| chapter fourteen |
in which nia & co. goes on a rescue mission

THE FRIDAY BEFORE WINTER BREAK STARTED, NIA KAMARIA packed an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons so that her friend Percy Jackson's mom could drive them all to a new boarding school to help their satyr best friend Grover Underwood and save some new demigods.

Okay, Nia thought as the car zoomed along the highway. That is officially the coolest sentence I have ever said.

It was an eight-hour drive from New York to Bar Harbor, Maine, where the boarding school was. Sleet and snow pounded the highway. All five of the half-bloods hadn't seen each other in person in months, but between the blizzard and the thought of what they were about to do, they were too nervous to talk much.

Except for Percy's mom. It seemed like she talked more when she was nervous. By the time they all got to Westover Hall, it was getting dark, and she'd told them all every embarrassing baby story there was to tell about Percy, which Nia filed away in EMBARRASSING THINGS TO BRING UP WHEN PERCY IS BEING A DOUCHE. 

Thalia wiped the fog off the car window and peered outside. "Oh, yeah. This'll be fun."

Westover Hall looked like a castle from medieval times. It was all black stone, with towers and slit windows and a big set of wooden double doors. It stood on a snowy cliff overlooking a big frosty forest on one side and the gray churning ocean on the other.

Nia glanced at Thalia. "This is your idea of fun?"

Thalia grinned at her. "Come on, Ana. Don't worry so much." Thalia had been calling her 'Ana' ever since they had first met. ( You know: Diana, Ana. )

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait?" Ms. Jackson asked.

"No, thanks, Mom," said Percy. "I don't know how long it will take. We'll be okay."

"But how will you all get back? I'm worried."

Nia glanced at Percy who was blushing furiously.

"It's okay, Ms. Jackson." Annabeth smiled reassuringly, her blond hair tucked into a ski cap. "We'll keep him and Naomi out of trouble."

Ms. Jackson seemed to relax a little. "All right dears. Do you have everything you need?"

"We do, Sally," Naomi grinned, getting ready to get out of the backseat.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Ms. Jackson," said Thalia. "Thanks for the ride."

Nia grabbed Moonbeam, her hunting bag that appeared whenever she needed it. "We'll be fine — don't worry."

"Extra sweaters?" Ms. Jackson said. "You have my cell phone number?"

"Sally—" Naomi started.

"Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy? And Naomi, a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?"

"Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on, guys," Percy said.

Sally looked a little hurt. Nia thought that Percy's words were a bit harsh, but she guessed that she could understand why he was ready to get out of that car. But as someone whose mother didn't want her, she couldn't help but be a little bit upset with Percy.

As they all got out of the car, Nia inspected her outfit. Black jeans with a silver sweater and a long black jacket. Her curly black hair was up in a high ponytail ( made it easier for combat ). Black combat boots with Nia's signature silver and black bow and arrow disguised as a black hunting bag completed the look.

The bag was a gift from her godly mother, Artemis, discovered in her cabin on her tenth birthday. The bag went as deep as Nia wanted it to and would be able to fit virtually anything ( like Mary Poppins's handbag, as Percy so eloquently pointed out once ).

The cold wind blew through Nia's coat like ice daggers. Once Sally Jackson's car was out of sight, Thalia said, "Your mom is so cool, Percy."

"She's pretty okay," Percy admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?"

Nia inhaled sharply and looked over at Thalia and Percy. Thalia was giving him an evil look, which looked even scarier with her ripped-up army jacket, black leather pants, and chain jewelry. Her black eyeliner and intense electric blue eyes were giving Percy an evil look. "If that was any of your business, Percy—"

"We'd better get inside," Naomi interjected. 

Annabeth nodded. "Nomi's right. Grover will be waiting."

Thalia looked at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found here that made him send the distress call."

"Nothing good," Percy guessed.

Naomi stared up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. She was wearing long black leggings and a knee-length dress with blending shades of green. Her loose curls were up in space buns ( she always tried very hard with her hair ). Naomi tugged on the sleeves of her jean jacket. "Well, we're not going to find out what it is standing out here."

Nia nodded in agreement and starting walking towards the huge oak doors. "Come on, guys — let's go see what all the fuss is about."

THE FIVE OF THEM STEPPED INSIDE the entry hall in a swirl of snow. All that any of them could say was, "Whoa."

The school was huge. The walls were lined with battle flags and weapon displays: antique rifles, battle axes, and a bunch of other stuff. Westover was a military school and all, but the decorations seemed like overkill ( to Nia, at least ).

Nia's hand went straight to her hunting bag, hand wandering over the activation spot. Something about this place made her hair stand on edge. A fight was coming, and soon.

Nia glanced at Naomi. The daughter of Poseidon gripped her necklace. It was a golden oval locket, with a small picture of her and her father inside; a gift from James Bowie on Naomi's fifth birthday. Her weapon, a Bowie knife ( oh, the irony ), was named Κύμα, or Waveblade. A bit ironic, but cool nonetheless. Of course, mortals would only see the necklace, but that's not what monsters would see. 

