The next morning, Chiron moved me to cabin three. I didn't have to share with anybody. I had plenty of room for my stuff: the Minotaur's horn, one set of spare clothes, and a toiletry bag. I got to sit at my own dinner table, pick all my own activites, call "light's out" whenever I felt like it, and not listen to anybody else.
"That sounds awesome!" Leo said.
And I was absolutely miserable.
"Wait why?"
Just when I'd started to feel accepted, to feel I had a home in cabin eleven and I might be a normal kid-or as normal as you can be when you're a half-blood-I'd been separated out as if I had some rare disease. Nobody mentioned the hellhound, but I got the feeling they were all talking about it behind my back.
"We were..." Travis said sheepishly.
"We're sorry Ariadne." Katie saidsincerely.
"Don't worry about it."
The attack had scared everybody. It sent two messages: one, that I was the daughter of the Sea God: and two, monsters would stop at nothing to kill me. They could even invade a camp that had always been considered safe.
"I'm sorry Ariadne, I know how that must felt, but I would be nervoustoo." Piper said while everyone nodded their heads, even Ariadne.
The other campers steered clear of me as much as possible. Cabin eleven was too nervous to have sword class with me after what I'd done to the Ares folks in the woods, so my lessons with Luke became one-on-one. He pushed me harder than ever, and wasn't afraid to bruise me up in the process.
"Was probably happy about it too." Thalia growled.
"You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised, as we were working with swords and flaming torches. "Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty more repetitions."
"That's harsh." Apollo commented.
Annabeth still taught me Greek in the mornings, but she seemed distracted. Every time I said something, she scowled at me, as if I'd just poked her between the eyes.
"That's an... interesting way of putting it." Hera said while Annabethlooked apologetically at Ariadne. Ariadne shut her up by givingher a quick hug. The glare sent to Annabeth not going unnoticed by a certain moon goddess and her wife.
After lessons, she would walk away muttering to himself: "Quest... Poseidon?... Dirty rotten... Got to make a plan..."
Everyone snickered but stopped immediately after seeingAnnabeth's glare.
I'd rather get into fights every day than be ignored.
"I know the feeling man." Leo said completely serious
I knew somebody at camp resented me, because one night I came into my cabin and found a marital newspaper dropped inside the doorway, a copy of the New York Daily News, opened to the Metro page. The article took me almost an hour to read, because the angrier I got, the more the words floated around on the page.
GIRL AND MOTHER STILL MISSING AFTER FREAK CAR ACCIDENT BY EILEEN SMYTHE
Sally Jackson and daughter Ariadne are still missing one week after their mysterious disappearance. The family's badly burned '78 Camaro was discovered last Saturday on a north Long Island road with the roof ripped off and the front axle broken. The car had been flipped and skidded for several hundred feet before exploding. Mother and daughter had gone for a weekend vacation to Montauk, but left hastily, under mysterious circumstances. Small traces of blood were found in the car and near the scene of the wreck, but there were no other signs of the missing Jacksons.
Residents in the a rural area reported seeing nothing unusual around the time of the accident. Ms. Jackson's husband, Gabe Ugliano, claims that his stepdaughter, Ariadne Jackson, is a troubled child who has been kicked out of numerous boarding schools and has expressed violent tendencies in the past. Police would not say whether daughter Ariadne is a suspect in her mother's disappearance, but they have not ruled out foul play. Below are recent pictures of Sally Jackson and Ariadne. Police urge anyone with information to call the following toll-free crime-stoppers hotline.
"WHAT!" Everyone screamed. "WHAT THE HADES IS WRONGWITH THAT GUY!" Everyone yelled, and Hades was so mad at themortal he didn't even tell everyone off for using his name in vain.
The phone number was circled in black marker, I wadded up the paper and threw it away
"Who would do that?" Poseidon asked disgusted.
Then I flopped down in my bunk bed in the middle of my empty cabin. "Lights out," I told myself miserably.
