Percy Jackson and the Dark Elites

IV

Jason

Piper woke him up that morning. Jason was jolted awake by a hasty hand on his shoulder.

Startled, he reached for his sword but heard a reassuring voice. "Jason."

He grunted, trying to remember how to form words. "Pipes?"

"You have to wake up. Now." Her tone was dead serious and that wasn't something that happened very often.

"What's wrong?"

"It's, I don't know. Just come. Annabeth says she doesn't have the strength to go over it more than once."

And with that lovely assortment of details Piper grabbed his arm and dragged him out of bed. He almost fell on his face but the shock woke him up and they headed out for the big house. Annabeth didn't have the strength? This was Annabeth. Maybe Piper meant some other girl, she hasn't been very clear.

"What? The sun isn't even up." He complained.

"Yes, Jason, it is. The sun is that way." Piper pointed mockingly behind him. "It is early though."

Jason rubbed his eyes, he didn't have time to grab his glasses. "Seriously what's happening?"

"Calypso," Piper said.

"What-the goddess calypso? Leo's Calypso, as in Leo fell in love with, that Calypso?"

"Yes," Piper said quietly.

Jason flashed back to the beginning of the summer. Watching the red and black shroud burn in front of the whole camp.

They burned his shroud, they assumed him dead with no proof, and after all this time....

"He isn't here. Nobody's gotten a straight answer out of her. We don't know if he's dead."

"Why won't she talk?"

"She-she's been tortured. Like, tormented actually. Whoever it was beat her but we think she's still a little shaken up.... Mentally."

Jason stopped. "She was tortured?"

Piper nodded. "Annabeth found we this morning though. Wrapped in the Golden Fleece. She still has it around her as well as plenty of nectar in her system."

Piper grabbed his arm again and pulled him towards the big house. Annabeth was waiting on the porch.

"Percy?" She asked.

"Wasn't in his cabin," Piper responded.

Annabeth shrugged.

"You just don't want him near his ex-girlfriend."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. Still not saying a word.

"How is she?" Jason asked.

"She's in extreme shock." Annabeth informed them. She was still in her pajamas, her blood stained pajamas. She looked down, noticing his surprise. "I had to help her get up."

"Has she said anything else?" Piper asked.

"Just different versions of the first stuff. She seems too peaceful, like she feels safe but.... It's shock, an extreme state of it. She keeps laughing and sighing. Every time we ask her about Leo or anything she doesn't willingly give up she freaks out."