Bewitched || P. Jackson

𝔾ossip and Grover

Nicki wasn't sure how she ended up on Chiron's back. The last thing she remembered was leaning over Connor's shoulder to watch him hotwire the SUV, then she was 10 feet away on the floor.

Chiron seemed completely unbothered by Nicki's presence on his lower half as he made his way over to the sword fighting arena.

He must've just come from teaching archery. He had a quiver and bow slung over his #1 CENTAUR T-shirt. He'd trimmed his curly brown hair and beard for the summer, and his lower half, which was a white stallion, was flecked with mud and grass.

"I'm correct in assuming Percy knows about your mission, am I not?" Nicki hummed, leaning on the Centaur. "I would be careful about who you tell. Not every demigod will be as accepting as Thalia and Percy."

"Like Annabeth?" Nicki guessed, rubbing the bump on the back of her head.

Chiron hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Annabeth is very set in what she knows. I fear she would not be as content with your affiliation as I first hoped."

"You're very bad at pep-talks, y'know that?"

Chiron laughed heartily, clearly in a good mood for the start of Summer. "How was your date? I wasn't expecting Percy back so early."

Nicki huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, "It was not a date!"

"My apologies. How was your movie?"

"I wouldn't know." She muttered. "Percy met some of Luke's empousai and they derailed the whole thing because Wonderboy ended up blowing up a school. Plus, he seemed to be having a great time getting this girl's number so..."

"I can understand why you're so adamant that it wasn't a date then."

Nicki sighed, fidgeting with her ring. "Do you regularly get all the gossip by abducting demigods onto your back?"

"Not usually, but I think it was very efficient and I might try it more often."

"Living vicariously through almost 15-year-olds." Nicki scoffed jokingly as Chiron clip-clopped into the arena.

"Percy, there you are! I see you've met our new instructor." Chiron's tone was light but there was an uneasy look in his eyes. "Nicki, this is Quintus."

"I'm more interested in the huge puppy, no offence."

In the middle of the arena floor was the biggest hellhound Nicki had ever seen. This hellhound was bigger than a tank. It looked right at home, lying on its belly, growling contentedly as it chewed the head off a combat dummy.

"That's Ms O'Leary." Chiron held his arm out, stopping Nicki from dismounting. "Quintus, do you mind if I borrow Percy?"

"Not at all, Master Chiron."

"No need to call me 'Master'," Chiron said, though he sounded sort of pleased. "Come, Percy. We have much to discuss."

Percy took one more glance at Mrs O'Leary, who was now chewing off the target dummy's legs. "Well, see you," Percy told Quintus. As they were walking away, Percy whispered to Chiron, "Quintus seemed kind of—"

"Mysterious?" Chiron suggested. "Hard to read?"

"Yeah."

Chiron nodded. "A very qualified half-blood. Excellent swordsman, I just wish I understood..." Whatever he was going to say, he apparently changed his mind. "First things first, Percy. Nicki told me you met some empousai."

"Yeah," Percy told him about the fight at Goode, and how Kelli had exploded into flames.

"Mm," Chiron said. "The more powerful ones can do that. She did not die, Percy. She simply escaped. It is not good that the she-demons are stirring."