Daughter of Mother Earth

Chapter Thirty-Two

Crystal glared, "I really don't need your sass right now."
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Just as they were about to move forward, Crystal's nose started to throb and Piper nearly fell.

"The ambrosia wore off," Crystal winced.

"We should rest. We haven't taken a break for over a day," Jason said. "Leo, please tell me you have food."

"Chef Leo is on it!" Leo smiled.

Piper and Jason sat on a ledge talking while Leo and Crystal set up a small fire.

"Er, thanks for saving me from the Cyclopes. I really owe you one." Crystal said as she rummaged through her backpack for supplies.

"Well, I can't let you die," Leo shrugged. "You're one of Chiron's favorite. He'd kill me if you died."

Crystal chuckled and lightly shoved him. Soon, Leo was sautéing bell peppers.

"I packed tofu for Piper," Crystal handed Leo a package.

"Sweet. Tacos, coming right up!" Leo pulled out some chips and salsa.

"Wait, what."

~~~

In no time, Leo had four plates of pepper and tofu tacos with chips and salsa. He even had lemonade ready. After they finished eating, Piper curled and laid on Jason's lap and soon was snoring. Leo, Jason, and Crystal sat sat silence for a few minutes.

"Leo..." Jason spoke up. "Is the fire thing true?"

Leo opened his hand and a fireball danced across it. "Yeah."

"You knew too?" Jason looked at Crystal.

She nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Maybe a little."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Leo looked down and mumbled, "I didn't want to look like a freak."

"A freak? Leo, Jason can control lightning and wind. Piper can turn gorgeous and still be able to snap a neck in a second. I have the powers over the elements, albeit I'm not very good... Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you are no more a freak than literally everyone at Camp Half-Blood!" Crystal said.

"My cabin doesn't think it's cool and Nyssa told me fire powers are really rare. Bad things happen when a demigod like me arrives." Leo looked down.

"Hey, maybe it's the opposite. When bad things are happening, the people with special gifts show up because they're need the most." Jason suggested.

"It's not always a gift." Leo sighed.

Jason paused for a moment. "You're talking about your mom, right? When she died?"

Crystal's eyes widened. What did Leo have to do with his mom's death? He thinks it's his fault, Crystal thought.

Leo didn't say anything. Crystal gently hugged him.

"Hey, it's not your fault your mom died. When my aunt Marie died, I thought it was all my fault, that my scent brought that monster. Chiron told me there was no way it could smell me all the way in Texas. It was sent by someone and I bet you it was the same person who killed your mom. I bet you it was that Dirt Woman. She's trying to ruin your confidence and make you feel like a failure. Leo Valdez, you are important." Crystal ranted.

Leo looked up, eyes fill of sorrow. "That's what she said. That I was important for something about the prophecy about seven demigods. That's what scares me. I don't know if I can do it."