chapter twenty-one

─── i negotiate with botox ken

          𝕴n terms of bad days, I think this one was probably second or third in ones that I could remember. Which was bad when I could only remember the past two days. I had found and lost my sister, again, in less than an hour, almost fallen off an ice bridge, Midas had happened, we were being hunted by werewolves for no apparent reason that I knew and now, I was having to climb up the cliffs and into a castle on a floating island.

Thalia had gone with the Hunters, her new family, and I couldn't blame her. She thought I was dead and whilst it was nice to know that I had a sister, I didn't know her and I doubt I would if she was travelling the world with the Hunters. Not to mention, she seemed set on finding Andromeda, and I couldn't help but wonder if she ever looked for me in that way?

Probably not, considering she thought I was dead.

I understood why Thalia had run away from the family and then also why she ran from Cabin One at Camp Half-Blood. Neither parental options were great but still, I was now stuck with that burden. Just like I was stuck with this stupid bag of winds, that seemed to get heavier as we climbed.

The only person in a good mood was Coach Hedge, who was bounding up the staircase and grinning at the rest of us. Leo and Piper left me in silence, though I could hear Leo updating Piper on everything that had happened. There was a lot going on all at once, and that in itself was stressful. Leo setting himself on fire was a little concerning but not the highest issue on my list, Piper nearly dying had resolved itself and then there was the issue of Piper's dad who was still trapped and about to die.

Who said being a demigod was fun?

Finally, we arrived at the top of the island. Bronze walls marched all the way around the fortress grounds, but I wasn't sure what they were expecting to attack them. It looked like a Greek temple but with satellites and radio towers on the roof.

"That's weird." Piper's eyebrows furrowed. 

"Guess you can't get cable on a floating island." Leo muttered. "Who knew? But woah, crazy front yard."

The grounds were scary, but amazing. It was divided into four section that all represented a different season. There were different elements of the seasons in each one, though in the desert, there was an advertisement to watch Aeolus nightly.

"One section for each of the four wind gods." I guessed. "Four cardinal directions."

"Loving that pasture." Coach Hedge licked his lips. "You guys mind...?"

"Go ahead." I sent him a slight grin, before Coach Hedge disappeared. Probably best that he didn't charge a wind god screaming and whirling his club around.

The satyr ran off to attack spring time as I lead the others into a large, marble foyer. A large purple banners read Olympian weather channel and some just read OW!

"Hello!" A woman floated up to us. She was pretty, in the way that stereotypical elves were, with an ageless face that could have been between sixteen or thirty, her ears a little pointy. Even though there was no wind, her hair blew like she was in a shampoo advertisement. Her white gown billowed around her but I couldn't tell whether she was walking of floating. "Are you from Lord Zeus? We've been expecting you."

I tried to respond but it was hard to think straight because I could see through the woman. Not like X-Ray vision or anything, but like she was a ghost and I could see straight through them.

"Ghost?" I muttered, but the woman's smile turned to a pout.

"I'm an aura, ma'am." I scowled at being called ma'am. "A wind nymph, as you might expect, working for the lord of the winds. My name is Mellie. We don't have ghosts."

"No, of course you don't!" Piper came to the rescue quickly. "My friend simply mistook you for Helen of Troy, the most beautiful mortal of all time. It's an easy mistake."

Thank the gods for Piper saving me.

"Oh..." Mellie blushed, looking over at me with a slight grin. "So you are from Zeus?"

"I'm Cressida, daughter of Zeus." I stuck my hands into my pocket.

"Excellent! Please, right this way." Mellie led us through some security doors into another lobby, consulting her tablet as we walked. Well, she floated but you get the gist. "We're out of prime time now, so that's good. I can fit you in right before his 11:12 spot."

"Okay...?" 

The lobby was a pretty distracting, winds blasting around them, doors opening and closing by themselves. Paper airplanes and other wind nymphs zipped around, a harpy bumbling along ahead of them. 

"Harpies, spirits of violent gusts, unlike us aurai." Mellie explained mainly to the others in the group, but she turned her eyes on me. "We're all gentle breezes."

