At the edge of the dump, they found a tow truck so old it might've been thrown away itself. But the engine started, and it had a full tank of gas, so they decided to borrow it.
Thalia drove. She didn't seem as stunned as everyone else.
"The skeletons are still out there," she reminded us. "We need to keep moving."
She navigated them through the desert, under clear blue skies, the sand so bright it hurt to look at. Zoe sat up front with Thalia. Grover and Percy sat in the pickup bed, leaning against the tow wench.
Lilia lay between them, using Percy's bag as a pillow. The air was cool and dry, but the nice weather just seemed like an insult after losing Bianca.
"It should've been me," Percy said. "I should've gone into the giant."
"Don't say that!" Grover panicked. "It's bad enough
Annabeth is gone, and now Bianca. Do you think I could stand it if..." He sniffled. "Do you think anybody else would be my best friend?"
"Ah, Grover..."
He wiped under his eyes with an oily cloth that left his face grimy, like he had on war paint. "I'm... I'm okay."
Lilia lay still and quiet, annoyed at herself for not being fast enough and annoyed at Percy for stopping her. Her eyes began to well up all over again.
The tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. That was just as well, because the road came to an end.
Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew. "Great. What now?"
Lilia scanned the horizon. There wasn't much to see. Desert in all directions, occasional clumps of barren mountains plopped here and there. The canyon was the only thing interesting. The river itself wasn't very big, maybe fifty yards across, green water with a few rapids, but it carved a huge scar out of the desert. The rock cliffs dropped away below us.
"There's a path," Grover said. "We could get to the river."
"That's a goat path," Lilia said.
"So?" he asked.
"The rest of us aren't goats."
"We can make it," Grover said. "I think."
"No," Percy said. "I, uh, think we should go farther upstream." His eyes were locked on Thalia, who looked as though she were going to faint at the sight of the cliff. You wouldn't think a daughter of Zeus would be afraid of heights.
"But" Grover said.
"Come on," Percy said. "A walk won't hurt us." Lilia disagreed. her legs were aching.
They followed the river about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but Percy left a stack of golden drachmas on the counter and a note saying IOU two canoes.
"We need to go upstream," Zoe said. It was the first time she'd spoken since the junkyard. "The rapids are too swift."
"Leave that to me," Percy said. They put the canoes in the water.
They got into the canoes, Thalia and Grover got in one, rather Grover actually fell in.Lilia, Percy and Zoë sat in the other. Percy said something to the naiads and they began moving upstream.
Lilia sat silently opposite them her hands and chin buried deep into her coat.
"I hate naiads." Zoë muttered.
A stream of water squirted up from the back of the boat and hit Zoë in the face.
"She-devils!" Zoe went for her bow.
"Whoa," Percy said. "They're just playing."
"Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me."
"Forgiven you for what?"
She slung her bow back over her shoulder. "It was a long time ago. Never mind."
They sped up the river, the cliffs looming up on either side of them.
"What happened to Bianca wasn't your fault," Percy told her. "It was my fault. I let her go."
Her shoulders slumped. "No, Percy. I pushed her into going on the quest. I was too anxious. She was a powerful half-blood. She had a kind heart, as well. I... I thought she would be the next lieutenant."
"But you're the lieutenant."
She gripped the strap of her quiver. She looked more tired than Lilia had ever seen her.
"Nothing can last forever, Percy. Over two thousand years I have led the Hunt, and my wisdom has not improved. Now Artemis herself is in danger."
"Look, you can't blame yourself for that."
"If I hadn't insisted on going with her-"
"You think you could've fought something powerful enough to kidnap Artemis? There's nothing you could have done."
Zoe didn't answer.
The cliffs along the river were getting taller. Long shadows fell across the water, making it a lot colder, even though the day was bright.
Percy took Riptide out of his pocket. Zoe looked at the pen, and her expression was pained.
"You made this," he said.
"Who told thee?"
"I had a dream about it."
She studied him. "It was a gift. And a mistake."
"Who was the hero?" Percy asked.
"Do not make me say his name, I swore never to speak it again." She shook her head.
"Hercules." Lilia muttered with a look of sorrow.
The two looked over at her, most likely forgot her presence before now. Zoë frowned and Percy looked confused.
"I've had a lot of spare time in my life. I read a lot." She shrugged fidgeting with her bracelet.
"I'm never even mentioned?" Zoë frowned again.
"You are. In one really old book." She sighed. She went quiet again.
"Your mother was a water goddess?" Percy asked.
