Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Ryan Fowler: Percy is the typical little kid at times.
Guest: I don't know if it's strange really- it's well known that kids pick up on new languages easier than adults so if Julius didn't know it before- while he could help her learn it would make sense that she picked up it faster than him. And Iskanders met demigods but there haven't been any demigod magicians before so make of that what you will.

Percy was willing to admit that when she was showed into the room next to Zia's- which was mostly empty- the walls were a plain beige color and they were bare, no decorations or anything, and there was a desk and a bed in the room, nothing else, she was beyond exhausted.

She didn't even waste time saying goodnight to Zia, not that the other girl seemed to be bothered since she was moving towards her own room before Percy had even closed the door.

The youngest Kane let out a breath as she moved to the bed and dropped down onto it, flopping backwards, closing her eyes as she did.

Well, she didn't know what to think now. Iskander had been surprisingly super nice all things considered- even if she still thought that Desjardin's was a sucky person.

And Zia wasn't quite as bad as Percy had thought- though given how Percy had felt about the other girl at first that wasn't exactly a major achievement.
She pushed those thoughts away as she forced herself to sit up so that she could kick off her shoes and slip under the covers.

Unfortunately, despite her exhaustion Percy found herself struggling to sleep- thoughts were whirling around in her head and they made it impossible to really relax.

She shifted, pressing her face into the crook of her arm, raising her other arm, wrapping it around her head to cover her ears, as if that would silence the thoughts that just wouldn't stop.

She closed her eyes tightly, curling in on herself.

She really did hate sleeping on her own- she felt lost and alone and there was no comfort to be found she was never going to get to sleep-

Hush now little one.

The voice was soft- sad but kind, almost melancholy, for some reason it reminded Percy of water trickling over rocks- but then again- Percy always associated things with water, it was part of who she was, it was her nature so she probably shouldn't read too much into it.

Still, there was something soothing about the voice- and while Percy knew that she should probably be afraid of strange voices in her mind, but when the voice started singing, a soft lilting song with words that Percy didn't understand, well, she fell asleep, the thoughts that had been keeping her up melting away.

And when she did wake it was to the sound of someone knocking on her door.

Percy groaned as she lifted her head, pushing the sheets off of her as she slipped out of the bed and made her way to the door, yawning as she pushed her hair out of her face with one hand, opening the door with the other.

Zia was stood on the other side, she looked annoyingly put together Percy decided- she must be an early riser- Percy could do early mornings, she liked them sometimes but after everything that had happened, well, Percy was not in a mornings mood.

She was pretty sure that she was a mess, her hair had definitely turned into a mass of tangles overnight, she could tell that much without checking. It always did that if she tossed and turned too much.

Zia raised an eyebrow as she took Percy in, looking her up and down slowly before holding out a set of fresh clothes- she had another set tucked under her arm. "These should fit you." she informed Percy, "And I can get you a hairbrush if you wish- once you've changed we'll go and wake your sister."

"Sadie would yell that we're not sisters." Percy pointed out as she took the clothes, "I won't take long to get changed." She stepped back into her room and shut the door, quickly changing out of the clothes that she'd put on what almost felt like a lifetime ago at Brooklyn House.

Admittedly the new clothes were exactly the same but still, they were fresh and clean and it did feel nice putting on fresh clothes, and when she moved to the door again and opened it Zia was there, though she'd clearly taken a moment to grab a hairbrush.

Percy gave her a slight, almost sheepish smile as she took it, and as they started to walk Percy started to pull the brush through her hair. "Thank you Zia."

"There is no need to thank me." Zia shook her head, "Now come, I shall take you to Sadie in the dormitories."

"She's gonna be super annoyed that she had to sleep in dormitories and I got to sleep in a room by myself."

"You have been trained." Zia gave Percy a sidelong glance, "You're fairly skilled for you age- aren't you?"

"I-" Percy flushed, "I guess. My dad taught me well."

"How much did you use? You say you used magic to defend yourself and your siblings from Set."

"Enough that I nearly burned myself out." Percy admitted sheepishly.

"That is nothing to be ashamed of." Zia said after a moment- and her voice was almost kind, "You are young- standing against a god at your age is impressive."

"I-" Percy felt her face flushing at that, "It's not that great-"

"And you bound Desjardin's and I much better than I would have expected- such magic from someone your age- I would have expected to be able to break free within a few seconds but it took both myself and Desjardin's working together more than ten minutes. It was most embarrassing having to make the police forget about us."

"I bet Desjardins hates me even more 'cause of that."

"Oh certainly." Zoe's lips twitched, "He wasn't impressed that you were so informal with Lord Iskander."

"He was really nice." Percy smiled, "He's what I imagine a grandpa would be like if I had one." well, one that she could actually meet anyway.

Zia looked thoughtful at that as they headed towards the dormitories before she nodded, "I can understand that I suppose."

And it didn't take them long to reach the dormitories, and Zoe lead the way inside, filling up a bucket of cold water as she did- and Percy raised an eyebrow at the older girl as they moved towards the only occupied bed in the dormitory.

"Why did you grab that Zia?"

"To wake Sadie up of course."

That made Percy's eyes widen and she giggled despite herself, "You're not as boring as you pretend to be at first are you Zia?"

