Chapter 5
Hades looked up as his office door opened. Zeus’s old office had not been altered much outside of darkening it using black drapes so that Hades could actually see his paperwork properly. The twins were poking their heads in. Artemis actually looked her brothers age for once as she wasn’t using her usual girl form. They both looked in their early twenties.
“Uncle” they greeted nervously
“Come in” He put his pen down giving them his full attention. They squirmed a little.
“My Oracle… she’s…”
“The Prophecy of the seven has started then.” Hades said with a sigh.
Apollo nodded
“Even my clear-sighted has seen parts of it. Luna is concerned but not at the same time.” Artemis stated
“Understandably” Hades stated standing. “Come, we need to call the council. If the seven are being called to arms, we need to prepare.” The twins followed Hades out as nymphs sent out word on their King’s command.
The Throne Room filled as each god and goddess made their way to the room. When the twelve Olympians sat on their thrones, they were ready. A few seemed to be buzzing as they knew something was up. Hades reached out and stilled his brother’s leg where it was jittering from nerves. Hades knew why too.
“So, what brings this on? No audience of the lesser gods?” Ares complained
“This is something we cannot bring to the others until we know everything for sure.” Hades stated then sighed “The Prophecy of the Seven has started once more.”
“Wait, I thought we managed to prevent it during the Civil War? That was the last time it was even close to starting. That’s why we separated the camps.” Athena stated
“We did manage to prevent it the last time. This time we will not be capable of that.” Apollo stated disturbed “It’s been locked in. It will happen.”
There was a room full of muttering and whispers.
“This is to our advantage.” Hades stated silencing them all “We are at our strongest in years, we are not infighting half as badly as we usually are, and we aren’t dealing with Zeus’s horrific habit of putting things off until he can no longer ignore it.” There was some snickering at that or agreements of this fact.
“How do we know it’s locked in?” Hestia asked looking at Apollo
Apollo looked at Hades. Hades sighed leaning back on his throne “Because Hera seems to have put in the base work for it all.”
“That Bitch is still messing with us?” Persephone demanded looking utterly pissed. As a Daughter of Zeus, she’d suffered their former queen’s jealousy and rage.
“Worse then normal yes. She’s already interfered with three of the seven to make them of the seven.” Hades explained “The dead informed me of that.” Hades wasn’t impressed, none of the council was. “Now, she seems to be back in some form.”
“Back?” Artemis yelled horrified jumping to her feet
“You Said she was Dead!”
“This isn’t happening.”
May of the gods were getting to their feet to yell at each other, to physically blame each other for her reawakening.
“Let me explain” Hades said with a deflating sigh, causing the arguments to stop and everyone to look at him. “Hera in her full form is dead. Which unfortunately means this isn’t Hera so much as Juno. When I became king we very much disconnected rather badly with our Roman counterparts. I believe that Juno has given sanctuary to this fragment of Hera.” The gods sat down and settled “Which unfortunately has caused a whole slew of problems in it’s wake.”
Poseidon’s leg had gone back to bouncing as his fingers were tapping out a sea shanty too fast for its original tune.
“What’s happened?” Demeter asked holding her daughter’s hand for comfort, hers or Persephone’s they weren’t sure.
“My son is missing. I haven’t been able to contact him or even find his dreams.” Poseidon stated “I can’t find the reason.”
Hades put a hand on Poseidon’s arm. “I think I know what’s happened.” The Olympians all looked to their king. “Juno has swapped two heroes. A Son of Zeus is at Camp Half-blood.”
“Zeus had another son?” Hermes threw up his arms in frustration. “Just Great!”
“Why can’t that Bastard keep it in his pants for a century?” Came a gripe from Hephaestus.
Hades mildly ignored the disruptions. “Technically, he’s the Son of Jupiter. He was a leader of the Roman’s Camp Jupiter. Hera, I suspect, as does my daughter who brought this to my attention last night, plans to swap leaders of the camps forcing their hands. Dionysus has also confirmed the boy’s parentage and Hera’s interference.”
“If this is handled wrong, we will have another civil war on our hands.” Athena complained
“That’s good, isn’t it? Prove we Greeks are better.” Ares stated grinning
“No Ares, it means the giants will take us out while our Heroes are infighting” Athena snapped at him.
“Were you aware of this Son of Jupiter?” Poseidon asked
“Yes” Hades stated “More then I should.”
