some way to get my memories back. But I can tell when I'm not welcome.”

Chiron's gaze softened a little.

"Please, forgive the counselors. They're weary of strangers, especially with the unusual way you arrived at camp. We trusted someone we really shouldn't once, years ago, and I suppose the betrayal is still fresh in their minds. We also lost... someone who was very dear to a lot of us recently."

I studied the elaborate patterns of the carpet on the floor. I just couldn't look at him. At anything. Everything was horrible, and I wanted to feel it.

"I get why they don't trust me." I sucked in air through my teeth. "I honestly wouldn't trust me either."

It was the hardest thing to admit, but it was true.

"Things aren't always as bad as they look, Jason," Chiron said softly. "Sometimes all it takes is a little patience and the answers show themselves."

I could see the wrinkles betraying his age. The smile lines next to his eyes, and the lines on his brow from worry. There was something odd about him I couldn't quite put my finger on, and not just because he was part horse. But I appreciated what he was trying to say. At the very least I appreciated that he was trying to make me feel better.

"Thank you, sir," I said, trying to sound like it didn't mean as much as it did. He smiled.

"So you already know about monsters. But something tells me that's not the only thing you know, is it?"

"No. I know a lot of things about the mythical world."

"How did you figure out the monsters had to do with ancient myth?"

"I've had some run-ins with nymphs, and centaurs, and other more friendly creatures. I just payed attention to what they said." It wasn't exactly the whole truth. One specific creature helped me more than any other. But she also specifically told me not to tell anyone I know her. "I know about the gods, sir. I know that they didn't disappear with Ancient Greece. That they are still rulling the human world. Most people I talked to even thought I might be a demigod, but they couldn't be sure."

"Hopefully you didn't run into any of my relatives," he laughed. "Most demigods have already been claimed by the time they reach your age. It's very odd that Piper wasn't, but it still can happen. Ignorance truly is a bliss when it comes to demigods. I suppose the fact that she didn't know anything about Greek mythology or her heritage, and even the particular school she went to protected her from being detected by monsters. Have you seen any signs from your godly parent? It could be that you've already been claimed."

"Maybe," I answered. "I probably wouldn't be pondering the idea that I am a monster if I knew for sure."

"That's a shame," he said. "The claiming would've at least told us something."

"What's one more mystery to the pile of unanswered questions?" My voice sounded bitter.

Chiron stroked his beard, trying to think of something. His brow furrowed.

"There may be one way to know. Have you noticed yourself displaying any... unusual abilities?"

You mean like controlling electricity? Talking to birds? Being able to race a bolt of lightning?

I didn't say it out loud. There was one god I knew who could control storms and hurl lightning. The last god you would want as your parent if you wanted to avoid attention. The last god you would want as your parent period.

"I am a pretty good sword fighter all things considered, since I don't remember ever training. Outside of that, no, nothing out of the ordinary."

I didn't want to look at him, scared that he could notice I was lying from the look on my face. I turned to my left.

There were some shirts framed in glass, no doubt from the various conventions Chiron went to. Party Ponies '09, Vegas. Party Ponies '10, Honolulu. New York City Teachers Convention 2004. Stuff like that. But most of the office's wall space was absolutely covered in photos. Hundreds upon hundreds of photos, some of them so old they were black and white and disintegrating from old age. I recognized some of the people from history books and some of them from newspapers. One of the newest looking pictures showed a teenage boy with black hair and green eyes. He had the same pale streak running through his black locks as the girl standing next to him. The girl I would've recognized anywhere, because I could feel her steely grey eyes burrowing holes into me even from the photo.

The reason Annabeth was there at the Grand Canyon. The person she was looking for. He was on that picture, smiling at me.

Chiron must have noticed me staring.

"I don't really like to talk about it," he said bashfully. "A teacher shouldn't really have favorites. But I like to remember some of my best students."

"Are those all... demigods?"

"Well, most of them, yes. I am a teacher of heroes after all."

"Your name is Chiron!" I realized. I finally remembered where I heard it before. "Like the centaur from ancient myths who trained heroes! The renowned teacher! The wisest of the centaurs!"

Chiron laughed. "I wouldn't know about the wisest. I have my silly moments, like most people. But yes indeed. It is me."

"But—but you died! Hercules struck you with an arrow poisoned with hydra venom!" I remembered that story, because I remembered how sad it made me.

It was just an accident. Hercules was chasing a bunch of wild centaurs down, and they run to Chiron for refuge. His only crime was caring about his own people. Imagine killing someone you care about, your beloved teacher, and it was all a big misunderstanding. Completely meaningless. What a horrible way to die.

I couldn't help but feel a little bad for Hercules, even if it was his fault. How many people have I hurt by mistake, after all?

"Well, as you can see, that didn't really last." He smiled. "As long as I'm needed to teach demigods, I will be around. Our Lord Zeus has decreed it. Back when the first Camp Half-Blood was established."

"When was that?"

He stroked his beard trying to recall.

"About three thousand years ago."

"Three thousand years!?" I could barely conceive of living for a hundred years, let alone a thousand. How old was Chiron then? How long has he been around? "You've been working here for three thousand years?"

"Well, not exactly 'here' here. Remember, this was before most European civilizations even knew America existed."

"And in all this time... You've never met someone like me?"

I didn't even know what I even meant by 'someone like me'. Someone who lost his memories? Someone who couldn't pass through the barrier? Someone who definitely didn't belong here, even though he had no idea why?

Now he was the one who looked away.

"I'm afraid not, Jason. This has never happened before." It was like his gaze was a thousand miles away from here. "I'm afraid that our little meeting is coming to a close. It was very... insightful."

He didn't need to tell me twice. I really wanted out of that room. I wanted to be as far as I could from it's weird music, and old books, and pictures of mysterious missing demigods staring me down.

"Jason, one more thing," Chiron's voice sounded darker. He still wouldn't meet my gaze, but I could see the lines on his face become sharper. Like this conversation aged him a couple years in a matter of seconds.  "There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect my students. Nothing. Do you understand?"

"Loud and clear, sir."

"Good," he said, that cheerful disposition returning to him. "Now why don't we join the rest of the campers? I believe it's lunchtime."

I wasn't at all surprised when we left the Big House and saw Annabeth already waiting for us with Piper.

"How did your tour of the camp go?"

She shrugged.

"Did you know they have stables here? And all the horses have wings. Pretty cool." She struggled to put the usual enthusiasm into her voice. I could tell she was worried. "How did your chat with Chiron go?"

"Surprisingly unhelpful. But I know who Nat King Cole is now."

"Geez, didn't know Chiron was that old. I gotta introduce you to some real music. Poison, and Arctic Monkeys, and My Chemical Romance, and..."

"Do all musicians have weird, made up names?"

Piper considered the question.

"More or less," she snorted.

As we left, I felt a sudden urge to turn around. I could've sworn someone was looking at me, but all of the windows were empty. Weird.

I was expecting a mess hall, something like one of the soup kitchens I went to in the last couple months, instead I found myself in a big open air pavilion. The crowd was a bit overwhelming. There were 20 or so elongated wooden picnic tables standing in an almost perfect circle, most of them just filled with demigods, to the point that some kids had no wiggle room on their seats at all. The body plan of the pavilion was round, with long Greek columns encompassing it, connected by two circles at the top and bottom. The center of the building was a giant burning brazier filled with coals.

"Thankfully I was able to make some changes last year, when we realized the old pavilion wouldn't fit us all," Annabeth said. "Stone is not exactly the most comfortable to sit on."

"You helped build this?" I said, genuinely impressed.

"I designed most of the new cabins too," It was probably the first time I saw her smile at me. "And redesigned the old ones."

"Annabeth, this is so cool!" Piper exclaimed with stars in her eyes.

"Thank you," Annabeth answered, and I saw her ears turn a shade pinker.

Chiron took his place at the biggest table, next to a disheveled middle-aged man, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. If I was less observant, I would've missed the fact that his eyes were following me.

Everyone took their seats except for me and Piper.

"Heyo, you two!" I hear a familiar voice behind me. It was the guy who said my missing memories were 'cool'.

“The unclaimed demigods sit here,” a kid who could've been his twin brother said.

Piper cursed under her breath. “I don't want to sit with them.”

Unfortunately, I didn't think it was up for debate. Honestly, I would rather eat alone, but that wasn't really an option. And the campers were starting to stare. So with a defeated sigh, I walked over to the table with the two identical brothers.

“I'm Connor, this is Travis," the slightly taller one introduced himself. "For the foreseeable future, we'll be your counselors.”

“Wait... I thought I'm Connor, you're Travis,” the brother said, pointing at himself, and then at his sibling.

“Oh right," The one who spoke first slapped himself on the head. "Sorry, I get us confused sometimes.”

“Me too, Connor,” Connor said.

I think.

I could've sworn the whole cabin was looking at me, and holding back laughter.I felt embarrassed. They were probably thinking about my big fall over the camp's magic barrier.

“Ignore them. They're idiots,” Piper whispered. She sat next to me, even though it put her on their crosshairs as well.

I smiled. At least one person here liked me.

"So, are you two... siblings?" Piper asked.

"We're all siblings!" all the campers exclaimed. Piper face turned a few shades paler.

"Welcome to the Hermes cabin!" Travis exclaimed.

"Hermes? Like the Greek god of... thieves?" I said.

"Hey, we're not just thieves!" Connor said offended. "Our dad is a god of many talents. He represents thieves, travelers, athletes, inventors, and businessmen."

"You didn't had to add that last one." One of his sisters said. "You already said 'thieves'"

Chiron stomped his hoofed foot on the stone floor to get everyone's attention. The excited conversation quieted down. He raised a toast to the gods, and the sound that came out of the crowd was so loud it sounded like on entity.

"TO THE GODS!"

Everyone drank the toast to their parents, except for me and Piper.

“You can ask for anything you'd like,” Travis said pointing at the glasses in front of us, taking a sip of a fizzy green drink. “As long as it's non-alcoholic.”

“What a shame, I was about to ask for a whisky on the rocks.” Piper laughed. “I guess I'll settle for a papaya smoothie then.”

We watched as Piper's glass magically filled with exactly what she asked for. She gasped delightedly and started chugging it instantly. Travis and I just stared in morbid fascination.

“And the best part is... uh... it doesn't... run out...” Connor explained, taking pauses to watch Piper put that to the test.

“Is she gonna be okay?” a little kid sitting next to me asked.

“Just give her a minute,” I said, not really sure myself. I still couldn't look away. It was like watching a car crash.

“Ahhh! Now that's some quality smoothie,” Piper sighed refreshed, slapping her hand on the table, wiping the smoothie with her sleeve.

“Dam, girl! You were practically inhaling that thing!”

“I can't help it. Have you guys ever had papaya smoothie? It's so good!”

Connor cringed. “Too sweet for me.”

“It's because you have a busted palette bro.” Travis pointed at his brother with his thumb. “He drinks unsweetened ice tea.”

“That's not my busted palette, that's my diabetes, dumbass,” Connor said, taking a sip. “Sugar drinks suck anyway. You're just going to get dehydrated, defeating the whole purpose.”

Travis stuck his tongue at his little brother and drank some more of his violent green soda.

I just settled for water.

Beautiful women weaved between the tables. Nymphs, carrying platters with all kinds of food. Piper got really excited when she saw the burgers. She reached out to grab one, but when the nymph got closer, she suddenly pulled away her hand like the plate was cursed. She looked like she was about to throw up.

“Uhm, sorry, I changed my mind," she said apologetically to the green woman. "I think I'll pass on burgers today.” She tried laughing it off, but it was a weak laugh at best. Instead she grabbed two slices of veggie pizza and put them on her plate.

I made sure to stack my plate tall with a little bit of everything. After two months of eating berries, raccoons and whatever people threw out in the trash, there was no way I was denying myself burgers.

So far the food was the best part of the camp experience. The coca-cola ribs were divine, which I guess was fitting for a camp for demigods.

"Hey, hot stuff," one of the girls at the table said. It took me a moment to realize she was talking to me.

"Uhm, sorry?" I said, wiping the barbeque sauce off my lips with a napkin.

"I've got a question for you, angel," she said, brushing a streak of brown hair behind her ear.

"A—angel?" I felt weirdly hot all of a sudden.

"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven? Because I heard you hit your head pretty hard."

My cheeks were flushing but for a completely different reason. The table was roaring with laughter, and I wanted to shrink in my seat until I disappeared. Piper was glaring at them. I saw a couple of Hermes kids the girl big gold coins.

"Really sorry about this. They bet me to do it," she said stuffing her pockets, trying to look apologetic, but it was hard because the corners of her mouth were curling up no matter what she said. "I still think you're cute though."

"Alright, knock it off, everyone," scolded an older guy with curly hair. He didn't look amused. I assumed the counselor role went to the oldest sibling, but that can't be right, because both Travis and Connor looked younger than him. "He won't stay around for long if you treat him like this. Where's your philoxenia?"

"Philo-what?" I said confused.

"The Greek sense of hospitality," Travis explained, ripping open some freshly baked bread to make a pulled pork sandwich. "Ancient Greeks took it very seriously. They believed that if a stranger needs your help, you should welcome them with open arms. To abuse that hospitality, or to lie to your guest and do them harm is considered a great offense. Of course monsters don't really take those rules to heart."

I couldn't tell if 'monsters' included me.

"Chris is just worried his girlfriend is gonna be mad at him," Connor teased.

"You'd like to say that to my face, Hermes boy!?" Two tables over a terrifying girl with a bandana stood up.

"I didn't say anything, it was Travis!" Connor said, pointing at his brother, who was shaking his head so fast I thought it would fly off. Bandana girl wasn't fooled. I could see why they were afraid. She didn't look like someone you'd want to mess with, even taller than I was, with broad shoulders and thick biceps. When she sat back down, satisfied with the scare she gave the brothers, her table shook a little.

"What do you see in that woman?" Connor furrowed his brow in utter confusion.

"Are you blind?" Piper butted in. "She's pretty, scary and buff, what's not to love?"

"See? She gets it," Chris pointed approvingly.

"I don't think I've ever heard anyone call Clarisse 'pretty'."

"Travis is right. You do have awful taste," Piper said, and this time when the whole cabin laughed, it wasn't at me. Connor was embarrassed at first, but he couldn't help but laugh with everyone else.

"You sure you're not a Hermes kid? You fit in here perfectly," the girl with brown hair, the one who 'flirted' with me earlier, said.

Piper's smile fell.

"I mean... Hermes is a male god, right? And I have a human dad."

One of the older kids shrugged. "I also have a human dad. So does Bree," he pointed at the bbron-haired girl.

I thought Piper's jaw would hit the table.

"How?"

"You've got a lot to learn about gods, Piper." Chris chuckled.

"But how do I know if I'm a Hermes kid or not?"

"Don't worry," Connor assured her. "You'll be claimed in no time."

"Claimed?" Piper asked.

"Chiron told me about it too," I said. "It's when your godly parent gives you a sign or something."

"Whoever your parent is, their symbol is gonna show up over your head... unless you're an Aphrodite kid. Then you're in for a surprise," Bree snickered.

"Yeah, I remember when Drew first came to camp. Total ugly duckling. Now look at her."

"I heard that Travis."

He instantly sat up strait. It was that girl, who looked like a magazine, the one with bored eyes; she was standing right behind him. She was taking a bowl of blueberries and cereal from a dryad. "I'd rather be a duckling than a rat, thank you very much." She narrowed her eyes at him and smirked. "You guys really need to learn to speak quieter."

I thought Travis was going to pass out.

"Quieter. Right. I can do that," he wheezed giving her a big nervous smile, and I could barely hear his voice. I wouldn't even call it a whisper.

Her gaze turned to Piper, who was busy licking the pizza sauce from her face.

"As if she could be a daughter of Aphrodite." Drew cringed.

Piper blushed embarrassed and looked away. But the other girl was already bored with her. Her attention turned to me.

"Welcome to camp, hon. Sorry you have to sit with these losers."

Then she winked, and I felt my checks burning again.

"Let me know if you need a tour."

And with that, she left to the other side of the pavilion, turning her head to check if I was looking. Piper stared at her, as the other girl sat with her siblings, giggling and talking about whatever it was popular, pretty people talk about.

"Why would I want to be related to someone like that?" It was very quiet, and if I didn't sit next to her I might have not heard it. She looked down, like she wanted to make herself smaller, and ate her pizza in silence.

"Gods, what a bitch," Travis sighed longingly, following Drew's every move with his eyes.

"First Chris, and now you. Why do all my siblings have horrible taste in women?" Connor stared at his brother, bewildered.

"Connor, don't make me bring up who you were checking out just a few years ago."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Don't tempt me."

"So when does a demigod get claimed?" Piper said, changing the subject. Travis was happy to explain.

"You'll probably get it by the end of the day. Back when me and Connor first came to camp some people had to wait years until their parents finally remembered them and claimed them," he propped his head on his elbow. "Honestly kinda miss those times. All the unclaimed kids lived in the Hermes cabin with us. I really got used to those guys, especially Clovis, and my boy Damien. It was like having a big, weird family. Now I'm stuck with my boring, regular family."

"Ah, quit complaining," Connor said. "It's nice to be able to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without tripping over a kid or two."

"He's not wrong," Bree concurred. "And it's nice to have my own bed, and not have to worry about Connor stepping all over me, because he has a weak bladder."

Piper laughed.

She seemed to be getting along with the Hermes cabin well. I didn't feel compelled to join them. I wasn't really good at talking to people, or making friends.

I scanned through the pavilion, and just by coincidence my gaze fell on Annabeth. She didn't seem to share my appetite. All she really did was halfheartedly stabbing her food with a fork from time to time, and that was it. It didn't look like there was any less food on her plate than when she started. All the other kids at her table looked terribly sorry for their big sister.

From time to time she would look at an empty table at the edge of the pavilion. Why we had to sit crammed around one table if there were perfectly fine empty seats over there was beyond me. But I didn't want to stick out any more than I already did, so I kept my concerns to myself.

"What god does that table belong to?" I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"That's the table of the Poseidon cabin," Chris explained.

"You don't have any Poseidon kids here? I thought him and Zeus had many children."

"That's until their children started causing problems. Killed a couple thousand people, started a couple of wars. The usual," Bree explained. "And then they heard a prophecy about how one child of the Big Three might burn Olympus to the ground."

"Not very inclined to have children after that," Travis grinned.

"So one of those empty tables over there also belongs to Zeus? And Hades I assume?"

"Yeap. Children of the Big Three are very rare. But we've had some over the years."

"And what about this... prophecy?"

I've read enough about Greek mythology to know that I shouldn't take prophecies lightly. Knowing your own future is very dangerous. Some of the most terrible events in Greek mythology happened because of a prophecy or two.

"Ah, don't you worry your pretty little head about it, Blondie," Travis assured me. "We took care of it."

"Yep," Chris said a little smugly. "Saved the world last summer. You don't have to thank us."

"The biggest takeaway for you should be that us Hermes kids are very nice, and none of us would ever do anything bad." Connor laughed, but there was something underlying it. Like he was scared I would call his bluff.

"They're joking with all that, right?" Piper turned to me. "Prophecies, wars, end of the world? They're making it up, right?"

I looked at her, unsure. Part of me was hoping they were.

Having a full stomach really did improve one's mood. I was beginning to think maybe the camp wouldn't be so bad after all.

The sight of Piper laughing and joking with the Hermes kids made me feel a lot better. 

Most of the Hermes kids were going to the Arena after lunch, but first they were going to walk us to their cabin so we could get ourselves accustomed, unpack, take a shower. Connor looked at me when he said that last one.

I've got a crash course tour by Chris. He explained to me that each cabin represented a god.

Zeus and Hera stood at the top of the hill, nestled next to each other, with the rest of the main ten Olympians placed in a half circle, even numbers on Hera's side, odd numbers on Zeus' side. Then completing the circle were 7 minor gods, and a cabin for Hades. Each cabin looked different, to suit the needs of the demigods staying in there. The neighboring Hepheastus cabin was a miniature factory, the empty Hades cabin on the other side looked like Dracula could live there, and the Ares cabin further away was a stronghold, surrounded by barb wire, and from what Connor told me, buried mines.

There was another group walking by us, making a substantial effort to stay away. I guess the rumors spread fast.

"Don't take it personally, JayJay," Connor said. "We're not exactly the most popular here."

That was odd. From my experience, the Hermes cabin might have been a little much, but not this much. They had a twisted sense of humor and could get on your nerves really easily, but they were ultimately not that bad. This had to be about something more than just stupid pranks.

"You're having a feeling something happened here?" Piper whispered to me. "As in, something important."

"Yeah. And nobody wants to tell us what."

Then there was a sound. Like something snapping in the forest. Chris stiffened when he heard it.

I looked where the sound came from. If you went in that direction you'd end up in the forest outside the camp where I spent my night in. I could see the canopies moving, and disappearing as the trees fell. The ambience was gone, like the whole woods were holding their breath. Then I heard the flapping of wings, and saw a black cloud eclipse the sun.

It's coming! Fly away! Fly away! a massive flock of birds cried over our heads.

The little robin flew right by my face.

Run for your life, weirdo!

I could hear the other group panicking.

"Uh-oh. Uh-oh, uh-oh," a girl wearing suspenders repeated over and over.

"Everyone get to the Hermes cabin, now!" Travis commanded, uncharacteristically serious.

"What's going on?" I asked as we ran. "Is it the ants?"

"Worse," Chris said.

Everyone sped up. Considering the things I saw in my overnight stay in the forest, this must've been really bad. I could hear something getting closer. Then I heard a scream, followed by the ground shaking as something big darted behind me. I realized too late I made a big mistake.

I left Piper in the back of the group.

A wall of fire erupted right where she was standing just a second ago. Before we even realized what was happening, something ripped Piper off her feet by the straps of her tool belt and carried her off.

I couldn't get a good look at the monster, but it was big. I had to help her.

"Bad idea, Jason!" Connor yelled.

"Yeah, I get those a lot!" I said, pushing past him.

I could hear campers from all cabins scrambling to get their weapons. Annabeth was running to my aid.

The creature crashed through the clearing, almost wrecking a couple of cabins in the process. It only stopped for a moment roar. There was something weird about that sound, like a broken record.

That's when I got a good look at it. It's glowing red eyes, it's grinding teeth, it's horns. It looked like someone was trying to make a dragon out of metal; segmented body made of bronze, every movement punctuated by the sound of moving gears and motors, steam spilling out big metal pipes surrounding it's head. From time to time sparks would fly from it's skull and the creature's head would jitter like it was stuck in place.

The machine swung Piper in the air and let go, sending her flying. I was worried it was going to eat her, but instead she landed on it's back. She had to hold on for dear life to not get trampled between it's legs.

“Oh, no, Festus! Put her down!” the girl in the overalls yelled, trying to calm down the robot.

“That thing has a name?!”

“C—c—can someone g—g—get me off Fe—Fe—Festus, please?!” Piper screamed, bouncing up and down.

The dragon was buckling under her like a mechanical bull. Luckily Piper found something to grab onto; some weird built in handles, like on a motorcycle. I was worried her arms were going to get ripped right out of their sockets. Each jump sent her flying into the air. She tried to use the handles to steer it, and the dragon ran over a croquet field next to a pink cabin.

"Jason, do something!" she begged me, fighting the metal reins as much as she could.

"Piper, the coin!" I cried, trying to catch up to her.

She shifted her weight, to get a more stable grip, and threw me the coin from her pocket. It spun in mid-air, turning into my spear. I caught it and threw it back.

Piper closed her eyes and the dragon stopped. It tried to run but there was something blocking it's movements. My spear was lodged in it's rear leg. Before it had time to do anything, I jumped on it's head and scooped up Piper in my arms.

We landed on the hard ground, groaning in pain.

I quickly jumped to my feat, and helped her up, trying to shield her with my body.

The dragon snarled, and wrapped it's jaws around my spear, pulling it from it's leg. The hole gushed sparks, like they were blood, but the creature didn't care in the least. It whipped it's head to look at me.

The blood red rubies lit up.

“Oh, no!” One of the kids from the other group gasped.

“'Oh, no' what?” Piper's face went pale.

“He's detected a threat, he's entering combat mode!” suspender girl yelled.

“Combat wha—”

I didn't get to finish. I barely managed to push Piper out of the way, before the dragon slammed into my ribcage with the strength of a freight train.

I was dazed for only a moment. Then I planted my feet in the ground. I was strong, but not strong enough to stop that thing head on. It did look like I was slowing him down, though. That is until he swung his head like a hammer and sent me flying into another cabin. I broke through the wooden banister of the porch and landed in a swing.

"By Athena, are you alright?!" A boy with the same grey eyes as Annabeth ran up to me.

"I'm fine," I said, seeing spots before my eyes. "But that thing just earned itself a one way ticket to the scrapyard."

I stared that thing down. It waited for me.

We ran at each other, man and mashine. I couldn't let it hurt any more campers. I grabbed it by the horns, turning it's head. I was trying to pin it to the ground. Or maybe rip it's head off. I wasn't really sure.

But the bronze dragon wasn't going down without a fight. It's mouth ignited and I screamed as I felt the hot air scold my arms. Luckily I pulled away before he could do serious damage. I put down the smoking elbows of my jacket.

"Don't hurt Festus!" a little kid cried, whike the girl in suspenders tried to hold him back.

"He's trying to hurt me—" I yelled back, before the dragon swung his tail into me. I ripped a crater in the ground where I landed.

"Are you okay!?" Piper was running after me, holding my spear, but I stopped her with my hand.

"Get to the Hermes cabin," I told her. "I'll be fine!."

"Not without this!" She threw the spear, and it struck the ground right next to me.

I smiled.

Further away, Annabeth and a bunch of other campers were trying to stop the dragon with ropes, trying to pull him to the ground. It roared in anger. I knew they couldn't slow it down for long. It wanted to murder me, and no one would stop it.

"Go!" I yelled to Piper, and this time she listened.

The tape on my glasses came undone and the two halves fell to the ground.

"Fututor matris!" I cursed under my breath, as the lines holding the dragon snapped, and it jumped into a sprint, pulling a bunch of demigods behind him.

It tried ramming me again, but this time I let it. I let it's head carry me, and spun myself down the length of the metal body. Then I lodged my spear in it's throat. The dragon let out a mechanical shriek.

If it didn't like the handles, I'd steer it another way.

I struck the spear deeper and the robot went into a gallop, heading for a cabin with a big garden. The demigods let go of the ropes and went flying. I twisted the spear, and the dragon changed directions. Right where I wanted it to go.

It was too fast to slow down in time. I jumped off last minute as it practically crashed into the lake.

The water exploded in sparks, and Festus roared in pain. Somehow it pulled itself out of the water, it's body wracked by electricity, breaking and struggling to move.

Finally it's legs gave out and the bronze dragon fell. It's eyes blinked red twice before going off.

The suspenders girl and her group gasped. I saw her cover her little brother's eyes.

They acted like I just killed their friend. 

Or their pet.

The realization hit me. They named it. Maybe it really was their pet.

"I..." I didn't know what to say. They looked like they were about to burst out in tears. "I didn't..."

"JASON!" Piper screamed suddenly.

I turned around just in time to see a burning pair of red eyes.

I pulled out my spear to block the attack, but the dragon just used it to pin me to the ground.

I could see it's three rows of teeth oscillating like the knives of a blender. The dragon was so angry the water was boiling off it's armor. It opened it's mouth and my face was basked in orange light.

Festus was going to incinerate me.

I closed my eyes.

This camp sucked.

Festus charged himself up. The campers were screaming. My spear was choking me.

I was ready for the burning heat to melt my face off.

Instead I heard a voice. A single word.

“No.”

My body seized. The world stopped moving. I suddenly felt numb. Almost afraid. I've never heard something so beautiful.

Festus heard it too. He was just as mesmerized by it as I was, I could use that moment of weakness to escape, but I just didn't feel like it. Why would I want to move? Everything was perfect just as it was.

“Stop,” the voice said again.

Oh my gods, what a beautiful noise!

I felt my heart swimming. Who's the wonderful person it belonged to? Oh, I just wanted to gift them flowers! Carve their name in a mountain! Maybe I could write them a song?! Yes, and shower them with compliments for blessing me with—

Then I realized who the voice belonged to.

It was... Piper?!

Chapter Text

PIPER

There were moments in my life when I felt like I could make people do what I wanted.

I'd dream about pancakes very, very hard, and my dad would wake me up for breakfast with a big, fat stack of plump, brown flapjacks. I'd lie to Jane that I was sick and she would let me stay home and watch TV all day, even if the thermometer said otherwise. I'd tell a guy bullying on Leo to get lost, and he'd suddenly calm down and leave. I'd ask a car dealer if I could take a BMW for a test drive, and he'd give me the keys.

I didn't think about it. Any of it. Because thinking about it was stupid. They were just coincidences. Stuff you fantasize about, but don't really believe in. Superstitions. Like making a wish on a falling star, or avoiding stepping on cracks in the sidewalk. But after what I had seen these past few days, it seemed more stupid not to believe.

The bronze dragon was pinning Jason to the ground, about to burn him into nothing. The closest thing I had to a friend was in danger. I lost too much already. I couldn't lose him too.

So I walked up to the raging mechanical beast, planted my feet firmly in the ground, took a deep breath and spoke.

“No.”

The words came to me themselves. I felt like they belonged to someone else. Someone stronger. More confident.

“Stop.”

I took a tentative step towards Festus. He was looking at me. The whole camp was looking at me. I felt my confidence wavering, but I couldn't stop when Jason's life was on the line.

I put as much conviction into it as I could. I needed to want this. I needed to want this more than I ever wanted anything. But I couldn't focus on anything else but how afraid I was of Festus when I watched him. So I closed my eyes.

Focus on something nice. Focus on Jason. Don't think about him being slowly crushed under the weight of a metal monster.

“Let him go. Please. He didn't mean to hurt you.”

I cracked my eyes open a little. The dragon lifted it's paws off of Jason, but he wasn't moving. I was scared maybe he couldn't. But I pushed that fear down.

“D—deep down you're a good dragon, aren't you?”

I was aware of how close I was to a literal killing machine. A freaking dragon. That thing could tear me to shreds with a single bite. It was like trying to talk down a tank.

But Festus wasn't attacking me. He approached me cautiously, like a cat. A giant, 6-ton, metal cat. I was so close I could put my hands on his nose. He looked almost timid.

Somehow it worked. I managed to calm him down. I actually laughed, because I just couldn't believe my stupid plan actually worked!

Then his eyes lit up red, and he whipped his head like he was trying to shake me out of it. I stumbled back in shock, and he planted his giant claws into the ground trapping me between them. He roared so loud I could hear my ears ringing. The heat hurt my eyes.

I thought I was dead this time for sure.

Then Festus let go off me and ran away. I rolled my body around and propped myself up on my elbows, but I could only make out a tip of a bronze tail disappearing between the trees.

Guess maybe sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence. And just because you think you have magic powers doesn't mean you should test them on a robot dragon like a moron.

“I think he likes you,” the counselor from the Hephaestus cabin, the girl in the overalls I recognized from the Big House, stood over me, extending a hand. I took it, but I gave her the best scowl I could do.

“Oh yeah?" I dusted myself off. "Then I'd hate to see what he does to people he doesn't like.”

She laughed.

“I'm Nyssa by the way.” I wanted to stay mad and tell her to get lost. Her robot dragon almost turned my friend into an extra crispy piece of bacon. But I knew it would be a crappy thing to do. It wasn't exactly her fault.

She had that kind of smile you see on big sisters. The kind that made you feel everything is going to be okay, cause she knows what she's doing. Out of all the counselors she seemed the nicest. So I smiled back.

“Nice to meet you, Nyssa.”

Annabeth was helping Jason up, which was a little weird since she acted like she hated him, but I've come to expect weird from Annabeth by now. She didn't seem at all interested with the haywire dragon on the loose. Her focus was on Jason, or rather, the spear in his hand.

“Is this silver?” she touched the blade but only for a few seconds, like she thought it may burn her. “Did you wake up with it?”

“Yeah. Why?”

Even if she didn't like Jason that much, I could tell she was intrigued. Jason was a mystery, and Annabeth seemed like a girl who loves to solve them. She pondered the spearhead for a moment.

“I've never seen a demigod carrying a silver blade.” She pulled out a dagger strapped to her belt. “Our weapons are usually made of Celestial bronze.”

Jason looked intrigued. He was just as apprehensive as she was when he touched the metal.

“Like the dragon?”

Annabeth nodded.

“Wouldn't be the first thing about me that's unusual.” He was staring at his reflection in the silver spearhead. I could tell there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

“It's not that weird," Annabeth said, quickly, like she .wastrying to cheer him up. "Hunters of Artemis wield enchanted silver weapons all the time. Silver is believed to ward off evil, because of it's association to the moon.”

“Hold on, back it up,” I said. “You guys go on hunts?”

Listen, I am an animal lover. I don't like hunting for sport. I think it's gross, and if you have a problem with that, bite me.

“You won't find Hunters of Artemis here, Piper,” Annabeth chuckled. “They don't really like Camp Half-Blood that much. They're out there in the wilderness, enacting Artemis' will. And you don't have to worry, they only hunt monsters. They're protectors of the forest, not poachers. They take people like that down.”

“Oh. That actually sounds pretty cool.”

“They are. My best friend Thalia is their leader. She used to be a tree, after she died. But then she got better.”

“She got better... from death?” I asked slowly.

“Good for her,” Jason said. “Being a Hunter sounds way better than being a tree.”

“I'm so sorry about Festus,” Nyssa told me, scratching her arm. She was actually pretty toned. I figured from the way they looked, and the way their cabin was decked out like some auto repair shop, that Hephaestus was probably like some godly mechanic or mad scientist. Who else would build murder drones that can spew fire out of their mouths? “He doesn't usually act like this. At least he didn't use to.”

Jason cocked his head. “You named the dragon 'Festus'? That means 'Happy' in Latin.”

“Happy the Dragon,” I said out loud, stifling a laugh.

Nyssa crossed her arms. “If you have to know, our little brother Harley named him.”

"It's short for He-festus. Like my dad!" Harley said excitedly.

"Isn't he adorable?" Nyssa whispered in my ear.

"That's a lovely name." I smiled.

"Festus is so cool! I love him sooo much!" Harley said, spreading his arms. Oh my gods, he was so cute. I had to fight the urge to pinch his rosy cheeks. "He breathes fire and can rip through reinforced steel with his teeth, and he can eat satyrs, and when we catch him, Nyssa said I can give him rocket launchers!"

I looked at Nyssa in horror as Harley imitated the sound of exploding rockets with his mouth. She shook her head as discretely as she could, with equal fear in her eyes.

“He's in a bit of a rough shape right now," Nyssa explained, while Harley pretended he was screaming enemy soldiers being blown to smithereens by Festus' weapons. "He's practically an antique. They built him decades ago, before the camp boarder was even a thing."

"The boarders weren't always here?" Jason asked surprised.

"I told you my friend turned into a tree," Annabeth laughed, pointing at a spot far away. There was a steep hill on the other side of the camp, on top of which stood a lonely pine. The tallest tree in the whole forest. "Zeus, king of the gods, her father, honored her sacrifice, and made it so that she can always overlook the camp, protecting the people she gave her life for."

"So the boarder comes out of... a tree? Which used to be a dead girl," I said, still feeling like I didn't get it.

"But she got better," Annabeth stressed that part.

"Yeah, something like that," Nyssa shrugged. "It's a really good defense system. Before that it was kind of hard to keep the monsters at bay. That's why Cabin Nine, with the blessing and help of god Hephaestus himself built the bronze dragon."

"Cabin Nine?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, the Hephaestus cabin," I explained. This at least I understood. Annabeth gave me a tour. "They're all numbered, you didn't notice?"

He scratched the back of his neck insecurely.

"I'm... bad with numbers. I always get 9 and 6 confused."

"That's funny, 'cause you almost broke through Cabin Six just now," Annabeth said, gesturing with hear head at the light grey house, with the wrecked porch courtesy of Jason and Festus. "I'd kick your ass if you ruined my bed."

"Athena, goddess of wisdom, right?" I said, looking at Annabeth. She nodded her head, happy that I remembered.

"Not just wisdom," Jason interjected. "She's the goddess of good counsel, and the art of war. She defended towns from danger. In Ancient Rome, she was worshiped as Minerva, and was part of the Capitoline Triad, the three most important gods, along with Jupiter and Juno."

He made it sound like it was the most interesting thing in the world. I swear, his eyes lit up a little. Even I couldn't help but listen. I could see someone was looking at him a little more approvingly, even if she was trying to hide it.

"She's also the goddess of weaving and pottery," he added.

Annabeth smiled smugly at him. "I see somebody did their homework."

Jason looked away bashfully, totally embarrassed by the compliment.

"I just figured... this stuff would be useful to know." His hand went up to fix his glasses, but then his fingers bumped into the bridge of his nose. "Oh."

I remembered they fell off somewhere in his battle with Festus, when they were trying to kill each other. Luckily he remembered where they were, but when he picked them up, they were still broken in two.

"Oh no, Festus broke your glasses!" Harley exclaimed.

"It was actually a giant bull down in Reno," Jason smiled slightly. "It sent me halfway across the street."

"Can I see?" Harley asked, taking the two pieces from Jason's hands before he could even answer. The kid had basically a whole Batman utility belt strapped around his waist. I wasn't at all surprised when he pulled out a a little soldering iron. Leo showed me how to use those once.

Harley's was cordless, which I was pretty sure soldering irons usually weren't, but I supposed if they can build a living robot dragon, then a heating-up metal wand shouldn't be a problem. Harley bit his tongue in concentration and got to work. The edges turned bright orange when the soldering iron touched them, and he expertly put the two halves back together. It didn't even leave a mark, it was like they were never apart.

Jason felt a lot more comfortable with the glasses back on. If I'm being honest, I've gotten so used to them, that he looked weird without them. A lot more... stern.

"I kinda don't get it", Jason finally said. "Only one bronze dragon to protect the whole camp? I mean, don't get me wrong, that thing is definitely good at killing things—"

"Yeah!" Harley clapped excitedly.

"—but it can't be in multiple places at once."

Nyssa frowned.

"Okay, first of all, you don't get to judge the ideas of the past Hephaestus kids, you nearly wrecked our dragon today." Jason looked very apologetic. And frightened. Funny, for a guy twice her size, who just wrestled a miniature Mechagodzilla, he seemed totally afraid of this short girl yelling at him. "Second of all, if you have to know, kids from all cabins worked together back then to defend the camp."

"How?" I asked. I wasn't really that curious, I just could tell Jason was, and unlike him, Nyssa didn't want to eat me alive.

Annabeth raised her shoulders. "We don't know. While the camp is built on thousands of years of history, when it comes to it's own history, the records are... severely lacking. For the longest time we thought that the bronze dragon is just a legend, until my friend Beckendorf—"

Annabeth's voice fizzled out. She winced and looked at Nyssa. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to. The way her shoulders slouched when she heard that name, and the way Harley squeezed her hand encouragingly and forced a smile to cheer her up told me everything.

"Who was he?" I asked hesitantly.

“Charles Beckendorf," she said, her voice full of sadness. "One of the bravest Hephaestus kids I've ever known. We've been going through counselors like water ever since he's gone. Because no one can handle the pressure of following after him.”

“You're selling yourself short,” Annabeth frowned, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You're doing a great job, Nyssa."

The daughter of Hephaestus didn't seem convinced.

“I know I can't replace him. Nobody can," Nyssa said, picking up Harley in her muscular arms. "Charlie is the one who found the dragon. He fixed him, basically nursed him back to health. We all miss him, but Festus doesn't just miss him, he needs him. We never got to finish his repairs. When he found out Charlie died, he just went on a rampage and run off before we could fix what was broken. I'm worried his programming may be glitching.”

Harley squeezed her hand. "Festus is going to be alright, Nyssa. He's a good boy."

Nyssa tried smiling for her little brother. Then they both looked to me.

“But hey, he only acts friendly like that with other children of Hephaestus. So maybe we're gonna get a new sister, eh? I mean, check out how you managed to calm him down. Maybe you're just who we need!”

She gently nudged me in the shoulder. I looked at that spot, and saw the brown strap of a tool belt still wrapped around my waist. The one Leo never took off. The one that always seemed to have anything he needed at any given time, as if it was magic.

The one that Festus was interested in.

“No,” I said, clutching onto the suspenders, like they were a lifeline. “You would've had a new brother.”

She understood immediately when she saw the way I looked at it. The pain in her eyes reflected my own.

“I'm so sorry,” she whispered.

“I'm sorry too. About Charlie.”

After all of that, the rest of the day seemed pretty uneventful. We went to that Arena everyone talked about. Turns out they really were fighting with actual, dangerous weapons.

I saw two 10 year olds charge each other with battle axes.

Clarisse, the tall girl who comforted me back in the Big House, was there, and she scolded them. Not because they were trying to dismember each other, mind you, but because their technique was off.

People were giving Jason different looks after his fight with Festus. If before he was a joke, or someone to be weary off, now most people acted like they were outright afraid of him. The crowd parted when we walked in through the gates. Travis was trying to lighten the atmosphere and wanted to coax Jason to show off some of those moves he used on the bronze dragon, but Jason didn't think that was a good idea.

After that we got some free time, so I used it to try and give Jason the tour of the camp Annabeth gave me. Unfortunately, I wasn't as good as she was. I got a lot of Greek words wrong, and gods mixed up, and Jason had to correct me, which made me pretty embarrassed. But he still seemed to enjoy it.

Then we picked strawberries, played games, had dinner and ate s'mores, singing Kumbayas over a campfire. It almost would've felt like a regular camp, if not for the fact the campfire was a huge burning pyre in an amphitheater, and the Kumbayas were stories recalling adventures of heroes and tragedies of torn apart lovers. The more campers joined the song, the larger the fire grew.

After that we got some free time before going to bed. Given the situation and the fact neither of us had any money, Chiron allowed us some essentials from the camp store for free. Toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, you know the deal. Unfortunately the only thing they had in regards to hair-care products was a 2 In 1 Shower Gel and Shampoo. Eww.

Still, it was nice to wash the grime off myself after the last two days. The most unpleasant part of it was changing the dressing on my wound afterwards. I'll spare you the gruesome details. I tried not to look at it when I applied the ointment. Will was very clear that I should use it at least twice a day if I wanted the scar to heal properly.

The Hermes kids were nice enough to borrow us some pajamas, so we didn't have to sleep in our nasty, sweaty clothes. By the time I was finished showering, Jason has already made the bed not just for himself, but also for me, unpacked, and was now relaxing with a book in his bunk.

“Wow, you're fast.”

“I was waiting for you, but you were in there for a while,” Jason said turning a page in his book.

An angry Hermes girl brushed past me.

“Freaking finally,” she scoffed. I felt my cheeks turning pink.

I sat on my bunk, opposite of Jason. I tried to figure out what he was reading, but the title was scrambled nonsense to me.

“You can read that?”

He looked at the book confused.

“What? Oh yeah, don't worry, I remember how to read." He did that little smile. The one that made it look like he was unsure if he should be smiling or not.

“No, I mean... That's in English right?”

“... Right,” he said slowly.

“But Annabeth said most demigods have trouble reading English. Our brains are hardwired for ancient Greek.”

“Oh,” Jason sighed. “I uh—I never had trouble reading English," He looked at me worried. "Does that mean there's something wrong with me?”

I felt a little bad for bringing it up.

“I mean, she said it applies to most demigods, not all of them. Leo was a demigod, and he never had a problem reading.”

He put the book down on the nightstand and I gasped. There was something wrong with his wrist. He hastily pulled back his right arm to his body before I could get a better look. But I still saw it. The large swaths of scar tissue carved into his wrist.

“What's happened to your arm? Did Festus do that!?”

“It's nothing... It's old, probably a scar some monster left. I don't even remember how I got it.” He came up with the answer a little too fast for me to buy it. But I wasn't going to prod him on it. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it. I suddenly felt really bad thinking what he must've went through before he met me.

“Can I borrow some bandages off you? I don't want to freak anyone out.”

I nodded my head.

“Of course.”

When we finally stopped talking, everyone in the cabin was already dozing off. I thought I would have trouble falling asleep, but after everything that happened the last 48 hours, I was just exhausted. I hit my bed like a rock, and promptly blacked out.

I was dreaming about apples.

A golden apple to be exact.

So beautiful, I thought to myself. The surface was so perfectly polished, I could see my own reflection in it.

The person in the reflection didn't look like me. She looked way better. A drop dead gorgeous woman, with luscious red locks. There was a point in my life when I tried to look nice, but there was always something I didn't like; things I wanted to change. But now. being her, there wasn't a thing I wanted to change, I liked myself just the way I was.

It felt good to be her—I just felt so at peace.

There was an inscription on the apple.

Καλλίστῃ

Kah-lee-stae. They were Greek words, but for some reason I had no trouble understanding them. “For the fairest one”. It must've been for me, I looked pretty fair.

I looked fair as hell.

“Aphrodite!”

A voice broke me out of my thoughts. Another woman walked into the room.

She immediately reminded me of Annabeth. She had that same deadly look in her grey eyes. Except her eyes looked much colder than Annabeth's.

She was clad in Greek armor, and carrying a golden spear, and a shield with a very ugly face on it. I had a weird feeling in my stomach when I looked at her. Like I instinctively didn't like her.

Honestly, I think I hated her.

“Athena,” I said, trying to be respectful, but Zeus Almighty, did I hate her stupid face. “How lovely to see you.”

Athena. Goddess of wisdom and war and making clay pots.

“What do you think you're doing with that?” Athena asked, pointing at the apple.

“Oh, nothing,” Aphrodite assured her, putting the apple back on the pedestal she's taken it from. “I just figured I could clean it off a little. Such a pretty thing, it's a shame it's collecting dust in here. Forgotten, and unwanted.”

I gave it a little yearning pat goodbye, and was ready to leave, but the look Athena gave me stopped me in my tracks.

“We all decided to stay away from that thing. It's forbidden to be here.” She narrowed her eyes at me, her grip tightening on her spear.

I was about to dismiss her and just walk away. I didn't have to deal with Miss Know-It-All today. But then I realized something.

“Athena, my dear friend,” Aphrodite said in the most venomously sweet tone. “If that's the case then what are you doing here?”

For a brief, satisfying moment I could see this snob lost for words. But then she quickly recovered, and returned to her usual cold glare.

“What kind of question is that? I followed you here. Obviously.”

“Obviously,” I repeated through my teeth.

Then the doors to the chamber blew open.

“What do you two think you're doing?!”

A third woman stormed into the room. And stormed seemed like the perfect word for it. She just exuded power.

Athena bowed. So did Aphrodite.

“My queen,” they both said.

Queen was right. The lady looked regal, dressed in a white robe, with a golden crown, and jewelry, and peacock feathers in her elaborate hairstyle. It was like I was looking at an angel. The only thing that broke the illusion was the angry scowl on her beautiful face.

“Both of you should be elsewhere right now,” she hissed.

Athena tried the diplomatic approach.

“My queen, I understand your anger. I was just—“

Aphrodite did not.

“It's not fair!” Aphrodite said. “Why should the apple be in your palace?!”

Hera looked offended at the unspoken accusation. You just want it for yourself.

“Zeus' palace, my dear Aphrodite,” She had the same tone Jane had when she explained something obvious to me, like I was some idiot who didn't understand. “Our glorious king is keeping it here for everyone's safety. ”

“Why is this even a question? Just give it to me, and problem solved.”

“You?!” Hera and Athena gasped offended.

“And why would we give it to you?” Athena said with eyebrows raised.

“Ekhem? Goddess of love? Being the fairest is literally my job.”

“Yes, you are the goddess of love,” the queen said with a sour expression. “You've made that abundantly clear.”

“And just what did you mean by that, my glorious queen?” Aphrodite asked with an innocent smile.

“You misheard?” Athena said, deadpan as always.

“At least I don't deny myself that love, ladies,” Aphrodite laughed. “You think you're above me? Or are you two just afraid of me?”

Athena's face remained implacable, but I knew she was fighting back the urge to introduce me to the business end of her spear. “Chose your next words carefully.”

"Or what?" Aphrodite narrowed her eyes

“Silence, both of you!” Hera snapped. “This can't go on for any longer! I will not tolerate you two squabbling like children!”

Aphrodite suddenly went very quiet. I could feel my body shaking a little.

"My queen?" Athena asked, and I could see a hint of fear in her grey eyes.

"Oh, no, don't worry, stepdaughter," Hera smiled like a wolf. "You won't be answering to me."

The scene shifted. I was in what looked like a throne room, trying to shout louder than the other goddesses. The atrium we were standing in was filled with all manners of characters, some of them looked very human, some of them not at all. At the center stage of this meeting sat a handsome man, on a throne made of marble. He had a muscular, youthful body, but there were white streaks in his black hair and beard. He was massaging his temple with a pained expression.

That must have been Zeus, king of the gods. I don't know a lot about myths, but I knew it was a very bad idea to get on his bad side.

“Alright, alright, quiet you three!” he bellowed, then when the room was quiet, he said. “Explain this to me again. One at a time. Athena.”

Daddy's favorite. Of course. There was always nepotism in this family. Aphrodite didn't belong to it, so she always got the short end of the stick.

That being said, Hera looked mad too, which made me feel a little better.

Athena bowed, and only I was able to see the small smile creasing her lips.

“Father. I caught Aphrodite sneaking into your treasury. She was looking at the apple left by Eris on Peleus' and Thetis' wedding.”

“You were sneaking in too!” Aphrodite interrupted like a kid at the playground.

Zeus shut me up with a single glare. Very apparent who daddy's dearest inherited it from.

“It's clear that it can't stay here. I can protect it. Research what it's power and purpose are,” Athena said calmly.

“Why you little—” Hera gasped in outrage.

“Hera!” Zeus shouted, before turning to the other two goddesses. ”I've heard enough from you, daughter. Aphrodite, what do you say in your defense?”

I could tell Aphrodite was just waiting for this moment. Without missing a beat she fell to the ground at his feet, hanging her head low in shame.

“I'm so sorry. I beg you, don't hate me, my lord!" She sobbed, oh so regretful. "You do so much for us. You protect us. You work so hard, and I, disobedient, foolish goddess only add to your trouble.”

She broke down crying. The crowd surrounding us was filled with gasps and whispers.

“Uhm... yeah, exactly! I'm... very disappointed in you Aphrodite...” he looked around the room, a little taken aback by her reaction, and the situation in general. Judging from his temper I could tell he wasn't used to people apologizing to him, unless he forced it out of their mouths. “Oh, for Olympus' sake, stop crying goddess of love. It's befitting of your beauty. I'll try to be... merciful.”

He put his hand on my shoulder and I was glad he couldn't see the big shit eating grin I had on my face. Guys are so easy.

“Your mercy knows no bounds, my king,” I said looking into his eyes. He had a very pretty pair of blues. He noticed I noticed and his cheeks turned slightly pink.

Hera did not like that.

“I had witnessed enough!”

I felt the surge of power. She was glowing gold. Aphrodite quickly jumped to her feet, and hid behind Zeus's throne.

"Hera," Zeus stood up and faced his wife. He was also glowing. "You dare threaten someone in my court?!"

"Our court," Hera corrected.

"Control yourself in our court then, wife of mine," Zeus gave her a cruel smirk. "You're making a scene."

Sure enough people were talking, and judging, shooting their queen side-eyed glances. She visibly felt uncomfortable. The golden glow surrounding her dimmed a little. I should've felt bad for her. But I didn't.

"The only person humiliating me right now is you, husband," she said, upset, but also hurt. The anger in Zeus' eyes wavered.

Hera snapped her fingers and the golden apple materialized in her hand. She extended it to her king. Hera smiled weakly, but it was the kind of smile that was dripping with venom.

“Well, my love? You are the greatest, the strongest, and wisest of the gods. Chose. Who is the fairest goddess of all? Aphrodite? Athena? Or me?”

Then Athena shouted something at Hera. Aphrodite shouted at Athena. Zeus yelled at Aphrodite. Hera yelled at Athena. Then Zeus yelled at Hera. Then when Athena agreed with him, he shouted at her for disrespecting Hera. Soon the rest of the gods joined in. Everyone, screaming, gnawing with their teeth, spitting insults like a den of snakes growing hungrier and hungrier, and on the cusp of just lunging at each other, fighting to see who would devour who.

And in the corner of my eye I could see something in that throne room. Something the other gods probably never noticed. A shape. A shadow with black wings, blacker than tar. She was laughing. Her shrill laughter became louder and louder, splitting my ears.

A pair of orange eyes was staring at me. Like a bird of prey. Full of a twisted kind of joy. And then I jerked awake in my bed.

“Piper!”

Jason shook me again, and I came back to reality.

“Wha—what?!”

I was back in the Hermes cabin.

“You have to see this,” Jason said. From the tone of his voice I could tell this wasn't something that could wait till morning.

He walked me to the window. There was someone outside. A boy in sun and moon pajamas walking through the empty camp. At first I thought it was just a satyr on a night shift. It wasn't. There was a small bonfire in the middle of the circle made by the cabins. It illuminated his face, before he turned his back to me.

“That's Clovis!" I gasped.

"You know him?"

"He's one of the counselors," I explained. "He's always half-asleep, but he's alright. He voted for you to stay in the camp."

"He's heading for the woods," Jason knitted his eyebrows.

Sure enough, Clovis was growing smaller and smaller through the window.

“Maybe he's just sleepwalking?" I said hopefully. Maybe the problem would solve itself? I really didn't like the idea of going out at night in Camp Half-Blood.

“Straight into a forest filled with monsters,” Jason pointed out.

I was afraid he was going to say this. I wanted to suggest telling someone, but Jason already left the cabin. I was briefly considering just going back to bed, but I knew my conscience wouldn't let me do it. I groaned, grabbed Leo's tool belt off my nightstand and followed Jason outside, cursing myself for being so dang nice.

My imagination must've been playing tricks on me, as it usually does in the woods at night.

The fireflies looked like orange eyes in the darkness, and the wind sounded like mocking laughter.

Chapter Text

JASON

“I hate walking barefoot. Especially in the forest," Piper hissed as we traversed the woods. "It's like walking on Legos."

I didn't really get what she was talking about. I had walked around the woods plenty of times, with or without shoes, and it's never been a problem. But then again, a lot of things Piper said and did left me confused; not really her fault though. Most humans confused me. And I think I exchanged more words with Piper than with any person since I woke up.

“How did you even know Clovis was up and about?” she asked me, trying to distract herself from the pine cones digging into her skin.

"Oh. I just have trouble sleeping. I was awake the whole night."

The beds they had; they were just too soft. There was something uncomfortable about it. That's why I didn't mind the pain of walking through the forest. The discomfort was reassuring. It reminded you you were still alive. When things were too soft, too warm, too nice; it just felt wrong.

But I kept those thoughts to myself. I was pretty sure Piper already found me weird enough as it was.

“I thought maybe some fresh air could help," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "That's when I saw Clovis.”

"Trust me, you're lucky." She twisted her lips. "This whole thing has been giving me mad night terrors..."

I stopped walking.

It sounded innocent enough, but I knew better.

It reminded me of something Lupa said.

"Dreams are nothing to be trifled with, little wolf cub. They have power. Power than can be very dangerous to demigods."

She always found a way to sound foreboding. I couldn't even remember how many times she'd drop something like that on me and refuse to elaborate. Like she was talking to herself more than me. Lupa loved her secrets and riddles. It's what made being her pupil so frustrating.

"How bad are those night terrors?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Piper shook her head, brushing a streak of brown hair behind her ear. She was scowling at the ground, and I was pretty sure it wasn't just to make sure she didn't step in something. "They're just weird dreams."

