The Moon and the Stars || Heroes of Olympus

Chapter 36

We stared at Piper in shocked silence while she explained.

Finally Hazel exhaled. "Piper is right."

"How can you be sure?" Annabeth asked.

"I've met eidolons," Hazel said. "In the Underworld, when I was....you know."

Dead.

It was easy to forget Hazel had died before, she was alive, but she had experience the rest of us didn't have.

"So...." Frank rubbed his hand across his buzz-cut. "You think these things are lurking on the ship, or - "

"Possibly lurking inside some of us," Piper said. "We don't know."

Jason clenched his fist. "If that's true - "

"We have to take steps," Piper said. "I think I can do this."

"Do what?" Percy asked.

"Just listen, okay?" Piper took a deep breath. "Everybody listen."

Piper met our eyes, one person at a time.

I shivered at the thought of an evil spirit lurking in my mind without my knowledge. Maybe it made me hurt Leo.

"Eidolons," she said, using her charmspeak, "raise your hands."

There was tense silence.

Leo laughed nervously. "Did you really think that was going to - ?"

His voice died. His face went slack. He raised his hand.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

Jason and Percy did the same. Their eyes had turned glassy and gold. Hazel caught her breath. Next to Leo, Frank scrambled out of his chair and put his back against the wall. A little overdramatic.

"Oh, gods." Annabeth looked at Piper imploringly. "Can you cure them?"

She turned her gaze towards Leo. "Are there more of you on this ship?"

"No," Leo said in a hollow voice, so unlike his normal upbeat cheer. "The Earth Mother sent three. The strongest, the best. We will live again."

"Not here, you won't," Piper growled. "All three of you, listen carefully."

Jason and Percy turned toward her. Their gold eyes were unnerving, but it seemed to help Piper.

"You will leave those bodies," she commanded.

"No," Percy said.

Leo let out a soft hiss. "We must live."

Frank fumbled for his bow. "Mars Almighty, that's creepy! Get out of here, spirits! Leave our friends alone!"

Leo turned toward him. "You cannot command us, child of war. Your own life is fragile. Your soul could burn at any moment."

I wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but Frank staggered like he'd been punched in the gut. He drew an arrow, his hands shaking. "I - I've faced down worse things than you. If you want a fight - "

"Stop, Frank." I said. "This isn't our fight."

Next to Hazel, Jason drew his sword.

"Stop!" Piper ordered, but her voice quavered. Having everyone's safety in your hands came with a lot of pressure.

"Listen to Piper." Hazel pointed at Jason's sword. The gold blade seemed to grow heavy in his hand. It clunked to the table and Jason sank back into his chair.