Sunburn- phoebus apollo

--i. the rescue mission goes terribly wrong (duh!)

THE FRIDAY BEFORE WINTER BREAK, Rhea's mom came to pick her and Percy up, packed them both an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took them to a new boarding school. They picked up their friends 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. Rhea, Annabeth, Thalia, and Percy hadn't seen each other in months, but between the blizzard the the thought of what they were about to do, they were too nervous to talk much. Except for Rhea's mom. She talks more when she's nervous. By the time they finally got to Westover Hall, it was getting dark, and she'd told Annabeth and Thalia every embarrassing baby story there was to tell about her and Percy.

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 this big frosty forest on one side and the gray churning ocean on the other.

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait?" Their mother 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." 

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

Their mom seemed to relax just a little. She thinks Annabeth is the most levelheaded demigod ever to hit eighth grade. She's sure Annabeth often keeps the twins from getting killed. She's right. Annabeth is the reason why they've managed to survive all this time. 

Hey! Apollo protested in her mind. What am I? Canned tuna or something?

Sorry, Solar. Rhea snickered inwardly. 

Hmph. 

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

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

"Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?" She ranted.

"Mom--" Percy protested, embarrassed. 

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

"Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on, guys." Percy said, though he didn't mean for it to sound as harsh.

Rhea shot her brother a look before giving her mom a hug. "I'll take care of him."

Her mother smiled before ruffling her hair.

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

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

As soon as Percy said it, Thalia gave him an evil look. "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."

Rhea stared up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. "Nothing good," she murmured.

*****

The oak doors groaned open, and the four of them stepped into the entry hall in a swirl of snow.