Death's Touch | Jason Grace

Forty-one

Cary stood in Leon's doorway. He looked up as he packed his things back in his backpack.

"Looks like you're getting your cabin back," he joked.

Cary's expression hardened. "Don't joke about that, Leon. You could die, you know that, right?"

He sighed. "It's fine—I'll be fine. You're the one who needs the good luck wishes, you know?"

She hugged him. Cary was significantly shorter than her brother, but she held him tightly nonetheless. His dark blond hair tickled her forehead and he wrapped his arms around her. His eyes of dark brown were warm and comforted her.

"Don't die," she croaked. Leon smiled and left the cabin.

~dead~

At sunset, Cary found Nico tying ropes around the pedestal of the Athena Parthenos.

"Thank you," Percy said.

Nico frowned. 'What for?'

'You promised to lead the others to the House of Hades,' Percy said. 'You did it.'

Nico tied the ends of the ropes together, making a halter. 'You got me out of that bronze jar in Rome. Saved my life yet again. It was the least I could do.'

His voice was steely, guarded.

'Also,' Percy said, 'you visited Bob ...'

He told Nico about their trip through Tartarus. He figured if anyone could understand, Nico could. 'You convinced Bob that I could be trusted, even though I never visited him. I never gave him a second thought. You probably saved our lives by being nice to him.'

'Yeah, well,' Nico said, 'not giving people a second thought... that can be dangerous.'

'Dude, I'm trying to say thank you.'

Nico laughed without humour. 'I'm trying to say you don't need to. Now I need to finish this, if you could give me some space?'

'Yeah. Yeah, okay.' Percy stepped back while Nico took up the slack on his ropes. He slipped them over his shoulders as if the Athena Parthenos were a giant backpack.

Annabeth walked up the hill to join them. She took Percy's hand, which made him feel better. 'Good luck,' she told Nico.

'Yeah.' He didn't meet her eyes. 'You, too.'

A minute later, Reyna and Coach Hedge arrived in full armour with packs over their shoulders.

Reyna looked grim and ready for combat. Coach Hedge grinned like he was expecting a surprise party. Reyna gave Annabeth a hug. 'We will succeed,' she promised.

'I know you will,' Annabeth said.

Coach Hedge shouldered his baseball bat. 'Yeah, don't worry. I'm going to get to camp and see my baby! Uh, I mean I'm going to get this baby to camp!' He patted the leg of the Athena Parthenos.

'All right,' said Nico. 'Grab the ropes, please. Here we go.'

Reyna and Hedge took hold. The air darkened. The Athena Parthenos collapsed into its own shadow and disappeared, along with its three escorts.

~dead~

The Argo II sailed after nightfall.

They veered southwest until they reached the coast, then splashed down in the Ionian Sea.

It would have been a shorter trip to Athens over land, but after everyone's experience with mountain spirits in Italy, they'd decided not to fly over Gaea's territory any more than they had to. They would sail around the Greek mainland, following the routes that Greek heroes had taken in the ancient times.

Cary wondered where Leon, Nico, Reyna, and Hedge were now, and how long it would take them to make it to Camp Half-Blood – assuming they survived. She imagined the Romans drawing up battle lines right now, encircling the place.

Fourteen days to reach Athens. Then one way or another, the war would be decided.

Over in the bow, Leo whistled happily as he tinkered with Festus's mechanical brain, muttering something about a crystal and an astrolabe. Amidships, Piper and Hazel practised their swordplay, gold and bronze blades ringing in the night. Jason and Frank stood at the helm, talking in low tones – maybe telling stories of the legion or sharing thoughts on being praetor. Percy and Annabeth stood together at the rail.

Cary felt alone for the first time in a while. Ever since she was little, she'd had Nathan or Cameron by her side. She'd always had Leon. Always.

She stared up at the sky, squinting against the mist spreading over her face. Her long brown hair flowed easily, silky and smooth. Her light brown skin was bright and glowing against the rail of the ship. Jason stepped up to her side as the stars glittered. She leaned into him and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I missed you," Cary said honestly.

"I've been here for a while, Cary."

"I missed you for eight months. And then Piper was in love with you. Then she and Leon had this thing and my brother's gone. I have no idea if I'll see him again after this."

Jason smiled against her head and her sage green eyes locked with his electric blue ones. Then he leaned down and they shared the sweetest kiss they'd ever had.

And for a moment, it was all okay.

~dead~

Part four coming up! And there's a change, too, cause there are so many chapters in Reyna and Nico's POV so I'm making those Leon's. Some insight on him.