CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:
HEAR A WHISPER

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

"TOTO, I'VE A FEELING we're not in Kansas anymore," sang Leo, who stood beside Kit at the control panels the next morning. It was earlier than he would've liked to wake up. The sun was slowly creeping into the sky like Apollo was late to taking his Sun Chariot for a spin, but despite this (and the constant threat of danger and impending doom, duh!), everyone was in relatively high spirits.

Well, almost everyone.

As Kit sighed and dropped his head into his hands, Leo began humming the tune of We're off to See the Wizard for what felt like the billionth time since Leo had woken him up with a pillow to the face. It wouldn't have shocked Kit, really, if Leo had been singing the wretched song in his sleep - ever since Kit and Piper had joked about it the night before, even. It was a very Leo thing to do and it drove Kit bonkers.

"Please," he groaned, rubbing his temples and pouting when a fresh-faced Piper walked past with a bagel in hand. Just one glimpse at Kit's deadpan expression and Leo's gleaming eyes as he bobbed his head to the song and she was on the brink of laughter. "Shut up."

The last thing he wanted -- or needed -- was the Wizard of Oz soundtrack stuck on a loop in his head.

"But Christopher," Leo smirked at him. "We're off to see the wizard, aren't we?"

"I'm going to strangle you."

"Would you? Sounds hot."

"Goodbye!"

Leo snorted then, infuriatingly unbothered as he tapped away on his controls. He gazed at Kit's hunched shoulders with a keen sense of fondness as Kit joined Piper and Jason by the railing. Jason nodded at him in greeting; albeit, he was more focused on Piper, who had broken off a piece of her bagel and handed it to Kit.

"A peace offering," she chuckled when he raised an eyebrow at her. She dipped her chin at Leo. "For encouraging that."

"Apology not accepted," Kit huffed, but he took the bagel anyway and Piper seemed more amused than bothered by his moody scowl. She merely grinned, patting him on the shoulder while he chomped away on the pastry.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for everyone else to show up. Percy stood nearby with his arm around Annabeth's shoulder. The blonde girl couldn't contain her smile, and Kit had to admit (begrudgingly so) that it was good to have the old her back. Even if the old Annabeth meant having the metaphorical gum on the bottom of his shoe, aka Percy Jackson, around again too.

Still, Kit could feel his patience being tested when she plucked the last piece of the bagel out of his hand and ate it. He frowned, not-so-subtly glancing at Piper's half, to which she immediately shook her head and shielded it behind her hand.

"Get your own," she said, voice hushed as Annabeth caught their attention.

"So, here we are. What's the plan?"

"To start hiding my food," grumbled Kit.

"I want to check out the highway," Piper said, nudging his arm with a roll of her eyes. "Find the sign that says Topeka 32."

"We shouldn't be far," Leo told her while spinning what looked to be a Wii controller? Kit couldn't be bothered questioning it. "Festus and I calculated the landing as best we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"

Kit was interested to know, too. Piper's explanation was brief, glossing over what she had seen in her knife. Kit listened with furrowed brows. Even though she specifically mentioned a man in Roman purple, he couldn't help but think of one God in particular. One infuriating, blood-boiling God who had a keen (and very much unjustified, if he did say so himself) dislike for Kit.

"Purple shirt? Vines on his hat?" Jason repeated once Piper was finished. "Sounds like Bacchus."

"Dionysus," Percy scoffed. "If we came all the way to Kansas to see Mr D--"

"Please don't speak it into existence," Kit grimaced, dreading just the thought.

"Bacchus isn't so bad," Jason began but he was quickly interrupted by Kit.

"At least try and sound like you believe your own lie."

"Okay, so I don't like his followers much..."

"Does anyone?"

"But the God himself is okay," continued Jason like Kit hadn't spoken. "I did him a favour once up in the wine country."

Both Kit and Percy looked disgusted. The latter shook his head at the blonde boy. "Whatever, man. Maybe he's better on the Roman side."

