XIX JASON

THE EXPLODING WINE CUP was eventually considered one of the better parts of the quest, which Jason found highly discouraging.

Percy, Frank and Hazel returned around an hour after they left, which was surprising since most mini-missions took up the entire day. (Well, at least if they failed at saving the world they could prove they learned time management!) Thanatos's black fire was stored along with the orange flame Hestia gave them in Delphi up in the medical bay. Leo assured them they were both strapped down firmly with no chance of falling and shattering open by accident. Jason was glad for this, since he didn't like the idea of a black all-consuming, pain-bringing-eternally inferno slipping around the ship unattended and unsecured.

Percy also instructed Leo to set sail for some place called Thessaloniki, which was harder to pronounce than read. It was also a solid eight hours away from where they were. Jason hoped their sidetracked mini-missions shortened up eventually, or else the Feast of Spes would come to pass and they'd still be frantically running around Greece trying to appease gods with noble tasks of worth.

(Ugh.)

But there was something else bothering him. He had a dream (Jason hated dreams—they were all either nightmares, awful premonitions of the future, or had annoying Greek/Roman gods in command, which was actually a very disturbing notion), and in his dream he saw Reyna, Nico and Coach Hedge. They still weren't at camp, although in the morning they would have exactly six days until the Feast of Spes. Nico looked so pale and weak Jason was surprised he was still able to hold his head up. But of course he insisted on keep going.

Reyna seemed a little more shut up than usual. The death of Scipio seemed to drive home the fact that they were at war, and there was no such thing as a war without sacrifices and casualties. At least Coach seemed the same.

"This really sucks," he was telling Reyna as he helped her bring some kindling for a fire to their camp. Jason could tell it was around nine at night by the sunset colours that managed to penetrate the thick canopy of the forest they were in. A little ahead Jason could make out the pale silhouette of the Athena Parthenos lying on her side. Three trees had already valiantly sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of having enough space for her. "When I signed up for this quest, I didn't know there wouldn't be any television involved."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," Reyna replied expressionlessly. She didn't bother face the satyr. Jason felt a little bad for him. Coach was doing his best to lighten the mood; although a better description would be that he was trying to push back the thick blanket of misery and gloom from where it had already fallen down into Tartarus, all with absolutely no results.

"Hey, I'm just saying there's a Jackie Chan marathon playing right now on some Greek TV station, and I would so much rather much be sitting on a couch watching it than be here in the middle of nowhere with two grumpy-pants—" He stopped walking.

"Coach?" Reyna asked cautiously. When he didn't reply, she repeated a little more forcefully, "Hedge!"

He turned to face her, dead serious. "We're being hunted. Half a mile away from the east: half a dozen Cyclops with twice as many hellhounds on leash." He shook his head to himself. "Hellhounds hate being on leash."

Reyna nodded, dropping her kindling. "We have to go," she announced, reaching for the blade at her side. "You think Nico will be able to shadowtravel just yet?"

Hedge was about to reply, but instead came back with several more unsettling statistics. "There are more. Advancing through the west, hoping to corner us."

Reyna gritted her teeth. "I hate this," she grumbled. "C'mon, goat, we have to get back to Nico and the statue."

The two of them raced off.

Jason wanted to know more. He wanted to find out what had happened to them, but his dream shifted into some nightmare of washing a bandit's feet and falling off a cliff. (Yes, he still had nightmares about that. You would too.) But he was certain they had gotten away. Reyna was smart and strong. They had to be okay.

The city of Thessaloniki came into view. "Do we have any idea of what we're looking for in this place anyway?" Leo asked as he parked the ship above a large white tower overlooking the Thermaic Gulf. Jason thought the view looked particularly nice.

"We're looking for a goddess of sorts," Percy explained, remembering.

"That might be easier said than done," said Annabeth. "After Athens, Thessaloniki is the largest city in Greece."

"How do you say that without messing up?" Leo asked, still fiddling around with the controls. "Thessaloniki. Te-sa-lo-ni-ki. It's a freaking tongue twister."

"How about this?" Jason suggested. "Percy, Hazel and Frank can stay since they just left on a mission, and I can go with two others." He looked over at Annabeth, Piper and Leo expectantly. They glanced among themselves. Finally, Annabeth volunteered herself.

"I can go," she offered.

"I'd like to," Piper started, "but if we get directions from this goddess over here we'll still be short one person. I want to see if Katoptris will show me anything."

Leo sighed. "Dang it, Piper, now I've gotta go on the mini-quest. Thanks a lot."

-o-O-o-

"I hate mini-quests," Leo announced.

"They're not all bad," Jason panted as the three demigods hid behind an alley, catching their breath. Annabeth peered around the corner to see if they were still being followed.

"Oh, yeah? Name one."

Jason tried to think, but none came to mind. He decided not to reply.

