misplaced || l. valdez

30 || aeolus can see right though everyone's bullsh-

° ~ •. ♆ chapter thirty ♆ .• ~ °
"aeolus can see right through everyone's bullsh—"

"So, you brought me some rogue storm spirits." Aeolus said. "I suppose... thanks! And did you want something else. I assume so. Demigods always do."

Mellie said, "Um, sir, this is Zeus's son."

"Yes, yes. I know that. I said I remember him from before."

"But, sir, they're here from Olympus. "

Aeolus looked stunned. Then he laughed so abruptly, Mari stumbled back again. It was kind of embarrassing to have Leo help her twice, but nevertheless, he steadied her again.

"Ok, you definitely aren't 'just tired'. We need to get you some kind of help once we get out of here." he said.

Mari just nodded shakily as Aeolus continued. "You mean you're here on behalf of your father this time? Finally! I knew they would send someone to renegotiate my contract!"

"Um, what?" Jason asked.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Aeolus sighed with relief. "It's been what, three thousand years since Zeus made me master of the winds. Not that I'm ungrateful, of course! But really, my contract is so vague. Obviously, I'm immortal, but 'master of the winds.' What does that mean? Am I a nature spirit? A demigod? A god? I want to be god of the winds, because the benefits are so much better. Can we start with that?"

Jason looked at the three of them, mystified.

"Dude," Leo said. "you think we're here to promote you?"

"You are, then?" Aeolus grinned. His business suit turned completely blue— not a cloud in the fabric. "Marvelous! I mean, I think I've shown quite a bit of initiative with the weather channel, eh? And of course I'm in the press all the time. So many books have been written about me: Into Thin Air, Up in the Air, Gone with the Wind—"

"Er, I don't think those are about you." Jason said. Mellie started shaking her head.

"Nonsense." Aeolus said. "Mellie, they're biographies of me, aren't they?"

"Absolutely, sir." she squeaked.

"There, you see? I don't read. Who has time? But obviously the mortals love me. So, we'll change my official title to god of the winds. Then, about salary and staff—"

"Sir," Jason said. "we're not from Olympus."

Aeolus blinked. "But—"

"I'm the son of Zeus, yes," Jason said. "but we're not here to negotiate you contract. We're on a quest and we need your help."

Aeolus's expression hardened. "Like last time? Like every hero who comes here? Demigods! It's always about you, isn't it?"

"Sir, please, I don't remember last time, but if you helped me once before—"

"I'm always helping! Well, sometimes I'm destroying, but mostly I'm helping, and sometimes I'm asked to do both at the same time! Why, Aeneas, the first of your kind—"

"My kind?" Jason asked. "You mean, demigods?"

"Oh, please!" Aeolus said. "I mean your line of demigods. You know, Aeneas, son of Venus— the only surviving hero of Troy. When the Greeks burned down his city, he escaped to Italy, where he founded the kingdom that would eventually become Rome, blah, blah, blah. That's what I meant."