LEO'S POV
"Holy Hephaestus," I breathed in awe.
The path opened into the nicest garden I had ever seen. Not that I had spent a lot of time in gardens, but dang. On the left was an orchard and a vineyard—peach trees with red-golden fruit that smelled awesome in the warm sun, carefully pruned vines bursting with grapes, bowers of flowering jasmine, and a bunch of other plants I couldn't name.
On the right were neat beds of vegetables and herbs, arranged like spokes around a big sparkling fountain where bronze satyrs spewed water into a central bowl.
At the back of the garden, where the footpath ended, a cave opened in the side of a grassy hill. Compared to Bunker Nine back at camp, the entrance was tiny, but it was impressive in its own way. On either side, crystalline rock had been carved into glittering Grecian columns. The tops were fitted with a bronze rod that held silky white curtains.
My nose was assaulted by good smells—cedar, juniper, jasmine, peaches, and fresh herbs. The aroma from the cave really caught my attention—like beef stew cooking.
I started toward the entrance, almost like I was being pulled by an invisible force. Seriously, the smell was that delicious. I stopped when I noticed the girl. She was kneeling in her vegetable garden, her back to me. She muttered to herself as she dug furiously with a trowel.
I approached her from one side so she could see me coming. I didn't feel like surprising her when she was armed with a sharp gardening implement.
She kept cursing in Ancient Greek and stabbing at the dirt. She had flecks of soil all over her arms, her face, and her white dress, but she didn't seem to care. I could appreciate that. She looked better with a little mud— less like a beauty queen and more like an actual get-your-hands-dirty kind of person.
"I think you've punished that dirt enough," I offered.
She scowled at me, her eyes red and watery. "Just go away."
"You're crying," I said, which was stupidly obvious; but seeing her that way took the wind out of my helicopter blades, so to speak. It was hard to stay mad at someone who was crying.
"None of your business," she muttered. "It's a big island. Just… find your own place. Leave me alone." She waved vaguely toward the south. "Go that way, maybe."
"So, no magic raft," I said. "No other way off the island?"
"Apparently not!"
"What am I supposed to do, then? Sit in the sand dunes until I die?"
"That would be fine.…" The girl threw down her trowel and cursed at the sky. "Except I suppose he can't die here, can he? Zeus! This is not funny!"
Can't die here?
"Hold up." My head spun like a crankshaft.
I couldn't quite translate what this girl was saying— like when I heard Spaniards or South Americans speaking Spanish. Yeah, I could understand it, sort of; but it sounded so different, it was almost another language.
"I'm going to need some more information here," I said. "You don't want me in your face, that's cool. I don't want to be here either. But I'm not going to go die in a corner. I have to find P— uh, a way to get off this island. There's got to be a way. Every problem has a fix."
She laughed bitterly. "You haven't lived very long, if you still believe that."
The way she said it sent a shiver up my spine. She looked the same age as me, but I wondered how old she really was.
"You said something about a curse," I prompted.
She flexed her fingers, like she was practicing her throat-strangling technique. "Yes. I cannot leave Ogygia. My father, Atlas, fought against the gods, and I supported him."
"Atlas," I repeated. "As in the Titan Atlas?"
The girl rolled her eyes. "Yes, you impossible little…" Whatever she was going to say, she bit it back. "I was imprisoned here, where I could cause the Olympians no trouble. About a year ago, after the Second Titan War, the gods vowed to forgive their enemies and offer amnesty. Supposedly Percy made them promise—"
"Percy," I said. "Percy Jackson?"
She squeezed her eyes shut. A tear trickled down her cheek.
Oh, I thought.
"Percy came here," I surmised.
She dug her fingers into the soil. "I—I thought I would be released. I dared to hope… but I am still here."
I remembered now. The story was supposed to be a secret, but of course that meant it had spread like wildfire across the camp. Percy had told Annabeth. Months later, when Percy had gone missing, Annabeth told Piper. Piper told Jason…
Percy had talked about visiting this island. He had met a goddess who'd gotten a major crush on him and wanted him to stay, but eventually she let him go.
"You're that lady," I said. "The one who was named after Caribbean music."
Her dark eyes glinted murderously. "Caribbean music."
"Yeah. Reggae?" I shook my head. That wasn't it. "Merengue? Hold on, I'll get it."
I snapped my fingers. "Calypso! But Percy said you were awesome. He said you were all sweet and helpful, not, um…"
She shot to her feet. "Yes?"
