I don't think I have hated anyone more than Tantalus.
He blamed us for the birds attacking us, saying we irritated them, sending them into their violent frenzy.
Percy told him to go chase a donut, which was way milder than the thing I wanted to say, but either way, either comment did/would have anything for us.
And as punishment, we had to clean dishes.
With lava and harpies.
Tyson was actually enjoying himself, getting to work without the abeseto gloves and aprons Percy, Annabeth, and I were dressed up in.
But I didn't care about the monstrosity that was the aprons, I was more taken by the fact that Annabeth just pointed out that Grover might have found the Golden Fleece...and that Percy was being himself, not remembering anything we learned last summer and Annabeth scolded, "Percy, remember the Gray Sisters? They said they knew the location of the thing you seek. And they mentioned Jason. Three thousand years ago, they told him how to find the Golden Fleece. You do know the story of Jason and the Argonauts?"
"Yeah, that old movie with the clay skeletons," Percy replied.
A loud laugh exploded from my mouth as Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Oh my gods, Percy! You are so hopeless."
"What?!" Percy glowered at me, and he probably would have sprayed lava at me if I wouldn't get severely injured by it.
"Just listen," Annabeth sighed. "The real story of the Fleece: there were these two children of Zeus, Cadmus, and Europa, okay? They were about to get offered up as human sacrifices when they prayed to Zeus to save them. So Zeus sent this magical flying ram with golden wool, which picked them up in Greece and carried them all the way to Colchis in Asia Minor. Well, actually, it carried Cadmus. Europa fell off and died along the way, but that's not important."
"Bet it was pretty important to her," I teased.
"The point is," Annabeth shot me a dirty look. "When Cadmus got to Colchis, he sacrificed the golden ram to the gods and hung the Fleece in a tree in the middle of the kingdom. The Fleece brought prosperity to the land. Animals stopped getting sick. Plants grew better. Farmers had bumper crops. Plagues never visited. That's why Jason wanted the Fleece. It can revitalize any land where it's placed. It cures sickness, strengthens nature, cleans up pollution—"
"It could cure Thalia's tree," Percy interrupted.
The blonde bobbed her head, "And it would totally strengthen the borders of Camp Half-Blood. But Percy, the Fleece has been missing for centuries. Tons of heroes have searched for it with no luck."
"But Grover found it," Percy corrected. "He went looking for Pan, and he found the Fleece instead because they both radiate nature magic. It makes sense, Annabeth. We can rescue him and save the camp at the same time. It's perfect!"
"A little too perfect, don't you think? What if it's a trap?"
I got her vibe and froze.
Last summer with Kronos and Luke made all of us paranoid in more ways than one.
But we had to save Grover.
"We don't really have a choice, though..." I murmured, scrubbing a casserole-caked plate.
"Exactly!" Percy exclaimed loudly. "Are you going to help me rescue Grover or not?"
Annabeth started talking under her breath, and I wasn't sure why until I saw the last half-second of her glancing at Tyson, "Guys, we'll have to fight a Cyclops. Polyphemus, the worst of the Cyclopes. And there's only one place his island could be. The Sea of Monsters."
"Where's that?"
I snickered at the incredulous look Annabeth gave Percy as she said in a higher-pitched voice than usual, "The Sea of Monsters. The same sea Odysseus sailed through, and Jason, and Aeneas, and all the others."
"You mean the Mediterranean?"
"No. Well, yes...but no."
"Another straight answer. Thanks."
I chuckled again before I said, "Listen, the Sea of Monsters is where all those hero-guys sailed through to get to their destinations. It was on the Mediterranean, but it shifted...you know, like how Olympus does."
"Like it being above the Empire State Building and Hades being under Los Angeles..." Percy put it together.
"Sí señor."
"But a whole sea full of monsters—how could you hide something like that? Wouldn't the mortals notice weird things happening...like, ships getting eaten and stuff?"
"Of course, they notice," Annabeth shot back at him. "They don't understand, but they know something is strange about that part of the ocean. The Sea of Monsters is off the east coast of the U.S. now, just northeast of Florida. The mortals even have a name for it."
"The Bermuda Triangle?"
"Yup!" I chuckled as I watched Tyson make a little toy boat.
Percy was quiet for a bit before he said, "Okay...so at least we know where to look."
"It's still a huge area, Percy. Searching for one tiny island in monster-infested waters—"
"Hey, Annie..." I elbowed her gently. "We're the sea god's kids. That's like our home turf."
"Yeah, how hard can it be?" Percy grinned at me.
Annabeth just furrowed her brows at us, "We'll have to talk to Tantalus, get approval for a quest. He'll say no."
"Not if we tell him tonight at the campfire in front of everybody. The whole camp will hear. They'll pressure him. He won't be able to refuse."
"Maybe." Annabeth nodded her head, her voice lifting a little bit. "We'd better get these dishes done. Hand me the lava spray gun, will you?"