"Man that sucks." Frank said sincerely.
That night, I had my worst dream yet.
All the demigods groaned
I was running along the beach in a storm. This time, there was a city behind me. Not New York. The sprawl was different: buildings spread farther apart, palm trees and low hills in the distance. About a hundred yards down the surf, two men were fighting. They looked like TV wrestlers, muscular, with beards and long hair. Both wore flowing Greek tunics, one trimmed in blue, the other in green.
All the gods turned their attention to the two brother who were eyeingeach other suspiciously
They grappled with each other, wrestled, kicked and head-butted, and every time they connected, lightning flashed, the sky grew darker, and the wind rose.
"You two are really fighting." Hephaestus grunted.
"Yeah worse thannormal." Demeter finished.
I had to stop them. I didn't know why. But the harder I ran, the more the wind blew me back, until I was running in place, my heels digging uselessly in the sand. Over the roar of the storm, I could hear the blue-robed one yelling at the green-robed one, Give it back! Give it back! Like a kindergartner fighting over a toy.
"It?" The gods and Romans questioned alike.
A few of the othergods started to have an idea on what it was. They looked at Athenasilently asking the question. She gave them a quick nods saying I'mthinking the same thing. They all turned away from them grimacing.
The waves got bigger, crashing into the beach, spraying me with salt. I yelled, Stop it! Stop fighting! The ground shook. Laughter came from somewhere under the earth, and a voice so deep and evil it turned my blood to ice.
Automatically everyone turned towards Hades. He looked confusedthough. "My voice is deep but not evil." Everyone brushed off thecomment still thinking it was the dead lord.
Come down, little hero, the voice crooned. Come down! The sand split beneath me, opening up a crevice straight down to the center of the earth. My feet slipped, and darkness swallowed me.
All the Romans were looking suspiciously at their God of theunderworld.
I woke up feeling like shit. Felt sure that I was falling.
"Aw I hate that feeling." Rachel complained while everyone elselaughed and nodded in agreement.
I was still in bed in cabin three. My body told me it was morning, but it was dark outside, and thunder rolled across the hills. A storm was brewing. I hadn't dreamed that.
I heard someone approaching at the door, and knuckles knocking on the threshold. "Come in?" Grover ran inside, looking worried.
"Probably not a good sign." Hermes stated
"Mr. D wants to see you."
"Not a good sign." Travis continued
"Why?"
"He wants to kill... I mean, I'd better let him tell you."
" Definitely not a good sign." Conner finished. "WILL YOU SHUTUP!" Everyone screamed at the trio.
I got dressed and followed, as I knew I didn't do anything wrong. For days, I'd been expecting a summons to the Big House.
"Why?" Asked Katie.
Now that I was declared a daughter of Poseidon, one of the Big Three gods who weren't supposed to have kids, I figured it was a crime for me just to be alive. The other gods had probably been debating the best way to punish me for existing, and now Mr. D was ready to deliver their verdict.
"Oh..."
Over Long Island Sound, the sky looked like ink soup coming to a boil. A hazy curtain of rain was coming in our direction. I asked Grover if we needed an umbrella.
"That's an... interesting way of describing it." Annabeth said lookingat Ariadne, who winked at her.
At the volleyball pit, the kids from Apollo's cabin were playing a morning game against the satyrs. Dionysus's twins were walking around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow. Everybody was going their normal business, but they looked tense. They kept their eyes on the storm.
"I remember that storm. Everyone at camp was freaked out." Will said while everyone else there nodded.
Grover and I walked up to the front porch of the Big House. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on my first day. Chiron sat across the table in his fake wheelchair. They were playing against invisible opponents-two sets of cards hovering in the air.
"Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up. "Our little celebrity." I waited.
"It's not like I had a choice." Ariadne grumbled to herself. Reyna heard and smirked to herself.
"Come closer," Mr. D said. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Bread is your father."
A net of lightning flashed across the clouds. Thunder shook the windows of the house.
