.

Chapter 2: The Edge of Seventeen

-O-

Earlier that day…

"Ow!"

The ball smacked Percy in the face with so much force it might have knocked a tooth out at the right angle.

"What was that for?" he whined, rubbing his cheek. Almost instantly, his magic rose to the occasion, soothing his pain and healing the bruise before it could even form.

"For making us stand out here in this heat," Will replied, crossing his arms. "Why are we being drafted into this welcoming committee against our will?"

Percy gave him a brilliant smile. "Because I'm charming?" Will's expression remained stony. "Fine, then it's because of your best friend contracts," Percy said, tossing the ball back. "You have to be here so I don't die of boredom."

Will caught it, snorting. "So we can die of boredom along with you?" He tossed it back, less aggressively this time.

"Exactly!"

Percy didn't know what Will was complaining about — it wasn't that hot for a mid-April morning, and they were playing right under the admittedly spotty (but still cool!) shade of a willow tree right at the edge of a little park just across from the water. Perfect vantage point to spot incoming ships.

Percy cast a look at Zephyr, who was sitting atop the low park wall with an ice pop in his hand. "Hey, Zeph! Sure you don't wanna join?"

Zephyr's yellow, lupine eyes followed the ball as his friends tossed it back and forth again. "Not now. It's nice in the shade."

"We're in the shade too," Will pointed out. He threw a distracted look towards the docks, which earned him a hit in the face from Percy.

"Oops." Percy grinned unrepentantly under his friend's glare.

Will muttered something, but threw the ball without excessive use of force. "So who are we waiting on anyway? How many people did you invite?"

"Well, I invited you guys," Percy said, mentally listing the guests he actually cared about. "Matt and Juliet came up to the castle yesterday. Luna and Clara are around here somewhere." He gestured vaguely to the little booths and other tourist traps along the shoreline. "And I invited two other kids from school."

Will raised an eyebrow. "Which two? Do we know them?"

"Sort of… " Percy tried not to look away. Looking away would betray that he was hiding something, and there was nothing William Charming was better at than dragging your dirty laundry out into the open.

"You're hiding something," Zephyr said from the wall.

Percy dropped the ball. "Who says? I'm not hiding something, you're hiding something!"

Will opened his mouth, but before the pointy questions could come for his hide, a strong breeze ruffled Percy's blond hair. He looked up, face breaking into a big grin. "Catch!" He picked the ball up and threw it back to Will, then ran across the park to the spot where his family was having their picnic.

Obscuring an enormous swath of sky, an airship slowly descended over their heads, the wind whipping three tops and the skirts of his twin sisters.

"Percy, step back," his mom said, gently pulling him towards her. "The ship will crush you."

He obeyed, watching the landing as Dad stood on his left with a matching grin. On the right, Dawn's hair, despite being in a high ponytail, kept whipping Briar in the face. Percy snickered, earning a glare from his sister as she spat out a few more golden hairs.

But more importantly, Percy could see the people leaning over the rails of the ship as its hull touched the ground. Dad held up his hand in greeting.

When the gangplank fell open, the first person to take a hesitant step towards the ground was a pretty, shy-looking girl of eighteen. Her hair was an ashy blond, adorned with a yellow headband, her eyes — the gentle blue of cornflowers. She smiled in a sort of soft, timid way and gave the royal family a little waive.

Dawn and Briar stepped forward, but Percy broke into a run and beat them to the punch, running up to the girl and catching her halfway up the gangplank in a bone-crushing hug. "Colette, you made it!"

At first a little blindsided, the girl laughed and hugged him back. "Well of course! I wouldn't miss your seventeenth birthday."

Percy allowed himself a few more cuddle seconds before he let go, giving way for his sisters to embrace her. Instead, his hug-radar pinged as a tall, blond man came behind her, arm in arm with a kind-faced woman in a green dress and a toddler holding her free hand.

"Uncle Larry! Aunt Daphne!" Percy gave them both hugs, then ruffled little Aramis's hair affectionately. Behind him, Colette was hugging his parents.

"King Lawrence," Dad said, approaching. He bowed theatrically, winking at the visiting couple before straightening up and puffing his chest in his 'stuffy noble' impression. "So glad you could tear yourself away from important state business, old boy. No doubt you had a mountain of paperwork to deal with, what with all the man-eating plants stalking your kingdom." He adjusted an invisible monocle. "Yes indeed."