"If you say it's alright..." I simply said. That didn't sound like the whole story, but I knew she wasn't going to tell me more, and I didn't want to push it.

I guess sometimes humans could be just as secretive as... well, whatever Lupa was.

We continued our journey in silence for a little while longer, before Piper got sick of it.

"Shouldn't we have bumped into him by now?" she whispered. Her voice was hoarse. "How far ahead could he have gotten?"

I looked over my shoulder, and frowned.

"Something tells me things work a little differently in this forest," I said. "Can you see Camp Half-Blood from here?"

Piper turned her head.

"No," she said, surprised. "How is that possible? We only walked like a hundred yards at best!"

"I don't know, but finding Clovis may be harder than we thought."

"That doesn't sound good." I couldn't really see her face clearly, but I knew she was probably putting on a brave face.

Maybe it would've been better if we turned back. Maybe it wasn't too late.

But we couldn't leave without Clovis.

What if—

"Hold on. Do you hear that?"

I thought I recognize the sound.

It was running water.

I heard the creek before I ever saw it.

It looked like it ran through the whole forest, before feeding into Long Island Sound.

That would be good.

Maybe we couldn't go back the way we went in, but we could always follow the stream. Something about the other side made me uneasy, though. The trees were older, the ground overgrown with vegetation, the broken weapons and the old tire swing the only sign of civilization in sight. It was still part of the camp somewhat, but the creek served as a warning.

The further we went from here, the harder it's going to be to get back. Unfortunately we didn't have a choice.

"You see it?"

"Yeah."

Something snagged on a nearby tree. A piece of fabric with a moon on it.

"That's Clovis'," Piper whispered.

"So he definitely went this way."

Piper took a sharp breath. We weren't looking at each other, both too focused on staring into the darkness before us. The sprawling, spilling canopies of the trees almost looked like a huge gaping maw, with only a black void beckoning inside.

"You spent a night here, right? Just how scary is it in here?"

"I don't know," I sighed and smiled weakly. "Last night I was too afraid to go inside."

The noise that came out of Piper's mouth was somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

I turned to her. "Listen, if you want to turn around—"

She looked back at me, and her brow furrowed. At least I thought it did. Hard to tell in the darkness.

"What, and leave you to look for Clovis alone?" Piper scoffed, and jumped knees deep into the water. "Like I'm some weak scaredy-cat who leaves her friends to die. Come on."

She gave me her hand and I grabbed it, hoping that she couldn't see my big grin.

It took more than a few pine needles, some snapping twigs and a bunch of deadly monsters to scare Piper off.

"I know you're not," I chuckled. She was probably hoping I couldn't see her smile either.

I was glad she was there with me. The fear felt less overwhelming when we were together. It was a lot to ask of anyone, to just venture into a forest of nightmares, crawling with monsters under every rock, but she did it. And as I helped her out of the water, I noticed something that didn't quite fit her white top and blue pajama pants.

"You brought it with you?" I said holding her tool belt between my fingers.

"Oh, yeah. I just figured it could be useful."

I looked at her confused.

"I thought it's just, you know, a tool belt."

She looked back at me, and grinned.

"You wanna see something cool?"

I did.

She made a show of extending her hand, before reaching deep down into one of the pockets. The pouch enveloped her arm almost to the elbow, which didn't make any physical sense. I heard a clang and Piper smiled triumphantly. She held onto something tightly, and right there before my eyes, with amazing effort, she pulled out her arm, and in her hand she held...

"A model car?"

She blinked twice, then looked at the little toy vehicle she was holding, then back at me.

"Uhhh... give me a moment," she said holding up a finger, throwing the replica car away over her shoulder. She reached again into the tool belt, and this time when she pulled back her hand, she was holding handlebars from a bicycle.

I just stared at it, bewildered.

"How does that fit in there?"

"I'll explain later," she huffed, rummaging through the belt's compartments. 

She pulled out a spyglass, a toy robot, a pair of pliers, a monkey wrench, a fistful of marbles, even a half-eaten sandwich, but none of them were whatever she was looking for.

"No, wait, hold on." Rubber chicken.

"I've got this." Music player.

"Come on!" Piggy bank.

"You're littering."

"This stupid thing isn't working! I'm trying to get us some flashlights, but the dumb belt is being difficult!" she snarled, shaking the tool belt so hard another toy fell out. It looked kind of like a keyboard with a screen, a bit like the computers I saw at the library, only smaller.

"J-E-R-K," the little, colorful tablet spelled out.

"You're the jerk!" Piper yelled at the tool belt.

I held up my hand. She opened and closed her mouth. She was looking at the flashlight I was holding.

The one I was holding the entire time.

"So uhm... do you want it?"

She let go of the tool belt, trying to think of something to say. Then she just snatched it out of my hand, looking it over.

"Where did you get that?"

"From my backpack."

"Does it turn into something?" Piper said, closing one eye and staring down the light up section.

"Yeah, a light source," I laughed. "It's just an ordinary flashlight. I carry it around in my backpack, because it's useful."

I stopped her hand before she flicked the switch.

"I don't think we should turn it on yet," I said. "It could alert... something."

"Something like what?" she asked. I didn't answer.

"Do you still have my sword and shield?"

“You mean these?” she said, pulling my coin and wristband out of the pocket of her pajama pants. “Maybe you should take them back. You'd probably do better with them than I did,” she sounded a little embarrassed.

I took the coin, but left the wristband in her hand.

“I'll take the sword, you keep the shield,” I said to her. “You might need it in here.”

Her face went a little pale. I thought so at least. Again, it was dark.

“Sorry. Not very reassuring words, huh?”

She shook her head.

"I'm still figuring this out," I smiled sheepishly. Piper huffed and activated the shield.

"Alright. Let's just hope something hasn't found Clovis yet."

I flipped my sword.

"Yeah. Let's hope."

Walking.

Walking.

Walking.

You know, maybe Piper had a point.

Walking around the forest, barefoot or not, was getting really old. Every time I thought we've reached the end of it, there was just more trees awaiting around the next corner. The paths beaten by the demigod campers were gone, as the green grew more wild and untamed.

Where in the name of Olympus even were we? Did we pass that rock before? I'm pretty sure we did.

No, wait, all the rocks just looked the same.

Piper grew more anxious the longer it went on. Her eyes were darting around the woods, like she wanted to see everything at once. I couldn't really blame her. Honestly, I was really scared too. Every snapping twig made me jump, every bird flying out of the bushes made me reach for my sword and every far off noise made me snap my head at attention.

I wanted to find Clovis as fast as I could and get the hell out of there. Unfortunately there was no sign of him anywhere. It was like the ground opened up and swallowed him whole.

We were trudging through a big patch of wildflower bushes when Piper finally had enough.

"Okay, pause. If I don't take a break my legs are gonna fall off."

She stopped in her tracks and sat on one of the many identical rocks peppering the forest.

"We can't stop," I protested. "It's dangerous to stay in one place for too long in here."

"Jason, I'm not made of steel." She looked at me, dolefully. "We've been walking for like an hour. I'm not as fit as you are."

I felt like a complete idiot.

Of course she's tired. I dragged her through half of Long Island by now.

"I'm sorry." I slumped my shoulders, sitting on another rock. "I didn't mean to—"

"Shhh," Piper hissed.

Okay, now that was just plain rude.

"I'm just trying to apo—"

She shoved her hand right in my face.

"No. Shhh," She looked me straight in the eyes and motioned with her head to the right.

Oh.

Clovis was there.

Uh-oh.

Something else was there as well.

Piper didn't notice it at first, and almost yelped. I had to put my hand over her mouth.

Clovis, in his sun and moon pajamas, walked through the forest, unaware of anything, somehow avoiding the trees and poking out roots. Behind him scuttled an insect the size of a motorbike. It was a few feet away from us. The only reason it hasn't detected us yet was probably the wildflower bushes we were sitting in.

"Hwah ih hath thiph?"

"Hmm hmn hmt."

"Hmmuh?"

I pulled her hand off my lips.

"Indian Ant," I whispered.

Piper gasped offended, and pulled my hand off her face.

"What did you just call me?" she hissed, glaring at me.

I looked at her completely confounded. 

"You're..."

"I'm a Cherokee."

Piper was a Native American! Wow, you learn new things every day.

And she thought I just called her a—

Oh.

"No! Gods, I wouldn't—" I took a deep breath through my nose and gestured at the creature. "It's an... ant from India. Myrmex Indicus. Ancient Greek and Roman scholars wrote about them. Supposedly they are dog-sized ants, that live in deserts of India, and hoard gold in their anthills. I didn't mean... you know... Not you..."

That seemed to be the correct answer. But she still eyed me suspiciously.

"Well, that 'ant from India' seems more interested in lunch than gold. We need to warn Clovis."

“It's dangerous to wake up a sleepwalker,” I protested

“More dangerous than this?” She pointed at the insect slowly opening it's mandibles around Clovis' waist.

“Point taken.”

"HEY CLOVIS, WAKE UP!"

Didn't even wait a second. Mehercule, she could be loud when she wanted to be.

Clovis jumped in place, startlingly awake, and immediately spun himself around to punch the myrmex in the eye. It was a reflex. See? That's why you don't wake up a sleepwalker.

The monstrous ant shook it's head, clicking it's mandibles in anger. Clovis was still dazed, his eyes fleeting from one side to another in blind panic. His moment of confusion only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough for the monster ant. It spread it's jaws like a pair of scissors and leapt forward. Clovis gasped, Piper screamed.

The myrmex stopped.

It couldn't close it's jaws. Someone was prying them open.

“This camp really needs to invest in some bug spray!” I hissed, holding the monster's mandibles apart.

It was a struggle. Did you know some ants can carry around 100 times their own weight? It was like I was wrestling with a forklift. I could feel my feet digging grooves in the dirt as the insect pushed against me. It took genuine effort to keep those jaws. Especially with the thing spraying acid at me. It took significantly less effort to plant my foot in it's face, and rip those jaws off, before stabbing them into it's brain.

"Woah," Clovis said, though it sounded a little groggy.

"Right?!" Piper said.

"What just happened?" Clovis said furrowing his brow.

"You were sleepwalking in the woods," she explained, patting him on the back.

"Again?!" he groaned, covering his eyes with his hands.

"Yep, pretty much," Piper continued. "An ant from India wanted to eat you. But Jason saved your life."

They both looked at me, Clovis surprised, and Piper with a big, satisfied smile on her face.

"That was... Thank you, Jason," Clovis said.

"Don't mention it." I said, wiping the sweat and ant juice off my face. "I owed you one. Piper told me without you I wouldn't even be allowed into the camp."

He shrugged.

"I mean, yeah... It just didn't seem fair," he said, rubbing the sleep off his eyes and yawning. "You're a demigod like us."

Piper approached the myrmex carcass with caution.

"When you said you were worried about the ants, I thought that was a joke," she gasped in awe, looking over the dawned ant. Sometimes I forgot she was new to all of this. She slowly reached out a hand to touch it, then pulled it back immediately when the corpse twitched.

"Ew!"

Clovis wasn't paying her no heed. His sleepy eyes were trailed on me.

"You're really strong, Jason. Even for a demigod."

I didn't want to think about it. I didn't need yet another thing that made me feel like an outcast, even amongst other outcasts.

I tried wiping the bug brains off my borrowed t-shirt. The damage has already been done. The smell probably wouldn't wash off ever, and the acid tore a giant whole in the chest area. I ruined somebody else's t-shirt. I was doing a real fine job messing up lately.

"Yeah, well, we can figure that out after we get out of he—"

I froze.

Something was standing atop of the hill.

Another myrmex.

How could I have been so stupid? Of course, if you see one ant, there's probably a bunch of them hiding somewhere close. It didn't seem to have detected us yet. Fortunately ants have poor eyesight. There was one problem however. They had an amazing sense of smell, and I was covered in ant juice.

"Step away from the corpse. Slowly," I whispered to my friend. "Head for the creek."

The insect's antenna where moving frantically, whipping in the air, becoming more and more agitated.

Then the smell of spilled monster innards hit it's 'nose'.

The giant ant recoiled. It snapped it's mandibles twice, then it's hind legs rubbed against it's abdomen, filling the air with noise, like a violin from hell.

“Uh-oh,” I said.

“What 'Uh-oh'?!”

"Ants make noises by rubbing their body parts together, and they use them along with pheromones to communicate," Clovis said. Now he sounded awake.

"You mean we're about to be crawling with monster ants?!"

"Everyone head for the creek. Fast!"

Flowers went flying. We launched into a sprint.

"Which way is the creek?!" Piper yelled.

"That way!" I was guessing. It was the way we came from, but could I really trust it to lead us back to the creek? Could I trust myself to remember every turn we've made?

It didn't seem to matter now. The myrmex was right behind us. Having to worry about three pairs of legs didn't seem to slow it down at all.

"You guys? Is it just me or is the ground shaking?"

No. It was definitely not just Piper. The whole forest was trembling. Leaves were falling, canopies of the trees were rustling, pebbles were vibrating.

"Earthquake!" I screamed.

"Worse," Clovis muttered.

The weird vibrating sound became louder. There were hundreds of them. Thousands. Scuttling across the foliage, climbing the trees, digging out of the ground. It was like a red tsunami sweeping across the forest floor.

A whole army of myrmekes was coming, cutting us off from the front.

"Change of plans!" I screamed, turning on my heel. You'd be surprised how fast three teenagers can run if there was an army of dog-sized ants chasing them. Some of them weren't even dog-sized, more like tiger-sized. Herodotus was full of crap.

They were sorrounding us, coming from all sides.

I was surprised by how fast Clovis was, though maybe I shouldn't be. He was bigger than me, but I barely kept up with him. He ran up to the single myrmex, and dashed right over it before the thing could even look up. He did a little yawn after he landed. I picked up Piper and followed suit.

"Woah," she said, when I plopped her back on the ground.

"Less woahing, more running," I pointed with my thumb at the upcoming swarm.

She did an admirable job catching up to Clovis, even if she almost tripped once or twice. I made sure to let her go first, just in case anything happened.

"I should've listened to Coach Hedge and not skip gym!" she wheezed, when an ant almost dropped on her from a tree.

"Come on, make the Coach proud!" I encouraged from behind her, slashing a myrmex across the abdomen.

"I'm... wheeze... trying!

There was no telling where we were going, the only thing I was sure of was that this was not the way we came from. Thorns cut my legs, the brumble bushes obscured the ground, and the trees were old and overgrown with moss. We had to push through slithering branches and vines to keep going, and the myrmekes were still on our tails, so close one almost tore my shorts with it's jaws.

Piper reached into the tool belt, pulled out a bronze wrench, and chucked it into the myrmex's head. The giant ant shook it's head in pain and slowed down momentarily.

"Thanks, I owe you one!"

"Let's call it eveEEEEE—"

I heard a cut-off scream ahead of me, and suddenly I couldn't see Piper or Clovis anymore. I ground my teeth and barreled ahead.

It was a mistake.

I let the danger get the better of me. I shouldn't have been running blindly without knowing where I was going. When the giant leaves and the tall shrubs parted I realized there was no more ground to run on. Dirt crumbled under my feet and I rolled down a gaping ravine. 

I hit a few smaller trees on the way down the steady decline, knocking the air out of my lungs. By the time I reached the bottom I was grateful to gods it was over. A trickling stream of water wet my face.

"Piper... Clovis... You guys okay?" I managed to blurt out despite the pain

"5 more minutes, mom," Clovis groaned.

"I think... I landed on your flashlight," Piper croaked.

I sighed, relieved. They were a little worse for wear, but they were alive. It could've been much worse.

Word of advice for future demigods. Never think that.

A huge bronze claw slammed into the ground right next to my head. I looked up to see a pair of burning red eyes staring at me.

"Fututor matris," I cursed under my breath.

Festus roared, and I close my eyes ready for that moment when he rips my head off, when the shrill sound of the myrmekes my ears again.

The dragon snapped his head to the side and up, letting out a confused "Creak?".

The giant fire ants spilled over the ravine, descending down with ungodly speed.

"Creak!"

The dragon anxiously slashed his paws in the stream. He snarled at me like he was saying "Look what you did, you stupid kid!". I guess he hated the myrmekes just as much as I did. Problem is I don't think Festus believed in the phrase "Enemy of my enemy is my friend". He picked up the still immobile Piper and Clovis by their shirts, and was about to leave me to death.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere with them!"

I grabbed his tail at the last moment. For a robot the size of a bus he was surprisingly fast. It was a very bumpy ride. With each bound his tail would slam into the ground, and I would hit the gravel along with it. I was soaking wet already. I was beginning to think he did it on purpose.

We went deeper and deeper into the woods, until I could no longer see the stars through the canopies of the trees. They were huge, trunks so wide you could carve them out and fit a house inside. This was the part of the woods that belonged to the wild, where humans didn't belong.

Three giant boulders stood in a ring of trees ahead of us, like a tiny mountain range.

Festus gingerly laid my friends down onto the bigger rock like a mama cat, before swinging his tail. I face-planted right into the stone and had to hold on in order to not fall. Piper leaned down extending her hand and pulled me up.

The swarm of myrmekes caught up to us, but it was easy to defend ourselves from our vantage point. I turned my sword into a spear, and used it as a prod to smack the ants away before they could crawl up the rocks. Piper was using my shield more like a big, round mallet, smashing it over the insect heads.

"I saw this once in a cartoon," she explained. Apparently cartoons were very educational.

We were safe as long as the dragon was with us. He run around the rocks, ripping the ants to shreds or stepping on them. A few of the stragglers managed to climb their way onto the smaller rock, but with one swing of his tail, he turned them into pulp. I actually thought we might survive this.

Then Festus' leg injury from our fight let itself be known.

He shook, grinding his metal teeth in pain.

The ants must have recognized something was wrong, and seized that opportunity. They chomped down on the exposed wiring, latching onto any damaged part and sparking wound, and swarmed the dragon as they slowly and methodically begun the process of ripping him to pieces. Festus let out a pained roar.

"We can't just leave him like that," Piper said. Her eyes were big and staring pleadingly right into mine.

"No, we can't." I flipped my spear back into a sword, and jumped into the fray.

I felt the energy surge through me for the first time since my fight with the venti. It was risky. Normally after I spent myself so much, I had to recharge for at least a few days. But I told myself it was only a little, I could do it.

It felt like fighting a crowd. The myrmekes bit down on me and pushed me in different directions. I had to work tirelessly with my sword to even push through the waves upon waves of ants. I kicked the nearest one in the face. Just a little bit closer. I could almost touch it. Almost. Almost.

The moment my finger reached the tip of Festus' nose, the forest was illuminated with blue light. The charge traveled across the dragon's entire body, frying every single myrmex in a 2 yard radius.

I felt a drop of sweat pour down my forehead as I looked the dragon in the eyes.

It was hard to read his emotions, but I could swear he was surprised. He was swaying, and his hurt leg was still twitching. Struggling to stay afloat, just like me.

I heard a bloodcurdling scream behind me, and turned my head around to see Piper in mid-air, holding my shield over her head, before braining a myrmex so hard with it it's head was chopped in half. It's mandibles were inches from my head.

"You missed one," Piper said. Her eyes were wild, her breathing was heavy, her choppy hair was falling over her face.

"Woah."

"Less woahing, more fighting!" Piper barked the order, smacking another ant with her shield.

Woah.

Brave, funny and violent. I felt all gooey and mushy inside all of a sudden.

But not as gooey and mushy as the myrmekes once I was done with them.

Behind her, Clovis was running through the sea of red, yelling "Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!". The ants would drop the moment his palm touched their heads.

We stood back to back the three of us, chopping through the ant army. Clovis and Piper knocked them out, and I finished the job. Legs and heads, and antennas went flying.

I was beginning to think that maybe we could even get out of this alive. Then Piper screamed.

A myrmex clamped it's jaws down on her free arm and bit hard. My defense instinct kicked in. The electricity poured through my finger tips, through the hilt of my sword, and out of the blade right into the ant's thorax. The bug went flying and before it hit the ground it was already toast. Extra crispy.

I wanted to ask Piper if she was okay, then I felt my legs giving out under me. I was reminded of seeing that 'teeth paste' or whatever it was called that the Hermes kids used. It's like I was a tube of it that someone squeezed all the contents out of. I was drained. I was seeing black spots in front of my eyes.

"Jason!" Piper cried, taking me in her arms. I was vaguely aware that we should run back to our rock, but I was too weak to move. All of my strength went into keeping me upright.

The circle we tore into the ranks was quickly filling up again.

I was passing out. Weirdly, it wasn't an unfamiliar feeling to me. I dropped on the ground, then I felt something heavy fall on top of my chest. My vision filled with snarling ants, then blackness.

"Wake up," someone's voice echoed through the void, "Wake. Up."

I didn't want to. I didn't want to come back to that worrisome waking world. But I didn't have a choice. The voice was so soothing and nice, I didn't want to disobey it.

I cracked open one eye, to see a pair of brown ones staring at me.

"Piper?" I whispered.

"Close," Clovis said. He was holding me in his arms.

I quickly jumped to my feet, feeling my cheeks burning up in embarrassment. Then the fatigue hit me. I braced myself on the wall, holding my aching head

"What happened?"

Clovis crawled over to Piper slumped over the wall and put his hand on her shoulder. The skin of her left arm was ripped open and crusted with blood. I felt anger rising up inside me. This happened to her because of me.

"You overexerted yourself with your powers. Your lightning powers," Clovis looked at me. I looked away. I wasn't ready to have this conversation right now. I had better things to worry about.

"What happened to her? Blood loss?"

"Luckily no. The myrmex injected her with it's venom. It forced the blood to coagulate, but also paralyzed her."

That's when I noticed Piper's eyes were still open and darting around the room.

"Her body needs to wake up."

Piper's fingers wiggled, then her whole body shivered, finally she jumped to her feet screaming.

"I'm ba—OW!" she grabbed her arm with the healthy one. Her eyes teared up. "Bastard ants."

"Hold on. Don't move," I gently took her injured arm, and turned what was left of my borrowed shirt into a sling for her. "Is this better?"

She looked me in the eyes, then down, then blushed and looked away.

"Much better," she said softly.

"You guys have got to see this."

Clovis lead us through the chamber we found ourselves in. Luckily it wasn't an ant hill. More like a big, overgrown cavern. The ceiling was as high as a cathedral, and covered with stalactites. I could faintly hear the sound of bats flying over our heads. At the end of the cavern, we found a familiar figure. Festus.

"When you two went out of commission, he brought us here, to hide from the ants."

"What is he doing?" Piper whispered.

Festus was standing in front of a solid wall, scraping it's claws on it, kind of like dogs did when they wanted you to open the door. He creaked in frustration, before finally he found whatever he was looking for. He pressed a sticking out piece of rock with his nose and it retracted into the wall. I looked in amazement as the wall illuminated with golden light, tracing circuitry patterns, before connecting in a ring five times my size. The ring moved, and opened, soundlessly. It was a gateway.

The familiar vibrating sound echoed through the cavern. They found us.

We made a run for the door, as Festus roared for us to hurry up. Piper pushed me through the door, and pulled Clovis in right as the gate was closing.

We were a little too slow.

The myrmex wedged in the door spat venom and snapped it's mandibles like the world's ugliest rapid dog. Fetus crashed into the giant hatch, and with a disgusting CRACK the gate finally shut. The wheel on this side of the gate spun and the golden light disappeared. Something hit the floor with a heavy thud. The ant snapped it's mandibles one final time, moving it's antennas in confusion trying to figure out what is wrong, until it's head finally stopped moving.

I heard the sound of armored bodies slamming into the rock, and the faint, shrill noise. We sat slumped against the door, breathing heavily. Festus scampered into the darkness, leaving us behind.

"We should be safe here," I sighed. "Hopefully."

Piper frowned.

“Where exactly is 'here'?"

She turned on the flashlight and illuminated the room.

We were staring into a maw of a giant, man-made tunnel, with a bridge suspended over it, descending deep below the ground. Cables and pipes, some of them as wide as my entire body run across the whole thing, however long it must have been.

“Looks like nobody’s been here for decades,” I assessed. “Well, nobody human at least”

"Please don't say stuff like that," Piper whimpered, shutting her eyes tightly.

I knocked on the rusted pipes. They wailed in protest.

Clovis was quiet. Which wasn't the weird part, that seemed to be his default state, the weird part is he was awake. More than awake, his eyes were wide open and huge.

“I've been here before. In my dreams,” Clovis whispered. That revelation must've struck him to the core. He slowly stood up, taking in everything around us. "This is what kept drawing me to the forest. This place... it must be important somehow."

He stepped to the right, and reached into the cables, before pulling a large level. A light bulb lit up above him. And then another, and another, lighting up the whole tunnel. Now I could see clearly that this whole was made of bronze. And I was pretty sure not the regular kind either.

I stood up, resting myself against the railing, ready to follow him. The only person who was still sitting was Piper.

"Oh, no. No way. You're not seriously thinking about going in there," she growled stubbornly.

Behind me, I could hear Clovis' steps. Seems like he already made up his mind, regardless if we were going to follow or not.

"You can't tell me you're not at least a little curious," I said, smiling a little. "Besides, we need to treat your arm. Maybe there's some first aid kit down there."

She glared at me for a while, before she extended her hand to me. She grumbled something unintelligible, and we descended hand in hand into the belly of the beast.

I don't know how long it took us to reach the end of the corridor. Maybe it was a few minutes, maybe it was hours. This place was like a labyrinth, and not all of it's branching off paths were even horizontal.

I kicked over a rock on accident, and it fell over into a black bottomless pit. I heard it crash into some metal on the way down, but I never actually heard it hit the ground. There was no railing, or even safety tape protecting you from the sudden drop, in fact, the bridge simply curved downwards, as if you were expected to just walk over to the edge and change the way gravity affected you, taking a stroll on the wall like a spider.

If it weren't for Clovis' amazing sense of direction, we probably wouldn't survive in this place. And finding our way back wouldn't even be an option.

Finally we reached what seemed to be the centerpiece of this underground facility.

"What is this place?" Piper gasped.

Our little trio stood on an elevated platform overlooking something straight out of an Jules Verne novel. It was a giant, rustic workshop. An airplane hangar sized circular hole, illuminated with warm, golden light, like the first rays of sunshine. The walls were made of solid bronze, with pipes, and boilers, and massive cogs protruding out of the wall, spinning together with some giant, unseen mechanism underneath. Toy planes zoomed in the air, shooting gumballs at each other in the world’s smallest dogfight, one of them flying right next to my head, almost giving me a haircut. Model trains carrying spare parts sped past us on tracks that seemed to be suspended in mid-air on nothing as we walked down the winding staircase.  A pair of robots was in the process of repairing an old car, but they couldn’t agree if it should be blue or red, so they started fighting, and accidentally painted half of the workshop. A giant robot dragon snored by the fireplace, curled up on a large circular platform.

"This is like a steampunk Santa's workshop," Clovis gasped, still staring.

"Who's Santa Claus?" I said, unable to tear my eyes away from all the amazing inventions and gizmos.

"Leo would've loved this place," Piper's voice was tiny. I looked at her. She was holding her tool belt tightly with the one healthy hand, her expression dour.

I put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. She managed a weak smile, as a thank you. Before I could say anything, something hit my leg.

There was a small table standing in front of us, with a plate of drinks, tapping it's leg impatiently.

"Uh, no thanks, I'm good," I said, staring at it dumbfounded.

"Well don't mind me, I'm parched," Piper said, managing a weak laugh, grabbing a bottle of some golden liquid. It's a miracle she was still alive. It would be so easy to poison her.

Remember kids, don't accept drinks from strange tables.

"Do you even know what's in this?" Clovis asked making a face.

Piper tasted the contents of the bottle with her tongue.

"It's nectar!" she smiled, taking a big gulp. "Jason, try it, you'll feel better."

A weird noise escaped her lips and she covered her mouth, blushing.

"Sorry."

To my shock, she was covering it with her left hand. The wound on that arm was gone. How was that even possible?

I looked unsure at the table that stood before me expectantly. I took the glass in my hand and took a little sip.

I was speechless.

It tasted like... peanut butter and jelly. Yes, that was the taste. I recognized it instantly, even though I'm pretty sure five minutes ago I didn't even know what peanut butter was. I tipped the glass and drank the nectar, feeling it's warmth spreading through my body. All the fatigue of the day was gone. I was back to my full strength.

"Better?" Piper asked.

"Good as new," I smiled. "Thank you, kind table."

They waited for us to put the empty glasses back on top of them, before scuttling away with a little pep in their step.

"He doesn't seem so feisty anymore," Clovis said pointing at the snoring Festus.

"Maybe he's like... recharging, you know?" Piper shrugged.

"That must be why he came here. It's his home."

The dragon cracked open one of it's eyes and halfheartedly growled at us.

"Hey," I said. "Thanks for not letting the ants eat us. Uhm... Sorry for shoving you into the lake earlier."

The automaton rumbled, as his ruby eyes closed like a lens of a camera and he went back to snoozing by the campfire.

I guess he was trying to say 'Don't think that makes us friends'.

"Seeing him like that makes me just wanna... yawn... go back to my cabin and wrap myself in a warm blanket," Clovis said. "So what now?"

I looked around. It wouldn't hurt to investigate this place a little, wouldn't it?

There was a word written on the walls, with big, red letters.

"Hey, I recognize that symbol!" Piper exclaimed. "It's Greek for 9, like on the Hephaestus cabin."

"It says 'Bunker 9'." Clovis said.

"Nine as in there's eight more, or nine as in belonging to Hephaestus?" I said stroking my chin. What was this place, and what was it for? It couldn't be just a dragon house, right?

"Do any campers know about this place, Clovis?"

"I've been in this camp for 6 years, and no one's ever mentioned any bunker. We would've used all this stuff to fight Kronos."

"Who's Kronos?" Piper asked.

"Long story," I said over my shoulder, walking over to an open archway. It lead into another room.

It was a little smaller, more like a dining room in a mansion, rather than a giant military facility. Despite nobody visiting this place for supposedly how many years it was abandoned, everything was in tip top condition. No dust, no cobwebs. I got an explanation when a little metal creature sped by me. It looked kind of like a pill-bug, and when I picked it up, I saw that it's little legs where actually a brush. Everywhere it went, the floor was shiny and smelled of lavender.

I left it to do it's job in peace, and looked up to see rows of tiny shrimp-like robots crawling over the wall, cleaning various weapons. There were swords of various shapes and sizes, spears, axes, daggers, shields. A little to the side, I could see mounted heads of monsters. Couple of minotaurs (except there was only one minotaur, so I suppose these were acquired over a longer period of time), a bunch of dracaenae (one of which someone must have painted make-up on), a hellhound or two. Luckily no gorgons.

"This must be the armory," Piper said behind me. Her voice sounded a little nervous. "I didn't know demigods used guns."

"That's because they don—"

I'll be damned. Right then on the wall, right underneath the monster heads, sat a set of perfectly polished, mint condition muskets. Springfield Model 1861, .58 caliber, percussion caps and all. Union Army's favorite firearm.

"These are old. Civil War old," I said picking one off the wall. Piper stepped back.

"These are unloaded, right?"

I looked at the cleaning shrimps. They nodded their heads, even offering me a ramrod to check for myself. I gently run it down the barrel, and breathed a sigh of relief when I felt it hit the bottom of the breach block.

"It's alright. Unloaded."

That seemed to reassure her. I plugged the barrel back up with the sharp spike attached to it.

"I saw these before, in history books," Piper said tapping it with her finger, before speaking with a perfect French accent. "Baïonnette."

"Yeap. They're bayonets. Every soldier in the Civil War came equipped with one, but they didn't see a lot of action. They're not practical, especially the plug ones. You can't use the musket once you plugged the barrel. You basically have a long, unwieldy stick with a knife at the end. They were only used as a last resort, sort—"

I realized I was rambling, when I saw Piper looking at me with a big, teasing grin.

“So you don’t know your own last name, but you have every history book memorized in your head?” she said raising her eyebrows.

“You don't have a lot to do when you're on the run," I put the rifle back on the wall, blushing. "I visited a few libraries... a lot of libraries.”

“You're such a nerd,” she chuckled, shaking her head. Somehow I don't think I minded being a nerd if it got that reaction out of her.

"There's something weird about these ones though."

"What?"

"Civil war bayonets were made of steel. These ones are made of bronze. The same kind Annabeth’s dagger is made of.”

"Celestial bronze, right?"

I nodded my head.

"Why would Civil War era soldiers have Celestial bronze bayonets?"

"Maybe they're better than steel?"

"Not really," I heard a lazy voice behind me. I jumped. I almost forgot Clovis was with us. "I mean, it's certainly much stronger, and lasts longer, but it wouldn't be of any use in a normal fight."

"Why?" Piper asked.

"Because Celestial bronze can't hurt mortals. It hurts monsters, demigods, and even gods, but it would simply pass through a mortal's body."

"So these weapons were made to fight monsters," Piper inferred.

Clovis' face was unreadable.

"Or demigods."

We stood there in silence, the three of us looking at each other, before Clovis left without a second word.

"Okay, he's still alright, but that was creepy," Piper whispered.

I decided to look some more around the room. Clovis' words inspired a lot of fear in me, but I couldn't deny I was intrigued. What was this room used for? What was this whole bunker built for?

There was a long, oval table with more than 20 chairs surrounding it. Piper walked over and sat in one.

"To think, the counselors are huddling around two Ping-Pong tables, while there's a whole war room in here," she laughed.

I looked at the wall opposite of the entrance. There was a door there, but it was closed. I checked the antique drawers for the key, but the first one I grabbed jumped to it's feet, and slapped me with it's leg, before walking off offended. Instead of framed weapons, and spoils of war, the door was surrounded with paintings. Massive pictures covered with cloth. I held the material between my fingers, pulling gently on it, uncovering a corner of a painted meadow.

I tensed.

I heard something. It didn't sound mechanical.

"Did you hear that?" I said, feeling my blood run cold for some reason.

"Hear what?" Piper asked. I didn't answer.

I followed that noise. I crossed the whole workshop, with Piper right behind me, Clovis quickly joining her. There was a gateway on the far side of the room. When I crossed it, it was like I found myself at an underground train station. There were tracks on the ground, with carts on each track. They looked high tech, less like something you'd find in an old-timey mine, and more like something you'd find in an amusement park.

Every track lead into a different tunnel, with some tracks even branching off into several different pathways. There were signs over each tunnel, but in a language I couldn't read.

I heard it again. The voice. I was sure it was a voice now. It belonged to a girl. It was soft and melodic, and it was arguing with someone.

"Jace, what are you... doing..." Piper's voice trailed off behind me. "Woah. What is this?"

"It's like some underground communication system," Clovis muttered, stroking his chin.

"Can you read that?" I said pointing at the tunnel from which the voice came.

Piper scrunched up her brows.

"It's Ancient Greek, but I don't know what it says. Clovis?"

"Big House," he said.

"What?"

"It says 'Big House'." 

Without a second thought, I stepped off the podium and onto the track, and started walking.

"Jason, where are you going?" Piper asked following me. I wasn't listening. I heard it again, only this time it was another voice. It belonged to a man. I was sprinting now.

The closer I got, the clearer the voices became.

"Apollo said the rescue mission didn't go as planned."

I sped up.

"Jace, slow down!" Piper huffed behind me. "I can't run as fast as you!"

"It's true. We lost the boy."

Leo. His name was Leo.

"What about Gleeson?"

The satyr. They were talking about us. About what happened at the Grand Canyon.

"Do you hear that?" Clovis asked.

"It sounds like... Chiron?" Piper said surprised.

"Also gone, I'm afraid. He still owed me 20 drachmas."

"And Mr. D," Clovis mumbled.

"It's just like I saw in my dreams..."

The girl. It's her voice.

These tunnels lead to the Big House. And the sound carried all the way to the Bunker.

"Oh, how very useful. We have an Oracle that predicts things that already happened," Mr. D said. I never heard him speak, but the surly tone definitely matched his face.

"Dionysus, please," Chiron's voice echoed through the metal walls.

"I don't control when they come," the girl spoke. "My prophecies don't just tell the future, they help us remember the past, and understand the present."

"Who's that? I whispered to Clovis. His face looked pale. Paler than usual, at least.

His voice was quiet. "The Oracle of Delphi."

"The Oracle?" The one Apollo and Annabeth were talking about. The one that lead Annabeth to me. The one who could tell me if I even belonged in this camp. The one who could tell me who I was.

"What pretty platitudes. Do you come up with them yourself, miss Darn, or does my little brother write them for you?" Mr. D asked unamused.

"You're being even nastier than unusual," the Oracle said. "What's gotten into you?"

"I don't know. Could be that my leg injury is acting up. Or maybe this migraine..."

I could just imagine the Oracle rolling her eyes.

"Rachel's not the only one who thinks you're acting strange. You've been awfully quiet ever since he came to camp."

I held my breath.

"He? Are we talking about our handsome stranger with no memories?" the Oracle, Rachel, said. "When do I get to meet him?"

Piper frowned. "Why does everyone want to hit on you dude?"

I shrugged. I didn't really care to figure it out, I was too focused on the voices speaking.

"I don't recall using the word handsome," Chiron said, with a hint of humor in his voice.

"It was kinda implied."

"I'm sure Jason has a lot of questions to you as well, Rachel."

"Oh, no doubt."

"Is it me, or did she plan all of this out?" Mr. D scoffed.

"I know as much as you do. There's no plan, I'm just going off feelings. Right now I am feeling he was meant to come here. I don't know why yet, but I know he's important."

"If the boy was meant to come here, then why did the barrier reject him? Something doesn't add up here. It's like... he shouldn't be here.”

"And that's different from how any other demigod makes you feel how?”

“I don't think Mr. D is joking, Rachel.”

"Mr. D?" Rachel asked expectantly.

"I'm fine," His voice lost the serious tone it had a moment ago. "Probably just indigestion. Or maybe I'm finally developing that demigod allergy I told you about."

Rachel sighed. Talking with Mr. D must've been exhausting. He also seemed like a really bad liar.

“So what, we're just going to do nothing about a Keeper and a demigod being abducted?” Rachel said changing the subject.

“Normally I wouldn't care, but Gleeson is slightly less annoying than the other satyrs, Chiron. I think I'd like him back.”

“We don't know where the anemoi took them. Or why.” I could hear the sound of Chrion's hooves against the floor as he paced around the room.

Silence fell. We were all huddled together now, listening keenly.

“Do you think this is what happened to Percy?” Rachel finally asked.

"I don't know," Chiron whispered. "Part of me wishes these incidents were connected. At least then we would have a lead. Right now we have nothing."

"We have something," Rachel said hopefully. "That boy is the key to all of this, I can feel it!"

"You said the same about Aphrodite's lost girdle and Melpomene's stand up routine," Mr. D grumbled, "and both didn't lead us any closer to finding our dear Peter Johnson."

From Rachel's tone of voice, I could tell she was glaring at Mr. D.

"This time I'm sure. And Melpomene's stand up wasn't that bad."

"I suppose there are worse things. Like Apollo's foray into filmmaking." Mr. D shuddered. "I can't believe Zeus let him make another one."

"Seriously, what is your problem today?!" Rachel snapped.

"I remind you, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, that you are just an oracle, not a god," Mr. D's voice had a dangerous undertone to it. It didn't intimidate Rachel.

"If you're not going to help, just leave the room, your majesty."

"We should all just leave the room. We're not learning anything. Now, I don't mind the sound of my own voice, but I could do without you two talking in circles."

The Oracle sighed. When she spoke again, all the fight seemed to have left her. Her voice sounded cold.

"I want them brought to me, tomorrow morning. The boy and the girl. I will get my answers. One way or another."

Piper looked at me. I could tell she was just as anxious as I was.

"Yes, that seems like the wisest course of action," Chiron said calmly. “What do you think, Dionysus?”

The god didn't answer.

"Mr. D?"

Still nothing.

"Mr. D!" Rachel screamed.

“What? Sorry, I was just... reading my magazine. Did you know US has become the biggest wine consuming nation in the world this year?" His voice trailed off, like even he was uninterested in what he was saying. "Anyway, I need to head out to Olympus... I have something to look into. It may take some time.”

“Right,” Chiron said carefully. “We'll take care of the camp in your absence.”

“Sure, sure,” Mr. D said, like he didn't really care.

Then silence fell again. But I knew Mr. D wasn't gone yet.

“Chiron... you wouldn't know anything about that kid, would you?”

“Not any more than you do, I'm afraid.”

Mr. D muttered something I couldn't make out, and then made a snapping noise. Somehow I knew he was gone after that.

“I've never seen Mr. D act like this before,” Rachel said. Chiron trotted a little around the room.

“I believe the meeting is over, Rachel. You should get some sleep, like the rest of the campers.”

“Right,” Rachel said slowly. “You have some private papers you have to check I take it?”

Silence again.

“Something like that.”

“It's alright, you don't have to tell me.” Rachel sounded a little hurt. I heard her walking up to the door. Then her footsteps stopped.

“Just how bad is it?”

When Chiron finally spoke again, his voice sounded much, much older.

“I hope that I am wrong.”

"And if you're not?"

The two ancient beings stood in silence. I could even hear ticking of the clock in the Big House echoing through the pipes.

"Then... I'm afraid this might be where our story ends."

"What do you mean?"

"I know it sounds quite daunting... I don't think Jason even realizes it..."

"But?"

It felt like someone just smacked me in the back of the head with a brick.

"But his presence here puts everyone at risk ."

I could vaguely make out Piper calling after me as my legs acted on their own, running as far away as I could.

From this bunker.

From this camp.

From myself.

Chapter Text

JASON

Our tour of the bunker was over. Clovis found a tunnel to the camp. We were leaving.

I understood now what Lupa meant about the power of dreams. It was Clovis' dreams that almost got us killed tonight, but they were what ultimately led us to the bunker, and all of it's secrets. Without them I'd never find the truth, as horrible as the truth was. Dreams really did have power.

The latch we exited through was perfectly camouflaged as part of the field, completely indistinguishable from the rest. I knew that if I tried finding it again, I couldn't. How many demigods walked these camp grounds not even knowing what was beneath them?

I could see a thin line of dawn's light rising slowly over the waters of Long Island Sound. It seems like our little stint in the forest lasted the whole night. How fast the time flies, until you realize you've completely run out of it.

“Hey Jason," Piper spoke to me for the first time since we overheard the secret meeting at the Big House. "About what Chiron said—”

“I don't want to talk about it.” I couldn't look at her. I just knew she'd look concerned for me, and I didn't deserve it.

Stay away from me. Don't you understand you're only gonna get hurt if you don't?

“I just—”

“Stop," I begged. "I can't.”

She didn't speak one more word to me. We exchanged goodbyes with Clovis, and as quietly as we possibly could, we snuck back into the Hermes cabin.

I didn't realize how exhausted I was until my head rested on the pillow. I needed this. Even the overly fluffy bed couldn't stop me. I closed my eyes and dozed o—

An air horn blared right in my ear.

“Wake up sleepy heads!” Travis yelled to his siblings. “We have a whole day of activities ahead of us!”

Piper looked at me with deep shadows under her eyes.

I could already tell this was not going to be my day. Then again, what day was?

"Uhm, Jason?" Chris said behind me. "What happened to my shirt?"

I tensed.

I completely forgot. I wasn't wearing the shirt he lent me. It got destroyed last night. 

I'm busted. Over something so stupid as a ripped up shirt. I can't believe I could've forgotten about it! Quick, think of a convincing lie. Maybe I—

“Ayo, which one of you stole Jason's shirt?! That's not cool guys! Not cool."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently items going 'missing' happened quite often in the Hermes cabin.

The only problem now was that I only had shorts on, if you didn't count the bandages on my right arm.

"Personally I wouldn't mind if you didn't have a shirt,” Bree said, resting her face on her hands in her bed. The other Hermes sisters giggled.

I felt the sudden need to cover myself up. And also dunk my head in cold water.

That was going to be a problem. Piper and I didn't actually have any change of clothes, and our old ones were currently drying on a line outside of the cabin. We got a few shirts from the Camp Half-Blood gift shop, but those wouldn't be enough. Also, they were kinda snug on me. Not that the Hermes girls (and some boys) had a problem with that.

Travis assured me that he talked to Chiron about it, and the old centaur found a solution. The solution being the camp lost-and-found office.

In the Big House.

Oh, goody. The last place I wanted to be right now.

I dreaded the end of this walk. I don't know if I could bear to look at Chiron or Mr. D. waiting on the porch and acting like nothing has happened. And I definitely wasn't in a rush to meet this Oracle.

Behind me, Piper was complaining to Connor that all of her belongings were left in Arizona, and that no doubt her roommates have already plundered all of her luggage and took the best stuff for themselves.

I wanted to laugh. Then I felt like someone punched me in the stomach.

The other campers are going to take care of her. She belongs here, you don't. You know we can't stay here...

Turns out I didn't have to worry about bumping into Chiron, or anyone else at the Big House, because the place was empty. Completely empty. And silent too. Even the old floorboards didn't make a noise.

Somehow that was even more unnerving.

Chiron definitely wasn't lying about the camp's age. The lost-and-found office was so filled with old junk, we were practically swimming in it. There was so much weird stuff in there, from straight up Greek togas, to World War II helmets, to colonial era dresses. I dipped my hand in and pulled out a crank-powered gramophone.

Piper was, apparently, in her element. The phrase 'like a kid in a candy store' came to mind. She moved through the sea of clothes like a shark, hunting down every nice outfit she could find. Her proudest find was an "Authentic Rolling Stones T-shirt from their 1981 American Tour!". Every find fit her size just perfectly, and she threw all of it for Connor to hold. By the time she was done, the son of Hermes looked like a pile of clothes himself.

Then all of a sudden her expression soured, and she dropped whatever was in her hands.

I could recognize the clothes from old magazines I found in some libraries. The ones dating back to the 1980s. A pair of neon blue leggings with pink and yellow triangles on them, and then those odd socks that only cover your shins, but not your feet. Pink.

“What's wrong?” Connor asked. “You'd look fabulous in that.”

“You'd look fabulous in that as well, but I've never seen you wearing leg warmers,” Travis snickered.

“I do. Just not when you're looking,” Connor looked away indignantly.

“Sure you do.”

Piper crouched, picking a leg warmer off the ground. She stared at it like it was the Ring of Power. Afraid and yet at the same time, longing.

“It's just...” she wavered. I pretended I was digging through a mountain of socks. I didn't want her to know I was listening. “You know... I didn't use to hate pink. It used to be my favorite color. You know, when I was a kid.”

“I prefer burnt sienna,” Connor said.

“I grew out of it, but nobody seems to have gotten the memo. Every gift I get, it's always pink, pink, pink. I'm so sick of seeing pink everywhere. My dad even painted my room pink!"

She threw the leg warmer back into the pile of trash.

“I'm not some freaking Barbie. People think I like it just because I'm a girl!”

Connor made a face. “You're the last person I'd call a Barbie. Well, no, actually. Annabeth would be the last person. I value my life.”

This time Piper let out a little chuckle. She pulled out some clean t-shirts, a couple of cargo pants, and a pair of leggings from the pile Connor was holding.

“Maybe the way I dress right now looks pretty ugly, but I don't care. I really don't. I'd rather be ugly and unremarkable than someone I'm not.”

“I heard 'ugly and unremarkable'!” Travis popped out of a pile of clothes in the other side of the room. “Is someone talking about me?”

“You guys are the worst!” Piper yelled, but she was smiling. I was smiling too, under my sock pile.

You're going to be okay without me.

By the end of our little 'shopping spree', I got myself three pairs of jean pants, and a shirt that said Burgor Lover on it. By some miracle I also managed to find a pair of trainers that fit my size. I took one of them, to replace the one the ventus singed.

“Dude, what are you doing?” Travis looked at me like I just grew a pair of antlers.

"What? I need new shoes."

“Yeah, but... why did you only take one? Your old shoe is white, and this one is red. You look like you're cosplaying Harley Quinn.”

I shrugged, staring at my feet.

"I can't just throw away my old sneaker. It has sentimental value."

"Suit yourself." Travis shrugged, still looking at me like I was weird.

As far as I knew, Clovis didn't tell anyone about what happened last night. When we finally sat down for breakfast, he nodded his sleepy head at me, and I nodded back.

Just like that we had an agreement. What happened last night stays a secret.

Piper took her place next to Travis, like she did yesterday. I knew she was expecting me to sit next to her. Instead I sat on the other side of the bench. As far away as two people could be. I focused on my plate. I knew if I looked up, I would have to see her in the corner of my eye, staring at me, hurt. And I don't think I could take that.

I wasn't the only one who wasn't in their usual spot. Mr. D. wasn't sitting next to Chiron at the main table. In fact, he wasn't sitting anywhere. I asked Bree about it, she shrugged and said:

“Oh yeah, he left on some important business to Olympus. Not that anyone's complaining.”

Chiron was talking and laughing with the satyrs. It's like he was a totally different person from the serious, dangerous man I heard yesterday. He noticed I was staring and turned his head.

Now I could feel two pairs of eyes burrowing into me.

The pavilion was slowly filling up. Nyssa from the Hepheastus cabin waved at Piper when they entered, but she wouldn't look in my direction. Following them were the Apollo kids, strangely without their counselor, the one with a soft, golden curl and expressive eyes.

Next were the Aphrodite kids. Leading the group was the girl with peach makeup, Drew. She waved at me. I tried pretending I didn't see her.

One Aphrodite boy dusted off the bench for her, another put a handkerchief on it, and once Drew sat in her spot, a younger girl with pink braces brought her her breakfast.

Drew scrutinized the bowl of muesli and fruit, until she decided that it was to her liking, thanking her little sister, who let out a sight of relief. The other kids stood there with nervous smiles, waiting for commands, before she dismissed them with a wave of her hand. With that the kids stopped smiling and took their own seats with a tired look on their faces.

It wasn't hard to guess who was in charge in the Aphrodite cabin.

Even Piper couldn't help but feel a little bad for them.

"Can she treat them like that?" she spoke to Travis.

"Who's gonna stop her? She's the counselor."

"What about Chiron?" I chimed in, cursing myself in my head.

Can't stay away for long, can you? All she's got to do is open her mouth.

Shut up, I told myself. You're starting to annoy me.

Travis made a face.

"He can't really do anything. Those are the rules, the oldest sibling gets to be the counselor. With a few exceptions of course, like if someone gives up the position."

"Couldn't he just... change the rules?"

"He's not the one writing the rules. The gods are. He's a caretaker, he can nearly suggest. If he demoted Drew, he's risking invoking Aphrodite's wrath."

I couldn't help but feel sorry for the centaur, even after everything. He watched the Aphrodite table the same way Piper did. With resigned pity.

If I had a godly parent, I definitely hoped it wasn't Aphrodite. Although at least that would get Drew to stop looking at me like that. I was getting really sick of being stared at.

Speaking of...

Annabeth was holding her fork in her mouth, studying me. It seems like she gave up on even trying to make it seem like she touched her food. She just sat there, tapping her finger on the table impatiently, like she was waiting for something.

I cocked my head and shrugged.

"What do you want from me?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"You know exactly what I want."

Her whole demeanor changed when she heard something in the distance. Her back straightened and she turned her head.

The counselor of the Apollo cabin was running towards the pavilion.

"Annabeth, Annabeth!" the blonde boy yelled.

"Will?"

She jumped to her feet to meet him.

"Annabeth!" he wheezed. “She's here! She arrived last night!”

The dining pavilion went dead quiet. She arrived last night. I swallowed down my spit. Everyone knew who they were talking about. It could only be one person.

Annabeth gave me one last glance, before turning back to Will.

"Alright, let's go."

And just like that they were gone. Now I was the one who couldn't eat. I was too busy stressing over what was awaiting me when Annabeth inevitably came back.

When she finally did, I wasn't at all surprised that she ignored everyone's questions and walked right up to our table.

Her mood seemed... I wouldn't say better, but definitely different. She even stole an apple off Connor' plate.

"Hey!"

“Alright you two," she pointed at me and Piper, taking a big bite. "We're all set.”

“All set for what?” Piper looked anxious. Annabeth smiled.

“For your counsel with the Oracle.”

"I hate to sound ignorant, but what even is this Oracle? An oracle tells the future, right?"

We were walking across the camp, towards the hill with the magic tree on it. I tried walking as slow as I possibly could, but it didn't make a big difference. We were approaching the mouth of a cave.

"She's not a what, but a who, Piper. When a demigod is in need of help, or is about to embark on a quest, they ask the Oracle of Delphi for guidance. She will offer wisdom, give her predictions, maybe even grant them a prophecy of the future. "

“You think she will know who I am?” I asked the daughter of Athena hopefully.

“Something tells me she already knows,” Annabeth looked dour. I wondered what she knew that I didn't.

“What about Leo and Coach Hedge?” Piper added. "Can she tell me if they're alive? How to find them?"

“She can help you,” was all that Annabeth said. “If you don't loose your mind.”

“That's an option?!”

“Many people have been driven mad by the prophecies of their future. Some can't even bear so much as the Oracle's mere presence.”

“She's that annoying?” Piper tried lightening up the atmosphere, but it didn't untwist the knot in my stomach.

Annabeth scowled at the cavern. I could see a golden glow illuminating it from the inside.

“Oh, you have no idea.”

“I'm lost. Am I missing something here?”

I don't know what I expected. Maybe some wizened, old lady in a cloak reciting ancient scripture to us in a dark cave. Instead we were in a cozy room, which was admittedly still a cave, but a very nice cave. There were fuzzy rugs and bean bag chairs on the floor; shelves full of books; painting supplies and easels just strewn about the place, with the walls painted with elaborate pictures of what I assumed were heroes and gods.

There was even a large panoramic television set, with big speakers, and some plastic box plugged into it.

“What is that?” I asked.

“Oh, sweet, she's got a Playstation,” Piper said.

"What's a play station? Is it like a computer?"

She looked at me pitiably and moved on. It felt really awkward to be there with her. Several times she opened her mouth to talk to me only to close it again. I was getting sick of all this tension. Why couldn't we meet the Oracle one at a time? Did everyone assume we wanted to do everything together?

Because up till this point you did.

We've known each other for a day. We're not even friends.

But you owe her your life. You promised to take care of her.

The best way to keep her safe is to stay away.

The grotto had everything, from beautiful paintings to play stations, but it lacked one thing.

“Where the heck is the Oracle?” Piper scratched her head.

“Maybe...” I pondered. “Maybe it's one of those weird demigod things? Like she's not a person, but a talking flower, or a voice in a jar?”

“That's a thing?” she looked at me like I was crazy.

“A bird yelled at me yesterday,” I said. She laughed, then frowned when she realized I was being serious.

I looked around the place for anything that looked Oracle-y. I noticed a big altar of fire that illuminated the cave. Slowly, I walked up to to it, Piper in tow. We waved at the flames. It must've looked really stupid.

“Uhm... hi. Are you the Oracle of Delphi?”

We stood like that for what probably was just a few seconds, but it felt longer. Then a voice behind us broke the silence, and I jumped.

“I'm pretty sure that's just for decoration.”

We turned on our heels, looking like two kids who were just found stealing cookies from a jar. There was a girl with a mop of fiery red hair, eating pizza and staring at us, clearly enjoying herself.

“Sorry, don't mind me. Continue... whatever this is.” She could barely contain her laughter.

“Hi—uh.... We're here to see the Oracle of Delphi.”

I recognized her voice. It was the voice that led me in the tunnels beneath the camp last night.

“Well, you see me,” the Oracle said with a twinkle in her eyes. “But you can just call me Rachel.”

