❝i know that the future looks blurry
but, not to worry, just do what you can❞
Annabeth took a deep breath. "It's Jason's quest," she announced, "so it's Jason's choice. Obviously, he's the child of lightning. According to tradition, he may choose any two companions."
Someone from the Hermes cabin yelled, "Well, you, obviously, Annabeth. You've got the most experience."
"No, Travis," Annabeth said. "First off, I'm not helping Hera. Every time I've tried, she's deceived me, or it's come back to bite me later. Forget it. No way. Secondly, I'm leaving first thing in the morning to find Percy."
"It's connected," Piper blurted out, drawing attention to herself. "You know that's true, don't you? This whole business, your boyfriend's disappearance—it's all connected."
"How?" demanded Drew. "If you're so smart, how?"
Hina watched Piper's face contort, until she looked down in defeat, unable to answer.
Annabeth saved her. "You may be right, Piper. If this is connected, I'll find out from the other end—by searching for Percy. As I said, I'm not about to rush off to rescue Hera, even if her disappearance sets the rest of the Olympians fighting again. But there's another reason I can't go. The prophecy says otherwise."
"It says who I pick, three people," Jason agreed. "The sun that shines brightest will fulfill the curse. The sun is the symbol of Apollo. The forge and dove shall break the cage. The forge is the symbol of Vul—Hephaestus."
Under the Cabin Nine banner, Nyssa's shoulders slumped, like she'd just been given a heavy anvil to carry. "If you have to beware the earth," she said, "you should avoid traveling overland. You'll need air transport."
Will nudged Hina in the ribs, gaining her attention. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "It's you, isn't it? The sun that shines brightest, you literally shine."
Hina nodded grimly, wishing that it wasn't the truth. They exchanged another silent conversation.
Will asked without speaking, "Are you sure?
Hina sighed, replying through her eyes, "I have to."
She didn't like the idea of awakening some ancient curse any more than she liked the idea of dying.
When they finished their exchange the siblings turned back to the fire as if nothing had happened. Leo suddenly stood up, gaining Hina's attention as she watched him carefully.
"It's me."
His cabinmates stirred. Several tried to pull him back to his seat, but Leo resisted.
"No, it's me. I know it is. I've got an idea for the transportation problem. Let me try. I can fix this!"
Jason studied Leo for a moment, and Hina worried he would turn Leo down. Then Jason smiled. "We started this together, Leo. Seems only right if you come along. You find us a ride, you're in."
"Yes!" Leo pumped his fist.
"It'll be dangerous," Nyssa warned him. "Hardship, monsters, terrible suffering. Possibly none of you will come back alive."
"Oh." Suddenly Leo's face paled. "I mean ... Oh, cool! Suffering? I love suffering! Let's do this."
Annabeth spoke up, reminding Jason he needed more help, "Then Jason you only need two more quest members. The sun, and-"
Hina stood up, cutting Annabeth off abruptly.
"It's me, Jason. I'm the sun that shines brightest," Hina promised, locking eyes with the leader. Jason nodded slowly, as if inviting Hina to provide proof.
Hina glanced towards Will nervously, who mimed hitting Hina with a sword. She gulped and nodded back.
"Jason, could you- ummm," he seemed to understand her request and raised him javelin into the air once again. The campers cowered away in fear as electricity arced towards Hina. For a millisecond, Hina froze, the image of lightning striking her mom blurring her vision. She raised her hands quickly, to block the lightning from hitting her. A bright light enveloped the amphitheater as a wall of golden light absorbed the lightning strike.
Chaos broke out between the campers, no one knowing how to process the events. Will's voice boomed over the noise, gaining their attention.
"It's her, she's the only child of Apollo who can control light."
Jason cracked a smile, letting relief wash over Hina.
"You're in."
The two shared a smile, before Jason continued, deciding on his final member.
"The dove-"
Drew shot to her feet, interrupting Jason once again, "Oh, absolutely! The dove is Aphrodite. Everybody knows that. I am totally yours." She flashed Jason a flirtatious smile.
Piper frowned as she stepped forward. "No."
Hina was relieved Piper stood up against Drew, unable to imagine spending any time with the diva.
Drew rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Dumpster girl. Back off."
"I had the vision of Hera; not you. I have to do this."
"Anyone can have a vision," Drew said. "You were just at the right place at the right time." She turned to Jason. "Look, fighting is all fine, I suppose. And people who build things ..." She looked at Leo in disdain. "Well, I suppose someone has to get their hands dirty. And a human lightbulb..." Drew frowned at Hina. "But you need charm on your side. I can be very persuasive. I could help a lot."
The campers started murmuring about how Drew was pretty persuasive. Hina found herself nodding along, beginning to doubt her opinion. Even Chiron was scratching his beard, like Drew's participation suddenly made sense to him.
"Well ..." Annabeth said. "Given the wording of the prophecy—"
"No!" Piper's own voice sounded like it was cutting through glass, more persuasive, insistent. "I'm supposed to go."
Hina felt like her mind was a tennis court, continuously flipping between Drew's side and Piper's. The girls went back and forth, their words sounding muddled.
Suddenly Piper was enveloped in a reddish glow, as her clothes transformed into a sleeveless ballgown, her hair becoming untangled. Hina was amazed, before Piper was beautiful in her old clothes, but now she was absolutely stunning.
"Beautiful... Piper you're a knockout," Jason exclaimed, his mouth falling open slightly. Hina bit back a laugh at Jason's reaction. Drew's shrill voice gained everyone's attention as she shrieked, "No! Not possible!"
"This isn't me," Piper protested. "I—don't understand."
Chiron the centaur folded his front legs and bowed to her, and all the campers followed his example.
"Hail, Piper McLean," Chiron announced gravely, as if he were speaking at a funeral. "Daughter of Aphrodite, lady of the doves, goddess of love."
Hina wanted to stay with Piper after she was claimed but Hina was determined to gain some control over her powers. With everyone distracted by Piper's transformation, Hina slipped off into the woods to be alone.
She stopped at the edge of the woods, watching the never ending landscape of trees cloud her vision. Gnarled tree roots lined the ground, menacing branches sticking out haphazardly. Hina entered the forest, no weapon in hand with only a bow slung over her shoulder, that she didn't even know how to use.
Safely concealed in the trees, Hina stared down at her hands, willing them to teach her the secret of her gift. It truly was a curse, she realized her powers were the reason she had lost so many people to monsters coming after her. She thought back to her mother, and the songs she would sing. Her thoughts drifted to Harry, and the mischievous eyes that had brought her comfort in foster care.
Sighing sadly, Hina threw her hands before her, trying to produce the bright wall of light. She kept trying to will the light to appear and grew more frustrated. In anger, Hina moved to punch the tree beside her. As her hand flew towards the tree a ball of light encased her hand, breaking the bark. Eyes wide, Hina looked down at her hands then back to the tree. She slowly approached the tree, tracing her finger over the broken bark.
The sudden burst of light must have startled someone else hiding in the woods, because Hina heard a quiet yelp. She rushed off in the direction of the noise. Creeping towards the voice, Hina peeked out from behind a tree. Leo stood, his back facing Hina. He looked around, as if making sure no one had followed him. Hina threw herself against the back of the tree to avoid being seen. Counting to five in her head, Hina waited for Leo to turn back around.
Cautiously, Hina peered around the tree again, watching Leo curiously. What was he doing alone in the woods? Her question was answered as Leo opened his hand, a small fire appearing, flooding his face in red light.
"Leo?" Hina asked, quietly, stepping out from her hiding place. The boy extinguished the flame, spinning around to face Hina. He looked guilty and scared as she stared at him.
"What was that?" she tried to meet Leo's eyes, as she walked towards him. Leo backed away nervously, his back hitting a tree.
"Please don't tell anyone," Leo begged, finally meeting Hina's concerned eyes. He looked sad, and Hina gave him a gentle smile.
"I won't, I promise. What are you doing out here, anyways?" Hina changed the subject to comfort Leo.
"Finding our ride. Why are you out here? It's not safe."
Hina sighed, "Trying to figure out how to control my powers." Leo nodded as if understanding her pain. He summoned a small flame again and it danced along his fingertips. Hina watched mesmerized. They walked through the woods, Hina unsure of what they were looking for. They didn't see anything unusual or magical.
Leo and Hina passed a large furry animal, like a bear or wolf or something. It hesitated seeing Leo's fire and ran away, calming the demigods. On edge, Hina felt her hands grow warmer, and glanced down to see balls of light forming, helping light their path.
Then, at the bottom of a clearing, Leo spotted the first trap—a hundred-foot-wide crater ringed with boulders. He paused, keeping Hina pushed behind him. Hina was shocked, it was large enough to hold a giant monster. It dawned on her what they were looking for now: the dragon Nyssa had mentioned.
"Are you sure?" Hina asked, Leo understanding her words. He nodded reassuring Hina with a gentle smile.
"I have to be."
They approached the trap, in the center of the depression, a metal vat the size of a hot tub had been filled with bubbly dark liquid. Hina scrunched her nose, smelling the liquid.
"Is that Tabasco sauce?"
"And motor oil," Leo clarified, studying the trap. On a pedestal suspended over the vat, an electric fan rotated in a circle, spreading the fumes across the forest. She wished didn't have the ability to smell at that moment. Hina couldn't tell what the trap consisted of or how it would capture a giant monster.
Leo edged closer to the trap, worrying Hina. He stepped on a metal plate, attempting to trigger the trap. Nothing happened. Hina guessed it had to do with the weight of the dragon setting the trap off.
He picked his way down the crater and approached the vat. Hina leaned over the edge of the crater watching Leo carefully. The fumes from the vat wafted upwards, causing Hina's eyes to water. She coughed, after inhaling the fume, leaning backwards. She wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, returning to her position to watch Leo.
Leo looked like he was in his element, searching the trap for a deactivation switch. He bolted upwards, his eyes wild.
A low grumble echoed through the forest, startling the two demigods. They knew what it was and yet Leo kept searching frantically. The ground shook as the creature pounded through the forest.
Suddenly, Hina felt hot breath on the back of her neck and her eyes widened in shock. She barely had time to scream before she was hit with warm air, the dragon letting out a breath of fire. Her eyes closed, a light blocking the fire from hitting her. Hina could hear Leo yelling, drawing the monster away from where Hina sat, cowering.
The dragon trotted off approaching Leo. His firey gaze met Leo's before noticing the fire Leo held. In a split second Hina could see the fear in Leo's eyes as the dragon released a breath of fire. She screamed again rushing to try and stop the beast. Then she froze.
Leo was standing, unharmed and surrounded by fire. He was staring at the beast sadly, and Hina followed his gaze, realizing his disappointment. The dragon had no wings. Even without the wings, the dragon was impressive. It was about sixty feet long, snout to tail, its body made of interlocking bronze plates. Its claws were the size of butcher knives, and its mouth was lined with hundreds of dagger-sharp metal teeth. Steam came out of its nostrils.
"You don't have wings," Leo said, talking to the dragon.
The dragon's snarl died. It tilted its head as if unsure as to why the demigod hadn't ran away. Leo appeared to sense the dragon's thoughts, reassuring the creature. Hina was speechless watching Leo tame the dragon.
Leo talked to the dragon sternly, lecturing the metal beast who had tried to burn him again. She watched in a trace.
"You can't burn me," Leo said, sounding stern and calm. He talked to the dragon the way you'd talk to a dog. "Stay, boy. Don't come any closer. I don't want you to get caught. See, they think you're broken and have to be scrapped. But I don't believe that. I can fix you if you'll let me—"
The dragon seemed offended by Leo's words. It creaked, roared and then charged. Hina's hands flew to the air, a shield appearing trying to push the dragon backwards. The dragon flared its nostrils and continued to move wearing down Hina's strength. After a minute of struggling, the dragon pushed through the light shield, toppling Hina over.
The moment the dragon stepped forward, the trap sprang. The floor of the crater erupted with a sound like a thousand trash can lids banging together. Dirt and leaves flew, metal net flashing. Leo was knocked off his feet, turned upside down, and doused in Tabasco sauce and oil. He was sandwiched between the vat of boiling liquid and a trashing dragon.
