𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣¹

012

"It's an old form of animal speech," Grover said. "So yes, I can talk to him. You go save your mom, okay?"

Selene sent him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Grov."

Grover grinned. "Of course, Selene."

He then leaned down and whispered something in Bessie's ear. Bessie shivered, then made a contented, lowing sound.

"The blessing of the Wild," Grover said. "That should help with safe passage. Percy, pray to your dad, too. See if he will grant us a safe passage through the seas."

Selene didn't see how they could possibly swim to Long Island from California. Then again, monsters didn't travel the same way humans did. She'd seen plenty evidence of that.

Percy closed his eyes. "Dad," He said, turning towards the water. "Help us get Grover and the Ophiotaurus safely to camp. Protect them at sea."

"A prayer like that needs a sacrifice," Thalia pointed out. "Something big."

Percy seemed to have no idea. Selene slowly took off the lion's coat and handed it to him. When he looked at her, she raised a brow. "Maybe this could work?" She questioned.

Percy nodded, taking the coat from her.

"Percy," Grover warned. "Are you sure? That lion skin...it's really helpful. Hercules used it!"

That's when realization hit her like a crashing wave.

She glanced towards Zoë, who, was watching Percy carefully. She realized she finally uncovered the secret of who Zoë's hero had been — the one who'd ruined her life, gotten her kicked out of her family, and never even mentioned how she helped him: Hercules, a man all young demigod boys aspire to be.

"If I'm going to survive," Percy said. "It won't be because I've got a lion-skin coat. I'm not Hercules."

Selene grinned. She was glad to see Percy finally find himself for who he is, and not letting a stupid prophecy keep him from that.

Selene thought Percy Jackson was just a brainless fourteen-year old — but she was wrong. He was a loyal, hilarious, determined person, who never left anyone behind.

Unlike at Westover Hall, she didn't just see him as the prophecy kid anymore — no, she saw him as a hero, a jokester...

A friend. (And no, she cannot believe she just said that and meant it.)

Percy threw the coat into the bay. It turned back into a golden lion skin, flashing in the light. Then, as it began to sink beneath the waves, it seemed to dissolve to sunlight on the water.

The sea breeze picked up, almost as if Poseidon were saying thank you!

Grover took a deep breath. She could tell he wasn't the biggest fan of water. "Well, here goes...." He murmured.

He jumped into the water and immediately began to sink. Bessie glided next to him and let Grover take ahold of his neck.

"Be careful," Selene told them.

"We will," Grover assured. "Okay, uhm...Bessie? We're going to Long Island. It's east. Over that way."

"Mooooo?" Bessie asked.