Sea Green Eyes

Chapter 79

(A/N: This is the first chapter of the Blood of Olympus. Home stretch. Hope you enjoy. XxD)

******************************************************************

Jason was old. He looked positively decrepit as his face was covered in spots, wrinkles and blue veins, his skin sagging with age.

He, Cressida, Piper and Annabeth were climbing a hill, the three girls dressed as lovely Greek serving maidens.

Jason glanced uphill. The summit was still a hundred yards above. "Worst idea ever." He leaned against a cedar tree and wiped his forehead. "Hazel's magic is too good. If I have to fight, I'll be useless."

"It won't come to that," Annabeth promised. She looked uncomfortable in her serving-maiden outfit. She kept hunching her shoulders to keep the dress from slipping. Her pinned-up blonde bun had come undone in the back and her hair dangled like long spider legs. Knowing her hatred of spiders, Jason decided not to mention that. "We infiltrate the palace," she said. "We get the information we need, and we get out."

Piper set down her amphora, the tall ceramic wine jar in which her sword was hidden. "We can rest for a second. Catch your breath, Jason." From her waist cord hung her cornucopia – the magic horn of plenty. Tucked somewhere in the folds of her dress was her knife, Katoptris. Piper didn't look dangerous, but if the need arose she could dual-wield Celestial bronze blades or shoot her enemies in the face with ripe mangoes. Annabeth slung her own amphora off her shoulder. She, too, had a concealed sword, but even without a visible weapon, she looked deadly. Her stormy grey eyes scanned the surroundings, alert for any threat. If any dude asked Annabeth for a drink, Jason figured she was more likely to kick the guy in the bifurcum.

Cressida did the same, her new sword hidden inside. Despite how much she'd not wanted to come with them, she was the picture of seductive danger. Her purple eyes had been changed to blue with Hazel's Mist seeing as their indigo colour was too well known, but the deep shade was still intimidating. Her dress hugged her body in a way that left little to the imagination, her leg peeking out through a slit in her dress. And despite how stunning she looked, and how not scared and blank her expression was, all of them knew how scared she was on the inside.

This was her first time leaving Percy's side since they got back from Tartarus. They all knew that Percy and Cressida had become unnaturally attached since they returned to the point where it was almost unhealthy – at least to everyone else but them. So, they'd convinced her to join them on this little quest saying that they'd need her if one of the spirits they were about to meet tried to possess them. Not to mention that if there was anyone that needed acting classes it was Jason - Piper had told her all about how the boy wore his thoughts on his face.

"Come here," Cressida said as she imbued him with a little bit of strength, making it easier for him to breathe and stand up a little bit straighter.

"You sure this is the right hill?" he asked. "Seems kind of – I don't know – quiet."

"The ruins are up there," Piper promised. "I saw them in Katoptris's blade. And you heard what Hazel said. "'The biggest –'"

"'The biggest gathering of evil spirits I've ever sensed,'" Jason recalled. "Yeah, sounds awesome."

As much as they'd love to stay far away from these spirits, the crew of the Argo II had a big decision to make. If they chose wrong, they would fail, and the entire world would be destroyed. No pressure.

Piper's blade, Hazel's magical senses and Annabeth's instincts all agreed – the answer lay here in Ithaca, at the ancient palace of Odysseus, where a horde of evil spirits had gathered to await Gaia's orders. The plan was to sneak among them, learn what was going on and decide the best course of action. Then get out, preferably alive.