The Shadow Summoner | Book Three - PJO Universe

five

APOLLO LIKES HIMSELF (WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED)

Meg Gawked. "He - he really is a centaur."

"Well spotted." Apollo said. "I suppose the lower body of a horse is what gave him away?"

Ariana punched him in the arm. "Don't be mean to be Meg."

"Chiron," Apollo gave Ariana a look of disbelief but introduced Meg, "this is Meg McCaffrey, my new master and wellspring of aggravation. You were saying something about disappearances?"

Chiron's tail flicked. His hooves clopped on the planks of the porch.

"Welcome, Meg." Chiron tried for a friendly tone. "I understand you showed great bravery in the woods. You and Ariana brought Apollo here despite many dangers. I'm glad to have you at Camp Half-Blood."

"Thanks." said Meg. "You're really tall. Don't you hit your head on light fixtures?"

Chiron chuckled. "Sometimes. If I want to be closer to human size, I have a magical wheelchair that allows me to compact my lower half into ... Actually, that's not important now."

"Disappearances." Apollo prompted. "What has disappeared?"

"Not what, but who." Chiron said. "Let's talk inside. Will, Nico, could you please tell the other campers we'll gather for dinner in one hour? I'll give everyone an update then. In the meantime, no one should roam the camp alone. Use the buddy system."

"Understood." Will looked at Nico. "Will you be my buddy?"

"You are a dork." Nico announced.

The two of them strolled off bickering.

Chiron led them into the living room, where comfy leather couches made a V facing the stone fireplace. Above the mantel, a stuffed leopard head was snoring contentedly.

"Is it alive?" Meg asked.

"Quite." Chiron trotted over to his wheelchair.

"That's Seymour. If we speak quietly, we should be able to avoid waking him." Ariana told them, standing by the door.

Meg immediately began exploring the living room. Knowing her, she was searching for small objects to throw at the leopard to wake him up.

Chiron settled into his wheelchair. He placed his rear legs into the false compartment of the seat, then backed up, magically compacting his equine hindquarters until he looked like a man sitting down.

To complete the illusion, hinged front panels swung closed, giving him fake human legs. Normally those legs were fitted with chinos and loafers to augment his 'professor' disguise, but today it seemed Chiron was going for a different look.

"That's new." Apollo pointed.

Chiron glanced down at his shapely female mannequin legs, dressed in fishnet stockings and red sequinned high heels.

Ariana smirked, laughing and chuckling.

He sighed heavily. "I see the Hermes cabin have been watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show again. I will have to have a chat with them."

What Chiron didn't know was that Ariana had helped them.

"Let me guess." Apollo said. "Connor and Travis Stoll are the pranksters?"

From a nearby basket, Chiron grabbed a flannel blanket and spread it over his fake legs, though the ruby shoes still peeked out at the bottom.

"Actually, Travis went off to college last autumn, which has mellowed Connor quite a bit." Ariana informed the ex sun god.