The dragon blew flames in every direction, lighting up the sky and setting trees on fire. Oil and sauce burned all over them. It didn't hurt Leo, but it left Hina in a panic. Hina hid behind a tree, not wanting to press her luck.
"Will you stop that?" Leo yelled at the trashing dragon.
The dragon kept squirming, threatening to crush Leo. Hina rushed to the net, gripping the hole trying to help Leo wiggle his way out. Leo toppled out of the net onto the ground. He scampered to his feet dragging Hina with him to the front of the dragon. He stood before Hina protecting her as the dragon snapped at the two trying to bite them. It blew fire again, but the flames were a dull orange and barely touched Leo's skin. It was getting tired.
"Listen, man," Leo said, "you're just going to show them where you are. Then they'll come and break out the acid and the metal cutters. Is that what you want?"
The dragon's jaw made a creaking sound like it was trying to talk.
"Okay, then," Leo said. "You'll have to trust me."
Leo set to work as Hina stood before the dragon making sure it wouldn't try to kill Leo while he worked. She drew pictures in the dirt, gaining the creatures attention. Glancing towards the dragon, Hina began sketching the dragon, keeping it occupied as Leo continued to do his own thing.
It took an hour for Leo to find what he was looking for and Hina continued to distract the dragon. It was upset that they had agreed to keep it in the netting for safety. Leo fiddled with some sort of control panel behind the dragon's head. He periodically stopped to watch Hina happily doodle on the ground. He smiled softly, cursing Hera for putting all the false memories in his head.
If he was going to consider the girl his best friend, he'd prefer to have real memories.
"Ina, back at the Grand Canyon, you- you looked at those monsters like you'd seen them before," Leo said quietly, his eyes still fixed on the dragon as he worked.
Hina hesitated, the stick in her hand dropping to the ground.
"Um, yeah. I've seen those things before. They- they've been following me since I was little. I- I lost my mom to them- and," she couldn't finished her sentence. Hina redirected her attention to the dragon, patting the side of his head.
"I'm sorry, Ina."
They stayed in silence, both lost in their thoughts.
"Hold still!" Leo scolded the dragon who had begun squirming again to regain Leo's attention.
The dragon made another creaking sound that might've been a whimper.
Hina looked up from her artwork to glance at the dragon in concern. "It's okay," she promised, patting the side of its head.
"Ha!" Leo exclaimed, "Well, no wonder."
"What?" Hina asked as the dragon creaked like it was asking Leo too.
"You've got a corroded control disk. Probably regulates your higher reasoning circuits, right? Rusty brain, man. No wonder you're a little ... confused. I wish I had a replacement disk, but ...this is a complicated piece of circuitry. I'm gonna have to take it out and clean it. Only be a minute." He pulled out the disk, and the dragon went absolutely still. The glow died in its eyes. Leo slid off its back and began polishing the disk. He mopped up some oil and Tabasco sauce with his sleeve, which helped cut through the grime, but the more he cleaned, the more concerned he looked.
Hina approached Leo, standing on her tiptoes to peer over his shoulder. She wasn't sure what she was looking at, but it didn't look good. Leo moved suddenly, working rapidly. Hina could sense his panic and watched unable to help.
"Clean hands, dirty equipment," Leo muttered. Hina stood beside the dragon where Leo sat cleaning out an open compartment. He slipped the wired disk back into the compartment and the dragon shuddered to life again. Its eyes glowed a dark red.
"Better?" Leo asked.
The dragon made a sound like a high-speed drill. It opened its mouth and all its teeth rotated.
"I guess that's a yes. Hold on, I'll free you."
It took Leo and Hina another half an hour to figure out how to free the dragon. Hina tried using her powers on the rope, and even shot a few arrows to the top of the netting.
When Leo finally found the release trigger, the dragon fell to the ground and shook the netting from its back. Then, it roared and shot a blast of fire into the sky.
"Seriously," Leo said. "Could you not show off?"
Hina laughed at Leo's dismay towards the dragon.
"He needs a name," she decided after a minute, watching as the dragon seemed to nod in agreement.
"Festus." The dragon's teeth whirred and grinned. Well, Hina thought it was a grin.
"Festus it is," Hina agreed, patting the dragon's head affectionately.
"Cool," Leo said. "But we still have a problem, because you don't have wings."
Festus tilted his head and snorted steam. Then he lowered his back in an unmistakable gesture. He wanted the demigods to climb on.
"Where we going?" Leo asked.
But he was too excited to wait for an answer. He climbed onto the dragon's back, offering a hand to pull Hina on behind him, and Festus bounded off into the woods.
There was no way to decipher how much time had passed or where the three were. Festus navigated the dark woods with ease, knowing every turn by heart. His glowing eyes acted like headlights, illuminating a path before them.
Finally they crossed a stream and came to a dead end, a limestone cliff a hundred feet tall—a solid, sheer mass the dragon couldn't possibly climb.
Festus stopped at the base and lifted one leg like a dog pointing.
"What is it?" Leo slid to the ground. He walked up to the cliff—nothing but solid rock. The dragon kept pointing. Hina carefully dismounted after Leo to study the rock.
"It's not going to move out of your way," Leo told him.
The loose wire in the dragon's neck sparked, but otherwise he stayed still. Leo put his hand on the cliff. Suddenly his fingers smoldered. Lines of fire spread from his fingertips like ignited gunpowder, sizzling across the limestone. The burning lines raced across the cliff face until they had outlined a glowing red door five times as tall as Leo. He backed up and the door swung open, disturbingly silently for such a big slab of rock.
"Perfectly balanced," he muttered. "That's some first-rate engineering."
Festus unfroze and marched inside confidently. Hina and Leo locked eyes before Leo shrugged and dragged Hina in behind him.
The door swung shut behind the demigods causing Hina to turn at look at the door in shock. She felt Leo tense and placed a hand on his shoulder trying to figure out what he was thinking. But then lights flickered on—a combination of electric fluorescents and wall-mounted torches. When Leo saw the cavern, he unfroze as if his thoughts were evaporated.
"Festus," he muttered. "What is this place?"
The dragon stomped to the center of the room, leaving tracks in the thick dust, and curled up on a large circular platform.
