Where You Go ― Jason Grace

vii. hitchhiking ghosts & potbelly gods

THE NEXT MORNING, Ophelia woke to to the breakfast bell sounding throughout the ship. A few moments later, there was a knock on her cabin door.

"Phee, you up?" Leo asked through the door. "We're landing in Kansas."

Ophelia couldn't do much but groan as she sat up, still savoring the edges of sleep. For once, she'd had a relatively peaceful night free of horrific demigod dreams, and she really wished it didn't have to end so soon.

Leo opened her door and poked his head in. "You awake?"

"Unfortunately," she grumbled.

"Do you wear anything you haven't stolen from someone else?" Leo asked, looking at her sleep-shirt. "I'm like 99% sure I saw Jason wearing that the other day."

Ophelia rolled her eyes. "My dad's the god of thieves, what do you expect?"

Leo nodded in understanding. "Makes sense. Anyway, we're setting down a few miles outside Topeka. And, um..." He glanced out in the passageway, then leaned inside again. "I'm really sorry about yesterday, Phee. I don't know what happened. I didn't mean to—"

Ophelia shook her head. "It's fine, Leo," she told him. "You weren't yourself—you were literally possessed. I don't blame you for that."

"Still..." Leo said. He pointed at his own face, right around the spot where he'd elbowed hers. "If you want to punch me in the face to get back at me, I'm totally cool with that."

Ophelia chuckled quietly, rubbing her eyes. "I'm good," she said.

"You sure? I've been told I have a pretty punchable face," Leo said.

"Oh, you do," Ophelia agreed. "But I don't make a habit of punching the people I love."

Leo blinked, looking a little like a startled owl. "You love me?"

Ophelia sighed. "You're one of my best friends, Leo. Of course I love you."

Leo put a hand over his chest. "I love you too, Phee."

From above, they heard Coach yell, "Thar she blows! Kansas, ahoy!"

"Holy Hephaestus," Leo muttered. "He really needs to work on his shipspeak. I'd better get above deck. See you in a few."

Ophelia got ready quickly, changing into a pair of running shorts and a plain, light blue t-shirt. It was certainly less conspicuous than the ungodly orange of the Camp Half-Blood t-shirts, and it wouldn't put a direct target on their backs if the Romans caught up with them while they were in Kansas.

She slipped her compass into her pocket and headed down to the mess hall for a chocolate chip muffin.

She joined the others on the deck as the ship began to descend into a field of sunflowers. Ophelia stood at the rail of the ship between Piper and Jason, Jason's arm wrapped loosely around her waist. He used his free hand to steal a piece of her muffin, smiling innocently at her playful glare. Everyone was in visibly better spirits that morning.

"So!" Annabeth said, plucking Piper's bagel right out of her hand and taking a bite before handing it back. "Here we are. What's the plan?"

"I want to check out the highway," Piper said. "Find the sign the says Topeka 32."

Leo spun his Wii controller in a circle, and the sails lowered themselves. "We shouldn't be far," he said. "Festus and I calculated the landing as best as we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"

Piper explained what she'd seen in her knife—the man in purple with a goblet.

"Purple shirt?" Jason asked. "Vines on his hate?"