"Blah, blah, blah," Dionysus said.
Chiron feigned interest in his pinochle cards. Grover cowered by the railing.
"If I had my way," Dionysus said, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble.
Artemis and everyone's once amused expression turned into amurderous glare.
But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in.
"Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Girl wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father. "
Once hearing the word dolphin the seven burst out laughing.Laughing so hard they all fell out of the cars they were all sitting in.
Everyone looked confused at each other then down to the laughingdemigods. All of a sudden Ariadne screamed out, "OH, NO! FRANK ISTURNING INTO A CRAZY DOLPHIN!"
This made the seven laugheven harder. Finally after ten minutes of straight laughing did theymanage to calm down.
"What was that about?" Grover asked curiously. Ariadne laughed againbefore answering, "Well on our last quest we were attacked byChrysaor and his half dolphin crew, so Ariadne came up with a brilliantplan-" "a stupid plan." Ariadne corrected.
Annabeth glared beforecontinuing on. "Sorry a stupid plan where he grabbed a Diet Cokeand pretended Dionysus was with us."
"And too top it all off I turnedinto a dolphin."
"Yeah after that they ran for the hills." Leo finished forFrank.After their explanation everyone cracked up again.
Finally afteranother twenty minutes of laughing, finding out Frank is ashapeshifter, and calming down the audio started.
"Mr. D-" Chiron warned.
"Oh, all right," Dionysis relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the girl is still here when I get back, I'll turn her into into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Ariadne Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."
"Why is he so mad?" Asked Reyna. Glaring at the god who dared speak to her girl in such a way.
Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. A credit card? No. A security pass. He snapped his fingers. The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a hologram, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.
Chiron smiled at me, but he looked tired and strained.
"Sit, Ariadne, please. And Grover."
We did. Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use.
"Tell me, Ariadne," he said. "What did you make of the hellhound?" Chiron probably wanted me to say, Heck, it was nothing. I eat hellhounds for breakfast .
"Is she getting..." Apollo asked trailing off at the end.
"If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead."
"You'll meet worse, Ariadne. Far worse, before you're done."
"Done... with what?"
"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?" I glanced at Grover, who was crossing her fingers.
"Um yeah I was." Ariadne laughed. Apollo and the other gods looked shocked.
"But usually it takes years before you can even be considered so why after a week?" Hephaestus questioned.
"Um, sir," I said. "You haven't told me what it is yet."
Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."
Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as I could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.
"Poseidon and Zeus," I said. "They're fighting over something valuable... something that was stolen, aren't they?"
Chiron and Grover exchanged looks. Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair.
"How did you know that?"
My face felt hot. I wished I hadn't opened my big mouth.
"The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And... I've also been having these dreams."
"I knew it," Grover said.
"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.
"But it is her quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"
"What quest!" Everyone asked exasperated.
"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard.
"Nevertheless, Ariadne, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lighting bolt."
"MY LIGHTNING BOLT WAS STOLEN!" Screeched Zeus. He startedglaring at Poseidon.
Athena and all the other gods that figured it outlooked like their worst fears were confirmed. The gods and demigodsthat didn't figure it out were shocked and scared of what Zeus mightdo.
I laughed nervously. "A what ?"
"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with God-level explosives."
Zeus was holding on to his bolt like it was his lifeline.
"And what the fuck does that have to do with me."
"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that steered the top of Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."
"And it's missing?"
"Stolen," Chiron said.
"By who?"
"By whom," Chiron corrected. Once a teacher, always a teacher.
"By you."
"WHAT! YOU STUPID LITTLE MORTAL!" Zeus thundered. Hestarted to aim his bolt at Ariadne.
When Artemis suddenly thundered, "You touch a hair on my daughters head, and you will never have a child ever again."
All the gods except Dionysus jumped in front of her.
"Father, think this through, the book is the girl's perspective if she stole it then we would know." Zeus managed to calmdown after this.
