Book Cult (New and Improved)

Leo VI

"Leo VI," Travis began.

Great, just great. As if one chapter in my point of view wasn't enough. Leo let out a sigh of frustration, drumming his fingers on his leg.

"How did he die?" Leo asked. "I mean Beckendorf."

Judging by the dirty looks he was receiving, Leo guessed the former counselor's death was still a sore topic for everyone. 

"Out of all the questions, did you really have to say that one?" Nico said, glancing at Percy.

Will Solace trudged ahead. "Explosion. Beckendorf and Percy Jackson blew up a cruise ship of monsters. Beckendorf didn't make it out."

Percy bit his lip.

"You know Beckendorf doesn't blame you, right." Nico quickly reminded him. "You did the best you could do."

Percy merely nodded.

He looked over when Annabeth grabbed his hand.

"Nico's right. You have nothing to feel guilty about." she told him.

Percy grinned. "Thanks Annabeth."

Nico glared down at his worn out shoes as they were responsible for his troubled love life.

There was that name again- Percy Jackson, Annabeth's missing boyfriend.

Nico let out a low growl, which was drowned out by the chorus of 'oooohs' and cat calls.

"Cut it out." the son of Poseidon said, trying not to smile.

That guy must've been into everything around here, Leo thought.

"I guess..." Percy said modestly.

"So, Beckendorf was pretty popular?" Leo asked. "I mean- before he blew up?"

Percy, Jake, and Hephaestus winced at that.

"Do you even think before you speak?" Thalia growled "Or are you just that insensitive?"

Leo, pushing a small screw back and forth on the floor, remained silent.

"He was awesome," Will said.

Hephaestus and Jake smiled sadly.

"You're taking his questions really well," Apollo mentioned to his son.

"I probably I had time to adjust." Will replied.

"It was hard on the whole camp when he died. Jake- he became head counselor in the middle of the war. Same as I did actually. Jake did his best, but he never wanted to be leader. He just likes building stuff. Then after the war, things started to go wrong. Cabin Nine's chariots blew up. Their automatons went haywire. Their inventions started to malfunction. It was like a curse, and eventually people started calling it that- The Curse of Cabin Nine. Then Jake had his accident-"

"So... It's less of a curse and more of a loss of morale?" Percy summed up.

"Apparently, though I can't tell which is worse." Jake sighed.  At least with a curse you can defeat the person who cast it. He had no idea how he would help boost the morale in Cabin Nine. How would Beckendorf do it?  

"Which had something to do with the problem he mentioned," Leo guessed.

"They're working on it," Will said without enthusiasm.

"Are they ever going to address what this problem is?" Annabeth said impatiently. 

The forge looked like a steam-powered locomotive had smashed into the Greek Parthenon and they had fused together....The building sat at the edge of a stream, with several waterwheels turning a series of bronze gears.