Eye of Hecate

Ozzy

I find Leo in the dining pavilion. 

It's sunny and warm outside, despite the fact that it's the middle of winter in New York. I knocked out right away last night, but I spent my morning meeting my new siblings, who are awesome, by the way. I told them I learned Egyptian magic from my uncle, and managed to leave out anything about Egyptian gods, or the House of Life, or anything that might lead to all that.They explained Hecate to me a little better, and I've come to the conclusion that the torch lady is definitely my mom, which is shocking me way more now than it was last night. Frankly, everything is hitting me hard this morning, which is why I want to talk to Leo.

I plop myself down right next to him with my breakfast, and earn funny looks from his siblings. I feel a bit weird, in jeans and a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, but Lou Ellen assured me that it's 100% cotton, so it's all plant fiber. Still, the bright orange feels a little jarring.

Leo laughs nervously. "Whatcha doing, Oz?"

I frown. "I'm having breakfast. I have to talk to you. Why?"

He clears his throat and tries not to laugh. "Usually, you sit with your cabin."

"Oh." My cheeks burn, and I realize everyone is staring at me. "Okay, Cool. Um, never mind."

I pick up my tray and walk across the pavilion, back to my siblings.

"It's okay," Lou Ellen tells me, patting my back. "You didn't know."

I nod, but I'm still embarrassed. I've been getting funny looks ever since last night, but I'm not sure if it's just because I'm new, or if it's because the campers can sense that I'm different. 

I eat my breakfast in silence, enjoying a full meal for the first time in days. After breakfast, Leo manages to find me in the central green. 

"So what's up?" he plops down in the grass beside me. 

I lay down in the soft grass, staring up at the sky and enjoying the warm sunlight. "I don't even know where to start."

"Well, you're a demigod. That's one thing. Are you shocked?"

"Very," I admit. I pull out the photo Aeolus gave me and examine the woman. She doesn't look like the torch lady, or a goddess. She looks warm and mortal and normal. 

"That's your dad?" Leo points.

"Yeah," I sigh. "I wish he'd told me. I spent so much time wondering who my mom was, and he'd always just brush me off."

Leo deepens his voice. "Sorry honey, mom's a Greek goddess. Don't expect her home for Christmas."

I laugh. "Yeah, that wouldn't have gone over well, I guess."

"Well, good news is, it sound like you're coming with us on that super dangerous possibly deadly quest to fight the literal earth itself."

"What do you consider good news?" I raise an eyebrow. 

He laughs. "I mean, we don't have to split up again. Leo and Ozzy, A giant-butt-kicking team."

I smile. "Yeah, that's true."

He forces his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close, holding me tight. "Don't worry, Oz. I'll protect you."

At that, we both laugh. 

"So, Chiron said I can split my time between here and Brooklyn," I tell him. "I don't have to leave camp, or my uncle."

"So I'll be seeing a lot of you then," he grins. 

"If you don't get sick of me."

"How could I ever get sick of you?" He kisses my cheek. "You're like, my other half. Can't have Leo and Ozzy without Ozzy."

"That's very true." I grin. 

He turns on his side, so that he's looking over me. "You won't get sick of me though, right?"

I run my hand across his cheek, which makes him blush. "I dunno. Maybe."

He rolls his eyes and pushes me away. "Whatever."

I laugh and pull him back, wrapping my arms around him and kissing his cheek. "Kidding. Jeez."

"Sorry to say, the Tin Man has a heart." he teases. 

"Yeah?" I raise an eyebrow. 

He blushes again, and suddenly becomes super interested in his thumbnail. "Yeah, I mean...yeah."

"Leo," I poke his side. "What's up?"

"Well," he rubs the back of his neck nervously. "Now that you're not leaving and all...well, I was thinking, I mean, you and I work so well together...I just thought that maybe we could be, like, I dunno..."

"Leo," I try not to smile at how nervous he is. "Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Hey, you said it, not me."

"Oh, okay, then." I go to get up, and he catches my aarm. 

"Hey! Yes, I am. Okay?"

I can't stop my smile. I give him a kiss, and nod. "Of course I'd be your girlfriend, Valdez."

He beams at me. "You sure 'bout that, Kane?"

"Well now that you mention it..."

"You already said yes!" He tells me pointedly. "No take-backs."

I wrap my arms around him and squeeze him tightly. "Fine. No take-backs."

We lay back down in the grass, and he laced his fingers in mine. "So now what? What do you think is next?"

I think back to what the giant said in the Wolf House, though it's hard because I feel so giddy. "I could be wrong, but...I think we have to go to Greece."

Leo nods. "I was thinking the same thing. Pulling the gods up at their roots...that has to be the original Mount Olympus, right?"

"I think so." I nod solemnly. "Problem is: how do we get there?"

Leo pats my hand. "Leave that to Captain Screwdriver. I'm showing my siblings, plus Jason and Piper something I found in the woods. Something that I think will help. Will you come?"

I squeeze his hand. "Well, I'm your girlfriend, of course I'll come."