Daughter of the Sea || HoO

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Tori woke up with a pounding headache. She sat up and blinked, trying to figure out where they were. Next to her and Piper- who was still unconscious lying on the floor- a campfire blazed, turning the air sharp with smoke. Firelight flickered against rock walls. They were in a shallow cave, but it didn't offer much protection. Outside, the wind howled. Snow blew sideways. It might've been day or night. The storm made it too dark to tell.

"Shit, what happened?" she groaned. The pain in her knee was almost unbearable, and Tori looked around for her backpack.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked her. He handed Tori her backpack. She digged out ambroshia and gave herself a little square. "You passed out from exhaustion."

"I really need to stop passing out." Tori said. The pain lessening in both her head and knee. 

"You're fine little mermaid," Leo smiled at her. He was wrapped in blankets and didn't look that good. She didn't care.

Tori immediately got up and gave him a hug. "Oh, I'm so happy you're not a golden statue!"

Leo laughed, "good to know you missed me."

"Of course I would," Tori said ruffling his hair. "Trust me, I've seen some pretty fucked up shit as a demigod, but seeing you and Piper get turned to gold is easily made top ten." She then looked at the other girl, "How is Piper?"

Jason was about to answer but Piper shot awake. 

"Oh, god." Her teeth chattered. "He turned me to gold!"

"You're okay now." Jason leaned over and tucked a warm blanket around her. Tori looked at her and instantly knew Piper was sick, she got up and got next to Jason to examine her.

"L-L-Leo?" Piper managed.

"Present and un-gold-ified." Leo told her, "I got the precious metal treatment too, but I came out of it faster. Dunno why. We had to dunk you in the river to get you back completely. Tried to dry you off, but ... it's really, really cold."

"You've got hypothermia," Tori concluded. She turned her attention to the blonde boy next to her, "Did you give her anything?"

"We risked as much nectar as we could. Coach Hedge did a little nature magic—"

"Sports medicine." Coach said cutting Jason off. Tori had forgotten he was even there, but the satyr turned his attention to Piper. "Kind of a hobby of mine. Your breath might smell like wild mushrooms and Gatorade for a few days, but it'll pass. You probably won't die. Probably."

 "Thanks," Piper said weakly. "How did you guys beat Midas?"

Jason told her the story, putting most of it down to luck. 

Coach snorted. "Kid's being modest. You should've seen him. Hi-yah! Slice! Boom with the lightning! Then SJ came in with her crazy water control and-"

"Coach, you didn't even see it," Tori said. "You were outside eating the lawn."

But the satyr was just warming up. "Then I came in with my club, and we dominated that room. Afterward, I told them, 'Kids, I'm proud of you! If you could just work on your upper body strength-'"

"Coach," said Jason.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up, please."

"Sure." The coach sat down at the fire and started chewing his cudgel. 

Tori put her hand on Piper's forehead and checked her temperature. "Leo, can you stoke the fire?"