

He remembered sleeping comfortably and grabbing at sparks. She nestled him in blankets and laid him in what Leo thought were red and yellow pillows, but realized later was actually a fireplace. Leo was about two when Tía Callida decided to lay Leo down for a nap and said she wanted to see if he was her brave little hero. He gave his great-grandson his blessing and said Leo was special, just like Hazel. He told him to apologize on his behalf for selling the diamond and that the diamond came with a curse: she never saw her again. He then told Leo to tell Hazel that he was sorry, and told him to help her.

He told his great-grandson that a woman named Doña Callida had warned Hazel's danger would not happen in his lifetime, but he'd promised he would be there for her. Sammy told him about Hazel, and said he would not live to see her again. Sammy was overjoyed to see Leo and held him, chuckling and tickling his chin. When Leo was just a baby, his mother took him to see his bisabuelo (great-grandfather), Sammy Valdez. He is the first child born of Hephaestus to be able to control fire in centuries. Unlike most of his half-siblings, Leo has the rare ability to control fire.

Leonidas "Leo" Valdez was born in Houston, Texas, to the mechanic Esperanza Valdez, and the blacksmith god Hephaestus. 2.3.1 Leo Valdez and the Quest for Buford.
