CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
FINLEY                    BRIGGS

Finn couldn't explain how she knew.

Not much freaked Finn out, but now... after what her dad had told her... the prospect of phantoms and tortured souls put her in a state of unease. Her brain could only remind her that she wasn't much different from them. Was she not a phantom, a tortured soul too?

Finn had a gut sense the eidolons were still present, simply because no one had told them to go away.

When she was done explaining, the others looked at her as they always looked at her: uncomfortably. Up on deck, Hedge sang something that sounded like "In the Navy" while Blackjack stomped his hooves, whinnying in protest.

Finally Hazel exhaled. "Finley is right."

"I am?" she asked.

"How can you be sure?" Piper asked.

"I've met eidolons," Hazel said. "In the Underworld, when I was... you know."

Dead.

Finn tried sending her an encouraging smile as she reached across the table and held up her palm towards Hazel. "Up top!" she cheered.

Hazel's eyes narrowed on Finn tiredly. Nevertheless, she hesitantly returned Finn's high-five.

"So..." Frank rubbed his hand across his buzz-cut hair as if some ghosts might have invaded his scalp. "You think these things are lurking on the ship, or—"

"Possibly lurking inside some of us," Finn said. "We don't know."

Jason clenched his fist. "If that's true—"

"I know I helped get rid of them the first time," Finn ignored Jason easily, "but I don't think I'll be able to do this. I..." She groaned. "I really don't want to say this, but..."

Finn coughed a few words into her shoulder. Everyone blinked, confused.

"Um. What?" Annabeth asked.

"IThinkWeNeedPiper'sHelp," she quipped. No one could decipher anything, except for the fact Finn sounded agitated.

Leo crossed his arms. "Okay, again, but slower this time."

Finn threw up her hands in annoyance. Eyes down on the table, she reiterated, "I think we need Piper's... you know... help."

A beat.

"It was seriously that hard for you to say that?" Piper questioned.

"I'm not repeating it, so don't make me."

Piper rolled her eyes. "What do you even mean you need my help?"

"We do," Finn corrected. "Not me. But—I think the eidolons would only listen fully if someone was using charmspeak. I was able to get them to talk. But going away? They're gonna be a lot more stubborn about that."

"And how do you know?"

"Like my dad said—I'm sort-of-dead-but-not-really-but-also-yes-really," Finn said. "I don't know. I think all the people who 'died' when Thanatos was chained are going through the same thing right now. Maybe. Whatever. That's not the point!"

Piper let out a large (and dramatic, in Finn's opinion) sigh, sitting up more in her chair. "Fine. I guess it makes sense," she admitted. "We have to take steps."

"So you'll do it?" Finn asked suspiciously.

"Just listen, okay?" Piper took a deep breath. "Everybody listen."

Piper met their eyes, one person at a time.

"Eidolons," she said, using her charmspeak, "raise your hands."

There was a tense silence.

Leo laughed nervously. "Did you really think that was going to—?"

His voice died. His face went slack. He raised his hand.

Jason and Percy did the same. Surprising everyone completely, Sylvie did too. Their eyes had turned glassy and gold. Hazel caught her breath. Next to Leo, Frank scrambled out of his chair and put his back against the wall.

"Oh, gods," Annabeth looked at Piper imploringly. "Can you cure them?"

Piper didn't say anything. She just focused on Leo, who was the least intimidating.

"Are there more of you on this ship?" she asked.

"No," Leo said in a hollow voice. "The Earth Mother sent four. The strongest, the best. We will live again."

"Not here, you won't," Piper growled. "All four of you, listen carefully."

Sylvie, Jason, and Percy turned toward her with unnerving eyes.

"You will leave those bodies," she commanded.

"No," Percy said.

Leo let out a soft hiss. "We must live."

Frank fumbled for his bow. "Mars Almighty, that's creepy! Get out of here, spirits! Leave our friends alone!"

Sylvie turned toward him. "You cannot command us, child of war. Your own life is fragile. Your soul could burn at any moment."

It felt like Finn's heart tensed, knowing what that meant. Frank staggered like he'd been punched in the gut. He drew an arrow, his hands shaking. "I—I've faced down worse things than you. If you want a fight—"

"Frank, don't," Hazel rose.

Next to her, Jason drew his sword.

"Stop!" Piper ordered, but her voice quavered. She was evidently losing faith in the power of her abilities, and Finn couldn't have that. These eidolons couldn't stay. They couldn't cause any bloodshed. In the back of Finn's mind, she could almost hear Gaea laughing. So,

"Listen to Piper," Finn demanded. Jason lowered his sword and sank back into his chair.

Percy growled in a very un-Percy-like way. "Daughter of Bacchus, you may control madness and insanity. You do not control the dead."