Uncle Larry rose to the challenge. "King Curran. I see you have resolved that killer washing machine infestation you were telling me about. But the place is a dump, when exactly are the cleaning efforts supposed to take place?" Aunt Daphne rolled her eyes, smiling.

Dad's flashed mischievously. "That depends. How soon can you get a hold of a broom?"

It was at that point that Mom elbowed him sharply in the side. "Stop antagonising our guests," she said with a playful glare as he nearly doubled over. Then she turned to Uncle Larry, and her eyes softened. "How are you, Larry," she said, enveloping him in a gentle hug.

"It's good to see you, Rose," Uncle Larry replied in kind.

"DIEEEEEE!"

Tiny feet thumped against the hull as the little torpedo that shot from the cockpit assaulted Percy with a battle cry and almost toppled him to the ground.

"DIE, DRAGON!" the torpedo said, poking him with a wooden sword.

Percy made a show of stomping around, making dragon noises. "Raawr! You'll never defeat me, Sir Stormblade!" He swiped at the kid and pretended to breathe out fire.

"Michael!" Much heavier footsteps followed, and the looming figure of Uncle Moe appeared behind the newcomers. He pressed a button on a car remote, and a sharp ping-ping echoed from the ship. "There, all secure. Michael, wait until we've at least gotten to the ground before you attack!" he said to his son, voice full of exasperation.

"Neverrrrr!" Michael yelled in-between sword swings, which prompted laughter from the adults.

More greetings and hugs were exchanged, but Percy's attention was preoccupied by eight-year-old Michael North and his pointy, stabby sword. Eventually they made it to solid ground, and the kid somehow managed to get up on his back, yelling about justice and slaying.

"Michael, come on," Uncle Moe barked. "We're going to the castle. Leave Percy alone."

"I have defeated the dragon, so the dragon will give me a dragon-back ride!" Michael said haughtily.

"Michael, Percy has to welcome his guests," Mom said, her voice gentle and coaxing. "Come on, you can play more later."

Michael clung to Percy even harder. "No! I beat him, he has to do what I say!"

Percy made a long, agonising rawr and slowly deflated to the ground, where he lay with his eyes closed. "Dragon is dead now. I have been defeated."

"Peeeeercy!" Michael pushed him a few times, even tried stabbing with his sword, but his playmate remained motionless. "Get up! You're the dragon!"

Someone stomped towards them. "RAWR! I am the Great Old Dragon! The biggest and meanest and with the baddest breath in all the world! What's this? Someone has slain my son? Prepare, whoever you are, for by fiery revenge!"

Percy shook with silent laughter as Michael lept from him and attacked his dad instead. He waited a few seconds, just to be sure, then cracked open one eye.

His mother was kneeling next to his 'corpse', smiling softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm in one piece, if that's what you're asking," Percy said, sitting up. He could see the group making their way to the car park, Michael perched on Dad's shoulders and waving the sword. With a wince, Percy lifted his shirt to reveal an already fading bruise. "I'm only mostly dead," he said to his mother, giving her a reassuring grin.

Mom ran a hand through his blond tresses. "I should talk to Moe about maybe giving Michael a rubber sword." The concern in her eyes softened somewhat, and she smiled. "We'll be at the castle. Don't forget that we have a lunch at one, and the ball starts at eight. Make sure your friends are all settled before then."

"Yes, Mom."

She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "And try not to get yourself killed before you can celebrate that you've made it to seventeen."

Percy grinned. "Yes, Mom."

When he made his way back to Will and Zephyr, Percy found them staring at the road after the distancing cars.

"Sorry about that, guys, but you know how it—"

"You didn't mention her," Will interrupted, eyes glued to the back of the cars.

Percy blinked at him, confused. "Her who?"

"He means Colette Desrosiers," Zephyr supplied.

Percy laughed. "I didn't need to mention her; she's been at every single birthday of mine since I can remember—and probably even before then!"

But Will wasn't listening; he was patting down his clothes on the edge of panic. "Why didn't I pack better? She's seen me like ten times in my usual official stuff. I should've thrown in that blue suit Mom was so insistent on!"

"Why didn't you?" Zephyr asked.

"Because I didn't know I'd care what I looked like!" Will snapped, getting flustered, which sent his friends into peals of laughter.

"Speaking of family…" Percy caught sight of two blonde girls over Will's shoulder — one with short, messy hair, the other with long, elegant tresses — and waved them over.

