Warriors || Leo Valdez [2]

11

Finally Hazel exhaled. "Piper is right."

"How can you be sure?" Percy asked.

"I've met eidolons," Hazel said. "In the Underworld, when I was... you know."

"Dead." Alex whispered, everyone's heads turned to her, "Sorry, I have no brain to mouth filter"

"So... " Frank rubbed his hand across his buzz-cut hair as if some ghosts might have invaded his scalp. "You think these things are lurking on the ship, or-"

"Possibly lurking inside some of us," Piper said. "We don't know."

Jason clenched his fist. "If that's true-"

"We have to take steps," Piper said. "I think I can do this."

"Do what?" Alex asked.

"Just listen, okay?" Piper took a deep breath. "Everybody listen."

Piper met their eyes, one person at a time. And Alex felt the cold feeling again.

"Eidolons," she said, using her charmspeak, "raise your hands."

There was tense silence.

Leo laughed nervously. "Did you really think that was going to-?"

His voice died. His face went slack. He raised his hand. 

Alex would've gasped in horror but her vision clouded then cleared as it had before. Her hand was raised too.

Jason had done the same. Their eyes had turned glassy and gold. Hazel caught her breath and Percy looked at Alex with a pained expression. Next to Leo, Frank scrambled out of his chair and put his back against the wall.

"Oh, gods." Annabeth looked at Piper imploringly. "Can you cure them?"

Piper focused on Leo.

"Are there more of you on this ship?" she asked.

"No," Leo said in a hollow voice. "The Earth Mother sent three. The strongest, the best. We will live again."

"Not here, you won't," Piper growled. "All three of you, listen carefully."

Alex and Jason turned to her. 

"You will leave those bodies," she commanded.

"No," Alex said.

Leo let out a soft hiss. "We must live."

Frank fumbled for his bow. "Mars Almighty, that's creepy! Get out of here, spirits! Leave our friends alone!"

Leo turned toward him. "You cannot command us, child of war. Your own life is fragile. Your soul could burn at any moment."

Alex wasn't sure what that meant, but Frank staggered like he'd been punched in the gut. He drew an arrow, his hands shaking. "I-I've faced down worse things than you. If you want a fight-"

"Frank, don't." Hazel rose.

Next to her, Jason drew his sword.

"Stop!" Piper ordered, but her voice quavered.

"Listen to Piper." Hazel pointed at Jason's sword. The gold blade seemed to grow heavy in his hand. It clunked to the table and Jason sank back into his chair.

Alex sneered. "Daughter of Pluto, you may control gems and metals. You do not control the dead."

Percy reached toward her as if to restrain her, but Hazel waved him off.

"Listen, eidolons," Hazel said sternly, "you do not belong here. I may not command you, but Piper does. Obey her."

She turned toward Piper, her expression clear: Try again. You can do this.