"Course you are." I nodded, hand finding the bird toy in my pocket and squeezing it. I didn't know what my relationship with Octavian was, but I could guess that he wouldn't like someone else flirting with me.

"So," Piper prompted. "You were taking us to see Aeolus?"

Mellie led us through an airlock, a green light blinking above it.

"We have a few minutes before he starts." Mellie said cheerfully. "He probably won't kill you if we go in now. Come along!"

Mellie gave us no time to react, throwing open the door and into the central section of Elous' fortress. It was a big as a cathedral, with a soaring domed roof covered in silver and sculptures. TV equipment floated around randomly through the air, and there was also, no floor.

We only worked that out when Leo almost fell through it.

"Holy s-!" Leo screeched, all the blood dropping from his face. "A little warning next time would be nice!"

An enormous circular pit plunged into the heart of the mountain, at least half a mile deep, honeycombed with caves. I had this feeling that some of those tunnels led straight outside. The whole cavern bustled with harpies, aurai and paper airplanes, but for someone who couldn't fly, it would be a very long, fatal fall.

"Oh my, I am so sorry." Mellie gasped, unclipping a walkie-talkie. "Hello, sets? Could we get a floor in the main studio, please. Yes, a solid one. Thanks."

A few seconds later, an army of harpies rose from the pit, all carrying squares of building material. They went to work hammering and gluing, along with a worrying amount of duct tape, which wasn't exactly reassuring. In a matter of minutes, a makeshift floor was created over the chasm. It didn't look safe in the slightest, and probably broke about two dozen health and safety laws.

"That can't be safe." I muttered.

"Oh, it is." Mellie assured me with a touch on my arms. "The harpies are very good."

She drifted across the flooring as the rest of us sighed and followed. I stepped onto the floor first, grinning as it held my wait.

Piper's hand caught onto mine, gripping tightly.

"If I fall, you're catching me." 

"Sure?" I nodded, before turning to continue as Leo stepped out next. 

"You're catching me too, Superwoman." Leo smacked my shoulder as I shot him a sharp look at the nickname. "But I refuse to hold your hand."

Mellie lead us towards the middle of the chamber, to a loose sphere of flat-panel video screens floating around a control centre. A man hovered inside, checking monitors but he paid us no attention.

"I've got to get a room like this." Leo whistled, looking around. "This would be my heaven."

The screens all showed different programs, though the man in the centre ignored it all to speak into an earpiece. He looked like he was in his sixties, but he did also look like a Ken doll had melted in a microwave. It was scary.

"Ah, sir, Mr Aeolus, these demigods-" Mellie began.

"Hold it!" He held up a hand to silence her, then pointed at one of the screens. "Watch!"

It was Jeep being pulled into a tornado, and as it was flung into the air, Aeolus giggled with laughter.

"The Disaster Channel! People do it on purpose." He turned towards me with a mad grin. "Isn't that amazing? Let's watch it again."

"Sir? This is Cressida, daughter of-" Mellie tried to tell him.

"Yes, yes, I remember." Aeolus nodded. "You're back. How did it go?"

That was news to me.

"Sorry? I think you've mistaken me-" I was cut off.

"No, no, Cressida Grace, aren't you It was, what, last year? You were on your way to fight a sea monster I believe."

"News to me." I shrugged as Aelous laughed.

"Must not have been a very good sea monster! No, I remember every hero, or heroine, who's ever come to me for aid. Odysseus, gods, he was a nightmare. You only staye for a few days. Now, watch this video-"

My head ached, and I winced. My memories were all over the place but this was reminding me of something, I just couldn't quite get it.

"Two minutes to air!" The call came.

"Air! I love air. How do I look?" Aeolus exclaimed. He was rushing around, as uneven as the wind. "Makeup!"

A small tornado of brushes, blotters and cotton balls descended on Aeolus. They blurred across his face until he looked even worse than before. I fought a gag.

"Mr. Aeolus." I pulled off the golden backpack. "We brought you these rogue storm spirits."

"Did you!" Aeolus looked like I handed him dog shit. "Well, how nice."

I offered the bag.

