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DESPITE SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT SHE WAS RESTLESS. It felt like only seconds had passed from her shutting her eyes to the ringing of the breakfast bell.

"Yo, Lucia!" Leo knocked on her door. "We're landing!"

"Landing?" She sat up, Allowing the sun to rejuvenate her through the window. Her head throbbed mildly. She thought back to her dream. And Prickles ran up her spine.

Leo opened her door and poked his head in. He had his hand over his eyes, which would've been a nice gesture if he hadn't been peeking through his fingers. "You decent?"

"No seas cochino Leo!" She chided, throwing her pillow at his face. Don't be dirty/gross Leo

"Sorry." He grinned. "Hey, nice Power Ranger shirt."

"Thanks." Lucia hummed, "It's Percy's."

"Yeah, sure. Anyway, we're setting down a few miles outside Topeka, as requested. And, um..." He glanced out in the passageway, then leaned inside again. "Thanks for not totally hating me, about blowing up the Romans yesterday."

Lucia rubbed her eyes. The feast in New Rome had been only been yesterday? "That's okay, Leo. You weren't in control of yourself."

"Yeah, but still...you didn't have to stick up for me."

Lucia avoided looking at his eyes, "Of course, I'll stick up for you. You shouldn't be blamed. You were powerless in your own body."

"Uh...thanks?" He said, then looked at his feet, "Perdoname por lo que te dije... You're right you've got nothing to explain. Sometimes I can speak without thinking. And I don't want you to start hating me—" Forgive me for what I said...

"It's alright." Lucia shook her head, she had a feeling apologizing was out of Leo's comfort zone. Along with talking to actual people. He was more of a machine guy, Lucia could see that. But she didn't think Leo was a bad guy. Just a little bit of a big mouth. "We're cool Leo. You don't have to worry."

"Yeah?."

"Yeah," Lucia confirmed, she rolled her eyes. "I'm still on Team Leo. You're a friend."

Leo laughed before his face twisted in concern, Almost as if he saw an incoming tsunami approaching, "Hey, Percy isn't still mad about that is he..."

Lucia couldn't help but laugh.

From above, Coach Hedge yelled, "Thar she blows! Kansas, ahoy!"

"Holy Hephaestus," Leo muttered. "He really needs to work on his ship speak. I'd better get above deck."

༄

AFTER LUCIA'S SHOWER, she changed into a pair of jean shorts, an orange camp tank top, and leather brown sandals. Once fully dressed, she pinned her hair back and applied a limited amount of makeup. Amid her getting ready she received an Iris-Message. In front of her, her sister Aurora smiled through the mist.

"Lulu!" 

It was surprising, but Aurora had now gotten into the habit of calling Lucia almost every day. It was a big change from last winter, but it was one she welcomed happily.

Aurora and she hadn't talked much since the end of the battle of Manhattan. Then she had disappeared and gone completely awol on cabin seven. Lucia was worried about her sister until Aurora reappeared and everything seemed perfectly fine.

Things changed when Percy disappeared, Aurora seemed to know her sister needed comfort and softened up. But still...it wasn't the same.

Lucia didn't push when she felt her distance, she figured she was going through too much with her mom. She knew that losing a parent was like losing a limb. Living life after required adjustment. It would have been selfish of Lucia to prosecute her sister's suffering.

Only, there was something else bothering her.

It was also her new girlfriend, Eunice. Who happened to be the cousin of Lucia's now-dead ex-boyfriend... and who also happened to hate her.

The ginger talked to her sister from time to time. Offering her help in what she could with the search for Percy. That meant Eunice grudgingly by her side. She had always ignored Lucia, until right before her quest began, when Lucia showed up at Auroras mothers funeral. Let's just say the conversation wasn't pleasant.

Unfortunately, cancer won against Quinn Davis. Aurora immediately became distant, but Lucia and Will refused to leave her alone on a day like that, Even if it did mean Lucia had to deal with Eunice's glares.

Now Lucia had met Nemesis, and she could see the family resemblance. As well as the recurring theme of hating Lucia's guts.

She hoped he was the exception, he may have hurt her and been hurt by her. But Lucia hoped that he never hated her. Because she couldn't hate Ethan Nakamura. Not when she loved him once. In the way she could.

She had a feeling these new nightmares were resulting from their Appearances. And she didn't like the guilt that was starting to fester in her stomach due to it.

She kept thinking of last night's dream with a grimace. She kept feeling Ethan's hand slipping from her own.

"Hey!" Aurora asked, "What happened? You didn't find him?"

"Huh."

