invisible string | f. zhang

vii. the gamble

"N-not from his table. Ella cannot eat. Sad. Jerky would be good for harpies."

"Not from . . . oh, right," Percy says, "That's part of the curse. You can only eat his food."

"There has to be a way."

"'Photosynthesis,'" Ella mutters, "'Noun. Biology. The synthesis of complex organic materials.' 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness . . . '"

"What is she saying?" Frank whispers.

Maribelle glances at all of the books in Ella's nest. "I think she's, like, quoting books," Maribelle guesses.

"Farmer's Almanac 1965" Ella recites, "'Start breeding animals, January twenty-sixth.'"

"Ella?" Percy asks, "Have you read all of these?"

She blinks, "More. More downstairs. Words. Words calm Ella down. Words, words, words."

Percy picks up a book at random, "Ella, do you remember the, um, third paragraph on page sixty-two?"

'"Secretariat,"' Ella says instantly, "'Favored three to two-in the 1973 Kentucky Derby, finished at standing track record of one fifty-nine and two fifths.'"

Percy closes the book, "Word for word."

"Wow!" Maribelle admires.

"That's amazing," Hazel says.

"She's a genius chicken," Frank agrees.

"Ella, we're going to find a way to break the curse. Would you like that?"

'"It's Impossible, recorded in English by Perry Como, 1970.'"

"Nothing's impossible," Percy says, "Now, look, I'm going to say his name. You don't have to run away. We're going to save you from the curse. We just need to figure out a way to beat . . . Phineas."

Maribelle was prepared for her to bolt, but she doesn't, "N-n-no! No Phineas. Ella is quick. Too quick for him. B-but he wants to chain Ella. He hurts Ella."

She tries to reach the gash on her back.

"Frank," Percy says, "You have first-aid supplies?"

"On it." Frank pulls out a thermos full of nectar and explains its healing properties to Ella. When he scoots closer, she recoils and starts to shriek. Maribelle takes the thermos from Frank and scoots closer. Ella allows her pour some nectar on her back. The wound began to close.

Maribelle smiles, "See? That's better."

"Phineas is bad," Ella insists, "And weed whackers. And cheese."

"Absolutely," Percy agrees, "We won't let him hurt you again. We need to figure out how to trick him, though. You harpies must know him better than anybody. Is there any way we can trick him?"

"N-no," Ella says, then recites, "Tricks are for kids. 50 Tricks to Teach Your Dog, by Sophie Collins, call number six-three-six— "

"Okay, Ella." Maribelle tried to use her charmspeak to calm the harpy down, "But does Phineas have any weaknesses?"

"Blind. He's blind."

"Right. Besides that?" Maribelle continues.

"Chance," Ella says, "Games of chance. Two to one. Bad odds. Call or fold."

"You mean he's a gambler?"

"Phineas s-sees big things. Prophecies. Fates. God stuff. Not small stuff. Random. Exciting. And he is blind."