𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 ✦ JACKSON

𝐢. 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠

She looked hurt, I was sorry about that, but I was ready to be out of that car.

The others followed me outside. The wind blew straight through my coat like ice daggers.

Once my mom's car was out of sight, Thalia said: "your mom is so cool, Percy."

"She's pretty okay," I admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?"

As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn't. Thalia gave me the biggest death stare, with her icy blue eyes, lined with black eyeliner. "If that was any of your business, Percy—"

"We'd better get inside," Annabeth interrupted. "Grover will be waiting."

Thalia looked at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found here that made him send the distress call."

I stared up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. "Nothing good," I guessed.

                          °❀⋆. ೃ࿔*:･

The oak doors groaned open dramatically and the four of us stepped into the entry hall in a swirl of snow.

"Whoa," I gasped. The place was huge. The walls were lined with battle flags and weapon displays: antique rifles, battle axes, and a bunch of other stuff.

Westover Hall is a military school, but jeez, all of this stuff was a little overkill. Literally.

My hand went to my pocket, I could feel my ballpoint pen, Riptide. I could already feel something off in this place.

Thalia was rubbing her silver bracelet, her favourite magic item. I knew we were thinking the same thing, a fight was coming.

Annabeth started to say, "I wonder where—"

The doors slammed behind us.

"Oo-kay," Rayn mumbled. "Guess we'll stay awhile."

I could hear music blasting from the other end of the hall. It sounded like dance music.

We stashed out bags behind a pillar and started down the hall. We didn't get very far when I heard footsteps on the stone floor. A man and a woman marched out to intercept us.

They both had short gray hair and black military-style uniforms with red trim. The woman had a wispy moustache and the man was cleanly shaved, it seemed kind of backwards to me.

"Well?" The woman demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"Um..." I realised we didn't plan this far. "Ma'am we're just—"

"Ha!" The man snapped, which made me jump. "Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be eee-jected!"

He had an accent, French maybe. He pronounced his J like in Jacques. He was tall, with a hawkish face. His eyes were two different colours, one brown, one blue—like an alley cats.

I figured he'd toss us into the snow, until Thalia stepped forward and did something weird.

She snapped her fingers. The sound was sharp and loud. I felt a gush of wind fly past us.