She didn't look like how you'd imagine an Oracle to look like. Instead of a cloak, she wore a faded black t-shirt with a logo for some band, and a pair of jeans covered in scribbles and dried up paint. She even had some leftover smudges on her cheeks she forgot to wash off. At first glance she looked... mortal. Disarmingly mortal. But there was still something magical about her; something ethereal about the way she moved about that cave, covered wall to wall in masterpieces she made; the way her ginger hair was rimmed by gold in the light of the fire.

Apparently Piper was thinking the same thing. Her eyes were trained on Rachel, her brow furrowed, like she was looking at a particularly hard equation.

“Sorry to make you guys wait, but I just arrived, and I was really hungry,” she said, offering us a seat in her beanbags. While we sat down, she put a pot of water over the fire altar. “So!" She turned to look at us, holding her hands. "You must be Jason and Piper.”

“Woah, she's good,” Piper whispered to me. But I guess she was too loud.

“No, Will just told me your names.” She shrugged, walking across the room to pick up some herbs and roots from a shelf that she quickly threw into the pot. I wondered what she was brewing.

Is that how she foretold the future? Like the three witches in Macbeth?

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Except Rachel wasn't trying to forsee a murder plot. At least I hoped.

“Alright, let me get a closer look at you, stranger.”

My hands felt clammy. What if she decided that I was in fact a monster? What if it was even worse than that?

She left her magic potion to brew, and sat opposite of me on a beanbag, tucking a wooden spoon behind her ear.

Her eyes crossed with mine. Gosh, I have never seen such green eyes.

“Hmm. Very nice. Kind... but hiding a lot of pain.” Her gaze wandered a little downwards. "Gold framed glasses... and a scar on the lip. Just like in my dreams."

“You saw me in—”

“Hold on." She pressed her finger to my lips. "I will answer all of your questions, but first I need you to answer some of mine.”

I shut up. Somehow I didn't want to argue with her. Her finger grazed that scar that I've never noticed before. How did she know about it?

She took my calloused hand into her pale soft one.

“Strong. Very strong. And yet... gentle." I felt my cheeks burning. She looked up to see my eyes once again. "Do you have any powers?"

What should I say? I kept my powers secret from Chiron. It seemed like the smart thing to do. And I knew that if I told her, then I am basically telling him as well, but for whatever reason I couldn't bring myself to lie to Rachel. It just didn't feel right.

"I'm stronger and more durable than an average demigod," I stared at my hand as I tightened it into a fist. Piper was listening as intently as Rachel was. "I can control electricity, although too much voltage could still hurt me. And I think... I can understand birds."

“What's your favorite book?” she asked.

It seemed like an odd follow-up question. How did she even know I read books? Especially if most demigods had dyslexia.

Then I remembered who I was talking to.

“Solaris," I told her. "Stanisław Lem.”

“Do you think she was real?" Rachel asked me. "Harey?"

I frowned.

"I always hated that ending. She wasn't some... thing. She was a person. A real person, who could hope and feel. She didn't deserve what happened to her."

That answer pleased her.

She looked down and smiled when she saw my mismatched shoes.

“Yes. It's definitely you.”

“It's me?”

She nodded.

“You know who I am?” I asked hopefully.

“Oh, I have no idea,” she said matter-of-factly. She got up from the beanbag, reached out into one of her drawers, which turned out to be a small fridge, and splashed some milk into the brew, mixing it. “But I can't wait to find out.”

“But he's a human, right? Not a monster,” Piper asked.

“Of course he's not a monster," Rachel said. "Why would he be?”

“I can't pass through the camp border.”

“I know. Kinda exciting, isn't it?”

I tried not to sound hurt.

“'Exciting' isn't exactly the word I would use.”

“I imagine it must be quite scary. You woke up on the side of the road with no memories, completely alone. Now you're in this camp full of strangers who are all looking at you funny.”

“Something like that.”

I focused on the pot boiling over the fire. The Oracle looked over it with half-lidded eyes, relaxed, bringing it to her pink lips from time to time to taste.

“They're scared too, you know. The demigods,” she said softly.

She phrased it oddly. Like 'the demigods' didn't include her. What would that make her?

“Scared of me,” I guessed.

“A little.”

I was quickly learning that Rachel did not sugarcoat things. She must've sensed my mood, because then she added:

“You can stay in Camp Half-Blood, Jason. I'm vouching for you, and nobody is going to argue with the Oracle's word. I think you should. Stay, I mean. We need you.”

That's not what Chiron said. He said I'm a danger to everyone here.

“Why?”

Rachel didn't answer me at first. Eventually she just said:

“It's a long story.”

“We have the time.”

“But it's not the right time.”

“Is there a point to all these riddles, or do you just want to be cool and mysterious?” Piper deadpanned.

A shadow flashed across the Rachel's face.

“Maybe somethings are just hard to talk about. Even for an oracle.”

Piper's expression softened.

“I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to—I've just been through a lot lately.”

Rachel looked at Piper like she could see deep into her soul.

“You want to know if your friends are okay.”

Piper looked up at the Oracle unsure.

“Yes,” she said quietly.

“After you left for Camp Half-Blood, the demigods searched the area for Gleeson and your friend. They couldn't find anything.”

“Annabeth already told me that. But that doesn't mean they're... you know... alive."

The Oracle narrowed her eyes.

“What did the storm spirits want from you?”

“They wanted to kill us," Piper shrugged, staring at her shoes. "Obviously.”

Then it hit me.

“No. The ventus wanted us to come with him alive. He wanted demigods. He followed me to find more of my kind.”

Piper put her finger to her mouth. She was thinking what I was thinking.

“Venti don't normally hunt demigods. That's what Coach Hedge said. And what the ventus said.”

“Do you think the storm spirits are collecting demigods for something, Rachel?”

“That wouldn't make sense tough. The one in charge zapped me. I could've died.”

“I don't think that was part of the plan, Piper." Rachel was deep in thought. "They weren't expecting you to put up a fight.”

"He wasn't expecting her to pick up a sword and stab him right in the stomach." I smiled despite myself. "I think that bolt of lightning was like an involuntary reaction, because he was dying."

Piper snorted through her nose, and I could just imagine her blushing.

"But why? Why are they capturing demigods?"

The Oracle pondered the question.

“Those 'venti', as you call them, did they say anything else?”

I tried thinking back to that battle with the storm spirits. It was harder than you'd expect. When you're fighting for your life, everything feels like a blur. But one thing came to mind.

“Yeah. When I fought the leader, the one who Piper defeated, he said he doesn't have a choice. Like...”

“Like there's someone else pulling the strings?” Rachel suggested.

"Who would that be?" I asked looking into her green eyes.

Wild spirits of the wind that can summon hurricanes and shoot lightning out of their hands were terrifying enough. The idea that there was someone bigger and badder out there, someone controlling them, kidnapping demigods, it was too scary to even think about. Who would be powerful enough to do this? To what end? What did they need demigods for?

How did I factor into their plan?

“He also said something else.”

We both turned to look at Piper.

“You remember?” she said staring at me.

I did. I was just shocked she did.

“He knew who I was. He said 'you're not the man you used to be'.”

"Do you think whoever is in charge..." Piper stopped. She didn't finish her thought. Whatever was going through her head, she didn't want to share it with us. Instead she turned to Rachel. "Did this happen before? In Ancient Greece?"

Rachel pouted and shrugged.

"I don't know. Still studying ancient history."

Piper looked completely bewildered.

"But you... you're the Oracle of Delphi. From Ancient Greece."

"I'm Rachel Elizabeth Dare, from Brooklyn, New York."

I could practically see smoke pouring out of Piper's ears.

"Wait, so... you're not like 1000 thousand years old or something?"

The girl laughed.

"I turned 17 this May."

Piper covered her face in embarrassment.

"And here I thought you were like a Greek princess or something."

She could've been. The way she smiled when Piper said that, I could've believed it.

"I'm not some mythical figure, Piper. I'm not even a demigod. I'm just a crafty mortal who could see through the Mist."

"The Mist?"

“You noticed how all of this supernatural stuff is very much in your face, but somehow nobody ever talks about it on the news? That's because of the Mist. It's like an illusion spell. It distorts what mortals see.”

“But not you.”

“No, not me. I'm special. I was destined to be the Oracle.”

“Wait a minute! Rachel Elizabeth Dare?!" Piper stared at her wide-eyed "Now I know why you looked so familiar! I've seen you on TV! Your dad is Warren Dare?! The richest man on Earth?!”

“He's not even in the top ten.” Rachel waved dismissively. “But yeah, that's me. Heiress to the real estate empire.”

Piper had stars in her eyes. I guess in a way she was right about Rachel being royalty.

“It's good to finally be back in Camp Half-Blood,” the princess of real estate said, pouring us each a cup of tea. “I've spent the last 10 months in Clarion Ladies Academy at my dad's behest. It's a finishing school.”

The last sentence sounded like a heave.

“What's a finishing school?"

It doesn't sound good.

"It's where rich parents send their disobedient daughters to finish them off," Piper drew a finger across her neck.

Rachel laughed, tapping her nose enthusiastically and pointing at Piper.

“Finishing schools are special schools for young ladies where they're supposed to learn good manners." She clenched her hands together like she was crashing something between them. "It's basically like they pull out a proper lady mold, put you into it and squish, until you come out a proper little zombie."

“A bit like Wilderness school,” Piper mumbled into her cup. “Except less smelly.”

“Did it... work?” I frowned. I didn't know Rachel long, but I knew I wanted her to be as she was, not 'proper' or 'good-mannered'.

“I'm too flexible.” Rachel smirked. “But I have learned a lot about business and economics, which is something an aspiring businesswoman like me has to learn. Plus they teach you how to make dam good tea. Try it. It's masala chai”

I brought the cup to my lips. The mixture was sweet, spicy and soothing all at the same time. A bit like the person who brewed it. The warmth spreading through my body almost reminded me of nectar from last night.

“Wow,” Piper just said.

Rachel smiled. She was about to take a sip when her cup cluttered to the ground. Something was wrong.

Her eyes were glowing.

She let out a pained cough and green mist poured from her mouth like a waterfall, enveloping everything in the cave. She rose from the ground, floating in the air, her red, curly hair twisting and writhing like she was underwater.

“Rachel!” Piper screamed.

With a sick snapping noise, the Oracle wrenched her head to look at her. It looked unnatural, every movement took utmost effort, like her joints were frozen over.

Her lips twisted into a smile and parted, but her voice didn't come out of them. Instead, I heard it echoing in my head.

I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.

Her glowing, green eyes turned to look at me.

Listen carefully, lost hero. Listen carefully, and remember.

The smoke twisted itself into a shape. A winged monster emerged from it, spinning around my head. It flew back to Rachel, winding itself around her body like a snake. Something about it looked... familiar.

Then the creature's shape changed, and then it looked really familiar.

“Leo...” Piper gasped.

The green phantom of Piper's friend held onto the Oracle as she stroked his hair. I could hear both of their voices whispering in my mind

To find what was lost, lose what was found,

At the western peak in ice and fire bound,

Wounded and broken, he'll forge the path,

To fulfill Death's promise, through Hera's Wrath

Rachel stumbled forward. Before she hit the ground, I caught her in my arms.

She was cradling her head.

“You guys heard that too, right?”

We nodded.

“Oh, man,” she sighed to herself, like she just spilled something on her new shirt, not like she just got possessed and prophesied a terrifying fate upon us.

Her throat was a little dry after just expelling out a cloud of prophecy, so I gave her my cup of chai. She sat on a beanbag and sipped it, while I was trying not to think about the ominous words of her prophecy. I didn't like it, especially the bits about death, and the wrath, and losing something. I assumed something more valuable than a shoe.

“I'm still growing into my powers," Rachel explained. "When this started, I would just blank out, I couldn't remember a thing. It was like being mugged by the future. These prophecies would just come and go as they pleased, and I would have no memory of them. Now I can control them a bit. Remember them. Make them happen. I was just trying to see if I could find your friends, Piper.”

Piper crouched next to her, fixing a loose strand of dark brown hair behind her ear.

“Are you okay? It doesn't hurt, right?”

Rachel took a big sip of the tea.

"I'm fine. I just get a little woozy sometimes.”

Her cup was shaking. "A little woozy" felt like an understatement.

“I can see them too,” Rachel whispered.

“You saw what's going to happen? The future? You know what the prophecy means?”

She shook her head. My heart sank. Of course.

“That's too simple. It's more like a dream. A lot of stuff is nebulous and misshapen." She took another sip. Her hands were a little more steady now. "Did you know that a way to know if you're dreaming is to count your fingers? Because in dreams you don't have 10, but 2, or 12 or 20.”

She crossed her eyes with Piper.

“But if I concentrate, I can see something clearer. Just for a moment." She gave her a weak smile. "They are alive."

“Leo and Coach Hedge?” Piper's voice was unsure, like she was afraid to even ask.

The Oracle nodded. There was a shine in Piper's deep black eyes that wasn't there before. She sucked in her lips, but she was smiling.

“They are traveling together. They're very worried about you.” Her smile faded. "But they're being hunted by monsters. I don't know if they can make it to Long Island on their own."

“We need to find them!” Piper looked from Rachel to me, and I felt a knot tie itself in my stomach.

We.

“We need to tell Grover,” Rachel said. “He'll organize a search party.”

“Can they find my friends?”

“Satyrs are well trained in looking for demigods. They're born trackers.”

Piper looked unsure.

“But... what about that guy who went missing? Black hair, green eyes? He's a demigod. The satyrs haven't found him.”

Rachel's grip on her cup tightened.

"That's... different, Piper."

“What about Apollo?" I suggested. "I've seen what he's capable of. I'm sure it would be easy for him to rescue Leo and Coach Hedge.”

“Hold on, you met another god?!” Piper looked at me shocked.

I kept my gaze on Rachel.

“He's the one who saved Piper and me at the Grand Canyon. He called you his Oracle.”

"He said that?" Rachel blushed.

"You have a god boyfriend?!"

"He's not my boyfriend," Rachel blushed even harder.

"I saw him fight. He's a beast with a bow."

“Could he beat you?" Piper smirked.

“Oh, he would get destroyed!” Rachel exclaimed, before laughing. “No offense, Jason.”

“I don't mind. But can he help us?”

Rachel scrunched up her nose.

“Apollo is... a god. He's can't interfere with the affairs of demigods. It's against the rules. The only reason he saved you is because... I asked him," she said sheepishly.

"You sure he's not your boyfriend?" Piper teased.

"It's not like that. It's customary that the new Oracle of Delphi gets to ask one request from Apollo. No matter what she asks for, he can't refuse. Within reason of course, you can't ask him to make you a god. It's a tradition that predates the godly law itself, established by the first patron of the Oracle.”

I looked at the girl who just a minute ago was floating in a cloud of green smoke, talking about death's promises and wrath of gods. Now she was just a normal girl again.

"You could've asked for anything, and you asked him to save us? Demigods you don't even know? Why?"

She stared into her empty cup, like she was trying to read another prophecy from the tea leaves.

"Jason, you are important. I know you are. Not all of my premonitions come true, but... but this one will. It has to."

"What did you see about me, Rachel?"

“That's not important right now. The prophecy we just heard is. Whatever it means, it has to do with you. Both of you.”

Piper looked at Rachel like she was made entirely out of pink leg warmers.

“Great. Hera's wrath. Fire and ice,” she sighed. “Cannot wait.”

"Heroes get prophecies before going on a quest, right? Annabeth said so."

Rachel's lips tightened into a thin line.

"You're going to have to wait and find out. Destiny has a way of finding you. Even when you try to avoid it.”

Her voice sounded distant and sad. Almost like the Oracle's voice. It made me wonder what her destiny was.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer.

“I think our meeting is coming to a close, Jason. I would like to talk with Piper a bit, if you don't mind."

They both looked at me and I stared back, and nobody said anything for a really awkward moment. Then I realized she was asking me to leave, and I almost tripped trying to get out of there.

Sure enough, Annabeth was waiting outside, with her arms crossed, digging a whole in the grass with her foot. I could swear she scowled when she saw me.

"And?" she asked.

“Rachel says I'm clean.”

“Cool,” she said, going back to the hole she was digging. But her icy demeanor didn't change. It confused me.

No.

It made me angry.

“I'm sorry, but what's your problem?”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” she wouldn't look me in the eyes.

“This." I gestured at her. "The way you've been acting around me. You don't like me."

"Whether I like you or not is unimportant."

"What did I ever do to you?"

"Nothing."

How could it be nothing? That didn't make any sense! I felt like I was holding the dying Piper in my arms again. My eyes were stinging and my voice was blocking up.

“I was told that when I find other demigods, I will finally be home," I croaked. "But I don't feel at home. I don't even feel like I'm wanted here. Everyone looks at me like I'm an intruder!”

She looked up at me, and for a moment I thought I saw something in her eyes. Empathy. Pity. Sadness. Then it was gone, and she scowled again.

"You know, I have more important things to worry about than babysitting some demigod with memory loss. You should feel lucky I'm even helping you!"

"Helping me?! You're been looking at me like you want to kill me ever since I got here! I'm not your enemy, Annabeth!"

She looked me squarely in the eyes.

"How do I know that? Maybe you weren't lying about the memory loss thing, but that doesn't mean you don't have bad intentions."

Annabeth held onto her dagger tightly. My fingers tightened around my coin.

"What reason would I have to hurt you? I don't even know who you are. I don't even know who I am!"

"And you're very desperate to find that out, aren't you? Desperate enough to help anyone who promised you your memories back? Even if it meant..."

"Even if it meant what? Kidnapping your boyfriend?" I finished for her. Her eyes widened. "That's right, I figured it out! I've seen the photo in Chiron's study—the guy that went missing, the one you're searching for. Well guess what, Annabeth, I have never met him in my life. Rachel will confirm that I'm telling the truth."

"Rachel could be wrong. She's been before. She's only an oracle in training."

"Seriously?! Do you trust anybody?!"

"Not you."

"Fine! I swear on Styx that I didn't kidnap your boyfriend!" I didn't even notice the thunder that rolled over the hills. I was screaming over it. "Nothing happened! Surprised?! Are you happy now?!"

I saw the change come over Annabeth. She just stared at me, her body relaxing, like a balloon that's lost all of it's air. All the fight left her. Then it came back with full force. Her face was red.

"No! No, I am not happy! If you didn't do it then what is the point of you?!" she stepped forward.

"W—what?! What are you even talking about?!"

"Annabeth? Jason?"

Evidently Rachel and Piper were done with their little chat. They were at the entrance of the cave, staring at us concerned. How long have they been there? How much did they hear?

"What are you two doing?"

"Jason, put the sword down." Piper frowned.

I didn't even notice when it turned into a sword. I hastily flipped it back into a coin and pocketed it.

"I—it was an accident."

I couldn't stand the look of disappointment on Piper's face.

"Annabeth, leave him alone," Rachel said. "You're angry with me."

Annabeth wouldn't look at the other girl.

"I'm only angry with myself that I wasted all my time listening to you," she mumbled.

"Annabeth—"

"You said that I would find him in Arizona!"

“I said you have to find the guy with one shoe, and that he'll be waiting for you in Arizona. I never said that it's going to be Percy.”

“What do you want from me?!” Annabeth yelled. “Do you just enjoy messing with my head?”

“I want to help you Annabeth, but things are rarely as simple as we want them to be. You had to find him in order to find Percy,” she gestured at me. “He's the key.”

"He's not!" Annabeth' eyes were filled with tears. "He doesn't know anything. I wasted so much time on this dead end, when I could've spend it looking for Percy!"

I should've felt sorry for Annabeth, I know I should, but then and there it was hard for me to feel anything but bitter. Why should I care about her problems if she sees me as just another one of hers? We watched as she stormed off, and I was about to do the same. As far away from her as I could.

Instead I run after her. We all did.

Because Annabeth suddenly collapsed on the ground.

She wasn't moving.

Chapter Text

PIPER

“I would like to talk with Piper a bit, if you don't mind."

Uh-oh.

I felt like a little kid again, when my dad would say “Piper, could you come over here please?”. It always sounded innocuous, like he needed help reaching somewhere his big hands wouldn't fit, or screwing in a light bulb, but as I got older, I realized that the calmer he sounded, the worse I screwed up. Honestly, most of the time I didn't even know I did something bad. Or maybe those things just pilled up so much that I didn't even know which “ridiculous stunt” dad was referring to.

Was it putting hot sauce in Jane's coffee, or that time I intentionally told the people working at the mall I got lost because he took too long picking his suit?

Jason was stumbling out of the cave, and I didn't know what else to do but what I always did whenever my dad was mad at me. I breathed in deeply and braced myself for the worst.

“Okay," I turned slowly to the Oracle. "What did you want to talk about?”

She checked one more time if no one was listening, and leaned in closer so that only I could hear.

“I also recognized you from TV. You're Piper McLean, right?”

I felt a ball form in my throat. Of course. This had to happen eventually. I felt like I was buffering. I couldn't move for a solid 5 seconds, though it felt more like an hour.

Oh my God, she knows! She knows everything, she totally does! She'll tell everyone! She'll—

“Piper?”

I looked into her green eyes. I didn't see the usuals. I was used to pity, embarrassment, superiority. The “I'm glad I'm not you, you poor loser” look. The only thing I found in Rachel's eyes was understanding.

“Are you alright?”

I wasn't. I wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear.

There was no point in lying to her. She was smarter than me. Plus she could see the future.

“Yes... that's me," I sighed. "I'm that Piper McLean."

She smiled to herself. “I knew it.”

“Please, don't tell anyone!”

She gave me a weird look.

“What do you mean?”

“I don't want to be... Holly Hollywood for the rest of my life. I don't want everyone to see me like that...”

Rachel didn't say anything. She just stared at my face deep in thought.

Finally she gave me two words: “I won't.”

A promise. And it sounded like she meant it.

I wanted to say something. I don't know, a thank you maybe. Anything. But I didn't get to.

The screams outside have gotten so loud that neither of us could ignore them anymore.

I probably should've known this would happen, but I was still shocked. Annabeth and Jason looked like they were about to break out into a brawl. Their weapons were drawn, their stances looked battle-ready, and there was danger in their eyes.

They were arguing over something, I didn't really pay attention, I was too busy worrying that Annabeth might hurt Jason. Or worse, that opposite could happen. It was something about Annabeth having a kidnapped boyfriend, and Jason being an enemy, and it was all so messed up, I didn't even know what to say.

“Annabeth? Jason?”

Jason head snapped to look at me, and he looked so ashamed, I thought he might dig a hole and bury himself in it. I wanted to believe him when he said it was a misunderstanding, an accident, but I couldn't help but think about Chiron's words.

"But his presence here puts everyone at risk."

I shook it out of my head. As bitter as I was that he was avoiding me, I couldn't buy that Jason was my enemy. Could I?

I really wish he would look me in the eyes. Maybe I was hoping I could read from them if he really was innocent, like Rachel could.

Annabeth was yelling at her, and she sounded so broken, that I was wondering how she managed to stay together for so long.

"I wasted so much time on this dead end, when I could've spend it looking for Percy!"

Finally, she couldn't hold together any longer. The broken pieces came undone. Annabeth fell, and she wouldn't get up.

We were at her side in a blink of an eye. She laid there, curled up on the ground, her eyes closed.

Rachel and Jason were frantically checking for signs of life, and I just kneeled at her side uselessly.

I could finally read what was written on the back of that hoodie she never took off.

Goode High Swim Team

PERCY JACKSON

“She's still breathing," Jason sighed relieved. "I think she just blacked out.”

“Well of course she blacked out!” Rachel croaked. The cool, mysterious Oracle act was gone. Now she was just a girl like me, worrying about her friend. “She's been running on empty for freaking days! Ever since Percy disappeared! Nonstop, she's just planning, training, or searching! She won't sleep, she won't eat, she won't rest. I'm so sick of seeing her like that!”

She wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“I should've known this prophecy is a bad idea,” she turned to Jason. “Can you take her to the infirmary? Please. I'll go get Will.”

I wanted to follow him. I wanted to ask him why he's been avoiding me since yesterday. Why he was suddenly so cold.

But there were more important things to worry about. Annabeth needed help. So I went with Rachel. She had some explaining to do.

“Percy is the name of her boyfriend, right? Let me guess, his full name is Percy Jackson, and he's part of the Goode High Swim Team?”

“This is not the time, Piper.”

“When is the time?!” I didn't mean to yell at her, but I was really getting angry. With her, with Camp Half-Blood, maybe with the whole world. “I want to help! Annabeth saved my life, she's hurt, and I am sick of everyone knowing more than me!”

Rachel looked at me like she was wondering if she should trust me.

I'm on your side. You know I am, you're the Oracle. I can help you, just tell me.

Rachel sighed. “Yes. His name was—is Percy Jackson. He's the half-blood who went missing. I'll tell you everything after we get Will!"

"You got it," I sped up. Somehow even with my horrible athletic abilities I was faster than her.

Fortunately, the breakfast just ended, so I bumped into Will fairly quickly. The whole camp held their breath when I told him what happened. Dude turned into a blur of blonde hair and rainbow nails. By the time Rachel caught up to me at the infirmary, Will was already feeding Annabeth nectar.

She was back online, and insisting she's fine. She still didn't speak a word to me or Jason, except a terse “Thank you”.

Jason sulked in the corner as long as he had to to check if Annabeth was going to be okay, and immediately dipped. He didn't tell me where he was going. He didn't tell me anything anymore. I was left on the porch of the Big House, with Rachel the only one keeping me company.

“They've been friends since they were twelve. Best friends, even if Grover says otherwise. It was long before my time. But I think they liked each other from the moment they first met. You could just tell, you know?” she smiled, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice. “Last summer he finally mustered the nerve to ask her to be his girlfriend. After 5 years, Pipes. They've only been together for a few months before he disappeared without a trace. You can probably imagine how she's feeling.”

I was resting my elbows on the wooden banister, my face on my hands. I tried to look ahead, focusing on the two birds dancing in the air around the trees. Jason probably could've told me what they were talking about. Maybe just whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears.

“That's the saddest thing I've ever heard,” I sighed. “Poor Annabeth.”

Rachel sat on the banister next to me, picking at the paint splotched over her dark blue jeans. “We all want him back. I want him back. But right now I'm not worried about Percy, I'm worried about her. She's working herself to death.”

“I mean, wouldn't you be? If it was your boyfriend?”

“I wouldn't know. As an Oracle, I can never fall in love.”

I looked at her, feeling as sorry as I could be.

“That blows. Why would you ever agree to that?”

Rachel was watching the birds with me. The more colorful one must've been the boy. He noticed a more plump girl bird fly by, and left the one he was chasing to fly on her own.

“Destiny chooses for us,” she whispered. “I would never be allowed here if I wasn't the Oracle. I would've never met Percy if he wasn't meant to guide me here. I would've never met Annabeth, or Will, or you.”

I tried smiling to cheer her up. "That would've been a great loss on Camp Half-Blood's part."

Rachel smiled too. But it didn't stay on her face for too long.

"You know... Not every prophecy I have comes true. I'm still learning. People still tease me about it. They think I'm just imagining things."

I reached out and touched her hand.

"This prophecy will come true. If anyone could find Percy, it would be Jason. I've seen what he can do."

She finally looked me in the eyes. Her eyes were red, but there were no tears.

"You promise?"

I've never been more sure of anything in my life.

"I promise."

After going on a school trip that ended in a living hurricane, nearly dying, being shipped across United States in my sleep, finding out I was a demigod, fighting a robot dragon, trudging barefoot through an enchanted forest, and finally getting two prophecies of certain doom, I welcomed how mundane rest of the week was. Everything kind of settled into place. I still struggled to come to terms with the fact magic exists. Jason still avoided me. And Annabeth still refused to talk to anyone.

Grover couldn't keep me company either, because he left shortly after I arrived, along with a bunch of other keepers. He told me that he's organizing search parties to look for Leo and Coach Hedge. I was pretty sure he was secretly hoping he might bump into Percy. He planned to visit some old friends while he was at it, maybe even get them involved.

As you might imagine, Annabeth wanted to join, but after she passed out, Chiron basically put her on a mandatory vacation. All of her counselor duties were now handled by her brother Malcolm, while Will and Clovis were assigned to make sure she's eating and getting enough sleep. I've never imagined he could even get angry, but there you go. She crossed the line, and now she was facing the rarest Greek monster of all—strict Chiron.

She of course wasn't happy with the arrangement, but I think deep down she understood she wouldn't be able to keep going if she kept it up like this. I was hoping she'd be alright. I didn't care if she didn't like me, or even if she hated me, I wanted her to be okay.

There was also another problem at camp—Festus kept causing trouble. Just yesterday he trampled over the strawberry fields, and barged into the Arts and Crafts Center, completely demolishing it. That wasn't so bad, however, 'cause it meant that the arts and crafts activities were now moved to the Oracle's grotto, coordinated by Rachel. I always looked forward to her exercises. When she wasn't teaching us how to make macrame bracelets or how to sculpt statues out of clay, she would show us how to express ourselves through art, like making identity collages out of ripped up magazines, or drawing a representation wall that was formed when we experienced past trauma. It was a little scary at first, I was always bad at self-reflection. The more I thought about myself, the less it made sense. But it felt nice. She helped a lot of campers.

Nonetheless, Festus continued to be a problem, and Cabin Nine struggled to corral him. Mind you, not for the lack of trying. They laid snares in the woods using motor oil with a hint of Tabasco sauce as bait, but he always seemed to steal the cheese, while avoiding the mousetrap. They put cameras everywhere to track his movement, but he was always able to find them and demolish them. They even tried playing my voice to him, but he trashed the speaker too.

Festus ruled the northern woods with an iron—err—bronze fist. You can then imagine my shock when we were all invited by Chiron for a game of Capture the Flag. In those exact woods.

“Hey, Annabeth, I have a question.”

“I'm sure you can ask Malcolm.”

“I'm asking you. Is it safe to do this stuff outside of the border? Aren't there monsters in these woods?”

I could see her perk up a little. If there was one thing Annabeth loved, it was explaining stuff to new demigods.

“That's an interesting question actually. The woods used to be part of the camp grounds. But they are old, older than the camp itself, even Zeus' border couldn't tame their wild magic. Even though the camp is monster free, the woods are not. We figured that's not so bad, since we could use some monsters for sparring. We even introduced some new species here.”

That explains what ants from India are doing in Long Island.

“With all due respect, that sounds like a terrible idea.”

“You're not wrong. It became a problem because stray monsters from the woods kept finding their way into camp. Imagine an army of ants crashes your picnic, but the ants are the size of dogs.”

I shuddered.

“Yeah, that must be horrible. Good thing I don't know what that feels like.”

“Then there was an incident two years ago. An enemy of the camp found an ancient gateway. We lost a lot of campers. Since then Zeus moved the camp border outside of the forest, saying that it's wild magic is too unpredictable and could jeopardize the defenses.”

“Couldn't an enemy attack us during Capture the Flag?”

“They'd have to be extremely powerful to try that. Like I said, this forest is older than the camp. It has it's own means of defending itself. If an enemy somehow manages to make their way in, they'll never find their way to us. They will wander the forest forever, and never find their way home. These woods know who's a friend, and who has bad intentions.”

As if on cue, the trees billowed in the wind. Leaves were flying around my face, and I could swear I could hear them talking to each other. Whispering.

I wondered if they knew.

“So how come the woods let Festus waltz into camp unannounced?”

“I don't know. Maybe they know something we don't.”

I felt a little guilty that I didn't tell anyone, especially the Hephaestus kids, what happened that night when we followed Clovis into the woods, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. It wasn't just my secret to keep. And if I told them how Festus saved my life in the woods, they'd start to ask questions, like why I was in the woods in the first place, or who was with me, and I wasn't a good enough liar. They'd quickly figure out I knew something, and then everyone would find out about our visit to Bunker 9, and about us spying on Chiron's conversation with Mr. D. and the Oracle.

Speaking of which, Mr. D. still hasn't come back from Olympus. It didn't seem to negatively affect Chiron's effectiveness at all. It's almost as if he did most of the work around here anyway.

That's how things looked like in Camp Half-Blood. Before I knew it, it was summer vacation, and it seemed like I would spend the rest of it here, like a prisoner, picking up strawberries, learning about mythology, and riding horses. Alone. Without Leo.

At least the horse-riding helped me forget that he was gone for a moment. I freaking love horses. It didn't matter that the horses had wings, and were called pegasi. A horse is a horse. And horses were awesome.

I used to go horse-riding every Saturday, right after my morning piano lessons. That was prior to my little Accident, and my stay at Wilderness School. It was a ploy by my dad to buy my affection. Before he decided I wasn't really worth it.

There was one pegasus I especially liked. He was pure black, from his mane, to his hide, to his beautiful wings. I could tell he was a little feisty, as he wouldn't let any camper touch him, but a little affection goes a long way.

“Hey there, bud. The other campers are saying you refuse to eat, but I think you just got sick of all the hay,” I said, offering him some apples I snatched from the breakfast table. I took one in my hand, and he sniffed it apprehensively, before taking a big bite.

“That's a good boy. If you want to fly high, you gotta eat.” I said petting him on the snout.

“I'm impressed.”

I was so focused on my new friend that I didn't notice when Butch walked into the stables. Butch Walker, the guy with the shaved head who voted against allowing Jason into camp. From what Connor told me, he was the son of Iris, the goddess of rainbows, which I found pretty ironic, given how he seemed to seep the color and joy away from any room he walked into. Maybe Will could give him some pointers on how to dress.

“You're stalking me now, Rainbow Brite?”

I returned my attention back to the winged horse, trying to ignore the annoying presence in the stables.

“Don't flatter yourself, McLean. I'm here to do my job,” he said, entering the stall opposite of mine.

“Your job?”

I turned around to see Butch grooming a brown pegasus with a brush.

“I'm an equestrian. I take care of the pegasi. I get along with them.”

“Your people skills could use some work though.”

Butch shrugged. “Whatever. I'm not really a people person. But I still want to pull my weight around here. “

He turned his attention back to his pegasus, and I went back to feeding mine. I thought that we would spend the rest of this meeting in silence, until one of us got sick of the other one and left, but to my surprise Butch spoke again.

“Can't believe Blackjack let you touch him.”

“Blackjack? Is that his name?” I said, looking the pegasus in the eyes. He neighed approvingly and I smiled.

“Suits you a lot, buddy.”

“He doesn't let anyone except Annabeth get near him,” Butch said. Now he stood next to me. I looked at his extended hand, offering me a second brush. I still didn't like him. And he probably still didn't like me. But I guess we both agreed on the fact that horses are pretty cool.

I begrudgingly took the brush, and followed him to help groom the other pegasi. We both watched from afar as Blackjack finished the rest of the apples I left him.

“I figured the fact he refused to eat wasn't a coincidence. He belonged to your friend Percy, right?”

“I wouldn't say friend. I barely knew the guy,” Butch shook his head. “But I owe him a lot, like most campers here. Like most demigods in general, really.”

It was a sentiment that many of the half-bloods at camp agreed on. Percy was held with reverence by almost every demigod. He wasn't just a hero, he was a legend. Little Hermes kids told each other stories about him, like he was Spider-man or something. I was surprised they haven't done away with any pretense and just built him a statue in the center of the camp. Annabeth would probably love to design that.

“So who was this Percy guy anyway? What makes him so great that no one can get him out of their heads even after he's been gone gods know how long?”

“He saved the world,” he said without even blinking.

I just stared at him for a solid moment.

“Get out!”

“It's true,” he shrugged. “Before I came here, I worked for this really nasty dude. Kronos, he called himself. King of the Titans.”

“Titans,” I searched my brain for the information. I've been going through a crash course in Greek mythology since I got here, courtesy of Chiron and Malcolm. “They ruled the Earth before the gods, right?”

“Exactly. This one son of Hermes, Luke was his name, he decided he wants to help them come back to full power. He thought gods didn't treat their children good enough, and needed to be taught a lesson.”

Huh. Can't say I'd argue with him on that.

Even after all this time I spent here, my mother still haven't sent me a sign. I'm not sure if I even wanted her to. She abandoned me.

Gods were... well, gods, right? They possessed, what, like unimaginable power? And where was my mom when I needed help? When my whole life went flying out the window? She didn't even lift a finger. I didn't even know her name.

Maybe she just forgot I ever existed. Or maybe she was ashamed of me like my dad was.

“Luke was getting sick of seeing godly kids being mistreated. So he made a deal with Kronos. Luke gave him everything. His mind, body and soul. I have never seen anything so terrifying. It's like he became a completely different person. A monster. He could rip soldiers to shreds with his bare hands, no weapon could hurt him, and worst of all, he could control time.”

“What?”

“Kronos is the titan of time. In Luke's body, his powers were limited, but it was still more than enough. He could stop time. I got to see how that feels once. It was like trying to scream in your dreams. I couldn't move an inch. Just paralyzed.”

“That sounds horrible.”

The shadows around Butch's eyes looked darker for a moment. Then he shook it off.

“He was,” he said finally. “Camp Half-Blood spent years trying to stop him. And the person who opposed him the most was Percy. He returned Zeus' stolen Master Bolt, sailed the Sea of Monsters, carried the sky on his back, traversed Daedalus' Labirynth, and finally, he stood in Kronos's way when he led his one final attack on the gods. I was there, when Kronos attacked Mt. Olympus in Manhattan, and I saw with my own two eyes Percy match him blow for blow. Demigods are good at fighting, but this was on another level.”

"Kind of like Jason."

Butch considered it. "Maybe. Kinda."

“And Mt. Olympus is in Manhattan,” I said. It wasn't even a question. I was just dumbfounded.

Of course Mt. Olympus is in Manhattan.

“Yep. I've been there. Nice place. After the war was over, the gods offered to make Percy one of them, for everything he's done for them. And then, he refused.”

“Woah,” I said.

“Yeah. See, Percy didn't want to become like them. He made them swear that they would treat their children right. That they would recognize them, and not let them live out their lives not knowing what they were because their parents forgot about them. That they would respect lesser gods, like my mother. He did what Luke could only dream of doing.”

Butch coughed awkwardly. He probably wasn't used to talking so much.

“Look, like I've said, I'm not really a people person. But if I owe someone, I want to pay it back. And I owe Percy a lot. So I get why Annabeth is so pissed. She spent weeks searching for him, and instead she found you guys.”

“Thanks.”

Butch just shrugged again.

“You want to groom Blackjack now?” he asked me.

I opened the door to his stall, but he spread his wings, and snorted threateningly.

“Okay,” I said backing away, closing the stall. “We're not that close yet. I understand."

He calmed down somewhat, but I didn't want to push my luck. Sometimes a little affection isn't enough. As I learned in these past few days.

"I'll leave that to Annabeth.”

When we finally left the stables, it turns out we've missed out on some important news. Every demigod was flocking to the amphitheater. Butch looked at me and we both frowned. We joined the group of Demeter kids who were just done strawberry picking and run for it.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with your friend would it?" Butch eyed me.

"Shut up, Butch! Jason wouldn't hurt a fly!"

But even as I said that, I wasn't sure if I completely believed that.

"I'd bet all of my drachmas it's that damn dragon again!" Katie Gardner (yes, that's her name), the head of the Demeter cabin scoffed. "It better stay away from our fields, it already did enough damage."

"Festus is a he," I corrected.

"You sure know how to pick your friends," Katie looked at me like I was the one who trampled over her strawberry patch.

Most of the campers were already there by the time we reached the campfire. From the looks of it, the situation wasn't great.

"We're here! What happened?" I shouted to Annabeth.

"Guess."

Her blonde hair was singed at the tips and still smoking. Nyssa standing next to her looked guilty as could be. Her right arm and left leg were in a cast, and she had bandages all over her face. I could make out a group of similarly injured demigods behind her. The campfire that was usually a huge pillar of flames was now barely smouldering.

"Turns out you were right. Organizing Capture the Flag with Festus on the loose was a bad idea."

That's all Annabeth said. She seemed quieter than usual. I was pretty sure I could guess what she was thinking—ever since Percy disappeared, the camp's been falling apart. How long before it completely breaks down?

"We were prepping the grounds for the next game when he crashed through the trees," Nyssa explained, unable to look up at me. "He grabbed Clovis by the leg and started pulling him into the woods."

"I already told you I'm fine," Clovis said groggily. His leg didn't look much better than Nyssa's. "Nothing happened to me. I think he just wanted to play."

"Clovis, I'm so sorry," Nyssa looked like she would cover her hands in shame if she could. I thought she might break down crying there and then. "Thank the gods Jason was there."

"Jason?"

"Hi, Piper," I heard a uncomfortable voice behind me.

There he was, with that uneasy look on his face, trying to look anywhere but in my direction. I really shouldn't act like I haven't seen him for days, but that's what it felt like. Outside of meals and bedtime, we never seemed to bump into each other. It's almost like someone was avoiding me. It was weird seeing him with freshly washed hair, and clean clothes. It almost looked wrong. If you didn't know any better, you'd mistake him for just another camper with that orange T-shirt he was wearing. Only I could tell he felt uncomfortable about it.

"Jason wrestled Clovis out of Festus' jaws," Nyssa explained. "He's a real hero."

"I didn't exactly wrestle him... You know when a dog doesn't want to let go of the ball? You just have to talk it down. He wouldn't hurt Clovis."

Annabeth nodded seriously, like that made perfect sense to her.

"You guys don't need to sugarcoat this to make me feel better. I think Chiron wants to dismantle Festus."

"Dismantle him?" That couldn't be so bad, right? They would just turn him off, figure out what was wrong, fix it, then turn him back on again. Right? Right?!

"Permanently," Nyssa said in a grave voice.

"That's nuts. He can't do that."

"Listen, Piper, you're very nice and all, but I don't think we have another choice."

"It will be for the better."

The self-satisfied tone was unmistakable. I turned around to Drew's mocking smile.

"Shut up, Drew!" Nyssa spat.

"That's plain rude, Nyssa. I'm just agreeing with you."

Nyssa hissed a couple of Greek curses under her breath as Annabeth helped her get to her seat. Everyone was taking their places on the stands, but Drew was taking her time. Her eyes were trained on Jason.

“Well look at you! You definitely clean up nicely, Dumpster Boy,” Did I hear that right? She sounded almost... nice? Where was that nasty sarcastic tone?

“Uhm... Thank you?” Jason mumbled.

She took a few steps closer to him, getting all up in his personal space, which Jason didn't seem to mind.

"You know, I think it was so brave how you took on that dragon again. You're like super strong."

"I mean, yeah, I hear that a lot," Jason scratched the back of his head. His cheeks were pink.

"You think you could ever teach me some of those moves you do? At the arena?" she fluttered her eyelashes. I thought I was going to barf.

"As if you ever held a sword in your life."

She looked at me for the first time since she came here. Why did she have to be so tall? Like it wasn't enough that she figuratively looked down at me, she also had to literally look down on me. It was so annoying.

"Oh, you're still here?"

"I wasn't aware I was supposed to leave."

"So who's your godly parent, Table Manners?"

"I uh... don't know."

She smiled to herself.

"Thought so."

"Leave her alone, Drew," Jason said.

Hold up. Since when are they on first name basis? What did I miss?!

"Oh, relax. I'm just joking around," she traced her hand over his arm. Jason looked like his breath caught in his throat, but his shoulders looked less tense. Drew wrapped her arm around him in a friendly manner, but the look she gave him told me she wanted to be anything but friends. Her lips were so close to his ear they were practically touching.

“Between you and me,” she whispered. "You can do better."

I almost didn't hear it. Because she didn't intend it for me. I was inconsequential here. And yet the words hit me so hard I thought I might fall over.

Jason looked at me and frowned.

Like he was seeing me for the first time.

Like he was noticing that ratty hair which I cut with the scissors myself. How I didn't have Drew's pretty face, or her perfect makeup skills. How annoying and shrill my voice was, not helped by the fact I talked too much when I was nervous, which was a lot, because I didn't like the sound of my own thoughts. Or maybe he finally realized that he's a totally awesome Greek hero, and I was a boring ol' nobody. I always was, even with a famous dad. Even before the Accident, people loved her, not me. They wanted Holly, not Piper.

Maybe he noticed all of that days ago. That's why he stopped talking to me. Maybe all this time he's been hanging out with Drew instead.

I hated her. At least I thought I did. But what I hated the most is that deep down I knew she was right. Why would anyone want to spend time with me? Who was I compared to someone like Drew? Or Annabeth? Or Rachel?

“I could also do a lot worse.”

I looked up to see Jason pulling away from Drew, scowling at her like she just told him we should burn down every library in the world. I was so dumbstruck, I almost didn't notice when he took my hand.

And I still felt like that, even as Jason walked me to my seat, muttering encouragements in my ear. He was holding my hand, and I couldn't stop smiling. I looked over my shoulder at Drew, feeling a smug grin spreading across my face.

She was so red I thought she's going to pass out from all that blood going to her head at once.

By the time Chiron arrived, we were seating with Jason in top seats, and the amphitheater was buzzing. Everyone talked over each other, trying to put their voice out there, making for a cacophony of noise so chaotic I could only make out select few words.

Dragon... broken... annoying.. Hepheastus...

"Yes, yes, quiet now. We've got important matters to discuss."

Chiron was struggling with his words, which was unlike him.

"You might be wondering why I've called this impromptu meeting..."

The bandaged up campers in the stands groaned.

"Yes, well, I suppose it is rather obvious, isn't it? You may have noticed that recently we've had some... accidents... involving a certain automaton."

Now the buzz became an uproar. The Demeter kids were yelling about the strawberries, the Apollo kids about how many campers they have to patch up daily, and the Ares kids about the makeshift sunroof Festus made in their ceiling. The Nemesis kids were just disagreeing with everyone for the fun of it, Aphrodite kids were lamenting all the nice outfits Festus ruined, and the satyrs were still trying to comfort their friend who was eaten alive and puked out by the dragon once. Throughout all of this, the Hepheastus kids were trying to outshout everyone, only to be met with curses and insults thrown their way.

"How come you haven't fixed that piece of junk?!"

"They can't even catch it!"

"It's all been downhill since Beckendorf died!"

"Calm down, everyone! I've called you all here for that exact reason! We need to find a solution!" Chiron's voice somehow carried, even over all the noise. "Festus is too much for one cabin to handle. We need to work together. From now on, any camper can suggest ideas. Those will be collected, and discussed between the counselors, myself, and of course, our Oracle."

Chiron gestured at Rachel, who sat next to the Apollo kids. She gave him a curtly nod, before he went back to his speech.

"Until we figure out a way to get the bronze dragon in order, we might need to employ some precautions. Which means the northern woods are off-limits," The Ares and Nike kids roared with disapproval. "Yes, yes, I know, I'm sorry. There will be no games of Capture the Flag for the foreseeable future. Moreover, the curfew will now be enforced by guards patrolling the camp in shifts. Your counselors will inform you about the schedule."

Even more people groaned. I don't know if that was because they'd be losing sleep, or because it put an end to their nightly escapades.

"I have an idea, Chiron," a perfectly manicured hand went up. I felt a chill up my spine.

Drew stood up from her seat, with the most innocent smile on her face.

"How about we just... band together, and take the monster down?"

"We can discuss strategy after this meeting is over, thank you Drew," Chiron said cautiously. Drew however wasn't sitting back down, and nobody told her to.

"You're saying we need to capture Festus so Cabin Nine can fix him?" Annabeth said stroking her chin.

"No, Annabeth. I said we take him down," Drew gracefully meandered between the stands, making her way to the empty stairway so that everyone could see her clearly. "They already tried to fix him once, and look how that turned out."

I thought surely now someone would have a problem with her hijacking the meeting, but no one did. All anyone could do was stare at her, listening keenly.

"That dragon is obviously too dangerous!" A growl of approval flowed through the stands. "You know what happens to outdated technology."

Jason nodded his head, staring wistfully at Drew. I just gawked at him, not recognizing him at all. This wasn't my almost-sorta-friend Jason. But he didn't pay me no heed, he was busy hanging onto every word, bobbing his head, like everyone else did. They were all nodding their heads in unison. Even Chiron stroked his beard like he was regrettably considering the idea.

"I'm just saying," Drew explained, taking her place center stage next to Chiron. "Maybe we should consider dismantling it."

“Typical daughter of Aphrodite!" Nyssa growled, standing up despite her leg injury. "No respect for Hephaestus' craft!”

"You know I'm right Nyssa. You said it yourself."

Nyssa starred daggers into Drew, but she still sat back down. Harley was yelling at her to not let them hurt Festus, but she wasn't listening. Whatever effect Drew had on the crowd, it affected Nyssa too, just in a different way. Or maybe the truth was that at the end of the day Drew was right. Nyssa has already given up on saving Festus.

But I couldn't.

“Shut up!” I yelled to my own surprise.

“Shut up?” Drew gasped, more shocked than angry.

All the campers glared at me offended. I stood up and tried reaching out to them.

"Guys don't you see?! She's doing something with her voice! She's got you all hypnotized!"

I don't know if they could even hear me anymore. Some of them flinched maybe, I saw a few people hold their heads, like they were dealing with a particularly bad migrane, but they were back to that cow-eyed stare, completely taken by Drew's words.

Everyone except Jason. I could see sweat coming down his brow.

"Come on, Jace. You know I'm right. You've always been on my side."

He nodded his head at me, but it looked like it took significant effort.

"Are you seriously gonna listen to her?" Drew's voice echoed through he whole amphitheater. "We don't even know who she is! She's been lying since she got here."

The stands murmured with approval, eyeing me suspiciously. Even Chiron looked conflicted.

"Drew... why aren't you in your seat?" he sounded like he was trying to remember if she was always there.

"Snap out of it, Chiron!" I begged. "Annabeth, help me!"

"Don't be silly, Piper. We're just..." Annabeth kept the same goofy smile everyone else had, but then her brows knitted together. Maybe I just imagined it, but I could see that sparkle come back to her eyes. She stared at her shoes, then at Drew taking center stage. "Wait... You're... You're right!" she jumped to her feet. "Everybody, don't listen to her! Cover your ears!"

"I'm just trying to help," Drew said sweetly.

"Shut your mouth!" Nyssa yelled.

"Please!" I yelled to the crowd.

You can do it. If she can do it, you can do it. The voice. I just need to... put some confidence in it.

What confidence?

"What does Piper know? She can barely tie her own shoes. She hasn't even been claimed."

Did Drew say that, or was that in my head? It was hard to tell the difference. I was falling for her mojo like everyone else.

"Annabeth, do something!" Nyssa cried.

"I'm trying! I didn't know Drew could use charmspeak!"

"I don't, Annabeth. You're just imagining things."

"Don't tell me what to think!" she said, but with a little less conviction.

Maybe I'm just in over my head. Maybe I really did just convince myself the girl I hate has magic powers. That's preferable to admitting she was right, and I was wrong.

I'll only end up embarrassing myself. I always do.

I could never fight bullies. Leo was the one who always fought them for me. And now he was gone.

Warm tears dripped down my face.

The whole camp was booing and throwing names at me. I closed my eyes.

I wanted to disappear.

Why does it always end up this way?

"Because people like us get walked over, Pipes. It's just the way things are."

The memory flooded back to me. We were sitting in our usual spot, the bleachers in front of the run down basketball court. Nobody used this place ever since Wilderness School got an indoor gym.

"You really can't keep your mouth shut, can you?" I scolded. "Why do you keep antagonizing them? It never ends well for you."

Leo was nursing a black eye with a bag of ice, and I was disinfecting his new scars before I could patch them up.

"It's the principle! Am I supposed to just take it when they talk shit about me? Ah!"

He hissed when the cotton swab touched the red flesh.

"Yes. That's what normal people do. You grit your teeth, and bear it out."

At least it's what I always did. Eventually the bullies would get bored, I told myself. But they never did.

"That's what you do. And everyone pushes you around."

I pressed the swab back to his face and he squeaked.

"Oh, because they don't push you around. Your brilliant strategy of starting fights with guys twice your size, then getting your ass beat is really paying off."

I pointed at his black eye. I've only known him a few months and he's already gotten three of those.

"We're the weak ones, Pipes. That's why they push us around. We're easy targets. People will tell you you have to ignore the bullies, or talk to your teacher, or stand up for yourself, but none of that works! The truth is that people like us always get walked over, from the day we're born, till the day we die. There's no solution. Some people just get a shit hand dealt to them by life."

My hand stopped. I was lost for words. There was nothing I could say.

Because he was right.

I knew it was true, long before I met him.

But Leo wasn't done.

He turned his head to me, his brown eyes almost orange in the sun, like two blazing cinders.

"Just because they're gonna walk all over you doesn't mean you have to like it. Now what will you do? Just sit there and be a good little doormat? Or make that walk the most difficult walk of their life?"

I wasn't in Wilderness School anymore, I was in Camp Half-Blood, and everyone was staring at me.

The words were like an anchor to me, keeping me from being swept up by Drew's spell.

I opened my eyes. I couldn't help but smile. Even when he was gone, he was still defending me from bullies.

Thanks, Leo. I will make you proud.

I'd give Drew a walk so hard it will break her legs.

"Charles Beckendorf found that dragon," I planted my foot down the steps. "The last counselor of cabin 9," I took another step. "Dismantling Festus wouldn't just be cruelty against a thinking, feeling creature, it would disrespect the memory of someone who died defending this camp!" Every word, a step closer. "But I wouldn't expect a daughter of Aphrodite to care about that."

We were almost on eye-level now. My gods, that look she gave me. I think I still see it sometimes in my nightmares. The Aphrodite kids always stood out to me in Camp Half-Blood. They looked like they've never been in a fight. But now that I stood against her, I could see very clearly that she was a demigod. Just as dangerous as Clarisse, or Jason, or Annabeth.

"Is this what Camp Half-Blood is all about?" I dropped down onto the stage, "You just destroy anyone who doesn't fit in?!"

I was getting through to them. I could see it. This wasn't just about Festus. It was about Jason, who they wanted to kick out. It was about Rachel who would never be allowed here if she weren't the Oracle. It was about me.

"Well, then you can count me out! I don't want to go to some stupid camp that doesn't respect it's heroes and kills anything it deems dangerous and different!"

The demigods were talking to each other in hushed whispers. I could see the shame painted on their faces.

"You won't go very far by listening to people like Drew. All the knows how to do is put people down so she can go up! And all of you losers fell for her trap. I thought you were Greek heroes!"

The crowd roared.

"Then show me your warrior spirit!"

The sound; it was practically deafening. I couldn't even hear my own thoughts. Not a bad thing, all things considered.

I felt a strong hand on my shoulder.

"Your oratory skills never cease to impress me, miss McLean."

I looked up to see Chiron smiling at me. I didn't know what 'oratory' means, but I felt proud of myself regardless.

"Now, would someone care to explain what is happening here?"

Annabeth was at his side in seconds.

"Chiron, Drew just used charmspeak on everyone! She's breaking camp rules!"

"I am not!" She was yelling now. Losing control.

Annabeth gave her her best Athena death glare. She wasn't getting sweet talked anytime soon.

"Drew." Oh, strict Chrion strikes again. "Care to explain what you are doing?"

"I just wanted to help you, Chiron! You said yourself we need to get rid of that hunk of junk!"

A collective gasp went through the stands. Chiron however kept his composure.

"I'm grateful, Drew. But next time I'm in need of your help, I will ask for it."

I felt relief wash over me. Nyssa beamed from behind her bandages. Campers still argued what to do with Festus, but I could tell my words stuck with at least some of them.

Everyone was staring at me, but for the first time since a very, very long time I didn't feel any anxiety. I let their praise envelop me, feeling that familiar warmth fluttering in my stomach.

