Daughter of Wine

Callida

He laughs. "I'd tell you that's dumb, but knowing you, I believe you would jump into Tartarus after me."

"What can I say?" I manage a smile. "I'm nuts."

"Come on." He gets up and offers me a hand. "Let's get some fresh air."

Coach Hedge is at the helm, but he's not singing his pirate songs anymore. They'd been so annoying, but not the silence feels somber and depressing. 

Leo steers me to the aft of the ship, and points up at the sky. It's a clear night, and I can't help but smile at the sight of the stars. Wherever we are, there's not much light pollution, so the sky is lit up with billions of sparkling lights. 

"Wow." I manage, unable to look away. 

"I figured we should try and get a view while we can." He notes. "There's not gonna be many moments like this for us. At least, not until we're done with this quest."

I nod in agreement. "I think you're right."

He takes my hand. "You and I, we're the top dogs now. The rest of the crew, they're looking to us to be the leaders."

My heart sinks. I know he's right, and I'm prepared to do it, but I don't want to. I don't want people looking to me like they did with Annabeth. But they already have been. "I know." I manage. 

He squeezes my hand reassuringly. "I have your back, Calli."

I pull my gaze away from the sky to look at him. "I have yours, Leo." 

He smiles, and for a second, nothing else exists. If I just focus on him, and his goofy grin, his crazy hair, his grease-stained shirt, it's like everything is right with the world. 

"Why're you looking at me like that?" He asks, chuckling nervously. 

"I'm just glad I'm your girlfriend." I tell him. 

"Trust me, Calli, no one is happier than me with this arrangement." He wraps his arms around my waist, resting his forehead on mine. "I don't know what I did to get so lucky."

I gently pull his face toward mine, giving him a real, proper kiss. There's not many moments of privacy, but where we are, we're shielded from Coach Hedge's chaperone eyes. The rest of our crewmates are asleep below deck, and the most beautiful night sky I've ever seen shines above. 

Leo pulls me closer, kissing me back passionately. He smells like metal and smoke and I love it. His fingers tangle in my hair, his other hand around my waist, as if he can't get me close enough to him. 

"Leo." I pull away, suddenly remembering my fight with the giants. "I almost forgot."

"What?" He asks, sounding disappointed. 

"When I was fighting Otis and Ephialtes, I hijacked a crane arm that they used to set up the arena."

"Yeah," He frowns, as if wondering why I stopped such an amazing kiss to talk about this right now. I'm suddenly wondering why I did too. "I saw them when we landed."

"It's just... when I was walking with Bacchus, he said the gods... liked me." 

"Yeah...?"

"He said Hephaestus liked me."

"Oh!" Leo's brow furrows. 

"Just, listen." I sigh. "When I was working on that mechanical arm, I wasn't really sure if I was doing it right, but I kind of just... let my hands take control, like you said you do. And I prayed to Hephaestus."

"You... you prayed to my dad?" He asks, clearly confused. "I mean, it makes sense, I don't think Bacchus was being very helpful."

"But... Jason and Percy, they both said they saw me and the arm glowing gold. At the same time that I was praying."

Leo's eyes widen. "And you think it was Hephaestus, answering your prayer."

I nod. "Leo, he knows who I am... he answered my prayer... and he likes me. You don't think-"

"He knows?" Leo asks uncomfortably. "Like, about you and me?"

"And he... approves?" I wince. 

"Huh," Leo leans back against the rail of the ship thoughtfully. "That's a... thought. You don't think they're, like..."

"Watching us?" I ask, suddenly really uncomfortable. 

"Yeah," Leo looks around, as if expecting to see his dad peeking over the side of the ship. "I don't want to think about that, actually."

"Yeah, me neither." I shiver, despite the cool night air. If that's true, then my dad is watching me do exactly what he told me not to. Not like he's in a place to be judging me for my actions after his Roman form sent me into a fight to the death against two giants for his entertainment. 

 "Come on." Leo wraps his arm around me. "Let's go in."

I take one last look at the stars, trying to soak in this last moment of peace. I get the feeling I won't feel like this again for a really long while.