My mouth fell open. "At least"-Chiron held up a hand-"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' 'Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters.' Et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a God cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly-that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convicted a human hero to take it."
"But I didn't-"
"Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now that Poseidon had openly claimed you as his daughter. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could have easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."
"Makes sense." Zeus grumbled angrily. Poseidon heard and glaredat his brother.
"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"
Zeus mood was now even worse.
Chiron and Grover glanced nervously at the sky. The clouds didn't seem to be parting around us, as Grover had promised. They were rolling straight over our valley, sealing us in like a coffin lid.
"Er, Ariadne...?" Grover said. "We don't use the c -word to describe the Lord of the Sky."
"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam..."
"I can't even remember what I had for dinner, how could heremember a question from a final?" Frank asked. A few peoplelaughed
He looked at me as if he actually expected me to remember question thirty-eight. How could anyone accuse me of stealing a god's weapon? I couldn't even steal a slice of pizza from Gabe's poker party without getting busted. Chiron was waiting of an answer.
"The golden net Poseidon, Hera and a few other god used they trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"
"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along-the proverbial last straw."
"I knew you were going to do this!" Zeus screamed standing up.
"Idon't want this brother! After the first time I realized you are a muchbetter leader than I will ever be!"
"But-"
"Brothers please stop fightingwe will figure every once we have read the book." Hestia saidsoothingly making everyone jump, not realizing she was by thehearth. Zeus and Poseidon softened their glares slightly at their oldersister before they sat back down.
"But I'm just a kid!"
"Ariadne," Grover cuts in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you....Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"
"That would put a twist in mine." Apollo joked trying to loosen thetension in the air. Almost everyone laughed relieved to havesomething to do even though it wasn't very funny.
"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon-my dad-he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"
Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style.
"Thank you." Poseidon said nodding his head towards his halfbrother.
But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Ariadne?"
"Oh no, The world is burning whatever should I do."
Everyone burst out laughing.
"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a waterballoon fight. And you, Ariadne Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."
It started to rain. Volleyball players stopped their game and stared in stunned silence at the sky. I had brought this storm to Half-Blood Hill. Zeus was punishing the whole camp because of me.
"I remember that day, it never rained so it was unusual." Will said.
I was furious. "So I have to find the bolt," I said. "And return it to Zeus."
"What better peace offering," Chiron said. "Than to have the daughter of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"
Athena nodded her head. "That would be the ideal offering."
"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?"
"I believe I know." Chiron expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago... well, come of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?"
"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."
Leo chuckled nervously, "That's a good reason."
I swallowed. "Good reason."
"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Ariadne Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."
"He's not serious is he?" Questioned Hazel nervously.
Everyone laughed. Some just amused while others a bit morenervous.
"All right," I said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."
"Yeah," Piper snickered, "a crazy dolphin." The seven were about tofull out laugh again when Thalia smacked her brother upside thehead.
Four flights up, the stairs ended under a green trapdoor. I pulled the cord. The door swung down, and a wooden ladder clattered into place. The warm air from above smelled like mildew and rotten wood and something else... a smell I remembered from biology class. Reptiles. The smell of snakes. I held my breath and climbed. The attic was filled with Greek hero junk: armor stands covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; cold leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE,
Reyna looked up hearing her former home.
And LAND OF THE AMAZONS. One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things -severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, various other parts of monsters. A dusty mounted trophy on the wall. Looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.
"Oh hey I remember that one. One of my daughters killed it."Demeter said proudly.
By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.
Everyone shivered at the description.
Jason leaned forwards, "I think I like Rachel better. Andalso how did it move in the window? It's dead."
"First off thank you Ilike myself better too, and second just read and find out."
I wanted to open my mouth and ask her how it was being a zombie but I kept quiet. And that was before she sat up on her stool and opened her mouth. A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes.
Everyone chuckled nervously while a Reyna piped up, "Iknow this is probably sad but I think I prefer the mummy overOctavian."
