𝐄́𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒² || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐈𝐈

✦ 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 ✦

AFTER A MORNING OF STORM SPIRITS, goat men, and flying boyfriends, Piper should've been losing her mind. Instead, all she felt was dread. It's starting, she thought. Just like the dream said.

She stood in the back of the chariot with Leo and Jason, while the bald guy, Butch, handled the reins, and the blonde girl, Annabeth, adjusted a bronze navigation device. And the scary silvery-white-haired girl, Aurora, was sitting on the edge of the chariot fiddling with her ring— no fear of falling off whatsoever.

They rose over the Grand Canyon and headed east, icy wind ripping straight through Piper's jacket. Behind them, more storm clouds were gathering. The chariot lurched and bumped. It had no seat belts and the back was wide open, so Piper wondered if Jason would catch her again if she fell.

That had been the most disturbing part of the morning— not that Jason could fly, but that he'd held her in his arms and yet didn't know who she was.

All semester she'd worked on a relationship, trying to get Jason to notice her as more than a friend. Finally, she'd gotten the big dope to kiss her. The last few weeks had been the best of her life. And then, three nights ago, the dream had ruined everything— that horrible voice, giving her horrible news.

She hadn't told anyone about it, not even Jason.

Now she didn't even have him. It was like someone had wiped his memory, and she was stuck in the worst "do-over" of all time.

She wanted to scream. Jason stood right next to her: those sky blue eyes, close-cropped blond hair, that cute little scar on his upper lip. His face was kind and gentle, but always a little sad. And he just stared at the horizon, not even noticing her.

Meanwhile, as the chariot continued to soar over the sky, Aurora's thoughts were a whirlwind of frustration, worry, and longing. The wind whipped through her silvery-white hair, but she hardly noticed. Her gaze was fixed on the sky, ignoring the stares of the three new demigods who would occasionally watch her with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

This extraction was supposed to be the answer, the resolution to her relentless search. They had gained three new demigods today, but none of them were the one she truly cared about— Percy.

Hera's message in her vision had been clear: find the boy with one shoe; he would be instrumental in finding the answers and locating Percy. And while she had found Jason, who indeed had only one shoe, Percy was still missing and none of her questions were answered.

Replaying the events of the past three days in her mind was torturous. Three days since she had seen Percy's face, heard his voice, felt his touch. Three days since their last conversation, their last shared laugh, their last tender kiss goodnight.