Half Blood Heroes: Eternal Rivers

Shootin' The Rapids In Style

"Spelling?" She grabbed it and spelled it out for us. She opened a hatch leading to the streets of wherever we were. "Take this." She handed us a bottle of vertigo medicine, sap, and water. "What's the jar for?" She was busy shoving a jar of glowing, blue stuff into our backpack. "Use it only for emergencies, they're the ghost of the hound of Chulainn." I set the backpack down. "Actually since you'll be going by the river you won't need the vertigo medicines." Arin was busy tying up his wounds. "I think we do." He said muffled while he tugged on the cloth. "Vertigo we have was mostly so that we don't get dizzy out at sea. Usually staying at sea makes it worse but for some reason, that's not like how it is when you're on a boat. The ADHD was mostly for wandering long distances." She placed the scroll in our bag. "So, who was the spy who was with you?"

"Spy?"

"The ghost, he works for my mom."

"Oh no."

"What? Did you tell him anything?"

"He saw us escape but I mean like, it can't be that bad-" Spoke too soon and a sword flew past his head, missing it by inches. "CYNTHIA! GET AWAY FROM THEM!" Mark held another sword in his hand. "Mark, they'll stop the visits from the other gods and goddesses."

"You're my sister but these half-bloods have tricked you."

"No!" Me and Arin took this opportunity to get back at him. I swung the backpack at his head knocking him out cold. "Sorry about your brother Tia."

"It's fine, can I come with you guys? I'm sick of being stuck here." Arin made a face but seeing how much she had helped us. "Fine, but you'd better be true." She nodded and grabbed her sword. "Hurry." I looked at Mark. "Not with him just there." I dragged him into one of the cells and locked it up. "Now we can go." Arin grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to the exit. We'd have to reach the river through another river that was in Tír Na Anam. There was a boat with oars tied to shore with a lock. The river was milky white and gray. "It's poison, don't touch it. There are rapids farther down the river."

"Rapid?"

"The white water kind."

"Then I guess we'll be riding the rapids."

"You'll regret saying that." Cynthia jumped in and cut the lock. I went in last, tripping on my own two feet and face planting into the boat. "Ugh, dang it." I sat up straight as the current drifted slowly.

"This isn't so bad, it could be worse." And oddly enough he was right. The current was still gently bringing us casually to a waterfall. "Okay, the waterfall is just a few more meters away from here," Cynthia said, like it was the most casual thing possible. "Waterfall?"

"It opens the entrance to a lake which leads to the river which leads to a lake then a river."

"So how do we get to the important river?"

"It runs through a mountain."

"Which mountain?"

"A mountain range in Canada."

"Are you freakin' serious? In CANADA?!" Cynthia took a rope and tied it around the seat and herself. "Do the same, makeshift seatbelt."

The water began to flow, taking us faster down the river. "Waterfall is coming."

"I CAN'T DO THIS!" Arin grasped my arm. He also cut off blood supply to it. "Arin! My arm is dying and I will get permanent tissue damage." He let go and grabbed the next closest thing. Thing was that the closest thing was my face. He was hugging me for dear life. The rocks were sticking out of the water like teeth. "My soul!"

"What?!" I and Cynthia both called out. "Has left my body." He said breathlessly. I was just about ready to throw him off the boat. I rolled my eyes as the rapids mercilessly threw us around. Suddenly time stopped, literally. "What are you three doing cruising down a river which will pass through a mortal village and they'll see you like that?" Áine stood there. "Beggars can't be choosers." I snapped, giving the goddess all the sass I could muster (which was not a lot). She snapped her fingers and we were once again speeding down the water. "You have set your life on hard mode for dating."

"News flash Arin, I don't care."

"You should."

"Too bad, I don't." I grabbed the rope and tightened it around him. "Can you NOT try to suffocate my legs?"

"Oh sorry, Mr. Fifteen Year Old Baby."

"Excuse me."

"Guys! Waterfall approaching, sit down, and hang on." Cynthia shouted. The water rushed towards the falls before dropping around 50 feet into the water below.

The water was like being slapped in the face. I swam up to find Arin and Cynthia. Arin was on a rock having a mental breakdown, Cynthia was wringing the water out of her braid. "I wish I was back in San Francisco. Who wouldn't want to live there."

"There are people who aren't allowed to live there."

"Who?"

"Certain people, I don't know."

"My dad lives there. Can't wait to see him again."

"Kendra, your dad is-"

"Fine!" Arin said, way too fast, clasping his hand over Cynthia's mouth. "EARTHQUAKE OF 1906!" He randomly blurted out. "Talk about that KK."

"I don't remember getting a nickname from you but sure." I babbled about stuff and other stuff. The sun had set. "Guys, we gotta go." Arin was just starting to settle down. "We rode rapids, can we sleep?"

"My mother's crows, I hear them. They'll report back to us."

"Fine." I stood up and stretched. We started walking through the forest. "The river should be close. I feel it."

"Really?"

"You can also hear the water rushing."

"The Éibhiocht River runs through a mountain. Check where we are."

"That river must be magical." Arin double-checked the map. "We're almost there"

"Of course, The River Éagasap. It's a magical river. It can bring you anywhere you want." I reached down and touched the trees. The cracks along the bark glowed a faint blue. "The river feeds these trees, Kendra. That's why you feel their life. It flows through the mountain bringing life. It leads to Lake Áfíl, at the heart of the mountain." How she said it made it seem so poetic. ADHD made it sound like: "River, lake, trees, and life." Not as poetic, but the truth nonetheless.