Aphrodite giggled. “What’s in your knickers this time?” Demeter snapped at her
“Oh, it’s just that the Son of Jupiter is in love with the young Prince of the Underworld. They are quite adorable. I can’t wait for the chaos when the little spitfire joins in.” Aphrodite explained visibly excited “Though I do pity my daughter, Juno tried to fit her and young Jason together but it won’t work, not in the long run.”
“You know about this?” Hestia asked
“Yes, My Daughter is fighting my blessing so I’m making it last longer just to annoy her. It also makes the three incredibly easy to track.” Aphrodite was smiling happily at the torment of others.
“Three?” Hephaestus asked
“Yes, your son is on a quest with my daughter and the Son of Jupiter. Did you just go back to you’re forge after claiming him?”
“I was in the middle of something important and had the three minutes to spare.” Hephaestus argued blushing slightly
“They are on route to Boreas the North wind” Aphrodite stated
“That is part of the reason we are meeting without the lesser gods.” Hades stated “If the Prophecy of the Seven is starting that means the Giants and ‘Her’ are going to try and kill us again. She will no doubt try to turn lesser gods from us. While Zeus and Hera are no longer here pissing them off, we still need to see who has turned to ‘her’ side. We need to do this discreetly. Meaning send your trusted seconds or thirds.” The Olympians were nodding in understanding.
“And my son?” Poseidon was stressing out even more.
“We can only wait.” Hades stated softly hurting for his brother. “Once Juno releases her hold on him, we will bring him home. Then you can do as you please with her.”
“For the quest. How much are we allowed to interfere?” Aphrodite asked
“I want to know too” Hephaestus stated leaning forward.
Hades rubbed his forehead “We must let them do their own quest. Minimal intervention. Try not to freak them out too badly, but they must succeed. And Aphrodite, do not play your little games with them until after they are finished their quest.”
“I know” Aphrodite looked annoyed then she looked wistful “No, I only need to break my daughter’s heart, that is how she will understand. She must get stronger.”
“I must also as your King inform you all of another problem. There has been a break out in the Fields of Punishment.” Hades stated
“This is why you should not hold two Kingdoms” Athena argued.
“It was because I was looking at the spaces created by those using the Mist that I found out at all. Something Zeus never paid attention to.” Hades sighed “The place was called Medea's Department Store. Run by the Princess of Colchis. There was only one person that fits that description.”
“Yes” Aphrodite said looking annoyed “I remember her.”
“Oh yes, wasn’t that the priestess you used to piss off Hecate?” Demeter asked smirking
“Enough.” Hades called them to order before they could get out of control “I still don’t know who else has escaped. I am also sure that even if I was in my kingdom, I wouldn’t have been able to stop it. Our Grandmother is getting ready for something, and we all know she is where our father, Zeus and Hera got their nastier traits from. We need to keep an eye out for others that have deep grudges against us, as they will take them out on our children. I will be looking into who else is missing.”
“Might I interfere with any demi-gods that fall into Medea’s traps? She is my fault.” Aphrodite asked
“Yes, I expect you to” Hestia stated like a stern mother “There was hints from the Fates that your daughter will encounter her, she needs to see what your gift to the girl can do.”
“You gave this one Charmspeak?” Hephaestus growled
“Oh, like you didn’t give the little imp your fire abilities!” Aphrodite snapped actually arguing like the married couple they were.
“Enough. We all got the hints that the seven were coming. We were preparing in case of. How about we all just admit it?”
A few hung their heads “Yes, King Hades.”
“Good. Now, we need to make preparations for the giants. We will need to figure out how to work with our children to defeat them.” Hestia stated “after all Hera and Zeus’s banes no longer have counterparts in our Pantheon.”
“What about Dionysus? Shouldn’t one of the Giants be to replace him instead of me?” Persephone stated curious. There was some blinking as they then looked at Hestia who didn’t even have a counterpart.
“Our Grandmother is going to hate us…” Demeter stated leaning back. There was some giggling and snickering at that.
“And Percy?”
“Uncle, I’ll have my hunters keeping an eye out for him. They are in the middle of a hunt right now, so they are out and about.”
“I believe the Princess and Prince of the Underworld are also all too content to keep a soul tracker active.” Apollo stated smiling glancing at Hades “They are both fond of him.”
Hades nodded “The moment we find him, you will know.”