"Percy?" Aurora frowned,

"Oh!" Lucia blinked, a smile stitched on her lips. "No. No. I mean, yes we found him... He's with me again." She reassured.

"So why aren't you buzzing off the walls?." Aurora wondered. "I expected you to blind the whole city the moment you found him."

Lucia frowned. She stared at her blank wall. "I have to be honest with you Rory. I'm so happy to have Percy back. But I'm terrified for what's coming next..."

Aurora's face dropped.

"...How do we defeat a primordial goddess. How do we unite groups with completely different natures? And worst of all... can I handle the pressure of this without losing myself again..."

"Lucia. I know I was harsh on you before." Aurora pursed her lips. "But I'm sure you can do this. Apollo gave his gifts to you for a reason...didn't he?"

"I guess, But—"

"No buts... Just survive and do what you need to. Will would kill you if you left him to be Head counselor forever, and I don't need him looking towards me."

"Gee, I feel the love, Rory." Lucia scoffed.

Aurora rolled her eyes. She gave her sister a sunny smile. "Oh shush. You're my sister. Of course, I love you."

A knock on Lucia's door interrupted them.

"Luz?." Percy's sleepy voice called from outside the door. "Come on, I want pancakes."

"Give me a sec!" She called out. Before looking back to Aurora swirling in the mist. "I'll call when I can. Things are going to get more intense so...wait for me to reach out now, yeah?"

Aurora agreed, Lucia continued.

"Also, I love you too..."

༄

LUCIA WALKED ONTO THE DECK WITH PERCYS ARM WRAPPED AROUND HER SHOULDER. They joined the others after getting breakfast at the mess hall, the Argo II settled in the middle of a field of sunflowers. The oars retracted. The gangplank lowered itself.

The morning air smelled of irrigation, warm plants, and fertilized earth. Not a bad smell. But not the greatest either.

Annabeth was the first to notice them. Her smile grew once they entered the room and she greeted them with a wave. Lucia quickly gave her a heartwarming smile back. But inside her, bile was already rising in her throat. She heard the voice that was in her dream ring once again, the voice of Annabeth calling out for Lucia in utter distress.

Lucia gulped. Percy pulled her closer to the group.

He was beside her wearing faded jeans and a fresh orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, as if he'd never been away from the Greek side. The new clothes had helped his mood—and of course, the fact that he was now leaning on the rail with Lucia under his arm.

For months, she had been tormenting herself, her every waking moment consumed with the search for Percy. Now, despite the dangerous quest they were facing, at least she had her boyfriend back.

But what would all of this mean for Annabeth... And for how long would any of this happiness even last?

Sometimes, Lucia wished she didn't have such great intuition. Sometimes, Lucia just wanted to be blissfully ignorant.

"So!" Annabeth plucked the bagel out of Piper's hand and took a bite, Lucia observed the exchange with a gentle smile. Back at camp, Piper and Annabeth had a running joke about stealing each other's breakfast. "Here we are. What's the plan?"

"I want to check out the highway," Piper said. "Find the sign that says Topeka 32."

Leo spun his Wii controller in a circle, and the sails lowered themselves. "We shouldn't be far," he said. "Festus and I calculated the landing as best we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"

Piper explained what she'd seen in her knife Katoptris—a man in purple with a goblet. But something felt missing from Piper's story.

"Purple shirt?" Jason asked. "Vines on his hat? Sounds like Bacchus."

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

"Bacchus isn't so bad," Jason said. "I don't like his followers much...."

Piper shuddered. Lucia knew Jason, Leo, and she had had an encounter with the maenads a few months ago and almost gotten torn to pieces.

"But the god himself is okay," Jason continued. "I did him a favor once up in the wine country."

"Oh yeah? once he tried to stab me with a grapevine." Lucia recalled,

Her boyfriend nodded, appalled. "Whatever, man. Maybe he's better on the Roman side. But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didn't Zeus order the gods to cease all contact with mortals?"

Frank grunted. The big guy was wearing a blue tracksuit this morning like he was ready to go for a jog in the sunflowers. "The gods haven't been very good at following that order," he noted. "Besides, if the gods have gone split personality like Hazel said—"

"And Leo said," added Leo.

Frank scowled at him. "Then who knows what's going on with the Olympians? Could be some pretty bad stuff out there."

"Sounds dangerous!" Leo agreed cheerfully. "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 nodded and looked apologetically at Lucia and Percy. Her gaze fell towards Piper for a moment." He's right. I should stay and help." 

"Don't worry about it," Piper reassured her.

Lucia didn't hesitate to agree. If Annabeth stayed on the Argo, she'd be safe.