"Doubt it," muttered Kit under his breath.

"But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didn't Zeus order the Gods to cease all contact with mortals?"

All of a sudden, Frank looked uneasy in his matching blue jumper and tracksuit bottoms. Kit thought he looked ridiculous. From an outsider's perspective, even that of their friends and Kit himself, it was getting increasingly difficult to see any similarities between the two boys. That morning, Frank looked like he was ready to go for a jog in the sunflower fields. Kit, in his usual leather jacket and worn black jeans, looked ready to mow the sunflowers down with a motorbike. Put them side-by-side and you'd never pick them to be brothers.

"The Gods haven't been very good at following that order," said Frank. "Besides, if the Gods have gone schizophrenic like Hazel said-"

"And Leo said," added Leo with a wave of his hand. "Oh, and Kit."

"Then who knows what's going on with the Olympians?" continued the Son of Mars, bulging arms folded across his chest. "Could be some pretty bad stuff out there."

What a shame.

"Sounds dangerous," Leo chuckled. "Well, you guys have fun! I've got to finish repairs on the hull. Coach Hedge is gonna work on the broken crossbows. And, uh, Annabeth? I could really use your help. You're the only other person who even sort of understands engineering."

Annabeth sighed, meeting Percy's eyes as they filled with disappointment. Clearly, he'd been hoping to share a quest together again like old times. "He's right. I should stay and help."

Percy nodded and kissed her lovingly on the cheek. "I'll come back to you. Promise."

Yuck.

"I think I should turn into a crow or something and fly around," Frank said then, sliding his crossbow off his shoulder which he handed to Hazel. "Keep an eye out for Roman eagles."

"Why a crow?" Leo asked, which really wasn't the first thing that would've crossed Kit's mind but okay. "Man, if you can turn into a dragon, why don't you just turn into a dragon every time? That's the coolest."

"We have one dragon too many around here already," Kit huffed, though only Piper and Jason heard him. The three shared an amused laugh, confusing Leo as he glanced at them with a pout.

Frank's face looked like it was being infused with cranberry juice. "That's like asking why you don't bench-press your maximum weight every time you lift. Because it's hard and you'd hurt yourself. Turning into a dragon isn't easy."

"Oh," was Leo's eloquent response. Kit could see him slowly but surely getting on Frank's nerves. "I wouldn't know. I don't lift weights."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you should consider it, Mr--"

Hazel stepped between them. Kit crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows curiously, watching the scene carefully but unsure if he was meant to intervene.

"I'll help you, Frank," she said, shooting Leo a look that made Kit's jaw clench. "I can summon Arion and scout around below."

"Sure," Frank muttered, still glaring at Leo, though his gaze did soften a touch when Hazel's hand grazed his arm. "Yeah, thanks."

Okay, what was going on? What was Kit missing?

"Everything okay there?" Piper leaned in to whisper to him.

He shrugged, clearly hesitant. "Couldn't tell you."

Piper contemplated whether or not to keep pressing, seemingly deciding 'to hell with it' before asking, "Did something happen at Salt Lake?"

He shook his head, and yet, Kit's gut churned like he'd been caught in a lie.

Hazel turned back to Percy, face clearing of any remaining animosity. "Just be careful when you go out there. Lots of fields, lots of crops. Could be karpoi on the loose."

"Karpoi?" Piper frowned.

"Grain spirits. You don't want to meet them."

"Sounds lovely," Kit grimaced.

"I'd hope so," Percy said back, much to his confusion. "That leaves four of us to check on the mile marker. Me, Jason, Piper and you."

"Oh," Kit blinked. Fuck. "Uh, actually, I'm busy."

"Oh, yeah?" Percy scoffed. He obviously didn't believe him. "Doing what?"

"... Okay, yeah, nevermind."