The cave was way too large for the size of the rock but Hina had learned to suspend her disbelief after everything. Work tables stretched the perimeter of cave, various other equipment covered the room. A large cork board was hung on the far wall, covered top to bottom in blueprints and other yellowed pieces of paper with smudged writing.
Hanging from chains far above the dragon's platform was an old tattered banner almost too faded to read. The letters were Greek and Hina managed to read them with ease. Bunker Nine.
Hina watched Festus curled up on the platform sighing contently. She realized this was his home.
"Do the other kids know ... ?" Leo's question died as he asked it. Clearly, this place had been abandoned for decades. Cobwebs and dust covered everything. The floor revealed no footprints except for his and Hina's, and the huge paw prints of the dragon. They were the first ones in this bunker since a long time ago. Bunker Nine had been abandoned. But why?
Leo pulled Hina with him to look at a nearby map, scared to be separated in the giant cave. The map was a battle map of camp, but the paper was as cracked and yellow as onionskin. A date at the bottom read, 1864.
"No way," Leo breathed, Hina dropping her hand from Leo's shoulder. Suddenly, Leo ran off startling Hina. He was examining a blueprint for a flying ship. Hina stood back, letting the mechanic relish in the design.
"Looks like you, Festus," he murmured. "That's creepy." Leo held up the blueprint, pointing to a dragon's head mast on the boat. Hina gasped realizing the mast was identical to Festus.
She watched Leo explore the cave, his eyes shining like a child meeting Santa at the mall. Hina felt the ghost of a smile on her lips as Leo's antics reminded her of Harry. She frowned quickly, turning away from Leo stricken with grief.
Festus snorted like he was trying to get Leo's attention. The two demigods realized they still needed to find Festus wings for the quest to succeed.
Festus nudged something toward Leo—a leather tool belt that had been left next to his construction pad. Then the dragon switched on his glowing red eye beams and turned them toward the ceiling. Hina looked up to where the spotlights were pointing, and gasped seeing the shapes hanging above them in the darkness.
"Festus," Leo said in a small voice. "We've got work to do."
Hina nodded in agreement, as Leo set to work again, occasionally asking for assistance from Hina. She was practically useless unless Leo needed someone to hand him a tool.
By the time Leo had finished reconstructing Festus' wings, the sun was rising over the hills. Festus flew through the sky with Leo and Hina sitting on his back. Hina was gripping onto the back of Leo's jacket, terrified by the extreme speed Festus flew with. They were back at camp in minutes, causing an unroar from the campers.
"The dragon's back!" Butch yelled, attracting half the campers who ran out of their cabins covered in armor over pajamas. Hina spotted Piper after a few minutes of circling overhead, Festus too nervous to land. The conch horn blew, signalling danger.
Leo managed to land Festus as he yelled, "Don't shoot! It's cool! It's cool!"
Hesitantly, the archers lowered their bows. The warriors backed away, keeping their spears and swords ready. They made a loose wide ring around the metal monster. Other demigods hid behind their cabin doors or peeped out the windows. Nobody seemed anxious to get close.
Hina wasn't surprised by the reluctance, especially considering Festus had tried to kill Hina and Leo multiple times in the forest.
The dragon reared its head and shot a column of fire into the sky. Campers scrambled away and hefted their weapons, but Leo slid calmly off the dragon's back. He held up his hands like he was surrendering, except he still had that crazy grin on his face.
Hina lightly scolded the dragon for scaring away campers, but she knew Festus was just being cheeky. She followed Leo off the dragon, the mechanic helping Hina dismount, causing her cheeks to blush.
"People of Earth, we come in peace!" he shouted. Hina then realized how insane Leo must have looked. He looked like he'd been rolling around in the campfire. His army coat and his face were smeared with soot. His hands were grease-stained, and he wore the new tool belt around his waist. His eyes were bloodshot. His curly hair was so oily it stuck up in porcupine quills, and he smelled strongly of Tabasco sauce. But he looked absolutely delighted. "Festus is just saying hello!"
"That thing is dangerous!" an Ares girl shouted, brandishing her spear. "Kill it now!"
"No!" Hina shouted, a barrier of light protecting Festus from the bloodthirsty Ares cabin.
"Stand down!" a voice ordered, everyone listening automatically. The light faded, leaving Festus unprotected.
Surprising everyone, it was Jason. He pushed through the crowd, flanked by Annabeth and that girl from the Hephaestus cabin, Nyssa.
Jason gazed up at the dragon and shook his head in amazement. "Leo, what have you done?"
"Found a ride!" Leo beamed. "You said I could go on the quest if I got you a ride. Well, I got you a class-A metallic flying bad boy! Festus can take us anywhere!"
"It—has wings," Nyssa stammered. Her jaw looked like it might drop off her face.
"Yeah!" Leo said. "I found them and reattached them."
"But it never had wings. Where did you find them?"
Hina could sense Leo's hesitation of giving away all his secrets. She placed a hand on his shoulder again, keeping her promise to not tell anyone of the night's events.
"In ... the woods," he said. "Repaired his circuits, too, mostly, so no more problems with him going haywire."
"Mostly?" Nyssa asked.
The dragon's head twitched. It tilted to one side and a stream of black liquid, more Tabasco and motor oil, poured out of its ear, all over Leo. Hina backed away avoiding the liquid. She was sure she would never be able to look at Tabasco the same.
"Just a few kinks to work out," Leo said, wiping the liquid from his brow.
"But how did you survive?" Nyssa was still staring at the creature in awe. "I mean, the fire breath ..."
"I'm quick," Leo lied at the same time Hina said, "I helped."
"And lucky. Now, am I on this quest, or what?" Leo finished rapidly.
Jason scratched his head. "You named him Festus? You know that in Latin, 'festus' means 'happy'? You want us to ride off to save the world on Happy the Dragon?"
The dragon twitched and shuddered and flapped his wings. Hina smiled at Festus.
"That's a yes, bro!" Leo said. "Now, um, I'd really suggest we get going, guys. I already picked up some supplies in the—um, in the woods. And all these people with weapons are making Festus nervous."
