Invisible ― Jason Grace

ix. a greek god in a georgia aquarium

"OH... YOU ARE in so much trouble."

After a pleasant night of sleep, Camilla really didn't appreciate being woken up to find out her brother and his girlfriend had somehow gone missing on the flying warship.

Now, staring wide-eyed at the sight of said brother cuddling with his girlfriend in the stables without a care in the world...

She'd barely been awake for half an hour and it had already been a long day.

"What...?" Percy rubbed his eyes. "Oh, we just fell asleep."

Frank swallowed. He'd face Death himself, but somehow the scene in front of him was far scarier to him. He averted his eyes as if the sight of them together might burn him.

"Everyone thinks you've been kidnapped," Camilla said, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "We've been scouring the ship. Have you been here all night?"

"Camilla!" Annabeth's ears were as red as strawberries. "We just came here to talk. We fell asleep. Accidentally. That's it."

"Kissed a couple of times," Percy said.

Camilla covered her ears with her hands. "I do not want to hear about that!"

Annabeth glared at him. "Not helping!"

Frank grabbed Camilla's arm. "We'd better..." He pointed to the stable doors. "Uh, we're supposed to meet for breakfast. Would you explain what you did—I mean didn't do? I mean... I really don't want that faun—I mean satyr—to kill me."

Frank ran, dragging Camilla with him.

By the time Percy and Annabeth got to the mess hall, Camilla's face had mostly cooled off and she even remembered to give Piper the yellow bracelet she'd made her the night before, which delighted the daughter of Aphrodite.

The moment Percy and Annabeth walked in, Coach Hedge went ballistic.

"Never in my life!" the satyr bellowed, waving his bat and knocking over a plate of apples. "Against the rules! Irresponsible!"

"Coach," Annabeth said, "it was an accident. We were talking, and we fell asleep."

"Besides," Percy said, "you're starting to sound like Terminus."

Camilla winced.

Hedge narrowed his eyes. "Is that an insult, Jackson? 'Cause I'll—I'll terminus you, buddy!"

Percy looked like he was trying not to laugh. "It won't happen again, Coach. I promise. Now, don't we have other things to discuss?"

Hedge fumed. "Fine! But I'm watching you, Jackson. And you, Annabeth Chase, I thought you had more sense—"

Jason cleared his throat. "So grab some food, everybody. Let's get started."

◈

Percy told them about his dream the night before—the twin giants planning a reception for them in an underground parking lot with rocket launchers; Nico di Angelo trapped in a bronze jar, slowly dying from asphyxiation with pomegranate seeds at his feet.

Hazel choked back a sob. "Nico... Oh, gods. The seeds."

"You know what they are?" Annabeth asked.

Hazel nodded. "He showed them to me once. They're from our stepmother's garden."

"Your step... oh," Percy said. "You mean Persephone."

"The seeds are a last-resort food," Hazel said. "Only children of Hades can eat them. Nico always kept some in case he got stuck somewhere. But if he's really imprisoned—"