𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 •| ⊱ Jason Grace¹

•| ⊱ THIRTY-TWO

[ chapter thirty-two: hermia ]

° • ° • °

Hermia hoped the taxi could take them all the way to the top. But they had on such luck. The cab made lurching, grinding sounds as it climbed the mountain road, and halfway up they found the ranger's station closed, a chain blocking the way.

"Far as I can go," the cabbie said. "You sure about this? Gonna be a long walk back, and my car's acting funny. I can't wait for you."

"We're sure." Leo was the first one out and after him went Mia. She had a bad feeling about what was wrong with the cab, and when she looked down she saw she was right. The wheels were sinking into the road like it was made of quicksand. Not fast-just enough to make the driver think he had a problem-but Hermia knew different.

The road was hard-packed dirt. No reason at all it should have been soft, but already Hermia's shoes were starting to sink. Gaea was messing with them.

While the rest of her friends got out, Leo paid the cabbie. "Keep the change," he said. "And get out of here. Quick."

The driver didn't argue. Soon all they could see was his dust trail.

The view from the mountain was pretty amazing. The whole inland valley around Mount Diablo was a patchwork of towns-grids of tree-lined streets and nice middle-class suburbs, shops, and schools. All these normal people living normal lives-the kind Hermia missed more than anything.

"That's Concord," Jason said, pointing to the north. "Walnut Creek below us. To the south, Danville, past those hills. And that way ..."

He pointed west, where a ridge of golden hills held back a layer of fog, like the rim of a bowl. "That's the Berkeley Hills. The East Bay. Past that, San Francisco."

Hermia watched him in confusion. She didn't know how Jason knew all this, but she had a feeling this was all part of the lost memories he had.

"Are you remembering something, Blondie?" Mia asked as Jason turned to look at her. Hermia tried not to notice the hurt look in his eyes. She obviously knew he preferred the Superman nickname, but there was no way she'd be saying that now. Not when he didn't trust her. "Maybe you've been here before."

"Yes ... no." He gave her an anguished look. "It just seems important."

"That's Titan land." Coach Hedge nodded toward the west. "Bad place, Jason. Trust me, this is as close to 'Frisco as we want to get."

But Jason looked toward the foggy basin with such longing that Mia felt uneasy. Why did Jason seem so connected with that place-a place Hedge said was evil, full of bad magic and old enemies? What if Jason came from here? Everybody kept hinting Jason was an enemy, that his arrival at Camp Half-Blood was a dangerous mistake.