orenda [leo valdez]

lxxxii. Sherman Forgets How to Stand

❝i wonder what it would be like to melt into your sweet arms and stay there for eternity.❞

⤷ christy ann martine

△△△

Sadly, Bahamas was not eternal.

On their last day, a group of Empousai had checked into the hotel, and they were forced to leave early. Curse Hecate.

Festus had come back, thankfully. Not a moment too late, either. Kira and Leo hopped onto the bronze dragon with their backpack that contained all of their belongings just as the Empousai burst out of the hotel front doors.

Surprisingly, the ride to Camp Half-Blood was short. Maybe Festus excited to back to his woods, or maybe Kira just slept a lot.

Whatever it was, they arrived at Camp Half Blood hill just two days later.

They looked different. Both of their hair was a few shades lighter from Apollo's burst of the godly strength. They had deep tan from Bahamas. Kira was wearing a shirt that said "Life's better in the Bahamas", and Leo wore a pineapple button-up shirt. Both sported new scars and Leo had grown taller.

With intertwined hands, they walked past Thalia's pine tree, and down Camp Half Blood Hill.

For a few moments, everyone didn't notice. A few walked causally past them. Then, Kira was tackled in the dirt.

"Oof," She let out as Connor Stoll sent her to the ground. She spit out dirt.

"Kira!" He cried. "You were gone forever!"

Leo grunted beside them. "So was I,"

"Yeah, yeah," Connor said. Leo offered a hand to both of them to stand.

"So?" Connor asked.

"So?" Leo asked, confused.

"Did you save the world?" Connor asked, turning to walk further into camp. The two followed him towards the Big House.

Kira laughed. "Not yet." She said, leaning into Leo as they walked past campers. Now that school was beginning to let out, there were more campers.

"But a little closer then yesterday!" Leo proclaimed, and Kira just smiled.

"What he said."

Kira and Leo were attacked by the rest of their friends by the time they made it to the Big House. They greeted everyone, which took about forever in a half. Then, they went to Chiron to tell their plan. They would only be at Camp Half Blood for the rest of the school year.

"Leo!" Nyssa called from across camp. "Wow, you're alive!"

"You seem surprised," Leo asked, as the girl jogged up to them.