Heir of a Titan - Book 2 PJO

Chapter 34: A Magician in a Tux gives me a Revelation

We could see the white flag from half a mile away. It was as big as a soccer field, carried by a thirty-foot-tall giant with bright blue skin and icy gray hair.

"A Hyperborean," Thalia signed. "The giants of the north. It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful."

"You've met them?" I said.

She nodded, "There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball fight with those guys."

"Can they melt?" I asked, setting my one hand on fire. I grinned evilly at her. She snorted in amusement.

As the giant got closer, I could see three human-size envoys with him: a half-blood in armor, an empousa demon with a black dress and flaming hair, and a tall man in a tuxedo. I glanced at Percy, who raised an eyebrow at me. I exhaled slowly through my nose. The empousa held the tux dude's arm, so they looked like a couple on their way to a Broadway show or something-except for her flaming hair and fangs. The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground. The swings and ball courts were empty. 

Percy looked at Grover. "The tux dude is the Titan?" He asked, again his hands moved while he talked.

He nodded nervously. 

"He looks like a magician." I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. "He doesn't look very scary." 

 "I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits." He visibly shuddered. 

I stared at him. "You're scared of bunnies?"

"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless satyrs!"

Thalia coughed. I caught Thalia's eye and we had to look away because we both chocked on laughter.

"What?" Grover demanded.

"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later," Percy said. "Here they come."

The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human- about seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered his eyes, but what really caught my attention was the skin on his face. It was covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal- a really, really mad hamster, maybe.

"Percy Jackson," he said in a silky voice. "Eleanora Blofis, It's a great honor."

"Get out of my head!" I signed, my face twisted in anger. 

He stared blankly at me. 

"What is that, you are doing?" 

"I said OUT!" I signed angerly. Percy waved a hand and spoke and signed for me, "She's deaf, you will either sign or I'll speak for you. Or Thalia will." 

"No more mind games. You stay out of my head." 

The magician turned to look at Percy, who translated. His eyes turned back to me, regarding me. His lady friend, the empousa hissed at me and Percy. She'd probably heard how we destroyed two of her sisters last summer, and I vaporized a few more of them. 

"My dear," Tux Dude said to her, I watched his lips as he spoke to her, "Why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?"

She released his arm and drifted over to a park bench. I glanced at the armed demigod behind Tux Dude. I hadn't recognized him in his new helmet, but it was our old backstabbing buddy, Ethan Nakamura. His nose looked like a squashed tomato from our fight on the Williamsburg Bridge. That made me feel better. 

"Hey, Ethan," I said. "You're looking good."

Ethan glared at me. 

"Got a new helmet, I see. Hope it saves you next time... though I doubt it, might just incinerate you now and be rid of you." He looked to Percy or Thalia for an interpretation, and when Thaila gave him my message he took a step forward, his hand going to the sword at his hip, like he wanted to slice me. I smirked, folding my arms across my armor. The magician in the tux held an arm out stopping him. He looked back to us.