BLOODSHOT . . . piper mclean

86.

AFTER THEIR ENCOUNTER with Kym, the Argo II limped through the Aegean, too damaged to fly, too slow to outrun monsters. They fought hungry sea serpents about every hour. They attracted schools of curious fish. At one point they got stuck on a rock, and Percy and Perfect Jason had to get out and push. Then they couldn't do it, so Eden had to do it on her own.

  Percy and Annabeth went ashore to scout at the island of Mykonos, while Eden made out with Piper for most of the time that they were gone. Then Piper had gone to the bathroom, and naturally Eden picked up her guitar and started playing it. Kaleidoscope was reading a book and leaning against her before Annabeth had opened their door, gelato in her hands.

  The whole crew sat on deck, without a storm or a monster attack to worry about for the first time in days, and ate ice cream. Well, except for Frank, who was lactose intolerant. He got an apple, which was honestly just sad. Eden ate his gelato, though.

  The day was hot and windy. The sea glittered with chop, and for once Eden thought that the waves actually looked pretty.

  Curving off to their starboard side was the town of Mykonos – a collection of white stucco buildings with blue roofs, blue windows and blue doors.

"We saw these pelicans walking around town," Percy reported. "Like, just going through the shops, stopping at the bars."

Fucking boredom. Couldn't something just kill Eden now?

  Hazel frowned. "Monsters in disguise?"

"No," Annabeth said, laughing, "just regular old pelicans. They're the town mascots or something. And there's a "Little Italy" section of town. That's why the gelato is so good."

"Europe is messed up." Leo shook his head. "First we go to Rome for Spanish steps. Then we go to Greece for Italian ice cream."

  Piper set down her ice-cream cup. "So, the island of Delos is right across the harbor. Artemis and Apollo's home turf. Who's going?"

"Me," Leo said immediately.

  Everybody stared at him.

"What?" Leo demanded. "I'm diplomatic and stuff. Frank and Hazel volunteered to back me up."

"We did?" Frank lowered his half-eaten apple. "I mean . . . sure we did."

  Hazel's gold eyes flashed in the sunlight. "Leo, did you have a dream about this or something?"

"Yes," Leo blurted. "Well . . . no. Not exactly. But . . . you got to trust me on this, guys. I need to talk to Apollo and Artemis. I've got an idea I need to bounce off them."

  Annabeth frowned. She looked like she might object, but Perfect Jason spoke up.

"If Leo has an idea," he said, "we need to trust him."

  Leo smiled at him. Simp. "Thanks, Jay."

  Percy shrugged. "Okay. But a word of advice: when you see Apollo, don't mention haiku."

Eden groaned. "Did you have to say the word? He's probably going to appear over our shoulders now and spring one up from his ass."

  Hazel knitted her eyebrows. "Why not? Isn't he the god of poetry?"

"Unless you want your earbuds to die." Eden put her head on Piper's shoulder.

"Got it." Leo rose to his feet. "And, guys, if they have a souvenir shop on Delos, I'm totally bringing you back some Apollo and Artemis bobbleheads!"

* * *

After a long time ( the next day ), they hovered over the ancient temple complex of the healing god Asclepius, where they could hopefully find the physician's cure and maybe also some boba tea, because Eden was really craving one right now.