"I do not know what you're talking about." was it just Percy or was there a glint of amusement in Zia's eyes.

"Do you have siblings?" Percy grinned, "Cause this is totally a sibling thing to do-" and Percy regretted the question almost right away because that glint
faded and Zia's expression shifted, becoming completely closed off.

Clearly Percy had accidentally brought up something Zia didn't want to discuss because the older girl turned her head away slightly. "I have no family."

"You-" Percy faltered slightly, biting her lip, "I'm sorry-"

"Do not be." Zia's voice was stiff, "You didn't know." She glanced back at Percy, "Now, shall we wake your sister?"

"Uh, yeah." Percy nodded, "She's gonna be annoyed though, you know that right?"

"What is it I hear some American teens saying? Do I look like I care?"

And Percy laughed at that, she couldn't help it, and the laughter seemed to wash away some of the tension that had started building when Percy had asked about Zia's family. "No, no you don't."

"Then let us go and wake her."

So they did, Percy followed close behind Zia as they made their way to the occupied bed, where Sadie was asleep, curled up, hair falling into her face.

Percy glanced at Zia and stepped back slightly- and a second later the older girl was tipping the bucket over Sadie's head, and Percy felt laughter bubble past her lips as Sadie shrieked loudly and shot up, flailing, almost falling out of the bed in her panic.

"What the hell?!" the older girl almost screamed the words, pushing her soaked hair out of her face and glaring at Percy and Zia.

"It is time to get up Sadie." Zia's face was somehow perfectly straight- honestly Percy was impressed. She definitely couldn't keep her face straight, she was almost doubled over she was laughing so hard.

"I hate you both so much." Sadie growled the words, "Was that really necessary?"

"No." Zia admitted, "But I felt it was appropriate-"

"Appropriate my ass." Sadie grumbled the words, "I'm soaking. And stop laughing Percy it's not funny."

"You'd be laughing if she'd done it to me."

That made Sadie pause and she gave a small nod of acknowledgement. "I would- if I thought it would bother you." she admitted. "And I'd do it to carter too honestly."

"See, it's normal." Percy gave Sadie a small grin- and she got one in return that made Percy feel a bubble of hope- Sadie was definitely warming up to her bit by bit- maybe if they weren't as close as sisters they could at least be friends.

Then Zia was tossing Sadie the clothes along with a towel, "We will be meeting your brother in the cleansing room."

"I just got a bath thank you very much." Sadie snarked, "What I need is a proper breakfast."

"The cleansing prepares you for magic." Zia slung her bag over her shoulder and unfolded the long black staff "If you survive, we'll see about food."

Percy could see the incredulous look on Sadie's face and she gave the older girl a reassuring grin, "You'll be fine Sadie."

"We shall see."

"Does she want me to slap her?" Sadie grumbled as she made short work of drying off and getting changed into the fresh clothes, and as soon as she was done they followed Zia out of the room, Percy automatically moving so that she was stood next to Sadie as they wove their way through an endless series of tunnels, and after what felt like ages to Percy- though it was probably only half an hour or so, they came to a chamber with a roaring waterfall. There was no ceiling, just a shaft above us that seemed to go up forever. Water fell from the darkness into a fountain, splashing over a five-meter-tall statue of Thoth. The water cascaded over his head, collected in his palms, then spilled out into the pool.

Carter was already there, stood beside the fountain dressed in his own fresh set of clothes, clutching their dads workbag over his shoulder with his sword strapped to his back- and Percy could tell from one look that he hadn't slept well- but as soon as his eyes focused on the two girls some of the tension vanished from his shoulders- and he knew Percy well enough that he was holding out his arms in time for Percy to crash into him, wrapping her arms around him tightly as he lifted her he hugged her so hard.

"Thank god you're here, both of you." he looked over Percy's shoulder at Sadie, "I didn't like you two being away from me last night I was worried."

"You were worried about both of us?" Sadie sounded almost shocked and Carter gave her a wounded look.

"You're my sister too- why are you looking at me like that."

"I-" Sadie shook her head, "It doesn't matter. How did you sleep?"

"Badly. I'll...I'll tell you both about it later." Carter ruffled Percy's hair when she tilted her head upwards slightly and gave him a worried look "How did you
guys sleep?"

"I-" Sadie paused, and for a brief moment she looked sheepish before she shrugged. "Tell you about it later?"

Carter gave a small nod- it was an automatic thing it seemed, the only people they could fully trust right now were one another. "Of course, and you Percy?"

"I slept fine." Percy paused, remembering that voice she'd heard, the one that had sung her to sleep. "Took a while for me to get to sleep but I slept fine."

And as they spoke Zia was moving towards a nearby cabinet, from which she brought out two ceramic cups, which she dipped into the fountain before turning back towards the three Kanes and holding them out, "Here, drink."

"Uh-" Sadie glanced at Carter, "After you."

"It's only water." Zia was clearly resisting the urge to roll her eyes, "It's been purified by contact with Thoth. It will focus your mind."

"Go on guys, I don't think Zia would kill you two and not me." Percy gave a cheeky grin, "She knows I'd totally kick her butt."

"You're a brat Percy." Carter laughed, but it soothed his worries, and Sadie's too because both of them took the cups and drained them.