Frank slid his bow off of his shoulder and leaned it against the rail. "I think I should turn into a crow or something and fly around, keep an eye out for Roman eagles."

  "Why a crow?" Leo asked. "Man, if you can turn into a dragon, why don't you just turn into a dragon every time? That's the coolest." 

Frank got a sour look on his face. "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." Leo nodded as if he understood. "I wouldn't know. I don't lift weights."

"Yeah. Well, maybe you should consider it, Mr.—" 

Hazel stepped between the two arguing boys. "I'll help you, Frank." She shot Leo an evil look. "I can summon Arion and scout around below."

"Sure," Frank agreed, still glaring at Leo.

"Yeah, thanks." 

Lucia's eyes flickered between Frank and Leo. It was obvious that they were trying to one-up each other and show off for Hazel. Lucia didn't really blame Frank for feeling hostile. When she went with them to pick up the lime and bronze sheet, it didn't seem like they were meeting for the first time.

Hazel turned to Percy. "Just be careful when you go out there. Lots of fields, lots of crops. Could be Karpoi on the loose." 

"Karpoi?" Piper questioned.

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

Lucia didn't see how a grain spirit could be so bad, but Hazel's tone convinced her not to ask.

"That leaves four of us to check on the mile marker," Percy said. "Me, Luz Jason, Piper. 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 said. "If we find him, I'll talk to him. Piper, it's your vision. You should take the lead."

"Of course. Let's find the highway."    

༄

LEO HAD SAID THEY WERE CLOSE. HE LIED.

After trudging half a mile through hot fields, getting bitten by mosquitos, and whacked in the face with scratchy sunflowers, they finally reached the road.

An old billboard for Bubba's Gas 'no' Grub indicated they were still forty miles from the first Topeka exit. 

"Correct my math," Percy squeezed Lucia's hand, "but doesn't that mean we have eight miles to walk?" 

"Voy a matar a ese loco!" Lucia grumbled, I'm killing that crazy kid!

"So, farther?..." Percy tried to translate.

Jason peered both ways down the deserted road. He looked better today, thanks to the magical healing of ambrosia and nectar. (Lucia would also like to take some credit). His color was back to normal, and the scar on his forehead had almost vanished. A new gladius that Hera (ugh!) had given him last winter hung at his belt.

Most people would look pretty awkward walking around with a scabbard strapped to their jeans, but it seemed perfectly natural. Just like it did whenever Percy had a sword in hand.

Lucia had realized the two were pretty similar, despite also being drastically different.

"No cars..." Jason said. "But I guess we wouldn't want to hitchhike."

"That's how we end up on demigod dateline." Lucia glared, "No."

"No," Piper agreed,

Lucia gazed nervously down the highway. "We've already spent too much time going overland. The earth is Gaea's territory."

"Hmm No worries, I've got it..." Jason snapped his fingers. "I can call a friend for a ride." 

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Oh, yeah? Me too. Let's see whose friend gets here first." 

Percy simply closed his eyes and concentrated. Lucia shared a questioning look with Piper. It was clear the two boys were acting annoyingly macho to assert some kind of dominance.

Jason whistled. Lucia didn't know who he was calling, but she did know Percy was reaching out to Blackjack.

Thunder crackled in the clear sky.  Jason smiled. "Soon." 

"Too late." Percy pointed east, where a black-winged shape was spiraling toward them.

  "A black pegasus?" Piper said. "Never seen one like that." 

The winged stallion came in for a landing. He trotted over to Percy and nuzzled his face, then turned his head inquisitively toward Piper and Jason. Lucia pet his snout as the pegasus held his head over her shoulder.

"Blackjack," Percy said, "this is Piper and Jason. They're friends."

The horse nickered.  "Uh, maybe later," Percy answered. 

"What does Blackjack want?" Piper asked. 

"Donuts," Lucia snorted. "Always donuts."

"You speak pegasus ?"

"No, just slightly fluent in Blackjack."

Blackjack whinnied in agreement.

"He can carry all four of us if—"  Percy began

Suddenly the air turned cold. Lucia's ears popped. About fifty yards away, an immature cyclone three stories tall tore across the tops of the sunflowers. It touched down on the road next to Jason and took the form of a horse—a misty steed with lightning flickering through its body. 

"Tempest," Jason said, grinning broadly. "Long time, my friend." 

The storm spirit reared and whinnied. Blackjack backed up frantically.

  "Easy, boy," Percy soothed. "He's a friend too." He gave Jason an impressed look. "Nice ride, Grace." 

Jason shrugged. "I made friends with him during our fight at the Wolf House. He's a free spirit, literally, but once in a while he agreed to help me." 

