PHILOXENIA ➸ Percy Jackson¹

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Ciaran was severely tempted. He had been wearing the same outfit for far too long for it to be considered hygienic. He wanted a fresh pair of clothes, and preferably a shower, but beggars can't be choosers. The children of Hermes would no doubt encourage him to steal them.

"What the heck." Grover shrugged. Soon enough, they all walked out in identical outfits, looking like they were ready to film an advertisement for a defunct water park.

They continued searching for the Tunnel of Love through the dark and eerily quiet park. Wanting to get his mind off of the creepy atmosphere, Percy spoke up. "So Ares and Aphrodite, they have a thing going?"

"That's old gossip, Percy," Annabeth said. "Three-thousand-year-old-gossip."

"What about Aphrodite's husband?"

"Hephaestus, the god of the forge? He's mentioned in the myths to be a legendary blacksmith," Ciaran provided. "But Aphrodite's not attracted to brains, you know? She's the goddess of beauty. I'm sure she wasn't too happy when she found out she had to marry a crippled god who was thrown off of Mount Olympus by his mother."

"So she turned to bad boy bikers instead."

"Sure, you can say that."

"Hephaestus knows?"

"Oh sure," Annabeth answered. "He caught them together once. I mean, literally caught them, in a golden net, and invited all the gods to come and laugh at them. Hephaestus is always trying to embarrass them. That's why they meet in out-of-way places, like..." she paused, her eyes looking straight ahead. "Like that."

In front of them was a deep, empty pool in the shape of a bowl, perfect for any skateboarder to show off their moves. The rim was flanked with statues of Cupid, their wings spread and bows armed. On the opposite side was a tunnel where water would flow into the pool when it was still in operation. Overhead was a sign that read, THRILL RIDE O' LOVE: NOT YOUR PARENTS' TUNNEL OF LOVE.

"A little on the nose, wouldn't you say?" Ciaran commented.

Grover crept toward the edge. "Guys, look."

Nestled at the bottom of the pool was a canopied two-seater boat with pink and white paint flaking from its side, the hearts painted all over the boat to fit the theme all but faded with time. Glinting faintly in the left seat was a polished bronze shield.

"This is too easy." Percy snorted. "So we just walk down there and get it?"

Annabeth walked over to the nearest Cupid statue, running a finger along its base. "There's a Greek letter carved here," she mused to herself. "I wonder..."

Percy didn't let her finish her thoughts. "Grover, you smell any monsters?"

He sniffed the night air. "Nothing."

"Nothing, like in-the-Arch-and-you-didn't-smell-Echidna nothing, or really nothing?"

Grover recoiled, a hurt expression crossing his face. "I told you, that was underground."

"Okay, I'm sorry." Percy took a deep breath. "I'm going down there."

"I'll go with you." From the way his voice sounded less than enthusiastic, it was clear he was putting on a facade of bravado, perhaps to make up for what happened in St. Louis.

Percy shook his head. "No. I want you to stay up top with the flying shoes. You're the Red Baron, a flying ace, remember? I'll be counting on you for backup, in case something goes wrong."

His face brightened up and he stood a little straighter. "Sure. But what could go wrong?"

"I don't know. Just a feeling." He turned to Ciaran. "Ciaran, come with me."