LOGICAL . . .

16, desert.

The group eventually stumbled into what looked like a barren desert, flat, sand, and scorching sun with nothing else.

"Weird," Grover muttered. "Like weird in general or just- weird, weird?" Asteria asked, squinting as she held a hand over her eyes to block the sun.

"Haven't heard the dog in a while," Grover added. "He chased us all that way and then just stopped" Percy said, confusion clear in his voice. "I wonder why."

"That's what I'm saying," Grover agreed as he walked beside them. "Maybe they scared us off enough to leave us alone," Asteria suggested with a shrug.

That was when she heard it, the faint flapping.

"Fuck," she muttered right as Grover suddenly lifted a few inches off the ground.

"Grover? Where are you going?" Percy asked, picking up his pace. Asteria followed immediately.

"I don't know! I can't stop!" Grover yelled, staring down at Asteria like she had the answers.

"Why aren't yours doing the same?! We have the same shoes!" he demanded, sounding almost betrayed.

"I don't know! You're the one floating away like a balloon!" Asteria shot back. Grover continued drifting upward, faster now, toward the rise of a sand dune.

"Stop moving so much!" Asteria groaned as his panic worsened. "I'm trying! Guys! It's the shoes!" he shouted, finally putting the pieces together.

"Grover!" Percy sprinted after him.

Percy glanced at Asteria. "Can't you, you know, use your shoes, fly up and grab him?!"

Asteria scoffed. "Maybe? But are you seriously suggesting I go up there and potentially die?"
Percy winced. "Asteria, you know I didn't mean it like that."

His voice softened, and Asteria let out a soft scoff of annoyance.

"Asteria! Percy!" Grover yelled, teetering dangerously close to a pit in the sand.

"Maia!" Asteria commanded. Her shoes flared with energy, lifting her into the air. She zipped toward Grover.

"Hold on!" she yelled just as she reached him.

"No! I knew this wouldn't work!" Asteria panicked as Grover accidentally grabbed her arm, pulling them both downward into the sliding sand.

"Percy!" they screamed in sync as they slipped.

Percy lunged forward, grabbing Asteria's wrist with one hand and stabbing his sword into the sand with the other. The blade caught, jerking them to a stop.

Asteria's shoes halted instantly, but Grover's kept going.

The shoes slipped off his feet and shot upward into the sky.

"Luke is gonna kill me." Asteria whispered as she watched them disappear.

"Well, at least I didn't die," Grover panted, still shaken. Percy pulled Asteria against his chest, his arms steady around her. Her breaths were sharp, too sharp. He held her close until she calmed, his touch steady and protective.

"I'm never suggesting you do anything like that again," he said quietly, guilt heavy in his voice.

Before she could respond, something clanked inside Percy's backpack.

"What was that?" Grover asked.

Percy quickly took off the bag, rummaged through it and pulled out a long metal cylinder.

Asteria blinked. "Did it teleport?" Her voice was tiny. Then she quickly shook her head. "Never mind, that was a stupid question."

Percy held it up. "Is this-"

"No," Grover said immediately, almost instinctively. "I mean, it looks-" Percy started again. "It absolutely is not," Grover shot back, voice cracking.

Asteria frowned. "Can someone elaborate? Because it looks identical to the master bolt, and that's kinda terrifying."

Grover stared at the object with dread. "Yeah. That's the master bolt." He spoke so quickly he barely breathed. "I mean, I think so. Right?"

"It looks like it," Asteria admitted. They all started talking over each other, panic settling in.

"How is it in your bag?" Grover asked.

Asteria leaned closer. "Wait this isn't even your bag. That's the one Ares gave you." Percy froze. "Oh gods. You're right."

"Yep. Makes a lot more sense now," Asteria muttered, running a hand through her hair. "So that would mean-"

"Ares had the master bolt the entire time," Percy finished. "He tricked us."

Asteria rolled her eyes. "Seriously? You guys believed for even one second that a man like Ares wouldn't lie to a group of kids? It was obvious he was playing us."

"But, he was working with Hades?" Grover said. Asteria hummed thoughtfully. "I guess so."

"That was it then, right?" Percy asked. "That's the quest."

"Well not yet." Asteria pointed behind them where Percy was staring. Grover and Asteria followed his gaze. Asteria groaned. "You have to be kidding me."

"Zeus is expecting us to return this," Percy said.

Asteria crossed her arms. "Well Zeus is gonna have to wait. We're getting your mom first."

vivi speaks . . .
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