The short-haired girl on the right was his cousin, Luna Butterfly. At least six bags swung from her arms, despite the fact that she was barely fifteen, 5'2 and skinny as a rake. That, however, was nothing compared to her best friend, Clara von Leichenberg, who carried about two dozen in the crook of one elbow, leaving the other hand free to hold her plasma fruit, in which she'd stuck a swirly pink straw.

"Vhat is zhis?" Clara said teasingly as the two left their bags next to the park fence. "Do my ears deceive me, or is Villiam in love?" She threw Will a shrewd look behind her round, pink glasses and took another sip of her… drink. "Should you need advice, you know vhere to find me. I'm alvays eager to help, dahlink; I have had decades of experience."

Will hunched in embarrassment, growing ever-redder. Luna laughed and slapped him on the back, almost knocking the wind out of him. "Could have picked a more obtainable target, though. You do know that King Lawrence had to form a task force specifically to chase off love-struck boys?" The yellow crescent moon marks on her cheeks stretched as she laughed.

Percy laughed too. "Dad suggested that! I think he might have been kidding, but Uncle Larry ran with it, and it's the best part about visiting France nowadays. You haven't lived until you've seen five guys run across the gardens of Versailles, dodging dudes in armour and belting awful love songs."

He mimed jumping over obstacles and sang a verse of Kiss From a Rose. That got a laugh from the whole group, and by the time he could draw breath again, Percy noticed a ship on the horizon. A yellow-and-green flag fluttered in the breeze atop its mast.

"Guys, I think that's Ajay!" He set off towards the docks, followed by his friends. "Where are Matt and Juliet?"

"I got a text from her saying they had to make a detour," Luna said, checking her phone as they walked. "Something about a part needing replacement. Said they'll be here in time for that girl you want us to chaperone."

"Not chaperone, show around," Percy clarified. "She's never been to Corona, and besides that, Juliet's a native. She can show you and Clara some cool stuff, too. See, I think of you." He patted her head.

"You could have said the guy we're showing around was Ajay," Will said from his other side. "I could have read up on some gaming news or something."

Percy waved dismissively. "You'll be fiiiine. Besides, Matt will be with you, and he can bring an oyster out of its shell. I keep telling you guys, I've thought of everything."

"Forgive us if ve take your plans vit a grain of salt," Clara scoffed, smirking. "You have been known to overlook zer finer details."

They stopped at the edge of the water, and the girls once again left their bags on the ground.

"So," Will said as they watched the approaching Maldonian ship. "What are you gonna do while we hang out with Ajay?"

Percy sagged a little. "I have to greet a bunch of foreign nobles. I'll be there at the big lunch thing, then I can hang out with you guys for a bit, but we all have to be at the ball in the evening."

"Oooh, the First Dance." Luna grinned, teasing. "Anyone in particular on your mind this year? I hear Juliet will be wearing a very cute dress."

Percy laughed. "Is that because you helped her pick it?"

His cousin batted her eyelashes innocently. "Me? Intrude on someone's fashion choices? Whatever do you mean?"

Will rolled his eyes, but Clara giggled as the ship finally made it to dock. With a great deal of pomp, a tall seneschal announced the arrival of Prince Ajay Maldaquesh, the royal heir to the Kingdom of Maldonia. A skinny black kid in jeans and a blue jacket walked by him, eyes glued to the handheld game he was playing. His dark hair was all done in dreads, and the ever-present yellow-tinted glasses slid a little down his nose as he descended.

Percy grinned, holding up his fist. "Yo, Ajay. Managed to complete the Pokedex on that old game yet?"

For a moment, the other teen didn't react. Then the game pinged, indicating a win, and he finally met Percy's gaze, face breaking into a smile. "You know it." They fist bumped, miming explosions as their hands parted. "Just got the last one three days ago. Actually, if you're up to trading, I miiiight be persuaded to part with a certain shiny someone."

Percy's jaw dropped. "No. Aipom?" His friend nodded, smirking. "A shiny Aipom?" Percy added hopefully, his blue eyes big as saucers.

Ajay nodded again, laughing as Percy pumped a fist in the air and whooped.

"Yes, yes, you can have your nerd talk later," Clara said, her smile teasing. "Pleasure to meet you, dahlink. Clara von Leichenberg."

"The pleasure is all mine," Ajay said, startled into formality. He bowed, making Clara giggle. "I've not yet met a vampire in person, but I hear—"

"Oh, here ve go again," Clara rolled her eyes, arms crossing at her chest. "You people hear even zer hint of an Überwald accent, and all of a sudden everyvun is a vampire! Brink out zer torches and garlic!"

