Advisor's Son

Chapter 23 The Fleece Did a Thing

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That afternoon did not start well for me. I mean just one thing caused a flood of horrible memories of my mother to resurface. How.... quaint. Though Dio- Mrs D was surprisingly helpful.

Though things did take a nice turn, when at the end of the chariot race, Perse and Annabeth won they both decided to surprise me by running up to me and kissing me. It took me completely off guard, though maybe that was the deafening squeals, protest and other noises that were borderline overstimulating.

Grover announced that she'd be able to spend the rest of the summer with us before resuming her quest for Pan. Her bosses at the Council of Cloven Elders were so impressed that she had not got herself killed and had cleared the way for future searchers, that they granted her a two-month furlough and a new set of reed pipes. The only bad news: Grover insisted on playing those pipes all afternoon long, and her musical skills had not improved much. She played 'YMCA', and the strawberry plants started going crazy, wrapping around our feet like they were trying to strangle us. I guess I couldn't blame them. Though she did stop when I started telling her about Ursun, which I believe Annabeth and Perse were thankful for.

Grover told Perse she could dissolve an apparent empathy link between the two, now that they were face to face, but Perse told her she would just as soon keep it if that was okay with Grover. Grover put down her reed pipes and stared at Perse. "But, if I get in trouble again, you'll be in danger, Perse! You could die!"

"If you get in trouble again, I want to know about it. And I'll come help you again, G-woman. I wouldn't have it any other way."

In the end she agreed not to break the link. She turned back to me and asked, "So have you made up with Annabeth and Perse?"

I sighed, "Well... we have not actually talked about things. I just learned how Circe got them to do what they did."

"How did you learn, did Katherine tell you?" Annabeth asked.

"No, actually Aphrodite sorta told me." I revealed and decided to ignore their worried looks.

"She didn't do anything to you, right?" Annabeth asked, sounding worried.

"Just sat in my lap when I tried to leave and talked my ear off for an hour or so." I answered. "She was talking about satin rose pink or pastel pink silk and I got lost at some point. She was trying to figure some clothing out."

"Oh, which one did you end up choosing?" Perse asked, and Annabeth gave her a 'really' look.

"I said rose pink silk." I shrugged, "She giggled happily so I think I did good. I do not know, she was vague about what it was for."

"So you forgive us?" Annabeth asked hesitantly.

"I do not blame you for what happened on Circe's island." I said as I thought about it all. "I am still upset you did not stand up for me when I was in camp, but from a talk with Lou you did after I was gone which... I... do not know. Just too much has happened, too much that has made me question things."

"Like what happened back on Circe's island when you snapped?" Perse asked.

"I... do not even know what happened." I told her as I hugged my knees. "One moment Circe asked for my books and the next my mind felt like it was being invaded and I blacked out, waking up in the forest puking my guts and blood out."

"Well you seem to have gotten possessed by some master of Nehekara it called itself." Annabeth told me, and my eyes widened. "You know who it is, don't you?"