Daughter of Wine

Leo

I figure I have the worst luck in the group, and that's saying a lot. Why don't I get to have the long-lost sister, or the movie star dad who needs rescuing, or, I don't know, be able to drink wine without getting drunk? All I get is a tool belt and a dragon that broke down halfway through the quest. Maybe it's the stupid curse of the Hephaestus cabin, but I don't think so. My life has been unlucky way before I got to camp. 

A thousand years from now, when this quest is being told around a campfire, I figure people will talk about the brave Jason, beautiful Piper, powerful Callida, and their sidekick Flaming Valdez, who accompanied them with a bag of magic screwdrivers and occasionally fixed tofu burgers. 

If that's not bad enough, I fall in love with every girl I see, as long as she's totally out of my league. When I first saw Calli, I thought she was way too pretty to be a daughter of Dionysus. Then, I thought, well, at least she's not crazy powerful or strong, she's tiny and witty like me. I like the way her lips curl upwards, as if she's constantly got some sort of dirt on me, and the way her long, wavy brown hair falls around her shoulders, her big, bright eyes, and the way words roll off of her tongue. I absolutely adore the permanent pink tinge on her cheeks and nose. She impressed me by figuring out the lock on the canary cage, too. Most of all, I like the way that she seems to live for the good times, and lets the bad times just... roll off of her back. She looks like the kind of girl who is the life of the party, and wouldn't give me the time of day. Just my type! And of course, she and Jason seem to have bonded while I was a golden statue. Another pretty girl overlooking me for the strong, handsome man. 

For a minute, Jason and Thalia face each other, stunned. Then, Thalia rushes forwards and hugs him. 

"My gods! She told me you were dead!" She grips Jason's face and seems to be examining everything about it. "Thank Artemis, it is you. That little scar on your lip- you tried to eat a stapler when you were two!" 

I laugh. "Seriously?" 

Hedge nods like he approves of Jason's taste. "Staplers. Excellent source of iron." 

"W-wait." Jason stammers. "Who told you I was dead?" What happened?" 

At the cave entrance, one of the white wolves barks. Thalia looks back at the wolf and nods, but she keeps her hands on Jason's face, like she's afraid he might vanish. "My wolf is telling me I don't have much time, and she's right. But we have to talk. Let's sit." 

Piper does better than that. She collapses. She would've cracked her head on the cave floor if Hedge hadn't caught her. 

Thalia rushes over. "What's wrong with her? Ah, never mind. I see. Hypothermia. Ankle." She frowns at the satyr. "Don't you know nature healing?" 

Hedge scoffs. "Why do you think she looks this good? Can't you smell the Gatorade?"

Thalia looks at me for the first time with an accusatory glare, like Why did you let the goat be a doctor? As if it's my fault. 

"You and the satyr." Thalia orders. "Take the girl to my friend at the entrance. Phoebe's an excellent healer." 

"It's cold out there!" Hedge says. "I'll freeze my horns off!" 

I know when I'm not wanted. Thalia wants to catch up with her friend and her brother. "Come on, Hedge. These three need to talk." 

"Humph, fine." The satyr mutters. "Didn't even get to brain anybody." 

Hedge carries Piper towards the entrance. I'm about to follow when Jason calls, "Actually, man, could you, um, stick around?"

I see something in Jason's eyes I don't expect. Jason is asking for support. He wants somebody else there. Somebody familiar. He's scared.