"It's settled then," Percy turned away sternly, as if Kit had already taken up enough of his time. "I'm not psyched about seeing Mr. D again. That guy is a pain. But, Jason, if you're on better terms with him-"

"Yeah," Jason nodded. "If we find him, I can talk to him. Piper, it's your vision. You should take the lead. Kit--"

"Yeah, yeah. The muscle, I know."

Jason grinned and clapped him on the back. On the contrary, Piper's own smile suddenly seemed strained. Kit wondered what that was about, then quickly decided he didn't need -- or want -- to know. Better leave the trouble for when he couldn't avoid it anymore.

"Okay then," she said, trying to sound upbeat as she clapped her hands and looked between the three boys. "Let's find this highway."

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

"OH, LEO IS SO dead!"

"Correct my maths," huffed Percy from where he hovered annoyingly beside Kit, like a fly just waiting to get thwacked in the face. "But doesn't that mean we have eight miles to walk?"

Of course, he was referring to the giant Bubba's Gas n Grub billboard that stuck out like a sore thumb on the side of the dusty, sunflower-infested highway. The four of them had already hiked half a mile through the hot fields. Thankfully, Kit had decided to leave his leather jacket behind with Leo, but his dark grey shirt still clung stickily to his chest, leaving him in a rotten mood only made worse by the 'forty miles to the first Topeka exist' that taunted him from the bottom of the billboard.

"No cars," Jason sighed, brows furrowing as he glanced up and down the empty road for any other signs of life. "But I guess we wouldn't want to hitch hike."

"Can't be as bad as walking," Kit muttered. Leo was so getting cursed out when (if) they made it back to the ship. Kit had already started his spiel in his head as he lifted the hem of his shirt to once again wipe the sweat from his brow.

"I don't know about that," Piper gnawed on her lower lip, looking deep in thought as she answered him. "We've already spent too much time going over land. The earth is Gaea's territory."

"Then what're we doing?" he asked. "It's hotter than Hades' asshole out here. Can we hurry it up?"

"Hmm..." Jason hummed to himself. His lips twitched in amusement as Percy scoffed and Piper's nose wrinkled at the mention of Hades and his asshole in the same sentence. "I know! I can call a friend for a ride."

Kit's face drained of colour. "Please don't. I've already ridden one too many electric horses and it hasn't even been three days."

Percy's eyes gleamed curiously as he formulated a challenge Kit was quite confident was unneeded. "Oh, yeah? Well, let's see whose friend gets here first."

Jason smirked then raised his fingers to his lips and whistled sharply. Percy simply closed his eyes and concentrated. Kit and Piper shared a look of mutual disappointment and resigned themselves to waiting. After a few seconds, Jason's smirk became a triumphant smile. Thunder crackled lowly on the horizon.

"Soon," he said.

Kit blinked at the clear blue sky, clearly sceptical. Percy was already chuckling, pointing East where the unmistakable blob that was Blackjack the pegasus had launched out of the sunflower stalks like an overgrown crow. "Sorry, man. Too late."

"A black pegasus?" Piper gasped. "I've never seen one like that."

"He's not that special," Kit grunted, sending the animal a cursory glare as he landed gracefully beside Percy. Blackjack, like his owner, had always harboured a special kind of distaste for Kit, surely encouraged by the infuriating son of Poseidon. He was certain that, given the opportunity, Blackjack would've kicked his ass to Tartarus and back, just because he could.

"Blackjack, you remember Kit," stated Percy, to which Blackjack nickered and bared his teeth. What a warm welcome. "And this is Piper and Jason. They're friends." Blackjack nickered once again, prompting Percy to pat the side of his neck. "Uh, maybe later."

"What does he want?" Piper asked.

"Donuts," Percy said. "Always donuts. And Kit's leather jacket--"

"Such a shame I didn't wear it," Kit crossed his arms and glared.

"Now, he can carry all four of us if--"

Percy trailed off warily as the air suddenly dipped in temperature. Kit went from sweating bullets to shivering up a storm in the blink of an eye. Several yards away, a miniature cyclone straight out of The Wizard of Oz ripped across the sunflower fields, soon taking on the form of Jason's horse.