"Boreas sent us to capture them for you. We hope you'll accept them and stop, you know, ordering demigods to be killed." I bargained as Aeolus laughed and looked incredulously at Mellie.

"Demigods be killed, I ordered that?"

"Yes, sir, 15th of September." Mellie explained. "Storm spirits released by the death of Typhon, demigods to be held responsible, etc, a general order for them all to be killed."

"I was just grumpy." Aeolus waved him off. "Rescind that order, Mellie, and who's on guard duty, Teri? Take the storm spirits down to cell block 14E, will you?"

A harpy snatched the bag from my hand, spiralling into the abyss as Aeolus grinned at me.

"Sorry about that kill-on-sight business, but gods, I was really mad." His face went dark, and I felt that familiar pins and needles down my back. "I remember now. I, yes, I remember that there was that-that voice."

"A voice, sir?" Leo pressed.

"How odd. Mellie, should we kill them?" 

"No, sir." Mellie said patiently. "They just brought us the storm spirits, which made everything all right."

"Of course." Aeolus laughed. "Sorry. Mellie, let's send the demigods something nice. A box of chocolates."

"A box of chocolates to every demigod in the world, sir?"

"No, too expensive. Never mind, it's time. I'm on!" Aeolus flew off toward the blue screen as newscast music started to play. I looked back at Piper and Leo, who seemed just as confused as I was.

"Mellie, is he always like that?" I questioned. She smiled sheepishly.

"Well, you know what they say. If you don't like his mood, wait 5 minutes. Whichever way the wind blows is based on him." Mellie explained.

"And that thing about the sea monster, was I here before...?" Mellie blushed.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember." Mellie shrugged. "I'm Mr. Aeolus' new assistant. I've been with him longer than most but still, not that long."

"How long do his new assistants last?" Piper questioned.

"Oh," Mellie pondered for a moment. "About twelve hours."

A voice blared from one of the floating speakers, as the weather channel appeared. I tuned out, running my tongue over my teeth as I thought. I had been here before, for a sea monster and I couldn't remember it. Who had I been on that quest with? Who had been with me and what had we done? Had we survived? Where had we gone after we'd completed it?

"This can't be right." Leo muttered as I turned back to him. Piper squeezed my hand, trying to make me come back to my senses. "Weather isn't this random."

"How often are the mortal weathermen right?" Mellie smirked. "They talk about front and air pressure and moisture, but the weather surprises them all the time. At least Aeolus tells us why it's unpredictable. Very hard job, it's enough to drive anyone mad."

I was very confused about what was going on. Why were we talking about this?

"See you in twelve minutes, because I'm sure it'll change." The lights shut off, the video monitors went back to random coverage and Aeolus' face sagged with weariness. Then, he saw that we were still here and he put a smile back on.

"So, you brought me some rogue storm spirits." Aeolus said. "I suppose...thanks? And did you want something else? I assume so. Demigods always do."

"Sir, this is Zeus' daughter." Mellie tried to cut in.

"Yes, yes. I know that. I said I remembered her from before." Aeolus snapped.

"But sir, they're here from Olympus." Aeolus looked stunned, then he laughed loudly that I almost jumped into the chasm.

"You mean you're here on behalf of your father this time? Finally! I knew they would send someone to renegotiate my contract!" What was he on?

"What?" I blinked blankly a few times.

"Oh thank goodness!" Aeolus sighed with relief. "It's been what, three thousand years since Zeus made me master of the winds. Not that I'm ungrateful, of course! But really, my contract is so vague. Obviously I'm immortal but 'master of the winds'. What does that mean? Am I a nature spirit? A demigod? A god? I want to be god of the winds because the benefits are so much better. Can we start with that?"

"Dude, you think we're here to promote you?" Leo checked.

"You are, then?" Aeolus grinned. "Marvellous! I mean, I think I've shown quite a bit of initiative with the weather channel, eh? And of course I'm in the press all the time. So many books have been written about me-"

"Er, right." I cut him off before he could go into it.

"The mortals love me. So, we'll change my official title to god of the winds." Aeolus clapped, moving on. "Then, about salary and staff-"

"Sir," I was done with this charade. "We're not from Olympus."

