Burning Passion: A Leo Valdez Love Story

Chapter 35

"Scrawny is the new sizzling hot!"

{LEO}

We all got in the van, in varying stages of weariness. Esmeralda was practically asleep. Apparently she'd died and come back to life, but she looked as if nothing had happened. That kid was scary.

Naia sat down beside me and rested her head on my shoulder, closing her eyes. I put my arm around her protectively. Esmeralda was on her other side, falling asleep.

Piper looked both happy and sad. I knew how she felt; I wished I could've shared this final victory with Jason, too. But he was gone.

And Connor and Nico... I wondered what was up with the two of them. I'd noticed them looking at each other, and I wondered what those glances meant. But that was their thing, not mine, so I stayed out of it.

When we got to camp, everyone was gathered around the entrance, waiting for us, expectant, worrying looks on their faces. I offered them a weak smile, and wondered how to announce our victory, when Esmeralda yelled, "WE DID IT! THE GODS ARE BACK TO NORMAL!!!"

I heard whispering from within the crowd and Naia looked at me and laughed. "It's true. We're all here, and Hekate's gone, and the gods are sane, and everything's been fixed. Well, not everything - but as much I could."

There was a brief silence, and then everyone let out a cheer. I grabbed Naia, Piper, and Esmeralda in a hug and grinned as I watched Connor pull Nico into his arms. I held on to Naia the longest, and the two of us laughed with relief. I gently touched a hand to the side of her face, lifting it to mine, and kissed her. She kissed me back, and everyone laughed.

We pulled away, and saw that the crowd had formed itself around us, and was heading to the dining area. "Feast!" someone yelled.

I sat down at a table with Naia, Piper, Esmeralda, Nico, and Connor, and Percy, Annabeth, Frank, and Hazel joined us.

"Nice work, guys," Percy said.

"It was mostly Naia and Esmeralda," Piper told him.

"Well, if it weren't for me, you'd never have gotten it right. My presence is necessary for success."

They laughed.

"So much for being a seventh wheel now, Leo," Hazel said.

"I think Nemesis was lying because she was jealous of me," I said.

"Of course she was," Naia said.

We talked and ate for a while, and then Annabeth suggested going swimming, when Chiron came over. "Naia, Leo, Esmeralda, I need to talk to you."

"Okay," we said.

"See you!" Esmeralda told the others.

We followed him to the big house, into the living room/office, and I sat down on a fat, slightly lumpy armchair.

"We need to talk about Esmeralda," Chiron said.

"What about me?" she asked, brow furrowed.

"You haven't been claimed, but you're obviously a demigod. Do you have any idea who your parent is?"

"My parents are dead," she said.

Chiron looked at her, and then at Naia. "Can you tell me exactly what happened once you got to Olympus?"

She nodded, and began to tell him.

When she was done, Chiron looked at me. "And what happened to you."

"Naia sent me and Piper to guard the entrance. Nothing went past us. We eventually went over to Naia to help her once we heard the battle."

"Hmm." Chiron looked pensive. "You see, you were dead, and then you weren't. So either you healed yourself or someone healed you. That someone could have been Naia, inadvertently, but her power would have to be at full power to destroy Hekate. So she couldn't have, unless she was part goddess. But we know you're not."