LOST AT SEA | jason grace

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞.

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞. 𝑀𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑠

𝙻𝙾𝚁𝙽𝙰 𝚆𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 have died five times on the way to the front door if not for Leo.

First it was the motion-activated trapdoor on the sidewalk, then the lasers on the steps, then the nerve gas dispenser on the porch railing, the pressure-sensitive poison spikes in the welcome mat, and of course the exploding doorbell.

Leo deactivated all of them. It was like he could smell the traps, and he picked just the right tool out of his belt to disable them.

"You're amazing, man," Jason said.

Leo scowled as he examined the front door lock.

"Yeah, amazing," he said. "Can't fix a dragon right, but I'm amazing."

"Hey, that wasn't your- "

"Front door's already unlocked," Leo announced.

Piper stared at the door in disbelief. "It is? All those traps, and the door's unlocked?"

Leo turned the knob. The door swung open easily. He stepped inside without hesitation. Before Jason could follow, Lorna caught his arm. "He's going to need some time to get over Festus. Don't take it personally."

"Yeah," Jason said. "Yeah, okay."

Lorna's first impression of the house: Dark. From the echo of her footsteps she could tell the entry hall was enormous, even bigger than Boreas's penthouse. Lorna got Tremor out and the faint glow guided their way. The windows rose about ten feet tall. Spaced between them along the walls were life-size metal statues. As Lorna's eyes adjusted, she saw sofas arranged in a U in the middle of the room, with a central coffee table and one large chair at the far end. A massive chandelier glinted overhead. Along the back wall stood a row of closed doors.

"Where's the light switch?" Jason's voice echoed alarmingly through the room.

"Don't see one," Leo said.

"Okay," Lorna said. "What do we do- explore?"

Leo shook his head. "After all those traps outside? Bad idea."

"Leo's right," Jason said. "We're not separating again- not like in Detroit."

"It's a few hours until dawn," Jason guessed. "Too cold to wait outside. Let's bring the cages in and make camp in this room. Wait for daylight; then we can decide what to do."

Nobody offered a better idea, so they rolled in the cages with Coach Hedge and the storm spirits, then settled in. Thankfully, Leo didn't find any poison throw pillows or electric whoopee cushions on the sofas. Leo didn't seem in the mood to make more tacos. Besides, they had no fire, so they settled for cold rations.

As Lorna ate, she studied the metal statues along the walls. They looked like Greek gods or heroes. Maybe that was a good sign. Or maybe they were used for target practice. The big chair at the end of the coffee table looked like a throne. None of them tried to sit in it. The canary cages didn't make the place any less creepy. The venti kept churning in their prison, hissing and spinning. As for Coach Hedge, he was still frozen mid-shout, his cudgel raised. Leo was working on the cage, trying to open it with various tools, but the lock seemed to be giving him a hard time.

Lorna started to nod off. The couches were a little too comfortable- a lot better than a dragon's back. Piper had already curled up on the other sofa. Lorna wondered if she was really asleep or dodging a conversation about her dad. Whatever Medea had meant in Chicago, about Piper getting her dad back if she cooperated- it didn't sound good. If Piper had risked her own dad to save them, that made Lorna feel even guiltier. And they were running out of time. If Lorna had her days straight, this was early morning of December 20. Which meant tomorrow was the winter solstice.