Dionysus sighed in relief as he saw the number of pages. Short enough.
PIPER DIDN'T RELAX UNTIL…You were amazing," Jason told her.
"Indeed." Demeter said. Piper smiled at her.
The compliment should've…Piper had to make her decision.
"Tell us. We'll help." Leo said
"Exactly. Better as a group." Jason smiled.
"I don't think he'd kill your dad. I mean apart from death, there are only two options that he could do to your dad. I admit that one of them is worse than dying but only two options apart from death." Castor said
"And those are?" Piper asked
"Well one of them is that if he kills your dad then you won't go to the giant. Enceladus. He would probably want to use your dad as bait for you." Castor said.
"That's true. There would be no benefit for the giant to kill your dad." Pollux nodded.
"And the second one is that he would…he would torture your dad a lot with images that might get him to the edge of insanity and make you desperate enough to go to him." Castor said. Everybody flinched at that. Castor winced as well.
"That is worse than death." Nico said
"Well the giant wasn't threatening a very peaceful death either." Triton said. Piper grimaced. Triton gave her an apologetic look.
Dionysus decided to continue so that everybody wouldn't go deeper into the conversation.
She told Jason in French…It wasn't so amazing."
Nico chuckled.
"Telling something that you can't in another language which you don't want to or are too shy to say in English is always the best." He laughed. Will nodded and then his jaw hit the ground.
"What all have you told me in Italian then?!" he exclaimed. The demigods laughed and the gods chuckled. Nico smirked and winked.
"I'm not telling." He said. Will pouted.
She didn't turn to look… Romans didn't mix with Greeks.
"Piper, you are freakishly good at deciphering things even when they are not explained to you or not said to you." Annabeth said
"Skills." Piper grinned.
She kept waiting for Jason…she could stand Khione.
"Just because the Romans and Greeks are supposed to be enemies, it doesn't make every Roman an enemy. Jason is your friend, the Greek and Roman doesn't matter." Aphrodite said. Piper and Jason exchanged smiles.
Jason did feel a little uncomfortable being referred to as Piper's 'friend' but he hid it well with his smile. Some of the demigods or younger gods might have sensed it but they didn't show it much.
Leo passed them some sandwiches…but up close it's cold and nasty.
"I kind of like snow but not Khione." Percy said
"I'm not fond of it." Jason said
We'll find you a better prom date."…Happy the Dragon was not so happy.
A few chuckles and snickers.
They ate their sandwiches…avocado sandwich was awesome
"Thanks man." Piper said, smiling at Leo.
"Of course, beauty queen. I know you're vegetarian." Leo smiled.
Nobody talked. Whatever they might…Don't be a wimp!
"That's exactly what he would say. He might just make you do a few push ups too." Clarisse said
"Is that one of the reasons you're so fit?" Percy snorted
"Shut up Jackson. Though it did help when I was coming to camp." Clarisse said. Percy grinned.
Piper had been thinking about…prepare her for life as a demigod.
Clarisse and Grover smiled, glad that somebody had understood that and that they realized it.
"We have to prepare you early. Just in our own ways." Chiron said
"I got prepared with Latin lessons. Very useful, to be honest." Percy said, grinning at Chiron who chuckled.
"Lucky kid. Though a three hour exam…" Chris said
On the skywalk… strong compulsion to save him
Clarisse smiled at Piper.
Don't get ahead of yourself…just like Silena Beauregard
"You'll be a hero like her too." Clarisse said. Piper gave her a grateful look.
It was only a matter of time…Dad suggested they sleep outside
"That's always very fun to do. Watch the stars and feel the wind." Thalia said. Artemis nodded in agreement.
"The smell of wet sand and water too." Percy said. The sea gang nodded vigorously.
They'd spread their sleeping bags…just like the Greeks.
"I don't know whether to feel offended or amused." Hermes said
"Why can't it be both?" Travis shrugged
But it's a big sky…Hercules and hedgehogs."
"Yep." Hermes said
"So not offended or amused." Connor said. Hermes shook his head and chuckled.
They sat for a while…pretend I'm something I'm not."
"That's a good point but what about a role that could change people's opinions?" Percy asked
"There isn't always a part like that." Dionysus said, shaking his head.
"If there's a part like…"I haven't found it."
"Like I said." Dionysus said. Percy nodded.
She looked at the stars…The stars were just balls of fire.
"Nope. Not the constellations." Apollo said.
"Yeah, I get that now." Piper said. Apollo grinned at her.
"Dad," she said…it was tearing her apart.
"Maybe because that's in a fictional world. This is real life with real lives at stake." Aphrodite sighed. Piper sighed and ran a hand across her face.
Maybe she could pretend…she drifted off to sleep.
Jason sighed.
In her dream, she was back…he'd been chained was no longer there.
"No." Piper muttered.
"He'll be alive, Piper." Castor said
The giant's laugh was like lava… little left of him to save."
"No. No." Piper muttered. She was shaking by now. Silena wrapped a hand around her shoulders.
"I really didn't want to be right about the torture part. I would prefer the bait." Castor said
"Let him go!"…He's just a mortal!"
"So am I." Piper muttered
"But, my dear,"…prove our love for our parents.
"She doesn't need to prove anything to you." Beckendorf said angrily.
That's what I'm doing…What is Hera to you?"
"Nothing to me but a lot to the world." Piper said. She was still shaking a little. Even Aphrodite gave her a side hug.
"We'll save him, Piper." Jason said.
"Definitely. We won't let him die." Leo said. Piper gave them grateful looks.
Piper began to tremble…she could hardly talk.
Aphrodite trembled with the anger and fear due to the curse. Her own worry added to that as well.
"You're asking me to betray…your father and go in peace."
"It's a trap." Pollux said
"A trap would sound easy." Castor said
"This does sound hard but do you really think that the giant would allow Piper to go free with her dad even if she sent Jason and Leo. He will kill her and her dad." Pollux said.
"You should tell Jason and Leo." Dakota said to Piper who gave a small nod.
"So Castor is Kaz Brekker?" Nico asked after ten seconds to lighten the atmosphere a little.
"You could say." Castor grinned. Everybody gave a few chuckles.
"I can't," Piper said…my father and my friends."
"Yeah, you tell them, Beauty Queen!" Leo whooped. Piper gave him a small smile.
"I won't betray you all. Ever." Piper said
"We know that Piper." Jason smiled. The demigods nodded.
The giant growled in the shadows…rebellious spirit can be brought to earth."
"You wish. We'll teach you something too. How to never make a demigod angry and the consequences." Leo said.
"You bet." The demigods chorused. The gods gave small smiles to their children and ruffled their hair. The demigods' spirit was quite contagious.
The dream dissolved…free-falling through the air.
"WHAT?!" Aphrodite shouted.
"Festus." Beckendorf and Leo said at the same time.
"He needs to be repaired or some parts have to be cleaned or replaced." Hephaestus said.
"Right now, they're falling to their deaths." Aphrodite said
"I can fly." Jason reminded her. Aphrodite looked really relieved by that.
"Done with the chapter." Dionysus said, holding up the book.
"Pass it here." Aphrodite said. Dionysus gave her the book.