RECLUSE ?Leo Valdez?

Unexplained Power

The tension in the hall was like an electrical storm brewing, which was totally possible, considering Percy's and Jason's powers. In an awkward moment, the two boys tried to sit in the same chair at the head of the table. Sparks literally flew from Jason's hands.

After a brief standoff, they had ceded the chair to Annabeth and sat at opposite ends of the table.

Maisie couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes,

Boys

Percy now sat on her right, next to his girlfriend at the head of the table. Leo was on Maisie's left, and the other head of the table was Frank.

Maisie wondered why the boys didn't just each have a head of the table.

Percy had taken a break from eating his piece of completely blue pie, an odd choice of a meal, and spoke first.

"We need to make some distance between us and Camp Jupiter," he said. "Frank spotted some eagles over Salt Lake City. We figure the Romans aren't far behind us."

Piper looked around guiltily, "I don't suppose we should go back and try to reason with the Romans? Maybe— maybe I didn't try hard enough with my charmspeak."

Jason took her hand. "It wasn't your fault, Pipes. Or Leo's, he added quickly. "Whatever happened, it was Gaea's doing, to drive the two camps apart."

"Maybe if we could explain that, though—"

"With no proof?" Annabeth asked. "And no idea what really happened? I appreciate what you're saying, Piper. I don't want the Roman's on our bad side, but until we understand what Gaea's up to, going back is suicide."

"She's right," Hazel said. She still looked a little queasy from seasickness, but was trying to eat a few saltine crackers. The rim of her plate was embedded with rubies that Maisie was sure weren't there at the beginning of their meal. "Reyna might listen, but Octavian won't. The Roman's have honor to think about. They've been attacked. They'll shoot first and ask questions post hac."

"You're right," Piper decided. "We have to keep going. Not just because of the Romans. We have to hurry."

Hazel nodded," Nemesis mentioned—"

"Wait, Nemesis?" Maisie interjected, her attention grabbed. "You spoke to Nemesis?"

Maisie could see Leo in her peripheral vision frantically motioning for Hazel to stop speaking. Maisie glared at him suspiciously.

"Uhh what she meant to say was," Leo interjected. "We uh— talked to—umm."

"You talked to my mom," Maisie frustratedly stated. She turned to Hazel with pleading in her eyes. "What did she say to you?"

Her eyes darted between hers and Leo's. "Oh— well—"

"She didn't say anything!" Leo insisted with an uncomfortable fake laugh.

"So what? You just didn't mention me?" Maisie asked incredulously.

"No! We did but—"

"Then what did she say!" Maisie demanded, her face inching towards Leo, anger radiating from her body.

"I— I can't—" he stuttered.

"You can't what!" Maisie screamed, her finger poking Leo's chest. "This is my mother we're talking about here! I think I deserve to know what was said."

His eyes darted back and forth uneasily, almost as if looking for some backup.

Maisie looked to Piper, who had received some of his pleading gazes, and watched as she gave Leo a 'you're on your own' look.

Maisie forced his head back to hers, causing an embarrassing squeak to erupt from his throat.

"Don't look at them! They can't help you!" Maisie demanded. "Tell me what she said!"

All this sudden, Maisie felt this overwhelming sense of power. Almost as if she could destroy the world at the snap of her fingers. And it seemed like the others could sense it too.

"Maisie," Percy spoke up. "I mean I'm all for punting Leo off the ship, but maybe there's a better way to go about this."

Maisie turned to him, then the rest of their crew. All of them wore looks of unease, eyes shifting over her suspiciously. Like they were waiting for her to attack. Even Annabeth looked on edge.

She felt like a monster.

She could feel the power fade, and her adrenaline had depleted. Her hands felt clammy and shaken. Everyone's eyes were burning holes into her body and all she wanted to do was run.

So she did.

She stormed up from her seat and, in a fit of anger, slammed the door to the mess hall open, and ran for her room. She passed coach hedge along by the way, who tried to stop her, but was forcefully shoved out of the way in her anger.

If she had just turned around, she would've seen the door had been knocked completely off its hinges, and now sat on the floor, causing her friends to exchanged concerned glances.

A/N: I've been playing Hogwarts legacy for the past week and I'm OBSESSED! I finished the main storyline and wanted to cry at the ending. I am RUSHING to buy the second one once it's out. Also thank you for 18k reads 💕!

Unedited
1331 words
11/24/26