Then it spread all over me. It was like the whole world exploded in a bright flash. I screamed.

"No!" Drew cowered before the light. "Not possible!"

I couldn't see anything. I could only make out the sound of footsteps running towards me.

"Piper!" Jason screamed.

Stars were dancing before me, and I felt my body burning, and when the light finally went out, I was scared to look.

I felt... different.

When I dared cracking one eye open, I thought I might have been transported to Ancient Greece again. That couldn't be my body. My legs weren't shaved, and I had my cool Stones T-shirt, not some tacky dress. I'd never be caught dead in a dress. I freaking hated dresses.

But the stunned faces of the Camp Half-Blood campers told me I was definitely not in Ancient Greece.

"What the—" I jumped on the spot. "What did you do to me?!"

The campers were gasping and talking between each other.

"Piper, calm down," Annabeth said.

It couldn't be happening. Did someone curse me? I looked down at my nails and they were perfectly manicured. I looked at my arms, and they had shiny golden bands on them. I looked down at what I was wearing, and my cool vintage shirt and pants were gone, replaced by a white halter dress. Thankfully whoever put me in this awful thing at least had the decency of giving me something that covered up the nasty scar on my chest.

"I need a mirror," I said barely keeping my voice from shaking.

Jason frowned, flipped his coin into a sword, and handed it to me.

The silver blade was polished perfectly, but something must've been wrong with it. That wasn't... me.

The first thing that hit me was the hair. It was back to how it used to be. Smooth, and long, and the color of dark chocolate. No choppy bits, no poking out ratty ends. Instead of bangs my hair simply framed my face like a curtain, and flowed back to become part of a long braid that fell over my shoulder, with strands of gold weaved into it. I even had makeup on, better than my stylists could even apply. My eyes were rimmed in black eyeliner, my lashes were long and luscious, and my lips were the color of nutmeg and glossy.

"Piper, you're a knockout," Jason whispered without thinking. He immediately slapped a hand over his face. I didn't ever register it. I was panicking. I didn't look exactly like her, but it was close enough that maybe someone...

"Oh my gods, is that Holly Hollywood?!"

The stands exploded with noise once more, and I just stood there, feeling my heart slamming into my rib cage. My greatest nightmare became a reality. Everyone was pointing at me, whispering between each other. The anxiety was back with full force. Everything came crashing down all at once when Chiron kneeled before me. Everyone else followed.

Turns out there was something worse than being the daughter of Gladys, the goddess of stupidity.

"Hail, Piper McLean." he said, like he was speaking at my funeral.

"Daughter of Aphrodite, lady of the doves, goddess of love."

Chapter Text

PIPER

After the meeting was over, Chiron instructed me to follow the Aphrodite kids. I tried explaining to him that this was a mistake, but he just shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Piper. Aphrodite is your mother."

His tone told me what he couldn't—that there was nothing he could do. 

"He's not the one writing the rules. The gods are."

I had no choice. I had to follow my 'siblings', even if that was the last thing I wanted to do after I just badmouthed Drew in front of the entire camp, only to out myself as a celebrity.

As I was pondering how royally screwed I was, I didn't even notice when the procession halted. The Aphrodite kids stopped in their tracks, and I smacked into the back of some boy that looked like a supermodel. I looked over his shoulder to see. Clarisse was standing in Drew's way like a roadblock. Her hands were on her hips and she looked ready to start a fight.

“Using charmspeak to brainwash the whole camp now, huh?” She scowled. "That's low. Even for you."

"Is it now? I didn't think of that."

Drew looked up without even a hint of fear. I have no idea how she could do that. Clarisse was the daughter of Ares, a god of war, like Athena. The way Malcolm explained it, Athena was more interested in the strategy part of war, and Ares more in the 'killing people' part.

“Silena would be so disappointed in you,” she spat. She looked at Drew like she was a piece of roadkill. Or like she was about to get turned into one.

Drew on the other hand looked bored.

“Dead people can't be disappointed in anyone, Clarisse,” Drew said with a sweet smile, like she was explaining something to a child. “Now why don’t you go back to your cabin? You're in my way. Go polish Lamer or something.”

Clarisse looked like she was fighting the urge to smack Drew in the face right then and there. She had such big muscles that I was sure it would kill Drew on the spot. Maybe I was hoping for that to happen. At least then maybe I'd be spared her wrath.

Instead Clarisse just scoffed.

“Screw this. Screw you. I’m going back to my cabin.”

Don't leave, I pleaded silently. Help.

But Clarisse wasn't even looking in my direction.

The group started moving again and no matter how slowly I walked, Cabin Ten was approaching all the same.

The place looked like the temple of Barbie. It was built from pastel pink marble (Yuck), with beautiful lace curtains and windows decorated with potted carnations. Next to the house there was a small croquet field. Or at least there used to be, until I accidentally steered Festus right into it.

“Thanks for that, by the way,” Drew smiled, like it was funny. Or maybe like I was. “Guess you're as bad at riding dragons as you are at driving cars, huh, Holly?”

I froze. She noticed. She didn't say anything else, just led me to the cabin with that warm fake smile on her face.

I felt like I was suffocating. Up until now I could at least hope that nobody knew about The Accident. Campers pointed fingers at me, and squealed that they got to meet Holly Hollywood, but nobody mentioned any stolen BMWs, or birthday parties.

But there was no doubt they knew who I was. The moment I stepped into the cabin, I was assaulted with the pictures of my own face plastered over the walls. I was all dolled up and posing cutely for the camera doing all kinds of faces. Most of them were from those cheap magazines promoting the TV show. Includes poster inside!

As if that wasn't enough, I also saw posters of my dad, from his various movies, with lipstick stains on them. Endless Running, The People That Time Forgot, and of course that damn King of Sparta.

King of Sparta was my personal curse. It was the movie that really jumpstarted my dad's career. Before that he mostly played bad guys, or goons, maybe occasionally a sidekick. King of Sparta made my dad a leading man. They loved him as Menelaus. They said he had a “dangerous kinda charm”, but at the same time he felt “heartfelt and vulnerable”.

Funny. I wouldn't call my dad charming or heartfelt.

But I didn't get a lot of time to think about it. The moment I stepped a foot in the cabin, I was shoved onto the bed, which I guess was supposed to be mine (take a guess what color the bedsheets were), and surrounded by a mob of ecstatic teens.

“Oh my Aphrodite, I can't believe Holly Hollywood is one of our sisters!”

“I always knew it! I mean look at her!”

“Uh... thanks?”

“Your dad is Tristan McLean? That famous actor? That's so cool!”

“He's so hot! I mean, sorry, I know he's your dad. That's so weird.”

“Yep. It sure is.”

“Did he tell you anything about King of Sparta 3?! I heard it's going to be the biggest movie in the trilogy!”

“Uhm... No, he didn't really say anything. NDAs and all that, you know.”

Plus he hasn't spoken to me in a year.

"So... can someone please explain to me what just happened on that stage?"

I pointed at the dress and the hairdo, and my girlified face.

"Darling, you've proven yourself to our mother, and she claimed you as her child!" a girl with curly brown hair said, beaming at me.

"You've been blessed by Aphrodite! I'm so jealous," a blonde girl with a ponytail and pink braces sighed. "Your hair and makeup is going to be perfect for days."

"Oh, I miss it so much!" a super tall girl groaned. "Waxing my legs is such a chore!"

"So it's temporary?" I asked, not even trying to hide the relief.

"Unfortunately." The ponytail girl pouted. "It only lasts a few days. Maybe a week if you're lucky."

"Mandy got it for at least two weeks, the lucky devil."

"Hey, it's not my fault I'm mom's favorite," the tall girl chuckled.

"So I can't do anything about the hair and makeup. But I can change clothes, right? They're not gonna turn into a dress Cinderella style?"

“Oh, yes you can! But my goodness, are these yours? Where did you get them, from the lost-and-found office?” Mandy, the tall girl, said checking out what was left of my new wardrobe. Someone was nice enough to move it to Cabin Ten. “So un-fabulous! Here, try this on.”

She handed me a glitzy top that looked more like a napkin.

“No thanks, I—”

“Oh, come on, she's not gonna wear stuff like that. That's an outfit for clubbing. It doesn't fit her aesthetic. Here, this sundress would look lovely on you.”

The girl with the brown curls shoved the dress in my face, while more girls and even some boys took to the task of picking up my clothes like they were radioactive waste, and clicking their tongues disapprovingly.

"Hey, my cargo pants—"

"Those are so noughties, girl! Nobody wears stuff like that anymore."

"... she'd look like a disco ball in that."

“But sequins are so cute, Tanya!”

"... and that puke green color. Eww."

"I love this hoodie though. Very Regina George."

"But I—"

"Gives you that elusive tomboy vibe!"

"Thanks? Guys, I—"

I tried explaining to them that I don't want their clothes, but more and more Aphrodite kids kept coming with outfits, every new one more extravagant than the last. I think I felt nauseous. They measured me with tape, and checked which one of their makeup kits fits my complexion, and kept talking my ear off about basically anything.

“You used to be a big deal, what happened to you?”

“They cancelled the show on such a cliffhanger! Did you chose Jeremy or Kyle?!”

“I don't really know, I'm not the one writing the episodes...”

A little girl kept aggressively pulling at the hem of my dress, shoving a pink backpack in my face.

“Holly! Holly!”

“Stop pulling on my dress.”

“But Holly—”

“That's not—”

“Stop badgering her, Beverly.”

“But I want and autograph from Holly Hollywood!”

“That's not my name!” I snapped a little too loud. The whole room went quiet. The girl stared at me with huge eyes, then burst into tears and run into the arms of an older Aphrodite boy.

“Geez, what's wrong with you? She's only a kid.”

I should've just apologized. I knew I was just making things worse. But I was way past the point of caring. I felt like there was bile melting in my stomach and I needed to get rid of it.

“Oh, I'm so sorry! I don't know why, but I suddenly feel a little on edge!”

“Sheesh, is that how you act on set? No wonder they kicked you off the show,” one older girl muttered under her nose.

“I heard that!”

“Maybe—you—were—supposed—to!” she shot back.

“We were just trying to be nice to you,” another guy scowled.

“Sure you guys were. And all that whispering you do between each other is probably just you talking about how much you all are happy to have a new sister, right?”

“You know what? Screw you, you don't deserve my sundress!”

“Oh, what a shame. I was so looking forward to not wearing it,” I got off from my bed, staring all of them down. “Look, you clearly don't want me here, and I would rather be anywhere else, so how about I just take my 'un-fabulous' clothes and go back to Cabin Eleven?”

“Don't be stupid. You can't just switch cabins. Once you're claimed, you're claimed." Drew scowled, tearing off a poster hanging over her bed.

“This is some kinda mistake. I'm not supposed to be here.”

“Oh, you're telling me?” She gestured at me. “How could our mother make... you?”

From the looks they gave me, it seems like most of the cabin agreed. At least now they were being honest. That's how it always is. People will only say what they really think of you once they no longer care what you think of them.

“Now I have a question, Holly,” Drew said, looking me right in the eyes. “Is it true what they say?”

My heart beat faster.

“What do they say?” one of the guys asked carefully.

“You don't want to know,” a pretty girl with curly hair and rich brown skin scoffed and gave me a judgy look.

“Did Holly Hollywood do something bad?” Beverly looked up at Drew unsure.

The counselor turned to her sister, with a big smile on her face.

“Oh, don't worry, Bev. I'm sure they're just rumors. Nasty, nasty rumors,” Drew said, poking her nose, but never taking her eyes off of me. She was getting closer, slowly closing in like a prowling lioness. And I just let her. Compared to her I was nothing, and she knew that, so what could I possibly do? Nothing. “Right, Piper? Tell her.”

I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth. The campers were whispering between each other again.

“Tell her about your birthday party,” Drew said sweetly.

“What happened at her birthday party?” the girl who offered me her sundress asked, pulling at her siblings.

“I'll tell you later," a redhead boy who could've passed for a model giggled. "It's a complete disaster."

“What happened?” the oldest looking guy, who held Beverly whispered to the ponytail girl.

“Not in front of Bev." She shook her head, before giving me a nervous glance.

But he wasn't giving up. He turned his head to his counselor.

“Drew, what did she do?”

“You guys don't know?” Drew pouted. “But it's such a funny story. Right, Piper?”

I didn't say anything, and Drew wasn't expecting me to. She pulled a wad of papers from behind her back and waved it in the air for all to see.

“I mean, check it out! That's our sister over here!”

Of course she had tabloids on the ready. I couldn't even see the photos she was showing to her siblings, but I knew what was on them. Pictures of me with a bottle of champagne in my hand swinging from the chandelier. Pictures of me with a big crazy smile jumping into the pool. Pictures of me in a ruined pink dress and runny make up picking a fight with the photographer. Pictures of me unconscious in a mangled BMW embedded into a tree.

“Here for a good time, not a long time, eh?” the girl who offered me a sundress earlier assessed the photos with disapproval.

“Nice!” one of the guys said. A couple of his siblings laughed.

“That's you? You're crazy, girl!”

“That's Holly Hollywood?” I couldn't stand the way Beverly looked at me. She was so disappointed. So ashamed.

I don't think she wanted an autograph anymore.

“Party hard, am I right?” Drew laughed with the rest of her siblings. “I'm truly jealous, hon. I wouldn't be brave enough to do half the stuff you did. But I think stealing a car was a bit too far—”

“I did not steal anything,” I shot out of my mouth.

Why did you do that? Why couldn't you just shut up and take it, until she got bored with you? Now it's going to be so much worse.

Drew's eyes turned into steel. Her stare was cold and calculating, analyzing me. I thought I was going to melt into a puddle with how intense her gaze was. Then she'd just mop me up and flush me down the toilet.

“Oh, I know, honey,” she said, with that smile plastered over her face. She put a hand on my shoulder. It looked like a friendly gesture, only I could tell how much force she applied in that grip. “Like I said, those are just nasty rumors. You don't have to worry about that here.”

She let go of me and clapped her hands ecstatically.

“Alright! I'm gonna take a shower before dinner. Be nice to our new sister, darlings!”

Drew disappeared through bathroom door, and the kids seemed much less enthusiastic to be around me. They just waddled awkwardly to their own beds, sometimes staring at me when they thought I wasn't looking. Beverly run to her side of the room, not bothering to pick up the pink Holly Hollywood backpack laying next to my bed. The only one that stayed was the girl with the ponytail and braces.

“So uhhh... not the best first impression, huh?” she said nervously.

“What are you still doing here?” I said, trying to fold my clothes after a bunch of my 'sisters' threw them around my bed, talking about how ugly they were.

“I uh... knew about what happened for a while. I'm a big fan. That was... my magazine Drew showed everyone,” she said, looking like a guilty puppy. “I'm sorry. I'm Lacy by the way.”

I was all angered out by that point. I just sighed, and looked up at her. She was sitting on the bed opposite of mine. I guess we were neighbors.

“It's fine.” I said. “I mean, it's not, but whatever. I'll manage. I'm used to it.”

“I'm sorry about Drew.”

“Who put that bitch in charge anyway?”

All the color left Lacy's face, and she looked around, like she was afraid Drew was right there.

“Be more quiet.” the older guy, the one who held Beverly earlier, hissed at me, then pointed at the bathroom door. I could faintly hear the sound of melodic singing coming from the inside.

“Mitchell's right, Piper. You don't want Drew to hear you.”

“Or what?”

“We can get in trouble. We might have to wear the shoes of shame!” Lacy gulped.

I did a double take.

“The... what?”

Lacy pointed to a black shelf mounted in the corner of the room, like an altar. Displayed on it was a hideous pair of orthopedic nurse’s shoes, bright white with thick soles. “I had to wear them for a week once,” Lacy whimpered. “They don’t go with anything!”

“That is horrifying.” I said, faking horror in my voice.

“I know!”

“Why do you let her treat you like that?”

“We have no choice. She has this power—”

“Charmspeak,” I repeated what Annabeth and Clarisse said. I made sure to memorize it. “What is that? How does it work?”

“Well, I don't really know. She just says things this sweet way, and my brain kinda glazes over and I just do what she says. Gift from our mother.”

“So that's why she's in charge. She charmed all of you.”

Mitchell shook his head and looked at me like I was an idiot.

“She's in charge because she's the oldest. Didn't Travis and Connor explain all of this to you?”

“They might have mentioned it,” I felt my cheeks burning red. “But that's such a stupid system. So what, you're just stuck with her?”

“Those are the rules.”

“And you can't do nothing about it?”

“I mean...” Lacy looked like she was counting the stripes on her socks. “There is this old tradition that if a camper doesn't like their counselor, they can challenge them to a duel. Sometimes to the death. If they win, they become the counselor.”

“That hardly ever happens." Mitchell said, changing his shirt and spritzing himself with perfume. "Last time was like forty years ago, I heard. Usually when there's a more qualified camper, the older sibling will just give them the title. Like with Annabeth. Or Clarisse.”

“But you can challenge Drew to a duel.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Mitchell rubbed the back of his head.

“So why won't you?”

“If you haven't noticed, we aren't exactly fighters. Drew has charmspeak, she would win. Besides, who wants to be the counselor? That's way too much... It's fine. You can get used to Drew.”

Somehow even with what a jerk he was being, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I don't know if it was charmspeak that kept the Aphrodite kids under Drew's boot, or just plain, old fashioned fear.

“I figured you all had charmspeak. Like an Aphrodite power, you know?”

Lacy shook her head.

“It's a very rare power. I've only heard of two Aphrodite kids who had it. Drew, and the previous counselor.” Lacy hushed her voice. “Silena Beauregard.”

“Silena would be disappointed in you.” Clarisse's words rung in my ears.

“Dead people can't be disappointed in anyone, Clarisse.”

Dead.

Another counselor. Just like Charles Beckendorf.

“What happened to Silena Beauregard?” I said, a little too loudly.

“I'll tell you what happened.”

The temperature in the cabin went down to zero. Drew stood in the bathroom doors, dressed in a pink bathrobe. Her face was covered in glittery pink make-up, but she dropped the whole sweet facade. The look in her eyes reminded me of Festus when he decided Jason was a threat. Except I think I was way more scared of her.

“She died. Painfully. She thought she could take on a dracon, like an idiot she was, and she got her face melted off with acid.”

I heard a yelp behind me. Beverly was hiding in a pile of stuffed toys and holding her hands over her ears.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” I stood up from my bed. “Your sister died, and this is how you talk about her?”

“You don't choose who you're related to. As evidenced by you being here,” Drew got so close to me I could smell her hair. It smelled like oranges.

“It's cute how you speak about things you don't know nothing about. You want to defend Silena? You don't even know what she did.”

“I just know I can't trust anything you say,” I looked her in the eyes.

“Then ask anyone else,” she gestured at the cabin. They looked away from me in shame. “Well? Go on. Tell her what our dear sister did.”

“Silena was... a traitor, Piper,” Mitchell finally said. “She promised to take care of us, and then it turns out she was working for Kronos the whole time. She told him all our secrets. Poisoned Thalia's tree. Nearly destroyed the border.”

“That's not true!” Beverly screamed.

“Shut up, Mitchell!” Lacy concurred. “Silena was a hero.”

“No she wasn't!” Drew looked angry now. “She just convinced you all she was.”

“You wish you were half as good as Silena!” Lacy yelled with tears with her eyes.

“Everybody goes on and on about how good Silena was! 'Oh, she was so brave!', 'She sacrificed herself for us!', 'She had a change of heart because of Beckendorf, how romantic!'”

Drew put a finger in her mouth and gagged.

“What a load! She didn't sacrifice herself for us! She realized Kronos was losing, so she switched to the winning side! And she never loved Beckendorf either! She just dated him as a prank, all the while running off to her real boyfriend, Luke Castellan, and reporting to him everything we did.”

“Luke? The bad guy? Kronos' lackey?”

“Oh, you've heard of him? Who told you? Chris? Butch?” Drew's voice was practically a growl at this point. “Oh, they would definitely know a lot about him, given that they almost helped him kill us all! But nobody mentions that, weirdly enough. Nobody wants to say the nasty word that begins with 'T' around them. Or when talking about sweet, precious Silena. We're just supposed to pretend everything is hunky dory!”

She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Something told me this kind of scene wasn't new for the Aphrodite kids.

There was still so much about this camp that I don't know, and the last person I should be asking about it was Drew, but there was one question that nagged at me. I needed to know.

“What do you mean she dated Beckendorf as a prank?”

“A prank, you know?” Drew chuckled, but there was no humor behind it. “Just how the Hermes kids have their own little pranks. We have to do something to pass the time.”

“Sometimes, we uhh... we place bets,” Lacy explained.

"Bets?" I was pretty sure I knew what they were talking about, but I didn't like the sound of it.

"Yeah, you know." Mitchell gestured at nothing. "Like, 'I bet you can't date that gross guy for a week', and stuff like that."

“You guys just... string some innocent guy or girl along?”

“Oh, loosen up. It's just some harmless fun. If Silena could convince someone as yuck as Beckendorf that she could ever love him, that would earn her a lot of cred!” I had a feeling that she wasn't just talking to me. She wanted everyone to hear. Even poor, little Beverly. “She was supposed to date him for a while, then give him his first 'kiss'. Except he'd actually be kissing that gross boar head hanging over the Ares cabin.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I didn't want to believe.

“That's so... messed up.”

“It's Cabin Ten tradition! Lacy, who are you dating right now?”

Lacy blushed.

“Clovis.”

“Aww, isn't that sweet? And why are you dating Clovis?”

Lacy looked away from me shamefully.

“I uh... I thought it would be funny if he fell asleep at the fireworks, and then I put his hand in warm water.”

“Hilarious." Drew said. "Now, Lacy, honey. I think you missed some trash in the morning. You better clean it up before dinner.”

Drew pointed with her thumb towards the open bathroom door. The bin was kicked over and all the trash inside it—some pretty nasty things—was littered around the floor.

Somehow I doubt it was like that before she went in.

But Lacy just sighed, and walked over to the bathroom to diligently scoop up the trash with her hands. I stared at her, but I couldn't muster any pity for her anymore. They were all the same. All of them. They weren't victims, just underlings. Once Drew was gone, it would be Mitchell's or Lacy's job to be the head bully. And after that, probably Beverly's.

But it wouldn't be mine. There was no way in hell I was staying here.

“You're horrible,” was all I managed to say. The last thing I wanted to do was cry in front of these people, but my eyes were stinging anyway. “All of you. Just horrible.”

I turned on my heel and stormed out through the front door, trying to swallow down my tears.

"Oh, we're horrible, are we? I guess that makes you horrible too, honey!"

I had no idea where I was going. Just as far from them as I could. I didn't even care that I was running into the woods. I'd rather join a colony of myrmekes than Aphrodite's cabin.

I only stopped when I nearly fell into the creek. My heart was thumping. I could see my full reflection in the water. It really hit me how much everything changed.

Even crying didn't wash the makeup off. I scooped some water in my hands and tried to ruin it.

I scooped up some more and smeared it over my face.

I tried, and I tried, and nothing happened.

“Why won't this shit come off?!” I screamed, rubbing the water in my face in frustration. No dice. The girl that stared at me from the creek was still that dolled up loser.

I felt so uncomfortable staring at her. She looked so weak. So lost and defenseless.

She was me. What I was really like on the inside, with all that fake bluster stripped away.

After my accident, I tried to hide. Get away from Holly Hollywood. I cut my hair, I threw away all my old clothes, I stopped trying to learn how to do makeup like my stylists wanted me to do. But I couldn't escape the truth. Eventually it caught back up to me.

Deep down I was just another dumb girl.

I was one of them long before Aphrodite ever claimed me.

How is Drew any different from Jill Abernathy, or Isabel Jones? I was just another pushover, just another spoiled princess, just another toy in Aphrodite's dollhouse.

To think I hoped that maybe I could be a child of Athena like Annabeth. Or a child of Ares like Clarisse. How pathetic is that? I should've known I'd be just a pretty face. That's all I was good for. Barely.

Hot tears dripped into the stream, obscuring the unrecognizable face in it when the water rippled.

I heard voices coming from afar, and just when I was going to look up to see who it was, someone pulled me into the bushes. Jason was crouching behind the green and putting a finger to his mouth. He tilted his head towards the voices, and I moved some leaves to see a centaur and a battered camper walking down the stream.

“... I know, Nyssa. But even without charmspeak, more and more campers agree that the dragon is dangerous. If the majority of campers agree, I'll have to consider it.”

I held my breath. Consider what exactly?

"Chiron, I can't do it! Piper's right. If we destroy Festus, we'll be destroying Beckendorf's memory as well."

“I know." Chiron said grimly. "I know how much he meant to Charles. How much he means to you. But I made a promise when I started working as your caretaker that I'll always put your safety first. If I let Festus run free, I wouldn't be doing that. It doesn't have to be forever. Just until the Winter Solstice. Then we could consult lord Hephaestus himself.”

"But that's so long!"

"I know," Chiron said again. His voice was devoid of emotion. "But that's the best offer I can give you, I'm afraid."

Nyssa stopped following Chiron, standing still. Her healthy hand was curled into a fist. Her lip was quivering.

Only when Chiron stopped and turned around to look at her did she finally say a word.

"I need to... think about it. I don't think I'm ready to do that yet."

"I understand."

"If you're going to destroy Festus... Cabin Nine can't be a part of it. I can't do that to them."

Chiron nodded his head.

"I think that's more than fair. Would you like to go back to the camp now?"

Nyssa sighed and climbed on top of the centaur with some assistance.

"I don't think I'm hungry, Chiron. Can you take me back to my cabin?"

He gave her that sad smile. The way old people smile.

"Of course."

He jumped the creek with one giant leap and they were out of our sight. But we stayed in our hiding spot until we couldn't hear the sound of galloping hooves anymore. Once they were long gone, I jumped out of the bushes like they were made of poison ivy.

"They still want to kill Festus! I didn't change anything!"

"Chiron said he will do anything to protect his students." Jason muttered to himself. The shadows under his eyes looked darker.

"When they hunt him down, are you going to help them?"

Jason shook his head.

"Never. He saved our lives."

He turned to look at me, and I saw some light come back to his face. That grim mask turned into a concerned frown.

"Were you crying?"

I turned my face away so that I didn't have to look at him.

"Like you care," I scoffed.

I didn't need his pity. Not when he ghosted me for days so that he could go be all buddy-buddy with Drew.

I felt a calloused hand on my cheek. I wanted to slap it away, but the moment I felt his gentle touch, I knew I couldn't. He lightly lifted my chin up so that I could look him in the eyes.

"I do," he said. His face said that he meant it, but could I really trust it anymore? What if this was another one of Cabin Ten's cruel pranks, and Jason was in on it?

We stood there for a while, not making any sound. I was so close to him I could feel his heartbeat.

Then I slowly lifted my hand to his chest and pushed him away as hard as I could. It felt more like I pushed myself back while he stayed in place.

“You're a jerk!”

“I know.”

“You shut me off!”

“I know.”

“You left me all alone in this stupid camp to fend for myself, and look how that turned out!”

He looked down at his feet.

“I know."

I sat on the nearest rock, tucking my knees under my chin.

"I'm sorry, Piper," he said softly.

I sniffled.

“My best friend got kidnapped, I almost died, and my teacher turned out to be a goat!”

“And he also got kidnapped...”

I felt another wave of tears coming.

“I hate my dad for sending me away, and I hate my mom for being some stupid goddess, and I hate this stupid beauty spell, and I hate this stupid camp, and most of all I hate you!”

I took a big, shaky breath. I was spent. I was exhausted. But weirdly enough I felt relieved. Like I shook off some incredible weight off my shoulders. How long have I been carrying it? Days? Weeks? Years?

Jason stood by my side. He didn't move an inch. I understood what he was doing. He was giving me space. He wasn't hurt, he wasn't angry, he just waited patiently for me to finish, with that sweet, concerned look on his face.

“Do you want to talk about it?” His voice was soft, comforting.

How could I say no? The little voice in my head told me that I should not trust him, that I might be playing into Drew's hands, but I chose to ignore it. Jason wasn't that kind of guy.

Slowly I nodded my head. He offered me his hand and I took it.

I could really use a friend right now.

Chapter Text

JASON

I should've stayed with Piper. When this whole mess was going on at the amphitheater, I should've been there to help her. She looked so miserable when those Aphrodite kids carded her off. I'm not sure if I liked how much she blended in with everyone else with that new makeover.

Piper, the girl from Wilderness School. The girl who barely knew me, and yet, risked her life for me several times already. That same Piper was the daughter of the goddess of love. It didn't make sense.

Or maybe it made a little too much sense.

There was something about her, like you just couldn't look away when you saw her go. She was like a bouncing ball of energy, moving with this flare, no matter what she did. You could tell what she was feeling if you just looked at her eyes, because they were so expressive. And she could start a conversation with anyone. You just wanted to be her friend. It's like she lit up the place everywhere she went.

At least, she used to.

Now her shoulders were slouched, and you couldn't read her face even if you tried; downcast, staring at her shuffling feet. All of that energy was gone. It's like it all went out in that one burst of light.

I should've been there for her; be the person she always was for other people. If I could just talk to her; somehow convince her it was going to be alright. But I just couldn't. Whatever I did, deep down I knew I couldn't be like her. I'd just make things worse. Whenever we're together something bad happens.

I hanged my head, and did what I always did when I started feeling guilty about Piper—get as far away from her as I could.

I stepped into the woods and whistled a short little song. A bluebird flew by from a nearby tree and perched on my finger.

“Think you can show me the way again?”

The tiny bird nodded her head, and spread her wings.

I figured it out after getting lost in here a few times. The forest lead the demigods where they needed to go, but there were places even they weren't allowed to see. The inhabitants however long since figured out the way to navigate through the treacherous landscape.

It was no accident I was there when Festus grabbed Clovis. I was returning from somewhere.

The boulders stood where they always stood, and yet, every time I came, the way was always different.

There was a gap between the biggest boulder, and the smaller one, and I moved the rock that covered it. I reached in and pulled out my backpack. It was heavier than before.

The Apollo kids didn't notice when a small thermos of nectar went missing in all the commotion of Festus' attack. Or that along with it went a few cubes of ambrosia.

They worked like a miracle. They healed wounds almost as fast as Apollo himself, although they had their limit. I wish I knew about them sooner. It would save me a lot of trouble. Better late than never, I suppose.

Alright. This should be enough supplies to last me a month. Two if I'm lucky.

I held up the thermos, but my hand froze before I could put it in.

Why did I feel so guilty? Nobody here even liked me.

Nobody except Piper. And you're abandoning her in this terrible place.

I stood up, looking at the thermos in my hand. I just didn't know what to do anymore. What if—

“Planning to go somewhere?”

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. In a flash of silver I spun around, but when my sword pointed at her, the intruder didn't even flinch.

Figures she wouldn't.

Rachel was resting against a tree as wide as a house, with her red hair cascading down the bark. I didn't even bother asking how she found me.

“I asked if you were planning to go somewhere, Solarist."

I lowered my sword, too stunned to say anything.

She must've known what I was doing—planning an escape, stealing supplies. But she didn't seem angry, or even surprised.

She held up her hand and my friend bluebird perched on it, not afraid of her at all. Rachel's eyes were trained on it.

“What would you do if you were on that station? With her? Would you stay?”

“I c—can't.” My throat was refusing to make sounds. It wasn't sadness. It was shame. “You know I can't.”

“Are you going back to Earth then?” There was no judgement in her voice.

“I don't know. I just know I can't stay here." I shook my head, feeling my eyes filling with tears. "This isn't my home. I have no home.”

She nodded her head slowly, like she understood. She didn't say anything else, but she also didn't leave, watching me as I went back to packing.

“I'd take her with me..." I put the thermos in my backpack. "I don't know how. But I'd figure something out.”

“But she would never be accepted there. She's not a human. How would you even explain who she is? They'd take her to a lab and cut her up.”

“It doesn't matter how, I'd figure out... something." I turned around to look at Rachel. "That's what you do when you care about someone, right?”

Somehow even with her powers of premonition I had managed to stun her with my question. She looked at me with big green eyes.

Leaves flew around my face. Rachel's hair whipped in the wind.

“What if you hurt her again?” she said softly.

I felt something in my bag that didn't belong. The little replica car Piper enchanted out of the tool belt. I never put it there.

“I've been hurting her this whole time.” I sighed, holding it in my fingers, tightening my grip until it hurt.

When I turned around again, Rachel was gone.

I didn't bother looking for her. I doubt even the birds could find her if she didn't want to be found.

I looked back at the toy car in my hand.

Guess it was time to pay Solaris one last visit.

The little robin flew ahead of us. Piper followed it with her eyes, until it rested it's little feet on a moss-ridden rock.

“What is this place?” she sniffled.

“It's just... where I go when I need to think.”

Even I knew I didn't sound convincing. I hated that I was such a terrible liar. And that I wanted to be a good liar in the first place.

Piper looked at me doubtful.

“Isn't this where we fought the myrmekes?”

“And where you crashed a myrmex's head with my shield." That memory always brought a smile to my face. Piper snorted a little, but her grimace wouldn't go away.

“And where I almost got myself killed, again. Maybe I should stop trying to be cool. I'm clearly bad at it.”

“Hey, if you haven't noticed, I'm not very cool either.” I said, sitting on a rock. "I'm like the... king of lame."

I patted the spot next to me, and she stood there for a while, stubbornly, before she finally sat down.

“Yeah right. You're this badass... super strong... mythical hero with the looks of a supermodel, who can shoot lightning from his fingertips, and do backflips, and has nice hair, and can sword fight like a beast, and wrestle robot dragons, and—”

“You think I have nice hair?” I unconsciously brushed my blonde curls. I actually never wondered, nor really cared, if I looked good to other people. But I don't know, I still felt flattered.

She thinks I have nice hair.

“That's besides the point,” Piper huffed. “Point is, you're like a total hero. Everyone in camp knows that.”

“And none of them want anything to do with me. Except you.”

She didn't answer me, and she was looking away, but from where I was sitting, it kind of looked like she was smiling. I wanted to hold onto that smile.

“And look at it this way, you know who your mother is, and it turns out that she really is a god. You're a demigoddess. That's pretty cool. You're a daughter of Venus.”

“Aphrodite,” Piper corrected. “And it's not cool. Look at me.”

She gestured at the dress and her face, and I frowned.

“Yeah, I saw you trying to get rid of that... in the creek,” I said a little quietly. I didn't want Piper to think I was some creep spying on her.

“Awesome,” she laughed bitterly, “as if I haven't been embarrassed enough already.”

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—”

"It's fine, dude. Calm down."

Right. Overreacting again. I was getting really good at that.

What are you supposed to do with your hands when you talk? The longer this conversation went on, the harder it was to figure out what to do with them to not look weird.

“It must be really hard to look like... this.”

“Oh?” She gave me an unamused look. “And here I thought I was a knockout.”

I felt my cheeks burning up. I fumbled with my hands, feeling really self-conscious.

“Yeah, uhm...” I coughed. “Sorry. That was... That was a really stupid thing to say.”

I still couldn't believe I blurted it out like that.

“Piper, you're a knockout!”

As if she wasn't...

Never mind.

Change the subject. Quick.

“Why did those campers call you Holly Hollywood? Your name is Piper McLean, right?”

“It is,” she said, wiping her nose with the hem of her dress. “It's nothing. Don't worry about it.”

But I could tell she was upset over something. And it was more than just what Venus, or Aphrodite, or whatever her name was, did to her.

“You can tell me, you know. I'm not like them.”

She looked away, wrapping her arms around her knees, and resting her head on them.

“Just drop it. Please.”

I wanted to hug her. Or pat her on the back. I've never done any of those things before, but right now, I would do it, if it meant she would feel better.

“Alright. I'm... sorry.”

Piper didn't move.

The strange thing was, I was pretty sure I knew what she was feeling.

There are just things you can't share with another person—pieces of your soul you just can't lay bare, because what if they reach in and hurt you when you're most sensitive?

And yet a selfish part of me still wished she would tell me. I pushed it down, away from my thoughts. Because I had a better idea.

I slid a little closer to her, and begun untying the bandage on my right arm.

“What are you doing?”

“You asked me before what's this scar from.”

“You think I'll tell you my secret just because you told me yours?” she scoffed.

“No. I think you must be feeling pretty uncomfortable talking about yourself, so I'm changing the subject to someone who's even more of a weirdo than you.”

“You think you can outweird me?” she said and her lips curled up just a little.

“I know I can.” I chuckled.

I held my hand over the loose wrapping.

“Only if you want to. No strings attached. I've just never met anybody with whom I could share this.” She was looking at me now, and I was looking back at her, staring into those big brown eyes, red from the tears. “I never had someone I could trust. Until now.”

Somehow I knew it was the truth when I said it. Even though I didn't even have to think about it. I trusted her.

And she was curious. I could tell. She took a deep breath and looked at me.

“Alright. Show me.”

The bandages fell to the ground, and I heard a gasp catch in Piper's throat.

“I don't think a monster did this to me.”

The words were embedded in the flesh, like someone pressed a hot iron into it.

MEMORIA DAMNATA

Despite her dyslexia, she had no trouble reading them out loud.

“Memoria... damnata.”

“Mhm.”

“My Latin is kinda rusty, but this is pretty self-explanatory. Damned memory, right?”

“Something like it,” I said. "It's what the Romans called it. The modern term is damnatio memoriae."

Piper scrunched up her face.

"Why change one Latin word for another Latin word that sounds basically the same?"

"To make things more confusing, I guess." I shrugged fighting a smile. "Basically, if people really hated their old Emperor, they would literally try to erase him out of history. Their names would be stricken from every record, their statues would be defaced, their portraits would be burned into nothing. It happened even before Ancient Rome. Pharaoh Akhenaten was defaced, and the temples he built for his god Aten were dismantled, because he banned the worship of the Egyptian pantheon. In Middle Ages heretics had their memory condemned as well."

My lips were dry. Somehow saying it out loud made it sound even worse.

"You understand what that means?" I asked Piper.

She nodded her head, thinking exactly what I was thinking.

“The person who gave you this scar took your memory.”

I didn't tell her what else was going through my head.

What could I possibly have done that was so horrible someone decided I needed to be erased?

“Yeah,” I sighed. “Too bad I have no idea who that is.”

“Maybe we could find them.” she said it, and I did a double take.

We.

She didn't even hesitate to say it. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Like I didn't even have to ask.

Piper just continued, unaware of how stunned I was.

“... I mean if they did this, then they probably know how to take it back, right? We gotta find them. Make them undo it, force them, if we have to.”

I felt strange. Not bad strange by any means, but it was a completely alien feeling. It was like a warm blanket at night, but for the mind.

And here I was afraid that her transformation changed more than just her clothes. Like a Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde situation, only permanent. But she was still the same Piper I met on a school trip from a school I never went to. The girl who charged a ventus with my own sword, talked down a robot dragon, and was willing to stick out for a bunch of kids she barely even knew. A fancy dress and tons of makeup couldn't change that.

“What do you think?” Piper looked up at me.

Oh, I was thinking a lot of things.

Because I was on that station right now, on Solaris, locked up with people who didn't trust each other, and definitely didn't trust me. And there was a girl, who showed up out of nowhere, and she needed my help. And her eyes were glistening from tears.

What do you do? Stay on Solaris, or risk going back to Earth?

I think I made my choice.

“I think... I know how to find the truth. And your friends.”

I kicked the small rock and it rolled down the grass as my backpack dropped out from the gap.

Piper looked at it confused, before the realization dawned on her.

“You're leaving.” She looked at me in dismay. I think she would've preferred if I just pulled out my sword and literally stabbed her in the back.

“Yeah,” I said, slinking the strap over my shoulder.

Her eyes wouldn't meet mine. Her face was flashing between different emotions, like she was fighting with herself. Finally she just sighed:

“I understand.”

“So are you coming?”

“What?” Her brow furrowed.

“With me.”

Once again different emotions battled for supremacy, until she settled on something bordering on a smile, with a hint of disbelief. Like she was surprised she was smiling herself.

“You want me... to come with you?”

I could see stars in her big, brown eyes.

I extended my hand to her.

“Come on. I'm getting you out of this camp.”

We stood in front of the mouth of a cave. Piper was holding Leo's tool belt in her hand, and gripping it tightly.

“You sure about this?” Piper asked me.

“Not really.” I shook my head. I really didn't want to do this.

“But we don't really have any other option, do we?”

“I've been thinking about this a lot,” I said, helping Piper down the slippery decline as we walked into the cave. The little rocks spilled from under my feet. We had to be careful. “You remember our first day in Camp Half-Blood? When Festus grabbed me?”

She nodded. “I was wearing Leo's tool belt. Like he could smell it on me.”

“Exactly. And what did Rachel say? Wounded and broken, he'll forge the path. I think it's referring to Festus.”

She frowned.

“Did you forget about the rest? To fulfill Death's promise through Hera's Wrath,” Piper added, pointing at me. “I don't know about you, but to me that would mean to steer clear from Festus. As far away as we can.”

I brushed my fingers through my hair.

“Do you have a better idea how to find Leo?"

I could tell she wanted to shoot something back, but then realized she couldn't.

“Fine," she sighed. "But I still think it's a bad idea."

"Yeah, well, most of my ideas are." 

She huffed.

"We're getting close" I said.

She looked around uncertain.

"You sure? Looks like the rest of the cave to me."

"I know we've been here before."

"How?"

I smiled and pointed at a bunch of dark splotches on the sand.

"That's your blood over there."

"Eww!" Piper scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue in disgust.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Now if I remember correctly we went over here..."

I counted my steps.

"And I remember Festus was scratching the wall, so the entrance must be..."

I followed the scratch marks. Just a few more steps and...

"Right here."

I rested my hand on a piece of rock sticking out of the wall.

Piper looked at me weirdly.

"Well that's a dud."

I tapped my lips trying to figure out what she meant.

"Why a dud?"

She gestured at me.

"Nothing happened."

I looked at her, then at the rock, then at her again.

"Oh!" Now I understood what she meant. "Oh, no, no. See, I tried opening the door, but I couldn't."

I took a few steps away from the wall.

"Now that I think about it, it makes sense. Only a real camper could open it.”

Piper stared at me confused. Then understanding dawned in her eyes. She pressed her hand to the rock gently. The cold stone ignited with golden light, painting a picture of a round gate in circuitry patterns.

Just like the last time, the gate opened without making any sound. I felt a lot less confident in my plan when it came time to gaze into the black void of the tunnel.

"Having second thoughts?" Piper raised an eyebrow at me.

I gave her my best approximation of a scowl and took the first step into the bunker.

"Not in the slightest." 

She shook her head and followed me inside. The gate closed and now everything was pitch black.

"Okay, maybe a little."

After 5 minutes of feeling up the walls (and that one time Piper smacked right into me), we managed to find the light switch.

Somehow being able to see the tunnel didn't make me feel any better.

Our journey was silent. This place was still a maze. I was trying to take the same turns we took while following Clovis, but I had no way of knowing if I was making a mistake. I just hoped the tunnels didn't operate the same way the woods did.

The dead quiet was only adding to my unease. Piper hasn't spoken a word since we came here.

She wouldn't peel her eyes away from my backpack. Seems like there was still something weighing on her mind.

After a few minutes of walking, she finally said,

“Hey, Jason.”

I didn't like how it sounded already. But I still had to answer.

“Yes, Piper?”

We walked forward, neither of us saying a word.

Step. Step. Step.

“I've got one more question.”

Step. Step. Step.

“Fire away.”

She chewed on her lip, trying to muster courage to say what she was thinking.

Step. Step. Step.

“How long?” she finally said. “How long were you planning to leave, I mean.”

Step. Step.

We stopped walking.

“Probably since I came here.”

She looked around the tunnel, like she was going out of her way to not look at me.

“And you were going to leave without me?”

Her voice sounded tiny.

“At first,” I said, then quickly added, “but I was being stupid. I just... didn't want you to get hurt.”

I was worried what she was going to do. Yell at me, or maybe walk away, or do something even worse. Then she huffed with her nose, before bumping me with her shoulder.

“You don't have to baby me, Jace! I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can. Just... If you got hurt because of me, I don't know what I would do. I'm like a danger magnet. I'm trouble.”

She blinked twice, like she was struggling to absorb what I just said. Then she cocked her head like she was challenging me.

“Maybe I like trouble.”

I chuckled at that and she joined me. It was good to be able to talk to her again. I didn't realize how much I missed it.

“Maybe I like trouble too.” I tried smirking, the way she always did.

She snorted at my attempts.

“Alright. So don't push me away anymore. I told you already, we've got to stick together.”

“I won't push you away. I promise. We're gonna stick together.”

“That's right.” She nodded, self-satisfied. “We're a team. Jason and Piper for the win."

CLANG

"You heard that too, right?"

I did. The sound of clashing metal and the loud shriek as it was ripped apart echoed through the tunnels. Our good moods instantly vanished.

We sped up. Somehow I knew what was the source of the noise before I ever saw him.

We stood on our metal balcony, watching him wreak havoc. Neither of us would dare step down into the workshop.

Nit when Festus was busy ripping it to pieces.

There was something like a bear trap clamped around his leg. Probably one of the traps set by the Hephaestus kids. I could see exposed wires sparking out of the wound where the jaws dig into his metal body.

You'd expect it to slow Festus down, but it didn't. He was more feral than ever. He snarled and hissed, crashing through the whole building. The tiny airplanes nosedived and crashed. The vintage car was melted into a pile of metal goo. The poor little table was knocked over and singed.

I guess the bear trap was the straw that broke the bronze dragon's back. Festus was done playing nice. With anyone. Especially demigods.

Piper looked down at the scene horrified. The fire reflected in her shiny black eyes.

The moment Festus saw us, he screamed. Not roared. That's not how it sounded. I had to cover my ears. Gods above, I've never heard anything so horrible.

“I'm sorry, Piper. This was a bad idea,” I said.

I was about to get her and leave, before Festus figured out how to climb walls, when I heard her voice.

“You were right.”

I turned to look at her.

“What?”

“You were right. We need to take him with us. Regardless of what that prophecy says.”

Only then did I realized what the look she was giving Festus was. It wasn't fear.

She was worried about him.

“How long can he keep avoiding the campers? Eventually they will get him, and then what? You heard Chiron.”

“What can we do? Look at him. He's completely lost it.”

Piper chewed on her lip. There was desperation written on her face.

“I'll... I'll have to talk to him.”

“Are you nuts? He'll murder you.”

“I calmed him down before,” she looked at her hands, determined. “So maybe Aphrodite is my mother, and it sucks, but you know what it also means? That I'm not crazy. I do have a magic voice. Charmspeak, or whatever. Like Drew. I can do this. Only I can do this.”

“What if you're wrong?”

She looked down at Festus ripping the head of a robot garden gnome.

“Put my ashes in a nice urn.”

She took a step onto the bronze stairs and I grabbed her hand.

“Don't try to stop me, Jason.”

“I'm not. I'm coming with. We're a team, remember?”

She smiled weakly, and laced her fingers with mine. We descended into the warzone, feeling less sure of this plan with every step. 

The moment we entered the workshop Festus slammed into the ground right in front of us and roared hot air right into our faces.

"H—hey, bud." Piper forced a smile. "Good dragon. Nice dragon."

"This again?"

"Be quiet!" she hissed at me.

I wasn't exactly compelled to shut up. Bad sign.

Festus wasn't feeling very nice either. He looked like he was about to pounce on Piper.

I reached for my sword, but she stopped my hand.

"Festus..." She said as sweetly as she can. Her charms were lost on him. He snapped at her and she jumped away. I caught her before she fell over.

"Why isn't it working like the last time?" She was shaking. Festus clawed the ground beneath him, hissing like a steam engine.

Do something, you idiot. Help her.

"You can do this, Piper." I whispered into her ear.

We were now walking backwards as Festus slowly crawled after us, like a panther stalking it's prey.

"I can't." She hid her face in her hands. "I don't even know if I have charmspeak. I'm not like Drew."

Festus snarled. He was getting closer. Backing us into a corner.

"You can. I saw you do it. You saved my life."

"I don't know how to control it." She shook her head. "I don't even know who I am anymore. And now I'm going to get us killed!"

"I know who you are." I squeezed her shoulder gently. "You're Piper McLean. You're brave, funny and violent. You stick out for kids you don't even know, you hate pink, and you're way smarter than people give you credit for."

Festus's teeth were spinning again. His mouth illuminated red. We had nowhere to run.

"You're my friend," I said softly.

Festus opened his mouth.The room got hotter. I guess there were worse people to die with than a really cool girl with a magic voice.

"STOP IT!"

Festus pulled his head away, taken aback. Piper was glaring at him.

"I am so sick of all your roaring, and your fire-breathing, and your attempts to kill my friends!"

Festus creaked, tilting his head in utter confusion. Then he roared. Piper roared louder.

"Bad dragon! Bad, bad dragon!" She pointed an accusatory finger at him. He backed away. "I stuck out for you today! And look where that got me?! I am wearing a dress because of you! I have mascara on!"

Festus' camera lens eyes closed a little. He looked almost ashamed. Piper walked around him.

"I wanted to help you!" She yelled. "But you make it so hard to feel sorry for you!" She just grabbed the bronze bear trap with her bare hands and yanked it off. Festus' eyes went wide and glowing.

Piper's eyes were even wider. And glassier.

"Why can't you... why can't you... be nice?"

Festus turned his neck around to look at her. We were both watching her intently.

"Great." She sniffled, holding her head. "I sound like my fucking dad! Look what you made me do."

The dragon moved slowly, and poked her gently in the stomach with his nose. She looked down at him as he let out a soft growl. She cupped his muzzle with her soft hands.

"I know it's hard! You didn't mean to do anything wrong, and everyone still treats you like the bad guy!"

Festus nodded his head, and Piper stroked it gently.

"But you can't just hurt everyone because you feel crappy! It's not fair."

She gestured with her hand at the workshop, and all the broken robots trying to put themselves back together. Some of them even came up to Festus to begin patching up his leg.

"Creak..." he growled shamefully.

Piper crouched and hugged his head.

"I know how hard it is to lose a friend. I lost mine too." She held up the brown tool belt. "This was his. Smells like Hephaestus, right?"

Festus sniffed and nodded his head.

"We're running away from Camp Half-Blood. Nobody here likes us very much. We were hoping to find my friend. And the asshole who stole Jason's memories."

At the mention of my name Festus turned his head around and growled at me. Piper grabbed his face and forced him to look at her again.

They gazed each other in the eyes. Girl and dragon. Like they were talking telepathically.

"Wanna go with us? You think you could find Leo?"

The dragon looked at her, then at the tool belt. His lenses closed in a determined look and he nodded his head.

"Creak!"

Piper smiled and gave Festus a big hug. All the other robots joined in snuggling next to Piper and the dragon. Her eyes met mine, and I just stood there lost for words.

Outstanding. 

That's what she was.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you." I shook my head.

"It's okay." She gave me a crooked smile. "I think I doubted myself too."

Chapter Text

PIPER

I love it when a plan comes together.

Taming Festus was the hard part. The rest was (mostly) smooth sailings. Two days. Only two days before we went on our quest.

I wanted to leave immediately, but Jason insisted that this isn't something I want to go into blind.

"Things aren't going to be like they used to, Piper. Now that you know you are a demigod, you have a big target on your head. This isn't something you want to go into unprepared."

I know ultimately he was right, but I was still itching to go. I couldn't wait to leave Camp Half-Blood behind me. Living in the Aphrodite cabin was like a neon pink nightmare. Drew was a total neat freak. If we weren't reading fashion magazines or doing each other's makeup, we were cleaning. The cabin wasn't even dirty!

My other siblings wouldn't talk to me, but they definitely found other ways to make my life miserable. Like how Tammy pulled on the brush a little too hard against my hair when making my braid. Or how someone 'accidentally' spilled their herbal tea all over my clothes, so that I had to wear the stupid outfits they gave me. And yeah, maybe some of that is on me for keeping all my clothes in a big pile on my bed, but I can't help the fact that I'm a little messy. Plus it drove Drew nuts, so I kind of just leaned into it.

Somehow I always drew the shortest straw when it came time to decide who was showering first, and somehow we always run out of hot water by the time it was my turn.

Except for that one time the water was blissfully hot, and I was able to relax a little, until someone snuck into the bathroom and flushed the toilet.

But the worst part of it was all the gossiping. I hate people talking about me behind my back. I've had to deal with it my whole life. You can only take so much of it before it takes a toll on your psyche.

"I guess you should know..."

"... regarding Piper..."

"Oh my gods, did you hear what Piper did?"

"She's a celebrity you know? At least she used to be..."

"... She could've hurt someone."

"And to think I offered her my sundress!"

It was the Accident all over again. I could just feel everyone's eyes glued to me when I walked through the camp. The last straw was during strawberry picking, when I overheard Mandy whispering in Katie Gardiner's ear, and Katie just shook her head, and without any pretense just said out loud,

"I always knew she wasn't on the up and up."

I always knew?!

We barely spoke to each other ever since I got here! And did she have to be so loud? Everyone could hear her. My face turned as red as the strawberries I was picking, and people snickered between themselves watching me fuming in silence, unable to even make a retort.

But I didn't hold a grudge against Katie Stupid-Last-Name. Not one bit. It was a complete accident when I changed my spot and shoved my boot right into her basket.

"Whoops! Clumsy me!" I gave her a ditzy little giggle and batted my eyelashes.

Aphrodite style.

Now, if that was the worst of it, that would've been bad enough, but it was nothing compared to the constant dread I felt regarding Leo. It was easy to pretend I wasn't worried about him when I still had hope that the half-bloods knew what they were doing. Like I could just sit back and wait until my best friend was returned to me, and then he could join me in the Hermes cabin, so we can all do stupid pranks together with Travis, Connor and Bree.

Now that I knew the camp was in shambles, and that Leo's life was in my hands, I spent every waking minute worrying that I will be too late. I didn't get a lot of sleep these past two nights. I tossed and turned, imagining more and more horrible scenarios featuring my best friend dying.

The only time when I wasn't practically pulling my new long hair out of my head was when I actually did something. Like prepare for the quest. If there was anything upside of being an outcast is that it was child's play for me to ditch the Aphrodite kids and sneak off into the woods. Everyone made it clear they didn't want me in Cabin Ten, so as far as they were concerned, the less I was around, the better. The only person who seemed suspicious was Drew, but she relished the excuse to assign me extra chores for skipping camp activities. You know, as wicked stepsisters do. (Half-sisters, but you get the point.)

I packed according to Jason's specifications. Clothes for change. A couple bottles of mineral water from the camp store. Non-perishable food I had to barter with the satyrs for—unsalted peanuts, dried fruit, top ramen, stuff like that. Of course I also packed the ointment Will gave me. My wounds haven't fully healed yet. 

I also had a little surprise for Jason. A big, heavy satchel of gold coins practically bursting at the seams. I dropped them at his feet and they spilled out like a waterfall onto the ground.

“Are those what I think they are?”

“Yep," I said picking one up. "Figured we could use some drachmas for the trip.”

Drachmas were essentially demigod cash. They were as big as girl scout cookies, and modeled after real life Ancient Greek currency. I don't really know who we'd be even paying with those, but every half-blood I talked with always stressed that you should always have a couple of these on you, no matter where you go.

“I'm almost scared to ask how you got them,” Jason said, collecting the coins and handing the satchel back to me with that nervous smile on his face.

“Someone's been skipping game night at the Hermes cabin, I see."

“I'm not really a fan of gambling.” He made a face like he just tasted a lemon.

“Well, if you actually went to game night, you'd know that Travis and Connor aren't as good at poker as they'd like to think.” I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

“And why are you good at poker?” He side-eyed me suspiciously.

