Leo is proud of everyone’s reaction to Festus, although he knows that the dragon’s control disk may have further problems. He tells his friends about Tia Callida, as well as the “sleeping lady” who appeared just before his mother’s death. After opening up so much, he feels incredibly vulnerable. 

The groups arrives on the roof of a hotel, guarded by two teenagers with “icy white hair and feathery purple wings”; these are Calias (Cal) and Zethes, children of Boreus (200). Cal wants to destroy them (and asks permission from Zethes to do so several times), but Piper persuades them that they must make an emergency landing due to Festus’s leaking head. When they learn Jason is the son of Zeus, they announce they’ve been “waiting” for him. A beautiful girl arrives, and Leo immediately falls in love with her. However, she tells him he cannot proceed further with his friends: “fire and ice—it would not be wise” (209).

Jason is nervous, and Piper comforts him. He finds himself attracted to her. The princess introduces herself as Khione, goddess of snow. It’s clear that she’s attracted to Jason. She tells him, “’Hopefully you will survive your little talk’” (213).