"I-I didn't mean to presume to—" Ajay stuttered.

"I am a vampire, as it happens," Clara continued, "but I vill thank you for not assumink based on my accent alone! I vill have you know zhat such stereotypes are extremely harmful to the people of Überwald zhat are not sunlight impaired. Zer country is home to more zhan one species, and I expect zhat zer next time you meet a citizen you vill ask before making zuch accusations!"

Ajay took an unwitting step back under Clara's fierce glare. "O-of course!"

"Good!" The vampire gave him a fangy smile. "Zhen ve have no quarrel, you and I. Velcome to Corona!"

"Oh don't mind her." Luna swung an arm around the newcomer's shoulders with a big grin on her face. "Her bark is worse than her bite. Besides, we're all friends here!"

"Don't worry, you won't be stuck with SJW Vamp and Princess ADHD over here," said Will as he and Zephyr drew closer. Luna pouted at that and stuck out her tongue. "You'll be with us while Percy makes his rounds."

Ajay nodded, visibly relieved. His eyes darted around for a change of subject, and he nodded towards the girls' bags. "What's up with the shopping spree?"

"Oh, we killed some time down by the market!" Luna chirped. "There were sooo many cool things; I bought something for Dad, for Mom, for Mariposa, Katrina, Ruberiot, Grandma Star—" She started counting on her fingers. "Richie, Jay, Zade—"

Will peeked into one of Clara's. "Why'd you buy so many things for? We're supposed to be glorified tour guides today; are you going to lug these around?"

"Don't be silly, dahlink," Clara said with a laugh. "We've already called at the castle, somevun should be here to pick zhem up shortly."

"Duh," Luna added. "We aren't idiots. Although ..." Her face lit up. "I can enchant them to fly themselves to the castle?"

"NO!" the whole group exclaimed at once.

"Oh come on!" Luna pouted. "Things don't always explode..."

"Except when they do!" Will contered.

Zephyr nodded. "We were there last year. You blew up the cake."

"That was one time," Luna said hotly, "and it was an accident!"

Will raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Like the basketball?"

Luna's eyes widened with shock. "How did you know about that?"

"How did you expect it not to spread?" A notebook suddenly found itself open in Will's hands, one of his near-dulled pencils hovering over an empty page.

Clara frowned at it. "Vhat are you doink?"

"Ugh, it's the stupid school newspaper thing he runs." Luna rolled her eyes. "The ball was… it was a separate case!" she said to Will. "She kept running her mouth about Zade!"

Will started jotting down in his own illegible shorthand. "Are you saying that you blew it up on purpose in Yu Meifeng's face?"

"I—No!"

"So you can't control your magic, then?"

"I can control it!"

"Well did you mean to burn half her face off or didn't you? Can't have it both ways."

Luna's fists shook. Percy heard a rustling sound somewhere around their knees, and one of the bags burst with a sharp bang!. A motorcycle with two riders screeched to a halt beside the group just in time for the shower of socks that rained down on them.

"Wow," said the driver. His black hair, already ruffled from the wind, soon became the landing spot for a pink sock. "What happened here?" A second one floated down and draped over the shoulder of his green hoodie.

Zephyr caught another in mid-fall and examined it. "Do humans need that many socks?"

The girl on the back seat jumped off the bike and took off her helmet. "Depends on how many outfits they have, I guess?" she said with a laugh, running a hand through her brown tresses.

Percy threw a look at the waters. Matt and Juliet were a little late, but that was okay, because Mei's ship was only now approaching in the distance. "Um, guys…?"

"Will made Luna mad, and she made it rain socks," Zephyr explained to Matt, who huffed a laugh as he peeled one from the back of Juliet's plaid shirt.

"Oh no," she said sympathetically. "Did he do the newspaper thing again?"

"I'm right here, you know." Will snapped his notebook closed, a bit of white, frilly sock still hanging from the edge.

"Guys?"

Juliet bumped her hip against Will's. "You're always there when trouble happens," she teased.

"That's because I report on the trouble." Will put the notebook away inside his jacket, failing to hide a smile.

"You caused the trouble this time," Zephyr said, hands casually tucked in his pockets.

"I don't have the power to make things explode," Will countered, earning himself a glare from Luna.

"That was a low blow, Will, and you know it!" She marched over and poked Will in the chest. "I'd like to see you try to contain yourself when that arrogant, selfish, back-stabbing, heartless—" Percy carefully inched behind her. "— lying, manipulative barbarian barbie, who—"

" — who is invited to my birthday and her ship is gonna be here in ten minutes and you already agreed to show her around, glad you know her already," Percy said quickly, then bolted to a safe distance a few feet away.