Aeolus blinked.

"But-"

"I'm the daughter of Zeus, yes." I nodded, "but we're not here to negotiate your contract. We're on a quest and we need your help."

Aeolous' expression turned dark.

"Like last time? Like every hero who comes here? Demigods!" Aeolus spat. "It's always about you, isn't it?"

"Sir, please, I don't remember last time, but if you helped me once before-"

"I'm always helping!" Aeolus snapped. "Well, sometimes, I'm destroying, but mostly I'm helping and sometimes I'm asked to do both at the same time! Why, Aeneas, the first of your kind-?"

"My kind?" I didn't like that tone he was using. "Demigods?"

"Oh please," Aeolus pointed his finger at me. "I mean your line. Aeneas, son of Venus, the only surviving hero of Troy. The Greeks burned down his city, he escaped to Italy where he found what would be Rome, blah, blah, blah. What did you think I meant?"

"I don't understand." I was sick of saying those words.

"I got dragged into his conflict too! Juno says one thing, Neptune says another and back and forth and back and forth! Do you think it's easy juggling those requests?"

"No." I shook my head.

"And then there's all the other little things that they ask!"

"We just want information." Piper was trying to be calm, but you could hear the shake in her voice. "We hear you know everything."

"Well, that's true, obviously." Aeolus puffed up at that. "I know that this business here, this hare-brained scheme of Juno's to bring you all together will end in bloodshed. As for you, Piper McLean, I know your father is in trouble."

Aeolus held out his hand, a photo appearing in it as he handed it to Piper. It was of Piper and her dad, at least I assumed it was. His face looked familiar but it was shaking too much for me to see. Piper had gone pale.

"This, this is from his wallet." She brought her hand to her mouth, tears welling up. 

"All things lost in the wind, eventually come to me. The photo blew away when the Earthborn captured him." 

"The what?" Piper looked up, eyes wide as Aeolus waved aside her question.

"Now, you, son of Hephaestus, yes I see your future." Aeolus turned to Leo, who was looking pale now. Another paper fell into the wind god's hands, an old tattered drawing done in crayons. Leo looked like he was about to throw up. He staggered backwards as I turned to catch him.

"Leo?"

"I drew this when I was a kid." Leo stammered. He folded it away. "It's-It's nothing."

"Really? Just the key to your success! Now where were we? You wanted information." Aeolus had skipped me it seemed, which was a relief. "Are you sure about that? Information can be deadly."

His smile told me that I should be careful, but I was busy being an amnesiac.

"We need to find the lair of Enceladus." I placed my hand on my hips.

"The giant?" Aeolus looked annoyed for a moment. "Why would you want to go there? He's horrible! He doesn't even watch my program!"

"Aeolus, he's got my father." Piper held up the father. "We need to rescue him and find out where Hera is being held captive."

"Now, that's impossible." Aeolus snapped. "Even I can't see that and believe me, I've tried. There's a veil of magic over Hera's location, very strong, impossible to locate."

"Wolf House. It's called the Wolf House." Aeolus put a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes.

"I'm getting something. She's at a place called the Wolf House!" No shit, stupid wind gods, why couldn't anyone be helpful on this quest. "I don't know where that is."

"Enceladus does." Piper persisted. "If you help us find him, we could get the location of the goddess-"

"Yeah." Leo persisted as I stopped tapping my foot. "And Lord Zeus might promote you."

"Yeah, he'd be super grateful." I finished the statement.

"A promotion." Aeolus' face lit up. "And all you want from me is the giant's location?"

"Well, if you could get us there, too." I amended, "that would be great."

Mellie clapped her hands in excitement.

"Oh, he could do that." Mellie nodded her head. "He often sends helpful winds-"

"Mellie, quiet!" Aeolus snapped. "I have half a mind to fire you for letting these people in under false pretences." 

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Mellie paled.

"It wasn't her fault." I tried to stop this, before moving the conversation on. "But about that help."

Aelous tilted his head as if thinking, but he was listening to voices.