The knife was a gift from her half-brother, Tyson the Cyclops. He had figured out how to anchor the locket to her knife. All that Naomi had to do was double-tap the charm and voila! her necklace became her weapon.

Annabeth started to say, "I wonder where—"

The doors slammed shut behind them.

"Oo-kay," mumbled Percy. "Guess we'll stay awhile."

Nia moved her head in the direction of the other end of the hall. "Is that music?"

They all stashed their overnight bags behind a pillar and started down the hall. They hadn't gone very far when they heard footsteps on the stone floor, and a man and woman marched out of the shadows to intercept them.

The man and woman both had short gray hair and black military-style uniforms with red trim. They both walked stiffly, like they had broomsticks taped to their spines.

"Well?" the woman demanded of them. "What are you doing here?"

"Um. . ." Percy trailed off, glancing at his friends. "Ma'am, we're just—"

"Ha!" the man snapped. "Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be eee-jected!"

He had an accent - possibly French. He pronounced his J like in Jacques. He was tall with a hawkish face and his nostrils flared when he spoke. His eyes were two different colors — one brown, one blue — like an alley cat's. Nia furrowed her brows. Something about this man threw her off guard. 

Then, Thalia stepped forward and snapped her fingers, the sound sharp and loud.

A gust of wind seemed to ripple out from her hand and flood across the room. It washed over all of them, making the banners rustle on the walls. "Oh, but we're not visitors, sir," Thalia said. "We go to school here. You remember: I'm Thalia. And this is Annabeth, Percy, Nia, and Naomi. We're in the eighth grade and Naomi's in the sixth."

Nia knew immediately that Thalia was using the Mist and had to fight the urge to smirk.

The male teacher narrowed his two-colored eyes and hesitated. He looked at his colleague. "Ms. Gottschalk, do you know these students?"

The woman blinked, like someone had just woken her up from a trance. "I. . . yes. I believe I do, sir." She frowned at the group. "Annabeth. Thalia. Percy. Nia. Naomi. What are you all doing away from the gymnasium?"

 Before any of them could answer, Grover suddenly ran up, breathless. "Hey! You guys made it! You. . ." He stopped short when he saw the teachers. "Oh, Mrs. Gottschallk! Dr. Thorn! I, uh—"

"What is it, Mr. Underwood?" said the man in a tone that made it clear that he detested Grover. "What do you mean, they made it? These students live here."

Grover swallowed. "Yes, sir. Of course, Dr. Thorn. I just meant. . . I-I'm so glad they made. . . the punch for the dance! The punch is great — really great. And they made it!"

Dr. Thorn glared at all of them, looking like he wanted to pitch them off the castle's highest tower, but Mrs. Gottschalk just said dreamily, "Yes, the punch is excellent. Now run along, all of you. You are not to leave the gymnasium again!"

They didn't need to be told twice, leaving with a lot of 'Yes, ma'ams' and 'Yes, sirs' and a couple of salutes. It was a military school, after all.

Grover hustled them all down the hall in the direction of the music, with the teachers' eyes still on their backs. The satyr hurried them all to a door that read GYM written on the glass. 

"That was close!" said Grover. "Thank the gods you guys all got here!"

Annabeth, Thalia, Nia, and Naomi all hugged Grover and Percy high-fived him. Grover had gotten taller over the six months, but other than that, he looked like the same old Grover when he passed as human. A red cap on his curly brown hair to hide his goat horns, baggy jeans, and sneakers with fake feet.

"So what's the emergency?" Percy asked him.

Grover took a deep breath. "I found two."

Naomi's eyes widened. "Two half-bloods?"

"Here?" asked Thalia, amazed.

Grover nodded. Finding one half-blood these days was rare enough, what with Kronos's army signing them all onto their cause. Chiron had worked all the satyrs on overtime to try and find recruits. Problem was, there just weren't that many demigods out there. 

"A brother and a sister. They're ten and twelve," Grover said. "I don't know their parentage, but they're strong — I can tell. We're running out of time, though. I need help."

"Any monsters?" Nia asked.

"One. He suspects. I don't think he's positive yet, but this is the last day of term. I'm sure he won't let them leave campus without finding out. It may be our last chance! Every time I try to get close to them, he's always there, blocking me. I don't know what to do!"

"Right," Thalia said, nodding. "These half-bloods are at the dance?"

Grover nodded. 

"Then let's dance," said Thalia.

"Who's the monster, though?" Naomi asked Grover.

"Oh," said Grover, and looked around nervously. "You all just met him. The vice-principal, Dr. Thorn."

Nia sighed. "Great."

hey everybody! well that was quick, huh? in my defense, i told you that titan's curse chapters would be coming out soon. basically, i have no self-restraint. bad for me, good for you!

little tidbit for you: there is a small reference in this chapter that i included. here's a hint: it has something to do with naomi and it's mentioned in the beginning of The Hidden Oracle in trials of apollo. can anyone guess what it is, just for fun?

maybe i've made it too obvious. . .

oh well

hope you've enjoyed and talk—

wait a damn minute.

is that another update i see?

that's right folks — double update today! so hit that shiny orange button below and enjoy!

talk ( very ) soon!

—icedcoffeemug