PERI'S POV

"Frank, why do you let him talk to you like that?" I demanded.

He blinked, surprised. "W-what? You mean Leo?" He rubbed the back of his head. "It's okay, I don't-"

"No, it's not okay, Frank." I shook my head. "You're sixteen, and Leo's fifteen! Don't let him embarrass you like that."

Frank's face began to redden just at the memory of what had happened to him earlier, and I continued.

"Especially not what he and Hazel-" I stopped myself, shaking my head violently.

I wouldn't - no, I couldn't be the one to tell Frank about whatever it was Leo and Hazel had going on. My throat got tight at just the thought of them together, and I felt like throwing myself over the ship to puke. Frank was too nice. Frank was too sweet. He was too soft for what they were doing to him behind his back.

It was going to hurt him when he found out. But I was most definitely not about to tell him myself.

Frank frowned. "What about Leo and Hazel?"

Shit.

"Nothing," I said quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly.

Frank crossed his eyes like he was trying to look at his nose, but then apparently gave up because he just sighed. A long, drawn out, exhausted sigh. A sigh that only a demigod would be able to do justice.

A sigh that broke my heart.

I looked at Frank. And I mean really looked at him. I realized that he and I had never really spent much time alone. I'd never really gotten to know who he was or where he came from. His story. I looked at him, and at first glance I just saw a buff Asian boy with a buzz-cut and tired eyes. But then I really looked into those eyes.

Frank Zhang was exhausted.

Physically, mentally, emotionally. All of his features were drooped and sagging, as if he'd run out of enough juice to keep things running their usual tight shift. His eyes were dull and hollow like he'd seen enough in his day, and he was only a teenager. He had heavy dark circles under his eyes, and I could tell he hadn't been sleeping much.

"Peri," He spoke my name suddenly, and I jolted back to reality. "Thank you. Thank you for at least defending me before, back when. . You know."

I nodded once. "No problem, Frank." I sighed heavily. "I want you to take care of yourself, okay?"

He gave me a weak, unsure smile. "Okay. I will. Thank you." His words had an undertone of finality, and I could tell our conversation was over. I just hope I gave him something to think about.

Frank's footsteps slowly fading away still lingered in my mind as I watched the sun setting. It was fighting exhaustion as it held onto the horizon like a vice grip. Fighting a losing battle.

I wonder if this war is a losing battle.

I fingered the golden ring my father had given me anxiously. It had been years since Camp Jupiter. It had been decades. So much had happened. So much was still to come. My heart raced at the thought of Gaea and her giants, foes who actually weren't that far off from us now. From what the others had said, they were a serious threat and not to be taken lightly. What if we weren't ready? What if we didn't save the world? What if we failed?

What a wonderful first quest this is turning out to be.

The sky grew darker and darker as I became more and more lost in my own thoughts. The wind was picking up, and the late summer air was thick and muggy.

My ears perked up as I heard the soft padding of shoes against the wooden deck.

What did Frank want now? I was busy thinking, and who knows when that will come along again-

"Hey, Peri, you got a second?"

My chest swelled with a sudden intake of breath. Every cell in my body was newly awakened, alert and focused. I knew that voice. It was the only voice that could make my heart rate speed up and my brain waves slow down at the same time. It was smooth and deep and sometimes rolled its R's in the most exotic way.

Leo.

I stared straight ahead, trying to level my breathing. Remember, you're mad at him.

"Hmm?" I hummed, attempting to act casual. "Oh, yeah, sure, whatever."

Leo moved to the railing beside me, overlooking the deep purple shade that was the early evening sky. He stayed that way for quite some time, and I wondered what was going on in that curly head of his. And then finally, he spoke.

"Peri, are you okay?"

I blink-flinched, surprised. Then realization hit me. I stared at Festus's bronze hide. "Is this because of the Frank thing?"

I could hear his frown in his voice. "No. You've just been acting weird lately, is all. Like, you were. . . like you were mad or something." He makes a face as if the word itself leaves a bad taste in his mouth. As if he never thought that he'd use the word to describe me.

I was glaring at the dragon figurehead now. "I wasn't mad. I was just. . . put off because of the way you were talking about Frank in front of everyone-"

"No." He said sharply, and I was aware of our voices rising in volume. "You were acting like this before too when we were in the engine room with Hazel-"

Why does he have to bring her up?!

I spun around to face him and cried, "I bet you didn't even realize you were being such an asshole to him! Frank-"

"Oh my gods, could you say, think, or feel anything besides Frank for five fucking seconds?!" He yelled into my face. His face was bright red, and his voice was strained.

"W-what?" I breathed, my voice suddenly going soft on me.

He shook his head, backing away from me. "Never mind, just forget it. I just. ." He looked straight into my eyes and shook his head again. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay and. . . and to tell you that I missed it."

"Missed it?" I furrowed my brows. "Missed what?"

But he was already turning away from me, retreating to wherever it was he would lurk to, his face still hot as his flames.

And then the phrase left his lips, so softly I almost didn't catch it. But the wind grabbed his words and handed them to me, carefully, trustingly, in hopes that I'd take them and run. In hopes that I'd take his words and make something out of it. Powerful, but simple, this boy's words. And I have the wind to thank for giving them to me, for his words sent a shiver down my spine.

"I missed your smile."