29 • I Get All the Candy

W hen Grover shook me awake, I felt like Id been asleep for eight seconds.

Annabeth was already rushing out the door. She gave me a kiss. Good luck.

Then she kissed Grover on the forehead and told him the same thing. Five minutes later, I was out the door too with an incredible case of bed head and clothes covered in hellhound fur.

First stop: home. The apartment was empty, but it felt good to use a shower that didnt spit fire. I changed clothes and walked over to the Cracked Teapot.

My mom was at her favorite table, sipping herbal tea and staring at her laptop.

Percy!

She always greeted me with such enthusiasm. It was nice, except when I remembered it was partly because she was surprised to find me still alive.

She gave me a hug. Do you need any breakfast? They have scones today.

This was a big selling point for my mom. Scones had never excited me, though. They always tasted like dehydrated muffin bricks.

Im good, I said. Just wanted to let you know whats happening.

Please! she said. Sounds much more fun than revisions.

I told her about my week at Hecates. The more I talked, the more Mom tapped her fingers against her cup, like she was channeling all her worry into the porcelain. If shed had my sea powers, she probably wouldve been stirring up a tempest in her teapot.

Quite an ordeal, she conceded. But at least you got the animals back.

Yeahexcept the hardest part is still to come. If this raising-the-dead thing doesnt work out

Hey. She reached across the table and took my hand. It reminded me of when I was a little kid. Sometimes Id felt like the world was spinning too fast. I couldnt process all the sounds and lights. My mom would tell me to focus on holding her hand. She wouldnt let go until I felt steadier. Youre going to be fine, she said now.

It didnt matter that her own hand was trembling. I knew she was as scared as I was. But that was okay as long as we were scared together.

Yeah, I said. Of course.

Just support Annabeth. If shes holding the torches, shes going to need you tonight.

Is that a secret mom-life-hack? I asked. How you keep from getting too freaked out?

What do you mean?

Likefocus on the people you love. They need you; you cant afford to get overwhelmed, so you keep it together.

She laughed. Maybe so. All I know is that you and Annabeth and Grover are going to get through this.

Optimismanother of my moms superpowers.

I remembered my talk with Grover yesterday. Hed been so worried that hed subconsciously sabotaged us so Annabeth and I couldnt leave for California. I thought about the temptations Hecate had left in our paththe strawberry potion, the library, the torchesalmost like she wanted us to fail.

Crossroads were Hecates thing. Whether I liked it or not, I was standing at one now. Everything was going to change one way or another. I just wished the options didnt all feel so terrifying. Why couldnt Hecate be waiting at the intersection with a helpful map and a selection of refreshing beverages?

My first meeting with her in the principals office, when shed turned into a fiery triple-headed horrorfest, had been enough to reduce me to a terrified child with a loose bladder. I couldnt imagine what it would be like for an actual child to encounter the goddess.

Ive got to ask you something. I told my mom about the apparition Id been seeingthe child on the bike, leaving behind a pair of broken glasses. That was you, wasnt it?

She stared at the steam coming off her teacup. I wonderedwhen you mentioned Gramercy Park. So that was Hecates house.

Id been pretty sure I was right. Now that I knew, I had a sudden urge to take away all of Hecates candy corn. Certain things should be off-limits, even for gods. Harassing my mom was at the top of that listespecially when she was a child.

I had a lot of questions. As usual, the most random thought came out first. I didnt know you wore glasses.

She smiled wistfully, the way she does when she looks at old photographs. I havent since that day. My family made me wear them because I was seeing thingsdifferently.

Through the Mist.

Shed always been able to do that. Some rare mortals could, but Id never considered how hard that wouldve been for her as a kid.

They were just trying to help, she said. They were worried. When other kids saw a mounted police officer riding down the street, I saw a pegasus. That kind of thing. We used to live near Gramercy Park West. One day, when I was riding my bike down the street, I saw that mansion, shifting and blending into the buildings around it. Those tombstone walls.

Yep, I said. Hecate definitely has an aesthetic.

My mom frowned. An old lady was standing on the porch. Just one head, and no fiery aura. She looked like a witch, thoughblack robes, white hair. She saw me on my bike, gawking at her house. I figured she would yell at me for staring, but instead she said something surprising.

I remembered the voice from my vision. Let me guess. There is nothing wrong with your sight.