"Tempest," Jason beamed. "Long time, my friend."

But Tempest had just noticed Blackjack. The two horses reared back in surprise. Kit yelped and stumbled back a step as one of Blackjack's hooves came dangerously close to squashing his foot. He scowled. Skittish or not, he wouldn't put it past the pegasus to do it on purpose. He was a spiteful thing. Kinda like his owner.

"Easy, boy, he's a friend too," Percy conceded with an impressed look directed at Jason and Tempest. "Nice ride, Grace."

Jason shrugged. He wasn't searching for praise, certainly not from Percy Jackson. "I made friends with him during our fight at the Wolf House. He's a free spirit, literally, but once in a while he agrees to help me."

As Percy and Jason climbed up on their respective horses, Piper turned to Kit with a sheepish smile. Kit's stomach dropped. He eyed Blackjack with dismay as Piper inched towards Tempest.

"How about we flip a coin--"

"Hm, no. I'm good. Thanks, though."

"Or duel to the death? Literally. I'd rather die."

"Piper," Jason called out, oblivious to their furious whispers happening below him. Sitting on Tempest's back, blonde hair flowing like twines of golden silk beneath the warm sun, he was Percy's total opposite as he smiled down at his girlfriend with pearly white teeth. In comparison, the son of Poseidon bore a dark scowl, seemingly reaching the same realisation as Kit had.

"I owe you one," Piper whispered to Kit, then hurried to climb up behind Jason before the son of Ares could drag her back down by her hair. Which he was very much considering, if it wasn't for Percy muttering under his breath.

Kit smirked. Maybe he could use this to his advantage, after all.

Jutting his chin out, he ambled over to Blackjack and climbed up onto his back. The pegasus huffed but he didn't immediately throw Kit off him, which he took as a win.

"I'm not holding your waist, okay?" Kit said to Percy as Piper wrapped her arms around Jason's torso.

Percy scoffed. "Oh, I'm so heartbroken."

With that, Tempest zipped off down the road and Blackjack took to the skies. True to his word, Kit stubbornly refused to hold onto Percy, even as the wind dipped and bent beneath them, lurching Kit's insides around like a salad being tossed. Not soon enough, they arrived at the thirty-two-mile marker and Blackjack began to descend. Whinnying to Percy, he landed with far more force than Kit thought was necessary, leaving him to yelp and latch onto Percy's back without thinking.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "Tell your oversized unicorn to watch out."

"Just ignore him, Blackjack," Percy muttered when the pegasus whinnied in protest. "I do." Blackjack whinnied again, cutting over whatever indignant retort was on the tip of Kit's tongue. "You're right. No sign so far of the wine dude."

"I beg your pardon?"

Kit yelped (again), spinning around so quickly he nearly fell from Blackjack's back. Standing behind them in the empty road was a stocky man who, at first glance, didn't look like much. He wore a wide-brimmed straw hat with grape vines hanging from the edge like a veil. It was tipped at an angle so it shaded his eyes and, if you asked Kit, clashed horribly with his knee-length khaki shorts and purple polo. Clearly, Roman Dionysus was just as bad as Greek Dionysus when it came to fashion sense.

And sense in general, really.

"Did someone just call me the wine dude?" he asked in a low, lazy drawl that had Kit's teeth grinding. "It's Bacchus, please. Or Mr Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don't-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus."

"Wow, aren't you charming?" Kit mumbled. He definitely wasn't about to call Dionysus a Lord. He'd rather cut out his tongue.

"You look different," Percy commented as he urged Blackjack forward. "Skinnier. Your hair is longer. And your shirt isn't so loud."

"Still questionable, though," Kit winced in faux sympathy.

Bacchus squinted up at them. "What in the blazes are you talking about? Who are you and where is Ceres?"

"Uh, excuse you?" Kit frowned. "What series, man?"

"I think he means Ceres," Jason corrected as he led Tempest up beside Blackjack.

