LOST AT SEA | jason grace

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞.

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞. 𝑆𝑎𝑙𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝐴𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑎

𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚈𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝚂 scrambling around, trying to find the two missing demigods. It was quite humorous: two 17 year-old demigods missing while they were still in the air. Coach Hedge shrugged it off, saying that the two heroes would be able to handle themselves.

It wasn't until Frank rushed into the mess hall, with Percy and Annabeth in tow, explaining how he found them in the stables asleep together when Coach Hedge lost his marbles.

"Never in my life!" Coach bellowed, waving his bat and knocking over a plate of apples. "Against the rules! Irresponsible!"

"It wasn't like that!" Annabeth said.

"How could you!" Coach Hedge said. "Percy Jackson! Annabeth Chase! This is unacceptable! You guys are seventeen!"

"It won't happen again, Coach. I promise. Now, don't we have other things to discuss?" Percy said.

Hedge fumed. "Fine! But I'm watching you. All of you- "

Jason cleared his throat. "So grab some food, everybody. Let's get started."

The meeting was like a war council with donuts. Then again, back at Camp Half-Blood they used to have their most serious discussions around the Ping-Pong table in the rec room with crackers and Cheez Whiz.

Percy told them about his dream- the twin giants planning a reception for them in an underground parking lot with rocket launchers; Nico di Angelo trapped in a bronze jar, slowly dying from asphyxiation with pomegranate seeds at his feet.

Hazel choked back a sob. "Nico... Oh, gods. The seeds."

"You know what they are?" Annabeth asked.

Hazel nodded. "He showed them to me once. They're from our stepmother's garden."

"Your step... oh," Percy said. "You mean Persephone."

"The seeds are a last-resort food," Hazel said.

Lorna could tell she was nervous, because all the silverware on the table was starting to move toward her. "Only children of Hades can eat them. Nico always kept some in case he got stuck somewhere. But if he's really imprisoned- "

"The giants are trying to lure us," Lorna said. "They're assuming we'll try to rescue him."

"Well, they're right!" Hazel looked around the table, her confidence apparently crumbling. "Won't we?"

"Yes!" Coach Hedge yelled with a mouthful of napkins. "It'll involve fighting, right?"

"Hazel, of course we'll help him," Frank said. "But how long do we have before... uh, I mean, how long can Nico hold out?"

"One seed a day," Hazel said miserably. "That's if he puts himself in a death trance."

"A death trance?" Annabeth scowled. "That doesn't sound fun."

"It keeps him from consuming all his air," Hazel said. "Like hibernation, or a coma. One seed can sustain him one day, barely."

"And he has five seeds left," Percy said. "That's five days, including today. The giants must have planned it that way, so we'd have to arrive by July first. Assuming Nico is hidden somewhere in Rome- "

"That's not much time," Lorna summed up. She put her hand on Hazel's shoulder. "We'll find him. At least we know what the lines of the prophecy mean now. 'Twins snuff out the angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death.' Your brother's last name: di Angelo. Angelo is Italian for 'angel.'"