Reading About The Child Of Artemis

I Battle A Chihuahua

"No fair." Travis grumbled while Connor pouted like a little kid.Everyone rolled their eyes while Katie smacked both of their heads

The Trenton Register-News showed a photo taken by a tourist as I got off the Greyhound bus. I had a wild look in my eyes. My sword was a metallic blur in my hands. It might've been a baseball bat or a lacrosse stick. The picture's caption read: Twelve-year-old Ariadne Jackson, wanted for questioning in the Long Island disappearance of her mother two weeks ago, is shown here fleeing from the bus where she accosted several elderly female passengers. The bus exploded on an east New Jersey roadside shortly after Jackson fled the scene. Based on eyewitness accounts, police believe the girl may be traveling with two teenage accomplices. Her stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, 

Everyone growled at the name.

has offered a cash reward for information leading to her capture. "Don't worry," Annabeth told me. "Mortal police could never find us." 

"I wouldn't be so sure." Leo said innocently. "Leo what did you?""Nothing Piper!" He said a bit too quickly.

But she didn't sound so sure. 

"Ah ha!" 

"Shut up Leo!"

The rest of the day I spent alternately pacing the length of the train or looking out the windows. Once, I spotted a family of centaurs galloping across a wheat field, bows at the ready, as they hunted lunch. The little boy centaur, who was the size of a second-grader on a pony, caught my eye and waved. 

"Aw!"  Aphrodite cooed. 

I looked around the passenger car, but nobody else had noticed. The adult riders all had their faces buried in laptop computers or magazines. 

Another time, toward evening. I saw something huge moving through the woods. I could've sworn it was a lion, except that lions don't live wild in America, and this thing was the size of a Hummer. It's fur glinted gold in the evening light. Then it leaped through the trees and was gone. 

"You saw the Nemean lion?" Annabeth asked. 

Ares scoffed,"Good thing you didn't have to face it or it would swish you like abug." He said arrogantly. 

Once again everyone rolled their eyeswhile Thalia, Groverand Ariadne shared a look.

Our reward money for returning Gladiola the poodle had only been enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. We couldn't get berths in the sleeper car, so we dozed in our seats. My neck got stiff. I tried not to drool in my sleep, since Annabeth was sitting right next to me. 

"Yeah that didn't work out for you." Annabeth smirked while Ariadne blushed deeply.

Grover kept snoring and bleating and waking me up. Once, heshuffled around and his fake foot fell off. Annabeth and I had tostick it back on before any of the other passengers noticed. 

"That would be a fun one to explain."

 "So," Annabeth asked me. "Who wants your help?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"When you were asleep just now, you mumbled, 'I won't help you.' Who were you dreaming about?"

 I was reluctant to say anything. I shook my head, wishing I knew the answer. 

 "Ariadne , you can't barter with Hades." Annabeth said. "You know that, right? He's deceitful, heartless, and greedy. I don't care if his Kindly Ones weren't as aggressive this time-"