REDAMANCY | jason grace²

5

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5. The First Quest

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Lorna fed Jason some ambrosia. She couldn't believe her boyfriend got knocked out by a brick. A brick.

Lorna could feel Percy staring holes into her back. "Would you stop being a creepy stalker? It's uncomfortable."

"Is Jason's your boyfriend?" Percy asked.

"No. He's Leo's boyfriend." Lorna deadpanned.

"I don't like it."

Lorna shrugged. "As if I care. Could you get Beth down here, I need her expert evaluation skills."

Percy went up and left Lorna alone with Jason. Lorna lightly brushed his hair from his eyes. "You dummy."

A few minutes passed and Annabeth and Percy entered Jason's cabin. After Annabeth looked at Jason intensively and pulled up his eyelids, she declared that Jason has a mild concussion.

"It wasn't Leo." Lorna couldn't help but say. "Leo would never."

Annabeth sighed. "Leo admits that he did it, but he says that he wasn't in control. It felt like he was watching himself from third perspective."

Hearing that, Percy stormed up and Annabeth followed him.

"He's even overprotective about the camp." Lorna told Jason. "Doesn't believe what I'm saying, trusts Annabeth more than me. Heck, I think he trust Hazel more than me."

Lorna fiddled with her ring, having an urge to throw it far away. "I'm talking to my boyfriend who's passed out. See, Jason. This is what happens when you faint. Your girlfriend goes crazy."

Lorna kissed the top of his head and placed an ice pack on it. "Wake up soon."

When Lorna reached the mess hall, she found the others—Percy, Annabeth, Frank, Piper, Hazel and Leo—sitting dejectedly around the dining table.

Leo had made the lounge as nice as possible. The cupboard was lined with magic cups and plates from Camp Half-Blood, which would fill up with whatever food or drink you wanted on command. There was also a magical ice chest with canned drinks, perfect for picnics ashore. The chairs were cushy recliners with thousand-finger massage, built-in headphones, and sword and drink holders for all your demigod kicking-back needs. There were no windows, but the walls were enchanted to show real-time footage from Camp HalfBlood—the beach, the forest, the strawberry fields—although now Leo was wondering if this made people homesick rather than happy. Percy was staring longingly at a sunset view of Half-Blood Hill, where the Golden Fleece glittered in the branches of the tall pine tree.

"So we've landed," Percy said. "What now?"

Frank plucked on his bowstring. "Figure out the prophecy? I mean...that was a prophecy Ella spoke, right? From the Sibylline Books?"

"So it was a prophecy," Lorna glared at Percy. "From the Sibylline Books. What is that?"

Frank explained how their harpy friend was freakishly good at memorizing books. At some point in the past, she'd inhaled a collection of ancient prophecies that had supposedly been destroyed around the fall of Rome.

"That's why you didn't tell the Romans," Leo guessed. "You didn't want them to get hold of her."

Percy kept staring at the image of Half-Blood Hill. "Ella's sensitive. She was a captive when we found her. I just didn't want..." He made a fist. "It doesn't matter now. I sent Tyson an Iris-message, told him to take Ella to Camp Half-Blood. They'll be safe there."

He sent Tyson an Iris-message? Lorna thought. And he didn't ask her to be in it. Tyson was her brother too.

Annabeth laced her fingers. "Let me think about the prophecy—but right now we have more immediate problems. We have to get this ship fixed. Leo, what do we need?"

"The easiest thing is tar." Leo was glad to change the subject. "We can get that in the city, at a roofing-supply store or someplace like that. Also, Celestial bronze and lime. According to Festus, we can find both of those on an island in the lake, just west of here."

"We'll have to hurry," Hazel warned. "If I know Octavian, he's searching for us with his auguries. The Romans will send a strike force after us. It's a matter of honor."

Leo felt everyone's eyes on him. "Guys...I don't know what happened. Honestly, I—"

Lorna raised her hand. "That cold feeling you mentioned...I felt it too. It must have been some sort of magic, either Octavian or Gaea or one of her minions. But until we understand what happened—"

Frank grunted. "How can we be sure it won't happen again?"

"Yeah, Leo. Are you sure you're okay?" Piper asked.

"I'm fine now," Leo insisted. "Maybe we should use the buddy system. Nobody goes anywhere alone. We can leave Lorna and Coach Hedge on board with Jason. Send one team into town to get tar. Another team can go after the bronze and the lime."

"Split up?" Percy said. "That sounds like a really bad idea."

"It'll be quicker," Hazel put in. "Besides, there's a reason a quest is usually limited to three demigods, right?"

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, as if reappraising Hazel's merits. "You're right. The same reason we needed the Argo II...outside camp, eight demigods in one place will attract way too much monstrous attention. The ship is designed to conceal and protect us. We should be safe enough on board; but if we go on expeditions, we shouldn't travel in groups larger than three. No sense alerting more of Gaea's minions than we have to."

"Leo," Lorna snapped her fingers at the boy. "We'll go get the bronze and lime."

"You're leaving Jason here?"

"I trust that this huge ass boat and Hedge's baseball bat can keep him safe." Lorna said.

Percy still didn't look happy about it, but he took Annabeth's hand. "As long as you're my buddy, I'm good."

Hazel smiled. "Oh, that's easy. Frank, you were amazing, turning into a dragon! Could you do it again to fly Annabeth and Percy into town for the tar?"

Frank opened his mouth like he wanted to protest. "I...I suppose. But what about you?"

"I'll ride Arion with Lorna and Sa—with Leo, here." She fidgeted with her sword hilt. "We can all meet back here by dark."

Frank scowled. Obviously, he didn't like the idea of Leo going off with Hazel.

"Leo," said Piper, "if we get the supplies, how long to fix the ship?"

"With luck, just a few hours."

"Fine," Annabeth decided. "We'll meet you back here as soon as possible, but stay safe. We could use some good luck. That doesn't mean we'll get it."