❝In a fight, they're lethal. Around each other, they melt❞
"I'm fine." I said, trying to hide the frown and tears that threatened to spill.
Percy looked at me once.
"I'm not going anywhere, unless you tell me what's wrong," he declared and I would h...
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When Piper was done explaining, we looked at her uncomfortably. Up on deck, Hedge sang something that sounded like "In the Navy" while Blackjack stomped his hooves, whinnying in protest.
Finally Hazel exhaled. "Piper is right."
"How can you be sure?" Annabeth asked.
"I've met eidolons," Hazel said. "In the Underworld, when I was...you know."
"So..." Frank rubbed his hand across his buzz-cut hair as if some ghosts might have invaded his scalp. "You think these things are lurking on the ship, or—"
"Possibly lurking inside some of us," Piper said. "We don't know."
"Give me a moment." I muttered before fading into the spirit world.
I glanced down at my hand and found it illuminated by a golden ring. I followed Percy's arm up and found two eyes peering at me through the side of his head. They were golden, soulless. I yelped, quickly fading back in and fell out of my chair in my panic.
"They are definitely there." I said, scooting father away from the boys. "I'm not touch you until that thing is gone Percy. Not now that i've seen that soulless stupid thing."
Jason clenched his fist. "If that's true—"
"We have to take steps," Piper said. "I think I can do this."
"Do what?" Percy asked. "Just listen, okay?"
Piper took a deep breath. "Everybody listen."
Piper met our eyes, one person at a time.
"Eidolons," she said, using her charmspeak, "raise your hands."
There was tense silence.
Leo laughed nervously. "Did you really think that was going to—?" His voice died. His face went slack.
He raised his hand. Jason and Percy did the same. Their eyes had turned glassy and gold. Hazel caught her breath. Next to Leo, Frank scrambled out of his chair and put his back against the wall.
"Oh, gods." Annabeth looked at Piper imploringly. "Can you cure them?"
My body was fazing in and out as I looked at the boys. The creatures were grinning at me and I flipped them off.
She focused on Leo because he was the least intimidating.
"Are there more of you on this ship?" she asked.
"No," Leo said in a hollow voice. "The Earth Mother sent three. The strongest, the best. We will live again."
"Not here, you won't," Piper growled. "All three of you, listen carefully."
Jason and Percy turned toward her but the spirits' eyes stayed on me, never blinking, never moving.
"Take the girl," I heard one of them mutter to the others, the boy's mouths never moving and I quickly fazed back out. I scrambled back, towards the doors.