"Uh, nothing," I said quickly.
"Would you be sweet," she demanded, "if the gods forgot their promise to let you go? Would you be sweet if they laughed at you by sending another hero, but a hero who looked like— like you?"
My eye twitched. "Is that a trick question?"
"Di Immortales!" She turned and marched into her cave.
"Hey!" I ran after her.
When I got inside, I completely lost my train of thought. The walls were made from multicolored chunks of crystal. White curtains divided the cave into different rooms with comfy pillows and woven rugs and platters of fresh fruit. I spotted a harp in one corner, a loom in another, and a big cooking pot where the stew was bubbling, filling the cavern with luscious smells.
The strangest thing? The chores were doing themselves. Towels floated through the air, folding and stacking into neat piles. Spoons washed themselves in a copper sink. The scene reminded me of the invisible wind spirits that had served me and my friends at Camp Jupiter.
Camp Jupiter. That's where I met Peri. A wistful smile graced my features as my mind replayed all the great times we had there together. From dancing the night away in the Apollo kids' tent to watching Peri stuff her face with a totally unhealthy amount of pancakes. It was impossible for me to choose my favorite memory. I'm not sure when the exact moment was that I fell in love with her, but it was little things like that which led my heart to feel the way that it does about her today.
Those memories served to remind myself that Peri was the reason I was here. If I wanted to find her and get off of this stupid island, then I'd have to make nice with this moody, immortal daughter of a Titan.
Do it for Peri.
I cleared my throat and tried a different approach. "So… I get why you're angry. You probably never want to see another demigod again. I guess that didn't sit right when, uh, Percy left you—"
"He was only the latest," she growled. "Before him, it was that pirate Drake. And before him, Odysseus. They were all the same! The gods send me the greatest heroes, the ones I cannot help but…"
"You fall in love with them," I guessed. "And then they leave you."
Her chin trembled. "That is my curse. I had hoped to be free of it by now, but here I am, still stuck on Ogygia after three thousand years."
"Three thousand." My mouth felt tingly, like I'd just eaten Pop Rocks. "Uh, you look good for three thousand."
"And now… the worst insult of all. The gods mock me by sending you."
Annoyance bubbled in my stomach.
Yeah, typical. If Jason were here, Calypso would fall all over him. She'd beg him to stay, but he'd be all noble about returning to his duties, and he'd leave Calypso brokenhearted. That magic raft would totally arrive for him.
But me? I was the annoying guest she couldn't get rid of. She'd never fall for me, and I'd be stranded on this island forever. Not that I cared. She wasn't my type anyway. She was way too irritating, and whiny, and needy, and beautiful, and— what?! What am I thinking? The mixture of fragrances in the air must be getting to my head. Yeah, that's it. Forget this, I don't need Calypso. After all, I'm a child of Hephaestus.
"Fine," I said. "I'll leave you alone. I'll build something myself and get off this stupid island without your help."
She shook her head sadly. "You don't understand, do you? The gods are laughing at both of us. If the raft will not appear, that means they've closed Ogygia. You're stuck here the same as me. You can never leave."
Meanwhile, somewhere else on Ogygia...
PERI'S POV
On this day in history, we remember all of the stupid giant ants (myrmekes, they were called) that fell by my blade.
The midday sun was as unforgiving as one would expect on a tropical island such as this. I looked out over the sea of carnage before me, breathing heavily and sweating profusely from exertion. I had some minor scrapes and cuts here and there, but it was nothing compared to the decimation that I'd unleashed on the myrmekes. There were mountains of dismembered insect bodies; severed heads, detached hairy legs, and punctured exoskeletons that went on for yards. Those nasty bugs were pretty tough, especially in such large numbers, but I singlehandedly exterminated their army of creepy crawlies. Well, me and my trusty Imperial Gold sword.
Considering the fact that they attacked me first, I couldn't bring myself to feel too remorseful over my giant ant genocide. Still though, the contrast between peaceful, picturesque forest and insectoid casualties of war was... unsettling to say the least. Not to mention the carcasses were beginning to exude a particularly foul odor. I suspected that giant scavengers would be in the area any minute to pick the corpses clean of any meat. The idea of a flock of massive vultures descending from the clouds sent a shiver down my sweat covered spine. I decided that I should definitely scram soon.
My stomach growled at the thought of meat, and I felt a bit disgusted that it was ant meat that made my belly realize it was empty. By no means did I consider myself posh, but eating giant bugs was certainly not a road I wanted to go down unless it was absolutely necessary. I was really craving seafood, but what else is new? This is an island, though, so there should be plenty of fish in the nearby waters to catch.