"That's tempest? " Lucia asked, vaguely remembering the story Jason had told her about the storm spirit. "He's so cool."

Blackjack snorted and trotted away from Lucia towards the other side of Percy. He nuzzled into his arm and gave Lucia the side eye.

"Aw come on! Don't do that to me! I think you're cooler!"

Percy and Jason climbed on their respective horses. Piper accepted Jason's hand and climbed on Tempest. Lucia needed to apologize and promise Blackjack a dozen donuts before he let her on his back.

She wrapped her arms around Percy's waist to hold on. Tempest raced down the road with Blackjack soaring overhead.

Fortunately, they didn't pass any cars, or they might have caused a wreck. In no time, they arrived at the thirty-two-mile marker.

Blackjack landed. Both horses pawed the asphalt. Neither looked pleased to have stopped so suddenly, just when they'd found their stride.

Blackjack whinnied again. "You're right," Percy agreed. "No sign of the wine dude."

"I beg your pardon?" a voice questioned from the fields.

Tempest turned so quickly, Piper almost fell off.

Lucia looked towards the field. The wheat parted and a man stepped into view. He was similar yet so different.

He wore a wide-brimmed hat wreathed in grapevines, a purple short-sleeved shirt, khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks with white socks. He looked maybe thirty, with a slight potbelly, like a frat boy who hadn't yet realized college was over.

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

Percy urged Blackjack forwards, although Blackjack didn't seem very happy about it. "You look different," Percy told Bacchus. "Skinnier. Your hair is longer. And your shirt isn't so loud."

The wine god squinted up at him. "What in blazes are you talking about? Who are you, and where is Ceres?"

"Uh...what series?"

"I think he means Ceres," Jason said. "The goddess of agriculture. You'd call her Demeter." He nodded respectfully to the god. "Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma."

Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin. "Ah...yes. John Green."

"Jason Grace."

"Whatever," the god said. "Did Ceres send you, then?"

"No, Lord Bacchus," Jason said. "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, the crops are withering. Droughts are spreading. The karpoi are in revolt. Even my grapes aren't safe. Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war."

"The plant war," Percy said. "You're going to arm all the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?"

Lucia nudged him, "Perce." she warned.

The god narrowed his eyes at the two. "Have we met?"

"At Camp Half-Blood," Lucia said, "We know you as Mr. D—Dionysus."

"Agh!" Bacchus winced and pressed his hands to his temples. For a moment, his image flickered. Lucia saw the chubbier cheetah shirt-wearing Dionysus appear before her, then Bacchus returned to being Bacchus. "Stop that!" he demanded. "Stop thinking about me in Greek!"

Lucia blinked. "Sorry?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay focused? 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 said.

he's going to kill us, Lucia thought in exasperation

The god's nostrils flared. One of the grape leaves on his hat burst into flame. "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."

Lucia huffed, "Please shut up!" She flicked his forehead, "I do not want to be in a relationship with a sea mammal!"

"Well. if you think about it. you already are."

"Oh, Now you want to think." Lucia pinched the bridge of her nose.

Piper had been watching with horrified fascination, the way she might watch a car wreck in progress. Percy was not making things better, and Lucia was doing her best to reel him in.

"Lord Bacchus!" Piper interrupted, slipping off Tempest's back. 

"Piper, be careful," Jason said.

Piper sent him a 'i've got this' look. "Sorry to trouble you, my lord," she told the god, "but we actually came here to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom." She used her most agreeable tone, pouring respect into her charmspeak.

The god frowned, but the purple glow faded in his eyes. "You're well-spoken, girl. Advice, eh? Very well. 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—"

"Avoid Karaoke?" Lucia scoffed, she had to remind herself to stay focused, despite how offended she was. The brunette hopped off Blackjack and stood beside Piper. "Forget the parties, this is about our quest. " 

Lucia explained the Argo II and their voyage to stop the giants from awakening Gaea. She told him what Nemesis had said: that in six days, Rome would be destroyed. Piper helped to describe the vision reflected in her knife, where Bacchus offered her a silver goblet.

"Silver goblet?" The god didn't sound very excited. He grabbed a Diet Pepsi from nowhere and popped the top of the can.

"You drink Diet Coke," Percy said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bacchus snapped "As to this vision of the goblet, young ladies, 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 asked incredulously.

"kelp. algae. seaweed. and maybe just maybe a fish or two." Lucia snapped at him. "Clownfish!" 

He just looked at her with a goofy grin.

Dionysus snarled. His Diet Pepsi transformed into a five-foot staff wreathed in ivy, topped with a pinecone.

