Audaces Fortuna Iuvat • J.Grace

VII.

          𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, Chiron invited the duo inside the house. It was an invite, but the tone he took up, it sounded as if it were an order. Drew was instructed to return to her cabin, which she was obviously not thrilled about. The centaur trotted over to the empty wheelchair that resided on the porch and slipped off his quiver and bow. He backed up into the chair, which opened up like a magician's box, and gingerly stepped into it with his back legs. Alecia and Jason shared a look as the whole back half of him seemed to disappear into the chair. As it did, the chair folded up and popped out a set of false human legs covered in a blanket. It appeared as if he were a normal human male.

"Follow me," He ordered. "We have lemonade."

The living room looked as if it had been overtaken by rainforest grapevines that curled up the length of the walls and across the ceiling. It was strange. Plants normally didn't grow like such indoors, most definitely in the winter. They obviously paid no heed to the weather or which month it was as the leaves looked to be in their healthiest state and the bunches of red grapes were rightfully plump.

A set of plush leather couches faced the stone fireplace that was lit, the wood crackling as the flames consumed the bark. Along the walls hung an assortment of masks, ranging from greek theater types to Mardi Gras, to wooden carved masks from Africa. The vines weaved through the mouths, giving them the appearance of having leafy tongues. Some even had grapes bulging out of their eyes. But, by far, the weirdest thing on was the stuffed leopard's head that was mounted above the fireplace. It looked completely realistic. Alecia shifted from side to side, squinting as the eyes followed her. She was so hyperfixed that, when it snarled, she jumped back and nearly trampled Jason, who also looked startled.

"Now, Seymour," Chiron chided. "Jason and Alecia are friends. Behave yourself."

"That thing is alive!" Jason exclaimed. Chiron didn't address him much, rummaging through the side pocket of his wheelchair and brought out a package of Snausages. He tossed one up to the leopard, who snapped it up and licked his lips. Alecia thought, despite the scare, he was quite cute.

"You must excuse the decor," Chiron said. "All this was a parting gift from our old director before he was recalled to Mount Olympus. He thought it would help us to remember him. Mr. D has a strange sense of humor."

"Mr. D?" Alecia asked, tilting her head.

"Dionysus?" Jason guessed.

"Mmmhmm." Chiron poured lemonade, though his hands were trembling a little. "As for Seymour, well, Mr, D liberated him from a Long Island garage sale. The leopard is Mr. D's sacred animal, you see, and Mr. D was appalled that someone would stuff such a noble creature. He decided to grant it life, on the assumption that life as a mounted head was better than no life at all. I must say it's a kinder fate than Seymour's previous owner got." The leopard bared his fangs and sniffed the air as if hunting for more Snausages.

Alecia scrunched her brows in confusion. "If he's merely a head, where does the food go when he consumes it?

"Better not to ask," Chiron answered. "Please, sit."

Both teenagers took a glass of lemonade despite the flutter in their stomachs and settled on one of the cushioned couches. Chiron sat back in his wheelchair and tried for a smile, but it was obvious that it was forced. The old man's eyes were deep and dark as well.

"So, would you mind telling me - ah - where you're from?" Chiron asked.

"We wish we knew," Jason shrugged before launching into the whole story, from waking up on the bus to crash-landing and Camp. Alecia let him explain the whole thing, not really feeling up to detailing the mess that was their morning. The god didn't react to the story, merely nodding encouragingly for more. When The blonde was done, Chiron sipped his lemonade.