"Then what do you call what I just did?" Finn glared. "You don't belong here. Listen to me, and obey Piper."

Finn turned toward Piper, and as much as she hated the daughter of Aphrodite, her expression was clear: Try again. It's gonna work.

Piper mustered all her courage. She looked straight at Sylvie—straight into the eyes of the thing that was controlling her. "You will leave those bodies," Piper repeated, even more forcefully.

Sylvie's face tightened. Her forehead beaded with sweat. "We—We will leave these bodies."

"You will vow on the River Styx never to return to this ship," Piper continued, "and never to possess any member of this crew."

Jason, Percy, and Leo all hissed in protest.

"You will promise on the River Styx," Piper insisted.

A moment of tension. Finn could see their wills fighting against Piper. Then all four eidolons spoke in unison: "We promise on the River Styx."

"You are dead," Piper said.

"We are dead," they agreed.

"Now, leave."

All four demigods slumped forward. Percy fell face-first into his pizza. Annabeth caught Sylvie before the same could happen with her fried rice. Piper and Hazel caught Jason's arms as he slipped out of his chair.

Leo wasn't so lucky. He fell toward Finn and Frank, who made no attempts to help him. Leo hit the floor.

"Ow!" he groaned.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked.

Leo pulled himself up. He had a piece of spaghetti in the shape of a 3 stuck to his forehead. "Did it work?"

"It worked," Piper said, sounding certain. "I don't think they'll be back."

Jason blinked. "Does that mean I can stop getting head injuries now?"

Finn coughed, and that certainly was not to cover up a laugh, because she certainly did not think Jason Grace was funny. However, in case anyone started to think that, she said, "I hope not."

"Wait." Sylvie blinked blearily. Her head looked around the group slowly, still processing. "Did I just... Does that mean...?"

"You must've gotten possessed when you guys were on the highway," Hazel guessed.

"Possessed?" she asked, confused.

"By the eidolons?" Hazel answered, equally as confused. "Piper just had to use her charmspeak to banish them away."

"I..." Sylvie blinked again, rubbing her head in pain. "What?"

Percy finally finished wiping the pizza sauce off his face with napkins. He placed a gentle hand on Sylvie's back. "Come on, Applejack. Let's get you some rest."

╰━━━ ◦ ✸ ◦ ✸ ◦ ━━━╯

Finn couldn't find herself even remotely tired after everything that had gone on with the eidolons. She walked back and forth along the deck. Maybe, if she paced long enough, she could forget everything that happened.

The eidolons reminded her of dead souls. Dead souls reminded her of being half-dead herself. Being half-dead reminded her of... well, dying. Finn couldn't shake the feeling that there was still a bullet—her own bullet—lodged in her throat. She couldn't look at her hands without feeling as if there was still blood—her own blood—tainting her skin.

Finn downed some more wine she conjured in a cup she found. She hoped that if her brain was intoxicated enough, all the horrors in her mind would fully go away. That had never actually been successful before, but she was nothing if not a fool. Maybe this time it might work.

Leo stood at the helm, conferring with Festus through the intercom. If he noticed Finn's occasional chugging, he didn't say anything, which she was grateful for. He left her to her own devices, as she did him.

Since the satellite TV was up again, Coach Hedge was in his cabin happily catching up on his mixed martial arts cage matches. Percy's pegasus Blackjack had flown off somewhere. The other demigods were settling in for the night.

The Argo II raced east, cruising several hundred feet above the ground. Below them, small towns passed by like lit-up islands in a dark sea of prairie. The night was warm. The ship sailed along smoothly, but that wasn't the best part to Finn: It was the fact they were flying away from Camp Jupiter as fast as they possibly could. 

Ever since she'd died, it was a horrible thought considering she was practically raised there, but she couldn't stand the thought of being with her fellow Romans for much longer. She'd meant what she said to the ghosts in Alaska—she wanted to get out of the toxic environment that Camp Jupiter brought. Finn wondered if Greek demigods, living or dead, would even dream of killing their own kind. Even if they were disgraces. Even if they weren't good enough, or "Greek" enough.

From what Finn had seen of the Greeks on the Argo II, she doubted they'd even consider it.

Finn sighed heavily, gulping down all the wine that was left in her cup. She crushed it in her hand the moment it was empty. She stopped amidship and tried leaning against the rail, but—

Her body phased through the railing. Finn was starting to fall sideways before she knew it. She cursed as her feet stumbled, but she was far too drunk to save herself.

Finn braced for the impact, but her body never hit the deck.

Of course her body never hit the deck, because of course someone ran up and caught her. Of course this person had to be none other than Jason Grace himself, with arms wrapped around Finn's frame and steadying her back upright.

"Are you okay?" he asked, sounding unnecessarily worried for someone who was so injured himself.

