Indigo Eyes

Chapter 53

Zoë and Cressida both threw down some cash as they placed their orders for warm drinks, muffins and pastries. Grover was ordering his own things as the girls waited.

"Has thy given any more thought to Lady Artemis' offer?" Zoë wandered and Cressida's heart went to her throat as she began to fiddle with her bracelet.

"I have, but I'm no closer to a decision. There's too much chaos with the quest."

"That is understandable," Zoë agreed. "Thy does seem rather attached to that boy."

Cressida had to refrain from setting her lips into a hard line. "He and Annabeth were my first friends. I already lost one of them. I suppose I'd like to refrain from losing another."

"With the Hunters, thy would not have to worry about that ever again," Zoë pointed out, no malice, no hint of bitterness in her words at all.

"But I'd still have to say goodbye to my friends, to my brothers. To the only family, I've ever had."

"But thy would gain a new family. One thy would never have to say goodbye to forever."

Gods above it was tempting - to never have to say goodbye again. To never lose anyone to time, to sickness. And the Hunters were good, very good warriors. For one of them to fall in battle, it seemed virtually impossible. But that meant saying goodbye to Annabeth, to Grover and Percy, and saying goodbye to her brothers. She didn't know if she could do it.

Thankfully, both Zoë seemed to respect the fact that Cressida didn't want to talk anymore and Cressida's order was called. Zoë and Grover's were called soon after and then they were leaving.

They found Percy and Bianca easily enough, Thalia having gone off to scout, and Percy seemed glad for it as Cressida handed him his hot chocolate and the blueberry muffin she'd gotten him. You'd have thought that the blueberry muffin was gold with the way Percy devoured it. Cressida had her own hot chocolate and chocolate muffin while everyone else had coffee and pastries.

"We should do the tracking spell," Zoë said. "Grover, do you have any acorns left?"

"Umm," Grover mumbled. He was chewing on a bran muffin, wrapper and all. "I think so. I just need to –"

He froze. Percy was about to ask what was wrong when a warm breeze rustled past, like a gust of springtime had got lost in the middle of winter. Fresh air seasoned with wildflowers and sunshine. And something else – almost like a voice, trying to say something. A warning.

Zoë gasped. "Grover, thy cup."

Grover dropped his coffee cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds. Suddenly the birds peeled off the cup and flew away – a tiny flock of doves. A squeak then came from Percy's pocket before a rat poked its head out and scampered into the trees. He claims it had been rubber but she'd seen the state of his cabin.

The rubber rat squeaked. It scampered off the railing and into the trees – real fur, real whiskers.

Grover collapsed next to his coffee which steamed against the snow as they gathered around him, trying to wake him up. But nothing worked until Cressida put her hands on his face, her eyes fiery and palms glowing as she ordered, "Wake up!"

And Grover almost headbutted her in the face.

"Whoa! That's one way to thank me," she exclaimed as she just managed to dodge a horn to her face.

"Hey!" Thalia said, running up from the street. "I just... What's wrong with Grover?"

"I don't know," Percy answered. "He collapsed."