I've never gone fishing before, but old people do it all the time so how hard could it be?
I squinted and overlooked the battlefield of the Great Giant Ant War and spotted my Imperial Gold sword. It seemed to be playing catch with itself using one of the ants' severed heads. It juggled the dismembered head like an expert soccer player, flying through the air to pass it back and forth. It was the most morbid game of keep away that I'd ever seen. I sweat dropped and scratched the back of my head, unsure what to make of this.
"Sadistic little thing, aren't you?" I chuckled awkwardly. "C'mon, let's go fish up some supper for mama."
The blade twirled excitedly before punting the myrmekes head far over the tree line, disappearing from sight. If it turned out that this island was inhabited after all, then the residents would surely get a shock when a giant ant head fell from the sky. An amused grin spread across my face just imagining the kind of reaction that would elicit.
If I was going to catch a bounty from the sea, then I needed to craft a fishing pole with whatever materials I could find on the isle.
A sigh escaped my lips as I wished for perhaps the millionth time that Leo was here with me. He'd surely be able to summon some sort of mechanic's contraption from his magical tool belt— and offer a reassuring smile that never failed to put me at ease. Only half a day apart, and I missed him so much already. I felt like something was missing, like I was incomplete.
"Leo!" I screamed as loud as I could into the sun. "Leo, where are you?! Follow the sound of my voice!"
I shouted his name until my windpipe was raw and ragged. I leaned against a nearby tree for stability, coughing in a manner that only made my throat feel even worse. Still, I continued to call his name until my voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. It took all my strength to not give up hope.
No, I'd never give up on him.
My insides roared again, an ache of hunger forming in the pit of my stomach. My last two rational brain cells won the battle against what felt like my heart's loyal duty to search for the son of Hephaestus.
In the end, I couldn't find Leo if I was dead.
Despite my separation anxiety, I had to focus on survival. It was kind of ironic how miserable I felt right now considering this is what I wanted when I ran away from St. Mary's in the first place. I had planned to live in the forest back in California, surviving off of my wits, strength, and a backpack full of supplies that had taken me months to acquire. I'd stuffed the bag with flasks for water, a couple lighters, a Swiss army knife which is, like, the greatest multitool ever, a flashlight, and a book on surviving in the wild.
I facepalmed. I had thrown that backpack into the mouth of a hydra, like, the first chance I got. Idiot! The act had saved my skin back then, but still. Even if I wasn't a demigod and didn't have all these stupid responsibilities to sAvE tHe WoRlD, I probably would've died within a week thanks to that genius maneuver.
Whatever, forget that. I'll prove to myself and any gods that might be watching from Mt. Olympus that I am a survivor.
First things first: fashion a fishing pole. With the over abundance of trees around, it didn't take long to find a suitable branch about my height in length. I tasked my sword with whittling the branch into a makeshift rod, and the blade set to work immediately. Next I'd need something to act as a hook of sorts. With its sharpened point, a pincher from a dead ant made a suitable, albeit smelly, fishing hook.
Now the tricky part was finding something to use as fishing line. I experimented with different flora on the island in order to find a plant with fibers that would be strong enough to support a fish without snapping. After developing a mildly concerning rash from messing with some purple vegetation and nearly being swallowed by a massive pitcher plant, I happened upon a short green shrub with plentiful leaves. When the leaves were carefully pulled apart, the long plant fibers were resilient and tactile— perfect for a number of uses, including a simple fishing line.
"Yes!" I rasped, before coughing as I remembered the hard way that my voice was still terribly sore.
Using caution with the sharp pincher, I knotted my "hook" at the end of several yards of the plant fiber fishing line. Then I tediously wrapped the line around the narrow end of the pole. I couldn't help but be impressed with how my sword had carved the wood in the exact fashion that I'd envisioned. A part of me suspected that the newly conscious blade was far more intuitive than I had at first realized. Once the parts were assembled, I looked down at the improvised fishing rod with a swelling sense of pride that bordered on hubris.
Who needs that stupid survival book?! Not me! All I need are my animalistic instincts and my highly advanced human intellect! Bear Grylls, tell me how my ass tastes you chump.
