Book Cult (New and Improved)

Jason XIX

Jason XIX," Zeus read, with a sigh.

The god slightly slumped in his throne.

Leo wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Okay, Jay. I know this is a lot to ask, but please don't act like a Roman!  he silently pleaded as if the son of Jupiter could hear him. It sounds pretty bad, but just trust me. 

Jason didn't want to leave Leo, but he was starting to think that hanging out with Cal the hockey jock might be the least dangerous option in this place.

Thalia didn't like the sound of that.

...Then there was the ice princess. Every once in a while she'd turn and give Jason a smile, but there was no warmth in her expression. She regarded Jason like he was an especially interesting science specimen- one she couldn't wait to dissect.

Leo shuddered as he continued working.

Great. Another Drew who just can't keep her hands off my brother. Thalia scowled.

If these were Boreas' kids, Jason wasn't sure he wanted to meet Daddy.

"He can't be that bad." Annabeth said. "He's helped demigods on quests before."

"Helpful doesn't mean he can't be crazy or want something in exchange." Chris pointed out.

"Maybe he's changed." Nico told Annabeth. "Didn't they say he's not accepting visitors anymore?"

"It could be because of Olympus closing." she frowned.

Annabeth had told him Boreas was the friendliest of the wind gods. Apparently that meant he didn't kill heroes quite as fast as the others did.

I hope that's not what my future self meant. Annabeth thought. 

Jason worried that he'd led his friends into a trap. If things went bad, he wasn't sure he could get them out alive. Without thinking about it, he took Piper's hand for reassurance.

Aphrodite cooed. "Aw! At least something good came out of this!"

"It'll be fine," she promised. "Just a talk, right?"

"Hopefully..." Percy said.

At the top of the stairs, the ice princess looked back and noticed them holding hands. Her smile faded. Suddenly Jason's hand in Piper's turned ice cold- burning cold. He let go, and his fingers were smoking with frost. So were Piper's.

"Sounds like someone's jeal-ous!" Travis said in a sing-song voice.  

"Seriously?  Way to ruin the moment!" the goddess of love scowled. "Who even does that?"

Zeus resisted the urge to look over at his wife.

Don't you do worse? Percy thought, but wisely didn't say out loud.

"Warmth is not a good idea here," the princess advised, 

"Yeah. I'm sure that's the reason." Aphrodite rolled her eyes.

"especially when I am your best chance of staying alive. Please, this way."

...Thalia's picture was still in his pocket, though he didn't need to look at it anymore. Her image burned itself into her mind. It was bad enough not remembering his past, but to know he had a sister out there somewhere who might have answers and to have no way of finding her- that just drove him up the wall.