Poseidon nodded “then I suggest weapons, something to fit each of the seven. We know of three.”
“Five” Hades stated cringing a little
“Five?”
“Percy, Jason, this Piper girl, Hephaestus’s son Leo. And I… might have raised one of them from the dead last year…”
“Hades!” came from more the one sibling.
Hestia sighed “A roman?”
“Yes, she’s of the wealth side of my counterpart’s traits. She died delaying our grandmother right before the second world war started.”
Ares burst out laughing “That’s why you agreed to return a few of the heroes. You knew this was coming.”
“I had my suspicions yes.” Hades admitted “But I wasn’t sure until now that she would be needed.”
The other gods chuckled or shook their heads.
“Any other surprises we should know about?” Hermes asked annoyed
“None that come to mind.”
“Brother…. Do you think he’ll be fine?” Poseidon asked quietly after the meeting adjourned. They were standing in the middle of the Throne Room.
“He is a strong demi-god. Not even Juno or Hera can wash off the curse of Achilles. Only the Tiber can do that. He must be washed in the waters; it cannot be water from the river.”
“That is a small relief.” Poseidon looked at his brother with hope in his eyes but concern still the main emotion “If he isn’t…”
Hades put a hand on her brother’s shoulder “He will be fine. All souls come to me; do not think I’m not above bending a few rules for the right reasons. And no, I won’t keep him just to spite you. Zeus would have been a different story.”
Poseidon snorted at the deadpan about Zeus. “I will see what godly weapons my cyclops can create for our children in the mean time. I think I want to make Percy a trident.”
“Try not to go overboard. He’ll need to grow into it.” Hades patted his shoulder and wandered off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Above the Château Frontenac’s massive red brick walls and square tower with it’s peaked, green gabled roof flew Festus with three awake Demi-gods. At the grand entrance the bustling doormen, valets, and porters taking bags. Sleek black luxury cars idled in the drive. People in elegant suits and winter cloaks hurried to get out of the cold all ignored the Tourist Helicopter flying above them. Boreal owls that roosted in the tower were such a common sight no one really looked at them anymore when they came out to see whatever flew too close to their nests.
The mortals didn’t see the two former companions of the Original Jason and some of the last living members of the Argonauts being convinced of the need for an emergency landing by Piper’s still mostly undiscovered Charmspeak. The only thing they saw was that damned Tourist helicopter getting way too close to the ground and spewing oil out it’s undercarriage. They saw the Helicopter fly past the hotel and vanish into the sudden cloud cover.
In reality which wasn’t manipulated by the mist, the three Demi-gods were following the ‘angry angels’ as Leo wanted to call them, but were actually the Boreads Zethes and Calais, into an entrance of The North Wind Boreas’s palace.
The three Demi-gods were all uncomfortable in different ways inside the entry hall with its forty feet high vaulted ceilings, huge draped windows, and lush oriental carpets that crunched under their feet. A staircase at the back of the room led up to another equally massive hall, and more corridors branched off to the left and right. But the ice made the room’s beauty a little frightening. A fine layer of frost covered the furniture. The curtains didn’t budge because they were frozen solid, and the ice-coated windows let in weird watery light from the sunset. Even the ceiling was furry with icicles. As for the stairs, they were covered in so much ice that they looked precarious.
Piper was stunned by the size of the place, trying to figure out how this place seemed bigger then it should be. “Magic” Jason answered, knowing that fact but not remembering why he knew that answer as if this didn’t phase him anymore, used to these thoughts. Piper and Leo didn’t have that luxury. But Leo was too much of a go with the flow person to care.
The two teenager-looking Boreads that had the same sense of fashion and personalities of teenagers were being scrutinized as much as they were scrutinizing. Cal was obviously a true Hockey jock, while Zethes looked like an 80 hairband reject who thought he was god’s gift to women all with Purple wings out their backs and icy white hair.
Zethes seemed to have a massive thing for Piper, Cal really wanted to destroy things. Jason had confused them and that took a fair bit of runaround explaining, in a way only Demi-gods in their oddities could do and make sense of. Leo put them on edge and Leo didn’t understand why until he turned Festus into an extremely heavy rollie luggage while mentioning how he’d found it and other strange buttons on him when he was repairing the dragon. It was then revealed to everyone that Leo was Fire oriented, he was fire, meaning he clashed with the ice being that were the North wind’s court.
