𝙩𝙪 𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨 - p. jackson [₂]

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒍.

―✧―

"𝐎𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐀 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊."

we hovered over the ancient temple complex of the healing god asclepius, where we could hopefully find the physician's cure, and maybe also some ambrosia, and nectar because the supplies clint had given us were dangerously low.

"it's amazing," leo agreed.

next to us on the quarterdeck, percy peered over the railing. "looks like more rubble," he noted.

his face was still green from his underwater poisoning, but at least he wasn't running to the bathroom to upchuck quite so often. between him and hazel's seasickness, it had been impossible to find an unoccupied toilet onboard for the past few days.

annabeth pointed to the disc-shaped structure about fifty yards off our port side. "there."

leo smiled. "exactly. see, the architect knows her stuff."

i cleared my throat. 

"and of course, i, the fledgeling, only know this because of my mentor," leo added.

i smiled to myself.

percy looked at leo warily, "please tell me you're not gonna adopt him too. nico's more than enough. i don't need another child of yours sassing me at all times."

"i'd adopt him if it weren't for theo," i told percy. "but since they're together, and that'd be weird, he's stuck being my fledgeling."

"you know, i've just kinda accepted that title," leo muttered to himself.

"i could always call you worse things."

"i'm good."

the rest of the crew gathered around.

"what are we looking at?" frank asked.

"ah, señor zhang," leo said, "you know how you're always saying, 'leo, you are the only true genius among demigods'?"

"i'm pretty sure i never said that."

"well, turns out there are other true geniuses! because one of them must have made that work of art down there."

"it's a stone circle," frank said. "probably the foundation of an old shrine."

i shook my head, feeling like a kid at a playground. mechanics was my thing. "no, no! look at it closely. the ridges and grooves carved around the rims, it's like the teeth of a gear. and those concentric rings, right at the center!"

"the pattern reminds me of pasiphaë's pendant," hazel said. "the symbol of the labyrinth."

"huh," leo scowled. "well, i hadn't thought of that. but think mechanical. theo, frank, hazel... where did we see concentric circles like that before?"