𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 ― j. grace ² ✓

twenty-two

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EIGHT LETTERS

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
[ N A T A L I A ]

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

NATALIA HATED THIS.

Her best friend was on a quest by herself, probably leading to her own doom. Hazel, Leo, and Frank hadn't come back for a long time. And Percy? He was probably sulking somewhere in the city by himself.

Not to mention, her, Jason, and Piper were still pacing the deck, listening to Coach Hedge sing Old MacDonald. Except instead of saying different animals, he said different weapons. After a really long time, they decided to have a nice picnic in the park.

Hedge grudgingly agreed. "Stay where I can see you."

"What are we, kids?" Jason asked.

Hedge snorted. "Kids are baby goats. They're cute, and they have redeeming social value. You are definitely not kids."

Natalia turned to Piper. "You want to come, Pipes?"

"Nah, you two deserve some alone time," she winked, and Natalia rolled her eyes playfully. "But here, take this."

Piper handed over her cornucopia. Natalia smiled and swung it over her shoulder, and began to walk with Jason to a spot.

They spread their blanket under a willow tree next to a pond. Natalia turned over Piper's cornucopia and spilled out an entire meal — neatly wrapped sandwiches, canned drinks, fresh fruit, and (for some reason) a birthday cake with purple icing and candles already lit.

Natalia blinked. "I didn't know it was someone's birthday."

Jason winced. "I didn't want to say anything."

Her eyes widened, and her mouth was agape. "Jason!"

"Hey, there's a lot going on right now," he said. "And, well . . . I didn't even know when my birthday was before last month. Thalia told me when she was at Camp."

Natalia's heart broke a little. Jason deserved so much better than what he'd gotten.

"So your birthday is on the Kalends of July?"

"Yeah." Jason smirked, which Natalia found ridiculously cute. "I guess the Romans would find that auspicious, considering its the first day of the month named for Julius Ceasar. Juno's sacred day. Woohoo."