"Saying it a different way doesn't change anything, Grace."

"Not a series. Ceres. As in the Goddess of Agriculture."

"Oh," Kit drawled in realisation. "You mean Demeter."

Jason sighed. "Yes." He turned back to Bacchus, nodding and smiling like the good little demigod he was. "Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma."

Kit snorted. He didn't even have to wait for Bacchus' response to know he didn't have a clue who Jason was.

"Ah... yes... John Green..."

This time, Kit couldn't contain his laughter. "I loved Looking for Alaska, Johnny Boy. My favourite book of yours."

Percy sighed and Jason glared. Bacchus somehow managed to look both confused and disgusted at the same time. He rounded on Jason, his silence demanding an explanation, to which Jason politely cleared his throat and said, "Actually, Mr Bacchus sir, it's Jason Grace."

"Whatever," Bacchus waved a hand at him. "Did Ceres send you then?"

"No, Lord Bacchus. Were you expecting to meet her here?"

The God snorted. "Well, I didn't come to Kansas to party, my boy. Ceres asked me here for a council of war. What, with Gaea rising and the crops withering. Droughts are spreading. The karpoi are in revolt. Even my grapes aren't safe. Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war."

How riveting, Kit thought as he muffled a yawn with his fist. He should've just slept in.

"The plant war," Percy echoed with a disbelieving shake of his head. "You're going to arm all the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?"

Okay, that was a good one.

Bacchus narrowed his eyes. "Have we met?"

"Unfortunately."

"At Camp Half-Blood," Percy spoke over Kit. "We know you as Mr D. Dionysus."

At that, Bacchus groaned in disgust.

"Yikes, you hate yourself too?" Kit tutted. "I don't blame you."

"Stop that," Bacchus shouted. It took him a hot minute to realise he wasn't actually talking to Kit. In fact, he hadn't even heard him running his mouth (which was a miracle in itself. Mr D always had a knack for calling Kit out. "Stop thinking about me in Greek!"

"... I'm sorry?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay focused?" complained Bacchus while rubbing his temples. "Splitting headaches all the time! I never know what I'm doing or where I'm going! Constantly grumpy!"

"That sounds pretty normal for you," Percy shrugged.

"Nice," Kit offered him a fist bump that Percy merely stared at. "Not there yet? Okay then."

Bacchus' nostrils flared open like miniature bat caves. "If we know each other from that other camp, it's a wonder I haven't already turned you into a dolphin."

"It was discussed," Percy assured him. "I think you were just too lazy to do it."

"Oh, no, you tried it with me," Kit said with a shake of his head. He actually sounded disappointed, if not a little amused. He caught Piper shooting him a mildly horrified look and shrugged. "What? We had a tough love kind of relationship."

Percy huffed out a laugh. "Yeah. Tough without the love."

"Okay, Lord Bacchus!" Piper interrupted with a sharp and somewhat frantic clap of her hands. Four pairs of eyes turned to her curiously. "Sorry to trouble you, my lord, but we actually came here to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom."

Bacchus let out a sigh. One of those loud, dramatic ones that grinded Kit's gears. "You're well-spoken, girl. Advice, eh? Very well, then. I would avoid karaoke. Really, theme parties in general are out. In these austere times, people are looking for a simple, low-key affair, with locally produced organic snacks and--"

"Not about parties," Piper interrupted, sounding like she was talking through gritted teeth. "Although that is incredibly useful advice, Lord Bacchus. We were hoping you'd help us on our quest."

When Bacchus didn't answer, she took this as a sign to explain everything. From the Argo II and their voyage to stop the giants from awakening Gaea, right down to the grave news that Nemesis had shared; in six days, the city of Rome would be all but wiped out. She finished by glossing over the vision in her knife, leaving Kit feeling thoroughly up to date. Not to mention bored and impatient. Where was the action? What was he needed for, if not to be the muscle? His ass was hurting from Blackjack's bony back and Percy smelled like sweat and ocean water. He clearly was having the time of his life here.