"Yes, Pleione. She had five daughters. My sisters and I. The Hesperides."
"Those were the girls who lived in a garden at the edge of the West. With the golden apple tree and a dragon guarding it."
"Yes," Zoe said wistfully. "Ladon."
"But weren't there only four sisters?"
"There are now. I was exiled. Forgotten. Blotted out as if I never existed."
"Why?"
Zoe pointed to his pen. "Because I betrayed my family and helped a hero. You won't find that in the legend either. He never spoke of me. After his direct assault on Ladon failed, 1 gave him the idea of how to steal the apples, how to trick my father, but he took all the credit."
"But-"
Percy looked down at the naiads, they'd stopped the canoes.
Lilia looked ahead, and saw why.
This was as far as they could take them. The river was blocked. A dam the size of a football stadium stood in our path.
"Hoover Dam," Thalia said. "It's huge."
They stood at the river's edge, looking up at a curve of concrete that loomed between the cliffs. People were walking along the top of the dam. They were so tiny they looked like fleas.
The naiads left and the canoes floated back downstream, swirling in the wake from the dam's discharge vents.
"Seven hundred feet tall," Percy said. "Built in the 1930s."
"$49 million to build." Lilia whispered.
"Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia said.
Grover sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States."
Zoe stared at them. "How do you know all that?"
"Annabeth," Percy said. "She liked architecture."
"She was nuts about monuments," Thalia said.
"Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled. "So annoying."
He didn't seem annoyed though.
"I wish she was here." Lilia muttered.
Everyone nodded sadly though Zoë still stared at them strangely. It seemed like cruel fate they'd ended up here, one of Annabeth's favourite places, without her.
"We should go up there." Percy said. "For Annabeth."
"You are mad." Zoë replied. "But that is where the road is, so sight seeing it is."
They had to walk for almost an hour before they found a path that led up to the road. It came up on the east side of the river. Then they straggled back toward the dam. It was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river seven hundred feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.
Thalia walked in the middle of the road, far away from the edges. Grover kept sniffing the wind and looking nervous. He didn't say anything, but it was clear he smelt monsters.
"How close are they?" Percy asked him.
He shook his head. "Maybe not close. The wind on the dam, the desert all around us.. the scent can probably carry for miles. But it's coming from several directions. I don't like that."
"There's a snack bar in the visitor center," Thalia said.
"You've been here before?" Percy asked.
"Once. To see the guardians." She pointed to the far end of the dam. Carved into the side of the cliff was a little plaza with two big bronze statues. They looked kind of like Oscar statues with wings.
"They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built," Thalia said. "A gift from Athena."
Tourists were clustered all around them. They seemed to be looking at the statues' feet.
"What are they doing?" Percy asked.
"Rubbing the toes," Thalia said. "They think it's good luck."
"Why?"
She shook her head. "Mortals get crazy ideas. They don't know the statues are sacred to Zeus, but they know there's something special about them."
"When you were here last, did they talk to you or anything?"
"No. They don't do anything. They're just big metal statues."
"Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoe said. "We should eat while we can."
Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"
Zoe blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"
"Nothing." Grover said trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries."
Even Lilia, who had barely said more than ten words, let out a small laugh.
"And I need to use the dam restroom." Thalia replied.
Maybe it was the fact they were so tired and had been through hell, but suddenly they couldn't stop laughing. Zoë stared at them. "I don't not understand the joke." She said with a frown.
"I want to use the dam water fountain." Grover said bent over laughing.
"And-" Thalia said trying to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam t-shirt."
They laughed and probably would have laughed all day if it weren't for the sudden:
"Moooo!"
Lilia looked around, so did Grover.
"Did I just hear a cow?"
"A dam cow?" Thalia laughed.
"No. I'm serious." He said.
"I don't hear anything." Zoë said.
Percy was staring off with a somber look to him.
"Percy. Are you okay." Lilia asked, her voice was soothing, he turned to look at her and then to the others.
"Yeah, I just need a minute... to think." He said. "I'll meet you guys inside.
They frowned, but left him be, heading into the visitors centre. Lilia looked back and saw Percy staring over the edge of the dam.
She shook her head and carried on walking.
They ordered some food and sat in the cafe, they didn't say much. Lilia stared out the window at the view, the sky was bright blue and the lake was shimmering beneath it.
Percy ran into the hall from the other end of the building with riptide out.
"We need to go. Now!" He said, frantically looking behind him.
"But we just got our burritos!" Thalia said.