My mom nodded. She flicked her hand at me and the glasses brokefell right off my face. Then she said, You arrived too late. Move along. Find another life. I was so scared.Like I told you, I havent been back to Gramercy Park since. But afterward, when I looked through the Mist, I kind of understood what was happening. I told my family my eyes felt better. I learned not to mention the strange things I saw. In a way, Hecate helped me.

I tried to imagine what it wouldve been like if Hecates school was still open back then. Would she have invited my mom inside to meet the hellhound and polecat? Would Sally Jackson have become a witch? I knew my mom could do anything she set her mind to. But that path would have been so different.Would I ever have been born?

I felt like I needed to apologize, but I wasnt sure what for. Hecate had scared her and hadnt offered her a chance to learn magic. On the other hand, my mom had turned out great. Did I really want her to have a life like Gales? Also, I had been born. I had to consider that a plus. So why did I feel guilty?

Chiron told me that not all of Hecates ghosts are dead spirits, I recalled. He said the worst ones are memories and regretslike choices we never made.

She studied my face. She scooted her chair back and stood, which was getting increasingly difficult for her as the baby got bigger. Come here, you.

I got up and let her wrap me in a hug.

That ghost youre seeing? she said. That may be a memory, but I have no regrets.

She held my shoulders and looked me in the eye. My life is wonderful. You are wonderful. I think youre seeing Hecates regrets. If anyone needs your help and understanding, its her.

That was the most Sally Jackson thing to say ever. A goddess had scared her, changed her life, and then years later threatened to incinerate her son if he didnt pet-sit her animals correctly. And my moms reaction was That poor immortal goddess must really be hurting. You should help her.

Youd better get going, she added. Youre going to be late for school. Dinner tomorrow, after this is all over?

Straight back into classic mom mode.

Youre right, I said. Yeah. Dinner tomorrow. Ill try not to bring any undead with me.

She laughed. Id prefer to see Annabeth and Grover. But your friends are always welcome, dead or otherwise.

I had to hustle to school, but the stop had been worth it. The entire train ride to Queens, I was thinking Yeah, I can do this! rather than Yeah, Im going to die!

I got through my tests and homework assignments. I pretended to know things. I guess my teachers appreciated the effort. Fourth period, I hoped to find Mr. Brunner still substituting, but my regular teacher, Dr. Sharma, had returned. She looked disappointed that I hadnt yet picked a forgotten historical figure for my project. I told her I was thinking about Gale from ancient Greece.

Who? she asked, then apparently realized I had passed the forgotten portion of the assignment. Never mind. I look forward to reading it.

At lunchtime, I headed to the counselors office. I didnt actually expect Eudora to be there, but this time I wasnt going to take AWOL for an answer.

I said hi to Sicky Frog, who stared at me dejectedly from his usual spot on the wall. At least I could leave whenever I wantedhe was stuck there. I sat in a too-small plastic chair left over from AHSs past life as an elementary school. I stared at the empty space behind Eudoras desk.

I know you can hear me, I said. We need to talk.

I waited.

Come on, Eudora, I cajoled. I was just getting ready to tell my dad how great youve been as my counseloralways there for me, always helpful

Percy! Eudora swept into the office from whatever broom closet shed been hiding in. What a nice surprise!

Youve been avoiding me, I said.

What? Her eye twitched behind her bottle-thick glasses. Not at all!

I stared at her.

A rivulet of seawater trickled down the side of her face from her seashell hairdo.

Its not really you , she said. Its just

Hecate is terrifying, I guessed.

Hecate is terrifying! She exhaled, deflating into her chair. Oh, cockleshells! When she took over the principals office, I thought I would die , and Im immortal! Have you seen what shes up to now?

IWhat?

She plucked a shell from her hairdo and set it on the desk. A tiny jet of water shot upward, making a miniature fountain. At the top of the spout, where the water curled back on itself like a mushroom cloud, an image rippled into clarity.

Hecate was dancing down a gravel path at night, following a crowd of costumed revelers through a graveyard. The partyers wore black robes speckled with red. Their faces were painted chalky white. Some carried candles. Others bore plates of round pastries. Hecate held her torches out to either side and glowing spirits rose from the earth, joining the parade.

The souls flocked toward her, crowding around and clawing at her robes with their ghostly hands. When they got too close, Hecate crossed her torches, making an X over her chest, and the spirits disappeared again like dust blown away in a breeze.

Hmm, interesting

The crowd carried on. Hecate laughed and followed the celebration.

Where is that? I asked.

