be.

iii - jason takes a power nap.

III.      JASON   !
⋆ ★
jason takes a power nap.

Dakota and Jason walked past the cabins — including one with a wooden exterior and a tree growing right in the center of the building. A few of the campers were inside, some were touching up flowers while others relaxing after their day was almost over. Dakota looked up at the cabin.

She looked like a doe, one turned into a human with magic. With her wavy hair the color of soil, tied together in a ponytail. She looked terrifying with the crossbow on her back, almost like she was hunting for Dracula. She was tall, not as tall as Annabeth but she certainly was taller than Rachel. Jason took notice when her eyes lined up with his chin. Her eyes. He knew about people who had heterochromia, two different colored eyes, but he had never seen someone in real life with it. Dakota's right was a pure forest green, while her leg a golden brown. And they were big, doll-like eyes. Dakota smelled of baked goods — like fresh apple pie.

Jason could see the resemblance to Leo. He could see strands of dark brown in her milk chocolate hair, the same elf-ish ears, the same fidgety fingers, anyone could tell they were related. It was just a wonder both of their parents fell for gods.

"Your cabin?" asked Jason. He stood next to her, noticing her glossy eyes. Jason noticed a lot about her. Like the pink cheeks she had back at the Big House from when she interrupted him and Chiron. Jason nudged her shoulder so she could zone in again. "Dakota?"

"Sorry," she jumped back to reality. Her cheeks turned pink again like she was embarrassed. Dakota turned her focus back on their trail and began to walk. "Sorry, Jason, I'm just frustrated. This all is . . . a lot. Hera and I aren't exactly buddies."

"We don't have to do what she says, don't we?"

Dakota laughed at him. He felt stupid for even asking the question. "She's a goddess, Jason. An Olympian. If she wants us to do something we have no choice. Even if we don't like it."

"I'm guessing Hera isn't your favorite of the Olympians," Jason said. Dakota only hummed in response. They headed toward the newer wing of cabins in the southwest corner of the green. Some of them were fancy, with glowing walls or blazing torches, but Cabin Fifteen was not so dramatic. It looked like an old-fashioned prairie house with mud walls and a rush roof. On the door hung a wreath of crimson flowers—red poppies, Jason thought, though he wasn't sure how he knew.

"You think this is my parent's cabin?" he asked.

"No," Dakota said. "This is the cabin for Hypnos, the god of sleep."

"Then why—"

"We've realized you've forgotten everything," she said. "If there's any god who can help us figure out memory loss, it's Hypnos. You trust me?"

Jason thought about her words. He knew he didn't belong at Camp Half-blood, no matter how many people tell him he does. But Dakota was Leo's family, who was way nicer to him and his friends than Annabeth was. Jason didn't know her at all, but his instinct was telling him to trust her. But he didn't trust himself to say it aloud. If the chance that Dakota was in fact his enemy did happen, he didn't want to get too close.

"Lead the way."

Inside, even though it was almost dinnertime, three kids were sound asleep under piles of covers. A warm fire crackled in the hearth. Above the mantel hung a tree branch, each twig dripping white liquid into a collection of tin bowls. Jason was tempted to catch a drop on his finger just to see what it was, but he held himself back.