“I used to play with my dad's friends a lot when I was little.”

He shook his head and sighed, like he was already expecting an answer like that.

"Your childhood sounds rough.”

I just laughed. It definitely was, just not in the way he thinks.

"You're gonna need some of this as well." He handed me a a small thermos. It felt warm.

"Nectar?"

He nodded his head.

"I managed to get some from that nice table in Bunker 9." His eyes looked to the side, like he was ashamed to look at me. "And I... uh... took some when Festus wrecked shop at Capture the Flag. And... when Annabeth passed out."

He looked like I was his principal and he was confessing to smoking in the school bathroom.

"Jason!" I smirked at him. "Stealing? You? You should feel ashamed!"

I guess he didn't recognize the humor in my voice, because he played with his fingers, like he always did when he felt uncomfortable.

“I know, I know! I messed up." He brushed his hand through his hair. "Annabeth passed out in front of my eyes and I used it as an opportunity to steal medicine." He kicked away a rock, and pocketed his hands in his jeans. "I'm such a jerk."

"I'm just messing with you, dude." I punched him lightly in the shoulder. "This stuff is free. The whole point is Chiron and Argus ship this stuff from Olympus for us in case we get hurt."

Besides, if you saw half the stuff that I did, you'd know I don't have any room to judge. And you'd probably never want to talk to me again.

His face was still like solid stone. He wouldn't let up, not this time.

"Maybe... but what if some demigod gets hurt, and they don't get ambrosia on time, because I took some."

"You took like what, four cubes? Eight?"

He blushed.

"Ten."

"Oh, that's a different story then. Those ten cubes could've saved lives."

"When you say it like that it sounds stupid." He finally cracked a smile, despite himself.

"That's because you are being stupid."

We both laughed, but Jason's good mood didn't last for long. His laugh fizzled out and his smile disappeared again.

"I still feel horrible about Annabeth," he sighed.

"Me too."

"You think... I mean, I know Leo and your coach are priorities and all... and we also have to find the person who stole my memories... but... that Percy guy is still missing." He looked at me with big, pleading eyes. "Do you think we could find time to look for him? I don't know... for Annabeth?"

I tried in vain to fight the smile tugging at my lips.

How could you ever think you're a jerk, you sweet, wonderful boy?

Jason was as good as they can get. A real hero, like Nyssa said. The kind of good you could only dream to be. The kind of good I'd never be. It made me feel even worse about all the choices I made before. The choices he would never make.

But it also gave me hope.

Because I made a promise to someone, and I was intending to keep it.

"If you weren't going to suggest that I would." I looked up at him.

He smiled at that, and it made me feel all warm, and fuzzy, and proud of myself.

Sometimes even I could make the right choices.

Speaking of. There was one more thing I had to do before I go.

I found Clovis by the creek, sitting on a rock with someone. He was whispering something in her ear sleepily, and she was laughing. It wasn't hard to figure out who the girl was.

They turned around when they heard me approaching. Clovis smiled and Lacy frowned.

"'Sup," Clovis yawned, and stood up to greet me. "How are you holding up?"

"Not well." I answered honestly and gave him a sad smile.

His face scrunches up at that. He sighs and tussles his unruly blonde hair. He always looks like he just got out of bed.

"Yeah, Lacy told me what living in Cabin Ten is like. Sounds worse than Fields of Punishment."

I glared at her over his shoulder, and she shrank into a tiny, shaking ball. What exactly did she tell him? Because definitely not about the part where her and her siblings were using him as their personal entertainment.

"Don't worry about all the bull they're spewing. I know you're cool, Piper. So does Lacy."

"Oh, does she now?" I tried to sound friendly as we both looked at her. She tried to force her lips into a smile as well, but it wasn't very convincing. "That's so nice of you, Lace."

Clovis smiled proudly, like he was thinking, "Heck yeah, she is very nice! Do I have a lovely girlfriend or what? She'd totally never play a horrible, cruel game with my heart, and play with my feelings like a violin."

I coughed to keep myself from saying something I'd regret. If I just started insulting Lacy in front of Clovis, chances are he'd take her side, and never want to talk to me again. I had to play it more smart.

"Actually, that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Meaning?"

"Cabin Ten." Lacy swallowed hard when I said it. "I overheard something after I was claimed."

Clovis' brows furrowed.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Listen... just... you need to be careful during the fireworks, okay? Someone wants to play a nasty prank on you. I'm talking hand-in-warm-water nasty."

Clovis looked at me. There was no anger in his eyes, just resignation, like this wasn't the first time someone did something shitty to him. I've seen what kids at Wilderness School do if you fall asleep too easily. How many times did he wake up only to find someone drew something messed up on his face, or got him stranded in the middle of the lake on an air mattress?

"Who should I look out for this time?" Clovis sighed.

Lacy, I wanted to say.

You need to look out for Lacy.

But the words wouldn't come out. Not when she was looking at me like that. I knew it was stupid. Yeah, Lacy was the only Aphrodite kid who didn't hate me, but what did that matter when she was just as bad as the rest of them? And yet, I couldn't do it to her. She looked at me the same way she looked at Drew when she was pushing her around, and I couldn't stand the thought of being like Drew.

I could never be like her.

"I... Sorry, didn't catch the name. I'm still kinda new here," I lied.

Clovis nodded his head in understanding.

"Thanks for the warning anyway, Piper," he smiled.

"Don't mention it." I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him in closer. This might be the last time I see him in my life. "What are friends for?"

"Woah. What did I do to deserve hugs?" he chuckled in that tired voice of his.

"You know damn well what you did," I laughed quietly so only he could hear. "Thanks for saving my life."

"Likewise."

I let go of him, and started walking away.

"Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will," he yawned, a little confused, but still with that soft, satisfied smile on his face, like nothing in the world could go wrong.

When I turned around to walk away, I could see Lacy mouth a silent "Thank you". I looked down at my sneakers, and made my exit. Her little smile didn't make me feel better, it made me feel like an accomplice. I should've told Clovis, but my feet refused to turn back around. Why was making the right choice always so hard?

Because the wrong choices always look like the right choices to me.

Which leaves the question.

Is running away with Jason the right choice?

My gut was telling me yes.

Bad sign.

 The ceiling in the Aphrodite cabin was covered in those glow in the dark stars. They must've been enchanted, because they glowed more brightly than the cheap stuff from the store ever could. I knew, because I had those cheap stars in my childhood bedroom too. These ones were bright, and yet they weren't too bright. You could fall asleep to them easily. They weren't just that ugly shade of green, but every color your could think of. Like a galaxy.

Pondering the ceiling was the only way I could stop myself from panicking.

Everyone was already asleep, and yet I couldn't get up from my bed. What if I just snuggled myself into the covers and fell asleep? Would Jason leave without me? Would that be so bad?

If I stayed in this camp, I could pretend the outside world didn't exist. My best friend's life wouldn't be in danger, my dad wouldn't despise me, and my face wouldn't be plastered over every tabloid on the planet, talking about what a horrible person I was.

I was sent to Wilderness School so that I could be far away from it all, and Camp Half-Blood was as far away from the outside world as one possibly could be. If I lived here, it's like I never existed. I'd still get bullied, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about nosy paparazzi, or news articles about my downfall.

But the anxiety beating against my chest wouldn't let me disappear.

I was terrified about the idea of going with Jason, but I was even more terrified of not going. If that makes sense. Probably not.

Sneaking out wasn't as hard as you'd think it would be. Most of Cabin Ten were pretty heavy sleepers. I easily passed Lacy, who was in the process of drenching her pillow in droll. I didn't even have to worry about the ever-vigilant Drew. She always slept with and eye mask and earplugs. The mask read Princess at Work. Hilarious.

As if on cue, something had to go wrong. I was about to pull on the door handle when I heard something behind me.

Beverly was tossing in her sleep. If she woke up, she would see me, and then wake p everyone else in the cabin. I grabbed for the nearest plushie and handed it to her. She grabbed onto it tightly, and the tossing stopped. She relaxed into a soft smile, and her breath slowed down.

I wiped the sweat off my brow, and opened the door as quietly as I could. Then a soft voice behind me said,

"Thank you, Holly."

I turned around. Her big green eyes were opened only slightly, but they were still looking right through me. She smiled and closed her eyes once again.

For whatever reason, that gave me the strength to step out the doors, and do what I had to do.

There was no sign of campers on guard duty, even though Chiron kept his word and implemented night shifts in case someone had the stupid idea of sneaking out in the northern woods at night with a haywire bronze dragon on the loose. I still tried to make sure I was out of sight, keeping low to the ground, hiding behind trees and sticking close to the walls of the cabins as I made my way through the camp. It felt kind of like when you're a kid and you're pretending to be a spy.

Somehow the dark forest wasn't any less scary the second time around. It didn't help that I was completely alone.

It seemed like the smart idea at the time. Instead of meeting up in the camp and risking someone spotting us, we were going to rendezvous by our spot near the boulders. Now that I was thinking about it, I'd rather have Jason here with me. I didn't even know where he was. Probably waiting for me, worrying that I ditched him.

I made sure there was nobody around to see me and did a shoulder roll in the direction of the forest (you know, like spies in movies). I ended up with my arms and legs in the air like a turtle, and had to just clumsily roll myself along towards the trees. Maybe Coach Hedge had a point about not skipping gym.

I followed the path we took when searching for Clovis. The woods were treacherous, but I didn't have to worry. Maybe I couldn't talk to birds like my handsome blonde friend could, but I had a better guide.

Something huge and heavy sped past me in the bushes, and I could see a pair of blazing red eyes staring at me from the darkness.

"Good dragon." I said when Festus gingerly crawled over to me. I hugged his big metal head and petted it gently. Jason thinks that petting Festus is pointless, because he's made of metal, but I could tell he enjoyed it. He even wagged his giant tail, nearly toppling over a few trees.

"Creeeeak!" He bounced delightedly, like a playful puppy.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm happy to see you too! But we've got a quest ahead of us!" I patted him gently on his hide, calming him down. He still needed to show me the way around the woods. I was about to jump on his back when a voice behind me froze me in my tracks.

“And where do we think we're going, little miss?”

I turned around. Uh-oh. Now I knew who had guard duty tonight.

Clarisse was looming over me dressed in full Greek regalia, looking like some badass Amazon warrior or something.

"By the way, that shoulder roll was terrible," she scoffed as she took heavy, threatening steps towards me. "Now, what in Olympus' name do you think you're doing with that dragon?"

I stepped back, almost tripping. Festus growled at Clarrise but she didn't even bat an eye. If I've got to be honest, if they were going to fight, I don't know who I would be betting money on.

"Well? Cat's got your tongue?" she sneered.

"I... uhhh..."

"You... uhhh what? You thought you could come in here, steal our dragon, and just dip?"

"It's not like that!"

"Oh, it's not? Well then, I'm sure Chiron would love to hear your explanation." Her spear ignited with red sparks. They reflected in her beady black eyes, almost like they were glowing red themselves. My knees were made of jelly. Holy cow, she was huge. She could snap me in half like a pencil if she wanted to. How did Drew ever manage to stand up to her? I could never—

No, something deep inside me said, I am done with this.

I won't let this camp keep me trapped here any longer.

I felt my hands balling into fists. I looked up at Clarisse, with the meanest look I could muster. I really hoped she couldn't see through my facade.

“I'm taking Festus away, since you people want to dismantle him! And you can't stop me.”

She didn't seem all that threatened by a 5 foot ball of pink growling at her. She looked kind of bored, honestly.

“Oh, and where are you going to take him, Barbie?”

That was a really good question. I haven't actually thought past getting out of Camp Half-Blood and saving my friends. But I wasn't about to let Clarisse know that.

"I—I don't care!" I said resolutely. "I'm going to find Leo and Coach Hedge, and help Jason get his memories back! Because you so called heroes aren't in any rush to help us!”

Clarisse bent down to be on eye level with me, her dark eyes burrowing into my very soul, seeing my bluff for what it was. I was ready for her to grab me by the scruff of my hoodie and haul me into the air all the way to the Big House. Instead she just huffed.

“Well, if you're going on a quest, you're gonna need a weapon”

I looked up at her, confused. Her face remained deadpan, but I could swear there was a shadow of a smile on it.

Without preamble she threw me her spear, and I barely caught it with my hand. It was heavy.

“It's called the Maimer. Gift from my father. It can shoot energy bolts.”

The spear shrank in my hand and turned into a swiss army knife. I managed to crack a smile at her.

“I thought it's called Lamer.”

“Don't push it, Barbie.” she scowled. “Well? Off you go.”

I was waiting for some trick or ambush, but nothing happened. I mounted Festus and we jumped over the creek and ventured into the woods after Jason. I looked back after Clarisse.

She stood on the riverbank for a bit, before turning away and walking over to the camp slowly. She didn't run. I didn't hear anyone raise alarm. I didn't see an army of demigods rushing into the woods to stop us.

As far as I knew, I had her blessing.

In the end, I was the one who had to wait for Jason over by the rocks.

I recognized the familiar mop of blonde hair and the jean jacket hoodie when he stepped out of the bushes. The moment he sensed Jason, Festus tensed and snarled, like Jason was a giant ant from India.

“What took you so long?” I joked, trying to push Festus' head away from him.

He groaned and dragged his hand across his face.

“Sorry," he sighed, sounding frustrated. "I had to wait for Connor to fall asleep! He really does go to the bathroom a lot.”

"Sounds like Connor."

"You sure you want to do this?" He sounded worried again.

"I think it's safe to say it's a little too late to turn back now."

"It's not too late. Not for you." He looked around with only his eyes, like he was worried the campers were gonna jump out of the bushes at any moment, before he finally leaned against the rock where I'm sitting. "We're taking a huge risk, breaking so many rules. We'd be all alone."

I leaned over to look at him. At that sweet concerned face. Didn't he hear any rumors in these past two days? Hasn't he heard by now what kind of girl he was dealing with? The kind that takes huge risks. The kind that has broken so many rules she can't even count them. The girl who was used to being alone.

We're talking about someone who held a grudge against Santa since she was six, because the only thing she asked for that year was for dad to be home, and when that wish didn't come true, she spent a whole year plotting her revenge. Poor Jane. She didn't know the cookies I left for Santa had laxatives in them.

I spent the whole next day crying in my bed that I ruined Christmas.

"I'm not afraid," I told him.

He shook his head.

"I know you're not, Piper. You're never afraid."

His tone made it sound like it wasn't a compliment. I scowled at him and he cringed.

"Look... All I'm saying is..." He turned around to look at me. "I have nothing to lose. I'm nobody. I don't belong anywhere. But you... you had a life. A home. A family that cares about you. If something happens, won't they be worried?"

I could see myself reflected in his big blue eyes. I could see my face scrunch up when the realization hit me.

What if dad was worried about me? Highly unlikely, I know, but what if? The school would've informed him I was missing by now. I gave Annabeth my phone. What if he called? I didn't even think about it. Did he think I was kidnapped? Stranded in the desert? Dead? What if—

I shook it out of my head. There were a lot of people that I owed my guilt, but he wasn't one of them.

His debt outweighed mine.

"Who said I have a family that cares about me?"

Jason frowned.

"What?"

"Who said I have a home to go back to?"

I just shot it out of my mouth. I wasn't thinking. Sometimes it was hard to control what I was saying, and this was one of those times.

"You... don't have a family?" Jason's facial expression changed instantly. It was a different type of concern.

I opened my mouth to clear things up, to explain to him my dad wasn't dead or anything, I just wished he was. But nothing came out of my mouth. I realized I didn't want to tell him. Jason was the only person who didn't know. The only person who didn't treat me as a spoiled celebrity kid. Did I really want to change that?

Besides. Would he even understand? Just the way he said the word 'family', like it was sacred to him. This was the boy who didn't even remember his last name. How much would he give to have it back? To have a family back?

How ungrateful would he think I am if I told him I had everything he wanted, everything anyone ever wanted, and I didn't appreciate any of it? I don't know if I could bare Jason looking at me the way Katie Compost or Mandy did.

"Something like that." I finally heard myself saying.

Not a lie.

Just not the whole truth.

"I'm sorry," he said finally.

"Why? We're in the same boat."

"I just..." He looked down at the ground. "I know it sucks. To be all alone."

I stood up on the rock and gave him a little smile.

"But I'm not alone. I've got you. And I've got Festus. And if everything goes right, I will have Leo as well."

I slung the backpack over my shoulder, stepped over to the biggest boulder, and climbed onto the dragon's back. No more wasting time. No more doubts. We're going on this quest.

“Come on." I extended my hand to Jason.

Jason took one look at the dragon growling at him, and he unconsciously took one step back.

Slowly he came up next to me, making sure to not break eye contact with Festus. The moment he touched him, Festus' low rumble became louder, until Jason pulled his hands back. He tried again, and Festus growled louder the closer Jason got. It went that for a few minutes, back and forth, back and forth, until Jay finally said “Screw it,” and jumped onto Festus without preamble. His foot accidentally hit Festus' bad leg and the dragon growled in pain, and shook his entire body, throwing Jason into the air, and nearly knocking me off.

“Hey!” Jason yelled from the ground.

Festus chuckled, sounding almost like a steam engine taking off.

“Festus!” I scolded him. “Jason is our friend. I'm not leaving without him. Now help him get up.”

The dragon let out something that sounded almost like a defeated groan, and reached for Jason with his tail. He grabbed it with his strong arms, and the tail lifted him off the ground and plopped him behind me. Immediately he almost slipped off again.

I rolled my eyes, grabbed his arms.

“If you don't want to fall, you have to hold onto me," I said putting his arms around my waist. "It's not that hard.”

I could hear his voice catch in his throat.

“What?”

He didn't answer at first. Then I felt his arms wrap around me.

“Nothing.”

His grip still felt pretty loose, like he was holding an egg and was worried he might break it.

"It's not my fault if you fall off again," I scolded him

"Okay," he added sheepishly. But it kind of sounded like he was smiling.

I gently tapped Festus on the head and pulled off Leo's tool belt to hold it to his snout. He immediately started sniffing with his robot nostrils.

"A robot that can smell things and be pet," Jason sighed in amazement behind me. "Cabin Nine really is brilliant."

"Can you smell him, boy? Get a good scent." I encouraged my dragon friend. "Forge our path."

Festus' head suddenly shot upwards and he let out a soft hum through his teeth. The lenses of his camera-like eyes constricted into two dots and he took a running stance. I hastily wrapped the tool belt around my hoodie and grabbed the handlebars.

The bronze dragon roared into the sky and jumped into a sprint. If my hold was a little weaker, Jason and I would've been thrown instantly by the force of the take-off. Festus sped through the trees with the grace of a jungle cat, avoiding every obstacle, taking sharp turns, jumping over gorges.

I felt the wind blowing in my hair. Hopefully I wasn't slapping Jason in the face with my braid. I breathed in the cool night air, and let myself get excited with Festus. The speed felt amazing. I pushed the reins forward and Festus went even faster.

"Hey, this is fun!"

"Piper, watch out!"

I pulled the reins to the right before Festus could trip on the giant, round boulder poking out of the ground. He rumbled a little noise that I figured was a thank-you. Guess even his dragon senses weren't perfect.

The forest started to descent downwards like we were coming down from a hill, and the night was no longer so dark. A swarm of fireflies flew over our heads, no doubt attracted to all the glowing plants and mushrooms in this ancient part of the forest. The trees were like a giant city, one huge trunk of an ancient oak next to another. Their roots intertwined to form the floor we were speeding on, climbing upwards like a bridge. I heard a howl of a wolf. They were huge and their fur was pure white, almost blue in the light of the moon. 

Oh, and they also had two heads.

"Two-headed wolves," Jason smiled watching the pack bark and yip as they raced us. "Offspring of Orthrus."

"So cool," was all I could say.

A string of myrmekes carried giant, fluorescent mushrooms above us, walking upside down over a giant branch, which was another bridge between the trees. These ones were black. I was worried they might drop down on us and start attacking, but they paid us no heed, just scuttling in a line, going about their day.

I could see a group of ladies with green skin jump from branch to branch, like they were born to live in the trees. One of them noticed us and waved, before jumping into a canopy of a huge oak.

It was breathtaking.

I didn't know where to look. It was magic. Real magic. Right in front of my eyes.

I felt like a little kid again. The world was huge, and scary, and fascinating and unexplored. So much still to see. So much you can't explain.

I briefly forgot what we were even doing. That enchanted forest was still stuck in my mind, even as the trees slowly grew smaller, and the wild became less and less wild.

Then the trees parted, and Jason's voice brought me back to reality.

"Uh, Piper?"

I looked over and almost screamed. There was a giant drop into the ocean at the end of the forest, and we were barreling straight for it.

A cliff. With the land slowly narrowing into a knife's edge, like a dead-end road. I looked to my side and my stomach did a somersault when I saw a 80 feet drop and black, raging waves crashing into the rock bellow us.

"Oh, no, buddy, that's a cliff. There's no ground to run on here." My voice was really high. The cliff kept narrowing.

"Festus, no! Festus, stop! Bad idea, bad idea!"

I pulled on the reins, but to no avail. I yelled at him, but he didn't answer me. He just sped up.

"No. No, no, no, no, no, Festus no!"

We were running out of the ground.

"Festus, slow down!" Jason, yelled.

I could hear the seagulls squawking down below.

"Festus, cliff!" I screamed.

Jason pulled on me, probably in an attempt to tuck and roll off the dragon, before he realized in his panicked state there was nowhere to tuck and roll to.

"Festus, wait!" Jason shrieked.

I pulled on the reins harder. The dragon creaked.

"FESTUS—"

We plummeted like a sack of bricks into the sea. Festus dived through the air like a torpedo. I could barely hear our screams over the wind in my ears.

I shut my eyes, unable to watch where we were heading, and I felt Jason wrap himself protectively around me, like he could somehow shield me from the fall. He was crying out to me, and despite the howling in my ears I could make it out.

"I'm so sorry, Piper!"

"I'm sorry too!" I cried back. I took a deep breath and readied myself for impact.

We hit the water, and drowned.

The end.

Thanks for reading, everybody!

Gotcha!

You should've seen your faces!

Okay, sorry, I had to.

I had to!

That's not really what happened. Though it is exactly what played out in my head over and over again as I screamed my lungs off falling from that cliff.

As I was coming to terms with my upcoming death, I heard a loud CLICK, and my belly lurched. Something changed, but I didn't know what at first. It still felt like falling, except in reverse. Ascending instead of tumbling down. Falling up, not down.

And then I opened my eyes, and I was breathless all over again.

The clouds were swimming past us so close I could reach out and touch them. The stars shone above in the sky, and below the giant waves of the Long Island sound crashed into each other. Festus dived down, and I could skim my hand through the whitecaps as the water splashed my face. The seagulls flew past my head, they sounded like they were laughing, and I laughed with them, like we were in on the same joke. Festus beat his giant, bat-like wings and we rocketed into the sky once again. The wind was cold as it whipped into us, but I welcomed the stinging in my eyes. Jason's grip loosened when he finally opened his eyes, and he gasped.

"Brilliant," he whispered to himself.

No more falling.

We were soaring.

Chapter Text

JASON

The bat-like wings cut through the air, staying afloat without even a flap. At first glance you'd think the membrane connecting the bronze skeleton was simply tarp—old, eaten by mold, and riddled with holes. But it was probably some special enchanted material. Covered in enchanted duct tape no doubt.

It was hard to tell the forests apart from highways and lakes. The only change in the darkness were the lights of civilization. Our flight went on for hours, smoothly, undisturbed, at least for now.

Still, better to remain vigilant. Not every monster kept to the ground. Gryphons, dracons, sirens, harpies. And of course, let's not forget our old pals the venti.

Fortunately, the sky was clear and blue, with the last stars slowly fading away.

The night was coming to a close, and the mortal cities bellow us were slowly coming back to life. If I was cautious, I could turn around, and see the sun over the horizon. We were heading west. Just like the Oracle foretold.

In front of me, Piper let out a big yawn, barely managing to cover her face with her mouth.

I had to crane my neck to get a better look at her. There were bags under her eyes.

“Hey, how about we look for some place to land and rest?” I put a hand on her shoulder and she turned her head to look at me.

“I'm fine,” she said, fighting another yawn, and rubbing her eye. “I can keep going.”

“I'm not sure it's safe to ride a dragon while sleep-deprived.” I managed a weak smile. “We might crash into a flock of ducks or something.”

“Not sure if it's safe to ride a dragon with me in general,” she smirked.

Oh, it definitely wasn't. The moment Festus spread his wings, it was like she turned into a hyperactive little child. A couple of times she nearly fell because she let go of the handlebars to spread her arms and yell “I'm the queen of the world!” into the aether. And of course, I wasn't going to let her off for that time she randomly set her mind on making Festus do a barrel roll somewhere over the Great Lakes, which resulted in us dangling from an upside down dragon, with me screaming, and Piper writhing in a fit of giggles.

Still, she may have been a menace, but she was my menace.

“Okay, then how about we switch places? Let me hold the reins for a while.”

I reached out for the handlebars, as if for emphasis, and Festus snapped his head sharply to look at me, his eyes bright red, and his teeth buzzing like a chainsaw.

“I don't think that's a good idea, JayJay,” Piper said, gently pushing my hand away. Then she yawned again, and shook her head. “Okay, I guess a short break wouldn't be so bad. And maybe some coffee.”

“There's a city over there by the river." I pointed. "Maybe we can land there.”

“That thing over there?” Piper put a hand above her eyes and squinted. “I'd barely call that a city.”

“I don't really have anything to compare it to.” I shrugged and chuckled. “Haven't seen that many cities.”

“That's a weird bird.”

At first I just sat there, staring dumbly, wondering what she meant. As in the city was a bird? Was that some phrase I haven't heard before? Then I realized she wasn't looking at the city anymore, and I put my head on her shoulder to see what she was talking about.

Okay, that was in fact a weird bird. If it was a bird.

From afar, it looked a little like a falcon, or a hawk, or something of that sort, except I could see blinking red lights on it's head, almost as if it was a plane in the night, like the ones Piper showed me when we were flying over the New York state.

What's more, when it turned just right, I could see it's feathers shimmer in the light, like they were made of gold.

Or bronze.

“Pipes, you wouldn't know how to make this dragon go faster by any chance?”

“Uhm... That might be a problem.” Piper mumbled. “I think he might need some rest as well.”

Festus creaked in agreement, the rubies inside his camera-like eyes glowing a little duller than usual, with the shutters drooping over them.

“This is bad.” Piper said with a big nervous smile.

The weird bird flew above our heads, speeding through the air like a bullet, before spreading it's bronze wings, and spinning around us, doing several perfect barrel rolls in a row.

“Show off,” Piper scoffed.

The mechanical creature slowed down, hovering in the air next to us. It opened it's beak, but the noise that came out of it wasn't a squawk.

“Welcome, dear client! I am an automated messenger sent by Hephaestus Forges™. We are inquiring about a recalled item you are in possession of. Do you accept this message?”

“Uh-oh.”

“Uh-oh? What uh-oh?!” Piper said, her voice pitching high.

“We must've flown over one of Hephaestus' forges. I heard he had one in Detroit, but it's now defunct. We probably activated some automated customer service thing when we flew over there with Festus.”

The bird hovered patiently, it's eyes glowing red. Up close it looked a lot more like an eagle. Festus angled his head and eyed his only slightly smaller cousin suspiciously.

“Do you accept this message?”

Piper turned to me, looking skeptical.

“Do we?”

I inspected the automaton. His claws were bigger than my head, and probably sharper than my sword. Lupa always stressed to steer clear of what she called 'Vulcan's mechanical terrors' . She took inventory of every forge she was aware off, pointing at the map of America, telling me to stay as far away from them as I could.

I think I was past that, unfortunately.

“I'm worried something bad may happen if we don't.” I whispered.

Piper sighed, and turned her head to the eagle.

“Uh, yeah, hi. What seems to be the problem officer?”

“I must inform you that the item you are in possession of, the Cadmus Class Defense Sentry Automaton GL500 , item number 20101210 , has been recalled due to safety concerns. As the item was created in collaboration with our brand, Hephaestus Forges™ has the right to demand you return the item immediately. We thank you for your cooperation and will be offering compensation for any issues caused by the product.”

“What is he talking about?” Piper looked like the eagle just asked her if she liked to shove cotton candy up her nose. Totally lost as to what it was talking about.

Hepheastus. Defense sentry. Recalled item. Safety concerns.

Oh.

“I think he means Festus, Piper.”

She opened her mouth in disbelief, sharing a look with her dragon friend.

“Uhm... no thank you.” I tried in vain. “We're very satisfied with our product. We'd like to keep him.”

“I am afraid this is non-negotiable. Please return the item immediately.”

“But we need him!” Piper yelled. “He's helping us find our friend, he's a son of Hepheastus!

“I understand.” the eagle assured us, before it added. “I will now open fire. Entering combat mode.”

“Not again!” I cried. Then a beam of red hot light flew past my ear.

The bird had laser eyes.

The bird. Had. Laser eyes.

Pcheeew!

“In the event of refusing to cooperate, Hepheastus Forges™ and all it's subsidiaries are not responsible for what happens to your livers.”

“Is that thing going to harvest our organs after we die?”

“I think that thing might be the Caucasian eagle!”

“Well, alright, but I don't see how it's ethnicity will help us in this situation!” Piper said, and I had to push her down in time to dodge a laser blast.

“What are you—It's called the Caucasian eagle because it comes from Causasus mountains, Piper!”

PCHEEEW! PCHEEEW!

“Where is that?”

“In Russia.”

Pcheeew!

“Oh no, it's white and a commie. The worst combination.”

I ignored her.

“When the titan Prometheus gave humans fire, he betrayed the will of the gods...”

"Keep talking, but hold on tight!" Piper pushed the reins up and did another barrel roll, before diving Festus down by the river.

“Uh, alright! As punishment, Jupiter, or Zeus, or whatever you want to call him, imprisoned him on top of the highest mountain in Caucasus...”

"A bit of an overreaction, but okay!"

Piper did a slalom maneuver, and Festus opened his mouth and breathed a pillar of fire into the river, covering us up in smokescreen of steam.

Still, the bird was on our tail, a little confused, but still shooting lasers.

“An eagle, that eagle, would come down to eat his liver every day of his life!”

“Dude must have had a very big liver.”

I looked at her annoyed. I was seriously considering shoving her into the river to wipe that smug grin of her face.

“His liver would regrow! And every day the eagle would swoop down and eat it once Prometheus has healed. According to some stories, the eagle was an automaton built by Hepheastus, or Vulcan as Romans called him.”

Piper pulled Festus' reins and the dragon rose into the air, just in time before the eagle gave me a nice big hole between the eyes.

“Poor Prometheus.” she shook her head. “He did not live long and prosper.”

“Well, he did live long. But I don't think he prospered.”

Another laser beam flew past us and shot right through the fabric of Festus' wing, which was now smoking.

“Food-tutor matrix!” she cursed under her breath, steering Festus to tilt and splash the burning wing in the river.

My heart brimmed with pride. Forget my earlier complaints. She's trying.

“Resistance is futile! Surrender the item, or be disemboweled.”

The eagle shot a barrage of beams at us. When he got bored of that, he started sending missiles at us. I was scared to turn around to see where they were coming from.

“You can pry this dragon from my cold, dead hands!” Piper yelled, shaking her fist at the bird.

The eagle rose above us, and I heard the sound of something dropping. I reached my hands forward hastily, and shoved the reins as deep as I could, making Festus accelerate.

Right behind us something like a big bronze egg hit the water, and the river exploded like a geyser.

“It can shoot bombs out of it's butt!” Piper gasped in horror.

We were being carpet-egged. It was like trying to fly over an ocean in a storm. I was soaking wet, and my ears were ringing from the deafening cacophony of the blasts.

What's worse is Festus refused to rise again. In fact, we were losing altitude. I looked at the dragon, and his red eyes were flickering on and off.

“What's going on?!”

KA-BOOM! Another egg exploded, this time dangerously close.

“I think he needs to recharge!” Piper yelled, sounding devastated.

KA-BOOM!

“We have to give up!”

“I can't let him take Festus!”

“Piper, if he drops like a rock into a river, we have no chances.” I looked sternly at her, and the dragon, both of them giving me a sad, pleading look. “We have to regroup.”

I winked at them.

I think they understood.

KA-BOOM!

“Okay, okay, you've won!” Piper screamed at the bird in the sky. “We give up!”

“Thank you for your cooperation, dear client. Please land and prepare the item for retrieval.”

The eagle lead us away from the riverbank, somewhere it was safer to land, as Piper pulled on what little energy was left in Festus. I was trying to figure out a way to get out of this. We needed Festus. He was the only one who could find Leo.

I also hated the idea that we stole him to save him from getting dismantled, and now because of us, he was going to get dismantled anyway.

Festus creaked an anxious roar.

“Hey, it's going to be okay, bud. I'm sure el Jefe Supremo is just going to fix you up once he gets you back. It will be like a spa day.” Piper patted Festus' back. I could tell from her voice that she didn't really believe that herself, but it at least put Festus at ease.

We landed in some overgrown, dilapidated park overlooking the waterfront. Festus barely managed to drop us off, before falling to the ground, his paws sprawled. His red rubies glowed twice, and his body shuddered from his snout to the tip of his tail. The machine let out a loud noise.

CHEE CHOO CHOO CHUH

Festus' form shrank—contracting, folding in on itself, like we were watching a display metal origami. Claws retracted, wings folded into the back without a trace, the segments of the neck and tail collapsed in on themselves. It was like his body was devouring itself, until it compacted into a dense bronze rectangle on the ground. Then a handle popped out.

"That's so cool," Piper said under her breath. 

“What happened to him?” I asked, eyeing the briefcase.

"I think he's... charging." Piper said.

“This product possesses a special power core that can recharge autonomously." The eagle confirmed. "It's most efficient when all other secondary functions are inert.”

Piper exchanged a look with me. A determined, fierce look.

She pulled something out of her pocket so only I could see. A swiss army knife. Her eyes fleeted from me to the briefcase. I gave her a discreet nod.

First I had to distract that automaton.

"Sooo... are you taking Festus to the shop so you can fix him?"

Luckily my guess was correct. Automatons have to do what they were programmed to do. A bird made for customer service had to answer questions whether it liked it or not.

"Negative. This line of merchandise has been discontinued. The components needed to fix it are no longer produced. Your Cadmus Class Defense Sentry Automaton GL500 , item number 20101210 will be melted down, the bronze reused to create safety razors and keychains for Olympians."

Piper activated the switchblade in her swiss army knife, and the tiny item grew. I kept talking, distracting the bird.

"T—there's one more thing I've been wondering about! How were you able to devour Prometheus' liver if you are a robot?"

“Following my defeat at the hands of the son of Zeus, Lord Hephaestus preserved my mind on a disc, and gave me a new body so that I may serve Hephaestus Forges™ and it's subsidiaries. Now please return the recalled item, or I will activate the organ extractor, dear client.”

"One more question!" I said. "Who's that behind you?"

The bird turned it's head a 360 degrees, only to be met with Piper holding a glowing red spear.

“I'm terribly sorry for this, Mr. Eagle.” Piper shook her head, blasting the automaton with a bolt of red lightning.

The eagle's body started twitching uncontrollably, sparks flying out of the joints in his neck. His eyes flickered on and off. A red alarm beacon shot out of it's head, lighting up the whole street, before the bird shot two missiles out of it's nipples in opposite directions, blowing up two cars.

“weL-wEl-WelCoMe To AsBeStOS GoRgEs℠. We-we-we OffEr A Wi-wI-WiDe VarIeTY Of turnips For YoUr VieWiNg PlEasuRe...”

I shot past him and grabbed the suitcase. It weighed about as much as a motorbike, but somehow I managed to lift it, even if my skin was turning purple around the joints of my fingers. Piper grabbed my hand and we run.There was nowhere to hide, it was an open field. The moment that bird got his bearings back, we would be exposed.

Piper still ran with me, as fast as she could, like she knew exactly where she was going. I had no idea what was on her mind. All I could see was a rotting plastic whale in front of me. It was probably a playground attraction for kids at some point, a little whale house they could hide in, but now it was just a sad sight. It's tail was ripped, exposing the metal skeleton underneath. We jumped into the belly of the beast, and stuck closely to the walls.

We sat there like that in silence, trying to make ourselves as small as we could be. I had no idea if we outrun the Caucasian eagle. The sounds of malfunctioning machinery got quieter the further away we got. Did it see us flee?

I got my answer in the form of a giant black shadow gliding through the field.

"Dear client, please show yourself so that you may be properly destroyed."

I held my breath. Next to me Piper was trying to stop trembling.

"Dear client, please answer."

My knuckles were white from how hard I was holding onto the briefcase. As I looked at them I realized I was trembling too.

"Dear client—"

The voice faded away. The shadow swooped past us and disappeared over the waterfront. I heard a sigh of relief next to me. I barely had the strength to turn to look at Piper and crack a weak smile.

The whale flipped over, flying into the air until it hit the river. A pair of red eyes looked down on us.

"Welcome, dear client! I am an automated messenger sent by Hephaestus Forges™. Prepare to die!"

Thinking quick, I gathered all my strength and smashed the suitcase into the bird's head.

It's beak was bent, and one of the lenses broke, but I wasn't able to assess the damage, because I was busy running for my life, dragging my companions behind me.

My feet left marks on the grass as we took a sharp turn, running towards the street. I didn't want to endanger any civilians, but I was running out of options.

PCHEW! PCHEW!

I dodged the lasers as well as I could. Some of them hit nearby cars, melting their tires into the ground. Around us, people were running and screaming. I wonder what the Mist made them see.

I flipped my coin into a spear, and chucked it at the creature, but the weapon just bounced off it's bronze feathers.

"I thought... huff—your spear worked on Festus!" Piper wheezed.

"He's tougher than Festus!"

The laser hit the suitcase, and it got hotter and hotter, until holding it became unbearable.

I screamed and let go of it, right as the Caucasian eagle slammed into us. The talons of the bird wrapped around the suitcase, pining it to the ground. I hit the pavement, busting an elbow, and tried to look for a coin with my healthy hand. Next to me, Piper was shaking, trying to sent energy out of her spear.

"C—come on! Work you stupid thing!"

The eagle snatched the weapon out of her hands and threw it aside. It's eyes were charging up.

"Thank you for your cooperation, dear client. Have a nice death."

The suitcase vibrated.

A giant robot dragon exploded out of it, sending the bird into a nearby car, crashing it like a soda can. Festus roared, spreading his wings defensively around us.

His voice was pure rage, the same way it sounded when we found him with a snare around his leg. He was trying to make himself seem larger and more powerful, but I could see through the cracks. His eyes were still blinking in and out. He wasn't finished recharging, he was running on fumes. We were on borrowed time.

"He said someone killed him, right?" Piper said, looking at me expectantly, as the two automatons battled, wings flapping, eyes blazing, bronze grinding.

"Yeah, Hercules! He shot him down with a poisoned arrow. But the bird was made of meat back then!"

"So what can we do?" Piper lamented, looking up at me. I wish I had an answer.

I finally found my coin and flipped it into a sword.

Ahead of us, Fetus pinned the eagle to a bus and spit fire at it, but the bird seemed unphased.

"I have no idea." I admitted. "I guess we either let the bird take Festus away to be melted down, or..."

"Or we die fighting."

We looked at each other, my blue eyes gazing into her brown.

She picked up her spear off the ground. She was determined, even though I could still see the fear poking through. But she wasn't going to let it stop her.

The eagle squawked, pinning Festus to the ground, turning his armor red hot with his laser, until it could burn a whole through him. He didn't have the chance. A bolt of red and blue lightning struck him right in the torso.

The bird fell back, and shrieked at us, his feathers standing on end. I ran up to the closest hydrant and busted it with my sword.

A jet of water smacked right into the bird, sparks flying out of it's broken eye. Festus growled at me annoyed, stepping away from the stream.

"Sorry!" I yelled to him. "Couldn't think of a better idea."

"This violates your terms of service! Hephaestus Forges™ will pursue legal acti—"

A purple family car steamrolled right into the bird, Piper rolling out of it onto the street at the last moment. The Caucasian eagle was pinned to the wall.

"You're okay?!" I ran to Piper's side.

She hissed, holding her shoulder.

"Nooo.."

Behind me, the Caucasian eagle threw a car into a nearby building and dislodged itself from the wall. It's other eye was popped out of it's socket, it's head was still dripping with water and sizzling, and it's wing looked broken, but it still stomped in our direction.

Festus wrapped his tail defensively around me and Piper's laying body.

"KIIIIIIILL," the bird sputtered. It opened it's beak and a glowing red cannon popped out of it.

"KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL."

I stepped over Festus' tail, holding my sword and my shield, despite my busted elbow. If that thing was gonna incinerate us, I was taking the brunt of the blast.

"Bring it, bird-brain," I muttered under my breath, wiping the blood dripping off my lip.

Then the windows in every building shook.

"HALT!"

A wave of sound blasted into the bird, sending it flying.

I looked up into the sky to see a gleefully murderous faun in the morning sun, running over the roofs of the cars, another person holding onto his back. The goat-man wound back his bat and smashed it over the eagle's head with a manic grin.

"Kill!" the faun screamed, his goat hooves keeping him stable on the bird's feathers, his bat flying through the air, slamming into the metal head. "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"Cease!" the bird protested.

"Lights out!" the other person laughed, light glinting off of his red goggles, as he pulled out a screwdriver and started pulling the bird apart like a gremlin.

"NO!"

Nuts and bolts were flying. The bird tried stumbling back, but he didn't realize he lost one of his legs. The kid with the goggles opened a panel somewhere in the creature's back and pulled out a bunch of power cords. Meanwhile, goat-man just kept smashing the automaton to pieces.

“Thank you for choosing Hephaestus Forges™. Your feedback is very important to us. Would you like to subscribe to our newsletteeeeeeeee...”

The recording sputtered out, and the eagle's eyes turned grey.

"Piper?!" A familiar gravelly voice yelled. Piper's old coach stood in front of us, ripping a wing out of the Caucasian eagle. "What on Earth are you doing in Detroit?!"

At first, Piper just laid there, dumbfounded. Then her eyes focused, and filled with tears.

"Coach Hedge!" she squealed, jumped to her feet and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"Is that the bronze dragon?" He pointed at the automaton behind her.

"You're alive!" she sobbed into his tracksuit, holding even tighter, like she was worried he might be pulled away from her again.

The coach's rough exterior softened instantly. He wrapped his arms around Piper and patted her on the back.

"Right. 'Course I am! Takes more than some storm spirits to keep me down, cupcake."

"I thought I'd never see you again! I was so worried—"

Piper's eyes shot open in an instant. She pulled away from Coach Hedge, staring into his eyes.

"Wait, but if you're alive, then that means..."

She looked up, hopeful, at our savior standing over the downed Caucasian eagle, wielding nothing but a screwdriver.

With the morning sun behind him, he was just a black silhouette, but if I shielded my eyes, I could see.

“Sup guys,” Leo said, smirking down at us, light reflecting off of his goggles. “Miss me?”

Chapter Text

PIPER

He was here.

He was here, and he was staring at me, and grinning in that stupid, annoying way I loved so much.

He was here! He was here! He was here...

I didn't even try to hide my tears. I run towards him and he run towards me, our arms open. I thought I might break down into tiny little pieces. He was here! He was alive! I thought I might never see him again, and yet here he was. I just wanted to hug him tightly and never let go.

Then Leo ran right past me and hugged Festus instead.

He gushed and gasped, running around the thing, checking him out from every angle.

“Oh my useless gods, such fine craftsmanship! Look at those teeth, they could rip through enforced steel! Those wings actually work? This thing can fly?! And the material...”

He looked at Festus' hide up close, touched it, knocked on it, smelled it, even licked it. Gross, Leo.

“Grade A Celestial bronze! This dragon is amazing! Can we keep him?” Leo said. I knew that wild spark in his eye. It usually didn't mean anything good.

“No, we can't!” Coach Hedge roared, trying to keep up with him. I could see that little vein in his neck pulsating. Just like the old times. I nicknamed it Evan. He turned his head to look at me. The happy, schmaltzy moment was gone, he looked angry. “I don't know how you got that thing working again, but you shouldn't have it!"

This was starting to look like one of our arguments back in Wilderness School.

"Oh? And why shouldn't I?" I said walking up to Festus and crossing my arms. He was looking around at all of us, like he didn't know where to rest his eyes.

'Who are all these new people, and why are they yelling at me?'

"That dragon doesn't belong to you, Piper! It belongs to Camp Half-Blood!"

"Camp what?" Leo looked at me with a mix of confusion and something else. Unease maybe.

Festus stiffened as well at the mention of Camp Half-Blood. Come to think of it so did Jason.

"They didn't want him." I shrugged dismissively.

"Oh, so that means you can just take him?"

"I didn't steal him, if you'd like to know." I said, wrapping my hands around my dragon's snout. "Festus can think for himself and he wanted to go with us."

"You're friends with a robot dragon?" Leo looked at me impressed. I nodded my head.

"Yep. And with his help, we're going on a quest to get Jason's memories ba—"

"Absolutely not!" Coach hollered. Evan was quivering even harder, working overtime. "We're turning that thing back around right now, and going to Camp Half-Blood immediately! You could've died!”

“'Absolutely not' yourself!” I said putting my arms defensively around Festus. “Camp Half-Blood wanted to dismantle him! They also made it very clear they don't want Jason around.”

Jason nodded.

“Chiron said I'm a danger to the whole camp.”

“What? Why would Chiron—”

“Jason lost his memories, and I'm going to help him find them! Rachel said that in order to find what we've lost, we have to travel west. And we found you, by traveling west. That's gotta be a good sign!”

“You kids got a prophecy from the Oracle?!” Coach Hedge looked at me in disbelief.

“Who's Rachel?” Leo asked, prying Festus's maw open to get a better look inside. He put his head right in there, like he was performing for Sigfried and Roy. “Figures you have a flamethrower. Please don't use that around me, I have very delicate skin.”

Festus nodded agreeably, keeping his mouth as wide as he could so as to not hurt Leo.

“Oh, you'd love Rachel." I said to him. "She's this cool art girl who paints, and she's also possessed by a three thousand year old spirit that allows her to see the future. She told me you were still alive.”

“Is she hot?” Leo said, gathering what was left of the Caucasian eagle, and dragging his remains to Festus. Of course that's the first thing he asks.

“Gross, Leo. She's my friend.” I said, crossing my arms. “But yeah, she is. But she can never fall in love, because she swore to be the Oracle of Delphi.”

“That blows.” He said, reaching into my (his) tool belt, and pulling out a wrench, a set of screwdrivers, a welding torch and a protective mask. The torch's cable extended into the pocket. I had no idea what it was drawing power from.

“That's what I said!”

“What happened to your face?” Leo said, opening Festus' tummy up. The dragon just let him do it, watching him working, giving his hair a smell from time to time. I bet it smelled like motor oil and mechanical grease—the way Leo always smelled.

“You just noticed I look like a completely different person?!” I growled at him. “I figured it's time for a make over, what do you think?!”

“Vast improvement.” He smiled smugly, before going back to patching the dragon up from what was left of the Caucasian eagle. I scoffed, feeling my blood pressure rising. Why did I want to save him again?

“How do you know what Celestial bronze is?” I asked.

“Sorry, I can't hear you! The welding torch is really loud!”

“How long did you have this tool belt?!” I pressed on. "Where'd you get those snazzy new goggles?"

“¡Lo siento, no hablo Inglés!” he yelled at me.

“¡No mames, wey!” I yelled back, feeling my cheeks burning.

“CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS GOING ON?!” Coach Hedge screamed.

Jason leaned in to the satyr and smiled. “It's nice not being the only confused one anymore.”

“Shut it, new guy!”

He was pissed. Really pissed. Even more than that time me and Leo set his shorts on fire.

But I knew how to calm him down.

"I was worried about you." I was talking to both of them. Speaking from the heart.

"Piper," Coach sighed, dragging his fingers through his face. It was a gesture he often did around me.

"Coach."

"I'm happy to see you," he finally said. "I really am. But you need to be honest with me. What happened? Why are you here?"

"I'll answer any questions you have," I promised. "But you're got to trust me."

Police sirens sounded off in the distance.

"We might want to move this conversation somewhere else," Jason suggested.

We were back in the park, with Festus taking the place of the demolished whale. He just flickered in and out of consciousness, while Leo worked on him, listening to my story. Coach Hedge was sat cross-legged, as far away from the bronze dragon as he could. Jason helped me out, by filling in the gaps I couldn't, as we split a cube of ambrosia to heal the damage we endured from the eagle.

I didn't tell them about how Aphrodite claimed me. It's not like I was planning to ever get back to that cabin. The less people knew, the better.

"No offense, Pipes," Leo said after I finished recapping our story, "but your rescue mission sucks. We had to rescue you."

"Who said we needed your help?" I huffed. "Jason and I could've handled that squawk box on our own."

"I mean..." Jason started, before I shut him up with a glare.

"Sure you could," Leo teased. "By the way, you owe me for saving your life twice."

"You owe me!" I insisted. "Rachel told me you guys were barely evading monsters. With Festus with us, we're going to be much safer. You're welcome."

"Sure. We're gonna be much safer," Coach Hedge said, cleaning his bat. "Once we get back to Camp Half-Blood."

"We're not going back to Camp Half-Blood!" I was losing my patience. "I told you, we got a prophecy from the Oracle! We have to find the guy who stole Jason's memories."

"He has to find them," Coach said, pointing at Jason with his bat. "Not you."

"If I may, uh... Coach," Jason said, a little unsure.

"I ain't your Coach," the old satyr grumbled.

"The prophecy was for Piper as well, not just for me," Jason continued undeterred. "And it might've been for Leo as well, now that I think about it."

"Me?" Leo said, fixing Festus' leg with a wrench. "Why me?"

"Rachel showed us a vision of you. You were speaking the prophecy with her."

"Cool," Leo gasped.

"But what's in it for me?"

"Leo!" I yelled at him. "Jason saved your life!"

"No he didn't. I fell off a cliff," he pointed out. "I dunno, that Camp Whatever Coach mentioned may be a better option."

He was goading me. I could tell from his smirk. He wanted me to argue with him.

I glared at him, ready to take that challenge. There was only one thing Leo cared more about than himself.

"Okay then," I said narrowing my eyes. "He saved my life."

Leo lost his smirk pretty quick.

"Fine. I'm in," he sighed despite himself.

"Like Tartarus you are!" Coach bellowed.

"Come on, Coach." I sighed. "Don't be like that."

"There seem to be some big gaps in your story, Piper," he scowled. "But I'm sure nothing happened with the anemoi or the myrmekes that you would like to omit from us, right?! Just like you were totally fine on your own against the Caucasian eagle."

"Well then, why don't you just come with us to make sure we're safe?"

He looked at me surprised. But then his scowl returned.

"Absolutely not." He starred at his hooves. "I can't."

I leaned in closer to look at him.

"Why can't you?" I said. "Because you're retired?"

He didn't answer. He just just strapped his bat back to his bag.

"How did you know?" he finally whispered.

"Annabeth told me."

"Then you know I can't go with you. I'm supposed to bring you to Camp Half-Blood. Safe. That's my last charge. I almost screwed it up before, I can't risk losing you again."

"I don't care why the jerks at Camp Half-Blood think you should retire. I know you, Coach. You'd never let anything bad happen to us," I said.

"You're selling yourself short, Coach," Leo added, finishing his tinkering, and climbing on top of Festus. "Without you I'd be dead ten times over. Plus, now we have an awesome mechanical dragon on our side."

He patted Festus on the back and the dragon creaked happily at the compliment.

"A dragon we're not supposed to have." Coach wasn't backing down, but I wasn't listening. I was taking my place behind Leo.

"We're leaving," I said. "With or without you."

"I mean, your job is to protect demigods, right?" Jason said with a little smile pulling on his lips as he sat on Festus, wrapping his arms around me. "If Piper and Leo are running away from camp, then the only logical course of action is to follow them to ensure their safety, right?"

Coach narrowed his eyes at him.

“Pweeease!” Leo said in a cutesy voice, and both him and the dragon looked at the Coach with puppy dog eyes. I joined them.

“What do you say, Coach?” I offered him my hand. “One last quest before retirement?”

He stared at it with contempt. His mouth was all scrunched up. For a moment I was worried he might say "No", and just call his buddies from Camp Half-Blood to come hunt us down.

Then he sighed and took my hand.

“I'm going to regret this.”

Chapter Text

LEO

Festus, because that was that wonderful automaton's name, only had enough juice to drop us off at a mall. After which he promptly dropped himself and turned into a suitcase.

He was heavy too. Jason wanted to carry him, because of course he did, probably so that Piper could gush and sigh about how strong and helpful he was. Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. It's not like I had a problem with Mr. Perfect. Not at all.

Luckily for me, the Festus suitcase popped up some wheels. Unluckily for me, he still weighed as much as a suitcase full of bricks.

"Just let Jason carry it." Piper rolled her eyes, walking in from the bathroom.

She changed out of her trusty hoodie, into something... different.

"Are you wearing... a dress?"

She looked like a princess. It wasn't just that pretty white dress with a bow at the back of her neck. Her face looked different, with those warm lips, and those black lines over her eyes that made them even bigger. And her hair was darker, and longer, and all shiny in the sun. I couldn't turn my eyes away. Err... You know, like when you see a car crash, because this was totally insane. In that sense, you know. Who was this beauty queen and what did she do to my friend?

"What? I can't wear a dress?" she raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

I wanted to say something snippy, but I found myself unable to. It was hard to remember this was my goofy best friend, not some fashion model who was talking to me for some reason.

"I mean... you can," I said trying to push the unmovable suitcase with my back. "I just never saw you wearing one."

She spun around a little, watching the hem spin with her.

"That's because I hate dresses." She pursed her lips. "But it's hot as heck today, and as much as I hate to admit it, this thing is way more comfy than wearing pants right now. For gods' sake, Jason, take that suitcase!" she said frustrated, watching me wrestle with it.

Jason looked unsure what to do.

"May I?"

I mumbled something under my nose. This freaking guy.

"Sure," I finally scoffed.

Too bad Piper doesn't have a handle so you could carry her around too.

We sat at the food court, eating breakfast that consisted of burgers, milkshakes and fries, all sponsored by Coach Hedge. Normally something like that would fill me with joy, but I was in a rotten mood. 

It didn't help that I had to... explain what happened to us to Piper.

"I think those storm spirits wanted to take us somewhere. After I fell, we traveled all the way to Nevada. Unfortunately for them, they were apparently intercepted by a bunch of Cyclopes."

"They wanted to eat us." Coach Hedge nodded.

"Lucky for our dear Coach, I used my mechanical skills to set us free," I said, omitting a few facts.

"He saved your life?" Piper said to the Coach impressed.

"I feel like he may be making all that Cyclops business up," Coach laughed. "I can't really tell. The anemoi knocked me out cold. By the time I woke up, we were already in the back of a truck, heading east. All safe."

"I got these as a souvienir," I fixed my new goggles, giving her that smirk she hated so much.

"Odd," Jason said. Because of course he did. "Why would cyclopes need goggles for two eyes?"

"I don't know!" I said, getting angry. "Guess I must be lying, because as we all know, scrawny losers like me can't fight monsters and be super cool heroes like you!"

"No one is saying you're lying Leo," Piper assured me before giving the Coach and Jason a meaningful look. "Right, guys?"

"I was just pulling your leg, Valdez," Coach assured me. "I know you can handle your own against monsters."

"I... didn't mean to..." Jason said sheepishly. "Sorry."

