The four demigods found themselves in a cool, damp pit that seemed to be the basement level of a temple. Directly above their heads, a rectangular gap was open to the sky.
And so far, there were no monsters yet.
Annabeth ran her hand along some marks on the ground – a jagged crow's-foot shape as long as a human body. The area was lumpy and white, like stone scar tissue. "This is the place," she said. "Percy, these are the trident marks of Poseidon."
Hesitantly, Percy touched the scars as he let go of Cressida's hand. "He must've been using his extra-extra-large trident."
"This is where he struck the earth," Annabeth said, "where he made a saltwater spring appear when he had the contest with my mom to sponsor Athens."
"So this is where the rivalry started," Percy said.
"Yeah."
And Cressida and Piper grinned as Percy surprised Annabeth by spinning her around and pulling her into a hug.
"The rivalry ends here," Percy declared. "You are my best friend, Wise Girl and I love you."
Annabeth gave a small laugh as she squeezed him back. "Love you too, Seaweed Brain."
And he kissed her cheek before letting her go and then his eyes drifted over to where Cressida was standing with a proud smile on her face.
"And as for you," he said as he reached for her hand and spun her around before he dropped her into a dip and their lips met. And for once, Cressida was the fish face as she gasped for air when he pulled away. "I love you the most. And I didn't want you to feel left out."
"Ok," Cressida panted, one of her legs bent as Percy held it to his hip and her hands held his shoulders. "Teaching you to dance was one of the best decisions I ever made."
Percy laughed as he set her back on her feet, but his expression was a little awkward as he looked at Piper, a girl he didn't really feel comfortable hugging yet for a few reasons, one being that he'd only known her for like a month and the other being that she was Jason's girlfriend, and he didn't want to overstep or make her feel uncomfortable.
"Sorry about that. I kinda had to -"
Piper just grinned. "How could a daughter of Aphrodite not approve? You're an amazing friend and a great boyfriend."
"Oh, don't worry about Piper feeling left out. Jason can take care of that later," Cressida said with a wink to the girl and Piper's grin turned into a smirk.
"Gods of Olympus, you guys are disgusting," Annabeth groaned, and the girls turned their smirks on her.
"We're about to die," Cressida said. "Can't blame us for making the most of the time we have left."
And she gasped as she was yanked into Percy's arms.
"No dying," he said with a frown as he kissed her. "We said we're never going to be separated again and you're not dying...At least not until I get the Halloween thing first. Then we can die together."
Cressida laughed a musical sound, a hopeful sound that they all relaxed at as it echoed through the chamber. "Deal. But I get my amazing Castor-approved birthday present first."
"Naturally...wait, does that mean that I get the Halloween thing?"
"Maybe."
"Cruel, cruel woman," he said as he pecked her lips again.
Annabeth cleared her throat. "Uh ... anyway. We're beneath the Erechtheion. It's a temple to both Athena and Poseidon. The Parthenon should be diagonal to the southeast of here. We'll need to sneak around the perimeter and disable as many siege weapons as we can, make an approach path for the Argo II."
"It's broad daylight," Piper said. "How will we go unnoticed?"
Annabeth scanned the sky. "That's why I made a plan with Frank and Hazel. Hopefully ... ah. Look."
A bee zipped overhead. Dozens more followed. They swarmed around a column, and then hovered over the opening of the pit.
"Say hi to Frank, everybody," Annabeth said.
"Hi, Frankie," Cressida smiled in amazement as Piper waved and the cloud of bees zipped away.
"How does that even work?" Percy said. "Like ... one bee is a finger? Two bees are his eyes?"
"What, then 20 is an arm and 30 is a leg?" Cressida added.
"I don't know," Annabeth admitted. "But he's our go-between. As soon as he gives Hazel the word, she will –"
"Gah!" Percy yelped.
Annabeth clamped her hand over his mouth, which looked strange, because suddenly each of them had turned into a hulking, six-armed Earthborn.
"Oh my gods," Cressida gaped.
"Hazel's Mist." Piper's voice sounded deep and gravelly. She looked down and realized that she, too, now had a lovely Neanderthal body – belly hair, loincloth, stubby legs and oversized feet. If she concentrated, she could see her normal arms, but when she moved them they rippled like mirages, separating into three different sets of muscular Earthborn arms.
Percy grimaced, which looked even worse on his newly uglified face. "Wow, Wine Vine ... I'm really glad I kissed you before you changed."
"Water Boy, so help you I will give Leo the Halloween thing," she warned, and Percy's beady eyes narrowed.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
"Alright, enough!" scolded Earthborn Annabeth. "We need to get moving. I'll move clockwise. Piper and Cress can move counterclockwise. Percy, you scout the middle -"
"Wait," Percy said. "We're walking right into the whole blood-spilling sacrifice trap we've been warned about, and you want to split up even more?"
"We'll cover more ground that way," Annabeth said. "We have to hurry. That chanting ..."
The chanting like an ominous drone in the distance, like a hundred forklifts idling.
"Right," Piper said. "We'll meet up at the giant's throne."
Percy nervously turned to Cressida. "Come back to me."
"Likewise."
And they split up.