𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐌 • Heroes of Olympus

XVI

𝐇𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄, it turns out, wasn't freezing his butt off in the cold like Andy expected. The huntress Phoebe had set up a silver tent pavilion right outside the cave. It was one of the collapsible tents that the hunters carried around. Inside the tent was a kerosene heater keeping them toasty warm and a bunch of comfy throw pillows. Hedge and Phoebe were kicking back, drinking hot chocolate.

"Oh, no way," Leo said. "We've been sitting in a cave and you get the luxury tent? I want hot chocolate."

Phoebe wrinkled her nose.

"Seriously, dude?" Andy whispered to Leo.

"Don't pretend," Leo whispered back. "I know you want one too."

Andy sighed. She didn't not want a hot chocolate, but it's not like she could demand for one. These were the hunters of Artemis, not the demigods from camp. You never knew how they would react.

"They'll need extra coats," Thalia told Phoebe. "And I think we can spare some chocolate."

Soon, Andy, Leo and Jason were also dressed in silvery winter clothes that were incredibly lightweight and warm. The hot chocolate was first-rate.

"Cheers!" said Coach Hedge. He crunched down his plastic thermos cup.

"That cannot be good for your intestines," Leo said.

It took Phoebe exactly six seconds to break camp. The tent self-collapsed into a square the size of a pack of chewing gum. Leo was gawking at it, like he wanted to have a long talk about it with Phoebe, but they didn't have time.

Thalia ran uphill through the snow, hugging a tiny little path on the side of the mountain. Hedge jumped around like a happy mountain goat, enjoying the exercise. Jason was hanging around the back, looking doubtful. Andy didn't feel like wasting energy, so she just stuck to the rear. Leo was having a hard time keeping up.

Hedge waltzed over to Leo's side.

"Come on, Valdez! Pick up the pace! Let's chant. I've got a girl in Kalamazoo-"

"Let's not," Thalia snapped.

So they ran in silence.

Thalia and Hedge were soon far ahead. Jason, it seemed, was going backwards. He looked distressed, as if the idea of getting close to Thalia was unimaginable. Leo and Andy fell in next to him.

"How you doing, man?" Leo asked

Jason's expression was enough of an answer: Not good.

"Thalia takes it so calmly," Jason said. "Like it's no big deal that I appeared. I didn't know what I was expecting, but... she's not like me. She seems so much more together."

"Hey, she's not fighting amnesia," Leo said. "Plus, she's had more time to get used to this whole demigod thing. She must be quite used to surprises."

"Besides," Andy added, "as someone who spend 'round six years as a tree, finding a lost brother must seem tame to her."

Jason and Leo stopped in their tracks to stare at Andy, and she remembered they didn't know the story of Thalia's sacrifice.

Leo blinked. "Thalia... was a tree?"

"Long story," Andy dismissed him. "I'll explain later."

Jason sighed.

"I just wish I understood what happened when I was two, why my mom got rid of me. Thalia ran away because of me."

"Hey," Leo said, "whatever's happened, it wasn't your fault. And your sister is pretty cool. She's a lot like you."

"Yeah," Andy agreed. "You both get to be friends with me. That's not something all siblings get."