sky blue ● jason grace

die

The wind rustled through the sunflowers. The horses paced in agitation. Despite the dry, hot day, Piper shivered. A cold feeling...Annabeth and Leo had both described a cold feeling....

"Bacchus is right," she said. "We need to leave—"

Too late, said a sleepy voice, humming through the fields all around them and resonating in the ground at Piper's feet. Daria's face snapped up in a hot panic..she almost looked afraid which was strange. From the act she put on, Piper didn't think Daria would be afraid of the Dirt Queen.

Percy and Jason drew their swords. Piper stood on the road between them, frozen with fear. The power of Gaea was suddenly everywhere. Daria stood by her side, but like Piper, her weapon wasn't drawn.

Welcome to my party, Gaea murmured. Her voice reminded Piper of corn growing—a crackling, hissing, hot and persistent noise.

What did Bacchus say? the goddess mocked. A simple, low-key affair with organic snacks? Yes. For my snacks, I need only two: the blood of a female demigod, and the blood of a male. Daria, my dear, choose which hero will die for you.

"Gaea!" Jason yelled. "Stop hiding in the wheat. Show yourself!"

Such bravado, Gaea hissed. But the other one, Percy Jackson, also has appeal. Choose, sweet girl, or I will.

Piper's heart raced. Gaea meant to kill her. That was no surprise, she was the easiest. But what was this about choosing one of the boys? Why would Gaea let any of them go? It had to be a trap.

"No!" Daria inhaled sharply. "I'm not choosing anything for you."

Suddenly Jason gasped. He sat up straight in his saddle.

"Jason!" Daria asked, panicked. "What's wrong—?"

He looked down at her, his expression deadly calm. His eyes were no longer blue. They glowed solid gold.

"Percy, help!" Piper stumbled back from Tempest.

But Percy galloped away from them. He stopped thirty feet down the road and wheeled his pegasus around. He raised his sword and pointed the tip toward Jason.

"One will die," Percy said, but the voice wasn't his. It was deep and hollow, like someone whispering from inside the barrel of a cannon.

"I will choose," Jason answered, in the same hollow voice.

"No!" Piper yelled.

All around her, the fields crackled and hissed, laughing in Gaea's voice as Percy and Jason charged at each other, their weapons ready.

"Piper," Daria said. Too calm. "Step away from the road."

In front of them, Jason and Percy's swords clashed. The clinging made Piper flinch, but she stayed her ground.

"What about you?" She demanded. "You'll get maimed!"

Daria drew her swords. The earth shifted beneath her, almost like it was following her command. Piper frowned, Jason had told them she didn't have any special powers.

Daria gritted her teeth, but mud pooled around the horses' hooves. They stuck for now, though Piper wasn't certain that Percy and Jason would stay on their steeds. "Help me then," Daria demanded, and Piper remembered that she was the leader of her army. She'd sheathed her swords in an effort to concentrate. "Use your charmspeak."

Right. "Stop it!" Piper yelled.

For a moment, Jason heeded her voice. His golden eyes turned toward her, and Percy leapt off his horse, slamming his blade into Tempest. Thank the gods, Percy turned his sword—maybe on purpose, maybe accidentally—so the flat of it hit the horse's chest; but the impact was still enough to knock Jason off his mount.