Everyone is on edge. We all keep looking back. I have a mental picture of a screaming saleswoman throwing magical potions from a chariot pulled by sun dragons.
"Good job Festus." Leo pats our dragon happily. "You did awesome."
Festus shudders as gears pop and click in his neck.
"Leo." I lean over his shoulder to speak quietly. "That doesn't sound good."
"I'll give you a tune-up next time we land." Leo tells him, giving me a worried look. "You've earned some motor oil and tabasco sauce."
Festus whirls his teeth happily, but even that sounds weak.
"Leo." Piper leans over me. "You feeling okay?"
"Yeah, not bad for a brainwashed zombie." He replies. "Thanks for saving us back there, guys. If you hadn't talked me out of that spell-"
"Don't worry about it." Piper replies.
I can tell Leo is still worried about it. I figure, if he wants to talk about it, he will, whenever he's ready. The news about his mom must be hitting hard too. I mean, that's a huge bomb to have dropped on you.
"We're going to have to put down soon." Leo decides. "Couple more hours, maybe, to make sure Medea's not following us. I don't think Festus can fly much longer than that."
"Yeah." Piper agrees. "Coach Hedge probably wants to get out of his canary cage too. Question is- where are we going?"
"The Bay Area." Leo guesses. "Didn't Medea say something about Oakland?"
I feel Piper tense behind me. I remember what Medea had said about her dad. I turn to look at her, and she looks absolutely terrified.
"Piper's dad." Jason chimes in. "Something happened to your dad, right? He got lured into some kind of trap."
Piper lets out a shaky breath. "Look, Medea said you would both die in the Bay Area. And besides... even if we went there, the Bay Area is huge! First we need to find Aeolus and drop off the storm spirits. Boreas said Aeolus was the only one who could tell us exactly where to go."
Leo grunts. "So how do we find Aeolus?"
"You mean you don't see it?" Jason asks, leaning forwards. He points ahead of us, but I don't see a thing.
"What?" We all ask.
"That... whatever it is." Jason says. "In the air."
"Right." Leo says suspiciously. "Could you be more specific on the whatever-it-is part?"
"Like a vapor trail." Jason repies. "Except it's glowing. Really faint, but it's definitely there. We've been following it since Chicago, so I figured you saw it."
Leo shakes his head. "Maybe Festus can sense it. You think Aeolus made it?"
"Well, it's a magic trail in the wind." Jason shrugs casually. "Aeolus is the wind god. I think he knows we've got prisoners for him. He's telling us where to fly."
"Or it's another trap." Piper sounds completely defeated.
"Pipes, you all right?" Leo asks her.
"Don't call me that."
"Okay, fine. You don't like any of the names I make up for you. But if your dad's in trouble and we can help-"
"You can't." Her voice is shaky. "Look, I'm tired. If you don't mind..."
I look back, and she's already leaning against Jason, her eyes closed.
We fly in silence fo a while. I feel Leo starting to nod off in front of me. My eyes feel a little heavy too.
