Daughter of Wine

Callida

Our plan goes wrong almost immediately. Piper and I scramble across the ridge while Leo, Hedge, and Jason all march straight into the clearing. I manage to clear plant-life out of our way pretty easily, but the earth is sucking at my feet stronger than before, and I'm barefoot.  

"Giant!" I hear Jason yell, rather heroically. 

Piper and I start slowly picking our way down the side of the hill as the giant has his back turned. I see him blowing fire at my friends. We reach the bottom of the incline and hide in a bush, Tristan McLean is a good fifty yards away, with nothing to hide behind between us and him. 

"I see you Piper McLean!" The giant bellows. He turns and blows a column of flame right at our bush, forcing us to run into the clearing like flushed quails. 

Enceladus laughs. "I'm happy you've arrived. And you brought me my prizes!" 

Leo's face twists into fear. I hold the little wind-up toy that he gave me in my hand safely. It's so cute, and I love it. But I figured out what it does, even if he doesn't know. I inch towards the construction equipment slowly. 

The giant laughs louder. "That's right, son of Hephaestus. I didn't expect you all to stay alive this long, but it doesn't matter. By bringing you here, Piper McLean has sealed the deal. If she betrays you, I'm as good as my word. She can take her father and go. What do I care about a movie star?"

Now that I've run out into the clearing, I can see Mr. McLean more clearly. He looks thin and sickly, with a ragged dress shirt and torn slacks. His bare feet are caked with mud, just like mine. But his face is unmistakable. I've seen his movies. A part of me wishes he would escape his bonds and fight the giant with us, like he would in a movie. But unfortunately, this is real life, and he's really stuck. 

"Dad!" Piper yells. 

Mr. Mclean blinks and tries to focus. "Pipes...? Where..." 

Piper draws her dagger and faces Enceladus. "Let him go!"

"Of course, dear." The giant rumbles. "Swear your loyalty to me, and we have no problem. Only these others must die." 

Piper looks back and forth between Leo and her dad. 

"He's a big fat liar." I remind her. "Don't trust him!" 

"Oh, come now, little daughter of Dionysus." Enceladus bellows. "You know I was born to fight Athena herself? Mother Gaea made each of us giants with a specific purpose, designed to fight and destroy a particular god. I was Athena's nemesis, the anti-Athena, you might say. Compared to some of my brethren, I am small! But I am clever. And I keep my bargain with you, Piper McLean. It's part of my pan!" 

Jason is on his feet now, lance ready, but before he can act, Enceladus roars a call so loud it echoes down the valley and is probably heard all the way to San Francisco. 

At the edge of the woods, half a dozen ogre-like creatures rise up, straight out of the earth. They're small compared to Enceladus, and each of them has six arms. They wear only ragged leather loincloths, and even from here, I can smell them. Six guys who never bathe, with six armpits each. 

Leo steps towards Piper. "What- what are those?"

Her blade reflects the purple light of the bonfire. "Gegenees." 

"In English?" He asks. 

"Earthborn." I tell him. "Six armed giants who fought Jason. The first Jason." I wrinkle my nose. "The stories never mentioned the smell."

"Very good my dear!" Enceladus sounds delighted. "They used to live on a miserable place in Greece called Bear Mountain. Mount Diablo is much nicer! They are lesser children of Mother Earth, but they serve their purpose. They're good with construction equipment-"