𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀𝘿; heroes of olympus

ice spikes

ERITH JAY
ERITH DIDN'T WANT to leave Leo, but in all honesty, she was more worried for herself, Jason and Piper. Leo staying below might be best for him.

His eyes followed her as she climbed the stairs. She looked away from his burning hot gaze. Enough. She needed to focus.

Zethes stayed behind them, his sword drawn. Erith was behind Jason and Piper, and she could almost feel the cold emanating from the thing. She definitely did not want to get stabbed with it.

The ice girl unnerved Erith. She didn't look at Piper or her, but she kept glancing at Jason, giving him a smile, which Erith could tell kind of freaked him out.

On top of all of it, Jason looked like he was on the verge of breaking down. His eyes darted everywhere. He was chewing on his lip. She didn't quite understand why he was so freaked out, but hey, to each their own, right?

Erith watched as Jason took Piper's hand. She looked at him, raising her eyebrows, but she didn't make any move to pull away. After a few quiet seconds, she said, "It'll be fine. Just a talk, right?"

As they reached the top of the stairs, Ice Girl looked back at Jason and Piper. Her smile melted. Jason and Piper's hands fell apart. Erith noticed that both of their fingers were smoking with frost. Her heart jolted with anxiety.

"Warmth is not a good idea here," the girl said coldly, "especially when I am your best chance of staying alive. Please, this way."

Piper frowned at Jason, but said nothing.

Erith felt Zethes poking her in the back and she stumbled forward. She lost her footing and would've fallen if Jason hadn't been there to catch her. She slid on the ice, finally regaining her balance with his help. "Thanks," she murmured.

He nodded. Zethes stepped up to them and now it was Jason't turn to get poked. The three of them walked faster, Erith quickly letting go of Jason for fear she would start smoking like him and Piper had.

Freezing winds blew back and forth. Erith shivered. Her arms felt entirely numb. She wanted to rub her hands over her arms to warm herself, but the girl's warning rung in her head. Warmth is not a good idea here.

She wasn't sure why she was so afraid. She shouldn't be, she really shouldn't. But something about it unnerved her. Because warmth was supposed to be a part of her, a core component. She was the child of Apollo, she held a piece of him in her, and she was powerful. Warmth was her thing.

She was terrified her warmth would get them killed, she realized. She didn't want to die. And, as she looked at Piper and Jason, she realized she didn't want them to die either. Especially because of her.

Jason's lips tightened, almost as if he had read her mind, but she could tell he was elsewhere, lost in thought. Piper seemed to notice this, too, because she touched his arm hesitantly. "Hey. You still with me?"

With difficulty, Jason seemed to focus on her. "Yeah... yeah, sorry."

Erith suddenly felt very alone, and very cold.

At the end of the hallway they found themselves in front of a set of oaken doors carved with a map of the world. In each corner was a man's bearded face, blowing wind. Erith thought it was pretty. It reminded her of Christmas.

The girl turned. Her brown eyes glittered as she studied the three of them. "This is the throne room. Be on your best behavior, Jason Grace. My father can be... chilly. I will translate for you, and try to encourage him to hear you out. I do hope he spares you. We could have such fun."