The hidden passenger

3.

    Leo got up and turned to Annabeth for a second before turning back to face everyone else.

    "Back soon," he promised. "This is gonna be epic."

    "Just try not to set anything on fire, and no shovel talks!" Delta yelled to him, "I already told you that you'd be horrible at them."

Leo gave Delta a thumbs up without looking behind him as he and Octavian headed for the rope ladder.

The wind spirits began clearing the plates.

"Uh, Reyna," Jason said, "if you don't mind, I'd like to show Piper around before the senate meeting. She's never seen New Rome."

Reyna's expression hardened and Delta rubbed her temples.

"Of course," Reyna said coldly.

Percy took Annabeth's hand. "Yeah, me, too. I'd like to show Annabeth—"

"No," Reyna snapped.

"Oh, somebody just got rejected, no romantic outing for you."

Percy knit his eyebrows. "Sorry?"

"I'd like a few words with Annabeth," Reyna said. "Alone. If you don't mind, my fellow praetor."

"Pro tip Jackson, she's not asking."

"Come, daughter of Athena. " Reyna rose from her couch. "Walk with me."

Annabeth rose from her seat as well and followed Reyna.

"Someone is probably going to get hurt, aren't they?" Percy asked.

"I'm sure no one will, they're both smart and dangerous women who have to deal with oblivious men, have a copious amount of trauma that's mostly from their father, I could probably name more similarities but, I think I would scare myself."

"Smart. So, that panda killer is your boyfriend?" Percy raised his eyebrow.

"I know it's smart, those two have plagued my nightmares before and they could do it again."

"Don't get off-topic, I wanna know why that blob of tar with stuffing stuck to it is dating you."

"Because I like him, Woah!" Delta said in false surprise. "He's not trying to make you hate him, he's gained mental issues from contacting the gods so much, kinda like how we told you how Aeolus was, except Octavian isn't completely mad yet,"

"So these mental issues make him act like a dick?" Percy asked.

    "Don't even joke about that Percy, I'm worried, he's getting worse, I'm the best anchor he has and I haven't been here in months. I'm afraid the gods are going to drive him to madness then to his death."

"I'm sorry Delta, I shouldn't have joked, especially if it's that serious."

    "You shouldn't have but, you didn't know so, just next time don't do it."

    "So, going away from that topic, why do you keep making heart eyes at Reyna?"

    "What? No, I don't, what do you mean heart eyes? I don't give anyone heart eyes." Delta said defensively.

    "You give her heart eyes and you give Octavian heart eyes, that's two people you give heart eyes to. You're not a good lair,"

    "Yes I am, I lied to Camp Half-Blood until the end of Jason's quest and I lied to Camp Jupiter until now."

    "Fine, you're good at lying when it comes to that stuff, but you're not good at it when it comes to feelings, you like Reyna, right?"

    "Don't think about anything to hard, I get scared when you think."