WINGED ₁

27

MADELEINE TOOK A WEEK OFF OF SCHOOL. She collected all of her work and rode various trains into New York. She stayed with Sally and Percy, working on finals and exchanging playful insults and warm hugs with Percy when he came home from school. She Iris-messaged Annabeth in her free time.

She missed Drew and Ethan and all of her other friends, but she figured she'd see them soon enough. That Friday, Sally packed Percy an overnight bag and Madeleine gathered her things. They picked up Annabeth and Thalia on the way.

It was an eight-hour drive from New York to Bar Harbor, Maine. Sleet and snow pounded the highway. Annabeth, Thalia, and Percy hadn't seen each other in months, and Madeleine was pretty much compounded in with them, minus the few days she had spent at the Jacksons' residence. But with the blizzard and the thought of what they were about to do, nobody talked much. Except for Sally. She tended to talk more when she was nervous. By the time they finally got to Westover Hall, it was getting dark, and she'd told Annabeth, Thalia, and Madeleine every embarrassing baby story there was to tell about Percy. It was endearing.

Thalia wiped the fog off the car window and peered outside. "Oh, yeah. This'll be fun."

Westover Hall looked like an evil knight's castle. It was all black stone, with towers and slit windows and a big set of wooden double doors. It stood on a snowy cliff overlooking a big frosty forest on one side and the gray churning ocean on the other.

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait?" Sally asked.

"No, thanks, Mom," Percy said. "I don't know how long it will take. We'll be okay."

"But how will you get back? I'm worried, Percy."

Percy blushed.

"It's okay, Ms. Jackson." Annabeth smiled reassuringly. Her curly hair was tucked into a ski cap and her gray eyes were the same color as the ocean. "We'll keep him out of trouble."

"Scout's honor," Madeleine promised. "You know me. I always keep Percy's head on straight."

"Hey," he complained, though Madeleine noted he hadn't had anything to say when Annabeth was the one talking.

Regardless, Sally seemed to relax a little. She loved Annabeth and Madeleine. 

"All right, dears," Sally conceded. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, Ms. Jackson," Thalia said. "Thanks for the ride."

"Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?"

"Mom―"

"Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy? And a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?"

"Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on, guys."

Sally looked a little hurt, so Madeleine shoved him in the shoulder. "Be nice to your mom." She gave the woman her best smile. "I'll have Percy contact you as soon as we get back to camp."

Percy rolled his eyes, but Madeleine could tell he appreciated it. He followed her outside into the snow, and Annabeth and Thalia joined them. The wind blew straight through Madeleine's coat like ice daggers.

Once Sally's car was out of sight, Thalia said, "Your mom is so cool, Percy."

"She's pretty okay," Percy admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?"

Thalia's expression melted. "If that was any of your business, Percy―"

"We'd better get inside," Annabeth interrupted. "Grover will be waiting."

Thalia looked at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found here that made him send the distress call."

"Last time he sent a distress call, it wasn't great," Madeleine noted. "So this is probably..."