The whole group stared at him.

"You invited… Meifeng?" Will said, stunned.

Ajay whistled. "Bold."

Even Juliet shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet his gaze. "Percy… what were you thinking?"

All of a sudden, Percy started to feel that heat Will was complaining about. "Er… well, I know what this looks like… but you guys, she's not that bad."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Not that bad?" Percy almost shrunk under her glare. "Not that bad? Have you met her?

"Vho is zhis girl?" said Clara, her eyes bouncing from one person to the next. "Somevun from zhat academy you all go to?"

Ajay snorted. "Debatable. She only shows up to class when she feels like it."

"Yes," Juliet said in her best placating voice, ignoring that little comment, while everyone still stared at Percy as if he'd grown an extra head. "She's a girl in our year, and she's a little… abrasive."

"Abrasive?" Luna repeated incredulously.

Will took out his notebook and flipped through a few pages. "Yu Meifeng. Princess of Ordos. Leader of a biker gang in her home country known as the Red Vipers. Ruthless, callous, cruel. Grandfather was a warmonger, and she's said to be very much like him. Wears a necklace of barbed wire. Tattoo of a red snake on her right forearm. Gets into a fight or some other trouble almost weekly." He closed the notebook. "Anything to add to that, Perce?"

"Yeah." Percy straightened up, not backing down. "She's my friend. And this is my birthday, and I invited her here, same as any of you. There's more to her than the combat boots and the wire necklace, and if you guys care about me, you'll be nice to her while she's here. You know, like you promised."

Luna instantly bristled. "She made fun of Zade's hijab and said it drew too much attention to her 'clown makeup'! You expect us to chaperone her around all day while you go and greet your nobles? No. Way."

"We didn't know what we were agreeing to, Percy," Juliet chimed in, much more gently. "I think I speak for all of us when I say Meifeng was the last person we expected to get an invite."

Percy's shoulders sagged. He knew that Mei would be a hard sell, but he had to try. "Please, Juliet? I know I kind of sprung it on you, but you're good with people. Show her around?"

Juliet shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know… she's kind of hard to handle."

"But she can be good, too," Percy said earnestly. "I know she has a bad rep, but she's honestly not that bad. All I'm asking for is to give her a chance. Just until lunch. For me?" He gave her his best puppy-dog eyes.

Juliet sighed. "Oh, alright. But only until lunch."

"YES!" Percy wrapped her in a tight hug, lifting her off the ground as she laughed. Then he let her down and turned to his cousin. "Luna..."

"I said no way!" She crossed her arms with a huff.

"Luna, come on…"

Clara took a sip from her plasma fruit. "I vill entertain your barbarian princess."

Percy blinked at her in surprise. "You… will?"

"Clara!" Luna whirled on her friend, who simply shrugged.

"I don't see vy not. Vhat is zer vorst zhat she can do? Hurt my feelinks? Plus, she vud make a great guest star on my YouTube channel. Does she mind beink filmed?"

Luna huffed again, even more incensed. Percy stapled his fingers in a praying gesture and turned up the innocence on his puppy-dog eyes. "Pleeeeeease, Luna?"

"Oh she's not even going to come!" Luna snapped. "You think a psychopath like her would want to be at your birthday?"

"She's already here."

Everyone turned to Zephyr, who was pointing to the sea. The little dot was now a big, armoured black ship.

"Yeesh," Matt said, watching as the sharp hull split the waves. "All that thing needs is ominous music. Are you sure about this barbarian chick?"

Percy turned to face his friends. "Guys, look. I know what people say about Mei. I know it's not an easy pill to swallow, but I'm asking you to trust me."

The group exchanged uneasy looks as the ship sailed into the harbor.

When the gangplank fell down, an angry-looking Asian girl surveyed the docks from its top as if they were made of decaying garbage. Long, black hair waved behind her like a flag, and her jeans were ripped, with chains hanging in loops at her thighs. Percy grinned and ran up to her for a hug, only for his face to meet with her open palm.

"What are you doing?" she asked, keeping him at arm's length.

"Giving you a welcome hug?" Percy said, cheek still smushed against her hand.

Mei gave him a flat, deadpan look. "Seriously?"

"Aw, come on! Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Ugh. Fine." She carefully lowered her arm. "But careful. Watch the necklace."

