𝐄́𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒² || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐗𝐈𝐈

✦ 𝐌 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐘'𝐒✦

AURORA'S HEAD THROBBED MERCILESSLY AS SHE STIRRED, the sensation akin to being struck by a Cyclops— oh, right, she had been. Her vision slowly cleared, revealing the familiar interior of Festus.  They flew peacefully through the winter sky as if nothing had happened. Leo was in front, Jason was slumped unconscious in front of her, and Piper clung to her from behind.

There was no dream to accompany Aurora's awakening, no comforting visions of Percy to hold onto. The emptiness of that absence angered her more than the pain in her head from the Cyclops' blow.

Percy felt as if he'd been erased from her very being, their shared dreams now inaccessible. No more clues or visions guiding her to his whereabouts.

"What happened?" Aurora demanded, her voice edged with frustration.

Leo glanced over his shoulder, concern evident in his eyes. "We got ambushed. Cyclopes. You and Jason took a hit. Piper and I managed to get you both out and onto Festus."

Piper's voice trembled as she spoke, guilt evident in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Aurora. I should've listened to you."

Aurora turned her gaze to Piper, her expression softening. "Hey, it's not your fault. We were all caught off guard. Blame the Cyclops, not yourself."

Piper nodded, swallowing hard. "Still, I should've been more cautious."

Aurora reached out, placing a comforting hand on Piper's. "We all make mistakes, Pipes. Things like this happen during quests. You can imagine how many stupid things Annabeth, Percy, and I have done that almost got us killed before. What's important now is that we're together and we need to figure out our next move."

Before Piper could thank Aurora, Jason decided to finally wake up.

"Cyclops!" Jason's eyes snapped open.

"Yeah, no shit," Aurora grabbed his shoulders to prevent him from trust falling off the sky.

"Whoa, sleepyhead," Piper said.

"D-Detroit," Jason stammered. "Didn't we crash-land? I thought—"

"It's okay," Leo said. "We got away, but you and Rory girl over here got a nasty concussion. How you feeling?"

Jason's head throbbed. He remembered the factory, then walking down the catwalk, then a creature looming over him— a face with one eye, a massive fist— and everything went black.

"How did you—the Cyclops—"

"Leo ripped them apart," Piper said. "He was amazing. He can summon fire—"

"I would have loved to see that," Aurora pouted from her place.

"It was nothing," Leo said quickly.

Piper laughed. "Shut up, Valdez. I'm going to tell him. Get over it."