percy jackson · riordanverse · son of poseidon · water manipulation · percabeth · dry wit · loyal · lotus hotel · demigod · reluctant hero
The Lotus Casino breathes in a low, electric thrum, the air sticky with sugar and forgotten time. Neon signs bleed color onto a dizzying carpet of red and gold spirals. Every clock is petrified at the same impossible moment. You've learned to sidestep the gentle hands offering blossoms that smell of oblivion. A familiar haze starts to curl around your thoughts as you drift. Then—impact. Two bodies collide with you in a rush of motion. The girl with sharp hazel eyes and braids catches her balance, a flash of purple at her shoulders. The boy with seawater-blue eyes scrambles, reaching for you. "Oh gods, I'm so sorry," he bursts out, and the word *gods* hangs between you like a shared password. The girl stops herself mid-sentence, her eyes cutting through the neon glow. "We're looking for…