Percy happily obliged, gingerly enveloping her slender frame. Despite the eyerolls, he felt a warm hand at the small of his back. Before he let go, Percy squeezed her shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture, and then led her down to the docks. "Welcome to Corona!" The young prince spread his arms wide, taking a deep breath of that salty sea air. "I know you're used to colder climates, but you'll adapt to the sunshine. Come meet my friends!"

The group waiting for them didn't seem too enthused.

"You've seen Will and Zephyr around already, we're pretty much together all the time at school. And this is Ajay Maldaquesh, Prince of Maldonia."

Will and Zeph held up their hands in greeting. Ajay just said, "Sup."

"And, ah… you've met my cousin Luna…"

Luna and Mei instantly locked eyes in a hostile glare. Percy threw a pleading look at Juliet, who breathed in, plastered a smile and stuck out her hand.

"Hi! I'm Juliet Rodriguez, you might have seen me around the academy. It's nice to formally meet you." Mei stared at the offered hand until Juliet realised that it was covered in motor oil stains. "Oh sorry! I was helping Matt with his bike earlier, and I guess some of it hasn't come off yet." With an awkward laugh, she attempted to wipe it in her jeans.

Matt stepped in to save her, flashing Mei one of his dazzling smiles. "Juliet's a great mechanic. Saved my rust bucket from the very edge of collapse. Name's Matt, by the way. Matt Parker. You don't have to worry about whether or not you've forgotten me; I don't go to Andover Academy." He didn't offer a hand, but Mei nodded in acknowledgement.

Clara didn't waste time offering — she snatched Mei's hand and shook it. "Clara von Leichenberg. Not on zer academy roster either, but it is a pleasure to meet you, dahlink. Luna and I vill join Juliet in givink you a tour while Percy greets his courtiers. Can I get your consent on beink recorded for my YouTube channel?"

But Mei had stopped listening. Her entire posture stiffened, and she gave Percy a cold glare. "You did not mention this."

"Oh, the tour?" Percy tried for a placating smile. "It'll just be until lunch time, after that I'll totally—"

Mei roughly wrenched away from Clara and signalled for him to follow. "Walk."

Apprehension building, Percy trailed behind her until she stopped at the edge of the water, back turned to the group and arms crossed at her chest. Shit. Had he made her mad?

But when he circled around, he didn't find a pissed off curse or an angry glare. He found an anxious girl, her brow creased with worry.

"Percy," she whispered urgently, "this is a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. You should have never invited me here."

His nervousness shifted to concern. "What are you talking about?"

Mei's hand shot out, forming a fist in the front of his shirt and jerking him up. Over her shoulder, he saw the worried faces of his friends. Zephyr was already halfway toward them.

Percy shook his head. Zephyr stopped, but didn't turn back.

Though the hold may have appeared forceful, it was light, only maintaining the appearance of hostility. When Mei spoke, she did so in a whisper. "Whatever you did to get Grandfather to let me come was really stupid."

"I just mentioned it to my dad. That's all, I swear, and he made some calls." Something was off. Was it him, or did she seem… scared. "Is everything okay at home?"

Mei's fingers tightened ever so slightly in his shirt. Her eyes softened. "Percy… It's not my home you should be worrying about. Don't you realise what you've done? You think he let me come here to have a good time? My grandfather sees this as an opportunity to show strength. He wants me to infiltrate your home, intimidate you and your sisters and make sure you're so scared of me Corona would do whatever Ordos asks. I can't back down in front of Luna, and I can't be nice to your friends. What did you think would happen? That we'd bond and I'd fit right in?" There was a pause. Then she yelled at the top of her lungs, "WHAT? AND YOU THINK THAT PATHETIC EXCUSE IS ENOUGH?"

Percy flinched. Gleeful jeers erupted from her ship.

"Do you hear them?" Mei whispered again. "They're not here for you. They're here for me. I can't show weakness, because if I do my grandfather will exploit it. If he even suspects you're anything more than an annoyance to me, he'll hurt you if that's what it takes to keep me in line. You don't know what he's capable of."

"Mei…" Percy grasped her wrist, which still clutched the front of his shirt, and squeezed gently. "Friendship isn't a weakness, and I'm not easy to hurt. Those guards can't follow you everywhere; get through today, and tomorrow we'll go and feed the swans. Just like I promised."

Her eyes searched his, desperate like a cornered doe. "What if I end up having to betray you? Aren't you worried?"

"You'll do the right thing. I trust you."