That’s when they learned that Jason was being watched for. “Watching for?” Leo asked just that little bit faster then the others. “You mean like in a good way: you’ll shower him with fabulous prizes? Or watching for like in a bad way: he’s in trouble?”
A girl’s voice said, “That depends on my father’s will.” They all turned to see a young woman that looked like she was carved by a master out of stone but had the look of snow. Her lush black hair and coffee brown eyes were the only colour on her as her white silk gown only stood out due to it being so clearly white. This was Khione, The Greek Goddess of Snow.
She focused on Leo with no expression, no smile, no friendliness. As cold as her domain. Before sweeping her eyes to Piper and Jason understanding the situation without anymore words, the two demi-gods felt like they might be dissected by this woman if they stayed here too long. “Father will want to see the one called Jason,” the girl said.
“Then it is him?” Zethes asked excitedly.
“We’ll see,” the girl said. “Zethes, bring our guests.”
They all started moving. Leo wanting to stick to the others as something in the back of his mind told him while this girl was absolutely gorgeous, she had nothing on Nico’s cuteness or Jason’s warmth. Only he was stopped with a look.
“Not you, Leo Valdez,” she said. In the back of all their minds, they wondered how she knew his name.
“Why not?” He sounded like a whiny kindergartner, but he couldn’t help it. Piper and Jason couldn’t blame him either they would probably have done the same in this situation.
“You cannot be in the presence of my father,” the girl said. “Fire and ice—it would not be wise.”
“We’re going together,” Jason insisted, putting his hand on Leo’s shoulder, He felt he needed to reassure Leo, even if he wanted to put his hand a lot lower. “Or not at all.”
Khione tilted her head, not used to people refusing her orders. “He will not be harmed, Jason Grace, unless you make trouble. Calais, keep Leo Valdez here. Guard him, but do not kill him.”
Cal pouted. “Just a little?”
“No,” Khione insisted. “And take care of his interesting suitcase, until Father passes judgment.”
Jason and Piper looked at Leo, silently asking ‘How do you want to play this?’ They would go by his choice even if it meant having wasted a day, they wouldn’t abandon him, they couldn’t, not when he was that friend that kept them from going insane. Leo felt a surge of gratitude over the fact they were ready to fight for him. They watched the conflict on his face, of his wanting to go with them and not be left alone. On the other hand, he felt the fear of these people just like the other two. They didn’t want to be separated but they also needed to complete this quest.
The quest and fear won out over false bravo and curiosity “It’s fine, guys,” Leo said. “No sense causing trouble if we don’t have to. You go ahead.”
“Listen to your friend,” Khione said. “Leo Valdez will be perfectly safe. I wish I could say the same for you, Son of Zeus. Now come, King Boreas is waiting.”
Leo was left unhappily in the entry hall with his Festus rollie luggage and Cal the Hockey Jock. Meanwhile Jason and Piper were starting to come to the realization that Cal the Hockey jock might have been safer to hang out with rather then follow the ice princess, up the stairs while the disco-reject followed them with his sword out waiting for them to make a false move so he could turn them into popsicles.
Jason’s mind was running and circles and he felt like a lost child who didn’t know what he needed. He was terrified he’d lead them all into a trap. He reached out without thinking for Piper’s hand seeing a different girl with a long braid who he’d done this with for comfort and reassurance on both their parts.
The sudden pain in his head was what made him jerk from the burning cold. He let go of Piper’s hand to see his fingers were smoking with frost. So were Piper’s. He saw the cold look on Khione’s face.
“Warmth is not a good idea here,” the princess advised, “especially when I am your best chance of staying alive. Please, this way.”
Piper gave him a nervous frown like, ‘What was that about?’ Jason didn’t have an answer. Zethes poked him in the back with his icicle sword, and they followed the princess down a massive hallway decked in frosty tapestries. They walked down what seemed like a massive never-ending hallway which gave the two Demi-gods far too long to get lost in their own heads, freezing winds blew back and forth, their thoughts moved almost as fast.
Piper was trapped doing circles about her dad and what she knew but couldn’t bring herself to say. Jason was going in circles about his sister and his deep resentment for Hera and Juno. Then there was the guilt of dragging Nico along with his issues while wanting Leo too. Piper snapped out of her mind first seeing the circles Jason was going in.
“Hey.” Piper touched his arm. “You still with me?”
