Caliginosity [ Leo Valdez ]

(Dont) Stay Golden, Repair Boy

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. Livana 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.

"Hold on!" Livana and Piper shouted and stepped forward.

Piper tried 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!"

"Coach," Livana pleaded, "they may be friendly. Besides, we're in their house."

"Thank you!" said the old man in the bathrobe. "Now, who are you, and why are you here?" Livana looked to her friends, hoping they would remember their last enemy and what happened when they spoke their names. The teens came to a mutual understanding and decided not to say.

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

Hedge clenched his jaw. "Just one thwack?"

"No," Piper said.

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

"No!" The girls insisted.

"Meh." Coach Hedge lowered his club.

Livana and Piper gave Lit a friendly sorry-about-that smile. Even with their hair messed up and wearing two-day-old clothes, they looked extremely cute. Livana glanced at Leo, who had an envious glint in his eye. He tried to hide it, though, but Livana could see through.

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

"Appreciate it," Leo said, words laced with poison. "I try not to get run through before lunch time."

The old man in the bathrobe sighed, kicking the teapot that Coach Hedge had smashed. "Well, since you're here. Please, sit down."

Lit frowned. "Your Majesty-"

"No, no, it's fine, Lit," the old man said. "New land, new customs. They may sit in my presence. After all, they've seen me in my nightclothes. No sense observing formalities." He did his best to smile, though it looked a little forced. "I am King Midas."

"Midas?" Hedge gawked as everyone took a seat. The group sat on the sofas, while the king reclined on his throne. "Impossible. He died."

Lit stood behind the throne, both hands on his sword, glancing at the girls and flexing his muscular arms just to be annoying. Livana wasn't sure she understood- was he trying to intimidate her? Well, it was working. Her brows knit together as she scooted closer to Leo. The boy wasn't having it, though, and didn't try to comfort her.

Piper sat forward. "What our satyr friend means, Your Majesty, is that you're the second mortal we've met who should be- sorry- dead. King Midas lived thousands of years ago."

"Interesting." The king gazed out the windows at the brilliant blue skies and the winter sunlight. In the distance, downtown Omaha looked like a cluster of children's blocks- way too clean and small for a regular city.