𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 •| ⊱ Jason Grace¹

•| ⊱ TWENTY-TWO

[ chapter twenty-two: jason ]

° • ° • °

It took all four of them to hold back the satyr. "Whoa, Coach!" Jason said. "Bring it down a few notches."

A younger man charged into the room. Jason guessed he must be Lit, the old guy’s son. He was dressed in pajama pants with a sleeveless T-shirt that said cornhuskers, and he held a sword that looked like it could husk a lot of things besides corn. His ripped arms were covered in scars, and his face, framed by curly dark hair, would’ve been handsome if it wasn’t also sliced up.

Lit immediately zeroed in on Jason like he was the biggest threat, and stalked toward him, swinging his sword overhead. Hermia instantly stepped in front of Jason with her hand rised. Even without her powers she didn't seem to want to have Jason get hurt. It made him smile, but he dropped the smile when he realized this wasn't the time.

"Hold on!" Piper stepped forward, trying for her best calming voice. "This is just a misunderstanding! Everything’s fine." Lit stopped in his tracks, but he still looked wary.

It didn’t help that Hedge was screaming, "I’ll get them! Don’t worry!"

Hermia shook her head while saying, "Coach, please you're not helping!" She took a step back and stood next to Jason again. Her hand was back to her side, but Jason knew she was getting desperate to chant a spell.

"Coach," Jason pleaded as he and Mia shared a glance, "they may be friendly. Besides, we’re trespassing in their house."

"Thank you!" said the old man in the bathrobe. "Now, who are you, and why are you here?"

"Let’s all put our weapons down," Piper said. "Coach, you first."

Hedge clenched his jaw. "Just one thwack?"

Hermia rolled her eyes. "Don’t even think about it."

"No," Piper added.

"What about a compromise? I’ll kill them first, and if it turns out they were friendly, I’ll apologize."

Hermia sighed while placing her hand above her eyes. She was honestly getting so annoyed with the satyr and Jason could tell. "Coach, please just take a breath and stop trying to kill everyone you see."

"Meh." Coach Hedge lowered his club.

Both Hermia and Piper gave Lit a friendly sorry-about-that smile. Even with Mia's slightly messed up hair and wearing two-day-old clothes, she looked extremely cute, and Jason felt a little jealous she was giving Lit that smile.

Lit huffed and sheathed his sword. "You two girls speak well,—fortunately for your friends, or I would’ve run them through."

"Appreciate it," Leo said. "I try not to get run through before lunchtime."