“Yeah … yeah, sorry.” Jason smiled ever so slightly at her… she reminded him of someone else he’d thought of as a friend. The Blessing was showing no signs of fading, the braid that seemed so similar to that severe expression faded gently to the gold ribbons and braids that went with Piper’s expressive face. He cringed as the pain slammed his head again. Hera apparently didn’t want him making these connections… there was something waiting for him… a girl that he had been close to.
“Jason?” Piper sounded concerned. This seemed to peak Khione’s interest in him.
“It hurts trying to remember things…” Jason finally admitted softly.
“Is this why you don’t remember more?” Piper asked quietly.
Jason nodded that’s when they arrived at the end of the hallway. They found themselves in front of a set of oaken doors carved with a map of the world. In each corner was a man’s bearded face, blowing wind. A familiar map, this one altered so all the winds were Winter, blowing ice and snow from every corner of the world.
The princess turned. Her brown eyes glittered, and Jason felt like he was a Christmas present she was hoping to open. Piper bristled at the look seeing something else and feeling jealous of it. Just like she did every time she saw Jason with Nico and how natural it seemed when neither were thinking about it.
“This is the throne room,” she said. “Be on your best behavior, Jason Grace. My father can be … chilly. I will translate for you, and try to encourage him to hear you out. I do hope he spares you. We could have such fun.” Jason and Piper both guessed this girl’s definition of fun was not the same as theirs.
“Um, okay,” he managed. “But really, we’re just here for a little talk. We’ll be leaving right afterward.”
Khione smiled. “I love heroes. So blissfully ignorant.”
Piper rested her hand on her dagger. “Well, how about you enlighten us? You say you’re going to translate for us, and we don’t even know who you are. What’s your name?”
The Goddess sniffed with distaste mostly at how Piper was not her interest but was giving her lip. Khione, daughter of Boreas, goddess of snow. Introduced herself while complaining about not getting the recognition she deserved because Greece had been too warm. Even showing off a little.
Only then did the oaken doors blew open, and cold blue light spilled out of the room. Both demi-gods were wishing for Festus’s warmth at this point. The entrance hall had been cold. They walking into a throne room that was closer to a meat locker then anything else, just without the meat. Instead, it was exactly what anyone would imagine an ice themed throne room would be, with a layer of snow covered the floor, so Jason and Piper had to step carefully. All around the room stood life-size ice sculpture warriors, from every era, all frozen in various attack positions. Piper grabbed Jason’s arm on impulse as the two Greek spearmen they tried to walk between moved, their joints cracking and spraying ice crystals as they crossed their javelins to block the path. The room was long and misty, the other side shrouded in said mist
From the far end of the hall, a man’s voice rang out in a French, he recognized it from the wedding… wedding? but whatever the man said, the ice guards uncrossed their javelins. “It’s fine,” Khione said. “My father has ordered them not to kill you just yet.”
“Super,” Jason muttered and Piper was frowning.
Zethes prodded him in the back with his sword. “Keep moving, Jason Junior.”
“Please don’t call me that.”
“My father is not a patient man,” Zethes warned, “and the beautiful Piper, I hope you make a lovely impression.”
“Thanks,” Piper grumbled actually seriously annoyed the blessing still wasn’t fading even a little bit... she was still all gorgeous and hating every minute of it. She wanted to pull out her dagger and hoped it might have faded even a little. She’d done so before they’d landed much to Jason’s amusement.
The mist finally parted when they got close enough to reveal a man on an ice throne. He was sturdily built, dressed in a stylish white suit that seemed woven from snow, with dark purple wings that spread out to either side. His long hair and shaggy beard were encrusted with icicles, his hair was either gray or just white with frost. His arched eyebrows made him look angry, but his eyes twinkled more warmly than his daughter’s, the god had a sense of humor buried somewhere under the permafrost.
They exchanged greeting, the God of the winter wind was delighted with Piper as she naturally followed the entire conversation. It was only after a few sentences she learned as a Daughter of Aphrodite she could naturally speak all forms of French as the language of love. Piper was all too pleased to irritate Khione not that anyone but Jason could tell at the moment. She wasn’t sure why the goddess made her bristle but it was like talking to Jane for her. Zethes snorted at his half-sister’s annoyance, and Khione shot him a murderous look. She respected her father but didn’t like what was going on.