Mei's expression softened. "You're an idiot. But, for what it's worth… I won't. Okay? I promise."

"Okay."

-O-

Percy cursed, hurrying down the hall as he tried to adjust the white-and-gold sash over his suit jacket. His mother would kill him if he showed up with a crooked sash. It was all Dutchess Bounderby's fault; the girl clung to him like a limpet until he resorted to literally jumping out a window. Well, hiding on the parapet and clinging to the wall, but she thought he'd jumped, which was all he needed. And now he was late, and the stupid sash wouldn't… just… twist…

"Oof!" Percy wobbled, having collided with someone he was too busy to see, but a pair of strong hands steadied him.

"Whoa there," Dad said. A teasing smirk appeared on his face as he took in Percy's dishevelled appearance. "Running late, can't get your clothes right — what have you been up to, hm?"

The young prince laughed, straightening his jacket. "Escaping Dora Belle Bounderby's clutches, that's what. Had to use advanced manoeuvre twenty-seven to shake her."

Dad huffed a laugh. "The old 'jumped out a window' trick? Nice." He wrapped an arm around Percy's shoulders, and the two started down the hall. "Well, the lunch has started already, but don't worry, I have Briar and Dawn on cover-up duty. I wanted to catch you before the official bits started." Dad reached into an inside pocket of his own jacket and handed Percy a small yellow package, wrapped with a blue ribbon. "Happy birthday."

Impatient with excitement, Percy unwrapped the gift to find a brand new lockpicking kit. Inside the soft leather case awaited two rows of shiny lockpicks, some with very interesting ends. "Whoa." He pulled one out. "Look at that gonzo hook!"

"Just, ah, make sure your mom doesn't catch you. I think I lost permanent use of my left ear after the Rooftop Rumpus." Dad winced at the memory.

Percy chuckled, but tucked the lockpicking kit safely inside his jacket. "I'll be stealthy."

Dad grinned, ruffling his hair. "Atta boy."

When they made it to the Great Hall, it was already bustling with noise. Percy spotted his friends on a table of their own and had to suppress the urge to call out and wave. It didn't seem so bad from here — everyone looked like they were having a good time, though Mei was staring out the window and not participating. He'd have to correct that when they all hung out later.

But for now, the royal table was where he needed to be. He took a seat next to his dad, who exchanged knowing smiles with Dawn and Briar. Luckily, Mom didn't seem at all bothered at Percy's appearance or his lateness, and spared him a smile from her conversation with Aunt Daphne. His grandparents were there too, of course, and he had to try really hard to resist showing Grandpa Eugene the lockpicking kit right there and then. Though as the prince sat, Grandpa caught his eye and winked, and Percy got the sneaking suspicion that he might already know the contents of the little brown case. Grandma Rapunzel did not share his reservation about waving and almost took Grandpa Sig's head off in her enthusiasm. He scowled, which his wife apparently found hilarious, though she did pat his arm sympathetically.

Percy waved back, but didn't get off his seat just yet. There'd be a whole family reunion thing tonight, and he'd have to dodge questions about girls again and make something up to justify what he planned to do with his future once Grandpa Sig cornered him.

"So is the kitten okay?"

Startled, Percy turned to the left. "Uh, sorry?"

"Dawn said you were going to be late because you were saving a kitten from a tree," Colette explained, the slightly sarcastic tone making it obvious that she had not believed a word of that stupid excuse.

Percy laughed. "Dawn sucks at cover-ups. She's just like Dad — can't do a good poker face to save her life." He threw a quick look around and opened his jacket, showing Colette the edge of his present. "Dad told them to stall because he wanted to give me his present early. It's lockpicks; Mom will lose her mind if she knew." With a conspiratorial wink, he closed the jacket.

Colette chuckled. "That's true. We don't want a repeat of the rooftops."

"You thought it was funny. Admit it." Percy elbowed her gently.

Someone tapped his shoulder. "Aaah, Percy?" He turned to see Luna right behind him, her face baring a very fake smile. "Could I steal you for a moment?"

He gave her a sweeping look. She was wearing her teal coat, one arm bent over her stomach in a highly suspicious angle. Instead of questioning, though, he nodded and stood up, telling Colette to make up some excuse for him.

Luna dragged him out of the Great Hall and into an alcove just off the main corridor.

"Percy, you gotta help me!" she said, desperate.

"Whoa, slow down! What did you do?"

With guilt written all over her face, Luna pulled her hand out of the coat. "I… I stole the royal magic wand."