Jason frowned. "But we haven't planned anything yet. We can't just—"
"Go," Annabeth said. She was the only one who didn't look nervous at all. Her expression was sad and wistful, like this reminded her of better times. "Jason, you've only got three days until the solstice now, and you should never keep a nervous dragon waiting. This is certainly a good omen. Go!"
Jason glanced between the camp and the dragon. Finally agreeing, he smiled back at Piper.
"Ready, partner?"
Piper grinned back. "You bet."
Leo and Hina helped load Jason and Piper onto Festus before climbing on. They sat single file with Leo in front followed by Hina, then Piper, and finally Jason.
Leo used the reins to steer the dragon into the sky like he'd been doing it all his life. The metal wings worked perfectly, and soon the coast of Long Island was just a hazy line behind them. They shot over Connecticut and climbed into the gray winter clouds.
Hina smiled lazily, more at peace with flying after the ride with Festus that morning. Leo turned to grin back and Piper and Jason.
"Cool, right?"
"What if we get spotted?" Piper asked.
"The Mist," Jason said. "It keeps mortals from seeing magic things. If they spot us, they'll probably mistake us for a small plane or something."
Piper glanced over her shoulder. "You sure about that?"
Hina absentmindedly pet Festus' smooth metallic scales.
"No," Jason replied, and Hina watched the sky before them.
"We're making good time. We'll probably be there tonight," he added. Jason and Piper seemed to have a silent conversation. Hina felt like she was intruding but didn't exactly have a place to go on the flying dragon.
They rode in silence, Hina managing to drift in and out of sleep from the long night of catching Festus.
"Shut up," Leo called, startling Hina.
"What?" Piper asked.
"Nothing," he said. "Long night. I think I'm hallucinating. It's cool."
It definitely was not cool for their driver to be hallucinating. Jason and Piper seemed to agree.
"Just joking." Leo broke the silence. "So what's the plan, bro? You said something about catching wind, or breaking wind, or something?"
As they flew over New England, Jason laid out the game plan: First, find someone named Boreas and get information of the storm spirits.
"His name is Boreas?" Leo had to ask. "What is he, the God of Boring?"
Second, Jason continued, they had to find those venti that had attacked them at the Grand Canyon—
"Can we just call them storm spirits?" Leo asked. "Venti makes them sound like evil espresso drinks."
And third, Jason finished, they had to find out who the storm spirits worked for, so they could find Hera and free her.
"So you want to look for Dylan, the nasty storm dude, on purpose," Leo said. "The guy who threw me off the skywalk and sucked Coach Hedge into the clouds."
Hina wasn't sure if Leo fully grasped the seriousness of the situation. She did, however, appreciate his humor preventing Hina from launching herself off the dragon in fear.
"That's about it," Jason said. "Well ... there may be a wolf involved, too. But I think she's friendly. She probably won't eat us, unless we show weakness."
Jason told them about his dream—the big nasty mother wolf and a burned-out house with stone spires growing out of the swimming pool. The longer Jason talked, the more Hina's nerves grew. It was one thing to face off against the storm spirits again, but angry wolves and goddesses was too much.
"Uh-huh," Leo said. "But you don't know where this place is."
"Nope," Jason admitted.
"There's also giants," Piper added. "The prophecy said the giants' revenge."
"Hold on," Leo said. "Giants—like more than one? Why can't it be just one giant who wants revenge?"
"I don't think so," Piper said. "I remember in some of the old Greek stories, there was something about an army of giants."
"Great," Leo muttered. "Of course, with our luck, it's an army. So you know anything else about these giants? Didn't you do a bunch of myth research for that movie with your dad?"
"Your dad's an actor?" Jason asked.
Leo laughed. "I keep forgetting about your amnesia. Heh. Forgetting about amnesia. That's funny. But yeah, her dad's Tristan McLean."
Hina vaguely recognized the name, but couldn't place a face to the name.
"Uh—Sorry, what was he in?"
"It doesn't matter," Piper said quickly. "The giants—well, there were lots of giants in Greek mythology. But if I'm thinking of the right ones, they were bad news. Huge, almost impossible to kill. They could throw mountains and stuff. I think they were related to the Titans. They rose from the earth after Kronos lost the war—I mean the first Titan war, thousands of years ago—and they tried to destroy Olympus. If we're talking about the same giants—"
"Chiron said it was happening again," Jason remembered. "The last chapter. That's what he meant. No wonder he didn't want us to know all the details."
Leo whistled. "So ... giants who can throw mountains. Friendly wolves that will eat us if we show weakness. Evil espresso drinks. Gotcha. Maybe this isn't the time to bring up my psycho babysitter."
Hina's head snapped up. She was hoping Leo wasn't serious.
"Is that another joke?" Piper asked.
Leo told them about Tía Callida, who was a disguised Hera, and how she appeared at camp. He talked vaguely about his childhood, recounting how his mother died when their machine shop collapsed.
Hina's heart broke for Leo, who had been through so much, without someone by his side. She gently rested her hands on his shoulders for the hundredth time. It was a silent promise that he had her by his side.
And he told them about the strange woman in earthen robes who seemed to be asleep, and seemed to know the future.
They had flown over an entire state before anyone spoke up.
"That's, disturbing..." Piper finally said. It seemed like an understatement to Hina.
"'Bout sums it up," Leo agreed. "Thing is, everybody says don't trust Hera. She hates demigods. And the prophecy said we'd cause death if we unleash her rage. So I'm wondering ... why are we doing this?"
"She chose us," Jason said. "All four of us. We're the first of the eight who have to gather for the Great Prophecy. This quest is the beginning of something much bigger."
Hina hated that Jason was right. Their journey was only the start of a bigger quest. And they're lives no longer mattered, only the final result.
"Besides," Jason continued, "helping Hera is the only way I can get back my memory. And that dark spire in my dream seemed to be feeding on Hera's energy. If that thing unleashes a king of the giants by destroying Hera—"
"Not a good trade-off," Piper agreed. "At least Hera is on our side—mostly. Losing her would throw the gods into chaos. She's the main one who keeps peace in the family. And a war with the giants could be even more destructive than the Titan War."
