Project Percy (Kotlc Meets Percy Jackson)

Chapter 28

Foxfire was almost unrecognizable. Silver streamers wrapped every tree, every shrub, every tower, like the school had been toilet-papered with tinsel. Confetti and flowers covered the floor, and giant bubbles floated through the halls. Prodigies ignored their parents as they dashed around popping as many as they could.

Sally and Poseidon were overwhelmed by the crowd, so they went straight to where they'd meet for their first mentor appointment. Kym gave him a fist-bump as she left for the mentor rooms and left Percy to celebrate on his own. He made his way to the Level Five wing, dropped of Travis's present - he and Katie weren't there - and then headed off to the Level Four wing. He added a blue package to Thalia's bag and then headed back to the Level Two wing. A long line of boys glared at him as he added a small, blue-gray wrapped package to her nearly full cap.

He kept his head down as he hurried around to Leo's locker, which was how he ended up plowing right into Kym.

"Sorry," Kym said as she tried to regain her balance.

"Kym?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I got lost on my way to the conference room. Why?"

"I didn't expect to run into you here. Especially not so literally," he joked. 

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Percy turned around, expecting to find Thalia or Jason. And he did. But neither of them were smiling, and they hadn't spoken.

A tall, slender man with dark hair and a beard in a diamond-encrusted yellow cape stood next to the siblings, studying Percy intently. The family resemblance was striking. Jason had the same eye color and Thalia the same hair.

"This must be the boy who was raised by humans," he said, much louder than Percy would have liked. "So interesting to find him talking to Foxfire's most infamous mentor."

"Infamous?" Percy asked. He glanced at Jason and Thalia. They were staring at the ground, like they'd wilted in their father's presence.

Their father grinned, an oily sort of smile. "Few mentors have resigned, then returned years later, out of the blue, to train a mystery prodigy." He winked, like he knew exactly who the prodigy was.

"Interesting theory, Zeus," Kym said before Zeus cut her off.

"Lord Zeus."

"Lord Zeus. But I think you forgot one little detail. I'm talking to my brother."

"Come on, Dad," Jason said. "I'm sure Percy has somewhere he needs to be."

Zeus glared at his son. "Yes, of course. And I need to meet with you two's mentors. See how disappointing your scores are this time."

Thalia rolled her eyes as her father turned to Percy with another fake smile. "Fascinating to meet you. I very much look forward to seeing what you can do."

Percy nodded and took off down the hall without saying goodbye. He felt bad about leading Kym and Jason and Thalia, but he needed to get away from Zeus. He ducked into an empty corridor without anyone there and screamed. It was very therapeutic. He felt sorry for Jason and Thalia, having to go home to a cold, critical father every day.

What he really didn't like was the way Zeus had looked at him, like he was trying to see through him. And the last thing he'd said. I look forward to seeing what you can do. Almost like he knew something Percy didn't. Totally gave him the creeps.

He returned to the atrium and found Leo, who was running around popping prize-filled bubbles with the other prodigies. Percy poked a bubble floating by his locker and a box of Prattles dropped into his hands.