PHILOXENIA ➸ Percy Jackson¹

πέντε

FIVE—The Great Escape

─── ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽☼☾.* :☆ﾟ｡ ───

That night at the campfire, Apollo's Cabin led the sing-along. They tried to get everyone's spirits up, but it wasn't easy after that afternoon's bird attack. The campers all sat around a semicircle of stone steps, singing halfheartedly and watching the bonfire blaze while the Apollo kids strummed their guitars and picked their lyres.

They sang the classic camp numbers, the ones that Lux learned all the lyrics to but rarely ever got the chance to sing them out fully. She was even having a hard time telling when a song ended and another started right now, with her head slotted comfortably on her brother's shoulder as they shared a blanket.

The bonfire was enchanted, so the louder they sang, the higher it rose, changing color and heat with the mood of the crowd. Ciaran told her that he once saw it twenty feet high, bright purple, and so hot that the front row's marshmallows burst into flame.

Tonight, the fire felt tepid and barely warm enough, causing her to shiver as the night breeze traveled through the fabric of the blanket.

When the last song was over, Tantalus said, "Well, that was lovely!"

He came forward with a toasted marshmallow on a stick and tried to pluck it off, real casual-like. But before he could touch it, the marshmallow flew off the stick. Tantalus made a wild grab, but the marshmallow dove straight into the flames.

Tantalus turned back to them, smiling coldly. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule."

"Sir," Percy spoke up.

Tantalus' eyes twitched. "Our kitchen boy has something to say?"

Lux narrowed her eyes when she heard snickering, but she couldn't quite tell where the sound came from. Percy stood up and looked to Lux and Annabeth for support. Lux stood up to the curiosity of Ciaran, but he decided to ask his questions later and instead held her hand to steady her.

"We have an idea to save camp," Percy said.

There was dead silence, but he seemed to have gotten everyone's interest because the campfire blazed yellow.

"Indeed," Tantalus said blandly. "Well, if it has anything to do with chariots—"

"The Golden Fleece," he interjected. "We know where it is."

The flames burned orange. Before Tantalus could stop him, Percy blurted out his dreams of Grover and Polyphemus' island. Annabeth stepped in to remind everyone what the Fleece could do. It sounded more convincing coming from her.

"The Fleece can save the camp," she concluded, "I'm certain of it."

"Nonsense," Tantalus snapped. "We don't need saving."

Everybody stared at him until he started looking uncomfortable.

"Besides," he added quickly, "the Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location. You wouldn't even know where to look."

"Yes, I would," Percy declared. 

Lux arched an eyebrow at him, while Annabeth leaned over to whisper something in his ear, probably to ask if he was sure.