ONE LAST TIME . . . heroes of olympus

21

FOR A MINUTE, Jason and Thalia faced each other, stunned. Then Thalia rushed forward and hugged him.

"My gods! She told me you were dead!" She gripped Jason's face and seemed to be examining everything about it. "Thank Artemis, it is you. That little scar on your lip — you tried to eat a stapler when you were two!"

Leo laughed. "Seriously?"

Hedge nodded like he approved of Jason's taste. "Staplers — excellent source of iron."

"W-wait," Jason stammered. "Who told you I was dead? What happened?"

At the cave entrance, one of the white wolves barked. Thalia looked back at the wolf and nodded, but she kept her hands on Jason's face, like she was afraid he might vanish. "My wolf is telling me I don't have much time, and she's right. But we have to talk. Let's sit."

Piper did better than that. She collapsed. She would've cracked her head on the cave floor if Kat hadn't sped over and caught her.

Thalia rushed over. "What's wrong with her? Ah — never mind. I see. Hypothermia. Ankle." She frowned at the satyr. "Don't you know nature healing?"

Hedge scoffed. "Why do you think she looks this good? Can't you smell the Gatorade?"

Thalia looked over at Kat, who immediately argued, "to be honest, you're more related to Apollo than I am, so don't blame me for this."

She let out a chuckle before glaring at Leo. "You and the satyr," Thalia ordered, "take this girl to my friend at the entrance. Phoebe's an excellent healer."

"It's cold out there!" Hedge said. "I'll freeze my horns off."

"Deal with it," Kat snapped, repositioning Piper so she was on her back, wrapping her arms and legs around her like a koala. "And actually, I'm seeing Phoebe. I miss her."

"Humph. Fine," the satyr muttered. "Didn't even get to brain anybody."

Kat piggybacked Piper toward the entrance. "Phoebe!" she called, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, "I need help!"

Phoebe turned and sighed. "You always need help," she said, fishing in her pockets before taking out what seemingly was a pack of gum.

"Not always," Kat said as the pack of gum expanded to be a pretty sweet half-tent half-travel house situation. "It's my girl that needs help this time."

"Your girl?" Phoebe raised an eyebrow, but she opened the tent doors for them. Hedge walked in, and Kat followed behind him.

She'd forgotten how nice these tents were. The kerosene heater was already going, the throw pillows looked just as comfy as they had last time she'd been here, and if the cupboards weren't filled with delicious snacks, then she'd just brave the fucking snow at this point.

Hedge immediately threw himself down on a pile of pillows. Kat gently set Piper down, smiling down at her. "Phoebe'll take good care of you," she assured, "don't worry."

Piper looked up at her. "You really know everyone, don't you?"

"Nah," Kat scrunched up her nose. "Just people that are interesting."

"Like your girl?"

Well, shit. Kat was about to bullshit her way out of that situation when Phoebe called, "Kat! You want new clothes?"

"Is that even a question?" She stood upright as Phoebe walked over with medical supplies.

"You know where they are," she sat down next to Piper. Kat nodded, smiled reassuringly at Piper, then walked over to a cupboard where she fished out some clothes and went to the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror.