heavy bones [jason grace]

18. we negotiate a promotion

Aeolus is gone in seconds, abandoning his seat to take his place in front of the blue screen as newscast music plays from a speaker overhead. We shift to look at each other. Jason, Leo, and Piper all look confused, but I know I look pissed. I hate dealing with immortals.

"Mellie, is he...always like that?" Jason asks.

To her credit, Mellie manages a sheepish smile. "Well, you know what they say. If you don't like his mood, wait five minutes. That expression 'whichever way the wind blows' — that was based on him."

"And that thing about the sea monster," Jason presses. "Was I here before?"

Mellie blushes. "I'm sorry, I don't remember. I'm Mr. Aeolus's new assistant. I've been with him longer than most, but still — not that long."

"How long do his assistants usually last?" Piper questions, tilting her head to the side like a curious puppy.

"Oh..." I can't tell if Mellie is thinking on it or stalling because she doesn't want to answer. "I've been doing this for...twelve hours?"

As Aeolus rambles off the weather, I whisper into Jason's ear, "You were here before."

He tears his eyes from the disaster that is Aeolus trying to accurately report the weather to meet my gaze. "What? How do you know?"

"I remembered something, while you were carrying me," I admit. "We were in this warehouse around a campfire, and — the point is, you told me soon I was going to have a ton more friends and I was going to love someone named Arden. She's your friend." He looks awestruck. He mouths, 'Arden,' to himself like he's trying out the name on his tongue.

It's then Piper speaks up, "This can't be right. Weather isn't this random."

Mellie wears a smirk like Piper's just said something really stupid. "And how often are the mortal weathermen right? They talk about fronts and air pressure and moisture, but the weather surprises them all the time. At least Aeolus tells us why it's so unpredictable. Very hard job, trying to appease all the gods at once. It's enough to drive anyone..." She doesn't finish her sentence, but we all know where she was going with it.

"And that's the weather," Aeolus finishes, his smile noticeably strained. "See you in twelve minutes, because I'm sure it'll change!" I wince. The lights dim and the screens return to their random channels. For a split second, Aeolus looks tired. Weary. Almost...human. But then his kilowatt smile kicks back in and he makes his way back over to us.

"So, you brought me some rogue storm spirits," he says. "I suppose...thanks! And did you want something else? I assume so. Demigods always do." Ugh, I hate what he implies with that. Like, did you ever consider that maybe we wouldn't always have to ask for help if the gods would just take care of their own shit for once?

Mellie reminds him, "Um, sir, this is Zeus's son."

"Yes, yes, I know that." Aeolus rolls his eyes as dramatically as possible. "I said I remembered him before."

Mellie presses, "But sir, they're here from Olympus."

It's like he's been struck with a bolt of lightning. He's stock-still and then, seconds later, he's laughing again. "You mean you're here on behalf of your father this time? Finally! I knew they would send someone to renegotiate my contract!"

Jason blinks. "Um, what?"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Aeolus collapses back into his chair as if the weight of the world has been lifted off his shoulders. "It's been what, three thousand years since Zeus made me master of the winds. Not that I'm ungrateful, of course! But really, my contract is so vague. Obviously, I'm immortal, but 'master of the winds.' What does that mean? Am I a nature spirit? A demigod? A god? I want to be god of the winds, because the benefits are so much better. Can we start with that?" Hold on...gods get benefits? What, like dental?