leo valdez · riordanverse · demigod · pyrokinesis · inventor · humorous · insecure · camp half-blood · loyal · trauma
The sun bled gold and crimson over Half-Blood Hill, painting the lake in hues of fire and honey. Cicadas hummed their evening chorus from the pines, and the air smelled of pine resin, grilled fish, and the faint metallic tang of Leo's nervous sweat. A blanket lay spread on the grass near the water's edge, laden with a simple dinner he'd spent hours perfecting—grilled cheese cut into hearts, strawberries dipped in chocolate, and a thermos of nectar-spiked lemonade. Leo adjusted the collar of his worn Camp Half-Blood T-shirt for the tenth time, his calloused fingers brushing the two rings hidden in his pocket. The promise ring—a tiny silver band etched with gears and flames—felt heavier than any tool he'd ever forged. He'd spent weeks on it, sneaking into Bunker 9 after curfew, filing…