{1} 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐘𝐄 | p.jackson

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

| chapter fifteen |

in which nia's mom is. . . younger than her?

NIA WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT SHE DIDN'T GO TO A MILITARY SCHOOL. She wasn't sure that she would've been able to deal with the rules and everything.

Kids who did go military school, though? They went absolutely wild with stuff like dances.

All around the gym floor, there were black and red balloons and guys were messing with each other. Girls moved around in huddles, occasionally mobbing some guy with ribbons and lipstick. Some guys in the corner were just playing basketball, trying to hide.

"There they are." Grover nodded toward to kids arguing in the bleachers. "Bianca and Nico di Angelo."

The girl was wearing a floppy green cap. The boy was obviously her younger brother. Both of them had dark silky hair and olive skin. The sister seemed to be scolding him about something, looking around like something was wrong.

"Do they. . . I mean, have you told them?" Annabeth asked.

Grover shook his head. "You know how it is. That could put them in more danger. Once they realize who they are, their scent becomes stronger."

"So come on!" Percy said. "Let's just grab them and get the hell out of here." He started forward.

Nia glanced over in another direction, grabbed Percy's shoulder, and said, "Wait."

"What is it?" 

Dr. Thorn had slipped out of a doorway near the bleachers and was standing near the di Angelo siblings, nodding coldly in their direction.

"Looks like he wasn't fooled by the Mist," Naomi mumbled, hand inching towards her locket.

"Oh, yeah," Nia agreed. "He knows. And it's not like we're doing our best to look inconspicuous."