"Festus, wake up!" Piper's screaming muffled Persephone's yell. Jason wasn't doing any better. She almost would have laughed at his high pitched yell, if they weren't all falling to their deaths.
Leo decided to wake up at that moment. He immediately sprang into action.
"Not again!" He yelled behind her. "We can't fall again!"
He reached over Persephone, managing to pull open to control panel. He toggled the switches, tugged the wires. Burning filled Persephone's nose. She struggled to hang onto the dragon, Leo not faring any better.
"Jason!" Leo screamed. "Take the girls and fly out of here!"
"What?"
"We need to lighten the load! I might be able to reboot Festus, but he's carrying too much weight!"
"What about you?" Piper cried. "If you can't reboot him-"
"I'll be fine" Leo yelled. "Just follow me to the ground. Go!"
"No! I'm not leaving you, Valdez!" Persephone protested. "Let me help you!"
"No, go with Jason-"
"Jason take Piper and go!" She yelled. "If you really meant everything you said, then let me stay and make sure Piper is safe!"
Jason grabbed Pipers waist, nodding at Persephone. They unbuckled their harnesses, and in a flash, they were gone, shooting into the air.
"Sephy, I told you-"
"Scold me later Valdez, just fix the dragon!"
"Okay," He said, defeated. "Just you, me and Sephy, Festus- and two heavy cages. You can do it, boy!"
Leo and Persephone both talked to the dragon, Leo trying to light his hand aflame, but the wind extinguishing it. Persephone's heart leaped to her throat, seeing the city light below get closer and closer.
Leo yanked a wire in Festus' control panel, the dragon responding with a groan, metal creaking inside his neck. His eyes flickered weakly to life, spreading his wings, turning their plunging fall into a steep glide.
"Good!" Leo said. "Come on, big boy. Come on!"
But they were still falling too fast, the ground inching closer.
"You're doing great buddy, just flap your wings, you can do it!" Persephone encouraged. She hoped Leo had a plan because she was fresh out of ideas on how to help a metal dragon.
She sighed in relief as Leo steered Festus towards a white mansion, a tall brick perimeter fence blocking it from the rest of the world. They could land in the snow covered lawn, they could make it. Even Festus seemed to think so, as he jolted to life a lot quicker.
Persephone's brows burrowed as spotlights seemed to blink at them on the fence. She didn't even have time to warn Leo before sounds of trace fire echoed around them. She just had enough time to feel Leo pull her into him, before she heard the sound of shredded metal and what sounded like an explosion. Her vision cut off immediately, as she blacked out.
Persephone's body felt like it had been through Tartarus and back. Her eyes fluttered weakly, opening just a small slit. She made out two faces above her, talking. Her ears were ringing, a sharp pain shooting through them. She whimpered.
"Persephone? Can you hear us?" Piper asked, face finally distinguishable, the fog clearing from her vision. She felt a vibration under her, and a cough.
"Where-" She heard.
"Lie still." Piper told them, tears in her eyes. "You both rolled pretty hard when- when Festus-"
YOU ARE READING
Where there's smoke // L.Valdez
Fanfiction'Glancing to her left, feeling the seat next to her shifting, Persephone's eyes locked onto the side profile of a boy. Black, curly hair, pointed ears, tongue sticking out in concentration of whatever he was fiddling with in his hands. Feeling her g...
