Blood of Olympus: The Epilogues

Chapter Seven: Grover

In short, Grover hated the Romans. He wished that Gaea had never attacked the camps and Piper had never put her to sleep and the Romans had never invaded his camp. Grover was supposed to be a hero! Pan's chosen one! Who did these people think they were? And their satyrs- insane! They called themselves fauns- like a baby deer? How sad was that? That's just asking to get blown to pieces!

Once upon a time, Percy, Annabeth, and himself had gone on a death-defying quest across the country to save Zeus's lightning bolt, Hades's helm, and Poseidon's wife (Sally Jackson). He and Percy had grown up at Camp Half-Blood together. Then Hera took Percy. And Annabeth.

His two best friends. Stolen by the queen of the gods. And Annabeth thought she was holding a grudge against the stupid goddess.

"You okay?"

Juniper was talking to him, but he barely noticed. "Oh, um, yeah. Fine."

"No, you're not."
"Juniper, seriously. I-"

"What happened to Percy Jackson?"

"He, uh, went off with Annabeth."

"Grover. I'm not stupid."

"That's not fair! I didn't say that!"

"Grover."

"Okay, fine! Yes! I'm kinda mad at Percy!"

Juniper sighed. "Grover, you can't-"

Suddenly, they heard a whoop from the forest and a column of flame shot up into the sky, followed by a column of green goo: acid.

Grover sighed. "I better go."

"Don't forget-"

"My reed pipes. Right. Right here!"

Grover played what he thought was a very beautiful version of YMCA, but the grass around his feet started to die, so he stopped.

He arrived at a clearing in the woods he recognized all too well: the abandoned hideout of the myrmekes that lived just outside of Camp Half-Blood. There stood three people, each one smiling maniacally. Annabeth. Percy. And that other kid. Leonard?

"Leo," the guy said, holding out a hand. "Valdez. I mean, my name's not Valdez, it's Leo Valdez, but-"

"Grover Underwood," Grover said. He paused before shaking. "Um... your hand can light on fire?"
Leo demonstrated and Grover scrambled back.

"Yeah," Leo said. "Calypso says I'm 'bright.'"

"Ha, ha," Grover said, gulping. "Bright. Yep."

"Grover," Percy said. "We just defeated the myrmekes." He said that like someone might say, "I just decided to go finish my homework."

Annabeth's hair was a mess, with a tiny hint of green acid on the ends.

"Um... okay," Grover said. "Well, dinner's in fifteen minutes, so, um-" He gestured toward the dining pavilion.

"Right," Percy said. "Grover, you wanna sit-"

"Smartest thing you've said all day," Grover said.

"Oh, yes," Leo said. "Jackson, you've gotta let Chiron change the 'sit with your siblings' rule, because right now Calypso would definitely not be at the Hephaestus table."

Percy looked down, frowning. Grover remembered Percy talking about his promise to Calypso about return to her.

He realized that Leo had saved her instead.

Not all heroes were perfect, after all.