[ the first book in the drops of sunshine series ]
For some, being a hero means saving a life. For others, it means making your mark on the world. For AJ Hood, it means being sarcastic and fighting monsters while illegally skipping out on your cult...
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~ ☼ ~
Riley and Alec couldn't stop arguing about the wheat.
With early morning traffic, it was taking longer than it should've to get to the Avalon Fishing Pier. And the entire time, my siblings were discussing what that bundle of wheat Demeter had given us really was. Alec, who was driving again, thought it was some sort of special sustenance, because Demeter seemed to really like food (I mean... same, girl, same... I'd even made everyone in the party take their left over food from Cassie's to go just in case I got hungry again). Riley, however, was still convinced it was a weapon in disguise, like a special sword or something. From where I was sitting in the passenger seat, I suggested, "Maybe it's just toxic wheat. Like, throw it at Python, and he immediately dies."
Alec chuckled. "I don't think that's how toxicity works, runaway."
Riley must not have heard me, because she just kept inspecting the wheat. I wondered what exactly the point was, why Demeter couldn't have just given us whatever it was without some asinine disguise. Maybe she just wanted to mess with us.
It was starting to feel like all the gods were messing with us.
Apollo, most of all. The sun was shining straight into my eyes as we stalled on the drag, and I had to ask myself if this was Apollo's revenge for all those things we'd said about him at Cassie's. Maybe it's what I deserved, but gods, if it wasn't annoying.
After a moment, Riley dropped the stalk she was holding with a huff. "I just don't understand what we're supposed to do with this."
Alec sighed. "It's okay, Riles. That just means we'll have to rely on Runaway over here to fight the entire battle for us." He looked at me expectantly, and I punched him in the arm.
"You better not, or else we're all doomed."
———
It took us a only few more minutes to reach the beach, and as we got out of the truck, I felt the sun's fury pound even deeper. I wanted to yell at it, say, "Hey, dad, you know we're out here risking our lives for you?! The least you could do is give us a nice breeze!" But I didn't know what would happen if I did that, and I didn't exactly want to attract the gods' anger more than I possibly already had.
I could've sworn my high tops sizzled against the pavement as I stood next to our vehicle, waiting for Alec to come around and Riley to get out of the back seat. As the former did exactly that, he said, "So, where exactly do you think Python is? Because I doubt he's just sitting under the pier, waiting for half bloods to kill."
Shrugging, I said, "He might be."
Alec gave me a look, but I ignored him and glanced at my sister as she hopped down from the back seat. She'd taken off her cardigan, so that she was now just wearing a Camp Half-Blood shirt, shorts, and sneakers - like Alec and I. Under one arm, she still had that godsforsaken wheat, and in the other, her new bow.