"I think we're okay," Annabeth announced, returning. Her hair had previously been in a ponytail, but it was now let loose around her shoulders, the elastic having been cut off by an exceedingly sharp sword-tip. Her hair had also lost an inch for the cause. "Those monsters just crossed onto a different street."

"You sure it's safe?" Leo asked.

"Positive," Annabeth affirmed, then thought about it. "Sixty percent sure. Maybe fifty-four."

"Good enough," Jason decided, and the three demigods cautiously crept out of the alleyway. Annabeth kept her dagger unsheathed. Jason glanced behind them every so often to make sure they weren't being followed. Some of Leo's hair caught on fire.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"I have no clue," Annabeth admitted. "But we'll figure it out. Let's go."

-o-O-o-

"They're back," announced Leo, looking over his shoulder every three seconds. "Do we keep walking and hope they don't see us?"

The two monsters looked away from the alleyway they were searching and right at them. One of them licked its eyeballs. Lovely.

"Just run," Annabeth decided, and they broke into a sprint. As they passed by it, Jason knocked over a fruit stand, hoping it would slow the monsters down. People shouted in alarm. A baby started crying.

"Don't worry, this is just history in the making!" Leo called to them.

"Follow me!" Annabeth shouted, and she dove around a partially deserted street corner. They heard roars of anger behind them.

In a house ahead of them, a girl emerged from the side door, holding a basket of apples. She couldn't have been older than eleven. At that moment she happened to look up and see them. Her eyes widened and she put down her apples, beckoning them to come.

"Quick!" the girl hissed. Jason knew it was dangerous to, but the three demigods sprinted over anyway, glancing over their shoulder to make sure they weren't being followed. The girl quickly ushered them inside.

The house was like any other ordinary house. They walked past a dining room that had two creepy abstract paintings hanging on the wall. Jason eyed them nervously. Next was the living room, right beside the kitchen.

"Sit, please," the girl said, gesturing the couch. Cautiously, they did. Jason noticed three more creepy abstract paintings behind him. One of them looked like a monkey with a banana as a head. He didn't understand how that was supposed to make sense.

"You have to be more careful," the girl lectured them, walking into the kitchen. "Thessaloniki is a big city full of robbers and bandits." She turned toward them. "That's who you were running away from, I'd assume."

"Oh, yeah, sure," said Leo. "That's who we were totally running away from… robbers, I mean." He coughed.

"Who are you?" Annabeth asked. "Where are your parents?"

"My parents?" the girl asked, reaching for a cabinet and pulling out four glasses. Jason noticed they were wine cups made of what appeared to be gold. "My parents are busy. They're very important people. I live mostly alone, despite my many siblings." She poured water into the cups and returned with them, giving each of the demigods one and keeping the last.

"Thank you," Jason said, and took a small sip. He realized it wasn't water—it was nectar. He reluctantly swallowed what he had in his mouth and hurriedly put the cup down, seeing Annabeth and Leo doing the same.

"In fact," the girl continued, "my sister is the next goddess you're searching for. And as cupbearer of Olympus, it's my job to lead you down the right path." She took a long drink from her glass, draining the cup in one shot.

"I know you," Annabeth said. "Cupbearer of Olympus… you're Hebe, the goddess of youth."

The girl grinned. "I love it when you guys figure it out," she said.

Jason looked down at his wine cup and wondered why he hadn't made the connection earlier. The symbol hanging in front of cabin eighteen at Camp Half-Blood was a pitcher of nectar and a cake with chocolate icing. (He'd asked.)

"Goddess of youth?" Leo repeated. "No wonder you're so young. Although I think youth means 'pre-adult', not 'tween'."

Hebe turned to him and frowned. "Why are you so rude?" she asked out of the blue.

"Me? Rude?" Leo looked around incredulously. "Hey, I'm sorry, it was just a thought—"

"I do not appreciate sarcasm."

"I didn't even—!"

"You were about to."

"How do you—?"

Leo's wine cup exploded, showering all three demigods in godly beverage. A large clump of it got stuck in Annabeth's hair. Leo was caught with a mouthful full of it, and he started gagging. Jason smeared some across his face until it gathered on his finger, then stuck it in his mouth. The nectar tasted like a Kit Kat.

"Leo, just stop," Annabeth told him.

Hebe seemed exceptionally annoyed at all three of them. "I think we're finished here," she said, standing up and taking the cups that weren't blown into pieces.

"But you haven't told us anything but your name, rank, and hatred of sarcasm!" Jason protested.

Hebe sighed and turned. "My sister waits for you in Crete, with a task only one has ever accomplished. Now go away."

The demigods hurriedly excused themselves to the front door, jogging outside.

"She seemed nice," Leo noted.

"Your drink exploded," Annabeth noted.

He shrugged. "Not even close to one of the worst things immortals have done."


...which is also highly discouraging, Leo.

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