Piper was glad Jason was trusting her to control this exchange with the god. Only after a few more exchanges Piper paled out completely unable to translate the situation to Jason.
“Oh, allow me,” Khione said seemingly pleased with herself “My father says he has orders to kill you. Did I not mention that earlier?”
Jason tensed. The king was still smiling amiably, like he’d just delivered great news. “Kill us?” Jason said. “Why?”
“Because,” the king said, in heavily accented English, “my lord Aeolus has commanded it.” Boreas rose. He stepped down from his throne and furled his wings against his back. As he approached, Khione and Zethes bowed. Jason and Piper followed their example. “I shall deign to speak your language,” Boreas said, “as Piper McLean has honored me in mine. Toujours, I have had a fondness for the Children of Aphrodite. As for you, Jason Grace, my master Aeolus would not expect me to kill a son of the late Lord Zeus … without first hearing you out.”
Jason started going into battle mode, figuring out his timing, how Piper was a liability he’d need to protect, and most of all how screwed they were facing so many enemies that much more powerful then him. Now he really wanted Leo and his fire with them. “Aeolus is the master of the winds, right?” Jason asked to buy time to think. “Why would he want us dead?”
“You are demigods,” Boreas said, as if this explained everything. “Aeolus’s job is to contain the winds, and demigods have always caused him many headaches. They ask him for favors. They unleash winds and cause chaos. But the final insult was the battle with Typhon two summers ago…”
Boreas waved his hand, and a sheet of ice like a flat-screen TV appeared in the air. Images of a battle flickered across the surface, two summers ago’s battle of Manhattan that Jason didn’t know about to begin with. Piper was equally as lost looking at the screen, more awed by the screen then the scene playing on it.
“The storm giant, Typhon,” Boreas explained. “The first time the gods defeated him, eons ago, he did not die quietly. His death released a host of storm spirits—wild winds that answered to no one. It was Aeolus’s job to track them all down and imprison them in his fortress. The other gods—they did not help. They did not even apologize for the inconvenience. It took Aeolus centuries to track down all the storm spirits, and naturally this irritated him. Then, two summer’s ago, Typhon was defeated again—”
“And his death released another wave of venti,” Jason guessed. “Which made Aeolus even angrier.”
“C’est vrai,” Boreas agreed.
“But, Your Majesty,” Piper said in an attempt to argue without actually arguing, “the gods had no choice but to battle Typhon. He was going to destroy Olympus! Besides, why punish demigods for that?”
The king shrugged. “Aeolus cannot take out his anger on the gods. They are his bosses, and very powerful. So, he gets even with the demigods who helped them in the war. He issued orders to us: demigods who come to us for aid are no longer to be tolerated. We are to crush your little mortal faces.” There was an uncomfortable silence.
“That sounds … extreme,” Jason ventured. “But you’re not going to crush our faces yet, right? You’re going to listen to us first, ’cause once you hear about our quest—”
“Yes, yes,” the king agreed. “You see, Aeolus also said that a Son of Zeus might seek my aid, and if this happened, I should listen to you before destroying you, as you might—how did he put it? —make all our lives very interesting. I am only obligated to listen, however. After that, I am free to pass judgment as I see fit. But I will listen first. Khione wishes this also. It may be that we will not kill you.”
Jason felt like he could almost breathe again. “Great. Thanks.”
“Do not thank me.” Boreas smiled. “There are many ways you could make our lives interesting. Sometimes we keep demigods for our amusement, as you can see.” He gestured around the room to the various ice statues.
Piper made a strangled noise as she realized what could actually happen now that she was a part of this chaos. There was bickering between the icy siblings as they learned that these statues were like play things to these immortals.
“Please, Jason Grace, entertain us.”
Jason felt his brain shutting down. He was spiralling as he knew they were screwed and he was borderline panicking, Piper would make his wall break down if he looked at her. The situation got worse as Jason’s natural defense and power kicked in when Khione stroked his neck. Electricity sparked along Jason’s skin. There was loud pop, and Khione flew backward, skidding across the floor. Piper let out a surprised noise as she didn’t know he could do that… But then again Jason didn’t know either.
Zethes laughed. “That is good! I’m glad you did that, even though I have to kill you now.”
