RECLUSE - (n) a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.
MAISIE ELLIOT WAS ANGRY.
Angry at the world.
Angry at the Gods.
Angry at the demigods who seemed to move on too fast.
And when forced onto a quest with three stranger...
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SILENCE OVERTOOK THE DINING ROOM
The revelation that they weren't truly alone sent shivers down Maisie's spine. Knowing that somewhere in this room, sets of unwelcome eyes were peering the group of demigods without anyone's knowledge was unnerving to say the least.
Finally Hazel exhaled. "Piper is right."
"How can you be sure?" Annabeth asked.
"I've met eidolons," Hazel said. "In the Underworld, when I was...you know."
Dead
Nobody would say it, but everyone knew. Maisie had been informed by Percy much earlier into the quest. She chose not to bring it up in case it brought up any sort of bad memories.
"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," Piper said. "We don't know."
Jason clenched his fist. "If that's true—"
"We have to take steps," Piper said. "I think I can do this."
"Do what?" Percy asked.
"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 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. Their eyes had turned glassy and gold. Hazel caught her breath. Frank scrambled out of his chair and put his back against the wall. Maisie had physically jumped backwards from Leo.
"Oh, gods." Annabeth looked at Piper imploringly. "Can you cure them?"
Maisie tentatively scooted towards Leo, waving a hand in front of his face. She received no response.
"Are there more of you on this ship?" Piper asked Leo.
"No," Leo responded in a hollow voice. "The Earth Mother sent three. The strongest, the best. We will live again."
This was seriously freaky.
"Not here, you won't," Piper growled. "All three of you, listen carefully."
Jason and Percy turned toward Piper. Those gold eyes that all three boys now wore were unnerving.
"You will leave those bodies," Piper 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!"
