Bewitched || P. Jackson

𝔻ealing with a dragon...

The dragon was huge. It glistened in the morning sun like a living penny sculpture —different shades of copper and bronze— a sixty-foot-long serpent with steel talons and drill-bit teeth and glowing ruby eyes.

It had bat-shaped wings twice its length that unfurled like metallic sails, making a sound like coins cascading out of a slot machine every time they flapped.

And better yet, it stood in the middle of the camp.

Nicki pushed past terrified, gawking demigods and satyrs, beelining to the centre of the crowd. Annabeth's knuckles were white against Nicki's palm, too afraid to let go. Jason glued himself to the two girls' backs.

"It's beautiful."

For a split second, Nicki was tempted to agree with Piper, until the dragon shot a column of fire out of its nose and into the air. Heart in her throat, Nicki's eyes burned.

"Oh yeah," she hissed shoving past the daughter of Aphrodite, "gorgeous."

Leo slid calmly off the dragon's back. He held up his hands like he was surrendering, but he still had that crazy grin.

"People of Earth, I come in peace!" he shouted. He looked like he'd been rolling around in the campfire. His army coat and his face were smeared with soot. His hands were grease-stained, and he wore a new tool belt around his waist. His eyes were bloodshot. His curly hair was so oily it stuck up in porcupine quills, and he smelled strangely of Tabasco sauce. But he looked absolutely delighted. "Festus is just saying hello!"

"That thing is dangerous!" an Ares girl shouted, brandishing her spear. "Kill it now!"

"Stand down!" someone ordered.

To Nicki's surprise, it was Jason. Placing his hand on Nicki's arm, he moved past her closer to Leo and Festus.

Jason gazed up at the dragon and shook his head in amazement. "Leo, what have you done?"

"Found a ride!" Leo beamed. "You said I could go on the quest if I got you a ride. Well, I got you a class-A metallic flying bad boy! Festus can take us anywhere!"

"It—has wings," Annabeth stammered. Her jaw looked like it might drop off her face.

"Yeah!" Leo said. "I found them and reattached them."

"But it never had wings. Where did you find them?"

Nicki's arm was crossed over her chest, a scowl tugging at her lips.

"I don't care where he found the damn things." Nicki took an angry step toward Leo. "I care about the fact that you were specifically told that this dragon was dangerous and you brought it to the most populated part of camp without any warning! Someone could have gotten hurt!"

Leo frowned. "I had it under control. No one got hurt."

"You didn't know that!" Annabeth placed a hand on Nicki's shoulder but just got pushed off. "You didn't know the dragon was safe to bring here. If someone got hurt that's your fault, Leo!"

"Come on, Nicki. You're overreacting, it's not that important." Leo scowled back at Nicki, whose face only fell.

"Look around Leo." Nicki gestured to the Ares cabin who were gripping their spears, swords, and shields with white-ish green faces and white knuckles. Dark memories flashed behind their eyes.

The remaining Apollo campers whose bows were shaking and dancing with their fear. The assorted other campers looked ready to throw up or cry while clinging to their weapon. Fearful eyes of demigods hiding behind their cabin walls and peeking through the windows.