For a moment, Khione was too stunned to react. Then the air around her began to swirl with a micro-blizzard. “You dare—”
“Stop,” Jason ordered, with as much force as he could muster, a familiar growl from the shadows seemed to build up his courage. “You’re not going to kill us. And you’re not going to keep us. We’re on a quest for the Queen of the Gods herself, so unless you want Hera busting down your doors, you’re going to let us go.” He sounded a lot more confident than he felt, but it got their attention. Khione’s blizzard swirled to a stop. Zethes lowered his sword. They both looked uncertainly at their father.
“Hmm,” Boreas said. His eyes twinkled, but Jason couldn’t tell if it was with anger or amusement. “A son of Zeus, favored by a supposedly fallen Hera? This is definitely a first. Tell us your story.”
Jason would’ve botched it right there; his only thought was how they seemed to know Hera wasn’t dead? Was she actually dead? He hadn’t been expecting to get the chance to talk, and now that he could, his voice abandoned him.
Piper saved him, pissed off about the gods and how she’d felt so worthless until that point. “Your Majesty.” She curtsied again with incredible poise, considering her life was on the line. She told Boreas the whole story, from the Grand Canyon to the prophecy, in a clear concise but detailed manner fit to be told. “All we ask for is guidance,” Piper concluded. “These storm spirits attacked us, and they’re working for some evil mistress. If we find them, maybe we can find Hera.”
The king stroked the icicles in his beard. Night had fallen bathing the room in aurora borealis. Boreas was annoyed with his daughter for holding news about the giants rising from him. He even warned the demi-gods ‘The final battle is yet to come, and the one who will wake is more terrible than any Titan. Storm spirits are only beginning. The earth has many more horrors to yield up. When monsters no longer stay in Tartarus, and souls are no longer confined to Hades … Olympus has good reason to fear.’
“Please, Your Majesty,” Piper having gotten her emotions under control pulled everyone’s eyes turned toward her. She glowed with warmth in that cold throne room. She planted an idea into the god’s head about telling them where the storm spirits were so that they could capture than, and he would look good in front of his boss.
The princess was the only one that was resistant to the charmspeak. Boreas considered the idea. Jason slipped his hand in his pocket and got ready to bring out the gold coin in case they needed to fight. The movement caught Boreas’s eye. “What is that on your forearm, demi-god?”
Jason’s coat sleeve had gotten pushed up, revealing the edge of his tattoo. Reluctantly, he showed Boreas his marks. The god’s eyes widened, even Piper looked stunned having never seen this ‘Brand’ on his arm. Khione actually hissed and stepped away. She knew what it meant.
Boreas laughed so loudly, an icicle cracked from the ceiling and crashed next to his throne. The god’s form began to flicker. His beard disappeared. He grew taller and thinner, and his clothes changed into a Roman toga, lined with purple. His head crowned with a frosty laurel wreath, and a Roman gladius hung at his side.
“Aquilon,” Jason said, though where he got the god’s Roman name from, he had no idea. It had to be where he got the rest of the information that wasn’t blocked from him.
The god inclined his head. “You recognize me better in this form, yes? And yet you said you came from Camp Half-Blood?”
Jason shifted his feet. “Uh … yes, Your Majesty.”
“And Juno sent you there…” The winter god’s eyes were full of mirth. “I understand now. Oh, she plays a dangerous game. Bold, but dangerous! How Olympus must be trembling at the gamble she has taken.”
“Jason,” Piper said nervously, “why did Boreas change shape? The toga, the wreath. What’s going on?”
“It’s his Roman form,” Jason said. “But what’s going on—I don’t know.”
The god laughed. “No, I’m sure you don’t. This should be very interesting to watch.”
“Does that mean you’ll let us go?” Piper asked confused but hopeful
“My dear,” Aquilon said, “there is no reason for me to kill you. If Juno’s plan fails, which I think it will, you will tear each other apart. Aeolus will never have to worry about demigods again.”
Jason felt as if Khione’s cold fingers were on his neck again, but it was just the feeling that Aquilon was right. That sense of wrongness which had bothered Jason since he got to Camp Half-Blood, and Chiron’s comment about his arrival being disastrous. Aquilon knew what they meant. That look Hari and Nico gave him. “I don’t suppose you could explain?” Jason asked.
“Oh, perish the thought! It is not for me to interfere in Juno’s plan. No wonder she took your memory.” Aquilon chuckled, he spent some time talking to himself admiring how he might finally be part of the center of a quest and a story. Oh, yes, I will let you go on this quest. You will find your storm spirits in the windy city, of course. Chicago—”
“Father!” Khione protested.
