²𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘✸ percy jackson

X.

MΛЯK ӨF ΛƬΉΣПΛ

LUCIA COULD FEEL THE COLD PRESENCE and hear the ghostly whispering when she focused her ears. Stories of phantoms and tortured souls had always freaked her out. But feeling them close and personal was a whole other ballgame.

Right then, she also got the gut sense that they were still present, she just didn't know how to make them go away.

When Piper was done explaining what she was thinking, the others looked at her uncomfortably.

Up on deck, Hedge sang something that sounded like "In the Navy" while Blackjack stomped his hooves, whinnying in protest.

Finally Hazel exhaled. "Piper is right."

"How can you be sure?" Annabeth asked.

"I've met eidolons," Hazel said. "In the Underworld, when I was...you know."

Dead.

"So..." Frank rubbed his hand across his buzz-cut hair as if some ghosts might have invaded his scalp. "You think these things are lurking on the ship, or —"

"Possibly lurking inside some of us," Lucia said morosely.

Jason clenched his fist. "If that's true—"

"We have to take steps," Piper interrupted. "I think I can do this."

"Do what?" Percy asked.

"Just listen, okay?" Piper took a deep breath. She laced her power into her voice. "Everybody stay seated and listen."

"NO!" Lucia shot up so fast, her chair fell back behind her. She stumbled, her back hit the wall. And her heart slammed against her ribcage.

Everyone's attention turned to her. But only Piper could speak.

"Lucia? How-? Wh-are you alright?"

Lucia avoided eye contact, especially Annabeth and Percy's. She reached into her hoodie and took out her iPod. It was simply good luck that she had it on her this time. Quickly she took the headphones and placed them into her ears. "Go on..." She stayed with her back pressed to the wall, refusing to look forward.

Piper looked hesitant, but she met the other's eyes, one person at a time.

"Eidolons," she said, using her charmspeak, "raise your hands."

Lucia heard it as a mumble through the loud riff of Bohemian Rhapsody. She wasn't too sure even with an eidolon inside her if charmspeak would work. But this was the only way she was capable of trying.

There was a tense silence.

Leo laughed nervously. "Did you really think that was going to—?"

His voice died. His face went slack. He raised his hand.

Jason and Percy did the same. Their eyes had turned glassy and gold.

Hazel caught her breath. Next to Leo, Frank scrambled out of his chair and put his back against the other wall. Lucia then felt safe enough to take her headphones off.

"Oh, gods." Annabeth looked at Piper imploringly. "Can you cure them?"

Piper looked like she wanted to whimper and hide under the table, but she didn't. She focused on Leo.

"Are there more of you on this ship?" she asked.

"No," Leo said in a hollow voice. "The Earth Mother sent three. The strongest, the best. We will live again."