Zoe stood up, muttering an Ancient Greek curse. "He's right! Look."
The cafe windows wrapped all the way around the observation floor, which gave us a beautiful panoramic view of the skeletal army that had come to kill them.
Lilia counted two on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Three more on the west side, guarding Nevada. All of them were armed with batons and pistols.
But their immediate problem was a lot closer. Three skeletal warriors appeared in the direction Percy had run from, on the stairs. They saw him from across the cafeteria and clattered their teeth.
"Elevator!" Grover said. They bolted that direction, but the doors opened with a pleasant ding, and three more warriors stepped out. Every warrior was accounted for, minus the one Bianca had blasted to flames in New Mexico. They were completely surrounded.
Then Grover had a brilliant, totally Grover-like idea.
"Burrito fight!" he yelled, and flung his Guacamole Grande at the nearest skeleton.
Grover's lunch hit the skeleton and knocked his skull clean off his shoulders. I'm not sure what the other kids in the cafe saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of chips and sodas at each other, shrieking and screaming.
The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere.
In the chaos, Thalia and Percy tackled the other two skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment table. Then they all raced downstairs.
"What now?" Grover asked as we burst outside. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction.
They ran across the street to the pavilion with the winged bronze statues, but that just put their backs to the mountain.
The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around them. Their brethren from the cafe were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on its shoulders.
Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their rib cages. They didn't look happy about it. They drew batons and advanced.
"Five against eleven," Zoe muttered. "And they cannot die."
"It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling.
Something shiny caught the corner of Lilia's eye. She glanced behind at the statue's feet.
Thalia, look." She said jerking her head at the statues, that were now glowing way more than before. Maybe Zeus would answer.
"Lili!" Thalia said. "This isn't the time to admire statues."
Percy looked back as-well a look of thought in his eyes. He seemed to be thinking really hard about something and then his eyes widened.
"Thalia," Percy said. "Pray to your dad."
She glared at him. "He never answers."
"Just this once," he pleaded. "Ask for help. I think... I think the statues can give us some luck."
Six skeletons raised their guns. The other five came forward with batons. Fifty feet away. Forty feet.
"Do it!" He yelled.
"No!" Thalia said. "He won't answer me."
"This time is different!"
"Who says?"
He hesitated. "Athena, I think."
Thalia scowled like she was sure I'd gone crazy.
"Try it," Grover pleaded.
Thalia closed her eyes, her lips moving in a silent prayer.
But nothing happened.
The skeletons closed in. Percy raised Riptide to defend himself. Thalia held up her shield. Lilia aimed whisperer.
Zoe pushed Grover behind her and aimed an arrow at a skeleton's head.
A shadow fell over them. Lilia thought this was the end. Then she realized it was the shadow of an enormous wing. The skeletons looked up too late. A flash of bronze, and all five of the baton-wielders were swept aside.
The other skeletons opened fire. Percy raised my lion coat for protection, but he didn't need it.
The bronze angels stepped in front of them and folded their wings like shields. Bullets pinged off of them like rain off a corrugated roof. Both angels slashed outward, and the skeletons went flying across the road.
"Man, it feels good to stand up!" the first angel said. His voice sounded tinny and rusty, like he hadn't had a drink since he'd been built.
"Will ya look at my toes?" the other said. "Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?"
As stunned as she was by the angels, Lilia was more concerned with the skeletons. A few of them were getting up again, reassembling, bony hands groping for their weapons.
"Trouble!" Percy said.
"Get us out of here!" Thalia yelled.
Both angels looked down at her. "Zeus's kid?"
"Yes!"
"Could I get a please, Miss Zeus's Kid?" an angel asked.
"Please!"
The angels looked at each other and shrugged.
"Could use a stretch," one decided.
And the next thing they knew, one of them grabbed Thalia and Grover, the other grabbed Zoe, Lilia and Percy, and they flew straight up, over the dam and the river, the skeleton warriors shrinking to tiny specks below them and the sound of gunfire echoing off the sides of the mountains.
AN-
In all honesty I don't have much to say about this chapter, I kinda got bored writing it.
Bianca's death hit them all hard so we didn't get much happy Lilia today, sorry guys!!!
I really hope this book gets some views because at this point I'm writing to myself 😭. But we live on, in writing my own love story with Percy Jackson I can fit in every scenario possible ( when the time comes for them of course).
Also side note what's everyone think of the Percy Jackson series, I'm loving it! But sad for all the details I loved in the books that aren't in the show 🙁.
Love 🤍