Lykos of the Shadows 𖦹 Percy Jackson and the Olympians

𝑎 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑘 𝑔𝑜𝑑, 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑢𝑟, 𝑎 𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑦𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑔𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘 𝑚𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐

   The moment Penelope shakily stepped out of that Godforsaken- or was it gods now? Never mind that. She wanted to kiss the very ground the moment she stepped off that bus. But she restrained herself from what could be a major embarrassment.

"Whoa," Nico said as he climbed off the bus. "Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah," Percy said.

Penelope had a hand to her chest as she tried to calm her heart down and stared at her surroundings in awe. It snowed slightly around some sort of tracks and the strawberry fields, covering them in a white coat.

Nico walked up next to her and grabbed her hand. Penny looked at him to see if he had realized his mistake, but he either didn't notice or he was trying to pretend as if he had purposely grabbed her hand and was trying to play it off. Penny guessed the latter when she saw the slight blush on his cheeks.

She didn't mind anyway, Penelope adjusted her bag slung over her shoulder and gripped Nico's hand better in hers.

"Why is there lava pouring down it?" Nico asked Percy.

"Little extra challenge," He said. "Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoe, have you met—"

"I know Chiron," Zoe said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.

"We know the way."

"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here if you don't"—He tripped over a canoe and came up still talking—"like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"

Zoe rolled her eyes, but Penny guessed she let him be because she figured Grover wasn't gonna go away.

The Hunters shouldered their packs and their bows and headed off toward the cabins. As Bianca di Angelo was leaving, she stopped near where Penny and Nico stood and leaned over and whispered something in her brother's ear.

"𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘰𝘬?"

Penny looked away from them, pretending she didn't hear what she said. Bianca looked at him for an answer, but Nico scowled and looked away.

Penelope glanced at her to see her face drop with a bit of sadness. Bianca met her eyes, and the sad look disappeared with a blank one in its place.

Bianca looked down at her and Nico's hands intertwined. She stared at their hands for a moment before she steeled herself and sent her a nod and a small smile.

A nod of what? Appreciation maybe but Penny wouldn't know, she simply nodded back and watched as Bianca raced to catch up to the other Hunters.

"Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at Percy. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus. "See you later, Thalia," He called. "And, uh, be good!"

He gave her a wicked smile as if he knew something she didn't. Penny shivered at the thought of the god of prophecies knowing something she didn't. She watched him close the doors to the bus and revved the engine with a sigh of relief. But it seemed she let it out too early when Penny heard the doors creak open. "Oh, nearly forgot," Apollo called. She felt compelled to look back at him and meet his eyes. "Remember to stay sane, Penny."

"Huh?" She squeaked.

The god simply winked and once again closed the bus doors and revved the engine. She was so transfixed on the sun chariot and the god who drove it, she almost forgot to close her eyes.