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!" I shouted as I lifted the little lava boat Tyson made, and he and I crashed out ships together, making lava spray everywhere.
In other words, I took another trip to the infirmary and got another Mother Will lecture.
But my boat beat Tyson's, so that's all that mattered.
†††
Well.
Long story short.
Annabeth was right.
Again.
Tantalus did not let us have a quest but instead gave it to Clarisse.
Then the creep told us an even creepier ghost story that I was pretty sure was about himself before he sent Clarisse off to see the Oracle.
Percy was basically shaking with rage next to me, his eyes turning the colors of the ocean during a hurricane.
"What about you, Percy Jackson?" Tantalus sneered. "No comments from our dishwasher?"
I prayed my brother would keep quiet, and he did.
Thank Hestia.
"Good," Tantalus clapped, overly happy. "And let me remind everyone—no one leaves this camp without my permission. Anyone who tries...well, if they survive the attempt, they will be expelled forever, but it won't come to that. The harpies will be enforcing curfew from now on, and they are always hungry! Good night, my dear campers. Sleep well."
With a wave of his hand, the fire went out.
Campers trailed out as I rubbed my forehead, the gauze and sports wrap wrapped around my wrist, making my already itchy forehead itch even more, "That went well..."
"Oh, shut up..." Percy snapped at me, stomping away.
I rolled my eyes before I looked at Annabeth, "I bet you ten bucks that he's gonna sneak out of camp and get us to go with him."
The blonde gave her a look, "We both know that's already gonna happen."
I shrugged, "Betting money is more fun."
"You need to stop hanging out with the Stoll brothers."
"I'm not wrong, though."
She hugged me and bid me goodnight while I headed off in the direction of my cabin, my hands shoved into my short pockets.
I was whistling a vaguely familiar tune when I heard a branch snap in the woods.
My blood froze in my veins as everything moved into defense mode.
My eyes, already adjusted to the dark, scanned the treeline.
Please don't be a monster. Please don't be a monster.
Movement caught my eyes, and I spun, my sword in my hands suddenly, glimmering dimly in the night.
It warmed in my palm, flickering as my gaze fell on the source of the noise.
A wolf.
And it wasn't just a normal-sized one.
It was massive.
Its silver eyes fell on me as its gray, and red chocolate fur seemed to glow in the light of the moon.
I knew I should have been scared, but I wasn't.
Something in me told me I didn't need to be.
I lowered my sword, vaguely realizing that the blade was not its normal bronze but rich gold.
Without thinking, I bent to one knee, keeping my head to my chest.
What was I doing?
Something warm brushed against my head, and I lifted my head to come face-to-face with the wolf.
Its eyes stared into my very soul.
And like that, we stayed.
"I recognize you..." I breathed gently. "But I don't remember your name..."
The wolf did not answer but instead pressed its forehead against mine.
A tingling filled me, and I closed my eyes, feeling weirdly safe.
Come with me... A voice filled my mind.
It was the wolf. It had to be.
"Why?" I barely whispered.
Come home.
It was a woman's voice, and it was powerful.
Almost powerful enough to compel me to stand up and follow the she-wolf into the woods.
"I am home..." I whispered.
Not quite...you won't ever be until you come with me...
My heart jumped into my throat, and my soul yearned for me to wrap my arms around the wolf's neck and nuzzle into her fur.
But I didn't.
Because as I opened my mouth to ask her who she was, Percy's voice startled me.
"SALLY! SALLY, PLEASE!!! HELP ME!!!"
My heart stopped, and my eyes flashed open as I spun on my knee, facing the way Percy's voice was screaming from.
The wolf stood next to me, her eyes staring out over the camp.
"Percy..." I breathed. "He's in trouble..."
Come with me. I can take you home. Keep you safe. She is waiting for you.
I furrowed my brows as I looked into the wolf's eyes.
I wanted to.
I don't know why, but I really really wanted to.
But...
Grover was missing, and Percy was screaming for help.
I couldn't go.
Not yet.
I stood, my sword glowing gold at my side, and I bowed my head to the wolf again, "I want to go. But I can't...not yet..."
I will return then. When the time is right.
I pinched my lips, sad for the wolf to go, "When is that?"
When the Fates deem fit.
I bobbed my head, "Okay. I will be waiting."
The wolf was basically as tall as I was as she pressed her forehead to mine again, and just as quickly as she was there, she vanished.
A weird void filled me like I was missing something.
But I didn't have to think about that. My brother was screaming for help. And I need to go help him.
I glanced down at my sword, just in time to see it turn celestial bronze again. I shook my head, "Freaking weird..."
And I took off into the night, ready to save my brother...again.
Oh, the joys of being a sister.
Hey everyone!!
Hope you're enjoying!!
So who do we think the wolf is? Any guesses on what may happen?? 😏
Thanks for reading!!
~ gwenlee