RECLUSE ?Leo Valdez?

Piper is bilingual??

As they walked in silence through a hallway littered with tapestries, Maisie could feel the rushing cold wind hit her body over and over again. She wished to be back on Festus flying through the sky again.

Piper lightly tapped Jason, who had been lost in thought for a while. Asking if he was still with her. Pipers blessing had begun to fade, her hair turning back to its uneven choppy strands, and her makeup had begun to dissipate.

They found themselves stopped in front of two large oak doors.

"This is the throne room," she said. "Be on your best behavior, Jason Grace. My father can be ... chilly. I will translate for you, and try to encourage him to hear you out. I do hope he spares you. We could have such fun."

"Um, okay," Jason had managed to say. "But really, we're just here for a little talk. We'll be leaving right afterward."

The girl smiled. "I love heroes. So blissfully ignorant."

Pipers hand rested onto her dagger. "Well, how about you enlighten us? You say you're going to translate for us, and we don't even know who you are. What's your name?"

She sniffed with distaste. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you don't recognize me. Even in the ancient times, the Greeks did not know me well. Their homes were too warm, too far from my domain. I am Khione, daughter of Boreas, goddess of snow."

She swirled her finder in the air and made a miniature blizzard.

"Now come," Khione said. The oak doors blew open and blue light flooded the room. "Hopefully you will survive your little talk."

Purple tapestries lined the freezing icy walls, snow covered the floor, and the Aurora Borealis sat over them. Sculptures littered the room, holding an assortment of weapons: guns, swords, spears, you name it. It was there.

The throne room was breathtaking, but so cold.

Once Jason tried to step between two Greek spearmen, they moved to block his path with their javelins.

"It's fine," Khione said, "My father has ordered them not to kill you yet."

"Super," Jason said.

Zethes prodded them all in the back a few times. "Keep moving Jason junior."

"Please don't call me that."

"My father is not a patient man," Zerhes warned, "The beautiful Piper is losing her magic hairdo very fast, and Maisie looks too cold. Later, perhaps, I can lend them my hair products and clothes."

"Thanks," Piper grumbled while Maisie said "Eww, No!"

The mist in front of them cleared to reveal a man on an ice throne. Sturdily built, dressed in a stylish white suit woven from snow, with dark purple wings that spread out to either side of him. His long hair and shaggy beard encrusted with icicles, and arched brows that made him look angry. Maisie thought he reminded her of Gandalf, or maybe Dumbledore.

"Bienvenu," the king said. "Je suis Boreas le Roi. Eat vous?"

Khione, the snow goddess, was about to speak, but Piper stepped forward and curtsied.