the lakes 𖥻 PJO

iii. driver's ed

THE HUNTERS MADE QUICK WORK TAKING DOWN THEIR CAMP, SOMEHOW DOING IT EVEN FASTER THAN THEY'D MANAGED TO SET IT UP. Percy was still sulking, and he seemed like he didn't plan on finishing anytime soon. Artemis told them that the sun was going to rise soon, but from the way they all stood huddled in a group, it wasn't hard to tell that nobody believed her.

Percy recounted everything that had happened before he left, and then the group turned expectantly to Angela to tell what had happened after. She stared at the ground. Her sneakers had dirt and grass from the snow on them.

"The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well." Grover gulped, looking back at where the group of girls was gathering their supplies.

"How'd they even show up here?" Percy asked. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them." Thalia huffed. "It's all Zoë's fault. That stuck-up, no good-"

"Who can blame her." Grover said wistfully. "Eternit ywith Artemis?"

Thalia scoffed. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

Angela felt a sharp stabbing pain in her chest. Grover and Thalia continued to argue, and Percy frowned. Angela's hand was grabbing at his wrist desperately. She couldn't feel his pulse point through his wrist, her hand had slipped ever so slightly and she couldn't feel it anymore.

Her eyes were glassy. Percy didn't take his eyes off Thalia and Grover's bickering, trying not to draw attention to her. He used his right hand to shift her fingers back down his wrist until her thumb was firmly on his pulse point. He felt her fingers twitch.

They stayed that way until the dawn started to break. Artemis sighed. "About time. He's so lazy during the winter."

Percy frowned again. "You're, um, waiting for sunrise?"

"For my brother," Artemis reiterated. "Yes."

Angela looked up at Percy. He smiled softly at her. She had no idea why they were waiting for Apollo outside in the early morning, she just knew she was exhausted. She let her face fall into Percy's shoulder just in time for a blaze of light to appear on the horizon. She went to remove her face from Percy's jacket sleeve, but Artemis spoke up again. "Don't look. Not until he parks."

It got almost uncomfortably hot instantly, and only got worse as it went on. Angela squeezed her eyes shut. Eventually, it died down.

Angela removed her face from Percy's jacket and came face to face with a red convertible Maserati. Angela felt a rush come over her as she found her feet soaked, grass underneath her sneakers.

A guy, maybe seventeen or eighteen, got out of the front seat, which was impressive because the car was so hot that it glowed. He was tall, with messy blond hair and a bright smile.