I shot him a look. Yeah, I thought so.

"We managed to gain a lot of ground in that truck," Coach continued my story. "By the time we left, we were already halfway across the states."

"Coach didn't tell you about Camp Half-Blood?" Piper asked me.

I shrugged.

"He probably thought that if he told me the details, I would protest. He just said we were heading to a safe place, and that you would be there."

Piper smiled to herself at that last bit.

"Which means, you could've just waited a bit, and didn't have to launch a whole rescue operation for us," Coach looked at Piper.

"We didn't go on the quest just to save you," Piper protested. "We also went... for other reasons."

"Right," I said chowing down on some fries. "To help Jason with his hakuna matata thing."

"Memoria damnata," Piper corrected for what felt like the seventh time.

"Same thing." I waved it off.

"I never heard of anything like this, and I've seen a lot of things back in my day," Coach Hedge stroked his goatee, looking Jason's scar over.

"Can I cover it up now?" Jason said, looking uncomfortable. Guess his nerves of steel had a limit.

"I don't really like looking at it."

Coach gave him a half-hearted nod and wave, still deep in thought.

"The only thing I can think of that's close to this is the waters of the river Lethe. When souls are ready to reincarnate in the Underworld, they pass through Lethe to forget their past lives."

I felt a pang of pain. That felt... messed up. Just leaving behind all your friends and family, happily forgetting about them.

"So, did you take a dip in Lethe when you visisted the Underworld?" I asked Jason, forcing a smirk.

"I... don't know," he said, holding his head, like he was having a migraine. "I don't think so... I don't really like water."

"Maybe someone pushed you in."

"Leo. Can't you see he's hurting?" Piper scolded me. Her fingers slid on the table, until they touched his.

I gawked at her, completely lost. What did I miss when I was gone?!

"There's also another thing," Jason said, sharing a look with Piper. "We think someone may be after demigods. A very powerful someone."

"You kids probably just heard tales of Kronos at camp," Coach waved it off. "Don't worry, he's go—"

"Those venti weren't at the Grand Canyon by accident," Piper said. "Someone sent them there. Like you said, they weren't trying to kill you, they were taking you somewhere."

Coach's hand hovered in mid-air. Piper was right, and he knew it. 

"I uh... Damn, cupcake, you might be onto something." He stroked the red wisps of his goatee again and turned to Jason. "You think this has anything to do with your memory curse?"

"Possibly," Jason said.

"What was your prophecy again?"

"To find what was lost, lose what was found," Jason recited.

"At the western peak in ice and fire bound," Piper followed. "Wounded and broken, he'll forge the path..."

"To fulfill Death's promise, through Hera's Wrath."

"What was that about death?" I said.

Coach didn't share my concerns.

"Western peak," he stroked his beard. "Ice and fire..."

"You have an idea where it might be, Coach?" Piper said, looking at him expectantly.

"Piper, you didn't touch your food." Coach's mood drastically shifted. He was pointing at her burger, which was untouched and was starting to go cold. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"Guess I'm just... not hungry," Piper said, pushing the tray away.

Okay, pause. Piper would never refuse a burger. Ever. One time we almost got into a fistfight over a sloppy joe I was strongly suggesting she should share with me. Piper will tell you I was trying to steal it, but that's a lie. I would never do something so uncouth to my best friend Piper. And I definitely wasn't going to lick it so she would let me eat it.

“Pipes, what's wrong?” I asked. Jason suddenly looked up from where he was sitting. I know it's selfish, but part of me was happy I picked up on it and Jason didn't. For all the time he spent with Piper, I was still her best friend.

“Are you okay, cupcake?” Coach Hedge asked.

“I don't know.” she said, looking at the burger like it was a dead rat.

“Maybe you're not in a mood for burgers.” Coach mussed. “I think I could get a slice of pepperoni pizza over there.”

Piper shook her head.

“Those 'chicken nuggets' sound interesting.” Jason suggested. "Maybe we can try them together, huh?"

“Nothing with meat.” Piper said playing with the hem of her dress. “Everything smells so... gross. It reminds me of...”

Piper's voice trailed off.

“What the ventus did to you?” Jason finished, and she nodded her head. My confidence from earlier took a hit. Why didn't I know what happened after I fell off that cliff? Was my friend hurt and I didn't even know?

“What did he do?” I said trying to swallow down my anger. Piper looked the same way she did whenever girls at Wilderness school pushed her around, or made fun of her clothes. That storm spirit better hope he doesn't bump into us again.

And she better hope she had nothing to do with it.

Or what, Leo? We both know who you are. Don't pretend like you care about Piper's well-being now. What you have in store for her is far worse than whatever that storm spirit did.

Piper gripped the dress tightly around her chest.

“It's nothing. I'm fine now. It just zapped me a little.”

“A little?!” Coach hollered. “You got struck by lightning, kid?! That's not a little zap, you could've died.”

“She almost did.” Jason said shamefully.

“And you didn't do anything?” I snarled. I didn't care if it made me a hypocrite, if he was going to steal my friend, the least he could do was protect her.

“Stop it, Leo.” Piper scolded. I looked at her, feeling completely lost. Why was she mad at me of all people, and not him? The guy who almost let her die.

“For your information, Jason saved my life. Several times. So don't take it out on him just because something bad happened to me. It's not his fault.”

Jason offered Piper a weak smile, and I hated how she smiled back. This was the way she used to defend me from bullies. I guess now I was the bully in her eyes.

I don't know if it made what I had to do easier or harder.

Coach Hedge wasn't paying attention to our argument, he was busy scanning the food court. Finally, he snapped his fingers triumphantly when his eyes found a green neon sign.

“Ha! I knew it. Come on, kid!” Coach said, grabbing Piper's hand without preamble.

We were too confused to say anything, so we just followed them in silence. Piper was struggling to keep up with the enthusiastic satyr.

I realized what our objection was. The big white letters on the green background read FADLAN'S FALAFEL.

Alright, Coach, I'll admit. Smart move.

Coach was too busy to receive my mental compliments. He was preoccupied talking with the guy manning the counter.

“I'll be damned!” the old goat exclaimed. “Zahid!?”

The large, dark-skinned man with a husky figure and a thick black mustache grinned from ear to ear.

“Gleeful Hedge! I can't believe it's you!”

The two men exchanged a powerful handshake that nearly shook the counter.

“What the heck are you doing here, man?! Didn't you use to run Fadlan's Falafel in Boston?”

“Ah, forget it.” Mr. Zahid waved his hand dismissively. “That was my dad's restaurant, I didn't want to spend the rest of my life running it. We were expanding our locations anyway, so I got myself this cozy little place.”

“Why did you chose some forgotten shopping mall in Detroit?” Piper asked. “Doesn't seem like the place you chose when you want to grow your business.”

“I believe that decision had nothing to do with business,” said a sweet, middle-aged lady who just walked in through the back door. She gave us all a brilliant smile, before kissing the owner.

“Ah, I see how is is.” Coach smirked at his friend.

“I met my dear Chanda through a dating website,” Zahid said, blushing. “After years of knowing each other, we decided to move in together. And since I was already coming to Detroit, I figured I could convince Abdel to start another Fadlan's Falafel here.”

“That's so sweet.” Piper smiled.

“To this day, this is the only Fadlan's Falafel where you can also find Indian food items.”

“We worked very hard on the menu together.” Mrs. Chanda explained proudly. “Some of our offers are fusion dishes invented by my wonderful husband over here.”

The man looked red as a beet by now.

“Honey, not in front of the customers,” he laughed sheepishly.

“No offense, but what's a falafel?” Piper finally asked.

“It's like this delicious plant fritter," Jason explained. "Typically made from chickpeas. It can be used in a variety of dishes in the middle East. It found it's way to America thanks to Middle-eastern immigration. It's origins are a little controversial, you see...”

I just gawked at him with an open mouth as he continued talking, wondering when he was going to stop. Was Piper 100% certain she didn't just pick up another automaton from Hephaestus' forge? Dude must've had a super computer in his head to store all this information. Piper just stared at him, with a big satisfied smile.

"You understand what he's saying?" I asked.

"Like every fifth word," she shrugged. "But I like when he talks about book stuff. It makes him happy."

Jason blushed and looked away.

"Sorry... This is probably annoying." He rubbed the back of his head.

"A little," I said.

Piper elbowed me in the shoulder and glared at me.

"What?"

The owner of the shop was half impressed, half horrified.

“I can't believe that American boy's falafel knowledge rivals mine." 

“Don't disparage yourself, babu. You're a falafel-making machine.”

“I still have so much to learn."

“You have the time.”

Piper smacked her lips twice.

“Sooo... what's falafel?"

“It's what people get in their kebabs instead of meat if they're vegetarian.” I simplified for Piper's convenience.

“Does it taste good?” she asked, still unconvinced.

“Well, that certainly depends on your taste, young lady,” Mr. Zahid laughed. “Like with every food it also depends on where you bought it from. Some pizza shops have pies absolutely mouth-watering, but some just make cardboard with toppings on it.”

“And Fadlan's Falafel is the best falafel restaurant in America,” Coach said resolutely, pulling a piece of paper out of his backpack and unfolding it. “You see this kids? This is a map with the locations of every Fadlan's Falafel on the continent. The first thing on my bucket list after I retire is to visit all of them.”

Piper whistled approvingly.

“Seems like you've got most of them covered.”

“Oh, that's an outdated map, dear,” Mrs. Chanda laughed. “I'm pretty sure the number of locations tripled since my brother-in-law took over the business.”

“Abdel is running things now?” Coach exclaimed. “Good for him.”

“Yeah, my little brother always was a little more business-minded than me,” Mr. Zahid sighed with a smile on his face.

“Don't talk yourself down, babu. I still think falafel ice cream was an amazing idea.”

“Alright, I've got to get your order, before my insane rambling scares you off. What would you like?”

“You see, this young lady recently became a vegetarian, and she's never had a falafel before.”

“I'm not a vegetarian... I think,” Piper disagreed.

“Oh, say no more.” the man chuckled. “It's an honor to be making someone's first falafel. Just wait a minute, I'm sure you'll love it.”

Zahid got to work. His wife wasn't lying. He worked like a machine. Before I even knew it, he had a nice, big wrap ready for Piper.

She looked at the food cautiously. I guess all the talk about meat from earlier made her lose her appetite. She'd probably leave the mall without eating at all, if she wasn't worried about hurting the sweet couple's feelings.

Finally she closed her eyes, and took a tentative bite.

We held our breath.

“Oh. My. Gods.” Piper whispered.

Without warning, she took another bite. And another. Girl was eating like someone was going to take it away from her. Like Piper.

“This is so good? What the heck?”

“Don't forget to breathe, Piper.” Jason said with concern.

“This is it.” she said softly, nodding her head, completely lost in the moment. I was getting worried she may start crying. I swear her eyes looked shiny. “This hits the spot in all the ways”

“Another satisfied customer.” Mrs. Chanda smiled. “Have you ever seen a more beautiful sight in your life?”

“I'm looking at it right now, ya amar.” Mr. Zahid whispered in her ear, and she laughed in that dorky way when it ends with a snort. Never in my life would I think I'd be jealous of a man running a falafel joint, but here I was. I was downright envious.

Chapter Text

PIPER

I had to split from the guys. They were busy buying sleeping bags and other camping equipment, so I used it as an excuse to go off on my own. I needed some toiletries, and there was no way I was doing that with three guys standing over me.

Sure I could've just borrowed some from my—ugh—siblings, but somehow I didn't really feel like it. Cabin 10 had cosmetics and hygiene products in abundance, but borrowing too much would've raised Drew's suspicions. She might've been shallow, but she wasn't dumb.

The biggest problem was finding my shampoo. I used a very specific brand, it used only natural ingredients, and didn't leave my head greasy the next day. After about an hour and a visit to three different stores, I finally got it, and now I just had to get back to the guys and—

“Why, aren't you a beautiful girl! Would you like to try our new Crispy Cheese 'n' Wieners? They're delicious!”

I turned around to see a delightful lady smiling at me. She had some wrinkles on her face, but they only seemed to add to her beauty. Her dark hair had dyed yellow bangs that covered one of her eyes. She must've been wearing some fast-food uniform, because I doubt anyone would dress like that of their own free will. Her shirt was mustard yellow and ketchup red, with a black apron and a pair of jeans. On top of her head was a red hat with a sausage dangling off it. She was holding a plate of hot dogs absolutely slathered with cheese, with Cheetoh-crusted buns or something.

The worst part was, I probably would've liked those not too long ago. When I looked at them now I felt both sick and sad.

“Uhm, no thank you miss...” I read the name on her placket. “Beano?”

“Stheano.”

“I'm not interested in your... Crispy Cheesy Weenies, miss Stheano,” I said as nicely as I could.

“Oh, but I insist, deary,” she said with a big bright smile, stepping closer to me.

Then a red light started blaring in my head. What kind of a name is 'Stheano'? Sounds suspiciously... Greek.

“I appreciate it, but I really, really have to go.” I bumped into something solid. Probably a wall.

“Would you like to test out this new perfume instead?” the wall asked. “It will only take a minute.”

I turned around to see another Stheano. Only instead of curvy and short, this one was tall and thin, and instead of yellow bangs, hers were minty green. She also wasn't dressed as a hot dog. Didn't make me like her any more.

“I don't think so, miss... Royale?”

“Euryale.” she corrected. It sounded kinda like 'Muriel'.

“Okay, no.” I said, reaching into the pocket of my dress for a swiss army knife. “Euryale? Stheano? Common. You could've at least changed your names. You two are so obviously monsters.”

“Monsters?” Stheano laughed a little too hard. “Don't be silly, young lady. Monsters aren't real.”

“And who ever heard of monsters named Euryale and Stheano? Medusa, now that's a monster.”

“Always had to be the popular one,” Stheano growled.

“Uh-huh.” I said, activating Maimer.

“Young lady! Put away that spear!” Stheano cried.

“How do you know it's a spear if you're not a monster?” I asked. “What about the Mist?”

“S—some mortals can see through the Mist!” Euryale insisted.

“Sure they can, Muriel. And how would you know?”

I aimed my spear, the two ladies recoiled in horror and... nothing happened.

Euyrale scoffed.

“Was that supposed to do anything?”

I thrust it again, trying to will it to shoot energy, like it did against the Caucasian eagle, but no dice. Nothing happened.

“What the heck?”

Euryale and Stheano looked at each other and smiled. Their teeth looked a lot sharper than before.

“Run.”

“I freaking knew you were monsters!” I screamed, running through the mall. The people around me didn't even bat an eye at two winged, scaly store clerks trying to rip a girl to shreds. I don't know if it was because they were mortals, or because they lived in Detroit.

“Oh, boo-hoo. You dug your own grave, you dumb brat!” Euryale said, slashing at me with her minty green claws. “Now get over here!”

“I'll pass. I'd rather live.”

“We're not going to kill you, sweetie! We need you alive!” Stheano laughed. Her yellow bangs were now a twisted mess of banana-colored snakes, writhing and hissing at me. “And if you don't slow down, you won't be able to enjoy two Crispy Cheese 'n' Wieners for the price of one! Because you won't have any teeth left, you see.”

“Sis, our cover was blown, just drop it.”

“I'm a vegetarian!” I protested.

“Unfortunately for you, we are not!” Euryale bellowed. “I can't kill you, but I will eat your legs if you don't stop running!”

“And the Cheese 'n' Wieners really are a bargain!”

“Stheano, the mall jobs were a front! You're going native!”

“I just can't help it,” her sister protested. “If I play it right, I might just get employee of the month!”

“Whatever.” Euryale said, easily ripping through a phone stand.

I kept running. Once again, I had the mental image of Coach Hedge scolding me in my head.

I told you, you need to stay in good shape, cupcake. Now look at you, wheezing after a measly few yards. Those monsters are going to eat you for sure.

I gritted my teeth and pushed my body to it's limits.

Fuck you, imaginary Coach Hedge. I'll show you I can run.

I sprinted through the food court, grabbed a stool off the floor, and threw it as hard as I could into the two flying monster ladies. They went down like a pile of bricks. I bought myself some time, but not a lot.

They were back in the air in no time, and more pissed off than before.

I turned Maimer back into a spear, and tried to shoot energy out of it, but again, nothing happened. What the hell was wrong with that thing?

“I'm so close, Euryale! I can practically taste her!”

Okay, plan B. I couldn't shoot red lightning out of my spear, but it was still a spear. I already had some experience with those. When that ventus attacked Leo, I skewered it easily. Yeah, alright. I can do this. I'm good at throwing spears.

I planted my feet in the ground, wound my body back and looked Euryale square in the eyes.

She was approaching fast, but I wasn't running from her anymore.

Bring it on, gangrene.

Her monstrous snarl turned into surprise. The spear sped through the air like a rocket, until it reached it's destination, the force of impact so strong it got buried to the hilt.

Too bad it missed Euryale completely and instead impaled the ceiling.

“Ohhh, come on!”

“Say goodbye to that pretty face!” Euryale snarled, and the two snake-haired sisters dive-bombed me.

I felt like someone threw a medicine ball at me. Stheano's claws wrenched themselves around my shoulders, pinning me to the wall. She hissed in delight, flicking her forked tongue.

“What do you want from me?!” I cried. “I didn't do anything!”

“Quit whining!” Euryale spat. “You have it better than most demigods!”

“Yes! Had you come to our mall just a few weeks ago, we'd eat you in a heartbeat!”

“But unfortunately, she wants you alive.”

I stopped squirming.

“She?”

The snake sisters hesitated for a moment and looked at each other with huge eyes. That's all I needed. I didn't have my spear, but I still had my bag of hygiene products. I grabbed a shampoo bottle and squirted it right in Stheano's face.

“It burns! My eyes!”

“Beauty is pain!” I kicked the gorgon in the shin, knocking her off her feet.

“Sister!” Euryale shrieked and lunged at me with her claws. I pulled out deodorant and sprayed it in her mouth. She recoiled and started coughing, her eyes tearing up.

“Are all monsters as dumb as you?”

“I'll kill you!” Euryale recovered from the deodorant to the face, and pounced at me like a jungle cat.

I threw the bag at her, and she tore it to shreds, sending bottles and wet wipes flying into her and her sister.

“You'll have to catch me first!” I yelled back, already running. Now I knew what to do. The solution was so close, I just had to run a little faster.

Unfortunately, I skipped P.E.

Euryale grabbed me, knocking over a table, and sending us to the ground. She pinned me with her elbow. The snakes in her hair were covered in conditioner and absolutely furious.

“Forget what the boss says! We'll give her your friend. You're dying. Slowly.”

I laughed right in her face. About as well as you could with some buff snake lady choking you.

“Threat detected.” I hissed, “Enter combat mode.”

“What are you—“

The table on our left flew into the air as a giant, mechanical dragon exploded right out of it. Euryale screamed as Festus clenched his jaws around her arm and flung her into the nearby KFC.

“Dracon!” Stheano whimpered in fear.

Festus spread his wings and pounced on Stheano easily. Then he swiped his tail and wrapped it around Euryale, smacking both snake ladies throught he food court.

The two monsters scrambled, cowering under the table.

"We beg of you, spare us, kind demigoddess!" Euryale cried.

"We were nice to you, weren't we?!" Stheano joined in. "We didn't kill you. I even offered you a Crispy Cheese 'n' Wiener!"

I was about to let Festus incinerate them, but then I looked at them, with those glowing eyes full of fear, on their knees, and something in me just couldn't go through with it. Would this be murder? They could talk and think like humans, right? So what's the difference? Just because they have snakes growing out of their heads, that makes it okay to kill them?

I already killed two storm spirits. Am I a killer?

Maybe in self-defense, but not when someone was begging me for their life.

"Scram." I scowled at them. "If I ever see you again, you're dead."

"Thank you, dear lady!" Stheano bowed her head, already flying away.

"You won't regret it!"

I sighed, watching them fly away, no doubt to harass some other demigod.

"I already regret it."

When the boys finally arrived, all wheezing and covered in sweat, they didn't find any monsters in sight, only me, resting against the wall, with Festus still on edge, sitting by my side.

“We heard screams, did something happen?!” Leo said, waving around a comically large hammer.

“Monster nearby?” Jason yelled, eyeing the perimeter.

“You're a bit late guys.” I laughed, though my throat was still burning from running. “The monsters dipped. Somebody should've told you to not skip P.E.”

I winked at Coach Hedge, who was red as a beat from exhaustion.

The old satyr managed to laugh, even though he had to brace himself against the wall.

“Good to see my teachings didn't fall on deaf ears. Now if you excuse me, I'm about to pass out.”

Jason handed him a bottle of water, before throwing one over to me.

“What kind of monster... are we talking?” Coach Hedge managed to gasp out, between wheezing and chugging water.

“Two winged ladies. With snakes for hair.”

“Gorgons? You fought Medusa?” Jason looked concerned.

“Not Medusa." I shook my head. How didn't I figure out that those two were somehow related to Medusa? Everyone knows who Medusa is, even if they didn't study Greek mythology for survival, like most demigods did. They even mentioned her. If they could turn people into stone, I'd be toast right now. "They were called Muriel and Beano.”

“Euryale and Stheano. Medusa's sisters.” Coach Hedge stroked his beard in thought. “That ain't right. They faded ages ago...”

I didn't know what he was talking about, but I figured it couldn't be anything good. As he was talking, something caught his attention. He noticed the scattered wet-wipes on the floor, and the shampoo splattered over my dress, and the look on his face softened.

“Piper, what happened to those gorgons?” Jason asked. He sounded serious.

They all looked like they were gearing up for war. It hit me just how much more experience they all have had compared to me. I didn't know how well they would take it that I let two monsters go. Especially Coach.

“They dipped the moment Festus came into the picture.”  I lied.

“Then they could still be in the mall.” Coach Hedge said, then shook his head. “That's just asking for trouble. Boys, how about you go looking for them?”

"They went that way." I said, pointing where I've last seen the gorgons.

“On it!” Jason nodded, and sprinted in search of the two monsters.

"I guess I better follow him, before he gets himself killed," Leo said, mounting Festus. "What a tragic loss that would be. Wait for me, Superman!"

I could still make out Jason from afar, yelling "Who's Superman?!"

Coach Hedge helped me up.

“So... Two gorgons, all on your own." He handed me a wipe from the floor so I could get my dress sort of in order. "That's impressive.”

“Oh, common. Festus did most of the work,” I shrugged. "And I let them get away."

“It was clever to lure them to the dragon! And you had to outlast them before you could reach him. That takes some chutzpah! What's with that face?”

He must've noticed me looking around, playing with my braid nervously.

“I lost the spear Clarisse gave to me.” I dragged my hands down my face, trying to cover my eyes. Somehow I was less worried that she'd kick my butt, and more just sad that I disappointed her. She trusted me with such a powerful weapon, a gift from her father, and I lost it immediately!

“It was there, in the ceiling, but it's gone!” I pointed at the small scar in the ceiling of the mall.

I heard Coach Hedge chuckling a good-natured laugh.

“Does that dress have pockets kid?”

“Why is that—” I felt the shape of a swiss army knife pocking my side. The dress did in fact had pockets. I had to reach into them and pull the small knife out to even believe it was there. I was holding it in my hand, clear as day. The familiar red handle with a picture of an angry boar's head on it. “But... how?”

“What part of 'magic is real' don't you get kid?” the coach laughed, patting me on the back. “Clarisse must trust you a lot to borrow you Maimer.”

“You know Clarisse?”

He looked shyly at his prosthetic feet.

“You could say that." He pouted his lips, and shrugged. Something told me there was more to it than that.

"Oh, stop staring at me like that." He waved his hand grumpily, but I could tell it was an act. "Now, common, we need to get you some shampoo."

I smiled, and followed him.

“And conditioner.”

Maybe the old goat wasn't as bad as I thought.

Chapter Text

LEO

Things were not going great.

I mean, they were, but they weren't. Piper took down two gorgons! Amazing! That goofball, taking out two gorgons all by herself!

Who wouldn't be happy, right?

I fixed those stupid goggles back on my forehead and chewed on the knuckle of my finger. Jason was with me, and it felt like he was burning a hole in my head, even though he wasn't even looking in my direction.

"Leo?"

"Huh?!" I snapped at attention, staring at him. "Don't scare me like that, man!"

"I wasn't... Sorry. It's just that you look worried," Jason said. "You're sweating a lot."

"It's just... a hereditary condition. Valdezes are famously sweaty."

Ew. Gross, me.

Jason stared at me, sucking in his lips.

"Oh. I know what this is about," he said slowly, furrowing his brow.

"You do?" I felt my heart rate getting faster.

"Yeah..." He looked intensely at me.

How does he know?! How?!

"W—what is it about then?"

He looked me in the eyes, and the intensity in his gaze made a chill crawl up my spine. He was as serious as one could be.

"It's about your friendship with Piper."

Huh?

"Huh?"

"I know, I know. It's none of my business...” He looked at his feet.

"Yeah, it's really not." I shook my head. "What do you care?"

"I just... The way you look at me." He stroked his arm with his hand. "Like I stole your friend..."

Who does he think he is?!

"That would require Piper and you to be friends in the first place."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you." He looked at me pleadingly. "We've known each other for little over a week. I'm pretty sure she's closer to that thing than me."

He pointed at Festus walking by my side, who huffed indignantly.

"Alright, so there you go. I'm not worried."

"You sure?"

"Never was."

He stared at the floor, like he was trying to make sense of any of it. Dude had that constant air of confusion around him.

“Oh. Alright then...”

He didn't seem satisfied by that conversation. I guess. I couldn't really pay attention to him. Especially not now. Something else caught my eye. Movement to the far left, between the stand selling socks and the shop pushing artisinal coffee. A flash of yellow scales and red eyes.

“I just remembered!” I turned to Jason suddenly. “You know, I actually forgot to buy something! How about we split up? You take Festus and go over there,” I pointed behind him. “And I'll go over here,” I pointed behind me.

Jason's eyebrows creased.

“You want to go there... alone?”

“I mean, I can't take Festus with me, can I? He won't fit inside a store.”

Festus let out a sad little whir, sounding almost offended. I ignored it.

“You two can hang out for a while, right? You clearly need to get to know each other better.” I pushed the automaton in Jason's direction. They both side-eyed the other suspiciously, upset with me for putting them together.

“Okay guys, you have fun, bye!”

I run away before Jason could protest, but not before I caught a glimpse of Festus nipping at his leg in the shop window display. I'd probably laugh, if I wasn't losing my mind.

I think I went through the entire mall. I couldn't even count how many shops I passed. My feet hurt and my button-up shirt was clinging to me from sweat. I didn't stop until I was sure I was as far away from Jason and Festus as was humanly possible. I even looked over my shoulder a few times to check.

The last thing I needed right now would be an audience. Except the one I already had.

“You can come out now.” I said to the two gorgons following me. “You two are about as inconspicuous as a bronze dragon in a china shop.”

They descended from the ceiling, landing on the ground.

“Careful with that tongue of yours, little demigod,” Euryale hissed.

“It could get you in trouble,” Stheano finished.

“Oh, you two think you can threaten me?!” I growl, and they cowered, until I was practically looking down on them. “What was that display just now?!”

“We... we tried...” Stheano muttered pathetically.

“We did our best!”

“Are you kidding me?!” I pulled Euryale by her snakes. “Two gorgons and you can't even catch one stupid girl?! That's literally the only thing you monsters are useful for, and you can't even do that right?!”

She pushed me away with her bronze claws.

“Watch it, demigod boy! Just because Mother likes you, doesn't make you irreplaceable!” she growled.

“Oh yeah? Why don't we ask her who's more important to her, me or you two?” I looked her in the eyes.

I could call her bluff, even if she tried to keep her face impassive.

“Go ahead, son of Hephaestus. Then we'll tell her how little help you actually were.”

“I served them to you on a silver platter! I brought them here like Mother said! And you still screwed it up!”

“She outsmarted us.” Stheano scowled.

“Piper outsmarted you? How stupid do you two have to be?” I yelled. “And what was that about ripping her legs off? What part of 'unharmed' don't you get?!”

Euryale narrowed her eyes.

“We'll see how smart you are once Piper figures out that little secret of yours.” She smirked, showing off her sharp teeth. “Or should I tell her?”

I felt my blood run cold. But I wouldn't let her know that.

“Tell her then.” I said with full confidence. “See how Mother will like it.”

We stared each other down for a good minute. Finally she scoffed and turned away.

“You're not worth the hustle, demigod.” Her undersized wings lifted her off the ground.

“Jason is searching for you on the other side of the mall. I suggest you scram, before someone finds you.”

“Yeah, yeah, we're going.” Stheano waved it off. “Oh, and we have a message from Mother to you.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?”

The two gorgons smiled.

“'Remember what I promised you.'” And with that they flew away, leaving me near the back entrance, ready to rip the hair out of my head.

As if I could ever forget. I reached into my tool belt and started spinning a combination wrench on my finger. The cold metal in my hands brought me back to reality. Reminded me of what I had to do.

Damn you, Piper. Why did you have to make this more difficult than it already was? You have no idea what's at stake here.

She didn't know what was coming for her. None of them did.

They didn't know their friend Leo was one of the bad guys.

The whole mine shook.

The control room was practically falling to pieces.

I have never seen Ma run so fast. Or at all. She pushed past me and clawed at the metal door. I wasn't going to stop her, I was right there with her, cranking that wheel as hard as I could.

We basically rolled down the stairs. The machinery was barely standing. Everybody was screaming. I needed to find Coach Hedge. Maybe in all this commotion we could escape. At the very least, I needed to make sure he wasn't crashed to death by a cart or something.

For the nth time I cursed the fact I lost my tool belt.

“What did you do?!” I yelled at Ma.

“You think this is our fault?!” Ma looked around. “Sump, you useless lug, where in blazes are you?!”

“Comin' Ma!” Sump, back in his fourty-feet-tall form, lumbered pathetically in our direction.

“What in Tartarus is this?! Did we hit a gas pocket?!”

“Something's going on in the pit, Ma. Can't you feel it?”

Ma looked confused. Feel it? What were they talking about? Then her pupil shrank, like subjected to light. She had this nine yard stare going on.

“What the—“ Her brow furrowed in anger. “Well, what are you waiting for, you dolt, take me there! And grab Pipsqueak, so he doesn't escape.”

I launched into a sprint, but Sump's massive hand clamped down around me before I could run.

“Let—me—go!”

“You're not going anywhere, Pipsqueak.” Ma was standing on Sump's open palm. “First you're going to help me figure out what's wrong with my mine.”

“The Olympians probably found you!” I laughed. “You're all going to burn in Tartarus!”

Sump tightened his grip, forcing the air out of my lungs. He stomped in the direction of the heart of the mine. All the light from the reflectors concentrated there. The Gaskets were all littering the edge, and the slopes, like they were awaiting a theatre performance.

Right there, in the middle of the pit, something was moving. A crack in the ground was forming, like a sinkhole, devouring the carts, the equipment, the bronze and nearly a couple of Cyclopes, before something emerged out of it. A massive spire of white rock, marked with veins of Celestial bronze, shining in the light of reflectors. It rose into the sky, like a newly forming mountain. We all stared in disbelief, the Cyclopes rubbing their singular eyes to make sure they are seeing correctly.

And then, the spire yawned.

"Ahhh... Let me tell you, five thousand years of sleep will give you such a crick in the neck!"

The voice reverberated through the ground, like it was coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The colossal person who used to be a spire covered her face with her newly formed hands. At least I assumed she was a she. Her voice sounded very feminine. Sweet and rich, like honey.

She looked like a marble statue. Her beautiful hair was chiseled in the rock, falling over her shoulders. She was corpulent, and rather stocky, and so very beautiful. Her full face smiled so warmly, despite it being made of cold rock. The Celestial bronze veins decorated her body like a work of art. Her marble-like skin was unblemished, except for one strange crack on her torso.

There was just something weird about her eyes. They were closed.

“It's rude to stare, Leo.”

I gasped, still in the Cyclops' hold. She grabbed at her chest and burst out laughing. It was a sweet laugh, light, so unbefitting of a woman made from hard rock. She smiled and lazily moved to greet us, gliding through the rock like it was water. Her face was bigger than the tallest Cyclops. Sump must've felt very small, because he started shrinking.

“Please, don't hurt me!” he whined pathetically.

“Why would I hurt you, Sump, dear?” The stone lady pouted, and laid down so that she could get a closer 'look' at us, “I'm sure Sfragida would be heartbroken if anything happened to her son.”

“Sfragida?” I repeated confused. Who was she talking abo—

“That's... that's my name...” Ma Gasket whispered. She was trembling, and her face looked pale. "I forgotten... It's been so long... How did you know what it was?"

“Well, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't know my children's names?”

“My m—mother was a Cyclops!” Ma Gasket insisted, but her eye was still full of awe for this strange woman who popped out of the ground. It was hard not to be in awe, there was just something about her. She radiated power, not just with how giant and terrifying she was, but with how comfortable and relaxed she looked, even though she was surrounded by an army of Cyclopes. Stunning, breathtaking and a perfect distraction for my escape. There was no way I was sticking around for whatever the stone lady had been cooking up for the Gaskets. I needed to grab Coach and get the hell out of there. Immediately.

"I'm everyone's mother—the  First Mother. And all that walk the Earth are my children..."

I walked backwards slowly as she went on her speech. Sump and Ma didn't even notice. They were listening attentively, along with the rest of their family. I wasn't. I wasn't in the market for another mother. When I put some distance between me and the giant lady, I turned on my heel and ran as fast as I could.

Coach Hedge has to be here somewhere! I just need to find—

Why am I not moving?

I looked down at my feet. No, they were definitely running. The problem was the ground was moving backwards. Slipping under the soles of my battered old boots.It was like running on a treadmill. I looked over my shoulder, and saw the stone lady smiling, and beckoning me with her finger.

"Going somewhere, Leo?" she chuckled.

I ran faster, but the sand beneath my feet just rose like a tidal wave, and pushed me back into her arms.

"Why do you run from me?" Her voice sounded almost hurt. She looked upon the Cyclops family, cautiously stepping back. "Why are you afraid?"

She dropped into the pit backwards, head first, like she was diving into a lake, and she sank into the ground without so much as a splash. She rose again with her arms raised before her face, begging us all.

“Is my gift not to your liking? Do you really think I'd come here to hurt you, my poor children?”

"The Celestial bronze!" I exclaimed, standing on the edge, careful with my steps. "You made it! That's how it got here!"

“Smart boy!" she beamed at me, "Yes, that's right! I made it for you!" She pressed her hands to her heart. "All of you! A show of my good will. It's nothing really."

“Hold on, lady, what do you mean you made it?!” Ma Gasket shouted to get her attention. “You can't just make Celestial bronze out of nothing!”

“Oh, I didn't make them out of nothing, silly,” the stone lady laughed, then clasped her hands together and clenched them. “I needed a lot of heat and pressure, and of course some copper sulfides and tin oxides. Do you know how complicated the molecular structures of enchanted alloys are? They would drive any chemist insane, absolutely bonkers.”

I was racking my brain trying to figure out some way out of this situation. This giant lady could mold the Earth to her will like it was Play-Doh, create magic metals, and for some reason she knew all of our names. On paper that sounded eerily like a goddess. Except if she was a goddess, why wasn't she incinerating us right now for crimes against Olympus?

Most lesser gods after the war fell back with the Olympians. Guess it was better than being punished for crimes against the crown. If this lady was a goddess, then it could only mean bad news.

I needed to play this smart.

“Excuse me, miss..." She turned her head to me. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name!"

“Oh, you can just call me 'Mother'!” she laughed, then turned to the Gaskets, "That goes for all of you too. You don't mind, do you, Sfragida?"

"I... I have no idea what is going on," Sfragida, or Ma Gasket, or whatever her name was said slowly.

“Mother, huh?!" I tried to sound nonchalant, even though I had to scream for her to hear me. "Is that short for Mother goddess?!"

She quirked her eyebrows mischievously.

“Well, that goes without saying, doesn't it? Could a mortal do this?”

She raised her arms, and giant geysers of gold and precious rocks burst out of the ground, like towers of some castle of which she was the queen. The eyes of the Cyclopes lit up, and they grabbed at the raining riches, or rolled down the steep slopes to collect them off the ground.

"Amazing!" a big, ugly cyclops gasped with sparkles in his eyes.

"I love you, second ma!" another yelled, trying to swim in the gold like Scrooge McDuck.

"I'm gonna buy myself a new set of teeth! Made of gold!"

"Wow, they must like that trick a lot on Olympus!" I said innocently.

For the first time that smile disappeared off her lips. She looked very scary with all the sweetness gone.

“As if,” she spat. Then as if she just realized she did that, she shook her head and regained that big bright smile. “I am nothing like those horrible Olympians. I will not hunt you down, my children, or make you live in fear. I am here to help you!”

“Help us? With what may I ask?” Ma Gasket asked, still rather cautious, even though she was gathering golden nuggets in her dress, and Sump was helping her, scooping them with his big calloused fingers.

“What could you possibly need my help with, huh? Think, Sfragida," she tapped her temple, "What keeps you awake at night? Why did you run away all the way to the west coast?”

Ma dropped the hem of her dress instantly. She stood there petrified. The Cyclopes stopped cheering. No one would dare say anything. We all knew who she was talking about.

"You don't mean," Ma gasped.

The stone lady looked right at me.

“You said it yourself, little demigod. Go on, say it again.”

If she was trying to intimidate me, she had another thing coming. I looked her in the eyes.

“The Olympians.”

The goddess who called herself Mother smiled triumphantly. There was viciousness in that smile. Danger. Somehow it didn't take away from her beauty.

“That's right, the Olympians!” Mother laughed, and her voice echoed through the mine, “Those cursed usurpers and oath-breakers, the rulers of that rotten Western Civilization of theirs! Hiding on that mountain, free from consequences, free from judgement for their actions!”

I was expecting the thunder to rumble above our heads, and a bolt of lightning to strike her down where she stood for her blasphemy, but nothing like that happened. The sky wouldn't dare rumble in her presence, but the ground certainly did. It was like a mini-earthquake when she cackled impassioned by her vengeful speech.

I felt my hands tightening into fists. I didn't care if she could bury me alive. I didn't care if she could bring the whole mine down. You don't know what you would do in situations like this until you found yourself in the middle of them, and right then and there, I knew I was pissed. I was reminded of crazed golden eyes and crooked smiles, and green flames burning down my back.

Never again.

“I heard that one before!” I spat.

“Pardon?” She turned her head to me, actually taken aback.

“I heard those speeches before, Mother!” I bellowed as loud as I could. “We all did!”

The Cyclopes looked at each other nervously. Even they weren't so stupid to fall for it, were they?

“Kronos said the exact same thing! How he would free us from the tyranny of the gods! How he would finally give us the happy lives we deserved! Guess what?! It was all talk!" I looked up at her, staring daggers into those closed, sleepy eyes. "You'll promise the word, then give us absolutely nothing! Count me out!”

She bent down. Her face was inches away from mine. I could actually see every wrinkle, every sign of age. I hated how much it reminded me of my mom. On those very few occasions I actually made her angry.

No, not angry. Disappointed.

“Do I look like Kronos to you?” she whispered sharply.

I stood my ground. I wasn't going to let her intimidate me, I didn't care if she was the goddess of earth, or the queen of mud. She was trouble is what she was.

“I don't know. How about you open those eyes, and then we'll see if there's any resemblance?”

We were locked in that staring contest for what felt like an eternity. I could practically picture her raising a giant bronze fist and smashing me into jelly. But she didn't do it. Instead, she let out an amused huff and step back, folding her arms.

“Fine. Go then." She waved her giant hand nonchalantly. "Here's your satyr friend.”

The ground before me split open, and Coach Hedge popped out of it, like a carrot, head first, still unconscious.

I grabbed the rope tying him up, and dragged him across the ground. I didn't even care how impractical it was. I just wanted to get away from whoever she was, and whatever dangerous ideas were brewing in that bronze encrusted head of hers.

“You can go, Leo, but you'll turn back," she said, her voice not wavering one bit, "You will. Once you hear what I have to offer.”

“What could you possibly offer me to convince me to help you with your evil plan?!” I screamed over my shoulder, dragging Coach Hedge's body behind me. This time the ground didn't spill from under me, it was solid. She didn't need to use her powers to stop me.

Her words did a fine job on their own.

“Your mother.”

I felt like everything was in slow motion. The voices of the Cyclopes were muffled, the colors of the world more dim, and the light of the reflectors seemed to be aimed directly at me. I could barely turn my head around, feeling cold sweat running down my face. She just laid there, absolutely nonchalant, with a knowing smile on her face.

"Well?"

“W—what did you just say?” I just stood there, shaking, unable to process what was going on, or what I was doing.

“Your mother, Leo.”

I looked into her eyes, her closed, asleep eyes.

They were looking right back at me.

Her voice was hushed and soothing, like the sweetest lullaby.

“I can bring her back."

Chapter Text

ANNABETH

It was dark. The air smelled of dirt.

I had no idea where I was, I just knew I had to walk forward. For some reason I was reminded of Mt. Othrys. The claustrophobic, heavy air, that threatened to crush me.

“H—help...”

I heard it. A voice. Faint, but a voice.

It sounded familiar but why?

There was a boy there, shrouded in darkness. I run up to him and took him in my arms. His green eyes were hazy, and unfocused.

“I'm here. Stay with me.”

But the boy was already slipping away. Every once in a while his consciousness would come back to the surface, before he drowned in the darkness again.

“Where are you?” I asked him, but I didn't know why. My voice sounded like it was important. “Tell me!”

He cupped my face with his hand. He smiled, with those empty green eyes.

His grip weakened and he faded away again. Slipped away from my fingers like Mist. I walked through the darkness, until I found him again.

My feet hurt, but I kept on walking. How long has it been? Hours? Days? Months?

Did it really matter? All I wanted to do was melt into the blissful nothingness…

Maybe then I'd be with the boy with green eyes...

NO!

I slapped my face with my hands.

Get a grip, girl! I have to find him!

I ran, even though the darkness was weighing me down. I couldn't lose him. Not now.

I tripped over something. I looked down, only to gasp. He was there, pale, and buried halfway in the dirt, like he was dead.

But he couldn't be. He just couldn't.

I got on my knees and began digging. The sand got under my fingernails, and the rocks cut my skin, but I didn't care.

I wouldn't stop, until I got him out.

I was dirty and tired by the time I was finished. I shook his body, but it laid in my arms motionless.

“Common, wake up!”

Nothing.

“Don't leave me!”

His eyes opened slightly, but only slightly. Then they closed again, and I felt panic taking over me.

He had to stay awake! He had to remember! He had a family. He had me.

Whoever I was.

“Grey eyes. Golden curls,” he whispered. “Wise girl.”

I looked down. His eyes were open, much clearer than they ever were.

“I know you will find me,” he smiled. “Only you can. I need you. I need you to save my skin, like you often do," he chuckled, but it turned into a pained cough. "I may not remember you when you find me, but you can't give up. I will remember eventually. Because I could never forget you.”

The ground started shaking. I felt myself sinking. The dirt beneath us was slipping. I tried to stand up but I couldn't. I already sank too deep. I felt sand falling on my head. Everything was trembling, falling apart.

I screamed, trying to throw him away. But the earth was already swallowing him whole, ripping him out of my hands.

“Come back!” I screamed, with tears filling my eyes.

“I know you'll find me,” he said with a peaceful smile, even as the sand filled his mouth, covering up his face. The last thing I saw was a flash of green eyes.

“Annabeth.”

When I finally woke up, I screamed. Luckily, everyone in my cabin was fast asleep. It was already past midnight.

I felt like someone run me over with a truck. I was drenched in cold sweat. But I quickly realized that wasn't the worst.

I looked down at my sheets, and they were covered in mud.

I looked down at my hands, and they were dirty and bloody.

My fingers clenched into fists.

Whoever was trying to scare me had another thing coming.

I got up from my bed, and emptied the insides of my cupboard into my backpack.

I'm coming, Seaweed Brain.

Fight it just a little longer.

Chapter Text

JASON

Festus was snoozing rather loudly. As it turns out automatons not only can sleep, but also snore.

I wondered if he was dreaming of electric sheep.

Piper was helping Leo fix him up, her body huddled close to Festus' warm stomach. He was a giant bronze lizard with a burning furnace for a heart, but he was never hot to the touch. Just warm, enough to get nice and cozy while camping in the woods.

I assumed, at least. Every time I got close to Festus, he would start growling and tossing in his sleep.

“Shh, shh, it's okay, baby.” Piper stroked him gently on the armor plates. “Jace, I think it's better if you get back a little,” she'd say apologetically.

I had to sit on a tree stump, cold and away from everyone else.

He was probably still sore about me tossing him in the lake. Or that time I dropped a whole colony of monster ants on his head. Or maybe that hydrant I burst right next to him.

Yeah, I don't think he liked me very much.

What, Piper's friends not liking me?! Shocker, I know.

Coach Hedge I understood, he worked for Camp Half-Blood, so his distrust of me didn't surprise, but honestly, I don't think he disliked me half as much as Leo did.

Piper's best friend.

The one I failed to save. The one who almost fell to his death because I was careless. Who could blame him for hating me? He was lucky he even survived.

Was that my fate? Threaten the lives of the people I was trying to protect? Come crashing down on them like a hurricane, wrecking everything in my path?

Maybe that's why someone tried erasing me away. So that I never hurt anyone again.

I looked at them, the people I roped into this quest, huddled around the dragon. Away from me. Together.

Piper already lost her home. Her family. And now I brought her into this dangerous world, filled with monsters, away from the only place that could keep her safe. And yet she was laughing, and smiling, like nothing bad could ever happen. I wish I could be this naive.

Leo knew far better than her what was coming. I could tell he was just putting on a smile to give her courage. He's experienced this life before. The lips could deceive, but not the eyes. Whenever he took off those goggles I could see the years through them. He had the eyes of a much older man. Like mine. Or Annabeth's.

And then there was Coach Hedge. The bravest faun—er—satyr I have ever met...

I felt a cold chill crawl up my spine.

Hold on. No, I've never met a faun or a satyr before in my life, have I?

Oh no.

It came suddenly. The searing pain in the back of my head. I tried to cup it with my hand, but my right arm felt like it was on fire. My breath became shallow. I wanted to cry for help, but I was in too much pain to speak. Tears pooled in my eyes.

Why did it happen? Why did it hurt so much?

“New guy!”

I looked up at Coach Hedge, and the pain was gone, almost as fast as it came. I wiped the tears with my sleeve before he could see them.

“You're looking a little green around the gills there, are you okay?”

He crouched opposite of me. The fake skin on his left leg was gone, exposing the bronze plating underneath, something I didn't notice before. Must've been from a previous fight. How much did he and Leo go through before we found them?

“Y—yeah, I'm okay. It's nothing.” I zipped up my hoodie. “Just a little chilly, since that dragon won't let me get near him.”

“Still better than being a little clam chowder.”

I looked up at him, confused. Clam what?

“Pardon?”

“Sorry. Terrible joke,” he chuckled shaking his head, but he still wouldn't explain what a clam chowder was. “So what are you thinkin' about?”

He sat on the ground, looking up at me. It was so easy to forget he was shortr than me. He carried himself like he was 7 feet tall.

“Oh, you know. Quest... stuff,” I said flatly.

I didn't want to look him in the eyes, worried that he could see I was lying. 

“Ah! Quest stuff! I like that! Keeping your head in the game!”

“Yes, sir...” I nodded slowly. “I am doing that... Definitely.”

“Stop calling me 'sir'.” he cringed. “Just call me 'Coach'. Like those two knuckleheads do.”

He motioned his head slightly at Piper and Leo.

“Don't you worry your pretty little head, bella mia.” Leo drawled crawling into Festus through an open panel in his armor. “This here automaton will be purring like a Ferrari once I'm done adding my modifications.”

“I seem to recall you saying the same thing about Miss Parker's Volvo.” Piper smirked, looking over him from the dragon's back.

“Hey, I did get it running, didn't I? It's not my fault the breaks stopped working. Now hand me the monkey wrench." A blocky hand popped out of the dragon, grabbing at the air.

Piper reached into the magic tool belt they decided to share, and pulled out something that kind of looked more like a toy than a wrench. It looked like a dinosaur head with sharp teeth, with the handle as the neck. It kind of reminded me of Festus in a way.

“This thing?” Piper crawled on top of the sleeping dragon and dangled it over the empty cavity.

Leo's hand snatched it and he hummed in approval.

“Look at you, you're getting the hang of it!”

Piper beamed, clearly proud of myself, and the Coach and I couldn't help but smile.

“They're good kids, aren't they?” Coach looked at me.

“The best,” I said, feeling a little pang of sadness in my chest. “Even after everything they've been through, they're helping some stranger they've just met.”

Somehow the joy I felt from watching them so happy turned into sadness. They were best friends, with all the things that came with it. Inside jokes, nicknames, and years of history and memories together. I could just tell how much they cared about each other when I looked at them.

I was the outsider.

I didn't belong in this group.

I still hate myself for this, but in that moment, I was almost angry at them for it.

“Coach Hedge to new guy, are you reading me?”

I shook out of my thoughts.

“Sorry, si—Sorry, Coach Hedge.” I said, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

“You get distracted too easily, cupcake. It could cost you your life if you're not careful.”

“I know how to take care of myself in a battle.” I said, feeling a little offended. I wasn't good at many things, but fighting was a skill that came easily to me.

That and spewing useless information.

“Instinct isn't everything. You've got to have your wits about you,” he tapped his head.

“That's not how I work. When I fight, it just comes naturally. I get lost in it.”

Coach smirked.

“I get how that feels. That thrill can be addictive.”

“Yeah,” I nodded my head.

“Listen...” he started, sounding a little unsure. “I wanted to talk to you about Chiron.”

I felt a lump form in my throat.

“Uhm... Chiron?”

“Yeah.” Coach nodded his head. His brow was furrowed deeply in thought. “You said something about how Chiron called you a danger to the whole camp.”

I looked away, trying to focus on anything else other than the satyr's withering glare. There were a couple of fireflies going in circles around each other over by the bush, so I kept my eyes on them the whole time I was talking.

“Me and Piper overheard his meeting with Mr. D and the Oracle. He said my presence there put everyone at risk. That's it.”

“That can't be the whole story.”

“It's all I know, Coach,” I turned to look at him, narrowing my eyes. “You think I don't want to know what that meant? Why do I put everyone at risk, huh? Is there something wrong with me?”

“I don't know, cupcake.” To his credit he sounded genuinely sorry. But I was too angry to care.

“Who was I before I lost my memories? Some sort of serial killer maniac?” I slapped myself in my chest. “Is that why I'm so good at killing monsters? What if I wake up one day, and I'm no longer myself?”

“That's what we're trying to figure out on this quest.”

I looked him in the eyes. His were just as lost as mine. And just as sad.

“What if I hurt Piper and Leo? What if the person I used to be would want to hurt them?”

“I won't let that happen, boy,” he said slowly with conviction.

“If I ever... Well... You know what to do.” I looked away, focusing on the fireflies again, feeling something cold inside me.

“You have my promise.”

“Whatcha talkin' 'bout, boys?”

We both looked up, broken out of the dark mood.

Piper hoisted her pants up by the tool belt. Her right hand was on Festus' flank, petting him gently. Leo was riding on his back.

Festus looked cautious, and definitely didn't want to be there, but with one meaningful look from Piper, he growled a little and wrapped himself around us, like a big wall made of dragon.

“Oh you know. Quest... stuff.” Coach Hedge said flatly.

“Quest stuff, huh?” Leo was laying on the dragon's back, propping up his head on his elbow. He seemed in a much better mood than he did this morning. “That's a little too complicated for me. I'm just the repair boy, according to princesita over here.”

“Yep,” Piper sighed and got comfortable against the dragon's warm tummy. “Jason is the super cool hero here. You just repair stuff. And I'm here to look cute. It's the team dynamic.”

“What is this?” I smiled a little and looked over from Festus to her.

Piper's eyes were closed, and she seemed really pleased with herself.

“I just thought it wasn't fair that you were sitting here in the cold all alone.”

I crossed eyes with Festus and he growled at me. I glared back at him.

“And what does he think?”

“Well him and I had a little talk.” Piper turned her head at Festus when she said 'him', and the dragon stopped growling. “I told him that he'll just have to suck it up. We're a team.”

“We are?” Leo said, and Festus shook a little, threatening to knock him off.

“Fine, fine, okay, the pretty girl is always right. Calm down, big guy.”

"Of course we're a team!" Coach Hedge exclaimed. "We're on a quest from the Oracle of Delphi to save the demigods of this world from rebel storm spirits and their evil master."

"And find the person who took Jason's memories," Piper pointed out.

"That too," Coach waved her off. "But my thing sounds more grand and cool."

"Psh, you wish, Coach," Leo laughed.

"Helping Jason is cool." Piper pouted.

"Coach's thing does sound... a little bit cooler," I admitted reluctantly.

"Jason, no! Value yourself!"

"Ha, the new guy agrees with me!" Coach pointed at me triumphantly.

"His vote doesn't count, he's new," Leo pointed back at the satyr. "He gets half a vote!"

"Leo!"

"Half a vote is fine..."

"Jason!"

"Who do you think is behind all of this?" I said, nestling myself against Festus' tail. "Circe the sorceress? Aloadae? Oh, maybe Medea! She hated heroes."

"Why do you sound almost excited, kid?" Coach Hedge eyed me confused.

"What? I mean, I know it's bad that someone is kidnapping and mind-wiping demigods, but it's still exciting to come face to face with living, breathing history."

"Living, breathing, killing history," Leo pointed out.

"But history nonetheless!" I gushed. "Can you imagine what it was like, as a hero in the ancient times? Exploring far away lands that barely any human has heard off, and fighting off powerful monsters..." I sighed. "Doesn't it all seem so cool?"

"Terrifying more like." Leo shuddered.

"I mean, yeah, no, it's definitely terrifying. But it's exciting too."

I looked up at the starry sky. We set up camp in a forest, far away from Detroit; maybe even in a different state. The pines were tall, and whispered in the wind, along with the nearby lake splashing across it's shores. No sign of human civilization. It really felt like we were on a quest.

"Think we'll bump into some gods?" Leo asked.

"That would be cool," Piper said. "I'd love to meet a god."

"You've met Mr. D." I said.

"Yeah, but he's not like super... godly, you know?"

"You better pray he didn't hear that," Coach said grimly. "Don't be deceived by appearances, Piper. Gods prefer to appear in human guise, because if you saw their true forms, your mind would burn into nothing. Every god is like a walking, talking supernova."

"So... they're made of gases like a star?" Piper said, scrunching up her face, like she was trying to imagine it.

"No, it's not how that works. Don't be silly," Coach explained.

"Yeah, they're made of numina."

They all looked at me.

"What?" Leo shot me a dazed look.

"Numina, right?" I said, like it was the most obvious thing. Because to me it was.

"Numi-what?" Coach Hedge tilted his head.

"Numina. You know," I said, now feeling a little frustrated. "You guys have really never heard of a numen?"

They all shook their heads, including Festus.

Piper's eyes lit up. She slid closer to me, with a little smirk on her face, like we were about to talk about something forbidden. 

"What is it, Jason?" she whispered.

"It's a... well..." I thought for a moment. "It's kind of hard to explain," I gave a nervous laugh. "I suppose you could say it's like a... divine presence. Gods come from it, but it also comes from the gods. To each god it's different, like a fingerprint. Everything in nature is inhabited by numina. Hence dryads and spirits and so on.”

“So it's like the Force.” Piper said.

“Where does it come from then?” Leo asked, clearly enthralled, even though he was trying to hide it.

