For the rest of the term Nancy kept springing up random Mrs Dodd's references on everybody, but they just looked at her like she was crazy. I couldn't blame Nancy if I didn't know about the Myths and Mist I would do the same. I on the other hand worked on modest dresses for Artemis and Hera.

Hera:

Artemis:

I for one was of the opinion that they were perfect. I took a picture of each dress and put them in the journal so that Jason could see them. He said they were stunning.

I had been moved up to Year 12 and right now I was at the graduation ceremony. When I told Jason he said he'd do his best to sneak out but he might not be able to make it, just to look for a dark blue cloak. I hadn't seen him yet, so I was slightly disappointed but I understood I mean he had his Praetor duty's and California was pretty far away.

Just as I was walking on stage I caught site of a cloaked blue figure and smiled softly, he'd made it.

After the graduation ceremony ended I grabbed out my journal.

"Meet me by the tree we first kissed at half past 3." I wrote. That gave me 15 minutes to get ready I selected a nice outfit, put the tiara on and snuck into the forest.

When I saw him I smiled softly.

"Hi." I whispered behind him.

He jumped and pulled out his sword but lowered it when he saw it was me.

"Were you followed?" He asked quietly.

"No." I responded.

"Good. I missed you." He replied as we sat against the tree trunk telling each other about the last couple of weeks.

Eventually it was time for him to go. We kissed goodbye and he mounted Tempus galloping off. I smiled sadly and trudged back to the dorm to start packing. I missed Jason a lot.

The Next Day:

We boarded the bus and tossed our luggage in the compartment underneath. Like last time we were on the bus I sat between Nancy and Grover. Unfortunately this time Sebastian sat behind me. Great. 

 During the whole bus ride, Sebastian smiled at me stupidly and making perverted comments, Grover kept glancing nervously down the aisle, watching the other passengers. He'd always acted nervous and fidgety when we left Farm School, as if he expected something bad to happen, Probably did, I mean there's a blessed child of the big 3 and a really strong legacy here. 

Finally I couldn't stand it anymore.

I said, "What on Earth has you so worried?"

Grover nearly jumped out of his seat. "Wha—what do you mean?"

I'm not stupid Grover, for Gods sake I'm 13 and I've graduated, Nancy is far from dumb too. You keep glancing around and when Nance asks about Mrs Dodd's you hesitate, she was real and you know more than you're letting on.

He winced. "Look, Linh, Nance . . . I was just worried for you guys, see? I mean, hallucinating about demon math teachers . . . "

"Grover—" Nancy started

"I talked to Mr Brunner about it and... he's w-worried about you guys too. I mea-"

"Grover, you're a really, really bad liar. " I commented idly.

His ears turned pink.

From his shirt pocket, he fished out two grubby business card. "Just take these, okay? In case you guys need me this summer.

The card was in fancy script, which was murder on my dyslexic eyes, but I finally made out something like:

Grover Underwood

Keeper

Half-Blood Hill

Long Island, New York

(800) 009-0009

"Whats Half—" Nancy started.

"Don't say it aloud!" he yelped. "That's my, um . . . summer address. "

"Okay," Nancy started. "So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion. " She joked.

He nodded. "Or . . . or if you need me. "

"Why would we need you?" Nancy asked

It came out harsher than she meant it to.

Grover blushed right down to his Adams apple. "Look, Nancy, Linh, the truth is, I—I kind of have to protect you. "

Nancy stared at him.

All year long, we'd given detentions, keeping bullies away from him. I'd lost sleep worrying that he'd get beaten up next year with only Nancy to protect him, she couldn't keep every bully away alone. And here he was acting like he was the one who defended us.

"Grover," Nancy said, "what exactly are you protecting us from?"

There was a huge grinding noise under our feet. Black smoke poured from the dashboard and the whole bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs. The driver cursed and limped the Greyhound over to the side of the highway.

After a few minutes clanking around in the engine compartment, the driver announced that we'd all have to get off. Grover, Nancy and I filed outside with everybody else.