With my fishing rod slung over my shoulder, I whistled to the golden blade that was bathing in the sunlight after its hard work. The sword hopped to my side, and together we made our way towards the beach. I kept my eyes on the skies, mindful of the giant birds that I spotted earlier. However the blue expanse above was clear, save for a few fluffy white clouds, so I relaxed just the slightest and stepped out from behind the line of palm trees.
Maybe Leo will be on the shore looking for me, I thought hopefully.
To my dismay, the coastline was completely vacant. Each individual granule on the beach was pristine, as if I was the first person to ever leave footprints in the sand. There weren't even any boats docked along the shore, which was so strange to me because this place seemed like a tourist's paradise. Maybe this island really was deserted after all.
So much for asking any locals if they've seen a curly haired cutie with a bronze basketball of wonders. It was hard to not feel disappointed and downright worried for the son of Hephaestus's wellbeing. I decided to arrange a message in the sand, on the off chance that Leo happened upon this particular spot on the island. There were just enough rocks and large seashells scattered around for me to spell out "P WUZ HERE". He's a smart guy, he should be able to figure out what that means.
I walked out to the coastline, stopping just before the waves could lap at my feet.
"Bleh!" I scrunched my nose up in disgust.
The smell of the ocean was as rank as ever, but I couldn't deny that this seawater was more clear and beautiful than any I'd ever seen before. To anyone else, this place would be heavenly, an oasis, the ultimate dream vacation destination. But for me, it was like a prison. Just a big, stupid rock that I was stuck on for gods know how long, surrounded by a lethal moat of smelly ocean.
Ugh, Peri, don't talk about yourself like you're some damsel in a castle surrounded by lava. There won't be any Italian plumbing brothers coming to rescue you from... uh, whatever the hell Bowser is.
My belly snarled and gnashed once more, pulling me away from my convoluted analogy. I huffed before glancing down at my feet. My Imperial Gold sword was splashing around in the low tide like a toddler, and I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling swell in my chest.
How adorable.
"Hey, you're gonna scare away the fishies," I reprimanded with a croak, but it was pretty halfhearted. How could I scold such a cutie?
Holding my nose in an attempt to block out the saltwater's stench, I grabbed some seaweed that had washed up ashore and carefully attached it to the makeshift fishing hook as bait. Then I cast the line out as far as I could, taking a seat by the gentle waves with the rod in between my legs.
"Now, we wait." I whispered.
The ocean's smell made me dizzy and lightheaded, but the incessant rumbling in my stomach was enough to keep me grounded. After several minutes, there was some tension on the line. I hopped to my feet with so much excitement, that I nearly forgot to reel in the catch. I ran backwards as I held the rod firmly, dragging a tiny, flopping fish onto the sand. The puny thing was no larger than the palm of my hand, which was some pretty messed up logic considering everything else on this stupid island was huge. I'd probably waste more energy gutting the thing and removing its scales than I'd even get from eating it.
"What'd I expect from something that eats seaweed," I muttered in disappointment. "But I guess you're my new bait, little guy."
With a surge of determination, I cast my line once more. Despite the smell of the sea, my mouth began to water with thoughts of catching a large, delicious, juicy fish. My mind tortured me with images of various seafood dishes as the minutes dragged on. The gentle waves that kissed the beach in a rhythm that only nature could provide became a sweet lullaby. Somewhere between fantasies of crab bisque and stuffed tuna, I dozed off for a bit.
I didn't dream, which was really weird. Perhaps it had something to do with this strange, magical island. I wasn't sure. But at least it meant that I wouldn't have any visitations from a certain dirt-faced life ruiner. That didn't stop me from having a rude awakening, though. I woke with a start, gasping for air, my first thought being: Oh gods, I'm drowning.
I gagged and dry heaved, my body shivering and sopping wet. Salt water. It was all over me, and some of it got into my mouth of all places. Disgusting! If I had anything in my stomach, I probably would have expelled it immediately. The Imperial Gold blade swiped at the waves, dousing me with seawater once again. My nostrils burned, my head spun, my muscles groaned in protest.
"Oi! What the hell, Goldie?!" I snapped angrily.
Goldie? Where did that nickname come from?
The sword tapped the fishing pole in my hands, and I realized that there was tension on the line. Another catch! I stumbled to my feet and tried to reel it in, but this fish was much stronger than the first.
"Oh! You were waking me up for a big one, eh?" I grinned at the golden blade that glinted in the late afternoon sun. "Good job, Goldie!"
This sword was definitely growing on me.
