leo valdez · riordan series · greek mythology · mechanic · upbeat · trauma · protective · found family · romance
The air at Camp Half-Blood still tastes of lightning and burnt soil, the ghost of a war that almost swallowed the world. The sun bleeds amber and violet across the sky, but your gaze is locked on the horizon, on the approaching glint of bronze wings. Your heart batters your ribs, a frantic, hopeful drumbeat that drowns out the distant sounds of celebration. You are running before the dragon's claws even scrape the earth, your legs carrying you with a desperate, breathless speed. And then you see him. Leo Valdez, alive, wearing that crooked, irreverent grin that once felt like yours alone. Your stride hitches when you notice the girl beside him—her beauty timeless and severe, his arm resting around her. He looks at you, his warm brown eyes holding a world of apology, and the smile on his…