𝔅𝔲𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔫 - 𝔉𝔢𝔪𝔒ℭ𝔵𝔏𝔢𝔬 𝔙𝔞𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔷

8. Tradition

We had to still drive over to the Big House because Zoë had to talk to Chiron about something important. So, Bianca, Thalia, Grover, and I sat in the car. Did I mention Phoebe wasn't there? That's because the Stoll brothers pranked—more like attempted murder—her by coating the inside of that T-shirt with centaur blood. Where did they get it? No fucking clue.

Thalia had packed my bag for me, as a way of saying sorry. I didn't accept it, but once I saw food, I did. "Thank you, Thals." I muttered from my middle seat.

Thalia was on the left, me in the middle, Grover on the right, and Bianca in the front. For some reason, Zoë was going to drive us, and I was pretty nervous.

"You're welcome. I didn't mean to snap at you, or strike you. It was only fair you hit me back after that." She grinned. "I'm surprised I didn't kill you."

"It's going to take a lot more than a little lightning to kill me." I smirked back, eating a Dorito. Thunder boomed in the distance and my smile turned into a scowl. "Oh, fuck off, Zeus!"

Everyone but Bianca in the car burst out laughing. She looked afraid, as if I had just murdered someone and turned myself into the police with all the evidence. "Can—can she talk to him that way?" She asked Thalia.

She just shrugged. "Kiera can do whatever the fuck she wants as the Moiraio. The gods can't kill her until she does an act of great service, then they dispose of her when they don't need her. And by dispose, I mean slaughter."

I elbowed Thalia. "Can you not?"

"Sorry."

Grover was working on something in his hands, and I was already too tired to guess or ask. A bright idea hit me. "Dude, we should get Mc. Donalds."

Thalia gasped and her eyes widened. "Oh. My. Gods. Yes! I haven't had that in ages!"

We laughed again, as if we had never even fought a day or so earlier. We kept talking while we waited, and it was going well, so I shared my iPod with her.

Just a boy in a Chevy truck,

He's got money, but not too muchhhh

She grabbed onto my arm, "okay, let me guess. Olivia?"

I clapped. "Yes!"

She pumped her fist and we giggled again.

I'm a feminist, OB-VI-OUS-LY!

But I wouldn't really mind him saving me,

And I know that I'm fine without a man,

But I think I would like his protection!

"I'm just bein' honest!" Thalia handed me a brush.

"Can't change what I like!" I used it as a microphone. "No damsel in distress, no, but I like assertiveness."

Grover just rolled his eyes and groaned. "Oh, gods, are you two going to be like this the whole ride? If so, I might consider jumping out on the highway."

"You know it." I winked at him and he shook his head before focusing on his mini project.

Thalia gripped onto my arm again, "Girl,"

"Girl."

"Do you think the Hunters would like this song?" She asked me.

My jaw dropped open. "Oh my gods. Maybe, I feel like they'd only like the 'I'm a feminist obviously,' part, but the rest? Nah."

She nodded. "Good point, Kie. Good point."

I thought back to when I had last shared music with someone on my iPod. . .that would've been during the Sea of Monsters, when Percy and I were jamming out on the Queen Anne's Revenge. Good times!  Other than that, I never really shared it with anyone, music was sort of a love language in my eyes, You know what I mean?