invisible string | f. zhang

vii. the gamble

"You get to choose a vial," Percy says, "No uncorking, no sniffing before you decide."

"That's not fair! I'm blind."

"And I don't have your sense of smell," Percy counters, "You can hold the vials. And I'll swear on the River Styx that they look identical. They're exactly what I told you: gorgon's blood, one vial from the left side of the monster, one from the right. And I swear that none of us knows which is which."

Percy looks back at Hazel, "Uh, you're our Underworld expert. With all this weird stuff going on with Death, is an oath on the River Styx still binding?"

"Yes," Hazel doesn't hesitate to say, "To break such a vow, just don't do it. There are worse things than death."

Phineas strokes his beard, "So I choose which vial to drink. You have to drink the other one. We swear to drink at the same time."

"Right," Percy says.

"The loser dies, obviously," Phineas says, "That kind ofpoison would probably keep even me from coming back to life . . . for a long time, at least. My essence would be scattered and degraded. So I'm risking quite a lot."

"But if you win, you get everything," Percy says, "If Idie, my friends will swear to leave you in peace and not take revenge. You'd have your sight back, which even Gaea won't give you."

"If I lose. I'll be dead, unable to give you information. How does that help you?"

"You write down the location of Alcyoneus's lair ahead of time. Keep it to yourself, but swear on the River Styx it's specific and accurate. You also have to swear that if you lose and die, the harpies will be released from their curse."

"Those are high stakes," Phineas grumbles, "You face death, Percy Jackson. Wouldn't it be simpler just to hand over the harpy?"

"Not an option."

Phineas smiles slowly, "So, you are starting to understand her worth. Once I have my sight, I'll capture her myself, you know. Whoever controls that harpy . . . well, I was a king once. This gamble could make me a king again."

"You're getting ahead of yourself. Do we have a deal?"

"I can't foresee the outcome. Annoying how that works. A completely unexpected gamble . . . it makes the future cloudy. But I can tell you this, Percy Jackson—a bit of free advice, if you survive today, you're not going to like your future. A big sacrifice is coming, and you won't have the courage to make it. That will cost you dearly. It will cost the world dearly. It might be easier if you just choose the poison."

"Do we have a deal?" Is all Percy asks.

Phineas grins, "I swear on the River Styx to abide by the terms, just as you have described them. Frank Zhang, you're the descendant of an Argonaut. I trust your word. If I win, do you and your friends, Maribelle and Hazel, swear to leave me in peace, and not seek revenge?"

He grumbles, "I swear it on the River Styx."

"I also swear," Hazel says.

"I swear," Maribelle finishes.

"Swear," Ella mutters, "'Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon.'"

Phineas laughs, "In that case, find me something to write with. Let's get started."

Frank borrows a napkin and a pen from a food truck vendor. Phineas scribbles something on the napkin and put it in his bathrobe pocket, "I swear this is the location of Alcyoneus's lair. Not that you'll live long enough to read it."

Percy draws his sword and sweeps all the food off the picnic table. They sat across from each other.

Phineas holds out his hands, "Let me feel the vials." Percy seemed distracted for a moment, not passing the vials to the man, "Losing your nerve, Percy Jackson? Let me have them."

Percy passes him the vials.

The old man runs his fingers along the ceramic surfaces. Then he sets them both on the table and rests one hand lightly on each.

Phineas grins wickedly. He closes his fingers around the left-hand vial, "You were a fool, Percy Jackson. I choose this one. Now we drink."

Percy takes the vial on the right.

Maribelle's heart pounds in fear.

The old man raises his vial, "A toast to the sons of Neptune."

They both uncork their vials and drank.

Immediately, Percy doubles over.

"No!" Maribelle panics.

"Oh, gods," Hazel says.

"Nope!" Ella says, "Nope, nope, nope."

"Yes!" Phineas cries, "Any moment now, my sight will return!"

"Percy!" Frank grips his shoulders, "Percy, you can't die!"

He gasps for breath and at the same time Phineas hunches over like he'd been punched.

"You—you can't!" Phineas wails, "Gaea, you—you!"

He staggers to his feet and stumbles away from the table, clutching his stomach, "I'm too valuable!"

Steam comes out of his mouth. A sickly yellow vapor rose from his ears, his beard, his blind eyes.

"Unfair!" He screams, "You tricked me!"

He tries to claw the piece of paper out of his robe pocket, but his hands crumble, his fingers turning to sand.

Maribelle frowns.

Percy rose to his feet unsteadily.

"No one tricked you," Percy says, "You made your choice freely, and I hold you to your oath."

He yells in agony and moves in a circle, steaming and slowly disintegrating until there was nothing left but an old, stained bathrobe and a pair of bunny slippers.

"Those," Frank says, "are the most disgusting spoils of war ever."

Hazel prods the robe with her sword, "That was either the bravest thing I've ever seen, or the stupidest."

"Percy, how did you know?" Maribelle asks, "You were so confident he'd choose the poison."

"Gaea," Percy says, "She wants me to make it to Alaska. She thinks . . . I'm not sure. She thinks she can use me as part of her plan. She influenced Phineas to choose the wrong vial."

Frank stares in horror at the remains of the old man, ''Gaea would kill her own servant rather than you? That's what you were betting on?"

''Plans," Ella mutters, "Plans and plots. The lady in the ground. Big plans for Percy. Macrobiotic jerky for Ella."

Percy hands her the whole bag of jerky and she
squeaks with joy. "Nope, nope, nope. Phineas, nope. Food and words for Ella, yep."

"So who is going to touch his robes? Because it definitely will not be me," Maribelle gags again.

Percy does the task. He pulls out the slip of paper. Maribelle peers beside her to read the note.

HUBBARD GLACIER.

"I know where that is," Hazel says, "It's pretty famous. But we've got a long, long way to go."

The harpies, over the shock at what just happened,  squawk with excitement and flew at the nearest food trucks, diving through the service windows and raiding the kitchens.

"We'd better get back to the boat," Percy tells them, "We're running out of time."

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