Jason nodded. "Chiron also talked about worse forces stirring on the solstice, with it being a good time for dark magic, and all—something that could awaken if Hera were sacrificed on that day. And this mistress who's controlling the storm spirits, the one who wants to kill all the demigods—"
"Might be that weird sleeping lady," Leo finished. "Dirt Woman fully awake? Not something I want to see."
"But who is she?" Jason asked. "And what does she have to do with giants?"
None of them had an answer. They flew in silence, each stuck in their heads.
Hina could feel Leo trembling underneath her hands. She gave his shoulders a squeeze, his hand meeting hers. Leo looked back at Hina gratefully and suddenly, she was glad she had woken up on that bus beside him.
The wind turned colder as they continued flying north. Festus seemed confident in where he was flying. The demigods could only pray they wouldn't end up in the North Pole.
Hina watched Leo's head bob up and down as he had been up since the day before.
"Why don't you get some sleep?" Piper asked Leo, her words seeming extra persuasive. "You've been up all night."
"You won't let me fall?" Leo worried, turning to face Piper.
The girl smiled. "Beautiful people never lie."
"Right..."
Hina forced Leo to trade spots before he fell asleep so she could keep an eye on Festus. In minutes Hina felt Leo's head softly hit her back as he fell forward, fast asleep. She felt a blush warm her cheeks against the cold air. Hina could feel Piper's eyes burning holes in her back and she refused to face the girl. Hina already knew Piper was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
They rode in silence, no one else able to fall asleep. Hina was exhausted but her heart was racing in her chest, thinking of everything that waiting for them ahead.
She tried as hard as she could to rid her thoughts of the lines of the prophecy. 'The sun that shines brightest will fulfill the curse, to be carried off in a golden hearse.' The words sent chills down her spine.
"Good job, Festus," Hina whispered to the dragon, who whirred happily in response. As the sun set ahead of them, Piper gently shook Leo awake.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes slowly. The city was beautiful but Leo couldn't admire it. He was too busy staring at the girl who sat in front of him, talking to his dragon. Looking at Hina, Leo understood why she was the sun that shone the brightest. The light from the sunset created a ring around Hina like a halo, her blonde hair shining in the light. Her voice sounded exactly how he imagined an angel to sound: light and airy, as if floating.
Leo tore his eyes away from Hina's back long enough to spot a large red castle.
"Tell me that's Quebec and not Santa's workshop."
"Yeah, Quebec City," Piper confirmed. "One of the oldest cities in North America. Founded around sixteen hundred or so?"
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Your dad do a movie about that too?"
"I read sometimes, okay? Just because Aphrodite claimed me, doesn't mean I have to be an airhead," Piper defended.
"Feisty!" Leo said. "So you know so much, what's that castle?"
"A hotel, I think."
Leo laughed. "No way."
As they got closer, they realized Piper was right.
The grand entrance was bustling with doormen, valets, and porters taking bags. Sleek black luxury cars idled in the drive. People in elegant suits and winter cloaks hurried to get out of the cold.
"The North Wind is staying in a hotel?" Leo said. "That can't be—"
"Heads up, guys," Jason interrupted. "We got company!"
Hina looked up from the reins seeing what Jason was talking about. Rising from the top of the building were two purple, angry angels holding swords.
Festus did not like the angel guards and beared his fangs at them. He swooped to a halt midair, his wings flapping angrily to hold them in place. Festus' throat made a low growling and Hina recognized it immediately.
Leo leaned forward, placing a hand on the dragon. "Steady boy."
"I don't like this," Jason said. "They look like storm spirits."
Hina had seen too many storm spirits to agree, but didn't want to draw attention to herself. Sensing her hesitation, Leo placed a hand on Hina's shoulder. As they neared, the guards had solid bodies, and snowy hair that looked similar to frosted tips. Their purple wings brought the guards closer to Festus. They held icicle spears, and looked like brothers.
One was the size of an ox, with a bright red hockey jersey, baggy sweatpants, and black leather cleats. The guy clearly had been in too many fights, because both his eyes were black, and when he bared his teeth, several of them were missing.
The second guard had an atrocious mullet, paired with too tight, tight pants and a silk shirt with the top buttons open. Hina's nose wrinkled in disgust. He was scrawny and was freckled with horrible acne.
The angel guards stopped a few feet from Festus, icicle swords pointed towards the demigods.
The hockey ox grunted. "No clearance."
"'Scuse me?" Leo said.
"You have no flight plan on file," explained the second angel. On top of his other problems, he had a phony French accent. "This is restricted airspace."
"Destroy them?" The hockey player showed off his gap-toothed grin.
The dragon began to hiss steam, ready to defend them. Jason summoned his golden sword, but Leo cried, "Hold on! Let's have some manners here, boys. Can I at least find out who has the honor of destroying me?"
Hina was thankful for Leo's quick thinking, and let out a sigh of relief.
"I am Cal!" the first one announced, proud of himself for managing to pronounce every word correctly.
"That's short for Calais," acne face said. "Sadly, my brother cannot say words with more than two syllables—"
"Pizza! Hockey! Destroy!" Cal offered.
"—which includes his own name," acne face finished.
"I am Cal," Cal repeated. "And this is Zethes! My brother!"
"Way to go, buddy! That was almost three sentences," Leo congratulated, earning an elbow to the gut from Hina.
Cal grunted, obviously pleased with himself.
"Stupid buffoon," his brother grumbled. "They make fun of you. But no matter. I am Zethes, which is short for Zethes. And the ladies here—" He winked at Piper and Hina, but the wink was more like a facial seizure. "They can call me anything they likes. Perhaps they would like to have dinner with a famous demigod before we must destroy you?"
Piper made a sound like gagging on a cough drop. "That's ... a truly horrifying offer."
Hina adopted a kinder approach, and plastered a fake smile on her face.
"It is no problem." Zethes wiggled his eyebrows. "We are a very romantic people, we Boreads."
"Boreads?" Jason cut in. "Do you mean, like, the sons of Boreas?"
"Ah, so you've heard of us!" Zethes looked pleased. "We are our father's gatekeepers. So you understand, we cannot have unauthorized people flying in his airspace on creaky dragons, scaring the silly mortal peoples!"
He pointed below and they realized that people were beginning to notice Festus. He probably appeared to be a low flying helicopter, but was still enough to make the mortals uneasy.
