DIVINE » l. valdez

xvii

❝the gods were never on our side ❞

No one spoke. Annabeth had gotten the ship on a steady course away from New Rome. 

Piper took Jason to the medical room. Hina offered to go, but Annabeth insisted she stay with Leo, just in case something happened. Percy volunteered to go keep an eye on the three, the tension between the Romans and Greeks still evident. Hazel was flying somewhere behind them, on her horse.

Coach Hedge had trotted up to the deck, and decided to stay with Annabeth, Frank, and Hina while they waited for Leo to wake up.

"Thanks, by the way," Hina piped up, smiling at Frank. While it was terrifying in the moment to be scooped up by a dragon, looking back, Frank had saved them from death by angry Romans with plates.

Frank shrugged it off, as if it wasn't an impressive feat. 

The ship was a mess. Part of the sails were burnt horribly. The satellite on the top of the ship was in pieces, which had Coach Hedge in a fit. Festus was emitting smoke, and hacking like a cat with a hairball. The entire ship kept shuddering and leaning to the side as they flew.

A small groan left Leo's lips, turning everyone's attention to him.

It took all Hina's will power not to crouch beside him, and make sure he was okay. But, Annabeth had made it clear, this was an interrogation. 

"Exactly what happened?" Annabeth asked, staring down at Leo with disappointment lacing her eyes. She fixed him with so much intensity, Hina thought Annabeth's gaze was punishment enough. 

Leo slumped against the mast, avoiding the glances from everyone. 

He choked back a sob. "I don't know. It's fuzzy."

Hina's vision blurred. She hated every second of their 'interrogation'. 

Annabeth crossed her arms. "You mean you don't remember?"

"I..." Leo started.  "I remember, but it's like I was watching myself do things. I couldn't control it."

Coach Hedge tapped his bat against the deck. In his gym clothes, with his cap pulled over his horns, he looked just like he used to at the Wilderness School. Hina wondered if the satyr was going to order Leo to do push ups as punishment.

"Look, kid," Hedge said, "you blew up some stuff. You attacked some Romans. Awesome! Excellent! But did you have to knock out the satellite channels? I was right in the middle of watching a cage match."

"Coach," Annabeth said, "why don't you make sure all the fires are out?"

"But I already did that."

"Do it again."

The satyr trudged off, muttering under his breath. Even Hedge wasn't crazy enough to defy Annabeth.

Annabeth knelt next to Leo, her steely grey eyes studying him. 

"Leo," she said calmly, "did Octavian trick you somehow? Did he frame you, or—"

"No. The guy was a jerk, but he didn't fire on the camp. I did."

The new kid, Frank, scowled. "On purpose?"

"No!" Leo squeezed his eyes shut. "Well, yes...I mean, I didn't want to. But at the same time, I felt like I wanted to. Something was making me do it. There was this cold feeling inside me—"

"A cold feeling." Annabeth's tone changed. She sounded almost scared.

"Yeah," Leo said. "Why?"

From belowdecks, Percy called up, "Annabeth, we need you."

Hina's eyes widened- Jason. She quickly, replaced her panicked look with a blank stare. Hina saw Leo's face contort, his hands shaking.

"He'll be okay," Hina promised, crouching before Leo, to rest a hand on his cheek. "He's got a thick skull, remember?"

Annabeth called towards Hina, and the blonde hesitantly stood.