This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―ii. an army of mutant butterflies

THERE WERE ONLY A FEW THINGS Naomi missed about life outside of Camp Half-Blood, and one of them was Sally Jackson. 

In seventh grade, Percy's mom had been the closest thing to a mother Naomi had ever known, and while she'd since come to terms with the fact that her real mother was the queen of the Underworld, that hadn't dulled the light Mrs. Jackson had shone in Naomi's life.

It was an eight-hour drive from New York to Bar Harbor, Maine. Sleet and snow pounded the highway. Naomi hadn't seen her friends in months, but it was clear they were all too nervous about the mission to talk much. Luckily, Mrs. Jackson was more than willing to fill the silence with every embarrassing story she had from Percy's childhood. 

Thalia wiped the fog off the car window as they approached Westover Hall. Apparently she'd call shotgun before they picked up Naomi, leaving Annabeth, Percy, and Naomi to share the back seat. And, of course, Percy and Annabeth had stuck Naomi in the middle seat because she was the smallest. The joys of being short. 

"Oh, yeah," Thalia said. "This'll be fun."

Westover Hall looked like an evil queen's castle. It was all black stone with towers and slit windows and wooden double doors like a mouth ready to swallow them whole. It stood on a snowy cliff overlooking this big frosty forest on one side and the gray churning ocean on the other. 

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait?" Sally asked. 

"No, thanks, Mom," Percy said. "I don't know how long it will take. We'll be okay." 

"But how will you get back? I'm worried, Percy." 

"It's okay, Mrs. Jackson." Annabeth smiled reassuringly. Her blonde hair was tucked into a ski cap and her gray eyes were the same color as the ocean. "We'll keep him out of trouble."

Percy's mom seemed to relax. Naomi couldn't blame her—Annabeth had a reputation for getting Percy out of bad situations. 

"All right, dears," Sally said. "Do you have everything you need?" 

"Yes, Mrs. Jackson," Thalia said. "Thanks for the ride." 

"Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?" 

"Mom—" Percy said.

"Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy? And a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?" 

"Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on, guys."

"Bye, Mrs. Jackson!" Naomi said before she stepped out. "It was good seeing you." 

"Oh, it was good seeing you, too, Naomi." Sally reached back and squeezed her hand. "Talk to Chiron about you coming to stay with us for Christmas. I'll make a call if I need to." 

"I will," Naomi promised. 

She got out with the rest of her friends. The wind blew straight through Naomi's coat and sweater like ice daggers. She sneezed into her elbow, groaning unhappily. 

Being Persephone's kid was not fun during the winter. Not only did she get sick more easily, but as she'd discovered recently, her ability to summon flowers and plants was weaker, too, all because her mom was in the Underworld. It was seriously unfair.

Once Sally's car was out of sight, Thalia said, "Your mom is so cool, Percy." 

"She's pretty okay," Percy admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?" 

As soon as he said it, Thalia stiffened. She gave him an evil look. "If that was any of your business, Percy—" 

"We'd better get inside," Annabeth interrupted. "Grover will be waiting."