𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑺 • 𝑃𝐸𝑅𝐶𝑌 𝐽𝐴𝐶𝐾𝑆𝑂𝑁 ²

TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
—dumb prophets

🗡🗡🗡

  —FROM what Judith knew of the Luke-of-the-now, she kind of assumed his childhood house would be some dark, dreary shack out in the woods where he could wallow in misery. But looking out at the cookie-cutter house upon the grassy cliff-top, that little assumption couldn't be more wrong. Granted, it was very isolated; there wasn't another house for miles and miles, but it looked ... home-y. Pleasant, almost.

  The thought only stuck around for a second before it was replaced with repulsion.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Percy grumbled, hunched over in his driver spot on Mrs. O'Leary. The hellhound seemed to sense the threat of puke getting on her fur and bucked the two demigods off her back and to the lawn.

"— Mmph — dang dog," Judith muttered to herself, clambering up from the ground unceremoniously. Her head felt like exploding from the shadow travel trip, but she would die before submitting herself to what Percy was doing. He had his forehead touching the muddy ground, taking in heaping breaths in order to get his lungs in working order. His hair was totally windswept and wild ( nothing new, but it looked extra unkempt ).

  He took his sweet time collecting himself and impatient Judith nudged him to suck it up. As she was pulling her hand back to her side, he grabbed onto it to help heave himself into a standing position. She accepted the light squeeze he gave for the involuntary assistance.

Nico swaggered — more like stumbled — over from a shady tree by the deserted highway nearby. "It isn't for everyone," he said, amusement lacing with his lazy words.

Percy took one last breath before looking up at the two other demigods. "That was awesome!" He had a grin from ear-to-ear to accompany his excitement. Judith blinked before realizing he would be the one to be a roller coaster junkie that got sick on every ride.

  Nico chuckled at the awestruck son of Poseidon before becoming woozy with the effort. He yawned and his shoulder sagged to new lows. His exhaustion did not go unnoticed.

  "Geez, takes a lot out of you, huh?" Percy commented offhandedly, taking Nico's arm in his hand in order to keep the boy upright. He looked ready to pass out any moment, and that would not be ideal considering he was the one with the master plan. Judith may be privy to it, but she knew it was all up to Nico to fulfill it. "How did you learn to do that?"

  "Practice. A few times running into walls. A few accidental trips to China."

  "He's ended up in the camp lake a few times," Judith added. While the boy was still getting used to the accuracy of his traveling, he had experimented by trying to visit Judith in the woods. He was off by about half a mile every so often and took a dip a couple times.

  "I've gotten better," Nico slurred in retaliation. His head dropped down onto her shoulder across from him and she patted his head once.

"Are you going to take a nap too?" Percy asked him, making the three look at Mrs. O'Leary. As soon as the hellhound had discarded Percy and Judith, she'd found a garden planter to make her temporary bed. Her booming snores shook the ground beneath them.

  Nico shook his head, now fully stabilized on his own. "The first time I shadow traveled, I passed out for a week. Now it just makes me a little drowsy, but I can't do it more than once or twice a night. Mrs. O'Leary won't be going anywhere for a while."

"So we've got some quality time in ... Connecticut," Percy said, feigning excitement. "Brilliant."

  Judith shook her head before looking down to Nico for direction. "Lead the way." She gestured to the footpath that led up to the two-story colonial home.