I struggled with my catch, quickly realizing that fishing was harder than I originally thought. It took skill to wrestle with a large fish and keep the fishing line intact, but my hunger spurred me on. It was a battle between the hunter and her prey; a fight for survival on both ends.
With each step backwards I took to reel in the fish, the water around the submerged line seemed to grow more wild and turbulent. Eventually, I could make out the shadow just below the surface. It was much too long and skinny to be a fish. An eel, perhaps? I started salivating even more. Roasted eel was one of my favorites!
The eel broke through the surface for a moment before flopping back into the sea, and I nearly dropped the fishing rod when I saw it. Because it wasn't an eel, either. Those shimmering sapphire scales, slitted eyes, and unmistakable arrowhead. It was a water snake, and a big one at that— maybe eight feet long from head to tail. What now?
"Screw it!" I planted my feet into the sand firmly. "I'm too hungry, I don't even care!"
I was sprayed with saltwater as the snake thrashed around just below the ocean's surface. Goldie flew around my head, surely trying to help in any way that it could.
"Its eyes!" I managed through gritted teeth. "Stab its eyes out!"
Goldie seemed to understand, because it sliced through the air right after the words left my lips. The blade hovered over the churning sea before striking once, then twice. The clear water was stained with red, and the metallic smell of blood filled my nostrils. The fishing line went slack, and I dashed backwards to drag the writhing snake ashore.
It was even more beautiful on the sandy beach. Shining scales the color of sapphire and emerald glittered in the sunlight. The myrmekes pincher was lodged in the roof of its mouth, but that didn't stop the creature from baring its sharp fangs. Crimson blood trickled down its face onto the white sand below. The reptile's eyes had been completely gouged out, but its long, forked tongue flicked out in order to sense me. When it reared up in my direction, I backed up a few steps warily. Goldie flew to my side protectively.
"Even without my eyesssss," the water snake hissed, "I can sssstill ssssee you, mortal."
"Okay, talking snake, that's cool, that's normal," I shook my head in disbelief.
Should I even be surprised anymore?
"A female demigod? Disssssgusssssting!"
"Oh, wow, a sexist talking snake," I exclaimed. "Sure— because why the hell not?"
"Sssssilly girl, you don't belong here!" The water snake hissed. "Allow me to put you out of your missssssery."
The snake lurched forward in a blur of blue and green. I opened my palms, and Goldie wasted no time flying into my grasp. The blade grew as I swung to defend myself. There was the unmistakable sound of sword meeting scale covered flesh, then a thud as the water snake's body fell lifelessly to the ground. As quickly as it had begun, the fight was over.
Rivers of ruby blood spilled from the beheaded body of the snake, forming a small pool in the sand. The severed head stared back at me, its tongue still darting out of its unhinged jaw in a way so eerie that it made my skin crawl.
Still though, killing such a beautiful creature caused my heart to feel heavy in my chest. The sun was setting quickly, so I couldn't dwell on the melancholy feeling for too long. I tossed my prize over my shoulder and trudged back into the thick woods.
About an hour later, I was setting the snake meat over an open fire to roast after skinning and gutting the body. My eyes wandered back to the shimmering snakeskin that I'd draped over a low hanging branch to admire. I kept replaying the creature's ominous words in my mind, trying to decipher what it could've meant.
You don't belong here, it had said.
Well, no shit. It's not like I want to be here either! I crash landed here— I might as well have been a wandering spaceman who was stranded on a random asteroid drifting aimlessly through the galaxy. As I gazed up at the twinkling stars above, I pondered if that scenario would actually be better. Regardless, I was starting to feel as though my being here was some sort of sick joke orchestrated by the gods. I was supposed to be on an epic quest with the other demigods, but instead I was isolated from the rest of the world.
And the worst part of it all was that I was alone.
What I wouldn't give to see Leo right now, even if just for a moment. I just wanted to know that he was alive and well. I just wanted to feel him again, to be felt by him again. Just one kiss from his soft lips, one touch from his rough, calloused hands. The warmth of the fire was nothing compared to the heat that Leo gave off when I laid in his arms at night. It felt like forever since the last time his body was pressed flush against mine. The way his fingers danced and glided against my skin, I was sure that he could reduce a glacier to a soaking puddle in a matter of seconds if he wanted to. After all, that's what he did to me.
My thighs pressed together, longing for some sort of relief from my sexual frustration. If, no when we were reunited, then I'd make sure that I never let go of Leo again.
I took a deep breath before my thoughts could turn any more sinful. My nostrils twitched.
"Ah, shit my dinner's burning!"