Finn scowled, shoving him away as hard as a drunk teenage girl could manage. "Don't touch me," she drawled, crossing her arms to hide in herself. "I'm fine."

"You just... But you just phased through—"

"Shut up," Finn hissed. She self-consciously looked over to where Leo was at the helm, because for some reason the thought of a person watching Jason and her interact put her on edge.

He was out of earshot, of course, and he was still focusing on Festus, but he was sending the occasional nosy glance in their direction. Finn turned her head back out toward the scenery. She ignored the feeling of Jason's electric eyes arcing into her.

She heard Jason sigh. "Look, Finn—"

"Call me Finn one more time!" Finn dared. Her voice had risen to a volume that even Leo could hear. His head whipped over with wide eyes, but Finn met his curiosity with a burning glare. He jolted, whistling idly and facing Festus again.

Only then did she discreetly take a glance at Jason. He tensed up entirely, like there were a thousand volts of electricity keeping him wired.

"Don't fuck with me tonight, Grace," she added, "I'm serious. It's been a long day."

"I know," Jason said. He wasn't even able to comment on the loss of Finn and the reoccurrence of Grace, because it all hurt too much. "That's why I came out here."

"Lucky me," Finn grumbled sarcastically, turning back forward.

She could've sworn Jason made a little pitiful noise in the back of his throat, but that could've just as easily been the whistling winds in the night air.

"Can I say thank you without you killing me?" He sounded desperate. "You saved me today. A few times."

"I didn't do it for you," Finn said, because it was important he knew that. It was important she told herself that.

Jason grimaced to himself, even if she wasn't looking at him. "Well... thanks anyways."

She didn't bother to respond. She just kept looking out at the sky, and the occasional clouds they flew past. There were stars out, but Finn had never been the type of person to know any names or constellations or anything. That was more up, well, Jason's alley.

The aforementioned boy exhaled heavily, raggedly. Out of the corner of Finn's eye, she saw him moving. Suddenly he was leaning against the rail too, just like she was. They weren't even looking at each other, yet Finn still felt like she was drowning in the tension.

"I really..." Jason's voice wavered. "I can't believe this."

Finn hummed, her curiosity betraying her. "Believe what?"

"How much it hurts being around you now," he whispered, so that his voice didn't crack again. "I couldn't have imagined... Never in a million years."

It felt like Finn was being shot again; this time, with no chance of survival. Jason's voice rang in her ears. She found herself hoping that what she heard was just a trick of her drunken mind. Jason didn't say that. Jason would never say that.

Finn felt devastated, but then she felt an aftertaste of anger. How dare he have the audacity to be hurt by her? After everything he did, and everything he said—now he was out here being pitiful. It had almost made Finn crack, until she remembered the reality of their situation.

I can't believe how much it hurts being around you now.

Jason had no clue. He didn't even have an idea. He wasn't the first person hurt out of the two of them. He wasn't the first person crushed at the fact that something so immaculate had now been tainted. No. That was Finn—Finn, who had to suffer in silence for three years. Finn, who still was suffering in silence. Finn, who was a self-sabotaging idiot that would rather die at the threat of her own gun than ever admit Jason Grace affected her.

"I should go to bed," she decided.

Finn pivoted swiftly, desperate to be anywhere but here. She didn't know why she wasn't expecting Jason's desperate, "Wait!" at her sudden movements. He turned too, his hand snapping out quickly to latch onto Finn's wrist.

But her arm went intangible again. Jason's fingers went right through Finn's skin. It even flickered, after the fact. For a moment, they both just stared at what happened.

Self-consciousness rose in Finn again. She hated it. She never felt this way. Never, except when Jason was in her vicinity.

I can't believe how much it hurts being around you now.

Finn couldn't even express to him how much she related to his words.

"Just... Just wait," Jason begged, though his words came out as a pant. In any other case, Finn would've easily refused to grant his wishes. But he didn't comment on Finn's loss of touch with reality, and that actually made her feel a lot better than she let show.

Still, she wasn't about to make Jason's time easy. She crossed her arms, glaring at him impatiently. "I'm waiting."

"I don't understand what happened," Jason started. His brows pulled together, and there was that crinkle—always that crinkle—right in between that resulted from it. "Hera screwed up my memories, and you're the only one that knows m—" He had to cut himself off. "You're the only one here that's been at camp with me for a while. Can you just... try to help me remember? Please?"

"There's nothing to remember," she said instinctively. "We hate each other."

"So it's not true that you were offered a position in the Second Cohort, but you chose the Fifth Cohort just to be with me?"

Finn's body stiffened completely. Now she felt like she was the one wired up by a thousand volts of electricity. They were shocking her, inside and out, keeping her immobile. Finn wanted to run away as far away from him as she could, but something was holding her back.

"That..." Finn's voice quavered. It never really did that. "No. That's true."

