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"That’s bizarre," Piper said

"Guess you can’t get cable on a floating island," Leo said "Dang, check this guy’s front yard"

The rotunda sat in the center of a quarter- in a scary way They were divided into four sections like big pizza slices, each one representing a season

The section on their right was an icy waste, with bare trees and a frozen lake Snowmen rolled across the landscape as the wind blew, so Jason wasn’t sure if they were decorations or alive

To their left was an autuold and red trees Mounds of leaves blew into patterns--gods, people, ani back into leaves

In the distance, Jason could see two reen pasture with sheep made out of clouds The last section was a desert where tue patterns in the sand like Greek letters, se advertisehtly!

"One section for each of the four wind gods," Jason guessed "Four cardinal directions"

"I’uys mind--"

"Go ahead," Jason said He was actually relieved to send the satyr off It would be hard enough getting on Aeolus’s good side without Coach Hedge waving his club and screa, "Die!"

While the satyr ran off to attack springtime, Jason, Leo, and Piper walked down the road to the steps of the palace They passed through the front doors into a white marble foyer decorated with purple banners that read olympian weather channel, and some that just read ow!

"Hello!" A woman floated up to them Literally floated She was pretty in that elfish way Jason associated with nature spirits at Caeless face that could’ve been sixteen or thirty Her brown eyes twinkled cheerfully Even though there was no wind, her dark hair blew in slow own billowed around her like parachute material Jason couldn’t tell if she had feet, but if so, they didn’t touch the floor She had a white tablet computer in her hand "Are you fro you"

Jason tried to respond, but it was a little hard to think straight, because he’d realized the woh Her shape faded in and out like she was host?" he asked

Right away he knew he’d insulted her The smile turned into a pout "I’ for the lord of the winds My nahosts"

Piper came to the rescue "No, of course you don’t! My friend simply mistook you for Helen of Troy, the most beautiful mortal of all tiood The compliment seemed a little over the top, but Mellie the aura blushed "Oh … well, then So you are from Zeus?"

"Er," Jason said, "I’ht this way" She led the her tablet as she floated She didn’t look where she was going, but apparently it didn’t h a marble coluood," she ht before his 11:12 spot"

"Um, okay," Jason said

The lobby was a pretty distracting place Winds blasted around theh an invisible crowd Doors blew open and slas Jason could see were just as bizarre Paper airplanes of all different sizes and shapes sped around, and other wind nymphs, aurai, would occasionally pluck them out of the air, unfold and read them, then toss them back into the air, where the planes would refold thely creature fluttered past She looked like a mix between an old lady and a chicken on steroids She had a wrinkled face with black hair tied in a hairnet, ars like a chicken, and a fat, feathered body with talons for feet It was a around and bus like a parade balloon

"Not an aura?" Jason asked Mellie as the creature wobbled by

Mellie laughed "That’s a harpy, of course Our, ah, ugly stepsisters, I suppose you would say Don’t you have harpies on Olyusts, unlike us aurai We’re all gentle breezes"

She batted her eyes at Jason

"’Course you are," he said

"So," Piper pro us to see Aeolus?"

Mellie led theh a set of doors like an airlock Above the interior door, a green light blinked

"We have a few minutes before he starts," Mellie said cheerfully "He probably won’t kill you if we go in now Co!"

JASON’S JAW DROPPED THE CENTRAL SECTION of Aeolus’s fortress was as big as a cathedral, with a soaring domed roof covered in silver Television equiphts, set pieces, potted plants And there was no floor Leo almost fell into the chasulped "Hey, Mellie A little warning next tied into the heart of the mountain It was probably half a mile deep, honeycoht outside Jason re winds blast out of them when they’d been on Pikes Peak Other caves were sealed with solass or wax The whole cavern bustled with harpies, aurai, and paper airplanes, but for so, very fatal fall

"Oh, asped "I’m so sorry" She unclipped a walkie-talkie from somewhere inside her robes and spoke into it: "Hello, sets? Is that Nuggets? Hi, Nuggets Could we get a floor in the main studio, please? Yes, a solid one Thanks"