Restored (A Caleo Selection)

33 ~ A Recovery So Slow

Leo spent the next few days in enforced recovery. More than once, the nurses panicked when they noticed an empty bed, only to discover him chilling in a sitting room or charming servants in the kitchen. By the week's end, there wasn't a medic who wasn't completely won over.

The Council returned once the palace was searched, cleaned, and deemed safe. I had to respect King Hephaestus for being willing to risk his life to stay near his people. He could be seen frequently talking to his son in quiet whispers, sometimes happy, sometimes aggravated.

Piper and I were on our way to the infirmary when the doors opened and he exited, four guards trailing him in formation, his crown just slightly askew. His eyes fell on us, and he stopped.

I expected him to address Piper. Instead, he nodded at me. "Calypso."

I glanced at Piper, nervous. She squeezed my arm and nudged me towards him.

The king regarded me with a weary expression. Then abruptly he asked, "Do you love my son?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it. How on earth was I to answer him when I had no idea?

Truthfully, Calypso.

"I...I don't know, sir," I said hesitantly. "I think so. But I've never been a good judge of what is and is not love."

King Hephaestus nodded slowly. "That is enough for him."

He swept on by, and I looked to Piper, a little panicked. "What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure, but I would guess it means that Leo's been talking to him pretty seriously about you," she answered, her hands twisting her skirt.

I scuffed the floor with my shoe. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"A good thing. I think." Piper paused. "Just the fact that he asked you that means he's at least considering it."

"What if he says no?"

"Then I think he's going to have a very uncooperative son."

Dread coiled in my stomach. "Oh, sakes, I hope not. Leo wouldn't be that foolish. Would he?"

Piper raised her eyebrows. "This is Leo we're talking about here."

"I hate it when you're right." I bit down on the inside of my cheek.

"Now, why can't you say that more often?" Piper held open the door for me. "That's a phrase people always reserve for Annabeth. I never get to hear it aimed at me."

"It's because you're not very smart."

"Well, gee whillikers, I never thought of that."

Leo looked up as we entered. "Is that sisterly bickering I hear? Thought so. Must be Pilypso, the inseparable."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "How are we supposed to stay separate? We're sharing a room. Hard to avoid a roommate."

"You're telling me," he retorted. "I've been here five days with at least ten roommates at any given time and they still won't let me leave."

"You're in a separate room from everyone else," Piper pointed out.

"Are you kidding? The walls are so thin I could hear the gardener who sleeps seven feet to my left farting in his sleep."

Piper snorted. "That's ridiculous. I'm sure he was awake and deliberately attempting to annoy you."

"It worked. Dude's like ninety and still refuses to retire. I can hear all his joints cracking as he gets up in the morning." Leo grinned. "I hope I live that long so I, too, can one day be a glowstick."