"A silver goblet?" Bacchus didn't sound very excited by the tale. He grabbed a Diet Pepsi from nowhere and popped the top of the can.

"You drink Diet Coke," Percy corrected on instinct.

"Only thing we can agree on," Kit muttered. "Pepsi tastes like piss."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bacchus snapped. Kit swore the image of him flickered like he was a hologram. "As to this vision of the goblet, young lady, I have nothing for you to drink unless you want a Pepsi. Jupiter has put me under strict orders to avoid giving wine to minors. Bothersome, but there you have it. As for the giants, I know them well. I fought in the first Giant War, you know."

"You can fight?" Percy frowned.

Kit snorted as Bacchus' face twisted into a furious glare. All of a sudden, his Diet Pepsi transformed into a five-foot staff wreathed in ivy and topped with a pinecone. Ridiculous, but it filled Kit with a sense of excitement and anticipation. He was already reaching for his sword when Piper just had to intervene.

"A thyrsus! Oh, what a mighty weapon!"

"Indeed," Bacchus agreed with an indignant sniff. "I'm glad someone in your group is smart. The pinecone is a fearsome tool of destruction! I was a demigod myself in the first Giant War, you know. The son of Jupiter!"

Kit and Jason locked eyes as a grimace crossed Jason's face. No doubt he was mortified to be reminded that Wine Dude was technically one of his many older brothers on his Greek God dad's side. Kit would've laughed if he wasn't certain he had a few shocking older siblings of his own from Father Dearest. Ares was known for his questionable -- if not concerning -- taste in, well, everything.

Bacchus swung his staff back and forth like a cricket bat. Several times, he nearly knocked the straw hat off his head, not that he seemed too phased. Could Gods give themselves concussions? "Of course, that was long before I invented wine and became an immortal. I fought side-by-side with the Gods and some other demigod. Harry Cleese, I think."

"Heracles?"

"Whatever," Bacchus huffed again. "Anyway, I killed the giant, Ephialtes, and his brother, Otis. Horrible boors, those two. Pinecone in the face for both of them!"

Kit didn't think anything of this at first. To be honest, he often tuned out Mr D's rambling; even then, when they were thousands of miles away from Camp Half-Blood and Mr D was technically Mr B. It was only when Piper gasped and slid off the back of Tempest that he paused, trying to piece together what it was that Bacchus had said.

"Lord Bacchus, those two giants... Ephialtes and Otis... would they happen to be twins?"

"Shit," Kit groaned.

Now, it was making sense.

Unable to deal with Blackjack's bony back anymore, Kit clambered down to stand beside Piper. Bacchus looked even more ridiculous up close. He eyed Kit suspiciously before answering Piper with a vague nod of his head. "Yes, twins. That's right."

Double shit.

"That's why we're here," Piper exclaimed, sparing Jason and Percy a glance over her shoulder. "You're part of our quest!"

Judging by Bacchus' frown, Kit could tell he wasn't pleased. "I'm sorry, my girl, but I'm not a demigod anymore. I don't do quests."

Most days, Kit wished he could say the same thing. Sadly, he wasn't that lucky.

"But giants can only be killed by heroes and gods working together," Piper insisted. She didn't notice the dark look settle on Bacchus' face, but Kit did. He shook his head frantically at her, yet Piper continued obliviously. "You're a God now, and the two giants we have to fight are Ephialtes and Otis. I think... I think they're waiting for us in Rome. They're going to destroy the city somehow. The silver goblet I saw in my vision? Maybe it's meant as a symbol for your help. You have to help us kill the giants!"

"My girl, I don't have to do anything. Besides, I only help those who give me proper tribute, which no one has managed to do in many, many centuries."

Percy voiced the question that no one wanted to ask. "What kind of tribute?"

