𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 •| ⊱ Jason Grace¹

•| ⊱ FORTY-THREE

[ chapter forty-three: jason ]

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The council was nothing like Jason imagined. For one thing, it was in the Big House rec room, around a Ping-Pong table, and one of the satyrs was serving nachos and sodas. Somebody had brought Seymour the leopard head in from the living room and hung him on the wall. Every once in a while, a counselor would toss him a Snausage.

Jason looked around the room and tried to remember everyone's name. Thankfully, Leo, Hermia and Piper were sitting next to him-it was their first meeting as senior counselors. And as much as Mia hated it, she had become counselor of cabin three since her half brother was still missing.

Actually the one who suggested this was none other than Percy's girlfriend Helena Argent. Which honestly surprised Jason, but he figured that's what Percy would have wanted.

When he and the rest of his friends first meet Helena, she gave off such a strong energy. She was a daughter of Athena so he figured she got her strength from her mother. But for someone who was missing her boyfriend, Helena was putting on a strong face. She was also very sweet and even hugged Mia when she saw her because she was so happy to be meeting her boyfriend's half sister.

As Jason glanced around he noticed Clarisse, leader of the Ares cabin, had her boots on the table, but nobody seemed to care. Clovis from Hypnos cabin was snoring in the corner while Butch from Iris cabin was seeing how many pencils he could fit in Clovis's nostrils. Travis Stoll from Hermes was holding a lighter under a Ping-Pong ball to see if it would burn. Aaron Moore from Apollo was absently wrapping and unwrapping an Ace bandage around his wrist. Diana Rogers-Piper's half sister and co-counselor was reading a magazine.

The counselor from Hecate cabin, Lou Ellen something-or-other, was playing "got-your-nose" with Miranda Gardiner from Demeter, except that Lou Ellen really had magically disconnected Miranda's nose, and Miranda was trying to get it back.

Jason had hoped Thalia would show. She'd promised, after all-but she was nowhere to be seen. Chiron had told him not to worry about it. Thalia often got sidetracked fighting monsters or running quests for Artemis, and she would probably arrive soon. But still, Jason worried.

Rachel Dare, the oracle, sat next to Chiron at the head of the table. She was wearing her Clarion Academy school uniform dress, which seemed a bit odd, but she smiled at Jason.

From beside Annabeth, Helena didn't look so relaxed. Both girls wore armor over their camp clothes, one with her knife at her side, while the other played with the bracelet on her wrist. Annabeth's blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, while Helena left her's down in waves. It amazed Jason to see how two girls who looked nothing alike could be siblings. As soon as Jason walked in, Helena fixed him with an expectant look, as if she were trying to extract information out of him by sheer willpower.