"A thyrsus!" Lucia exclaimed, hoping to distract the god before he whacked her boyfriend's head off. She tried to sound impressed. "Oh, what a mighty weapon!"

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

Jason flinched. He wasn't thrilled to be reminded that the god was technically his big brother. Bacchus swung his staff through the air. "Of course, that was long before I invented wine and became immortal. I fought side by side with the gods and some other demigods...Harry Cleese, I think."

"Heracles?" Lucia suggested with a grimace, that name had left a bad taste in her mouth ever since she met Zoe Nightshade.

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

All at once, several ideas came together in Lucia's head—  Suddenly, everything was clearer.

"Mr. D-- I mean Bacchus," Lucia said, refusing to mutter out the word 'lord'. "Those two giants, Ephialtes and Otis...would they happen to be twins?"

"Hmm?" The god seemed distracted by his thyrsus-swinging, but he nodded. "Yes, twins. That's right."

Lucia shared a look with Piper. She could tell she was following her thoughts: Twins snuff out the angel's breath.

"That's why we're here," Piper told the god. "You're part of our quest!"

Bacchus frowned. "I'm sorry, my girl. I'm not a demigod anymore. I don't do quests."

"But giants can only be killed by heroes and gods working together," she insisted. "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!"

Lucia flinched, Piper had chosen her words poorly.

"My girl," Bacchus glared coldly, "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."

Blackjack whinnied uneasily.

Lucia couldn't blame him. She didn't like the sound of tribute.

Percy voiced the question that she was too scared to ask. "What kind of tribute?"

Bacchus waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing you could handle, insolent Greek. But I will give you some free advice, since these girls do have some manners. 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."

Piper hesitated. "You mean Atlanta?"

"That's the one."

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

Bacchus laughed. "Neither. Seek out the salt water."

"Saltwater..." Percy said. "In Atlanta?"

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

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

The god glanced at the sun, which had climbed almost to high noon. "It's unlike Ceres to be late unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Or..."

The god's face suddenly went slack. "Or a trap. Well, I must be going! And if I were you, I'd do the same!"

"Wha--, wait!" Lucia protested.

The god shimmered and disappeared with a sound like a soda-can top being popped.

The wind rustled through the sunflowers.

The horses paced in agitation. Despite the dry, hot day, Lucia shivered. A cold feeling splashed over her like water...One she had felt before...

"He's right," she said. "We need to leave—"

Too late, said a sleepy voice, humming through the fields all around them and resonating in the ground at Lucia's feet.

Percy drew Riptide while Jason drew his gladius. With a skilled hand, Lucia notched three arrows and drew her own bowstring back, her muscles flexed and strained against the golden bow, forcing the arrow back to her cheek. Piper stood on the road between them, frozen with fear. The power of Gaea was suddenly everywhere. The sunflowers turned to look at them. The wheat bent toward them like a million scythes.

Welcome to my party, Gaea murmured. Her voice reminded Lucia of a crackling, hissing fire.

organic snacks? Yes. For my snacks, I need only two: the blood of a female demigod, and the blood of a male. Lucia, daughter of the hyacinth, choose which hero will die with you.

"I can never get a break." She huffed,

"Gaea!" Jason yelled. "Stop hiding in the wheat. Show yourself!"

Such bravado, Gaea hissed. But the other one, Percy Jackson, also has appeal. Choose, Lucia, or I will.

Lucias's heart raced. Gaea meant to kill her. That was no surprise. But what was this about choosing one of the boys? Why would Gaea let either of them go? It had to be a trap.

"You're insane!" Piper shouted. "She's not choosing anything for you!" Suddenly Jason gasped. He sat up straight in his saddle.

"Jason!" Piper cried. She looked at Lucia."What's wrong—?"

"That wasn't me?!" She defended,

Jason looked down at them, his expression deadly calm. His eyes were no longer blue. They glowed solid gold. Lucia felt her face drop as deja vu hit her.

"Perce?" Lucia's voice was small, She watched as Percy galloped away from them. He stopped thirty feet down the road and wheeled his pegasus around. He raised his sword and pointed the tip toward Jason.

"One will die," Percy said, but the voice wasn't his. It was deep and hollow, like someone whispering from inside the barrel of a cannon.  Percy's eyes were also solid gold, and Lucia hated seeing them replace the green eyes she loved so deeply.

"I will choose," Jason answered, in the same hollow voice.

"Oh, Like hell you will!" Lucia growled,

All around Piper and Lucia, the fields crackled and hissed, laughing in Gaea's voice as Percy and Jason charged at each other, their weapons ready.