I shrugged and smiled.

“I don't think the gods even know.“

“To each god... it's different...” Piper frowned. She looked at me, then at Leo, then at her own hands. “So let's say Leo's godly parent's numen is being good at fixing stuff, and Jason's is being good at fighting..."

“You don't think...”

“Are we the fingerprint?”

We stared at each other in silence, the soft light peeking from the chinks in Festus' armor the only thing illuminating the dark woods, safe for a few fireflies.

"That's heavy, Piper," Leo finally said.

"Yeah, might be too heavy for me," I admitted.

"But it's true," she said. "Does that mean we have any control over who we are? What if Jason decided he wants to be good at machines? Or Leo decided he wants to... I don't know, learn to be a beautician?"

"Well..." I said a little nervous. "Some people say that... working against your numen is a very bad idea."

Piper pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tight. Something about her changed. There was pain in her eyes.

"Oh," she said, and it was the most heartbreaking sound I've ever heard.

Leo must've noticed too, because he hurried to change the subject.

“Ekhem... So everything has it? Everything is alive? Even... I dunno... the ground?”

“Oh, yeah, especially the ground!" I said, trying to sound as exciting as I could, in hopes of distracting Piper from her blues. "The whole planet is alive!” I scooped up a bunch of dirt and let it spill from between my fingers. “From every grain of sand, to the highest mountain, it's all one living breathing organism. Her name is Tellus Mater. Or as the Greeks called her Gaea.”

"Gaea... I think I heard that one before," Piper said, trying to jog her memory. I knew that feeling well.

“Oh, yes, one of the greatest, kindest deities who ever lived! Goddess of the Earth, fertility, caverns and prophecies. The mother of the Titans. Including the worst Titan of all,” Coach Hedge shuddered. There was a dark look in his eye. “Kronos. I guess sometimes good parents produce bad kids.”

“Hold up. So Kronos, the big bad of Greek mythology, had a mom?” Leo laughed incredulously. “That's nuts. That's like if Darth Vader had a mom!”

“He did,” Piper said.

“She wasn't just the goddess of the Earth, guys, she was the Earth. We're walking across her body. She is one of the first deities ever born, a Protogenos, more powerful than the Olympians, or the Titans. More powerful than Zeus, or Kronos.”

Thunder sounded off overhead, even though the sky was clear. I bit my tongue. In retrospect maybe throwing those names around like they meant nothing wasn't a good idea.

“Yeah, if she was so powerful, why didn't she come to slap Kronos upside the head with a godly chancla when he was about to kill everyone?” Leo raised his eyebrows.

“Maybe she couldn't?” I pondered the question. “Or maybe she faded away with time, because she was forgotten. It happens to gods. Especially ancient ones like her.”

“That's crazy,” Piper gasped. “How do you even know all this stuff, Jason?”

I... had no idea

I never read about it. I was sure of it. But then how did I know? It didn't make sense.

That pain in the back of my head was waking up again.

“I... guess I read it somewhere.”

Piper put her hand on my knee.

“Are you okay, dude? You look pale.”

“I'm... fine,” I said, though it didn't sound convincing. “Just not enough sleep, probably.”

They were all looking at me concerned. I needed to change the subject quick.

“But hey, if Greek legends are true, maybe others are real as well? Maybe Native American legends too?”

That thought actually did make me feel better. I read so many amazing stories from around the world. And from the Americas as well. So many places, and so many cultures, with such amazing tales. I wanted to see them all.

I looked at Piper, hoping that I managed to cheer her up, but it was the opposite. She was balled up, like she wanted to make herself seem small, smooshing her braided hair between her fingers.

“I uh... I don't actually know any Cherokee legends, Jason.”

I really was an idiot sometimes.

Why didn't that even cross my mind? That was so insensitive to say! And now Piper was feeling like garbage, because of me.

“Piper, I... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.”

“It's not your fault I'm stupid." She shrugged, not looking me in the eyes. “I don't really feel like I'm part of that whole thing. I don't know any Cherokee stuff. I don't know any other Indigenous people except my dad. I know I lived in the heart of Cherokee nation when I was younger, but I don't remember anything.”

“I didn't even know you were a Cherokee.” Leo said. “I figured you're from some South American tribe. You told me your grandma's from Argentina.”

“Yes, she was." She looked up at him. “But my grandpa was Cherokee.”

"Don't beat yourself up over it," Leo said, looking over Festus' back at her. "I'll share a dark secret with you—my great grandma was from England. I'm one eight British!"

It was a joke, clearly, but it had the desired effect.

"Your secret is safe with me, Caucasian eagle," she laughed and mimed zipping up her mouth.

"Thanks," Leo smiled, before a loud yawn escaped his lips.

"Yep, that's probably a good sign to go to sleep," Coach chuckled. "Set up your beds, kids. I'll stand guard."

"Pretty sure Festus has that covered," Piper said, yawning as well.

The old goat-man smiled. "You can never have too many guards."

I rubbed my eyes.

Yes, I could use some rest. We had a long day ahead of us. A lot of long days it would seem, if we were really going to do this quest for real.

I helped Piper and Leo set up their camping mats, before I got to work on mine. When we were at Cabela's, I grabbed the hardest neck roll I could find. It has zero give. Perfect.

“Ah, that's the stuff. Finally I can get some shut eye.” I snuggled into my sleeping bag, feeling the hard ground beneath me.

“Your friend is weird,” Leo said to Piper.

She smirked. “Which one?"

“Screw you!” He shoved her, and they both laughed. It was sweet, even though I still felt that pang of jealousy when I heard it.

“He's kind of got a point though, Jason. I have no idea how you can sleep like this,” Piper said, already tossing, trying to find some way to make the ground not feel so hard.

“Oh, she's going to hate this!” Leo grinned from ear to ear, raising himself up to look at me, looking like a nefarious caterpillar, all wrapped up in his sleeping bag. “Back in Wilderness School, whenever her roommates were away, she would steal their mattresses and pile them all on her bed Princess and the Pea style.”

“Shut up! No I didn't!”

“Yah, you did.” Leo pitched up his voice and batted his eyelashes, crashing down on his mat. “'Ah, finally, now that's comfy!'”

“I don't sound like that!” Piper laughed.

“'I don't sound like that!'” Leo said, in an intentionally whiny voice.

“Okay, that one was a little better.”

I fell asleep to the sound of their voices, wondering if there was also a best friend for me waiting back home.

Wherever it was...

I was a predator.

I could brave the forest with no fear, and feel the air of every animal that cowered within it.

Wolves were pack animals, and yet, I hunted alone. Where was my pack?

I didn't know. Did I even have one?

I shook the thought away. It was a very un-wolflike thought.

I didn't need a pack. I was the strongest, fiercest beast there ever was. No hunter greater than I.

And yet something send terror through my veins. Something that made my fur stand on end.

The dark mass on the horizon; the churning black waves of the sea surrounding my little island, and the storm clouds above them. The sea was supposed to have animals in it, didn't it? And yet my nose picked up no scent. My eyes registered no movement. Endless emptiness. There was no end to the sea. There was nothing living beyond the island. There was nothing for millions upon millions of miles. Trillions upon trillions of light years. Only the black ocean leading nowhere.

I stayed away from the sea.

Everything in it was basked in shadow, I didn't want to go there. Nothing about it felt natural. I stuck to the forests and meadows.

My movements were swift, my slender legs pushing me forwards, jumping over creeks, and speeding through the weeds. My heart beat faster in my ribcage. The exhilaration was intoxicating. The only better feeling was the thrill of the hunt.

My ears picked up a faint sound, and I stopped in my tracks. A jolt run through my whole body. Perhaps I would get to experience that feeling as well.

A rabbit! I could smell it. Fat and juicy rabbit. I could hear it's tiny heart beating steady. It suspected nothing.

Not waiting a single beat, I lunged into a sprint. The rabbit's terrified eyes crossed with mine, and he started running, but he had no hope to escape. I could run for days. I was patient. But eventually, the rabbit would have to rest.

“Jason!”

That was odd? Did the rabbit speak?

Who was he calling?

“Jason! Dude!”

Silly rabbit; just wasting it's time; wasting it's breath talking. I crashed into it with ease, wrapping my jaws around it like a vice.

Before I could bite down on it's soft, warm little throat, it squeaked,

“Dude, what the hell are you doing!?”

I recognized the voice. Even panicked, it still sounded raspy, like someone who has just woken up.

I spat the fuzzy animal out, feeling very un-wolflike all of a sudden.

Much more Jasonlike.

“Clovis?!”

“I try to help you, and you decide to eat me?! Typical.”

“Clovis, is that you? Is this me?!”

It was weird talking through my wolf mouth. My snout wasn't made to make these sounds, and yet it did.

Then again, it was weird being a wolf in the first place. When I looked down, instead of my hands, I saw two white paws, covered in soft fur.

I still couldn't believe I was just about to eat Clovis.

“I'm so sorry, I don't know what's gotten into... Why are you a bunny?”

“Dreams are weird, okay?” As if on cue Clovis' long ears transformed into a pair of wings and he started hovering in the air before me. “Now can you close your mouth? My fight or flight instinct activates when you look at me like that.”

“Sorry.” I said, sitting down, the way wolves and dogs sit. “I don't remember the last time I even had a dream. Is this what it feels like?”

I looked down at my tail, and was horrified when it started wagging. I could feel it.

“That probably explains why it was so hard for me to reach you—can't really enter the dreams of someone who doesn't have them. I had to put in some effort to pull you into your subconscious.”

“If this is my subconscious, then what is that supposed to be?”

I pointed my head at the void sea on the horizon.

Clovis shuddered. I don't know if it was just one of those bunny shudders, or if he really had a chill crawl up his spine.

“I don't know. Don't go there. Your mind won't like it.”

“Yeah, I can tell.”

My wolf senses were still working perfectly fine, and they've all said the same thing—danger.

“If it was so hard to reach me, why didn't you just go to Piper?” I walked around the flying bunny rabbit, still trying to figure out if this is what dreams were.

It was certainly weird. Were dreams supposed to be weird? Piper told me her nightmares were weird. Mad even. I guess this was about right.

“She's not asleep. Besides,” the bunny looked away in embarrassment, “I don't like eavesdropping on the dreams of girls. It feels creepy.”

I nodded my head. That made sense. I'd feel weird about that too.

“You guys are crazy. Everyone in Camp Half-Blood is losing their minds.”

“Over what?”

“Over you!” Clovis spread his bunny arms. “You two just show up out of nowhere, you cause havoc, then you disappear without a trace. And also you steal our dragon!”

“Well... you did want to dismantle him,” I pointed out.

“Not the point, dude.”

“Sorry.”

"What are you doing? Come back to Camp Half-Blood," he said, pleading.

"No!" I stood my ground, growling almost. "The Oracle gave us a prophecy and we need to follow it if we want to return my memories! And find Percy."

"You guys won't find Percy! We've been looking for a month, if we didn't find him, what makes you think you'll be able to?"

"The prophecy?"

"Rachel's prophecies are whack! You're going to get yourselves killed."

"We're not coming back, Clovis. That's final."

He looked down, sadly.

"Please, guys. You're like the only friends I have. I don't want you to die."

I suddenly felt really bad. Not bad enough to turn away, but bad nonetheless.

"We'll be fine, Clovis. You said yourself, I'm pretty strong for a demigod."

"Yeah, but there are stronger monsters than the myrmekes."

"I know."

"And Piper's a newbie."

"I know."

"Then come back."

"You know I can't, Clovis."

We stared at each other, wolf and rabbit, standing at an impasse. What would Clovis do if I kept pushing it? Could he track me through my dreams? Put me in a coma?

Would he do that? I didn't know him well, but he didn't seem like the type.

"Fine," Clovis sighed.

"What?"

"I said fine. I'm not going to stop you," Clovis looked at me. He wasn't a bunny anymore, he was himself. And so was I. "Maybe you can help us while you're at it."

I looked around. The forest was gone. In it's place, just a void of pure darkness. We were standing on nothing.

"You want to show me something, don't you?"

Clovis nodded his head.

"Grab my hand."

I did, and I suddenly felt vertigo. I don't know how I would even know, but the darkness felt like it was spinning. I saw a spark of light, and realized that we were barreling into it. I closed my eyes bracing for impact but it never came.

When I opened them again, I was in the Big House. I recognized the view outside—Camp Half-Blood at night.

The light was out, the room being illuminated only by candle light.Thunder rumbled outside. It was a very stormy night over Long Island, it would seem.

The counselors looked tired, and annoyed. They were all dressed in what they slept in, save for Clarrisse, who was wearing full Greek armor.

“Can't believe our little Piper stole a whole dragon,” Travis said, sounding like a proud dad.

“They grow up so fast,” Connor sniffled.

“This isn't funny!” Nyssa yelled. “Festus is broken. What if they get hurt? What if he gets hurt?”

“We were going to dismantle him anyway, who cares?” Drew yawned, with a sleeping mask over her forehead. It read Princess at Work.

“Maybe you were in on it, huh?!” Nyssa spat. “Piper is your sister after all! And we all know how much you love Festus!”

“Is that brain of yours short-circuiting, sweetheart? I was the one the who said from the beginning we shouldn't trust her, but you were all too smitten by her puppydog eyes, and her cutesy airhead schtick!”

“What, you jealous?” Clarisse side-eyed her.

Drew glowered at her.

“If Holly wants to kill herself so bad, who are we to stand in her way?”

“That's enough, Drew,” Chiron said.

“Isn't there some punishment for leaving camp without permission?” Katie asked.

“With all the times Percy got away with it, I kinda forgot it's even a thing.” Clarisse shrugged. “Besides, that's assuming they're even coming back.”

“Can't we just Iris-message them?” Damien White said it. He was the nasty guy with white hair in charge of the Nemesis cabin. Figures he was the son of the goddess of vengeance and grudges.

“We tried,” Rachel said. “They're not picking up. Or someone is blocking our calls.”

“Wait, you can decline an Iris-message?” Travis asked.

Nyssa sighed and threw a coin into the glass prism standing on the table.

“Clarisse La Rue, Camp Half-Blood.”

A rainbow circle appeared around Clarisse's head, and she just waved it off, making it disappear.

“Easy,” she shrugged again.

A sense of unease crawled up my back. We did not receive any messages. No shimmering rainbows.

"We should follow them," Chiara Benvenuti, the girl with short dark hair in charge of the Tyche Cabin exclaimed. "They couldn't have gotten that far."

"They wouldn't have gotten anywhere if Clarisse just did her job," Damien looked at Clarisse testily.

"Sorry, did somebody lose their kid? He's whining at me," Clarisse said, not even looking in his direction.

"I'm not a kid!"

"Then start acting like it," Chiara said, and he shot her an angry glare.

"We don't even know where they're going," Nyssa said, shaking her head.

"They're heading west," Rachel said. "They're following the lines from my prophecy."

Everyone looked at her.

"What?"

“You gave a prophecy and you didn't say anything?! You're supposed to tell us!” Damien yelled.

“Since when?” Rachel crossed her arms.

Damien gasped at the audacity, unable to even form words.

“Since—since now!” he was practically hyperventilating.

“The old Oracle didn't have to.”

“The old Oracle was a withered old mummy,” Clarisse pointed out.

“Don't worry, Rachel's getting there,” Drew murmured. “Sooner rather than later, if this is anything to go by.”

Rachel didn't even blink, like she barely heard the jab.

“I figured if I told you, you'd try to stop them.”

"Oh my gods, I live in a mad house!" Damien grabbed at his temples, and Chiara surprisingly put her hand on his shoulders trying to comfort him. Guess she was used to dealing with his temper.

"What is the prophecy, Rachel?" Chiron stroked his beard.

Rachel sighed and recited the lines word for word. Those lines that I had committed to memory. Find what was lost. Lose what was found. Go west. Fire and frost bound. The One Who is Broken. Death's Promise. When she said the verse about Hera's Wrath Clarisse slammed her fist into the Ping-Pong table, nearly toppling it.

"She must be behind all of this! She kidnapped Percy!"

"We don't know that," Rachel shook her head.

"Who else could it be?" Damien concurred. "She hates demigods!"

"And what reason would she have?" Chiron asked.

Clarisse shrugged. "I dunno. I heard from Annabeth they don't like each other."

"Our queen isn't that petty."

All the demigods looked at him like he just said the moon is made of cheese. Chiron huffed, with a half-smirk.

"Well, she's not that foolish, at least. Attacking the hero who saved Olympus would make her no friends. And Poseidon might consider it a declaration of war by Zeus. A lot of trouble to go to to simply get back on Annabeth for not minding her tongue."

"Then we definitely need to follow them!" Nyssa said. "If Piper and Jason are following a prophecy, they will lead us to the one who kidnapped Percy!"

“It's not as simple as that,” Chiron frowned. “If there's really someone out there hunting down demigods, then we can't make a move, until we know who we're up against. I am not sending you into the enemy's hands. First Nico Di Angelo, then Percy, then Gleeson's charge. The signs were there alrrady, but we ignored them.”

"To be fair, we don't know if Nico got kidnapped." Travis said. "Maybe he just wandered off. He kinda does that."

I turned to Clovis. "Who's Nico?"

Clovis waved his hand dismissively. "Long story."

“Piper wouldn't let herself get kidnapped so easily. She's tough,” Connor said.

“Yeah, and Jason's with her!” Travis added. “They're like a power couple.”

My disembodied cheeks burned.

“We're not a couple,” I said.

“They can't hear you,” Clovis pointed out.

“Right, I knew that,” I said looking away, so he couldn't see my pink face.

“Even if they are, I'm afraid they're on their own," Chiron said. “We have to make sure no one else goes missing.”

The lightning lit up the room. Someone burst through the door right as the thunder echoed through the halls.

It was Will, from the Apollo cabin. He was dripping wet, and breathless.

“Annabeth is gone!”

The campers gasped.

“What?” Chiron looked pale.

“She's gone, Chiron, I can't find her anywhere!”

“She was sleeping in Cabin 6 last time I checked,” Malcolm, Annabeth's replacement as the counselor, looked nervous.

“Clovis said she'd sleep 'til the next morning,” Will brushed his hand through his wet hair, and the sleeping body of Clovis sitting by the tablr stirred a little. “But I checked Cabin 6. She's not there. Her things are gone too.”

One of the counselors, I don't remember which one, opened their mouth to speak. “Chiron, what do we—“

But he wasn't listening. He brushed past Will and stormed out of the room in a heartbeat. The whole group moved to the window, and me and Clovis followed, to see him galloping through the camp towards Cabin 6.

“We're so screwed,” Lou Ellen, from the Hecate cabin, muttered under their breath.

“We need to mobilize the camp,” Rachel said.

“Another prophecy?” Clarisse eyed her suspiciously.

“It's what Annabeth would've done,” Rachel looked up at her.

“Rachel's right,” Pollux, the counselor of the Dionysus cabin said. “We need to train twice as hard. Someone is after us.”

“Did you father say when he's coming back?” Nyssa asked. “Or why he left?”

“He said he had something urgent on Olympus,” Rachel leaned on the windowsill. “But I think he was lying. Something about Jason shook him.”

“You think Jason's involved with the abductions?” Lou Ellen asked.

Rachel stared at her feet.

“Maybe.”

The door flung open, and everyone turned their heads expecting Chiron, but it was Butch Walker, from the Iris cabin.

“Blackjack is gone!”

Everyone stared at him.

“Oh yeah... and I think Annabeth is missing too,” he shrugged.

“We know!” Drew rolled her eyes.

She was so loud Clovis shot awake, and the memory begun to fade.

“Wait! What happened?!” I grasped at the counselors dissolving into mist.

“Sorry, dude, dream recall is kinda faulty like that.”

“Where's Annabeth?!” I was just as panicked as the campers. It's not like me and Annabeth were greatest of friends, but I could tell how much she meant to everyone at Camp Half-Blood. Including Chiron.

Losing her would only make things worse for everyone.

“Who knows?” Clovis frowned. “She's looking for Percy, and we have no idea where he is.”

“Don't worry about that. We're working on it,” I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him a reassuring smile.

“With Piper and the dragon?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Plus a crazy demigod repair boy and a commando faun.”

“You found Hedge?”

“And Piper's best friend.”

“Oh, the guy who fell off a cliff?” Clovis asked.

“That one.”

“I don't know.” He furrowed his brow. “I think you guys should come back as soon as you can. It's dangerous out there.”

“That is why I can't go back. Whoever is behind this needs to be stopped.”

I don't know why I said it. Something just compelled me to.

It was true. There was a bad guy out there, and someone had to put an end to this, but why did I feel so strongly that it had to be me?

I know deep down that it was true for some reason. I wasn't about to walk back on my word.

“Jason?”

I looked around. Something was wrong. Instead of the dark void we were just in, we found ourselves in a palace. It was a beautiful palace, huge, and chiseled in marble, illuminated in the night by the light of torches, and a giant hearth in the far off main hall. What's even more amazing is that it was standing on nothing. When I looked over the edge, I just saw clouds. It almost made my head spin.

“Clove?”

“I have no idea what's going on. This isn't one of my visions.”

I heard the sound of footsteps. I don't know why, but I felt the need to hide. I grabbed Clovis and pulled him behind a beautiful marble collumn.

"My lady! It's wrong, everything's wrong!"

Blood run cold in my veins. I recognized that voice. It was the ventus that almost killed me and Piper!

His voice didn't carry the menace I remembered however. It was frantic and scared.

"I failed you, goddess! I failed you! The boy is gone! She has found him! He's lost! He—"

"Hush," a female voice stopped him. It was commanding, but not aggressive. “Best not talk so openly. There are eyes and ears everywhere.”

"Even here?"

"Don't forget, we're fighting a war on two fronts. Even our allies are enemies."

"I am not, my lady. I'm loyal only to you."

"I do enjoy your groveling."

I exchanged a look with Clovis. Whatever this was, it didn't sound good. I tugged on my ear, giving him a sign. Then I tapped my lips.

Listen.

Tell the others.

"What do we do? Your champion is working with the enemy!"

"Is he?" there was a challenge in the woman's voice.

"I get it. We need him," he spat. "But how can you trust someone who betrayed his own people so easily? How do you know he won't betray you too?"

"Hush. Do not lecture me, storm spirit. Traitors are my bread and butter. I know how to work them in just the right way. Why, even you yourself are going against your master to serve me."

"He is no master of mine!" the ventus scoffed.

"I'm glad to hear that," the woman sighed sadly. "If only others were as easy to convince as you. They don't even realize a war is coming. They think peace time is upon us."

"What about the other champion? The annoying one."

"What about him? He's my ace."

"I ask you to reconsider, my lady. He's impulsive. Foolish. Naive. Do you really want to put the fate of the world in his hands?"

"Why not? He saved the world once already. Without him, we'd have no hope of defeating Saturn."

“But he had his memories back then," the storm spirit spat.

I felt a cold shiver down my spine.

It was them.

They stole my memories!

And they did it to someone else as well! A hero who saved the world. Percy?

"You've weakened him. I saw it with my own two eyes."

“I made him stronger in ways you couldn't even comprehend, Storm.”

"Forget the boy. He's too rigid, too stuck in his own ways. He won't be able to unite them," the ventus, Storm, growled.

“Your kind is too short-tempered," the lady scolded him. "You nearly killed the daughter of Venus.”

“You didn't tell me Pinky can fight! Instinct took over.”

“I need those demigods alive. All of them.”

“You're dooming us all by placing your trust in those kids. They're not ready. He's not ready. He doesn't even know one of his friends is a—”

“Hush. Someone is listening.”

I froze. I was so sure they found us out.

Then someone run past me.

“There he is!”

The ventus sent a lightning bolt that flew right next to me, narrowly missing the figure.

I tried to catch the face of the spy, but before I could even glimpse it, the world exploded in vivid light. I was sent flying back, falling from the palace in the clouds, feeling the wind whistling in my ears.

"Jason!" Clovis cried, but I could barely hear him. "Tell Piper—"

I didn't hear the rest, unfortunately.

It was nice being able to dream while it lasted, but everything was fading into nothing again.

The last though that crossed my mind before I drifted into unconsciousness was that woman's voice sounded familiar.

Painfully familiar.

Like a mother's voice.

Chapter Text

LEO

Everyone was asleep except for me. Piper was tossing, Jason was breathing quietly, Festus snored, and Coach Hedge dozed off on his little guard duty, balanced against his baseball bat.

I was too anxious to sleep, so I just fiddled with my goggles. The ones Mother gave to me.

“This is a little gift from me, so we can keep in touch. Now, I believe your satyr friend dropped his backpack...”

Maybe a Hecate kid would've been better at deconstructing these nasty things, but you know what they say about sufficiently advanced technology and magic. The ancient inscriptions and words of power forged into the metal were like lines of code, intertwining together in intricate patterns, everything perfected to the last minute detail. You change one word, and the whole thing is a piece of junk.

If I had the right tools, I bet I could hack those goggles easily, maybe even reverse engineer the incantations, but I didn't really feel comfortable messing around with them.

The thought of falling asleep with them on again made me shiver, but I knew she'd know if I didn't put them on. She wanted to keep tabs on me at all times. See through my eyes.

I don't know why she wanted to get in my head so badly. All I've ever done my whole life was try to escape it.

I briefly considered maybe not going to sleep at all, but just the thought alone made me feel tired. At the end of the day it didn't really matter if I slept or not, Mother could drop in at any time, any place. It probably would be better for my safety if she hijacked my brain when I was sleeping than when I was a hundred feet in the air on the back of a mechanical dragon.

I'm going to regret this come next morning, I thought to myself, slipping the goggles over my eyes.

I let out a long, pained breath, cocooned myself back into my sleeping bag, and laid my head on the pillow roll.

Falling asleep was always hard when you had ADHD. It kind of required that unique skill known as staying in one place, which was categorically impossible to me.

I groaned, already feeling the urge to switch to my side. I tried to focus instead on Piper's soft exhales as she slept beside me. Just sitting in one place, listening, to my best friend snoozing, and owls hooting, and the bats chirping. My heart pounded in my chest, and my fingers clenched and unclenched.

This was going to be a long, dark night.

“Leo, what are you doing? Get off the edge!”

Could they be any more melodramatic? I just wanted to see the view. Watching everyone from so up-high really put into perspective how huge the Princess was going to be.

"Get over here, idiot!" Reggie, my older brother, pulled me aside.

"That's no way to talk to your chief engineer, Reggie!" I laughed.

"The only reason you're in charge is because you've been here longer!" Rivet scoffed. He was a cyclops, one of the many. They really hated taking orders from demigods.

"You should be thanking me you don't have to answer directly to Ma. That woman has issues." I wrestled myself out of Reggie's grip and sat on the edge of the roof. "Let me enjoy the view a little. I just want to see everyone down below."

The ship was coming along nicely, yes she was. The bow was almost complete, and the Athena kids already started working on the masthead. My team's job was installing the lights in the suites, the luxurious ones at the very top, which meant we were really high up. I never really had a problem with heights, but I did give a few of my friends several heart attacks already.

“Is that Luke coming?” Candice elbowed me. She was an Athena kid, but she had skills that put even some of my siblings to shame. Not me, though.

I squinted at the giant open gates of the shipyard. There was a shape of a tiny man with sandy hair.

Candice pulled out an old timey spyglass from her magic tool belt and gasped.

“Holy cow, it is! Hey, Luke!”

We all waved, yelling at the top of our lungs. Rivet and the other cyclopes rolled their eyes. They didn't get it. To them Luke was just another stupid demigod, but to us he might as well be a rock star.

Most of us didn't have homes, not homes worth coming back to, so he sorta stepped in as the big brother to all of us. He always said we were a family and that meant we took care of each other.

Back then I bought into all that crap.

“Leo!” Luke's voice sounded off from the speakers, “Do you mind getting off my roof for a second? I want you to meet somebody.”

“Sorry, guys, you're going to have to finish without me. Luke wants my personal assistance.” I grinned at the rest of the crew, who all groaned. Even back then, I took pride in being as annoying as I could be. I climbed down onto the scaffolding and jumped into the garbage chute, sliding down it's length like I was at a water park. It was hands down the most fun way down.

I rocketed out of the tube right at Luke's feet, landing on my butt.

“Hi,” I said from the ground.

“There you are, little guy.” He raised me to my feet and dusted off my shirt.

It's been a while since I last saw him. In his trekking boots, cargo pants, dirty v neck and the bag slung over his shoulder he looked like some kind of tomb raiding explorer. With the dashing grin to boot.

“Dude, where have you been? We thought you died.”

He smirked at me. "Come now, you guys know me better than that. I have had some close calls though. It's been a journey."

"Where did you go?"

"I went looking for something." He tapped his nose. "It's pretty special."

“Did you find it?”

That wicked smirk that appeared on his face told me all I needed to know. “Oh, I found it alright. It's really cool.”

Right behind him two roided up monster guys dropped something. A wooden crate.

“Careful with that, idiots! I went through hell to get that box, and I can't afford you breaking it!”

“Oreius, go punish yourself!” One of the men yelled. He looked like a grizzly bear who went to the gym. His brother, equally as freaky looking, went up to the nearest wall and started slamming his head into it.

“Who are those guys?”

“Ah, don't worry about them, Leo. They're not who I wanted you to meet.” He waved at the person standing next to him. They looked weird, like a blurry shadow rather than a human. I could almost make out their features, but every time I looked harder, the space between my eyes would start hurting.

“This is the one I told you about, the whizz-kid.” He ruffled my hair. “One of the best engineers I've met, and he hasn't even finished middle school yet.”

“I haven't even been to middle school,” I reminded him.

“Me neither, bud. Who needs it?” Luke smiled.

The blurry person laughed. It was hard to tell where anything was on their body or where they were looking, but I think they were staring at Princess Andromeda.

“You must be a Hepheastus kid. That ship is going to be a beauty.”

I felt weird. Their voice was so pretty, even though it sounded muffled and distorted. I felt my cheeks burning. I wasn't used to getting compliments, especially compliments from blurry people with beautiful voices.

“Why do you look like that?” I asked without thinking.

Luke was happy to explain.

“Pretty cool, huh?" He gestured proudly at the hazy shapes of the person next to him. "We had to do some crazy things with the Mist to get this to work! Helps my best double agent keep their identity a secret. We can't risk getting found out.”

“Double agent? You mean... you live at that camp?”

The blurry person shuffled their feet awkwardly.

“You could say that... I keep an eye on everything."

"It's a thankless job, but someone's gotta do it." Luke shrugged.

"What's it like?"

I've never been there, to that camp the other kids talk about so much. Apparently they forced Luke and his siblings to live all stuffed in one cabin, with all the unwanted godly kids, and all the kids of gods who weren't important enough to get cabins. And then the other cabins, they all fight between each other, because that guy's mom doesn't like this guy's dad, or something stupid like that. Like we were supposed to inherit their grudges.

It sounded like just another foster home. This place that was barely held together with duct tape, that existed just so the government or the gods could pretend they cared about all those kids.

But then there were the other stories. About riding winged horses and fully stacked workshops, and a ready meal three times a day, with as much pizza as you can eat.

Somehow I could never reconcile in my head that those two places were the same. Something must've been off.

"It's... complicated." The blurry shape shrank, like this person was trying to make themselves small. "It's not like they want it to be bad, but..."

"The camp isn't the source of the problem, more like a symptom," Luke said, and his facial expression turned grim.

"They don't respect my mother. They make fun of me and my siblings. That's why I joined Luke," the double agent said, though their words sounded unsure.

I couldn't imagine what that was like. I didn't understand the demigods who joined Luke for their parents, the lesser and disrespected gods. What had their parents ever done for them? Mine has left my mother with nothing. Didn't even move a finger when it happened.

"Whose your mother?"

Luke put a finger to his lips.

"Ah, ah, ah. That's classified." He winked at me.

Right. Because we were talking about a secret agent.

"Now, I believe you had something for me..." Luke exchanged a conspiratory look with me.

A light bulb went off in my head.

"Oh, that!" I reached into my tool belt. I completely forgot about it. "I finished it like a few hours after you left."

"Of course you did." Luke chuckled, shaking his head.

He extended his hand to me, and I plopped a golden necklace on it. I showed Luke and the agent how to open the hidden compartment. Luke gave a whistle of approval.

"Now that's some nice craftsmanship, Leo." He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. A small vial with black liquid inside it. "Elder python venom. Nasty stuff."

Once the liquid filled the necklace, the crystal clear jewel decorating it became rich ebony, with hints of red inside it.

"This is secure, right?" The agent asked me. "It's not gonna break and spray python venom in my face?"

"There's no chance, I made the capsule out of pure diamond, the holding chamber is coated with mother of pearl, and the inner workings of the mechanism are made of adamantine."

They both just stared at me.

"That means it's strong, right?" The agent asked after a long pause.

"Yeah, it's very strong."

"Thank the... err... you, I suppose." They sighed with relief. Still, when they actually took the necklace from Luke's hand, they moved slowly, like it might explode at any time. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

Once they put it around their neck, the necklace became hazy around the edges, until it completely disappeared.

"What do you need that for?" I said, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"It's..." The agent looked at Luke. His face was unreadable. "Classified. But it's going to help us a lot, Leo. You did a good job."

"Thank you."

"Maybe take a little break from work, huh, buddy?" Luke offered. "My treat. I have some important matters to discuss with our friend here."

He was about to turn when I grabbed the sleeve of his shirt.

"Actually, uhm... I've got something else for you." Luke arched his eyebrows at me, curious. I pulled out the blueprints from the pocket of my tool belt. I was too busy to work on them during the day, so I did my work when everyone was supposed to be sleeping. "I've had this idea. It's about the Princess."

They bent down to look at my shaky scribbles, both Luke and his blurry double agent.

"Leo, what is this?" Luke arched a brow.

"Well, uhm... you see..." I hid my face behind the paper, suddenly feeling a little less confident in my idea. I pointed at the giant pylons now attached to the ship's hull. "These are... booster engines."

"Ah, of course. Booster engines. Now I definitely see it." Luke nodded his head. "Booster engines for... boosting?"

"For flying, Luke." The blurry agent corrected him. I could've sworn I heard them giggle a little. "I think he's saying he could make it fly."

Luke let out an exasperated sigh and brushed the hair on the back of his head.

"This again?" It was in good humor, he was smiling, but I couldn't help but feel a little hurt.

"B—but this time it'll work! I thought this through! All we need to do is make the ship lighter, and then attach 6 boosters on each side." I moved the blueprints of the flying ship around, as if to help him visualize it. "We could control both the sky and sea! Olympus would never expect an air attack! We would catch them completely by surprise!"

"He really put a lot of thought into this." The agent whispered in Luke's ear. His face scrunched up when he looked at their face, or at the very least where their face should be.

"I mean, I know, just..." Luke looked up and sighed. He took a knee in front of me. "Listen, little buddy, I love the enthusiasm. I mean, really, you have some amazing ideas, Leo. Some of them just are a little more doable than others. Even with our sponsors, I don't know if we have the money or materials needed to build those cool booster engines. Right now we need to focus on building more ships and other important expenses."

I looked down at my new sneakers and freshly washed jumpsuit. We all got new clothes when we joined the army. Luke made sure of that.

"Right," I sighed, feeling guilty.

"But hey, it's a good idea," the agent offered.

"Thanks," I said, quietly, folding the blueprints and putting them back into my pocket. I didn't care which. I doubted I'd be seeing them again.

"Zeus would never let us fly over to Olympus. Remember what happened to Bellerophon?"

"He's... the guy who tamed the winged horse and killed the Chimera, right?"

"Yep." Luke nodded. "He accomplished many heroic deeds, and defeated many dangerous tribes, but one day he got too cocky. He decided he should be honored as a god and flew on the back of Pegasus to Olympus in order to ask the gods for immortality." The look on Luke's face turned dark. "But you know how gods are about sharing. Zeus struck him down and when he fell his body was broken. He spent the rest of his life as a hermit, hated by gods and the mortals alike."

I felt a lump in my throat. But it wasn't out of fear, just anger. How could they ruin his whole life, drop him down a mountain, just because he flew up to their palace uninvited? Why was he any less worthy of immortality than they were?

My mom used to read me myths when I was little. She always wanted to skip the bad ones, like Bellerophon. But I always insisted on knowing the whole book. I couldn't stand not knowing.

When she told me Icarus plummeted into the sea and died, or Arachne was turned into a spider, I'd ask her why did the story have to end so badly.

"It's a cautionary tale, mijo. They warn us what might happen if we give in to our bad side."

It never sat right with me. Icarus just wanted to fly a little higher. Arachne was just proud of her skill. Bellerophon just got a little too big for his britches.That didn't mean they had to die or be turned into spiders. I could never put a finger on why it bothered me so much until I met Luke.

"Another story told by the gods to keep us down," I scoffed.

"Pretty much." Luke nodded his head. "They're allowed to fly, but worms like us should stay on the ground. Zeus hated the idea of humans inventing planes. A lot of Hephaestus and Athena kids died trying to get theirs off the ground until the Wright brothers. Kronos knows ancient sea gods who can protect us from Poseidon, but with Zeus we wouldn't be so lucky."

"I guess... I didn't think of that. I just... wanted to fly," I admitted, feeling embarrassed and stupid. Luke must have noticed, because he put his hand on my shoulder.

"After we free the world from the tyranny of the gods, I promise you Leo, we can build as many flying ships as you want. You will touch the stars some day, little guy."

"You promise?"

Luke smiled warmly.

"Of course."

I nodded my head, feeling a little better. Luke turned away, walking his agent somewhere more private, until something made him stop in his tracks.

"Do you remember who Bellerophon's father was, Leo?" he said slowly.

There was humor in his voice, I couldn't tell why.

"It was... Poseidon, right?" I said unsure.

He looked over his shoulder at me. The smirk on his face looked out of place. It wasn't the way he normally smirked. It looked more dangerous.

"Yeah. They're not very good at flying, those Poseidon kids."

He snorted under his breath, and I tried laughing with him, though I didn't really understand the joke.

I didn't want to take a break like Luke suggested, so I climbed my way through the scaffolding back to Princess Andromeda. Except something was wrong.

The ship was dark, like the night came while I was climbing, which seemed impossible. I looked overboard, but I saw no trace of the scaffolding, or the shipyard. We were on the open sea, cutting through the waves and leaving a wake behind us.

My family and friends were dressed in armor, running through the hall. They talked about an emergency. Intruders on board.

I felt my heart stop beating. I realized where this memory came from. I pushed through the other soldiers, running in the completely opposite direction.

"Guys, we have to get off the ship! It's going to explode!"

They didn't listen. They weren't real. Just memories. But I tried anyway. I grabbed Candice by the arm.

"Please! You have to go!"

"Don't you remember Leo? I can't go." She turned to me and I lost the breath in my lungs. She was just a smouldering skeleton. "I never get off this ship."

I pushed her away as hard as I could. The soldiers reached out their boney hands to me, and I just crashed through them, running through the passageways that I helped build. Passageways that would soon turn to ash.

I heard a familiar voice echo through my head. The beautiful voice of that blur of a person.

“You can't get on! He will kill everyone just to get Percy!”

I could do it this time. The lifeboats were within my reach. I made it, I changed the past.

They were so close. I got to the ropes, but my hands were too sweaty. I barely managed to untie one, when the world transformed into a cacophony of fire, and light, and sound. I was blown back into the ocean. For the first time in my life I knew what it felt like to burn.

I screamed holding onto the shattered pieces of the boat I was trying to untie just a few seconds ago. The green flames were eating through my back, feeling like melting acid being poured down my skin. The water wouldn't put out the fire.

I cried for help. For Luke, for Reggie, for Ma, I didn't care who it was. In that moment I would've given my soul to Kronos himself if it just meant the mind-bending pain would go away. I shrieked until my throat hurt, but I was completely, and utterly alone.

Is this how she felt? Where her last living moments filled with agony?

The flames enveloped me.

"No!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Anywhere but that memory!"

I was in a closed down warehouse, in front of heavy looking steel doors. Someone was pounding on them. The whole room around me was covered in flames.

"It's going to be okay, mijo. You just need to calm down. It's going to be okay."

The door shook as my mom slammed into it again, but it wouldn't budge. Those doors always jammed, there was something wrong with the lock. Mom would always laugh it off and say that she'll buy a new door once we get some more money.

She would never get the chance to.

“Leo, please. You need to put down that fire.”

Her voice was frantic, pitching higher and higher. I heard slamming on the metal door, and cries of pain after every hit. I didn't realize then the doors were heating up, and my mom was burning herself trying to get out.

"I don't know how!" I cried to her.

"Of course you do! You're my special boy! You can do anything."

I sobbed, hyperventilating. Snot was dripping down my face.

"I'm scared, mommy!"

"Leo, listen—"

The breakers in the room exploded in my face. I was curled up into the ball as the hissing of the fire became louder and louder until it was deafening. Only I wasn't sure if it was the fire, or the screaming.

Hot.

So horribly hot.

I was burning again. Like on Princess Andromeda. Suffocating.

It was too hot.

I couldn't stand it.

Too hot. Too hot!

I burst out of my sleeping bag, gasping for air. It was smoking. Festus' body against my skin didn't feel warm or soothing anymore, but unbearable.

I needed to get away. I jumped to my feet, stumbling through the woods, feeling the cold night air tickle my skin, gulping down air like a man who found water in a desert.

I didn't calm down until my skin felt cool to the touch.

I leaned against a tree, trying to calm myself. I looked around at the camp. Everyone must still be sleeping. The sun has only begun rising.

It's fine. I'm fine.

It was just a nightmare.

"Trouble sleeping, Repair Boy?"

I thought I might jump out of my skin. How did I not notice she wasn't sleeping next to me? Piper was right behind, posted against a tree, like she was waiting this whole time.

"Woah!" I almost tripped over my own feet from shock.

"Careful there, dude." She grabbed my arm just in time. A chuckle escaped her lips as she pulled me back to my feet.

"Why aren't you asleep?" I said, hoping it didn't sound too much like someone guilty.

A noise between a groan and a sigh completely took me by surprise. Piper was stretching, her hands on her hips and her thumbs on her back. I'm pretty sure I heard a cracking noise.

"I can't take this anymore, Leo! Camping freaking sucks. You mean to tell me we're gonna have to do that again today?"

I thought I was going to burst out laughing. How could I really think Piper of all people was drilling me?

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to go on a quest. If it really bothers you so much, you can always go back to that camp Coach Hedge always talks about."

Go back. Please, go back.

Piper scoffed. "Yeah right. Like I'm going back there. Not in a million years."

"Why not?" I cursed myself for saying that. It sounded so desperate.

Piper scowled.

"Dude, you weren't there! It's... It's just the Wilderness School with a different coat of paint. Eat or be eaten. Us vs them. They don't even allow normal kids in. Rachel had to become an Oracle to even get invited."

"Yeah, but it would at least keep you safe."

Piper looked away, staring at the lake.

"From the monsters maybe. Not from my stupid godly mother."

"Speaking of which. Are we going to talk about that or not?"

"I don't know, are we going to talk about how you know Ancient Greek?"

"... I'd rather not."

"Then there you go."

"Sorry." I said. And I think I meant it.

"You know you can trust me, right?"

I sighed, feeling the weight in the pit of my belly become even heavier.

"I know."

She sucked in her lips.

"Your godly parent is Hephaestus, right? I met your siblings in Camp Half-Blood. They were kind of cool."

I bit down on my bottom lip, needing to center myself somehow.

"Hey, how should I know? I don't know who this whole Heph-estus is." I shrugged, hoping it looked natural.

"Come on. You're good at fixing stuff, Festus recognizes your smell, you even have a magic tool belt. Do you honestly think I'm that dumb?"

I looked her in the eyes. I could tell from her face that she'd be very hurt if I did. A few layers of makeup couldn't hide that vulnerable look in her eye.

"I get it, you've got the looks and the brains. I just don't want to talk about it, okay?"

That seemed to give her some food for thought. She stared at me intently, before turning away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to push you."

"It's fine. We're friends. Sometimes we drive each other nuts.."

"Best friends." Piper had the smallest smile on her face. "You know that right?"

"What about Mr. Perfect?" I crossed my arms.

"He's alright, but he's not my best friend." I dared a glance at her, and her smile grew, and that image was so sweet, I couldn't stay mad.

"Thanks." I blushed. "I think I needed to hear that."

"Always."

"I still don't like Jason."

"Just don't bully him, okay? He's got enough problems as it is."

"I'll try," I sighed, walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to take a whiz. I suggest not following me."

"Ew," Piper cringed, already heading back to camp. "Thanks for the heads up. Just don't get eaten by anything."

"I promise nothing!" I yelled over my shoulder.

Thank the useless gods that worked. I needed to clear my head, away from Piper and the rest of the gang. I only reached for the goggles when I put some sizeable difference between her and me.

They were still strapped to my head. I slipped them off my dark curls, considering throwing the blasted things into the lake, when I suddenly felt weirdly tired and dropped like a pile of bricks into the bushes.

“I'm disappointed Leo. I was promised two demigods, and yet, here you are empty-handed.”

I shook my head, getting off the floor. I was still in the woods, but everything around me looked blurry and distorted.

When my eyes landed on the woman who spoke to me, I felt anger boiling in my veins.

"What in Tartarus is wrong with you? Why would you show me that?!" I screamed at her.

Mother looked at me confused. Her look has changed. Instead of being made from white rock, her body was course dark dirt, with her hair being made of leaves and moss. Her eyes still remained closed at all times.

"Show you... what?" She furrowed her brow, confused.

"Don't play dumb with me! Those dreams you put in my head!"

The look on her face softened.

"Dreams? What did you dream about, little demigod?"

Her form shrank, to the size of a normal person. Her permanently closed eyes searched my face.

"Did you have nightmares, Leo?"

I took in a shaky breath.

"You swear you didn't have anything to do with that?"

"On Styx." She said with absolute certainty. "Why would I want my hero to suffer?"

I stared at my feet, unable to look up at her.

"Forget it then. It's not important."

That answer didn't seem to satisfy her, but she dropped the subject.

"Alright then. I am still upset with you. You were supposed to lead your friends to the gorgons."

“I did everything I could. I brought them to Euryale and Stheano's hunting ground, like you said. I let Piper wander off on her own. What else was I supposed to do?”

“Something tells me you're not being fully honest with me, Leo.” She pouted, like I somehow hurt her feelings.

"You know well enough I couldn't blow my cover. If you want to blame somebody, blame Euryale and Stheano."

“Oh, I'll have my words with Euryale and Stheano, don't you worry.” Her eyes remained closed, but I could swear she was narrowing them.

She snapped her head to look at me, putting on that sweet smile again.

"But we're not talking about the gorgons right now, we're talking about you. I'm sensing you're having second thoughts."

I pulled out a ratchet spanner, just so I could fidget with something. It helped me when I was stressed.

"I know what's at stake. I'm not going to chicken out. I just need time."

Her voice was soft.

"Are you sure about that, Leo? They are your friends."

“Who says they're my friends?” I scoffed. "I don't even like Jason. You can have him."

Mother frowned.

“I'm not going to hurt them, Leo. You can trust me.”

“Sure I can.”

Somehow even with closed eyes, it felt like she was peering into my soul.

“You are much too good at manipulation my child.” She chuckled, warmly. “I don't understand why then it is so hard for you to corral your two friends.”

“I told you, they're not my friends.” I said staring up at her. “They're just two chumps I'm playing.”

Mother raised her chin up slightly, looking down at me.

“Even Piper?”

My voice didn't waver.

“She's the biggest chump of them all.”

Mother smiled, and it almost looked like a smirk.

"You might want to warn these so called chumps. I sense a powerful presence approaching your camp."

"What?!"

She chuckled to herself warmly.

"You can lie to yourself, Leo, but you can't lie to your Mother." Suddenly her expression changed. The joy in her voice disappeared. “You remind me a lot of my son. Be careful, my child. If you pretend to be heartless for too long, eventually you'll stop pretending.”

“I'm not pretending.”

She smiled. Not mockingly. Genuinely.

Like a mother would.

“We both know that's not true, son.”

I didn't say anything.

"Do you still want what I promised?"

"Yes."

"Then listen. And this time, do as I say..."

Chapter Text

PIPER

You know, I was beginning to think Leo may have been lying to me.

I managed to shower, apply Will's ointment, dress up and make coffee, and he still hasn't returned. Maybe I should've been more worried.

“Where did you get that?” Jason pointed at the steaming mug in my hands. Him and Coach Hedge were busy packing up, and they were both staring at me bewildered.

I took a sip, feeling the energy come back to me after the awful night of sleeping on the forest floor.

“Ah, good stuff.” I sighed. I pulled another mug from Leo's enchanted tool belt, and put it up to Festus' maw. He opened his jaws, and instead of fire, delicious hot brew spewed from his mouth right into the mug.

“He also doubles as a water heater and a shower nozzle.” I smiled, handing Coach the mug. “Which is good, because there's no way I'm gonna camp out without hot running water.”

“I think you're missing the point of camping in the wild, Cupcake,” Coach said disapprovingly, taking a sip of the coffee. “Wow, this is good!”

“What was that, Coach?” I said, smiling smugly.

“You could do the same thing with a fireplace and some instant coffee.” He scoffed. Then he took another sip. “But good heavens, it wouldn't be half as good.”

“You want some, Jason?”

“No thanks, I'm good.” He was already finished stuffing everything in our bags. He worked fast. “Has anyone seen Leo?”

“He needed to go to the bathroom.” I shrugged, still grossed out by the idea of him doing his business in the woods.

“How long ago?” Coach arched his eyebrows at me.

“Like... an hour... ish?”

Coach let out a disappointed sigh, and I felt really stupid.

“That knucklehead has probably gotten himself kidnapped by now. Or eaten.” Coach reached for his heavy metal bat. “New guy, make sure Piper's safe while I'm gone. I'm going to look for Valdez.”

Jason gave Coach a salute, to show that he understood, and just like that the old satyr was gone.

I sat next to Jason near our bags, putting my mug down.

I needed to get my hair in order after Festus used his dryer on it. At least that's what I thought.

When I pulled my pocket mirror out of my backpack, my hair looked immaculate—two dark, straight waves falling over my face and spilling over my back. I had to deal with constant bad hair days my whole life and now suddenly my mother came along, and it's like I couldn't look bad even if I tried.

It drove me up the wall.

I briefly pondered the scissors, but I quickly realized I didn't have any, and even if I did, I doubted the blessing of Aphrodite would let me cut my hair.

“Piper, are you okay?” Jason asked.

“Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just struggling with this hair.”

But the truth was, I wasn't fine. Thinking about my hair always reminded me of my dad. How angry and confused he was when I cut it in front of him for the first time, just in the middle of our kitchen.

It was annoying. I felt awful about cutting my hair, and I felt awful about not cutting it.

I sighed, and got to work making a braid. It was the only way to keep it clean and out of your face when it was this long. Luckily I wasn't out of practice, even though it had been years since my hair was this long. I didn't want to slap Jason in the face with my ponytail every time we flew to another state.

“Wow. That's impressive,” Jason said once I was finished.

“It's really not that hard once you get the hang of it.”

“You're used to doing this a lot?” Jason asked. “I thought you preferred your hair short.”

I sighed, looking at the braided hair falling over my shoulder. It didn't look bad. It didn't feel that bad either.

“I do. I think. It's complicated.”

Jason nodded, like he wasn't going to push it any further.

But weirdly enough, I wanted to tell him. Maybe I just wanted to tell anybody. Get it off my chest.

“It's a tradition. At least my dad sa—used to say so.” I looked up at Jason, pressing my hair between my fingers. “Cherokee men and women don't cut their hair, unless there's a big change in their lives, like a loved one dying.”

“That's... kind of beautiful,” he said.

I shrugged. I guess it was?

“It's because the hair represents your memories. Since it grows through your whole life, it's like every moment is preserved in there.” I frowned, turning my eyes away from Jason. “But my dad kept his hair short. He kept it short. He didn't care, it only bothered him when I cut my hair.”

“I'm sorry to hear that, Piper.” Jason scooted closer to me, but he kept his eyes fixed on the woods, like he somehow knew I didn't want to be looked at. He only side-eyed me for a quick few moments. “It must've sucked.”

It did, but for whatever reason I felt bad talking about my dad like that to Jason. Maybe it was because Jason thought he was dead, or maybe because I've never actually talked about my dad with anybody.

“It's just...” I hissed out the words, frustrated at how hard it was. “Why do I have to respect some stupid old tradition if he doesn't?! That's not fair!”

Now he was looking at me. Gods, his eyes really were expressive. The way his brows creased and they turned so sad when he was thinking about something very hard.

“Sometimes people have... complicated feelings about where they came from, Piper,” he said softly. Then he got that weird look on his face, like something spooked him. “I mean... I assume.”

His brow furrowed, but then he tried hiding it with laughing. It was a very sad laugh.

“Jason? Is everything—" I froze. "You hear that?”

He nodded his head, his eyes alert.

There was a weird noise behind us, coming from the lake. Like something was whipping through the air. It kind of reminded me of being a kid and swinging around a pool noodle, except this noise was somehow stronger.

“Hide," we both said.

I grabbed Festus by the horns and told him to turn into a suitcase as we all retreated into the bushes. The noise was getting louder.

A black shadow swept over our heads and for a moment I was worried the Caucasian eagle might be back.

That was until she landed.

For a moment I didn't realize what I was looking at. She had as many eyes, ears and mouths as she had feathers in her wings. Her birdlike feet carried her on the ground as she sniffed the air, with what I assumed was her only nose. Less a nose and more two small holes where a nose should be, really.

“I smell gossip. Hot juicy gossip,” the mouth on the back of her head spoke. I covered my mouth so I couldn't make a noise. What the hell was this thing? She looked like the freakier cousin of Argus, the Camp Half-Blood chief of security.

Except he was friendly, and kind of shy, and honestly pretty handsome, even with the eyes. This lady looked like she would eat me on sight. He skin was grey, turning black at her arms and legs, the same color as her wings. Each wing was decorated with even more blinking eyes, all of them looking in different directions and fluttering their lashes.

“I don't smell anything. Where's the goss?” a mouth on her neck retorted.

“It can't be that far off. Just look around!” the woman's ankle hissed, and then she opened her hands revealing eyes on each palm.

She waved them around our camp, walking this way and that, until she let out a frustrated groan and stalked off somewhere I couldn't see. I let out a faint sigh of relief and Jason did the same.

“What monster is that?” I whispered to him as quietly as I could.

“I have no idea,” he murmured. “What did she say? That she wants gossip?”

“You can come out of those bushes now, little demigods.” The creature said, with multiple voices, right above us. I flipped myself onto my back to see her hanging off the tree like a squirrel. “I can hear you very well.”

I looked at Jason, panicked.

What do we do? I hoped he could read that on my face. There's no way she could read minds as well, right?

Jason looked at me, his lips turning into just a thin line. He closed his eyes in frustration and to my horror stood up!

“Uhm... Hi. I'm Jason,” he said. I gawked at him, still laying down. His eyes was trained on that strange creature with a million eyes.

“Jason, Jason, who is your friend? Or is she more than your friend?” The voices snickered. “Is that why you hid in the bushes? Did you need some privacy?”

I sprang to my feet instantly, feeling like my face was probably the color of a ripe tomato.

“We're just friends!” I squeaked with what was left of my breath. “And what are you supposed to be?!”

The moment she saw me, all of her eyes went wide, and she swung her wings in the air, flying off the tree. Then all the eyes turned into mischievous, little slits.

“Oh my Jupiter, it's Piper McLean!” one of her mouths said.

“I heard she has breast implants,” another mouth whispered to an ear.

“I heard she's done for,” next mouth picked up.

