The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

fourteen

Ariana glanced at Thalia. Her eyes said a quick Thank you.

They followed the river about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water.

On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but Percy left a stack of golden drachmas on the counter and a note saying two canoes.

"We need to go upstream." Zoe said. It was the first time heard her speak since the junkyard, and ahe was worried about how bad she sounded, like somebody with the flu. "The rapids are too swift."

"Leave that to me." Percy said.

They put the canoes in the water.

Thalia pulled Percy and Ariana aside as they were getting the oars. "Thanks for back there."

"Don't mention it." Percy said.

"Can you really..." She nodded to the rapids. "You know."

"I think so. Usually I'm good with water."

"Would you take Zoe?" she asked. "I think, ah, maybe you can talk to her."

"She's not going to like that."

"Please? I don't know if I can stand being in the same boat with her. She's.. she's starting to worry me."

It was about the last thing Ariana knew Percy wanted to do, but she nodded.

Thalia's shoulders relaxed. "I owe you one."

"Two." Bargained Percy.

"One and a half." Thalia said.

She smiled, and for a second, Ariana remembered that she actually liked her when she wasn't yelling at her.

She turned and helped Grover get their canoe into the water.

As it turned out, Percy didn't even need to control the currents. As soon as theh got in the river, Ariana looked over the edge of the boat and found a couple of naiads staring at them.

They looked like regular teenage girls, the kind you'd see in any mall, except for the fact that they were underwater.

They made a bubbling sound that may have been giggling. Ariana wasn't sure. She had a hard time understanding naiads.

The naiads each chose a canoe and began pushing us up the river. They started so fast
Grover fell into his canoe with his hooves sticking up in the air.

"I hate naiads." Zoe grumbled.

A stream of water squirted up from the back of the boat and hit Zoe in the face.

"She-devils!" Zoe went for her bow.

"Whoa." Percy said. "They're just playing."

"Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me."

"Forgiven you for what?" Ariana asked.

She slung her bow back over her shoulder. "It was a long time ago. Never mind."

Rhey sped up the river, the cliffs looming up on either side of them.

"What happened to Bianca wasn't your fault," Percy told her.

"It was my fault. I let her go." Ariana figured this would give Zoe an excuse to start yelling at her.

At least that might shake her out of feeling depressed.

Instead, her shoulders slumped. "No, Ariana. I pushed her into going on the quest. I was too anxious. She was a powerful half-blood. She had a kind heart, as well. I... I thought she would be the next lieutenant."