Percy leaned in to get a closer look. The handle was pink, with a ribbon of teal twisting around it from its bottom to the top, which was shaped like a crescent moon — the exact same as Luna's cheekmarks. "... Cool!" He raised a hand to poke it, but Luna slapped it away.

"No, not cool! Very not cool!" She turned her hand so it was facing downward and opened it. The wand dropped a few inches, then hovered in the air, just below her palm.

"How are you doing that?" Percy asked in awe.

Luna's voice grew squeaky with panic. "I don't know! Your stupid barbarian girl said something to set me off, so I went and took it, and then I thought about how I didn't want to give it back, and I might have muttered some of those thoughts aloud, and now I literally can't give it back!" Her free hand fidgeted up and down in nervous, jerky motions as she became more and more hysterical. "If Mariposa finds out she'll murder me!" She started hyperventilating.

Percy grasped her forearms. "Luna, hey, it's okay. Breathe." His mind raced with a million ideas and schemes, ranging from making a fake substitute wand to forging Luna a new identity in Trebor. But then a memory unearthed itself in his mind, something so crazy it might actually work. Assuming they didn't die. "Okay, I have a plan." Luna let out a whimper of despair. "It's a good one this time! There is a door on the fourth floor that can teleport us to my grandparents' castle in Oloria. Grandma Odette has a secret room under her solar full of magical doohickeys. I've never been inside, but the twins have — she took them when they started showing signs of magic. There's a spell eraser in there somewhere. We go in, find it, break whatever you did to bind the wand to you, get back in time for desert."

Luna gave him a teary look. "You really think it would work?"

"'Course!" Percy grinned. "I'm great at sneaking around. Mari won't even notice."

Expertly navigating the patrolling guards, scurrying servants and the odd noble visitor, Percy led Luna through the little hidden shortcuts he and his sisters had found in Corona Castle over the years. The portal door was tucked away in the royal chambers—accessible only to the royal family—which meant that it wasn't guarded. They slipped right through easily enough, and then the real challenge began.

Unlike the more lax security of Corona, the Oloria castle hallways were rigidly manned at all times. Weaving unnoticed through those corridors presented a much bigger challenge, but Percy had lots of practice.

When they reached the last corridor, Percy left Luna on lookout duty as he knelt in front of the door, taking out his dad's present. Grandpa Eugene would laugh so hard when he heard that the very first use of it was to break into his maternal grandmother's private solar, he'd crack a rib.

It took a few minutes to pick the lock, but the young prince soon uttered a 'yes' under his breath and waved his cousin over.

"Does Queen Odette know that you know about her secret magical repository?" Luna said as they snuck inside and closed the door behind them.

"Uhh… not particularly." Percy went over to the window and ran his fingers over the intricate woodwork on the pane. "There." He pressed an indent of a rose, and a part of the wall next to the big fireplace turned into a white door.

Luna reached for the knob, but her hand met resistance a few inches from it. Rolling up her sleeves, she took a step back and threw herself against the door. That resulted in an 'oof!' as her feet slid on the carpet and she face-planted on the floor.

Percy couldn't help a snicker when he pulled her up. "It's protected by a Blood Seal. Only my grandmother's bloodline can open it." He glanced at the door. "I guess now we find out if I'm adopted." He reached forward, turning the knob with ease.

"That only proves your Waltz blood; maybe your mom had an affair." Luna squinted at him with playful suspicion. "And you don't have your dad's sun powers…"

Percy laughed, giving her a nudge. "What are you talking about, he always said his greatest power was getting into trouble, and I've clearly inherited that one."

"Hah, point taken." Luna peered down the dark tunnel. "Neat. I don't suppose you know how to light it? Is it, like, voice activated?" She held up the wand and added dramatically, "Let there be light!"

The crescent moon ignited with a bright glow. The two cousins exchanged a glance.

"Maybe you should stop saying random stuff until you've figured out how that thing works," Percy said as they started down the steps. "If I get blood on my best jacket, Mom will resurrect my ghost just to kill me herself."

A/N

Hey everyone! Just a quick note to say thank you for reading the story, and also to provide a family tree in case you are a little lost as to how Percy and Luna are related to each other. I know it's a lot to type out, so I'll have it in my bio where you can copy the whole thing and paste it into your search bar. Just remove the spaces.

Obviously the purple line between Star and Eclipsa is skipping a few generations, which is the time she was frozen in crystal, but it's an easy way to understand how the family functions (I'll touch on this more next chapter in-story). Faded names means the person is dead at the present time.