We were on a stretch of country road—no place you'd notice if you didn't break down there. On our side of the highway was nothing but maple trees and litter from passing cars. On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand, the fates were here.

The stuff on sale looked really good: heaping boxes of blood red cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider in a claw-foot tub full of ice. There were no customers, just The Morai, they'd been waiting. I could tell.

All three women looked ancient as ever, with pale faces wrinkled like fruit leather, silver hair tied back in white bandannas, bony arms sticking out of their bleached cotton dresses.

And they were looking at Nancy and I. 

I looked over at Grover to say something about this and saw that the blood had drained from his face. His nose was twitching.

"Grover?" I said. "Hey, man—"

"Tell me they're not looking at you guy. They are, aren't they?"

"Yeah. Weird, huh? I'm gonna go over and buy some fruit."

"NO! Err I mean The bus looks like it's almost fixed, don't want them to leave without you. Right?" Grover laughed nervously.

The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors—gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. I heard Grover catch his breath.

"Were getting on the bus," he told me. "Come on. "

"What? It's a thousand degrees in there." Nancy said.

 I'm going to get some fruit." I stated crossing the road and pulling my purse out.

"Come on!" He pried open the door and climbed inside, but I stayed back.

Grover grabbed Nancy by the wrist as she made to follow me.

"Fancy seeing you her. It must've been Fate for us to meet her. Huh?" I commented Idly as I reached for a box of strawberries.

"Indeed. You will go to Camp Half-Blood this Summer and You and that Nancy girl will go on a quest to clear your names. Zeus is under the impression that Hermes ad Poseidon are plotting to unseat him. Nancy Bobofit is his legacy and you're Poseidon's daughter. He believes he has found his culprits. Remember The River Styx can provide more than just a cursed Armour and Tartarus can create and hope to Gods and Demigods as it can Monsters. The Strawberries, cherries and Apples will be $17 in total. Have some gum for free, chew it in times of danger and/or weakness. As for the tread, it's the thief's thread. Don't worry." The fates chorused in their creepy harmony.

Atropos snipped Luke's thread.

I crossed the road.

At the rear of the bus, the driver wrenched a big chunk of smoking metal out of the engine compartment. The bus shuddered, and the engine roared back to life.

The passengers cheered.

"Darn right!" yelled the driver. He slapped the bus with his hat. "Everybody back on board!"

I rolled my eyes. He actually believed it was him who fixed the bus. I giggled.

Once we got back on Nancy and Grover started shivering, their teeth chattering.

"Grover?" Nancy asked

"Yeah?"

"What are you not telling us?" Nancy demanded.

He dabbed his forehead with his shirt sleeve. "Nancy, what did you see back at the fruit stand?"

"You mean the old ladies? What is it about them, Grover? They're not like . . . Mrs. Dodd's, are they?"

His expression was hard to read.

"They're much worse than Mrs Dodd's. Just tell me what you saw." Grover responded.

"Hey, Grover, those old ladies were really nice! Don't be rude." I chided feeling defensive of my patrons.

"The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn. " Nancy said ignoring me.

"Nonna A." I supplied.

He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost—older. A warding off evil gesture?

He said, "You saw her snip the cord. "

"Yeah. So?" Nancy said, but I could tell she knew it was important.

"This is not happening," Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. "I dont want this to be like the last time. "

"What last time?" Nancy asked.

"Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth. " He muttered.

"Oh have you know I got past Grade 12 this year!" I retorted angrily.

"Grover," Nancy started worriedly. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me come with you guys to Linh's beach house to make sure you get to your sleepover safely. Promise me."

I smiled exasperatedly, but promised he could.

"Is this like a superstition or something?" Nancy asked.

No answer.

"Grover—that snipping of the yarn. Does that mean somebody is going to die?" She tried.

He looked at us mournfully, like he was already picking the kind of flowers we'd like best on our coffins.