heavy bones [jason grace]

14. where's scott mccall when you need him?

We're all just eating our food in silence until Piper sits up. "We need to talk. I don't want to hide anything from you guys anymore."

We all look at her, our mouths too full to say anything. She sighs. "Three nights before the Grand Canyon trip, I had a dream vision — a giant, telling me my father had been taken hostage. He told me I had to cooperate, or my dad would be killed."

For a moment, no one says anything, because holy shit, how do you reply to that? Then Jason goes, "Enceladus? You mentioned that name before."

Coach Hedge lets out a low whistle. "Big giant. Breathes fire. Not somebody I'd want barbecuing my daddy goat."

"Coach, shut up before I roast you over the fire," I sneer. I really don't like this guy. He doesn't seem to give a damn what I think of him.

"Piper, go on," Jason urges. "What happened next?"

Piper swallows thickly. I start to rub her back soothingly as tears well up in her eyes. "I—I tried to reach my dad, but all I got was his personal assistant, and she told me not to worry."

"Jane?" Leo recalls. "Didn't Medea say something about controlling her?"

She nods. "To get my dad back, I had to sabotage this quest. I didn't realize it would be the four of us. Then after we started the quest, Enceladus sent me another warning: He told me he wanted Jason and Leo dead. He wants me to lead you to a mountain. I don't know exactly which one, but it's in the Bay Area — I could see the Golden Gate Bridge from the summit. I have to be there by noon on the solstice, tomorrow. An exchange." Her gaze is transfixed on the campfire.

I pout. "So he doesn't want me dead? What, am I not good enough for him?"

"Dee-Dee," Jason admonishes. He scoots closer to Piper and puts his arm around her. "God, Piper. I'm so sorry."

"No kidding," Leo remarks, nodding. "You've been carrying this around for a week? Piper, we could help you."

Piper's narrowed eyes dart back and forth between Leo and Jason. "Why don't you yell at me or something? I was ordered to kill you!"

"Not me," I grumble under my breath. Jason hears me and elbows me lightly.

"Aw, come on," he says. "You've saved us both on this quest. I'd put my life in your hands any day."

"Same," Leo agrees. "Can I have a hug too?"

Piper shakes her head wildly. "You don't get it! I've probably just killed my dad, telling you this."

"I doubt it." Coach Hedge burps. He's eating his tofu burger with the plate folded up like a taco shell. "Giant hasn't gotten what he wants yet, so he still needs your dad for leverage. He'll wait until the deadline passes, see if you show up. He wants you to divert the quest to this mountain, right?"

Piper nods and I jump in. "So that means Hera is being kept somewhere else. Since she has to be saved on the same day, you'd have to choose: Save Hera, or save your dad."

"If you go after Hera, then Enceladus takes care of your dad," Coach Hedge continues. "Besides, Enceladus would never let you go even if you cooperated. You're obviously one of the seven in the Great Prophecy."

My heart rate jumps. If Piper's one of the Seven and Enceladus wants Jason and Leo dead, they're probably part of the seven too. So what about me? Does that mean I'm not one of the seven? I mean, I was never even supposed to be on this quest.

Hera's words echo in my head. "You're not like the others, Cordelia. But of course, you knew that already."

So if I'm not one of the seven, what the fuck am I meant for?