"Well, Zeus approves." Glad to know that my dad at least liked me. "He says it would be if you could avoid saving her until after the weekend, Aphrodite says that I should help you and Hephaestus...very rare they agree on anything. Hold on."

At least all of their parents liked us.

Coach Hedge's burp interrupted us as he came trotting in from the lobby. Mellie saw him coming across the makeshift floor and she caught her breath.

"Who is that?" I turned back to Mellie before shrugging.

"That's Coach Hedge. He's our..." How did I explain this? "...our guide."

"He's so goatly."

I wanted to throw up.

"What's up?" Hedge trotted over. "Wow, nice place. Oh! Sod squares."

"Coach, you just ate." I muttered. We needed to get this deal struck without him trying to hit Aeolus. "Also, that's our floor. This is Mellie-"

"An aura." Hedge smiled winningly. "Beautiful as a summer's breeze."

I thought Piper might be sick.

"Aeolus was just about to help us." I moved the conversation back to what we needed.

"Yes. It seems so." Aeolus muttered. "You'll find Enceladus on Mount Diablo."

"Devil Mountain? Fitting." Leo rolled his eyes.

"It's just east of San Francisco Bay. I went there once with my dad." Piper explained.

"The Bay Area again?" The coach shook his head. "Not good. Not good at all."

"Now..." Aeolus began to smile. "As to getting you there-"

His face went slack and for a moment, I thought his botox had failed him. He tapped his earpiece, before straightening up with wild eyes as he watched us. He looked older, almost his age, as his face went blank.

"I understand." I didn't. "I'm sorry, daughter of Jupiter, new orders. You all have to die."

Mellie squeaked.

"But sir! Zeus said to help, as did Aphrodite, Hephaestus." 

"Mellie!" Aeolus snapped. "Your job is already on the line. Besides, there are some orders that can transcend the wishes of the gods."

"What?" I was drawing a blank here. Had this god done some form of drug in the seconds between the conversations? "Zeus will fire you."

"I doubt it!" Aeolus flicked his wrist and a cell door opened in the pit. The storm spirits were screaming, spiralling up towards them as I sighed. This was a terrible, terrible day. "Zeus will understand. Good bye heroes. I have to make this quick. I'm back on the air in 4 minutes."

I summoned my sword. Coach Hedge pulled out his club. 

"No!" Mellie dived at their feet just as the storm spirits hit with hurricane force. The carpets and all of the floor beneath us went.

The five of us fell into the pit as Aeolus screamed above us, something about Mellie being fired.

"Daughter of Zeus, do you have any power over the air?"

"A little!" 

"Then help me, or you're all dead!" Mellie grabbed my hand, and an electric charge went through us. My arms screamed in pain as I reached for Piper.

"Group hug!" I shouted at her. Piper got the idea, her, Leo and Coach Hedge all clung onto me and Mellie as everyone screamed.

"This is not good!" Leo yelled.

"No shit!" I shouted back as we tried to dodge the cloud of deadly shrapnel. "Concentrate, people."

We channelled the air around us, hoping the fall would become more of a tumble. Still, the slam into the tunnel was at a painful speed and went rolling down a steep vent. Mellie's robes billowed around her as we clung onto her desperately. We were starting to slow, but the storm spirits were screaming into the tunnel behind us.

"Can't-hold-long..." Mellie warned. "Stay together! When the winds hit-"

"You're doing great, Mellie!" Coach Hedge called. "My own mama was an aura, you know. She couldn't have done better herself."

They were flirting, I realised.

"Could you guys plan a date later?" Piper screamed. "Look!"

Behind us, the tunnel was turning dark and I felt my ears pop as the pressure built around our group.

"Can't hold them!" Mellie warned. "But I'll try to shield you, do you one more favour."

"Thanks Mellie." I called. "I hope you get a new job."

Mellie smiled, and then dissolved, wrapping us in a warm gentle breeze. Then the real winds hit, shooting us out and into the sky so fast, I blacked out.

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

So, Cress is back and snarky. People keep flirting with her and she's a bit stressed about that, funny though. Shes got so snarky and I do love that for her. Anyway, hopefully it all makes sense and this was also not edited.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx