-ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
AEOLUS smiled at Jason like he was issuing a challenge.
Behind him, Mellie shook her head in warning.
"Yeah," Jason said. "We need to find the lair of Enceladus."
Aeolus's smile melted. "The giant? Why would you want to go there? He's horrible! He doesn't even watch my program!"
Piper held up the photo. "Aeolus, he's got my father. We need to rescue him and find out where Hera is being held captive."
"Now, that's impossible," Aeolus said. "Even I can't see that, and believe me, I've tried. There's a veil of magic over Hera's location— very strong, impossible to locate."
"She's at a place called the Wolf House," Rebecca said.
"Hold on!" Aelous put a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes.
"I'm getting something! Yes, she's at a place called the Wolf House!
Sadly, I don't know where that is."
"Enceladus does," Piper persisted. "If you help us find him, we could get the location of the goddess-"
"Yeah," Leo said, catching on. "And if we save her, she'd be really grateful to you—"
"And Zeus might promote you," Jason finished.
Aeolus's eyebrows crept up. "A promotion-and all you want from me is the giant's location?"
"Well, if you could get us there, too," Jason amended, "that would be great."
Mellie clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh, he could do that! He often sends helpful winds—"
"Mellie, quiet!" Aeolus snapped. "I have half a mind to fire you for letting these people in under false pretenses."
Her face paled. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."
Rebecca felt sorry for Mellie, she seemed very sweet.
"It wasn't her fault," Jason said. "But about that help..."
Aelous tilted his head as if thinking. Then Jason realized the wind lord was listening to voices in his earpiece.
"Well ... Zeus approves," Aeolus muttered. "He says ... he says it would be better if you could avoid saving her until after the weekend, because he has a big party planned-Ow! That's Aphrodite yelling at him, reminding him that the solstice starts at dawn. She says I should help you. And Hephaestus... yes. Hmm. Very rare they agree on anything. Hold on ..."
Her friend's parents were there for them, Rebecca hated the way her stomach tugged down with... jealousy.
Jason whispered to her, "I'm sure whoever your godly parent is watching over you."
She gave him a small smile, "yeah."
She was watching over but not because she cared, because of a deal, if anything Rebecca was better of dead in her mother's eyes.
Back toward the entrance, Rebecca heard a loud belch. Coach Hedge waddled in from the lobby, grass all over his face. Mellie saw him coming across the makeshift floor and caught her breath. "Who is that?"
Jason stifled a cough. "That? That's just Coach Hedge. Uh, Gleeson Hedge. He's our ..."
"Our guide."
"He's so goatly," Mellie murmured.
Behind Mellie, Piper and Rebecca poofed out their cheeks, pretending to vomit.
"What's up, guys?" Hedge trotted over. "Wow, nice place. Oh! Sod squares."
"Coach, you just ate," Jason said. "And we're using the sod as a floor. This is, ah, Mellie-"
"An aura. Hedge smiled wimingly. "Beautiful as a summer breeze."
Mellie blushed.
Rebecca cringed so badly.
"And Aeolus here was just about to help us," Jason said.
"Yes," the wind lord muttered. "It seems so. You'll find Enceladus on Mount Diablo."
"Devil Mountain?" Leo asked.
"That doesn't sound good." Rebecca added.
"I remember that place!" Piper said. "I went there once with my dad. It's just east of San Francisco Bay."
"The Bay Area again?" The coach shook his head. "Not good. Not good at all."
"Now." Aeolus began to smile. "As to getting you there-
-"
Suddenly his face went slack. He bent over and tapped his earpiece as if it were malfunctioning. When he straightened again, his eyes were wild. Despite the makeup, he looked like an old man—an old, very frightened man. "She hasn't spoke to me for centuries. I can't yes, yes I understand."
He swallowed, regarding Jason as if he had suddenly turned into a giant cockroach. "'m sorry, son of Jupiter. New orders.
Mellie squeaked. "But—but, sir! Zeus said to help them. Aphrodite, Hephaestus-"
"Mellie!" Aeolus snapped. "Your job is already on the line. Besides, there are some orders that transcend even the wishes of the gods, especially when it comes to the forces of nature."
"Whose orders?" Jason said. "Zeus will fire you if you don't help us!"
"I doubt it." Aeolus flicked his wrist, and far below them, a cell door opened in the pit.
Rebecca could hear storm spirits screaming out of it, spiraling up toward them, howling for blood.
"Even Zeus understands the order of things," Aeolus said. "And if she is waking—by all the gods-she cannot be denied. Good-bye, heroes. I'm terribly sorry, but I'll have to make this quick. I'm back on the air in four minutes."
Jason summoned his sword. Coach Hedge pulled out his club, Rebecca got out her dagger.
Mellie the aura yelled, "No!"
She dived at their feet just as the storm spirits hit with hurricane force, blasting the floor to pieces, shredding the carpet samples and marble and linoleum into what should've been lethal projectiles, had Mellie's robes not spread out like a shield and absorbed the brunt of the impact.
The six of them fell into the pit, and Aeolus screamed above them, "Mellie, you are so fired!"
"Quick," Mellie yelled. "Son of Zeus, do you have any power over the air?"
"A little!"
"Then help me, or you're all dead!" Mellie grabbed his hand.
The storm spirits were following them down, closing rapidly, bringing with them a cloud of deadly shrapnel.
Jason grabbed Rebecca's hand. "Group hug!"
Hedge, Rebecca, Leo, and Piper tried to huddle together, hanging on to Jason and Mellie as they fell.
"This is NOT GOOD!" Leo yelled.
"NOOOO SHIIIT."
Coach cursed the wind spirits while they fell.
"He's magnificent," Mellie sighed.
"Concentrate?" Jason prompted.
"Right!" she said.
They channeled the wind so their fall became more of a tumble into the nearest open chute. Still, they slammed into the tunnel at painful speed and went rolling over each other down a steep vent that was not designed for people.
There was no way they could stop.
Mellie's robes billowed around her. Jason and the others clung to her desperately, and they began to slow down, but the storm spirits were screaming into the tunnel behind them.
"Can't-hold-long," Mellie warned. "Stay together! When the winds hit-"
"You're doing great, Mellie," Hedge said. "My own mama was an aura, you know. She couldn't have done better herself."
"Iris-message me?" Mellie pleaded.
Hedge winked.
Rebecca gagged.
"Could you guys plan your date later?" Piper screamed. "Look!"
Behind them, the tunnel was turning dark. Rebecca could feel her ears pop as the pressure built.
"Can't hold them," Mellie warned. "But I'll try to shield you, do you one more favor."
"Thanks, Mellie," Jason said. "I hope you get a new job."
She smiled, and then dissolved, wrapping them in a warm gentle breeze. Then the real winds hit, shooting them into the sky so fast, Rebecca blacked out.
____________________________
- idk what to write
- stop bc a guy called me fillie bc
my name is florence
flo <3