Kit's mind raced with possibilities -- near certain death and suffering were at the very top of the list, of course. Bacchus' eyes gleamed, though he waved his hand in a manner that did nothing to dismiss their wary expressions. "Nothing you could handle, insolent Greek. But I will give you some free advice, since this girl does have some manners." Thank you, Piper. "Seek out Gaea's son, Phorcys. He always hated his mother, not that I can blame him. He didn't have much use for his siblings, the twins, either. You'll find him in the city they named after that heroine -- Atalanta."

"... You mean Atlanta?"

"That's the one."

"But this Phorcys," Jason began. "Is he a giant? A Titan?"

"Neither," scoffed Bacchus, as if this should've been obvious. "Seek out the salt water."

"Salt water?" Percy blinked. "In Atlanta?"

"Yes. Are you hard of hearing? If anyone can give you insight on Gaea and the twins, it's Phorcys. Just watch out for him."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

Boredly, Bacchus glanced at the sun, his eyes shimmering purple in the bright noon light. "It's unlike Ceres to be late, unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Or..."

"Or?" Kit prompted when Bacchus' face suddenly went slack. "Hello? Or what?"

"Or a trap," he replied breezily.

Oh. Lovely. Just what they wanted to hear.

"Well, I must be going! And if I were you, I'd do the same."

Kit glanced around uneasily. Despite their confused protests, the God shimmered and disappeared. Silence stretched over them like a cloud. It was a presence that weighed heavily in the backs of their minds. Nothing looked out of place. The sunflower petals were their usual rich shade of yellow, the green stalks waving from side to side with the gentle almost unnoticeable wind. The sky was still clear blue. And yet there wasn't a single car in sight even after several long minutes with no traffic. Surely someone should've come by at some point.

"Bacchus is right. We need to leave," Piper murmured while rubbing her arms. Like Kit, she wore a t-shirt but while he suddenly felt drowned in heat, she was shivering like a cold front had just descended on them.

Kit's head pounded, eyes scrunching up as the light went impossibly bright. He could feel a pressure at the base of his neck. It was slowly building, throbbing like someone was pressing into his skin, peeling back the surface to crawl underneath. He swayed to the right, stomach jolting, and shakily reached for his sword.

But something was wrong. There was no denying it. As his fingers closed around the bronze hilt, he was hit with a sudden overwhelming wave of emotion. The feeling came from all around him; out of the bronze metal, the heavy dirt, from his bones and his brain and his bloodstream. This awful, vile sensation of loneliness and resentment speared with cold, hard rage. The strength of it beat against his temples as his head whirled back and forth, vision going dark at the edges in intermittent flashes.

Too late, sang a sleepy voice, humming through the fields around them and resonating in the ground at Kit's feet. I knew you'd give in sooner or later.

"No," Kit cried, but his mind had gone blank and it was much too late for protests.

He was an outsider looking in as his senses were stolen, his freedom snared in the hands of Gaea. He could feel himself moving but couldn't see or hear anything. A piece of his memory had been locked away. Held over his head like a threat, a taunt.

The next thing Kit knew, he had blood dripping from his sword as he stood over an unconscious Jason. Piper was screaming something and Kit could feel his lips moving, but whatever he was saying fell on deaf ears as his hands hefted the sword above his head once more. There was already a violent crimson cut on Jason's chest from his sword; however, instead of feeling remorseful, a sick thrill shot Kit's veins like crackling electricity.

More screaming. Kit was pretty sure he was talking back before his arm suddenly burst into flame. Not literally, thank the Gods, but when he glanced down at his bicep, there was a matching slash created by Riptide as Percy drove his own sword into Kit's skin with vacant gold eyes.

His vision blurred again, blocking Percy from view. The last thing he recalled was Piper.

"Eidolon, stop!" she had commanded, to which his heart seized inside his chest as if it was standing to attention at her words.

Something sharp struck the back of his head then. Deep in the darkness behind his eyelids, Gaea welcomed him home and Kit had nothing more left to give. Everything went black.

He waited. Alone.