SAFE . . . reyna ramirez-arellano

75 - three of us

BRIAR DIDN'T KNOW much about the Mediterranean, but she was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to freeze in July.

Two days out to sea from Split, gray clouds swallowed the sky. The waves turned choppy. Cold drizzle sprayed across the deck, forming ice on the rails and the ropes.

"It's the scepter," Nico murmured, hefting the ancient staff. "It has to be."

Briar wondered. Ever since Reyna, Jason, and Nico had returned from Diocletian's Palace, they'd been acting nervous and cagey. Something major had happened there — mostly because Reyna was avoiding Briar, and she didn't know why.

It made sense that the scepter might have caused this weather change. The black orb on top seemed to leach the color right out of the air. The golden eagles at its base glinted coldly. The scepter could supposedly control the dead, and it definitely gave off bad vibes. Coach Hedge had taken one look at the thing, turned pale, and announced that he was going to his room to console himself with Chuck Norris videos. ( Although Briar suspected that he was actually making Iris-messages back home to his girlfriend Mellie; the coach had been acting very agitated about her lately, though he wouldn't tell Briar what was going on. )

So, yes . . . maybe the scepter could cause a freak ice storm. But Briar didn't think that was it. She feared something else was happening — something even worse.

"We can't talk up here," Jason decided. "Let's postpone the meeting."

They'd all gathered on the quarterdeck to discuss strategy as they got closer to Epirus. Now it was clearly not a good place to hang out. Wind swept frost across the deck. The sea churned beneath them.

Briar didn't mind the waves so much. She's lived in California her entire life, after all. But she could tell Hazel wasn't doing well. The poor girl got seasick even in calm waters. She looked like she was trying to swallow a billiard ball.

"Need to—" Hazel gagged and pointed below.

"Yeah, go." Nico kissed her cheek, which Briar found surprising. He hardly ever made gestures of affection, even to his sister. He seemed to hate physical contact. Kissing Hazel . . . it was almost like he was saying good-bye.

"I'll walk you down." Frank put his arm around Hazel's waist and helped her to the stairs.

Briar hoped Hazel would be okay. The last few nights, since that fight with Sciron, they'd had some good talks together. They'd shared stories, complained about the guys' gross habits, and shed some tears together about Annabeth. Hazel had told her what it was like to control the Mist, and Briar had been surprised by how much it sounded like using charmspeak. Briar had offered to help her if she could. She felt like she had a new friend, which was great . . . assuming they lived long enough to enjoy the friendship.

Nico brushed some ice from his hair. He frowned at the scepter of Diocletian. "I should put this thing away. If it's really causing the weather, maybe taking it below deck will help . . ."

"Sure," Reyna said. "I'll come with you."

Nico glanced at Briar and Leo, as if worried what they might say when he was gone. Briar felt his defenses going up, like he was curling into a psychological ball, the way he'd gone into a death trance in that bronze jar.

She stared at Reyna as she left. Not even one moment of eye contact.

Briar turned and studied Jason's face. His eyes were full of concern. What had happened in Croatia?

Leo pulled a screwdriver from his belt. "So much for the big team meeting. Looks like it's just us again."

Just us again.