The Philippines, I believe, Eudora said. They have a tradition called Pangangaluluwaappeasing souls with food and festivity. She shook her head. I know I shouldnt be doomsquirting, but I cant help following her progress! If she makes her way back here, I do not want to run into her in the faculty lounge. Especially

She stopped herself, looking guiltily at me.

Especially if I fail? I asked.

No! Im sure you wont fail. She hesitated. Will you?

Love the confidence. I told her what wed been doing all week and that we needed to put the mansion back in order before Hecate returned in the morning. Any advice? Any gifts from the sea that might help?

Eudoras doomsquirt fountain fizzled out.

Perhaps you should run and hide, she said, solidifying her front-runner status for Guidance Counselor of the Year. I should probably make arrangements to visit the Mariana Trench for the rest of the term.

Waitwhy would Hecate come after you ?

The Nereid winced. She seemed so uptight, I was afraid one of us would dissolve into water and get flushed through the floor. That tended to happen in Eudoras office. Instead, she picked up her shell and returned it to her hair.

I may have, ah, suggested you Eudora said. For Hecates task.

You what ?!

She swallowed. Hecate ambushed me! She showed up on Olympus andwell, she asked me what I thought of you. I was shocked! She hadnt spoken to me since 1914! II was desperate to impress her. And foolishlyI said you were quite competent.

Thanks?

I panicked! And now, if you fail, that means I failed. Oh, she wont forgive me a second time.

I still dontWait.

Im a little slow on the uptake. But when a puzzle finally starts coming together, I can usually finish it without having to bash too many of the pieces into place.

A second time , I said. Nineteen fourteen. Thats the last year Hecate ran her magic school. You were part of that?

Eudora stared at Sicky Frog. They looked equally miserable.

The school was my idea, she confessed. Hecate gets so gloomy when shes on her own. Its not healthy for her or her animals. I thought she would find it rewarding to teach young witches. And for a while, she did. I was the counselor and admissions director. I would bring promising students to her: demigods, mortals, nymphs, centaursall sorts. But when things fell apart

What happened?

She shrugged listlessly. War. Its always a war. Our students started taking sides, arguing with one another. It escalated from name-calling to violence to potion-flinging.

Potion-flinging is bad.

Eudora nodded. The students neededmore than we could give them. Empathy. Opportunities for healthy communication. I didnt know how to close the rift. And Hecate, well, she believes in crossroads, in people making their own choices, even if all the choices are bad. She refused to intervene. Things got nasty toward the end. Then she kicked everyone out, swore never to teach again. She blamed me for putting her in that position.

Oh.

I felt bad for Eudora. It sounded like shed been doing exactly what my mom had recommendedtrying to help a goddess who was hurting. And it backfired spectacularly. Id seen what could happen when infighting started among demigodschoosing sides, calling names, throwing blame and sometimes weapons. Just last summer, Id watched two rival camps almost destroy each other and the whole world in the process. Hecate had sabotaged herself, just like she seemed to be sabotaging us now. I was going to have to take away her candy corn and her krtskalcs.

Im sorry that happened to you, I said.

Eudora sighed. What was I thinking? A magic school! Can you imagine such a thing?

Yeah. Wild.

And now, if you leave her mansion in a state of disrepair

Got it.

And I recommended you! I am a fool!

Dont beat yourself up. A lot of people make the mistake of recommending me.

She put her head in her hands. All I wanted to do was help. So many talented young people in the world and they dont all fit in the demigod camps! If Hecate still had her school, for instance, perhaps I could have placed those lovely nymph sisters after they fled Circes Island!

Ah, yeah. Them.

Instead, they went into retail! She frowned. I wonder how theyre doing.

I cleared my throat. This seemed like a good time to leave.

I stood, but I couldnt make myself go when Eudora looked so distraught. I didnt have my moms talent for comforting people; still, I felt like I had to try.

I wont fail, I told Eudora. This wont blow back on you.

She looked up at me. Areare you sure?

Totally, I said. This was totally a lie. I had no idea how to solve our problems. I just knew they had to be solvedfor our sakes, and Eudoras, and even Hecates. Maybe believing I could figure it out was the first step to figuring it out.

This has been a great pep talk, I told her. Youve inspired me.

I have?

You bet. Just one last thing for luck. Trick or treat?

She stared at me. I pointed at the Jolly Ranchers.

Oh, she said.

I mustve looked like I needed all the help I could get. She handed me the entire jar.