"Which is sadly why, unless this is an emergency landing," Zethes said, brushing his hair out of his acne-covered face, "we will have to destroy you painfully."
"Destroy!" Cal agreed, with a little more enthusiasm than necessary.
"Wait!" Piper said. "This is an emergency landing."
"Awww!" Cal looked so disappointed, it was hard to do much but pity him.
Zethes studied Piper, which of course, he'd already been doing. "How does the pretty girl decide this is an emergency, then?"
"We have to see Boreas. It's totally urgent! Please?" She forced a smile, which Hina figured must've been killing her; but she still had that blessing of Aphrodite thing going on, and she looked great. Something about her voice, too—was very convincing. Jason and Leo were nodding, looking absolutely convinced.
Zethes picked at his silk shirt, probably making sure it was still open wide enough. "Well ... I hate to disappoint such lovely ladies, but you see, my sister, she would have an avalanche if we allowed you—"
"And our dragon is malfunctioning!" Piper added. "It could crash any minute!"
Festus shuddered helpfully, then turned his head and spilled gunk out of his ear, splattering a black Mercedes in the parking lot below. Hina frowned as the smell of Tabasco filled her nostrils again. She wasn't sure how much more she could handle.
"No destroy?" Cal whimpered.
Zethes pondered the problem. Then he gave Piper another spasmodic wink. "Well, you are pretty. I mean, you're right. A malfunctioning dragon—this could be an emergency."
"Destroy them later?" Cal suggested, really cementing his wish to hurt them.
"It will take some explaining," Zethes decided. "Father has not been kind to visitors lately. But, yes. Come, faulty dragon people. Follow us."
The Boreads put away their swords to pull out smaller weapons. Well, Hina thought they were weapons until they flicked on traffic controller flashlights. She stifled a laugh at the ridiculousness. Cal and Zethes turned around flying towards the tower.
"I love these guys, " Leo laughed, "Follow them?"
Jason nodded in confirmation, not looking too eager.
"I guess. We're here now. I wonder why Boreas hasn't been kind to visitors?"
"Pfft, he just hasn't met us." Leo whistled. "Festus, after those flashlights!"
Festus shot off, causing Leo to reach around Hina and grab the reins. Her face lit up again, as Leo leaned closer to get a better view. The closer they got, the more worried Hina became they would crash. The Boreads made right for the green gabled peak and didn't slow down. Then a section of the slanted roof slid open, revealing an entrance easily wide enough for Festus. The top and bottom were lined with icicles like jagged teeth.
"This can't be good," Jason muttered, but Leo spurred the dragon downwards.
They landed in a penthouse suit, turned loading bay. Every single inch was covered in sheets of ice. The entry hall had vaulted ceilings forty feet high, huge draped windows, and lush oriental carpets. A staircase at the back of the room led up to another equally massive hall, and more corridors branched off to the left and right. But the ice made the room's beauty a little frightening.
When Leo slid off the dragon, the carpet crunched under his feet. He reached up helping Hina steady herself on the slippery ice. A fine layer of frost covered the furniture. The curtains didn't budge because they were frozen solid, and the ice-coated windows let in weird watery light from the sunset. Even the ceiling was filled with icicles.
"Guys," Leo said, "fix the thermostat in here, and I would totally move in."
"Not me." Jason looked uneasily at the staircase. "Something feels wrong. Something up there ..."
Festus shuddered and snorted flames. Frost started to form on his scales. Hina frowned, patting Festus' side.
"No, no, no!" Zethes marched over to Festus. "The dragon must be deactivated. We can't have fire in here. The heat ruins my hair." For effect, Zethes reached up and brushed his mullet over his shoulder.
Festus snarled towards Zethes, his drill bit teeth spinning.
"'S'okay, boy." Leo turned to Zethes. "The dragon's a little touchy about the whole deactivation concept. But I've got a better solution."
"Destroy?" Cal suggested.
"No, man. You gotta stop with the destroy talk. Just wait."
"Leo," Piper said nervously, "what are you—"
"Watch and learn, beauty queen. When I was repairing Festus last night, I found all kinds of buttons. Some, you do not want to know what they do. But others ... Ah, here we go."
Leo hooked his fingers behind Festus' leg, finding the switch he searched for. The dragon shuddered head to toe and begun to fold like origami. His metal plates folded together, his tail and neck contracting into the body. When he finished, Festus was in the shape of a suitcase at Leo's feet.
He leaned to pick it up, struggling before letting go.
"Umm, yeah- hold on," Leo mumbled, fumbling to find a second switch that released a handle and wheels.
"Ta-da!" he announced. "The world's heaviest carry-on bag!"
"That's impossible," Jason said. "Something that big couldn't—"
"Stop!" Zethes ordered. He and Cal both drew their swords and glared at Leo.
Leo raised his hands in defence. "Okay ... what'd I do? Stay calm, guys. If it bothers you that much, I don't have to take the dragon as carry-on—"
Zethes shoved his sword at Leo's chest, stopping before he impaled the boy. "Who are you? A child of the South Wind, spying on us?" he accused.
"What? No!" Leo said. "Son of Hephaestus. Friendly blacksmith, no harm to anyone!"
Cal grunted, getting uncomfortably close to Leo. "Smell fire." he said. "Fire bad."
"Oh." Hina and Leo locked eyes, both scared of the outcome. "Yeah, well ... my clothes are kind of singed, and I've been working with oil, and—"
"No!" Zethes pushed Leo backwards with his sword point. Leo stumbled, Hina rushing to steady him. "We can smell fire, demigod. We assumed it was from the creaky dragon, but now the dragon is a suitcase. And I still smell fire ... on you."
Hina could feel her heart pounding in her chest and was worried the Boreads could hear it.
"Hey ... look ... I don't know—" He glanced at his friends desperately. "Guys, a little help?"
Jason had produced his golden coin from his pocket, stepping forward to clear the air.
"Look, there's been a mistake. Leo isn't fire guy. Tell them, Leo. Tell them you're not a fire guy," Jason reassured Zethes.
"Ummmm," Leo managed to say, dooming them.