Her hands were shaking, but it was because of the sudden intense urge to drink all the wine she could find. There was no alcohol here. She felt trapped.

"It's true?" Jason asked, like her words were a lighthouse in the distance and he was a ship seeking the shore. Like Finn was hope, and he was the only person who ever looked at her that way.

It made her feel emotions so intense that Finn couldn't confirm it again, but her silence was enough of an answer for him.

"Then I don't get it, Finley," Jason said. She hated how her full name sounded coming from him, but him using her nickname hurt a million times more. "Why do you hate me? Because I know that I could never hate you."

Do you hate me?

No. No, of course not.

Are you sure?

I don't hate you, Finn.

I hate you.

I know.

Finn couldn't think about that right now. She couldn't be here, with Jason right next to her, and simultaneously think about everything she yearned to forget. She found herself wishing she was in Jason's position—with no memories except for only the good times.

"The legend that Sylvie mentioned," she said, forcibly changing the topic, "about the Echo of Demeter. Why didn't you want to talk about it?"

She was afraid Jason might demand his previous question be answered, but he just lowered his head like he'd been expecting her coldness. "I don't know what's true and what's not. That legend... it could be really dangerous."

"For who?"

"All of us," he said grimly.

Finn found herself scoffing, leaning more properly against the rail like she had been before. "I was at camp for basically ten years at this point, and never heard anything about this. Seriously, what secret praetor shit are you hiding?"

Jason's head snapped up to her. "Is that what this is all about? The praetor thing?"

"Just answer my question," Finn ordered. "I never said I wouldn't kill you."

Jason sighed, moving towards the rail as well. Now Finn's back was against it, while his front was against it.

"The story goes that the Romans stole something important from the Greeks, back in ancient times, when the Romans conquered the Greeks' cities."

Finn waited, but Jason seemed lost in thought.

"Well, what did they steal?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. "I'm not sure anyone in the legion has ever known. But according to the story, this thing was taken away to Rome and hidden there. The children of Demeter, Greek demigods, have hated us ever since. They've always stirred up their brethren against the Romans. But you've met Sylvie. You see what she's like, probably the sweetest person I know. I don't know how much of that is true—"

"Why not just tell Sylvie?" Finn asked. "You just said she was the sweetest person you know. She's not going to suddenly hate you."

"Yeah, not like you, huh?" Jason said grimly.

Finn's stomach churned. "Fuck you."

He breathed out sadly. "I just... I don't know. But the legend says that the children of Demeter have been searching for this thing for millennia. Every generation, a few are chosen by the goddess to find it. Apparently, they're led to Rome by some sign... the Echo of Demeter."

"I'm not gonna let you be an asshole to anyone else and gatekeep this, Grace. If Sylvie is one of those searchers, we need to help her."

Jason hesitated. "Maybe. When we get closer to Rome. I'll tell her what little I know. Honest."

Finn scoffed. "You can be honest?"

"Fuck you," Jason growled. "The story, at least the way I heard it—it claims that if the Greeks ever found what was stolen, they'd never forgive us. They'd destroy the legion and Rome, once and for all. After what Nemesis told Leo, about Rome's being destroyed five days from now..."

Finn finally turned her head to look at him, even though they were facing opposite directions, so it wasn't the easiest to examine his face. He let her do it anyways, even looking to the side at her to grant her easy access. Or maybe he was just analyzing her features as well.

Finn first noticed that the little scar on Jason's upper lip seemed to glow white in the moonlight. She'd always loved that scar. The imperfection made his face much more interesting. Then she realized Jason was afraid. This legend—the idea that it might tear apart their group and level a city—absolutely terrified him.

She wondered what could have been stolen from the Greeks that would be so important. Finn couldn't imagine anything that would make Sylvie suddenly turn vengeful. She was Sylvie, for the gods' sake.

Then again, Finn couldn't imagine choosing one demigod's life over another, and today on that deserted road, just for a moment, Gaea had almost tempted her.

╰━━━ ◦ ✸ ◦ ✸ ◦ ━━━╯

BAILEY YAPS...

Sylvie, you have to stop. You smoke too tough. Your swag too different. Your bitch is too bad. They'll kill you

Anyways y'all better start praying for her

Do you think that when Finn and Jason went to their separate cabins that they both started blasting I Love You, I'm Sorry by Gracie Abrams

'Cause that's just the way life goes I push my luck, it shows thankful you don't send someone to kill me I love you, I'm sorry you were the best but you were the worst as sick as it sounds, I loved you first I was a dick, it is what it is a habit to kick, the age-old curse I tend to laugh whenever I'm sad stare at the crash, it actually works making amends, this shit never ends I'm wrong again, wrong again the way life goes joyriding down our road LAY ON THE HORN TO PROVE THAT IT HAUNTS ME