𝐎𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒༄ • Jᴀsᴏɴ Gʀᴀᴄᴇ

Chapter 18

"Nice," Leo said. "No wonder they got so much security. "

"This isn't—" Piper stammered. "This isn't Medea's place, Coach. It's some rich person's mansion in Omaha. We got away from Medea and crash-landed here. "

"It's destiny, cupcakes!" Hedge insisted. "I'm meant to protect you. What's the quest?"

Before Jason could decide if he wanted to explain or just shove Coach Hedge back into his cage, a door opened at the far end of the room. A pudgy man in a white bathrobe stepped out with a golden toothbrush in his mouth. He had a white beard and one of those long, old-fashioned sleeping caps pressed down over his white hair. He froze when he saw them, and the toothbrush fell out of his mouth.

He glanced into the room behind him and called, "Son? Lit, come out here, please. There are strange people in the throne room. "

Freya was about to adopt a fighting stance, when Hedge did the most rational thing he could. He hefted his club, and shouted, "Die!"

The next second, the four of them we're all holding him back from butchering the owner of the house they'd just broken into.

"Whoa, Coach!" Jason said. "Bring it down a few notches."

A younger man charged into the room. Freya guessed he must be Lit, the old guy's son. He was dressed in pajama pants with a sleeveless T-shirt that said cornhuskers, and he held a sword that looked like it could husk a lot of things besides corn. His ripped arms were covered in scars, and his face, framed by curly dark hair, would've been handsome if it wasn't also sliced up. He zeroed in on her and Jason, and immediately raised his sword towards Jason, as if he was the biggest threat. It annoyed Freya that he didn't think of her as a threat.

"Hold on!" Piper stepped forward, trying for her best calming voice. "This is just a misunderstanding! Everything's fine. " Lit stopped in his tracks, but he still looked wary. It didn't help that Hedge was screaming, "I'll get them! Don't worry!"

"Hedge," Freya said, "Calm down. They might be friendly, and we'll never know if you keep throwing your club around like a maniac. Plus," She paused and spared a look at Lit who was now looking at her. "We are trespassing in their house."

"Thank you!" said the old man in the bathrobe. "Now, who are you, and why are you here?"

"Let's all put our weapons down," Piper said. "Coach, you first. "

Hedge clenched his jaw. "Just one thwack?"

"No," Piper said.

"What about a compromise? I'll kill them first, and if it turns out they were friendly, I'll apologize."

Freya didn't know weather to laugh or wrack him across the head. "Jesus Christ," She muttered looking away and covering her face with a hand. From next to her Leo was holding his arm over his mouth and looking at the ground. His eyes we're crinkled, and Freya suspected he was quietly laughing. When they locked eyes, she almost lost it. Thankfully, Piper was there, ready to be strict as ever and remind them that they're on a quest and possibly in immediate danger.

"No!" She insisted.

"Meh. " Coach Hedge lowered his club.

Piper gave Lit a friendly sorry-about-that smile. Even with her hair messed up and wearing two-day-old clothes, she looked extremely cute. One of the pros of being and Aphrodite kid; you could do all sorts of shit, but you never, ever, looked bad. Freya saw Leo stop laughing, and now look wearily between Lit and Piper.

Lit huffed and sheathed his sword. "You speak well, girl—fortunately for your friends, or I would've run them through. "

"Or we would of run you through," Said Freya.