"Zethes?" Piper tried her dazzling smile again, though she looked a little too nervous and cold to pull it off. "We're all friends here. Put down your swords and let's talk."
"The girl is pretty," Zethes admitted, "and of course she cannot help being attracted to my amazingness; but sadly, I cannot romance her at this time." Zethes poked his sword harder at Leo, causing frost to spread across his chest.
"Wait!" Hina yelled, stepping forward to gain Zethe's attention. The Boread turned, looking unimpressed.
"I know I am very enticing, and you are drawn to me like a moth to a- well, flame," Zethe spoke to Hina confidently, turning away from Leo. "However, I must destroy your friend. We cannot have fire inside the palace."
"But, wait- what about that dinner? If you destroy us, how ever can I get the honour of enjoying a meal with you?" Hina batted her lashes, trying to ignore the wide eyed look Jason and Piper gave her.
Zethes frowned, momentarily debating with himself.
"Unfortunately, pretty lady, we will not be able to share this dinner. For you see, when you are dead you will not be able to eat," Zethes explained to Hina like she was stupid.
"Destroy him now?" Cal asked his brother.
Zethes nodded. "Sadly, I think—"
"No," Jason insisted. He was so calm it unnerved Hina. "Leo's just a son of Hephaestus. He's no threat. Piper here is a daughter of Aphrodite. Hina is a daughter of Apollo. I'm the son of Zeus. We're on a peaceful-"
Jason's voice faltered as both Boreads turned to face him.
"What did you say?" Zethes demanded. "You are the son of Zeus?"
"Um ... yeah," Jason said. "That's a good thing, right? My name is Jason."
Cal looked shocked, he almost dropped his sword. "Can't be Jason," he said. "Doesn't look the same."
Zethes stepped forward and squinted at Jason's face. "No, he is not our Jason. Our Jason was more stylish. Not as much as me—but stylish. Besides, our Jason died millennia ago."
"Wait," Jason said. "Your Jason ... you mean the original Jason? The Golden Fleece guy?"
"Of course," Zethes said. "We were his crewmates aboard his ship, the Argo, in the old times, when we were mortal demigods. Then we accepted immortality to serve our father, so I could look this good for all time, and my silly brother could enjoy pizza and hockey."
"Hockey!" Cal agreed.
"But Jason—our Jason—he died a mortal death," Zethes said. "You can't be him."
"I'm not," Jason agreed.
Cal seemed very confused now. "So... destroy?" he asked.
"No," Zethes said sorrowfully. "If he's a son of Zeus he could be the one we've been watching for."
"Watching for?" Leo asked. "You mean like in a good way: you'll shower him with fabulous prizes? Or watching for like in a bad way: he's in trouble?"
A girl's voice said, "That depends on my father's will."
Hina glanced up the staircase. At the top of the steps stood a girl in a snowy white dress. She was gorgeous in an intimidating way. All sharp angles, like a ragged ice sculpture. The girl had ice in her eyes, coldness sweeping through the room. Her dark eyes scanned the room, settling on Jason.
"Father will want to see the one called Jason," even her voice was cold.
"Then it is him?" Zethes asked excitedly.
"We'll see," the girl said. "Zethes, bring our guests."
Leo went to retrieve the Festus suitcase, only to be stopped by the girl.
"Not you, Leo Valdez."
Hina turned to see Leo looking dejected.
"Why not?" Leo asked, sounding like a child just told not to draw on the wall with markers. Hina realized the look in Leo's eyes was that of a love sick puppy. She could not believe him. In enemy territory, after being threatened multiple times he had a crush on the ice princess.
"You cannot be in the presence of my father," the girl said. "Fire and ice—it would not be wise."
"We're going together," Jason insisted, putting his hand on Leo's shoulder, "or not at all."
The girl tilted her head, like she wasn't used to people refusing her orders. "He will not be harmed, Jason Grace, unless you make trouble. Calais, keep Leo Valdez here. Guard him, but do not kill him."
Cal pouted. "Just a little?"
"No," the girl insisted. "And take care of his interesting suitcase, until Father passes judgment."
The group exchanged glances, silently asking Leo how he wanted to deal with the issue.
"It's fine, guys," he said. "No sense causing trouble if we don't have to. You go ahead."
"Listen to your friend," the pale girl said. "Leo Valdez will be perfectly safe. I wish I could say the same for you, son of Zeus. Now come, King Boreas is waiting."
They climbed the icy staircase, following the girl. Zethes walked behind them, his sword pointed in the small of Hina's back. This didn't, however, stop the Boread from trying to chat Hina up. She gave him one word answers, regretting her choice to try and romance the guy to save Leo.
"You are very pretty, as I am very handsome. We would be a good pair, no?" Zethes asked Hina, wiggling his eyebrows flirtatiously as if he did not have a sword pushed into her back.
"Mmmhmm," Hina replied, not paying attention to Zethes as she glanced down towards Leo. Zethes continued to talk off Hina's ear as they walked.
"This mortal son of Hephaestus he is nowhere near my superior looks and he smells of hot sauce. So, see, I am the best, and you are very beautiful."
He fell silent as they approached a large set of oak doors.
The princess turned. She smiled wickedly, studying the demigods.
"This is the throne room," she said. "Be on your best behavior, Jason Grace. My father can be ... chilly. I will translate for you, and try to encourage him to hear you out. I do hope he spares you. We could have such fun."
Hina wasn't sure if she wanted the princess to elaborate on her idea of fun.
"Um, okay," he managed. "But really, we're just here for a little talk. We'll be leaving right afterward."
The girl smiled. "I love heroes. So blissfully ignorant."
Hina's hand flew to her bow which rested on her shoulder as Piper reached towards her dagger. "Well, how about you enlighten us? You say you're going to translate for us, and we don't even know who you are. What's your name?" Piper demanded.
The girl sniffed with distaste. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you don't recognize me. Even in the ancient times the Greeks did not know me well. Their island homes were too warm, too far from my domain. I am Khione, daughter of Boreas, goddess of snow."
She stirred the air with her finger, and a miniature blizzard swirled around her—big, fluffy flakes as soft as cotton.
"Now, come," Khione said. The oaken doors blew open, and cold blue light spilled out of the room. "Hopefully you will survive your little talk."