Percy Jackson: Daughter of Shadows

3. When Did Grover and Percy Become a Thing?

Dinner sucked that night. Well, not the food, that's always good. But everyone was antsy about the prophecy. Viktor was nowhere in sight. I shoved my mac and cheese around my plate, thinking about what to do. "Obviously, I can't just run from this, Percy's going to need all the help he can get" I thought, picking up a strawberry. "LILLY!" Viktor came running up from behind me. "Vik? What's going on? Where were you?" Viktor doubled over, catching his breath. "Percy....called me.... Nico.... has plan.... need to go....to the.... Underworld" I leapt up, terrified. "Where are they?" "Council of Cloven Elders, and there's another problem" "Define 'problem'" Viktor looked up at me. "Problem as in the Ares cabin is refusing to fight" "What?" I roared. "Don't blame anyone. Michael refused to give up the chariot, so Clarisse, prideful as always, has decreed that her cabin will take no part in the war until her treasure is returned" I groaned. "For the love of Gaea, why does this keep happening?" Viktor stood up straight. "I don't know. But you need to hurry. Nico and Percy in the same room...." I sighed. "Yeah, I know. You don't need to remind me" I kissed him on the cheek and ran to the Council of Cloven Elders. 

   I got to the clearing where Grover's trial had been held months ago. Percy had a satyr, Leneus, by the shirt. "Percy!" I called, skidding to a stop at the bottom. He stared at me. "Lilly? What are you doing here?" "Viktor told me Nico was here. Is he...?" Nico stepped out from between the trees. "Hi, Lilly" I bit my lip. Juniper jumped out from behind the juniper and tackled me. "Waugh!" "Lilly! Where were you? I haven't seen you in ages! Chiron and Grover told me-" She cut off. I knew why. Grover had gone missing, sending out the message about Pan's death to the other nature spirits. He'd been gone for two months now. "I know, Juniper. How have you been, though?" Juniper climbed off me and sat down. "Good, I guess. What happened to you?" she asked, touching my side. I looked down and realized my scar had opened up again. "Ah, shit, not again" I pulled some nectar out of my pocket and poured it over it. The wound healed, stitching itself back together. "Just a scratch from Typhon, I'm fine" Nico's face went dark. "You fought Typhon? How are you still alive?" "I don't know, honestly. At this rate, I'm dumb enough to take on Zeus, Gaea, Kronos, Ouranos, Tartarus, Oceanus, Typhon, and literal Chaos themself, and somehow my dumb ass would make it out alive" Nico just blinked. "Oooookay...... Anyway, Percy, are you ready?" "Wait," I grabbed Juniper's hand and pulled her up. "What are you planning?" Percy kicked at the dirt, not looking at me. Juniper dusted her dress off. "They're planning on getting more information on Luke" I sighed. "And you didn't think to ask me for help why?" Nico and Percy exchanged glances. "Percy... what are you- OOF!" Mrs. O'Leary tackled me to the ground, licking my face. "Mrs. O'Leary! Heel!" Percy yelled. I shimmied out from under her and stood up, scratching her ears. "Percy, it's fine. But seriously, what are you planning?" Percy looked at me. "How do you feel about taking a trip to see Luke's mom?" 

  "Oh, no you don't" Leneus, said, coming back. I groaned. "Leneus, I don't have for time for your nonsense. Grover's missing, the war is about to start, Percy still doesn't have a solid plan-" "Hey!" "And you are being a giant ass. Now, either leave us alone, or so help me, I will personally deliver your head on a pike to the other Elders and leave it there" Leneus gulped but didn't back down. "I have already told Jackson I haven't seen or heard from his boyfriend, and this war doesn't concern me! Underwood should've been exiled when he was here. If he's gone for good, I say good riddance!" A giant tidal wave of water crashed down on Leneus, along with a wave of pure Erebos. Percy and I both stood above Leneus, Percy holding Riptide to his throat. "Say that again about Grover" I growled. "I DARE YOU." 

   Leneus ran for it, his tail between his legs. (Quite literally. He is a goat) "Um, Lilly, Percy?" Nico said, on top of Mrs. O'Leary. I spun around. "Yeah, Nico?" He stared at Mrs. O'Leary's fur. "W-We should really get going" "Yeah, okay" Percy said. "Let's go. Lilly?" "Yeah?" "You coming with?" I shrugged. "Yeah, why not? Let's go."