𝐄́𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒² || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐗𝐈𝐕

✦ 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍 ✦

LEO KEPT GLANCING BACK OVER HIS SHOULDER, half-expecting to see those menacing sun dragons towing a flying chariot with a screaming magical saleswoman hurling potions at them. But the sky remained clear behind them; no winged threats pursued.

Turning his attention back to the silver-haired girl behind him, Leo called over the wind's rush, "Are you sure those sun dragons are gone? You're positive they're not going to swoop in and swallow all of us whole?"

Aurora shook her head, her expression confident. "They are with my dad now," she reassured him. "They won't bother us anymore."

With that, Leo continued to steer the dragon toward the southwest. Eventually, the smoke from the burning department store faded in the distance, but Leo didn't relax until the suburbs of Chicago gave way to snowy fields, and the sun began to set.

"Good job, Festus." He patted the dragon's metal hide. "You did awesome."

The dragon shuddered. Gears popped and clicked in his neck. Leo frowned. He didn't like those noises. If the control disk was failing again— No, hopefully, it was something minor. Something he could fix.

"I'll give you a tune-up next time we land," Leo promised. "You've earned some motor oil and Tabasco sauce."

Festus whirled his teeth, but even that sounded weak. He flew at a steady pace, his great wings angling to catch the wind, but he was carrying a heavy load. Two cages in his claws plus four people on his back— the more Leo thought about it, the more worried he got. Even metal dragons had limits.

"Leo." Piper patted his shoulder. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah... not bad for a brainwashed zombie." He hoped he didn't look as embarrassed as he felt. "Thanks for saving us back there, beauty queen. If you hadn't talked me out of that spell—"

"Don't worry about it," Piper said.

But Leo worried a lot. He felt terrible about how easily Medea had set him against his best friend. And those feelings hadn't come from nowhere— his resentment of the way Jason always got the spotlight and didn't really seem to need him. Leo did feel that way sometimes, even if he wasn't proud of it.

What bothered him more was the news about his mom. Medea had seen the future down in the Underworld. That was how her patron, the woman in the black earthen robes, had come to the machine shop seven years ago to scare him and ruin his life.

That's how his mother had died— because of something Leo might do someday. So in a weird way, even if his fire powers weren't to blame, Mom's death was still his fault.

When they had left Medea in that exploding store, Leo had felt a little too good. He hoped she wouldn't make it out, and would go right back to the Fields of Punishment, where she belonged. Those feelings didn't make him proud, either. And if souls were coming back from the Underworld... was it possible Leo's mom could be brought back?