heavy bones [jason grace]

5. all aboard happy the dragon

"Delia! Wake up!"

Someone yanks me out of bed by the foot and I hit the floor. I sit up, rubbing my eyes. My assaulter is 13-year-old Rosalind. She and Butch are already dressed for the day. As always, her hair (currently dyed magenta) is in double French braids, and she's wearing her pink sneakers with rainbow laces, which means she thinks it's going to be a good day.

"What?" I groan. She grabs my arms and tugs, forcing me to my feet.

"You need to pack before your quest, Delia," Rosalind lectures me.

I roll my eyes and gesture to the stuffed backpack sitting on top of my trunk. "I packed last night, Roz." I push past her to get to my trunk. I snatch up some clothes to change into and head for the bathroom. Just before the bathroom door closes, I catch Butch and Rosalind exchanging concerned looks. Usually, I'm a morning person, but last night...

Last night took a lot out of me.

I change into a white ribbed mock turtleneck, black skinny jeans, and a long black coat paired with my yellow Converse. I consider doing some makeup. Not much, just enough to make it look like I got my eight hours. But I decide against it and slip out of the bathroom. I'm double-checking my backpack when the camp alarm sounds off.

Seconds later, I'm outside, shouldering my bag and staring at the giant mechanical dragon landing in camp. I know that dragon. It's the dragon the Hephaestus cabin has been trying to capture, the one that went haywire after Charlie died. But since when did it have wings?

"It's cool!" Leo's shouting from his spot on the dragon's back. "Don't shoot!" Everyone forms a loose circle around the dragon but still maintains a more than healthy distance.

"It's beautiful," Piper says, and I can't help but agree. Its body is a shifting patchwork of bronze and copper. It's absolutely massive and has insane teeth with bat-like wings. It reminds me of the dragon Harry goes up against in the fourth book/movie. Sure, it's terrifying, but who says something can't be both terrifying and beautiful?

The dragon seems to appreciate Piper's compliment. It rears its head and shoots a plume of fire up into the sky. Leo slides off its back, grinning like a mad scientist. He raises his hand in mock surrender. "People of Earth, I come in peace! Festus is just saying hello." Damn, Leo looks even worse than me. He's covered in grime and judging by his eyes, he got even less sleep than I did.

"That thing is dangerous!" Clarisse shouts, brandishing her spear. "Kill it now!"

"Stand down!" someone commands. Jason breaks through the crowd followed by Annabeth and Nyssa. Rosalind is at my side, cowering behind me. Jason stares wide-eyed at the dragon. "Leo, what have you done?"

Leo's smile impossibly widens. "Found a ride! You said I could go on the quest if I got you a ride. Well, I got you a class-A metallic flying bad boy! Festus can take us anywhere!"

His grin is infectious. I'm smiling too now. I lurch forward and raise my hand for a high-five. "Leo, this thing is dope as fuck!" Leo's hand hits mine and it's at that point I remember it's covered in grease. Oh well.

"It has wings," Nyssa stammers.

"Yeah!" Leo has this brilliant light in his eyes. "I found them and reattached them."

Nyssa frowns. "But it never had wings. Where did you find them?"

Leo hesitates, then carries on with his eccentric act. "In the woods. Repaired his circuits too, mostly, so no more problems with him going haywire." I wince and take a few steps back. 'Mostly' doesn't sound great. Nyssa is wondering the same. As if to confirm our worries, the dragon tilts his head and oil pours out of his ear, dumping it all over Leo.