“Her career is finished.”

“And no one misses her.”

I had no idea who she was, but I knew I've had enough of her.

“Hey, why don't you shut up!?” I yelled, daring to come closer to her. My fingers wrapped around the swiss army knife in my pocket. “All of you!”

“She's mean,” one mouth pouted.

“I heard she's mean, because she has daddy issues.”

“I heard that because of her daddy issues, she steals things...”

“Piper McLean really steals? No dignity.”

“Eh, I don't believe in that,” came a voice located somewhere around her butt. “Fake news.”

It was like a one-person game of Chinese whispers. I could barely keep up with everything she was saying.

“Just who do you think you are?” I looked up at her, “What even are you?”

The creature cocked her head, curious, like she wasn't used to people asking her to talk about herself. Her toothy mouths smiled, delighted to tell me. They all said in unison:

“I am Fama, I am gossip, I am hearsay, I am rumors.” She landed once again, and laid down like a cat on a nearby rock. “I hear and see everything on this bountiful Earth! You've heard me a thousand times, whispering in your ears. About how Jane put on weight. About how Nicole Stevens got her teeth whitened. About how Kimberly got the role of your best friend by dating the producer's son. And you gave me to others with your own lips, Piper McLean, oh yes, you did!”

Her dark red eyes all rested on me, and I felt a pang of pain in my chest, like I was struggling to breathe.

“I didn't—That's not—“ But I couldn't say it with those millions of eyes borrowing into me. I felt like I was on the stage again, and the crowd was judging me.

“I don't spread rumors!” I cried, forcing myself to make every syllable, but when I was finished, I felt no relief whatsoever. I felt sick. Like I threw up the words.

It wasn't true. I did spread rumors. I did it a lot actually. I was the one who started the rumor that Nicole whitened her teeth. Just because she's been tormenting me since we became co-stars, laughing behind my back at how stupid and awkward I was. She often made fun of the way I said certain lines. She said I could be replaced with a plank of wood. I wanted revenge, I wanted to hit her where it hurts, and I knew Nicole was obsessed with her appearance, because she spent most of her childhood being known as 'that ugly nerd from TV'.

The worst part was I wasn't sure if I really felt bad for it. Deep down, there was still a part of me that relished the pain I caused her.

Fama just cackled, like she knew what I was thinking, rolling on the floor in a fit of giggles. In that moment, I was so angry I might've just kicked her in the face, if I didn't feel a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Piper, I'm not sure if that is a monster,” Jason looked at me sympathetically. I was surprised he didn't even mention what Fama just said. Was he not listening?

“What is she then?” I said through gritted teeth, feeling my eyes stinging. "She feels like a monster to me."

“A god?”

Fama perked up when he said that. She was smiling bashfully, like someone has just given her a compliment.

“Yes, yes, yes!” her mouths crooned, one after another. “This beautiful visage you see before you is in fact the face of a goddess!” Half of her eyes winked at us. “Or is it?”

Now that I looked at her closer, maybe he was right. There was something about her that felt different from a monster, like there was electricity in the air around her, the same feeling when you sit under a slide at the playground and your hair stands on end, and you feel these vibrations in the air. Was that what a goddess felt like?

“I heard this Jason guy is quite a smart boy,” a mouth on top of her left hand tittered.

“Handsome and smart!” Fama's elbow sighed.

“Watch it, elbow. I hear they're like a couple, you know,” her belly button chuckled.

I thought I might die of embarrassment. Is that a thing that can actually happen to me now? It did sound like one of those weirdly poetic deaths Greek heroes had.

“Sing to me, oh Muse, of Piper McLean, who got swallowed whole by the earth out of humiliation, because a mean girl made of eyes roasted her in front of a boy she had platonic feelings for! Cringe, am I right, oh Muse?!”

“Piper?”

“The goddess of gossip is mocking me,” I said pathetically.

“I'm sorry. I think that's kinda her thing.” He looked down at Fama, who was laughing again, analyzing her. “She goes flying around, overhearing everything people say in secrecy.”

“Well, maybe someone should kick her—“ I stopped suddenly.

“Piper?”

Flying around. Overhearing secrets.

I've just had the most genius idea ever.

"Hold that thought," I whispered to Jason. That immediately made him worried.

"What do you mean?"

“Hey! Fama! I mean, Lady Fama! I wanna hear some of your goss!”

She straightened up instantly, getting back on her feet. It was totally unnatural, like a Tex Avery cartoon.

“You do?!” Her mouths said excited as she clasped her hands, her millions of eyes fluttering their lashes at me.

“Oh course!” I smiled. “You hear all kinds of stuff while flying around, don't you, Your Highness?”

“Of course I do! What do you want to know?" She scooted over to me, like we were two besties. She giggled in my ear. "The secret ingredient to Ceres' brioche buns? Pluto's embarrassing holiday photos? Mars and Venus' 59867th secret affair?”

“Fifty-nine thousand what?! They had that many—I mean, no, that's not what I wanted to hear about.” I shook my head.

Fama narrowed her eyes.

“Then what do you want, Piper McLean?”

“I mean, that god stuff is already covered by so many tabloids by now, am I right? It's hardly fresh info anymore."

She hanged her head low. "That's true. Those upstart journos are stealing my thunder."

"I wanted to talk about something more down to earth. See that hot guy over there?” I whispered to her, motioning with my head at Jason. “Him and I are on a quest. Ever heard of Percy Jackson?”

“Oh, yes, yes. He recently went missing, and no one knows where! I heard his girlfriend already rebound with a son of Mars! Scandalous, right?!”

I held back the urge to strangle her. Instead I gave her some nasty passive aggression. I looked at my glistening painted nails, bored.

“I don't know where you heard that, girly. That sounds like total bull to me.”

“It's true, I swear!”

“Honey, I've seen Annabeth Chase, and let me tell you, in the state she's in, she couldn't even date a satyr.” Geez, my voice sounded a lot like Drew's when I spoke like that. Eww. “Your gossip isn't worth jack squat.”

“You're questioning my hot goss?!” Fama's slit nostrils flared up. I could've sworn I saw fire in those glistening red eyes of hers. But I couldn't get intimidated. I was in control.

“I'm just saying, that's the best you've got? I mean, you don't even know where Percy Jackson, the hottest guy in Camp Half-Blood, is hiding from his girlfriend?”

Now, I didn't actually know what that whole Percy guy looked like, outside of a vague description, but I needed to sell my persona to Fama.

Something told me Fama lived for the drama.

“I mean...”

“I uh...”

“Not necessarily...”

The mouths stumbled over each other, speaking out of line. It was strange to see her actually lost for words.

“You don't know where he is?” I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

“I wanna know!” She covered her face with her hands, which was a little odd, because it's not like that somehow obscured her eyes or mouths. She raised her head to the heavens. “It's like the hottest subject in the godly spheres right now, but I can't find any info! I'm dying of thirst over here!”

I actually felt a little bad for her. Just a teensy bit. At least enough to pat her on the back. I realized quickly that might've been not the best idea when I poked her in the eye.

“Ow.”

“Sorry!” I quickly said.

"I did hear that Apollo is planning to make a second movie, but considering the poor critical reception the first one got, I doubt it."

I blinked twice at her.

"Wait, movie as in... a movie about that Percy guy?"

Fama sniffled and wiped her nose with her arm.

"I mean, yeah. His adventures had the biggest ratings on Hephaestus TV since Hercules Busts Heads! But he completely screwed up the casting."

I looked at Jason, just to make sure he was hearing the same thing I was hearing. He just shrugged.

"Don't look at me. I don't watch TV."

I pulled Fama in closer, putting on a sweet smile.

“Come now, don't be so hard on yourself. I know you're the best source of gossip in the whole world! For example, see Jason over there? He's got amnesia. Pretty spicy, right? I bet you've got some hot goss on him.”

Her pupils all rested on Jason, and her mood instantly improved. She let out a laugh that was so joyful it was almost creepy.

“Ohhh, I know a lot about him. So many lovely little secrets.” She side-eyed me. With every eye. Huge, toothy grins split her whole body. “Secrets so dark they would make you blush.”

“I'm... listening." I said slowly, feeling a chill crawl up my spine.

She wagged a clawed finger in front of my face. I craned my neck, because there was no way I was getting those things so close to my face.

“Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast. If you want some gossip, you have to give gossip in exchange, Holly Hollywood,” Fama hissed sweetly.

We stood at a stand still, staring each other down, waiting who would blink first. It was very much a game rigged against me.

“Fine,” I finally sighed and beckoned her closer.

I'm not gonna tell you what I said to her. I'm not giving away my secrets for free. But the moment she heard what I had to say, she giggled like a school girl, and I felt myself blush.

“Oooooh... That's so juicy. You don't even know how juicy it is!”

“Well? Now's your turn. Have you heard anything about a guy called Jason who's a demigod? A demigod who recently lost his memories?”

She nodded her head excitedly, with big bashful grins on her face and body.

“I heard he got in a squabble with a certain king. He's hiding in the city built twice.” She giggled to herself. “But when you meet him, don't mention his ears. He doesn't like that. I should know, I'm the one who told everyone about them!”

“You can't be a little bit more... specific?”

“That's all I heard. I promise,” she said with big innocent smiles. But I could see her crossing her fingers behind her back.

I wasn't satisfied with that information, but something told me I wouldn't be getting anything more out of her. At least not now.

“Fine, I guess we're finished then. It was nice gossiping with you, Lady Fama.”

She pouted at me with every mouth.

“Aww, but I was just beginning to have fun. What a shame. You could've told me so much more.”

She was about to take off, and I could breathe a sigh of relief, when Leo and Coach Hedge walked into the clearing.

“It's all alright now. I found Valdez.” Coach Hedge froze the moment he laid his eyes on the scene he found us in. “What the—“

“Ooooh, Gleeson Hedge! What are you doing here?” Fama pushed past me, hissing at my coach.

“You were supposed to be retired,” a mouth on her back said accusingly.

“When are you gonna admit you're too old for this job, old timer?” another mouth spat.

“Do they even know you can't even do the one thing a satyr is useful for?”

“What the hell is going on? What is that thing?” Leo spoke up, staring at me and Jason confused. Big mistake.

All of Fama's eyes zeroed in on him.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my. Leo Valdez! I've heard so much rumors about you!"

Leo stumbled back, and Fama laughed.

“Stay away from me!” Leo cried.

“Trying to hide something, traitor?” a mouth hissed.

“Who have you been talking to, you naughty boy?” another asked.

“He'll stab you in the back the first chance he gets.” The eyes behind her were staring at me.

“I heard he killed his own mo—”

“Shut up!” Jason snapped, stepping between Leo and her. “You got what you wanted, now leave! I'm sick of you saying horrible things about my friends.”

He pulled out his sword. He was really ready to throw hands with a goddess. Without a second thought.

"Leave, or I'll make you leave."

His eyes were pure steel.

Fama looked dumbfounded, like she's never been in this situation. It took her a solid second to recover, but when she did it knocked the air out of my lungs.

“You may not remember it, but you were an awful person,” she stated flatly, staring at Jason, before she raised her wings in the air and with one flap launched herself into the sky like a rocket.

Just like that she was gone, like she was never here, leaving all of us reeling from her visit.

“Are you okay?” Jason asked Leo, while I ran up to them.

“What, me? Yeah, of course. It's just rumors, right?” Leo said confidently. But we could both see him still shaking.

I put my hand on his shoulder, “Yeah, and rumors suck. It's okay if you're feeling upset.”

“What did she mean when she said your career is over?” Jason asked, looking at me confused.

“Who knows?” I lied, crossing my arms to hide the fact I was shaking too. “Nothing she said matters, right?”

“Right,” Leo said, nodding his head.

“Just rumors.”

Chapter Text

PIPER

I swear to gods, I have the worst best friend ever.

“This is so unfair!”

Leo looked at me over the shoulder and laughed. He had his goggles on, and the tool belt strapped to his waist, and he was piloting Festus, which was complete injustice because I wanted to pilot him.

Leo said that he's just better with machines, which was total bs; I had such a good touch with animals, robotic or not.

To add insult to injury, Jason and Coach wouldn't even back me up.

“I mean, Leo seems to understand it way better than we do,” Jason said.

Could life be any more unfair? It was because of the loopty loops, wasn't it?!

“Pipes, I need directions,” Leo said. “What did the creepy eye lady say again?”

I crossed my arms and scowled at him before saying anything, to let him know I was still mad. If there was one thing I was good at, it was making a scene.

“She said that Jason had a squabble with a king. He lives in a city built twice. What does that even mean?”

“Maybe it has been rebuilt after being destroyed? You know, like cities after World War II," Jason pondered.

“Like Chicago!” Leo chimed in excitedly.

“Chicago?” I said. “Why Chicago?”

“It's literally known as the Second City.”

“I thought it was the Windy City.”

“That too,” Leo nodded his head, “but it's also known as the Second City, because it had to be rebuilt after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. It's literally a city built twice.”

“And it's also west from where we are.” Jason stroked his chin. “You might be onto something here, Leo!”

“Uh... Are we sure it's Chicago though?” Coach Hedge said from the far back, trying to sound casual, which didn't work. I could practically picture him forcing a big fake smile on his face. “I think we haven't considered newbie's World War II theory thoroughly enough. Yes, we should all plan a trip to Europe. Right after we go back to Camp Half-Blood.”

I craned my neck to look at him. I almost slipped off the dragon, but I knew Jason would be there, using his lightning reflexes to catch me by my T-shirt just in time.

“What's wrong with Chicago, Coach?” I looked at his sweaty face. Sure enough, he did have a forced grin plastered to it. “You sound nervous.”

“Nervous? Me? Noooo.” He dropped the smile. “It's just that going to Chicago is a horrible, terrible idea, and we can't ever step foot in that forsaken city.”

“Ohh, would that be because of a certain king?” Leo's voice was dripping with smugness.

“Yeah, Coach, is there someone in Chicago who's bothering you?” I teased.

“This is not funny, kids! We're not going to Chicago!” He made a big X with his arms. “Out of question!”

“Too late. Festus is changing course!” Leo laughed.

“Valdez! I'm not kidding! Don't you—“

Coach almost threw himself off of Festus trying to get to the controls, but once again, Jason grabbed him just in time.

“Jason, boy, listen to me,” Coach pleaded. “You're more reasonable than those two. We can't go to Chicago. It's a death sentence.”

I looked up at Jason, who was still holding me by the scruff of my shirt. With his facial expression you would've thought he was a statue, impassive and cold. The wind whipped in his blonde hair, only adding to making him seem like an ancient hero chiseled in marble. When he finally spoke, his voice was certain.

“This is the only clue I have to who I am, Coach. I am not going to waste it.” There was a fierce look in his eyes. “If you really want to help us, tell us what's got you so scared that you almost fell off this dragon.”

Coach narrowed his eyes.

“I'd rather you just dropped me,” he said. "There's no way in Tartarus I'm helping you get my charges killed. Fly to Chicago all you want, I'll make sure you won't find anything magical there whatsoever.”

We all glared at him, the whole trio. I almost forgot what a hardass he used to be in the Wilderness School.

I exchanged a look with Leo and Jason. We nodded our heads.

“Wait? What are you kids thinking?”

Jason laughed.

“Festus, fetch!”

Without a warning he threw the Coach into the stratosphere, who screamed his head off as he flew upwards. Leo pulled the reins back and Festus sped after him, like a javelin, before catching him in his claws. We all leaned down to see him dangling from Festus' grip, punching the air and yelling at us.

“You let me out of here this instant! Just wait 'till we land! I'll kill you all!”

“Bold words for someone who's upside down.” I said as my braid dangled bellow my head.

We left him to curse to his heart's content and headed for our destination.

The flight was pretty quiet all things considered. No monster attacks, no robot eagles shooting lasers at us, just the sprawling expanses of forests, farms and small towns, interrupted from time to time by an interstate. Now all of that made way for water as far as the eyes could see. If I didn't know any better, I'd think we were flying over the sea.

“Hello, everyone, this is your handsome captain speaking!” Leo announced. “We are currently crossing the picturesque Lake Michigan. If you look to your left, you will see water, if you look to your right, you'll see more water! Our next stop—Chicago. Any coaches flying coach are asked to keep their hooves close to their body at all times.

I could hear Coach Hedge groaning from down bellow, but he was behaving himself pretty well. I probably would too if I was dangling ten thousand feet in the air above a giant lake.

Even Jason got nervous. I noticed his grip got tighter, and when he next spoke, his voice was shaky.

“Please fly safely.”

“Don't tell me you're scared of heights,” Leo chuckled, looking at us over his shoulder. I looked at him disapprovingly.

“Don't make fun of him. It's my fault. I tried doing loopty loops over Eerie.”

Jason's grip loosened a little.

“N—no, it's not that. I just... It's kinda...”

“You can see the shore on the horizon!” Leo pointed ahead of us.

Jason and I craned our necks. Sure enough, I could see a thin line of white slowly growing closer, and tiny buildings growing out of it.

“Is that Chicago?”

Leo nodded his head.

“It's like Festus has a whole map of America in his head. He probably does! I'll have to look at his navigation system later.”

“Hear that, Jay? We're getting close.”

“G—great,” he said, still rather shaky. He stayed quiet the whole time we flew over Michigan.

That is until we reached the city.

“Woah...”

I bet he probably has never seen a city this big in his only two months of remembering. At least not from the bird's eye view. The glass skyscrapers reflected azure in the sun, and behind them neighborhoods and roads stretched far and wide.

The water from the lake fed into the channels weaving between the buildings, with tour ships traveling through them. We could see office workers going about their day, doing double takes when we passed by them.

Festus flew over towards some old brick apartment buildings and plopped us on the ground, first taking time to let go of Coach Hedge, so that he wouldn't turn him into a pancake when he landed.

“Ow!” Coach hissed.

We got off the dragon, Jason helping me, before helping Leo.

“Well wouldja look at that!” Coach laughed, dusting himself off. “Here we are in Chicago, and yet no sign of any king!”

“You know, if you're not going to be of any help, the least you could do is be quiet!” I snapped at him. It came out harsher than I wanted it to sound. I don't know if it was charmspeak or what, but he did actually look lost for words for a second or two.

“What now?” Jason looked unsure. “I mean, you saw how big this city is.”

“We'll figure something out.” Leo scratched his head looking around. He was probably coming to the same realization I was. We had no idea where to go.

“Coach isn't gonna help us,” I said, starting to feel anxious. “How will we find this king?”

Jason tapped his lips.

“I suppose we could just walk around, waiting for some monster to find us?”

“Have you guys forgotten we have eyes in the sky?” Leo said, patting Festus' side. They looked at each other, and nodded their heads. “Scour the city, Festus. Look for magic stuff.”

He reached into his tool belt and pulled out walkie talkies and a roll of duct tape, to attach one to Festus' head.

“If we're in trouble, we'll send a signal.”

Festus whirred and nodded his head, boosting into the air with one flap of his powerful wings, and disappearing into the clouds.

“That might've been a bad idea. You just sent away our transport.”

“We'll cover more ground if we split up,” he said. “I go one way, Jason another, and you some other way.”

“That's a terrible idea,” Coach said. “If you split up, the monsters will pick you off one by one. And this place is crawling with them.”

“Because of the king?” I side-eyed him, and he went quiet.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” he shook his head.

“Splitting up it is,” I said.

“At least let me come with you,” Coach pleaded. “I need to make sure you don't get yourselves killed.”

“Alright.” I said calmly. “Jason, take Coach with you. Keep an eye on him.”

“Wait! That's not what I meant!”

“You're sure about this, Piper?” Jason's eyebrows creased. “I'm not sure if I like this plan.”

I felt a little hurt. I mean, sure, last time I got separated from the group I was attacked by two gorgons and barely survived, but I managed on my own.

Still it was sweet that he cared. He didn't yell at me for being reckless, like Coach did, or my dad would.

“I'll go with her,” Leo offered. “We have a lot to catch up on anyway.”

Jason didn't seem convinced.

“Oh, common. I know I may not be able to fight off storm spirits with my bare hands, but I saved Coach from monsters multiple times.”

“That's not how I remember it,” Coach put his hands on his hips.

“We'll be okay, Jason.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “We have a better chance of finding our king that way.”

He wouldn't move, unsure of what to do next, but it didn't last long. He sighed, and nodded his head.

“I trust you. Both of you. I know you can take care of yourselves.”

Leo handed him a walkie talkie.

"What about monsters?" I asked.

“These are military grade tech," Leo explained. "Harder to tap into. Anything happens, we'll call you. Channel 16.”

Jason put it in the back pocket of his jeans.

“Hold you to it.”

We parted our ways, Coach complaining, but still diligently following after Jason.

“If something happens to those kids, it will be your fault...” was the last thing I heard before they got too far away.

The longer the search went, the more I realized this might've not been the best idea. Chicago wasn't Detroit. It was huge. It suddenly hit me how out of our depth we were, thinking we could find anything here without even knowing what we were looking for.

The best we could do was gather all the spare change we had between me and Leo, and ride around in circles on the public transportation, looking out for anything out of ordinary. The only thing I noticed was a pigeon flying away with a slice of pizza in it's beak.

To make matters worse, we run out of money.

“Can't your tool belt just print some money for us?”

“This thing?” He shook the suspenders. “Forget it, whoever manufactures these knows if they can just make money out of thin air, that would completely destroy the economy. Capitalism can't exist without artificial scarcity.”

I pulled out the sack of coins from my backpack.

“You don't think Chicago buses take drachmas, do you?”

He shook his head. I sat defeated on a windowsill of a shop, feeling down. How will we ever find out about Jason's past, if we can't even find a Greek king in Chicago? You'd think he'd stick out like a sore thumb.

Leo had to resolve to asking random passersby for directions, which went pretty much as you would've expected.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a famous king—Geez, watch where you're going!"

"Miss? Sorry, I'm looking for a king, he's probably Greek and ancient... Hey, I'm talking to you!"

"Hey, I'll give you five bucks if you point me to a king... No, not the Burger King, jackass!"

After a few minutes of that, he finally got tired, and sat next to me.

"This is impossible. It's like finding a good Whataburger outside of Texas," Leo sighed.

"Which by the way Burger King could never compare to."

"Nobody likes Burger King," I shrugged.

Leo tapped his fingers on the window sill anxiously, like he was waiting at the dentist. I didn't realize helping Jason would get him so wound up. He didn't seem invested before.

"What's gotten into you?"

He tapped away, like he didn't hear me.

"Leo?"

"Do you ever feel like someone's messing with you? Sending you on a wild goose chase?" he furrowed his brow, pulling his goggles off his head, clenching them between his fingers. "Why couldn't the Oracle of Delphi just tell us what to do directly? Why say 'go west'? Why not say 'go here and here and here'? Why couldn't Fama just tell us who this whole king is? Why make our jobs harder for no reason?"

I pondered the question, scratching my shoulder.

"I don't know. Maybe it's a test? They're making us work for it."

Leo stared at the cracks in the pavement angrily, like they personally wronged him.

"Yeah, right. Test. The truth is that gods just want to see us make idiots out of ourselves. It's much more fun for them if we don't know what we're doing."

"You sound bitter."

That seemed to break him out of his glum mood. He closed his eyes and let out all the steam through his nose.

"It's just so... It's so frustrating living like this.” He looked at his hands, curling his fingers like claws. “Foster parents, probation workers, teachers, gods. It's all the same. Adults. Nobody has any idea what they're doing and they don't have time to worry about your problems. It's like we have to survive in a world that doesn't belong to us."

I looked at him empathetically.

“'People like us get walked over. It's just the way things are',” I whispered.

He looked at me in utter disbelief, like I just replaced an engine in a Dodge Charger without any help.

“You remembered that?”

I looked at him.

“Of course I remembered,” I said quietly. “It's true, isn't it?

He looked away from me, trying to hide the sheepish smile on his face.

“I didn't realize you paid that much attention to what I had to say...”

I let out a sigh, wrapping my arms around myself.

“I also noticed you stopped calling me 'dude',” I said, my voice sounding a little more hurt than I would like. “It's either 'bella' or 'princessa' now.

“I... I didn't realize that,” he said slowly.

“I did.”

“Pipes, it's not like...” He huffed, frustrated with his own inability to form words. “I just say stupid things like that, I have no filter!”

“Is it because of this?” I gestured at my new face. “It doesn't want to come off, just so you know.”

“You mom's Aphrodite right? No offense, but you're not exactly great at hiding it.”

I looked at him, holding onto the windowsill so hard my knuckles were white.

“Yeah. And your dad is Hephaestus.”

“Yeah.”

“What is he like?”

Leo shrugged.

“Listen, I knew about this stuff for a while now, but that doesn't mean I've ever actually met him, you know. He kinda keeps his distance. I don't think he likes me.”

“How about my mom?”

It was a stupid question. Why would he? I don't even know what compelled me to say that. It's just that my mom might as well be imaginary. Not just because she was a goddess, but because all she really was to me was a name.

She wasn't a person. She was barely even a thought to me.

Maybe I just wanted something more than that. Something tangible.

“I... No, Piper,” Leo said solemnly.

“Oh.” I tried not to sound disappointed. I didn't want it to sound like I cared. Because I didn't.

“Maybe Coach did?”

I could barely hear him, because he was probably scared to even say it out loud.

“No way am I talking to Coach about that. He's from Camp Half-Blood. He'll see me like them.”

“Who?”

“The Aphrodite cabin.”

“A whole cabin of Aphrodite girls?” Leo arched his eyebrows, already daydreaming.

“Don't be gross. And there's guys in there too.”

“Think they have pillow fights?” He turned to me with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows. It was such a goofy face that I couldn't help laughing, even though I didn't want to.

“You're so annoying!” I smiled, pushing his face away.

“You love when I'm annoying!” He grinned right in my face, showing off the chipped tooth he got in a fight back in school.

I giggled, feeling a lot better. I missed him, a lot. Nobody could replace Leo. His bafoonery was impossible to replicate.

“Let's go.” I stood up from the windowsill, stretching.

Leo arched his brows.

“Where?”

“Don't know. Ahead." I shrugged. "Let's see if anyone here will take drachmas.”

It wasn't worth giving up just yet, I just needed Leo lifting my spirits up to remind me of that. Not to mention, all that talk about Whataburgers and Burger Kings got me hungry, though I doubted I would be able to pick up meat for a long time. I did hear on the bus there was this awesome restaurant that served a milkshake with a whole slice of chocolate cake mixed into it, and it sounded like heaven right about now. A sugary treat would for sure give me the energy to keep searching.

Leo was lagging behind, still determined to find someone who would point him in the right direction, maybe just out of spite and stubbornness.

I figured there would be no harm in going ahead, when something stopped me in my tracks. I was by the window display of an electronics store, and the TVs were showing the news.

The news showing my face on it.

I pressed my face against the glass, feeling my heart coming up to my throat.

TRISTAN MCLEAN'S DAUGHTER KIDNAPPED. NEW INFORMATION FOUND.

That's what the bars on the bottom of the screen said. The stupid pictures of Holly Hollywood were on every screen, right next to the news anchor. They talked about how I disappeared on a school trip during a freak storm, and everyone declared me missing. My dad tracked my phone to somewhere in New York, weirdly enough, but the trail went cold there. Everyone thought that was the end of it, until new footage surfaced.

The TVs played blurry security camera footage from the mall in Detroit, drawing a red circle around me. They played a video of me running away from the gorgons, except it looked like someone edited it, because there were no scaly monsters in it, just mall security.

Either I was going crazy, or that was the Mist.

What they showed next was even more terrifying. It was me in the mall, surrounded by Leo, Jason and Coach, with red circles around them.

The bars at the bottom of the screen read.

POTENTIAL KIDNAPPERS IDENTIFIED?

I walked away from the store window, feeling like my legs were made of lead.

They thought I was abducted. They thought my friends abducted me. The anchor droned on, but I could barely hear it. Leo was coming closer. I couldn't let him see it.

“Piper McLean, daughter of the famous actor—”

“Oh no, I think I hear a monster coming. We should go that way!”

I pulled him in the opposite direction.

“Aw, but I wanted to check out what they had.” Leo looked like a sad puppy.

“No time!" I yelled, grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt. "You heard Coach Hedge, this city is dangerous!”

“But Radioshack!” Leo whined, gesturing in the direction of the store reverently.

“There's no time! I think it's big too! And hungry!”

Leo sighed sadly, letting me drag him away, and I silently breathed the sigh of relief that he did.

You can't hide it forever. Look what you've gotten them into.

This is all your fault.

“This place is clearly a dead end. We need to call Festus, and reunite with the guys, and then look for the king some other way.”

“You guys are looking for a king?”

If he didn't speak up, we might've just crashed into him. 

Someone was standing in our path. A guy around our age, judging by the voice.

He was short, shorter than me, or even Leo. He looked a bit out of this era, and I don't mean that he was dressed like Victorian gentleman, more just... early oughts. He had those huge bellbottom jeans that covered up his feet, Jincos, I think they were called. The beanie on top of his head looked way too warm for the weather, as was the thick graphic hoodie he had on. There was a big bag slung over his shoulder.

“You mean Midas, right?” he said. “You're looking for his club?”

“Midas?” I whispered to Leo. His eyes lit up with recognition.

“King Midas?” he asked the guy. ”The Golden King?”

Our new friend looked rather nervous. I wondered briefly if maybe he was a demigod like us. He looked this way and that, before hopping closer to us.

“You want to audition too?” He whispered, like someone might overhear.

I exchanged a look with Leo. One thing I always liked about our friendship was how we could understand each other without words.

I arched my brow. An audition? What is this guy talking about?

Leo motioned with his eyes at the Jinco guy. Just play along. Maybe we can get something out of it.

“Oh, wow, you're auditioning too? That's so cool!” I exclaimed.

He nodded his head, still rather jittery. He fixed the strap of his bag.

“I have a special routine planned. It's gonna knock them off their foot!” He looked us over. “You guys are demigods, right? That gives you an edge, not a lot of your kind dare to audition for the king.”

“You're not a demigod?” I asked.

He laughed.

“Man, I wish, you guys have it easy! You get all those cool powers, not like my tribe. We gotta look out for each other.”

“Alright.” I said slowly, not really understanding. “We wanted to audition for Midas, using those cool powers, but for the life of us we can't find him.”

“Well you won't find him here! This is the poor side of town, Midas' club is in the Loop.”

“The Loop?” I looked at Leo.

“It's the business district,” Leo said. “Seems like the perfect place for Midas.”

I was pretty sure I remembered that story, at least a little. Midas got the power to turn things into gold, but he quickly realized that power kinda sucked, since he couldn't touch anything at all. It really dawned on him what a horrible gift it really was when his daughter jumped into his arms and was transformed into a statue.

But that was a fairytale from like thousands of years ago. How could he still be around? And I thought he gave up those powers at the end, to save his daughter.

“Do you have the address?” Leo asked, clearly not lost in thought like I was.

Our new friend nodded his head, and pulled out a piece of paper, scribbling the address on it, until the bus arrived.

“My ride is here, I gotta bounce.” He handed Leo the paper, and hopped to the bus, like his legs were stuck together. “See yah at the audition!”

“Yeah, see yah too!” Leo yelled, and I waved.

When the bus departed, we looked at each other, with big grins on our faces.

“Festus, we need a ride,” I said to the walkie talkie. “We've got a lead.”

It only took him a minute to show up right where we were. I love a dragon you could rely on. Now all we had to do was find Jason and the Coach.

As it turns out, we didn't have a lot of time.

“Guys?! Are you there?!” Jason's voice came crackling out of the walkie talkie.

“Jace, we were just thinking about you! We found a lead, we think we know—“

“We need your help! Cyclopes—“

A cold shiver went up my spine. Leo turned to look at me, terrified.

“Jason?!”

“Coach, watch out! Guys, hurry!”

“Where are you?!” Leo yelled.

“There's this... big metal bean— AH!”

“We've got to help him!” I cried.

“Festus? Metal bean?” Leo asked hopefully.

Festus cocked his head, the gears in his head spinning (I could hear it), and roared. He spread his wings and sped up, flapping frantically.

Guess he didn't hate Jason completely.

The wind was whistling in our ears, skyscrapers fleeting past us, so fast we almost crashed several times, until we reached some square, or a park.

There were sections of greenery arranged in strange patterns, rows of trees neatly placed next to each other. If it was meant to be a park, it was a rather ugly one. It looked fake in a way only a city planner could design. A forest made for people who hate the forest.

The modern art installations littered around the park didn't help to deter those thoughts, but they did help me in one regard.

“There's the bean!” I pointed at the giant metal blob, like a droplet of mercury. Bright light reflected off of it. Jason's light.

I saw his tiny figure, fighting off two giant men, each of them with only one eye. They were dressed as old timey gangsters, one of them with a white vest and pants over a red shirt, the other in a blue pinstriped suit with a huge, matching fedora.

"Cyclopes!" Leo yelled.

Jason noticed us, and waved his hands, but that was a big mistake. White vest used that distraction to swat Jason like a fly and send him flying across the field right into the metal bean, the force of the impact denting it. I couldn't breathe watching his limp body hit the ground. From this far away I couldn't tell if he was dead or alive.

Pinstripe reached out his massive hand to grab him, when Coach Hedge popped out out of nowhere and smashed his fingernail from bellow with his silver bat, chipping it and sending dark red blood spraying everywhere.

"Oughaaaa!!!" The Cyclops cried.

I couldn't wait any longer. If anything happened to them, I don't know what I would do. The monsters haven't noticed us yet, but I had to do something.

"Festus, fire!" I yelled.

"NO—" Leo screamed, but was cut off.

A pillar of flames erupted out of Festus' mouth, raining down on the cyclopes. I was expecting them to run away, crying in pain, but they just laughed, padding themselves, like they were simply dusting their fancy clothes off.

"What the—"

"Stop! It won't work! Please!" Leo wailed, covering his whole face with his arms, like the light was blinding him. He was shaking.

"Ey, Guido, look! There's a pesky fly buzzin' around here!" white vest chuckled.

"Allow me." Pinstripe, or Guido swiped him arm in the air, and I felt like I just got hit by a car.

Everything went spinning, and I lost all the air in my lungs when my body hit the pavement. I have no idea how I survived. Festus rolled in the air above me, nearly smashing me into jelly, but at the last minute he flapped his wings, changing his trajectory enough to not hit me.

The noise I heard when he crashed into the ground was awful. Snapping cables, and hiss of electricity, and the sound of bending metal. I didn't want to look.

“A satyr! My favorite.”

Coach screamed obscenities at the Cyclops as he was launched into the air. Right before my eyes white vest opened his maw and swallowed him whole.

The only reason I didn't scream was because I was too paralyzed to do it. I felt a strong hand clamp around the back of my shirt again, and someone pulled me away. I was too broken to fight it. I heard screaming of the Cyclopes, as Festus flew around them, still somehow working, even though all the cables inside his body were spilling out of his stomach. He couldn't burn them, but he blinded them with the oil spilling out of his mouth.

Someone pulled me into the neatly arranged trees, the shrubbery forming a wall around us, right as the Cyclopes swatted Festus away again. This time he didn't get up.

I felt a gentle hand lift my face, and I was met with Jason's big blue eyes looking at me concerned. He smiled sadly, like he was saying, You're okay.

I smiled back, biting down on my lips to fight the tears. You too.

“Vinnie, you mook! Stop stuffin' your gab with things off the street! You don't know where that satyr's been.”

“I know where he is now! In my belly!”

“Ah, you numbskull. Where did those godlings go?! Can yah smell them?”

Vinnie, the white vest Cyclops sniffed the air, and I held my breath.

"All I can smell is oil from that damn dragon!"

I heard the sound of metal hitting the pavement, and I realized that he just kicked Festus. I had to tighten my fists around the blades of grass to stop my blood from boiling over.

"Forget those little twerps. The boss' show is about to begin, and you know how Mr. Midas hates waitin'. Let's go."

“I'm comin', I'm comin'”

I could tell they walked off, because the ground shook with every step, until they were far away.

I jumped out of the bushes like I've just been struck by lightning.

Festus' body was laying on the ground, falling to pieces. One of his lenses were cracked, and his ruby eye was popping out of it's socket.

The wail that escaped Leo's mouth was the most painful sound I could imagine. He pulled at the cables, connecting as much as he could.

"What happened?" My voice sounded far away, like it belonged to someone else.

Jason did his best to remain strong. His face was struggling to remain unreadable.

"We were searching for the king. Coach kept telling me we should go back, and leave the city." He clenched his fists, and his poker face turned into a scowl. "I should've listened to him, but I insisted I had to find him. Then we stumbled into the cyclopes. Coach tried following them, because he overheard them talking about Midas."

His jaw twitched.

"He risked his life for me."

While we were talking, Leo was too busy cursing under his breath, frantically putting Festus back together.

"Bastards." His whole body was shaking. "Fucking bastards."

His arms were covered in motor oil up to the elbows, but he couldn't care less.

"Can you... fix him?" Jason asked, and the pain in his voice broke my heart.

"He'll be fine.. He'll be fine..." Leo repeated, and I wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or us. "Damn the useless gods, all the repairs for fucking nothing! Fuck! Fuck!"

He pulled his curly hair back, smearing oil into it. He looked like he was going to fall apart, faster than Festus. I went up to him and stroked his shoulder gently.

"Calm down." I said, my voice even and sure. "It'll be okay. You can do this."

I closed my eyes, channeling all the warmth I could muster into that touch.

"If anyone can fix him, it's you."

I only opened them again when I felt all the stress melting away from him. I didn't know what I was doing, I just wanted my friend to be okay. He let out all his steam in one long exhale again, and nodded his head.

"I can fix him. I can do it." He said, reaching for his belt. "Tool belt! I need a welding torch, a plumber's wrench, 12 feet of copper wire, and duct tape! Lots and lots of duct tape!"

Leo turned into a speed demon, working so fast I could barely comprehend what he was doing. Bolts and gears were flying through the air as he crawled all over Festus, fixing, mending and welding things together. It would've been an amazing thing to watch, but my mind was elsewhere.

“Is he... Is the coach...”

I didn't want to say it. I couldn't even think it.

“Cyclopses have a very long gastrointestinal tract,” Jason said, trying to sound hopeful. “Coach may still be alive.”

“How do you know that?” Leo stopped his work for just a second, looking both curious and disgusted.

“Experience.” Jason shuddered. “But we don't know where those cyclopes went. If we don't find them, we'll lose him forever.”

I exchanged a look with Leo.

"They said they were working for Midas, right?" Leo practically growled. He was out for blood, and so was I. He waved a piece of paper in the air. "We have his address."

“Well,” I said slowly, feeling the fire growing inside me, “looks like we've got a meeting with the Golden King, whether he likes it or not.”

Chapter Text

LEO

Fixing Festus required blood, sweat and tears. Literally in some cases. There were moments where I didn't know if I could even do it, but fortunately, I wasn't alone. Whenever I thought I might have a nervous breakdown, Piper's voice would bring me back, and even Jason would offer some words of encouragement. For once his presence didn't annoy me.

I know, I was surprised too.

We repaired our bronze dragon together, working as a team, as fast as we could, because we knew we were racing against time. Every minute that passed could spell doom for Coach. I didn't even want to imagine what was happening to him right now.

It was all my fault. I brought them here. Like the good traitor I was, I lead my friends straight into a trap, without even knowing who Mother's lackey was.

All I need you to do is get your friends to Chicago. That's all you have to do, Leo.

She wouldn't tell me anything else. Like she didn't trust me after the fiasco with the gorgons. Maybe she was right not to. If I knew she'd be throwing us into an organized crime ring and getting Coach devoured by a Cyclops, I would've never agreed.

And she said she wasn't going to hurt anyone. Yeah, right.

“Alright, that's about the best I can do with what I have,” I sighed, closing Festus' stomach shut.

Unfortunately, my best still wasn't very good. His right hind leg was still limping, his broken jaw was hastily bandaged in place with duct tape, and there were still cables and wires poking out from between his armor plates.

“Think you can walk, buddy?” Piper asked softly.

Festus let out a sorry sounding roar, and slowly got back on his feet. His stance was lower to the ground, and his legs were wobbly, but he did manage to get back up. The first few footsteps were cautious, then gained a little more confidence, testing how fast he could allow himself to go, speeding up a little, then a lot. Before I knew it, he was doing laps around the Bean. A couple of cogs and metal bits fell clattering to the ground, but I was way too tired and happy to care.

I saw him running at me, and covered my face with my arms, worried he might trample me over, but nothing like that happened. Instead, I felt warm metal pressing against my chest.

Festus let out a gentle hum, rubbing his head up and down against me.

“What's going on? Is he trying to iron my shirt?”

Piper laughed, beaming at us. “I think he's trying to say 'Thank you' in dragon.”

“Right,” I said, feeling myself blushing. “Okay, Festus, enough of that.” I pushed his head away, embarrassed. “How are we getting to the Loop? He needs to rest.”

“The Loop?” Jason perked up. “That's where we came from. You mean to tell me the King is there?”

“His name is Midas,” Piper said. “You know, the guy who can turn things into gold?”

“That would explain why he can afford Cyclops goons,” Jason nodded

“He's holding a talent show in his club, somewhere in the Loop,” I told him.

“That's perfect! It's not that far. We can make it on foot, while Festus rests.” Jason was already in planning mode.

“Creak!” Festus protested, spreading his wings, like he wanted to convince us he was in tip top shape.

I had to be firm.

“Festus, you can't go with us. You're still badly wounded, and that place has more monsters than a colony of myrmekes. Don't be stupid.”

“Creeeak...” he whined sadly.

“I know, baby, but you need to rest.” Piper patted him on the snout. “We'll call you if anything happens, okay?” she said, duct-taping a new walkie talkie to his head.

“Creak...” he hanged his head resigned.

“Stay," I told him. "Hide somewhere you can rest. Maybe go into energy-saving mode.”

He didn't budge, he just stood there, anxiously shifting the weight from one paw to another.

“We'll be fine,” I assured him.

He growled annoyed, and turned his head away, running in the direction of the trees.

“That takes care of that. Let's go.”

Our amnesiac superhero lead the way, and we followed. Nobody said anything. Even I didn't feel like joking.

Until Jason turned his head to me, with an amused grin on his face.

“You know, if this continues like this, he'll soon be more duct tape than bronze.”

I genuinely laughed.

“He'd be more durable that way."

Luckily getting to the Loop from the Bean was only a short walk. I was worried we'd waste time getting to the club until it was too late. The only problem was Chicago was living up to it's name.

“We might need to look into some other modes of transport!” I yelled at Jason. The wind was getting louder and faster since we got here, throwing newspapers and dead leaves in our way. “Until I get Festus fixed, at least.”

“We may have a bigger problem than that,” Jason said. “Look up at the sky.”

I nearly lost my breakfast. There were huge dark clouds coming from the east, surrounding the whole city like a pair of massive arms wanting to rip it from the ground.

“I don't like the look of that storm,” I said, my voice suddenly very quiet.

“T—the venti. They found us.” Piper's voice was shaky. She clamped her nervous hands around the zipper of her hoodie. Our near-death experience at the Grand Canyon Skywalk must've really shaken her.

“Even more reason to work fast,” I said, speeding up my walk.

“R—right, we should be getting close," Piper nodded, though her hand was still on her hoodie. "Look out for a club.”

“What... do they normally look like?” Jason asked.

We looked at him, speechless.

“What?” He raised his hands. “I've never been to a club. At least not that I know of.” His facial expression soured. “Maybe in my past life I used to go to clubs all the time. Who knows?”

Jason sounded bitter. I probably would be too if someone stole my memories. I still couldn't figure out if Mother had anything to do with it or not. If I asked her, she'd probably lie anyway.

Still, the idea of Jason as a party animal made me want to burst out laughing. The only kind of club I could imagine him in was the kind where suburban moms talked about romance novels.

He sucked in his lips, and he looked so genuinely lost and scared, that I wasn't feeling like laughing anymore. I guess seeing the guy almost bite the dust put some things into perspective. Piper was just as concerned as I was, if not more.

“But hey, if you think about it, that's kinda cool, right?” I said, trying to put on a smile. I was good at that. I was good at making people laugh. “Like you get to experience all this stuff for the first time again.”

He looked at me, thinking about it, considering it, and then his expression brightened up.

“Yeah, Leo's right,” Piper concurred. “And if you used to go clubbing a lot, maybe it will jog your memory!”

“No, you're right, I definitely want to see what it looks like inside.” His eyes lit up with excitement. “Think we'll bump into the bouncer?”

We turned the corner, and suddenly I didn't feel so gung-ho anymore.

“Unfortunately, yes,” I said under my breath, staring at the giant Cyclops standing by the giant black doors encrusted with gold. He had a black T-shirt large enough to fit his nine foot frame, and sunglasses with only one lens for his eye.

I could hear the music from the other side. The place looked expensive. I guess that made sense but that didn't intimidate me. I've broken into bigger and better places.

On the outside, it looked like a regular, art déco apartment building, except for the opulent, brilliant neon sign, like at an old-timey theater, with three big, elaborate windows above it. THE GOLDEN EXPERIENCE.

“That's sign's so big, even I could read it.” Piper muttered under her nose.

“Can I help you?” The Cyclops noticed us. He said it in the tone that indicated what he really meant was 'What the fuck do you want?'

Shit, I didn't even get any time to figure out a way to break in. I had to think of something...

“Uh, hi. We were thinking maybe you could let us in?”

Genius, Leo.

“Name?”

“Uhh... Leo Valdez?”

“ID?”

“Uh...” I pretended to check my pockets. “I think I left my wallet at home.”

“I mean, common, look at us. We're obviously 20,” Piper said, and coming out of her baby face it sounded even more ridiculous than it already would.

“Your name?”

“Piper... Mc... McDonald!” she said. “My dad owns a chain of restaurants.”

“You're not on the list, Miss McDonald.”

“Oh.”

“What's his name?”

“Jason,” Jason said.

“Your full name.”

“I don't... have one.”

He looked at us like we were a troupe of clowns. Like, utterly done with our shit.

“So let me get this straight. You three come here, you don't have IDs, you're most definitely not old enough to come here, and, would you look at that, you're also not on the list. Which basically means that there's no way in Tartarus you're getting inside.” He crossed his arms, looking down at us with a sneer. “Unless you are offering yourselves as the catering.”

I could practically feel the muscles in Jason's body tensing next to me. This was bad, if we didn't think of something quick, not only would we not save Coach, but we might end up as monster chow ourselves.

I was pretty sure Jason could take on one Cyclops, but what would we do once we got inside? That place was probably crawling with monsters, and I would bet cyclopes weren't even the worst of it.

The bouncer reached out his hand in my direction, and I was so sure he was about to grab me, I panicked and started talking. "Have— have I mentioned I taste very gamey?! A—and I'm also I filled with s—saturated fats and—"

“Excuse me!? Don't you know who I am!?” Piper stepped between me and the bouncer, her face twisted in disgust. Her voice was the brattiest noise I've ever heard.

“Uhhh... Should I?” Cyclops asked, arching his brow.

“Piper McLean?!”

“Eh?”

“Daughter of Tristan McLean?!”

“Ehhh?”

She groaned. We just stared at her—the Cyclops, Jason and me.

”Holly Hollywood,” she said under her breath.

The Cyclops scowled at Piper. Then he blinked a few times, and it's like something hit him. His glasses fell down the bridge of his nose and his eye widened so much I thought it might pop.

“The Holly Hollywood?!”

“The Holly Hollywood!”

“Oh. My. Tartarus. It's such an honor!” He covered his mouth with his hands, like an excited little kid. “My daughter is a huge fan! Could you sign something for her?”

“Sure,” she said, checking her nails. I guess to see if they were still shiny from her mother's blessing. “Provided you let me and my friends in.”

“Oh...” He bit his lips. “I'm so sorry, miss Hollywood, but... you're not on the list.”

“Then your list must be wrong. Because I'm on every list.” She snapped her fingers demandingly. We gawked at her, with our mouths on the floor, but she didn't pay any attention to us. This was a completely different woman, it couldn't be our Piper. There was none of her usual shyness, or any kindness in her voice. She sounded like the kind of girl that would put a Kick Me sign on my back.

I felt my cheeks burning.

“Well... I...”

“Oh, Midas will love to hear about this! What was your name again, big guy?”

“You... you know the king?”

“Of course I do, you dolt! Who do you think invited me?” Piper glared at the bouncer like he was stupid.

That completely broke him.

“Oh, dear. Silly me.” He slapped his forehead, looking over at his giant clipboard. “There you are! I can't believe I missed it. Right this way, Miss Hollywood.”

He ushered us in as the giant doors opened.

“And uhhh... We don't need to mention this little incident to the king, do we? It was an honest mistake, ma'am.”

Piper smirked at him.

“Who knows? You two are coming or what?”

I didn't even realize she was talking to us at first. I was still reeling from what just happened. I shook my head, trying to get my bearings back and rushed to her side. The music was thumping louder, and we looked at each other, feeling nervous.

The doors slammed the moment we stepped through them, and with every step the droning music became louder. I felt it's vibrations through my whole body, in a very unpleasant way.

“You think we can actually do this?” I whispered, walking through the entry hall, surrounded by red curtains.

Jason smiled sadly. “Guess we're gonna find out.”

“That was awesome by the way,” I said to Piper, my eyes still looking ahead, focused on moving forward. “Like, wow.”

Piper didn't answer. She went ahead of us, so that the only thing I could see was back of her head, but I could tell she was tense.

“It's nothing. Don't mention it.”

“Are you okay, Piper?” Jason frowned. “I figured you'd be happy that your charmspeak worked.”

“Hold on, charmspeak?!” My eyes darted between the two of them. “You can do that?!”

I had no idea demigods could even use charmspeak, I thought that was a monster ability. But it would explain a few things, like how it was suddenly hard for me to not linger on every word coming out of her mouth.

“Yeah, of course she can,” Jason said. “She's a daughter of Aphrodite.”

“Tell it to the whole world, will you, Jason?!” Piper spat. Her fists were clenched. It was the first time I saw her angry at him. But I was too preoccupied to worry about that now.

“Hold on, he knew the entire time?!”

“Oh my gods, can you two be quiet?” She finally turned around, with fire in her eyes. “The whole club is gonna hear you. We're sneaking in, remember?”

She turned around on her heel and kept going forward.

“Geez, what's gotten into her?” I whispered to Jason.

He fumbled with the strings of his jacket nervously, refusing to answer my question.

“Jason?”

“She doesn't like that name,” he finally said. “You know, Holly Hollywood.”

I searched his face.

“Why though?”

Jason shrugged, his eyes trailing the back of her head. “Beats me.”

I tried remembering if I've ever heard that name before. It did sound somewhat familiar. I definitely never heard it in relation to Piper. Then I remembered how she said her dad was Tristan McLean. I thought I knew that name, but how?

“Guys?”

Piper stood at the end of the corridor, on a podium overlooking a huge dance hall basked in red and orange light. There were hundreds of bodies in the crowd, most of them weren't very human. The singer herself, dancing on a big stage in the back, was covered in feathers, and her voice combined with the thumping of the music was almost hypnotic.

I found myself bobbing my head to the rhythm.

“That's... a lot of monsters.” Jason frowned.

“What do we do?” Piper looked at me.

Alright, no big deal. I could figure something out. If only I could get that damn song out of my head!

The crowd was beginning to take notice of us, and they weren't looking exactly friendly. I acted on instinct; put on a big smile and stepped forward into the dance hall, grabbing a glowing pink drink off a feathered waitress.

“Yo, dude, I haven't seen you in years!” I pointed at some random, relatively normal looking guy. “And you girl, oh my gosh, you look great!” I smiled in the direction of a lady with a face on her torso. “Long time no see, everyone!”

I turned to my friends.

“Just act natural. Don't draw attention to yourselves.”

Piper and Jason exchanged nervous looks, then stepped down from the podium and waved at people with the most awkward smiles imaginable. It was uncomfortable to watch.

“Great guys. So inconspicuous.”

“I'm trying, okay?” Jason said, and immediately stepped on a dracaena's tail, who hissed at him. “Whoops.” He gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

“We're all going to die.” I sighed, taking a sip of my drink. For the purposes of not setting a bad example, let's agree it was pink lemonade.

I tried to get a better look around. There was an upper level above us, like a long balcony that wrapped around the whole room, with people drinking and talking, and overlooking the dancers bellow.

I recognized two of them.

“Guys. Look up.”

Piper clocked them immediately, but Jason had to look around a little.

“It's them!” He glared when her finally saw them. The two cyclopes that attacked him in the park. Except they shrunk down to only seven feet tall.

“Everyone dance in that direction,” Piper whispered.

We squeezed through the crowd, trying our best to pretend to dance. Well, me and Piper at least, Jason's dance moves looked outdated by a few decades.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I think it's called the jerk.” Jason whispered, blushing fiercely as he swung his arms up and down. He swung a little too hard and smacked a surly looking half-naked dude in the face.

“What was that supposed to be?!” The huge dude growled, exposing his pointed yellow teeth. He must've been confused what clubbing meant, because he brought an actual giant wooden club, complete with sharp metal spikes sticking out of it.

“The jerk?” I shrugged.

“I'll show you two how I deal with jerks!” he bellowed, and I pulled Jason away, before he could turn him into a bloody pulp.

“Hey, we're not done yet!” he yelled through the crowd, but we already disappeared in the sea of people.

“You really haven't been to a club before, have you?” I raised my eyebrows at Jason. To be fair, he already looked pretty ashamed.

We finally made our way up the stairs, and slowly snuck around toward the cyclopes, careful so that they couldn't see us. They were talking to someone. A guy who didn't look a lot older than Jason, dressed as an 80s aerobics instructor, complete with a hairband. He was holding a clipboard.

There were booths at the far side of the room, and we hid inside one of them, peeping in through the drapes at the conversation.

“What in Tartarus took you so long, you idiots?!” 80s boy yelled. “Father is waiting! The show's about to start!”

“Ay, don't blame me, Lit. We would've been earlier, if Vinnie didn't have to stop to pick up food,” Guido, the pinstripe suit Cyclops scoffed.

“Some demis with a fancy bronze dragon attacked us, Lit!” Vinnie, the one with the white vest, spat at the floor. “We had to teach the brats a lesson!”

“I don't care! Father's waiting for you in his office! Get over there immediately!”

“No!” Piper hissed in my ear.

It was too late. The two gangsters stomped off. We looked at each other inside the booth. There really was no other option.

We stepped out from behind the drapes and walked after the cyclopes, before a voice behind us stopped us in our tracks.

“Hey, where are you three going?” We turned around. It was the 80s boy, Lit, or whatever the cyclopes called him. “How come I haven't seen you three around before?”

He pointed his clipboard at us like it was a deadly weapon.

“What are your names?”

“Hi, we're uh... old friends of your dad's?” Piper shrugged. “He asked us to see him here.”

Lit laughed.

“As if. I'm calling the security!” He lifted up his pen and made a show of hovering his thumb above it, before Piper grabbed his hand.

“No, wait, don't! We have to see Mr. Midas, please! It's a matter of life and death!”

“Let go of me!” he spat, wrenching his hand out of her grip. “You don't just get to talk with Midas. Join the talent show, like everybody else!”

He was about to click his pen when Piper grabbed his hand again.

“Talent show! Yes! We came for that! Can we sign up please?”

“Piss off!” He ripped his hand away once again. “The sign up period is over! It's about to start. Should've came earlier.” He looked at us like we were stupid. Di immortales, I wanted to punch him in the face.

“We didn't even know there was a talent show!” Piper growled frustrated.

“I'm sorry, that's not my problem.” He was about to click the pen of doom again. I held my breath.

Then Jason took a step forward.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”