"In Latin my name, Aurelia, basically means 'the golden one.' My mother literally named me her golden light through the storm that was her life. That is my job. To be everyone's light at the end of the tunnel. And I got stuck worrying so much about...
Claustrophobia: Fear of Confined Spaces & Suffocation
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Aurelia hated her powers sometimes.
Because on one hand, she was capable of helping other people control their emotions and fears. And on a good day, a day when people are filled with good vibes and joy, Aurelia's powers were actually kinda enjoyable.
Then there was everything else.
There was the responsibility of holding onto everyone's fear.
There was the responsibility of regulating people's anger and sadness.
There was the pain that came along with the fear.
There was the looming possible threat of her exploding like she did when she was younger.
A blessing. That's what Venus had called Aurelia's power. A blessing. A gift. Well, she was stuck with it so she was sure as hell going to use it.
At dawn, the store opened up. The owner was a little surprised to find three teenagers crashed out on his picnic table and a fourth sitting cross legged on the snow. Aurelia explained their situation to the man as her friends started waking up. She told the man how they had stumbled away from last night's train wreck. She magnified the pity in the man towards them.
One of the few lessons Aurelia got from Venus was the ability to play with people's emotions. Specifically, men. "You must know your audience. You are young. An innocent young girl. Show that. Widen your eyes and soften your features. 'I am a damsel in distress.' Men are so clueless, if you use your powers correctly, they'll never be none the wiser."
Aurelia didn't do it often—her mask at camp was often one of emotionlessness or indifference— but when it came to mortals, specifically mortal men, Aurelia played them like a violin.
The man was kind. He treated them to breakfast and called a friend of his, an Inuit native who had a cabin close to Seward. Soon Aurelia and her friends were rumbling along the road in a beat-up Ford pickup that had been new around the time Hazel was born.
Aurelia sat in the backseat with Hazel and Frank while Percy rode in the front next to the leathery old man, who smelled like smoked salmon. Aurelia humored the old man as he told her and Percy stories about Bear and Raven, the Inuit gods. Anything to get her mind off of the night before.
The Feast of Fortuna—all the luck that happened today, good or bad, was supposed to be an omen of the entire year to come. One way or another, their quest would end this evening.
The truck broke down a few miles outside of Seward. The driver didn't seem surprised, as though this happens several times a day. He said they could wait for him to fix the engine, but since Seward was only a few miles away, they decided to walk it.