Aquilon ignored his daughter. “If you can capture the winds, you may be able to gain safe entrance to the court of Aeolus. If by some miracle you succeed, be sure to tell him you captured the winds on my orders.”
“Okay, sure,” Jason said. “So, Chicago is where we’ll find this lady who’s controlling the winds? She’s the one who’s trapped Hera?”
“Ah.” Aquilon grinned. “Those are two different questions, Son of Jupiter.” Jupiter, Jason noticed. Before, he called him son of Zeus. Piper was completely lost in this conversation. “The one who controls the winds,” Aquilon continued, “yes, you will find her in Chicago. But she is only a servant—a servant who is very likely to destroy you. If you succeed against her and take the winds, then you may go to Aeolus. Only he has knowledge of all the winds on the earth. All secrets come to his fortress eventually. If anyone can tell you where Juno is imprisoned, it is Aeolus. As for who you will meet when you finally find Juno’s cage—truly, if I told you that, you would beg me to freeze you.”
“Father,” Khione protested, only to be shot down bluntly. It was obvious Aquilon and his daughter had some ongoing argument.
This allowed them safely leave the throne room with a bow. Khione and Zethes escorted them back to the entry hall.
Back in the entry hall, Cal and Leo were waiting for them. Leo looked cold but unharmed. He’d even gotten cleaned up, and his clothes looked newly washed. It had actually taken very little to convince Cal to let him clean up, it took considerably more to convince him to let Festus out of his rollie luggage form. But talking hockey and telling the guy bad but funny jokes just about did it, or letting the guy happily yell Hockey at him. Festus was currently, snorting fire over his scales to keep himself defrosted. Cal looked completely unfazed due to one too many hockey concussions. At the bottom of the stairs Khione ‘warned’ Piper. Jason was the one that snarked at her. Insulting her making her speechless at his audacity. She left them in a show of power.
Zethes and Cal tried to warn them, but Jason with an itching feeling that no matter how he thought snow was harmless, he knew better. They just didn’t have time to dwell on it. Zethes left them with a final warning “The winds between here and Chicago are bad-tempered. Many other evil things are stirring.” But nothing truly more.
The hangar doors opened onto a freezing starry night, and Festus the dragon stomped his feet, anxious to fly. They were all anxious to get out of that cold penthouse, even if it might be the most hospitable place they’d see for a while. They all climbed up on Festus and took off.
Jason was explaining most of what happened in the throne room to Leo who needed to know. Piper filling in what needed to be added. They were all quiet as they couldn’t relax until the lights of Quebec City lay behind them. They were all keeping secrets and only Jason had the excuse he couldn’t remember what his were.
They were all quiet even as Leo promptly handed them all sandwiches out of his backpack, even handing Piper a cheese and avocado sandwich. Though finding the gummy worms in his pockets definitely needed some explaining. They only found out about those when he turned to look at them with one in his mouth which made them both burst into giggles… Jason put his head on Piper’s shoulder actually giggling, it was adorable making both Piper and Leo blush as they grinned.
The adrenaline was fading causing Piper to fall asleep. Jason also lightly napped. While Piper was dreaming of her father, Jason was seeing Nico some where dark but he seemed comfortable. He was surrounded by bones almost like he was forming a cage around himself with them.
Nico saw him and smiled “Jason, seems you’ve gone dream wandering.”
Jason felt confused as he floated in front of Nico. “You can see me?”
“Yes, you’re a spirit at the moment. All Children of Hades can see when a demi-god dream wanders. Me more then most. Sis tells me I’m the strongest in that aspect.”
Jason felt like he had to speak. He told Nico about that was going on. Just ranting and float pacing because he couldn’t actually pace. Nico smiled at him the bones changing from a cage to a chaise longue. Jason smiled seeing Nico lounging on the thing relaxed. Jason sighed “I want to kiss you, but I know I can’t like this.”
Nico chuckled “When you get back, hopefully with your memory, I think I’ll indulge you. Wait until you know why… Please.” Nico’s confidence waned, he wanted Jason just as much but without his memories it wasn’t the same and they both knew it. Nico sat up and tucked something into Jason’s pocket. It was a long-polished stick, it was his he knew that. “This should come back naturally.” He was smiling, a happy memory in his eyes.