EUDAEMONIC - p. jackson

chapter twelve

the next morning maeve woke up feeling much better than she had the night before. she slept off all of the drugs, and now knew better than to take as much as she did before. considering how light of a sleeper she was, that honestly felt like one of the best sleeps of her life.

she changed out of her pajamas and into a pair of ripped, mom-jean shorts and a baggier camp t-shirt that she tucked into it. she would've preferred to wear leggings, but with her bandage and all, tight pants didn't seem like a good idea.

the demigods all ate breakfast, grover changed maeve's bandage, and they were ready to go. they walked down to the cattle guard and said their good-byes.

"nico," percy blurted. "you could come with us."

nico shook his head. apparently, maeve was the only one to sleep good that night, but nico was obviously the worst off. his eyes were red, but his face chalky. he was wrapped in one of geryon's black robes.

"i need time to think." his eyes wouldn't meet percy's, but anyone could tell from his tone he was still angry.

"nico," annabeth said. "bianca just wants you to be okay." she put her hand on his shoulder, but he pulled away and trudged up the road toward the ranch house. it was probably just her imagination, but maeve could've sworn the morning mist clung to him as he walked.

"i'm worried about him," annabeth said. "if he starts talking to minos's ghost again-"

"he'll be al right," eurytion promised. the cowherd had cleaned up nicely. he was wearing new jeans and a clean western shirt,  and he'd even trimmed his beard. "the boy can stay here and gather his thoughts as long as he wants. he'll be safe, i promise."

"what about you?" maeve asked.

eurytion scratched orthus behind one chin, then the other. "things are going to be run a little different on this ranch from now on. no more sacred cattle meat. i'm thinking about soybean patties. and i'm going to befriend those flesh-eating horses. might just sign up for the next rodeo."

percy shuddered at the idea. "well, good luck."

"yep." eurytion spit into the grass. "i reckon you'll be looking for daedalus's workshop now?"

annabeth's eyes lit up. "can you help us?"

eurytion studied the cattle guard uncomfortably. "don't know where it is, but hephaestus probably would."

"that's what hera said," annabeth agreed. "but how do we find hephaestus?"

eurytion pulled something from under the collar of his shirt. it was a necklace a smooth silver disk on a silver chain. the disk had a divot in the middle, like a thumbprint. he handed it to annabeth.

"hephaestus comes here from time to time," eurytion said. "studies the animals and such so he can make bronze automaton copies. last time, i, uh, did him a favor. a little trick he wanted to play on my dad, ares, and aphrodite. he gave me that chain in gratitude. said if i ever needed to find him, the disk would lead me to his forges. but only once."

"and you're giving it to us?" maeve asked kindly.

eurytion shrugged, embarrassed. "i don't need to see the forges, miss. got enough to do here. just press the button and you'll be on your way."

annabeth pressed the button and the disk sprang to life, growing eight metallic legs in the process. annabeth shrieked and dropped it, much to eurytion's confusion. maeve herself jumped away, clutching onto percy's arm and hiding behind him.

"spider!" annabeth screamed. maeve clutched onto percy's arm even tighter. she was already scared of normal bugs, not to mention metal ones. the fact that annabeth was freaking out too only made maeve more worried.