All theRomans, and most Greeks started laughing their butts off allagreeing. Once everyone calmed down again they continued on.
Inside my head, I heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around my brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask. The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of gruesome receptacle for something else, the power that was now swirling around me in the green mist. But its presence didn't feel evil, like my demonic math teacher Mrs. Dodds or the Minotaur. It felt more like the Three Fates I'd seen knitting the yarn outside the highway fruit stand: ancient, powerful, and definitely not human. But not particularly interested in killing me, either.
"What is my destiny?"
The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of me and around the table with the pickled monster-part jars. Suddenly there were four men sitting around the table, playing cards. Their faces became clearer. It was Smelly Gabe and his buddies.
The entire group started glaring at the tablet.
My fists clenched, though I knew this poker party couldn't be real. It was an illusion, made out of mist.
Gabe turned toward me and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.
His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice: You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned .
"Oh thank goodness!" Zeus practically screamed of happiness whileall the other gods looked relieved.
The guy on the left threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend .
Finally, Eddie, our building super, delivered the worst line of all: And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end .
Zeus happy dance stopped abruptly. He once again looked pissedoff and grumby.
Annabeth asked Ariadne, "That was the endof your prophecy? And... Luke's the friend?"
"Yeah..." Ariadne replied.
"That doesn't sound like a good prochey." Leo stated with everyonebidding their heads.
The figures began to dissolve. Hmm I don't have many friends here but Luke is definitely closer to me then the rest. Could it be? He was the son of the God of Thieves and he also didn't seem shocked by the hellhound.
"That's a sad thought." Hermes said with a sad look on his face.
"You had doubts from the beginning." Asked Annabeth.
Ariadne just nodded.
"Yeah Ari when you came to camp you had tons of friends."Conner said trying to cheer her up.
"Yeah and who are they?"
"Um...You know they must have escaped my mind I'll get back to you later."Ariadne was just watching the younger Stoll sweat with an amusedlook.
The tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth. She reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of mementos. I got the feeling that I could stand here until I had cobwebs, too, and I wouldn't learn anything else. My audience with the Oracle was over.
"Well?" Chiron asked me.
"She said I would retrieve what was stolen."
Grover sat forward, looking excited. "That's great!"
"What did the Oracle say exactly ?" Chiron pressed. "This is important."
"She said I would go west and face a God who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."
"I knew it," Grover said.
Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?" I didn't want to tell him. What friend would betray me? I didn't have that many. And the last line-I would fail to save what mattered most. What kind of Oracle would send me on a quest and tell me, oh, by the way, you'll fail . How could I confess that?
"No," I said. "That's about it."
He studied my face. "Very well, Ariadne. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."
I got the feeling he knew I was holding back something bad, and he was trying to make me feel better.
"Oh I was."
"Ah, think, Ariadne," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"
"I doubt it would be Hades, but Los Angeles is in the West."
"Yes, suite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with a lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."
"Really?" Hades asked more annoyed than mad. "Wheneversomething go wrong on Olympus it alway my fault. And also I don'twant anymore dead, as it is in already overfull. I think I might have toopen up an fast death lane soon." He finished grumbling to himselfmore than anyone.
Grover's petals from his arms suddenly drifted off like autumn. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"
"A Fury came after Ariadne," Chiron reminded her. "She watched the young lady until she was sure of her identity, then tried to kill her. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."
"Okay maybe you have but of a reason, but this still isn't me."
"It maynot be but let's hope it is." Athena said darkly already figuring outwho might be behind the whole operation.
"What do you-" "We'llhave to find out." Athena briskly cut off the lord of the dead.
"Yes, but-but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he has found out about Ariadne is a daughter of Poseidon..."
"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Ariadne to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before she can take on the quest."
"Great," I muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."
"And many more to come." Thalia teased.
"But a quest to..." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."
