Stay Right Here

xx

They stumbled across one Amazon who must've been loyal to Hylla. As soon as she saw the escapees, she turned away like they were invisible.

Percy started to ask, "What the-"

"Some of them want us to escape," Hazel said. "I'll explain later."

"For now," Hadley rolled her neck, "let's have some fun."

The second Amazon they met wasn't so friendly. She was dressed in full armor, blocking the throne room entrance. She spun her spear with lightning speed, but this time Percy was ready. He drew Riptide and stepped into battle. As the Amazon jabbed at him, he sidestepped, cut her spear shaft in half, and slammed the hilt of his sword against her helmet.

The guard crumpled.

"Mars Almighty!" Frank said. "How did you- that wasn't any Roman technique!"

Hadley laughed and looked at Percy. "Whatever that was, I love it! You are teaching me that."

Percy grinned. "The graecus has some moves, my friends. After you."

They ran into the throne room. As promised, Hylla and her guards had cleared out. Hazel dashed over to Arion's cage and swiped the Amazon card across the lock. Instantly the stallion burst forth, rearing in triumph.

Percy and Frank stumbled backward and even Hadley took a step back.

"Um... is that thing tame?" Frank asked.

The horse whinnied angrily.

"I don't think so," Percy guessed. "He just said, 'I will trample you to death, silly Chinese Canadian baby man.'"

"You speak horse?" Hazel asked.

"'Baby man'?" Frank sputtered.

"I'm still not over the whole talking to horses thing," Hadley said.

"Speaking to horses is a Poseidon thing," Percy explained. "Uh, I mean a Neptune thing."

"Then you and Arion should get along fine," Hazel said. "He's a son of Neptune too."

Percy turned pale. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, the horse is your brother," Hadley threw up her hands in fake celebration. "Family reunion."

"The point is he's fast," Hazel said. "He can get us out of here."

Frank did not look thrilled. "Four of us can't fit on one horse, can we? We'll fall off, or slow him down, or-"

Arion whinnied again.

"Ouch," Percy said. "Frank, the horse says you're a- you know, actually, I'm not going to translate that. Anyway, he says there's a chariot in the warehouse, and he's willing to pull it."

Hadley smiled and turned to Hazel. "And you thought I shouldn't have asked for the chariot."

"There!" Someone yelled from the back of the throne room. A dozen Amazons charged in, followed by males in orange jumpsuits. When they saw Arion, they backed up quickly and headed for the battle forklifts.

Hazel vaulted on Arion's back.

She grinned down at her friends. "The chariot's this way. Follow me, guys!"

She galloped into the larger cavern and scattered a crowd of males. Percy knocked out an Amazon. Frank swept two more off their feet. Hadley grabbed one that had charged her and threw them over her shoulder, knocking down two more in the process.

The three of them ran after Hazel. Finally, they reached the chariot. Arion stopped by the yoke, Hadley went to fasten him to the chariot and the horse abruptly turned its head to keep a better eye on her. Startled, Hadley took a step back and held her hands close to her chest. Percy chuckled and she glared at him over her shoulder.

"I'm not scared. I just prefer to keep my hands attached to the rest of me."

Percy shook his head with a smile. "It's okay, Hads. I'll do it."

Hadley muttered under her breath about how she could have done it but let Percy get to work. His hands flew. In no time the chariot was ready. He grabbed Hadley's hand and they jumped aboard. Percy yelled, "Frank, come on! Hazel, go!"

A battle cry went up behind them. A full army of Amazons stormed into the warehouse. Otrera herself stood astride a battle forklift, her silver hair flowing as she swung her mounted crossbow toward the chariot. "Stop them!" she yelled.

Hazel spurred Arion. They raced across the cavern, weaving around pallets and forklifts. An arrow flew past them. Something exploded behind the chariot, but Hadley didn't look back.

"The stairs!" Frank yelled. "No way this horse can pull a chariot up that many flights of- OH MY GODS!"

Thankfully, the stairs were wide enough for the chariot, because Arion didn't even slow down. He shot up the steps with the chariot rattling and groaning. Hadley could feel her teeth chattering and her knuckles were bone white from holding on to the side of the chariot.

Finally, they reached the lobby. Arion crashed through the main doors into the plaza and scattered a bunch of guys in business suits.

Hazel pulled back on the reigns and shouted at the sky, "Ella! Where are you? We have to leave!"

Hadley started to doubt that the harpy could hear Hazel's call. She could be lost. Or accidentally terrorizing the people in a library. Behind them, a battle forklift clattered up the stairs and roared through the lobby, a mob of Amazons behind it.

"Surrender!" Otrera screamed.

"You first!" Hadley challenged.

The forklift raised its razor-sharp tines. 

"Ella!" Hazel cried desperately. 

In a flash of red feathers, Ella landed in the chariot. "Ella is here. Amazons are pointy. Go now."

"Hold on!" Hazel warned. She leaned forward and said, "Arion, run!"

The world seemed to elongate. Sunlight bent around them. Arion shot away from the Amazons and sped through downtown Seattle. Hadley could see a trail of smoke behind them. He thundered toward the docks, leaping over cars, barreling through intersections. Arion reached the water and leaped straight off the docks.

Hadley's ears popped. She heard a roar behind that must have been a sonic boom, and Arion tore over the Puget Sound, seawater turning to steam in his wake as the skyline of Seattle receded behind them.

🌊 🌊 🌊 

sorry for no chapter last week i was 

busy being a muppet in the nutcracker

anyway i hope you enjoyed this one
don't forget to vote and comment :)