Something Wicked This Way Comes

Chapter 20

Jim sat alone on the bed, flipping through an old book he didn't really care to pay attention to. He was just bored. He hated being bored. He wished Aja was up to sparring or something. Did the Nautilus even have a sparring arena?

"Ugh," he groaned, flopping onto the mattress. "Boredom blows."

Jim wished he was better at finding something to do. He hated feeling antsy like this. It had been a few hours since he last checked on everyone. Maybe he should have taken a nap like Carterdoux. They seemed to have the right idea.

"Jim," Claire said, poking her head into the room. "We're nearing land. It just showed up on the radar."

"Finally!" He sprung off the bed. "I feel like I'm going crazy!"

Claire smiled, taking his hand. "You're definitely an outdoor boyfriend."

Jim laughed. "I don't like being cooped up."

***

The Nautilus surfaced a few yards off from a small beach. It was a quaint thing, hidden inside a beautiful cove, alive with coral and schools of fish. Pantelis looked absolutely ecstatic as soon as they climbed out of the top hatch. Fish swam tornadoes beneath him, all looking particularly happy about his existence. A dolphin could be heard chittering nearby, the wake of its swimming making ripples in the water.

"How are we gonna get to the beach?" Toby asked.

"Here," Jamie held his hand out, an ice platform forming beneath them. "Hop on."

They all did, struggling to balance on the makeshift ice raft. But with a push off the Nautilus by Carter, and Pan willing the waves to send them towards the beach, they made it to land with little issue.

Jim took in a deep breath, taking in the salty smell of the ocean. "Fresh air," he said with a happy sigh. "I've missed this."

Fenris was already rolling in the sand and Steve had sprawled out too, soaking in the sun. Everyone looked relieved to not be cramped in the sub anymore.

"Break time," Aja declared, falling into the sand next to Steve.

Pantelis looked longingly at the water. "I'm going for a swim," he said, kicking off his boots and socks, diving into the waves before anyone could get a word in.

Claire blinked when he didn't surface. "Um."

"He can breathe underwater, he'll be fine." Carter said dismissively, looking significantly less than pale than he had been all day. He had a soft gleam in his eye, one Jim had grown to recognize over the years. He was particularly cheerful, despite the rocky past few days. Maybe he'd finally gotten some decent rest.

"Should I keep an eye on him?" Archie asked, eyeing the water.

"If you feel like you need to," Carter said. "But what's going to hurt the sea god's son in that cove?"

Archie snorted. "You and I both know he's gotten into trouble more than once under the surface."

Jim watched as Archie flew over the water, shifted into some sort of aquatic animal mid-flight, and dove into the water. "Hey, Carter, can I ask you a question?"

Carter nodded, taking a seat on the sand. "Shoot."

Jim sat next to him. "How is this going to go if we face his dad?" He looked at the demigod sideways. "Would Pan being here... quell Thezius' rage?"

Carter let out a sigh. "I wouldn't get your hopes up, Jim. Thezius has never met his son, and you know as well as I do that the gods are not the best parents. I'm not sure he'd even care."