"Oh Hades no. I hate Maine." Nico said stubbornly. While everyoneelse sent him questioned looks Bianca, Thalia, Annabeth, and Ariadne all nodded their heads in agreement.
"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain, Ariadne must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."
A strange fire burned in my stomach.
"Fear?" Leo guessed.
It wasn't fear. It was anticipation.
"Just kidding I meant to say anticipation."
"Anticipation?" Reyna asked.
The desire for revenge. It was his fault my mother had disappeared in a flash of light. I was ready to take him on. Besides, if my mother was in the Underworld.
"Oh..."
Whoa, girl, said the small part of my brain that was still sane. You're a kid. Hades is a god.
"Dang right I am."
Grover was trembling. A lot of brown leaves blew from his hair as more appeared then detached themselves. The poor boy needed to complete a quest with me so he could get a searcher's license, whatever that was, but how could I ask him to do this quest, especially when the Oracle said I was destined to fail? This was suicide.
"Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods operate through humans?"
"So we're being used?"
"You're saying I'm being used."
"Oh no Connor you've comedown with Ariadnitis!" Travis exclaimedin fake horror.
Katie snickered at Travis's antics before quicklyrealizing he's Travis . After that she turned away blushing while therest of Camp Half-Blood sent them questioning glances.
The godslooked confused at the scene in front of them until Connor explainedwhat 'Ariadnitis' is.
All the gods nodded their heads showing theyunderstand while Aphrodite couldn't keep her eyes off the Demetergirl and Hermes boy.
"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."
My dad needs me. Emotions rolled around inside me like bits of glass in a kaleidoscope.
"You have a really weird way of describing things." Annabeth onceagain said.
"You already said that." Ariadne pointed out.
"Ya, but Imean a really weird way of describing things."
"That's moonbeam for you." "
Thanks war girl." Ariadne said sarcastically while Reyna just flashed her a innocent smile which caused Ariadne to roll her eyes and giveher a kiss before turning back to the story.
I didn't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry. Poseidon had ignored me for twelve years. Now suddenly he needed me.
Said God looked down in shame. "Don't worry dad I know youcouldn't do anything different because of grandfather's rule."
Everyone howled with laughter.
I got the feeling there was a lot Chiron wasn't telling me, but I decided I couldn't worry about that right now. After all, I was holding back information too.
"So let me get this straight, I'm supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead. Find one of the most powerful weapons in the world. And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days so these gods don't fight."
"You're dead."
"Thanks for the confidence Hermes."
"No problemkiddo."
"That's about right." I looked at Grover.
"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" He asked weakly.
"You don't have to go," I told him. "I can't ask that of you."
"Oh..." He shifted his feet. "No... it's just that nature creatures, and underground places... well..." He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the leaves of off his Tshirt.
"You saved my life, Ariadne. If... if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down." Grover was the only friend I'd ever had for longer than a few months. I wasn't sure what good a satyr, trained in woodland magic, could do against the forces of the dead, but I felt better knowing he'd be with me.
Grover smiled at his best friend, who returned the gesture, everythrough everyone could barely see through Reyna's hair.
"Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help."
"Gee," I said, feigning surprise.
"Oh good. I thought you hated me and didn't want me to go with youbut just put up with me for the trio sake." Annabeth remarked.
Ariadne grinned, "Ialways liked you wise girl, and no I was so happy that you can withme, and let's face it I would be dead without you on severaloccasions."
The look Aphrodite sent to Reyna didn't go unnoticed.
Once Ariadne was done speaking the pair finally realized thateveryone was looking at them. They both blushed as Ariadne deepened herself into Reyna's embrace if that was possible.
"Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?" The air shimmered behind Chiron. Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket.
"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."
"If you do say so yourself," I said.
"I suppose you have a plan, Wise Girl?" Her cheeks colored.
"Do you want my help or not?" The truth was, I did. I needed all the help I could get.
"A trio," I said. "That'll work." "Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own." Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.
"No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."
"Next chapter me please."