{1} 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐘𝐄 | p.jackson

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

| chapter thirteen |

in which shit gets real

THAT AFTERNOON WAS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST THAT NIA HAD EVER SPENT AT CAMP.

Grover announced that he'd be able to spend the rest of the summer with them before resuming his quest for Pan. His bosses at the Council of Cloven Elders were so impressed that he hadn't gotten himself killed and had cleared the way for future searchers, that they granted him a two-month furlough and a new set of reed pipes. 

The bad news: Grover insisted on playing those pipes all afternoon long, and his musical skills hadn't improved that much. Nia had to continuously remind herself that Grover Underwood was one of her closest friends every time he started playing.

As for Tyson, the campers treated him like a hero, finally. But Chiron told Nia, Annabeth, and Grover that Tyson was leaving to work at the Cyclops' forges underwater. They all looked at each other and decided to go and check up on Percy and Naomi.

The three of them watched Tyson leave and walked up to the two children of Poseidon.

"Hey, Percy," Grover said first.

Percy turned. He was blinking a lot.

"Tyson. . ." he told them. "He had to. . ."

"We know," Annabeth said softly. "Chiron told us."

Naomi sniffed loudly and let out a sob. "Tyson's gone!" She got up and hugged Annabeth tightly, who rubbed her back, trying to soothe her.

The daughter of Poseidon rubbed the golden oval locket on her neck. She opened it and inside was a picture of Naomi and her dad, James Bowie. Then, the locket turned a long celestial-bronze knife with a golden hilt. "He even made this Bowie knife for me. . ."

Bowie knife, Nia thought. The irony. . .

"Cyclops forges," shuddered Grover. "I hear the cafeteria food there is terrible! Like, no enchiladas at all."

Nia rolled her eyes and elbowed him. "Yes, Grover; because that's clearly that most awful part."

"Come on, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said to Percy. "It's time for dinner."