DIVINE » l. valdez

xxxviii

❝and you can't hold on much longer, gonna lose it all ❞

There was no time for goodbyes. 

Zeus was a hundred feet tall, holding the Argo II by the prow. "Hold on!"

Then, the god threw the ship, spiking it like a volleyball.

Hina was strapped the the ship via one of Leo's twenty one point safety straps, wondering if her stomach was going to explode from the force. The air was squeezed from her lungs, as her hair flew wildly around.

Beside her, Jason was strapped in as well, his eyes focused on the horizon. At the control panel, Leo was strapped in, wrestling with the wheel to keep the ship upright. The sails were on fire. Festus creaked in alarm. A catapult peeled off the side of the ship. All of the crossbows on the railings were pulled off by the force of the ship's movement.

Pieces of wood from the deck cracked beneath their feet. Jason started pulling himself towards the hatch, using the winds to control his movement.

Then the hatch burst open. Frank and Hazel stumbled through, pulling on the guide rope they'd attached to the mast. Piper, Annabeth and Percy followed, all of them looking disoriented.

"Go!" Leo yelled. "Go, go, go!"

For the first time, his voice was serious, no hint of humor in his words.

Hina focused her energy on shielding the crew from the neck-breaking wind, as they shuffled across the deck to the rails.

Buford the table kept everyone moving, his holographic Hedge shouting commands every time someone froze.

They knew their escape plan. 

Frank was startled by the table, taking the form of a dazed grey dragon. Hazel climbed onto his neck, while Percy and Annabeth latched onto his claws. In one flap of his wings, Frank took off. 

Jason held Piper by the waist, extending his hand to Leo and Hina.

"Leo, you won't make it!" Jason shouted. "Come with us!"

"No! Get out of here!" 

"Leo!" Piper tried. "Please –"

"Save your charmspeak, Pipes! I told you, I've got a plan. Hina go! Now shoo!"

Hina saw the determination in Leo's eyes, but she was more determined. "No! Jason go!" 

With one last look at the Argo, Jason complied, flying off with Piper.

She could hear Leo yelling, but his figure was clouded by tears. 

Hina undid the strap on her harness, launching herself to Leo's arms. She knew the ground was closing in, the air still assaulted the ship, sending bits of wood flying. 

She mustered all of her strength into a shield to protect them as they fell. 

"I'm sorry, Ina," Leo whispered in her ear as he released his grip on her. 

Before she could register anything, Hina was whipped away from the wind, her body crashing through a dozen trees. Her body couldn't feel the branches hitting her as she glanced at the crashing Argo II in her vision.