{Piper}
Piper wasn't sure what he meant, but the background noise of the river was invading her mind again—reminding her how hot and thirsty she felt, how pleasant a nice swim would be. She tried to focus.
"I'm Piper," she said. "This is Jason. We don't want to fight. It's just that Heracles—Hercules—whoever he is, got mad at us and sent us here."
She explained about their quest to the ancient lands to stop the giants from waking Gaea. She described how their team of Greeks and Romans had come together, and how Hercules had thrown a temper tantrum when he found out Hera was behind it. Achelous kept tipping his head to the left, so Piper wasn't sure if he was dozing off or dealing with one-horn fatigue.
When she was done, Achelous regarded her as if she were developing a regrettable skin rash. "Ah, my dear... the legends are true, you know. The spirits, the water cannibals."
Piper had to fight back a whimper. She hadn't told Achelous anything about that. "H-how—?"
"River gods know many things," he said. "Alas, you are focusing on the wrong story. If you had made it to Rome, the story of the flood would have served you better."
"Piper?" Jason asked. "What's he talking about?"
Her thoughts were suddenly as jumbled as kaleidoscope glass. The story of the flood... If you had made it to Rome.
"I—I'm not sure," she said, though the mention of a flood story rang a distant bell. "Achelous, I don't understand—"
"No, you don't," the river god sympathized. "Poor thing. Another girl stuck with a son of Zeus. You can change that, though."
"Wait a minute," Jason said. "It's Jupiter, actually. And how does that make her a poor thing?"
Achelous ignored him. "My girl, do you know the cause of my fight with Hercules?"
"It was over a woman," Piper recalled. "Deianira?"
"Yes." Achelous heaved a sigh. "And do you know what happened to her?"
"Uh..." Piper glanced at Jason.
He took out his guidebook and began flipping through pages. "It doesn't really—"
Achelous snorted indignantly. "What is that?"
Jason blinked. "Just... The Hercules Guide to Mare Nostrum. He gave us the guidebook so—"
"That is not a book," Achelous insisted. "He gave you that just to get under my skin, didn't he? He knows I hate those things."
"You hate... books?" Piper asked.
"Bah!" Achelous's face flushed, turning his blue skin eggplant purple. "That's not a book."
He pawed the water. A scroll shot from the river like a miniature rocket and landed in front of him. He nudged it open with his hooves. The weathered yellow parchment unfurled, covered with faded Latin script and elaborate hand-drawn pictures.
"This is a book!" Achelous said. "Oh, the smell of sheepskin! The elegant feel of the scroll unrolling beneath my hooves. You simply can't duplicate it in something like that." He nodded indignantly at the guidebook in Jason's hand. "You young folks today and your newfangled gadgets. Bound pages. Little compact squares of text that are not hoof-friendly. That's a bound book, a b-book, if you must. But it's not a traditional book. It'll never replace the good old-fashioned scroll!"
"Um, I'll just put this away now." Jason slipped the guidebook in his back pocket the way he might holster a dangerous weapon.
Achelous seemed to calm down a little, which was a relief to Piper. She didn't need to get run over by a one-horned bull with a scroll obsession.
"Now," Achelous said, tapping a picture on his scroll. "This is Deianira."
Piper knelt down to look. The hand-painted portrait was small, but she could tell the woman had been very beautiful, with long dark hair, dark eyes, and a playful smile that probably drove guys crazy.
"Princess of Calydon," the river god said mournfully. "She was promised to me, until Hercules butted in. He insisted on combat."
"And he broke off your horn?" Jason guessed.
"Yes," Achelous said. "I could never forgive him for that. Horribly uncomfortable, having only one horn. But the situation was worse for poor Deianira. She could have had a long, happy life married to me."
"A man-headed bull," Piper said, "who lives in a river."
"Exactly," Achelous agreed. "It seems impossible she would refuse, eh? Instead, she went off with Hercules. She picked the handsome, flashy hero over the good, faithful husband who would have treated her well. What happened next? Well, she should have known. Hercules was much too wrapped up in his own problems to be a good husband. He had already murdered one wife, you know. Hera cursed him, so he flew into a rage and killed his entire family. Horrible business. That's why he had to do those twelve labors as penance."
Piper felt appalled. "Wait... Hera made him crazy, and Hercules had to do the penance?"
Achelous shrugged. "The Olympians never seem to pay for their crimes. And Hera has always hated the sons of Zeus... or Jupiter." He glanced distrustfully at Jason. "At any rate, my poor Deianira had a tragic end. She became jealous of Hercules's many affairs. He gallivanted all over the world, you see, just like his father Zeus, flirting with every woman he met. Finally Deianira got so desperate she listened to bad advice. A crafty centaur named Nessus told her that if she wanted Hercules to be faithful forever, she should spread some centaur blood on the inside of Hercules's favorite shirt. Unfortunately Nessus was lying because he wanted revenge on Hercules. Deianira followed his instructions, but instead of making Hercules a faithful husband—"
"Centaur blood is like acid," Jason said.
"Yes," Achelous said. "Hercules died a painful death. When Deianira realized what she'd done, she..." The river god drew a line across his neck.
"That's awful," Piper said.
"And the moral, my dear?" Achelous said. "Beware the sons of Zeus."
Piper couldn't look at her boyfriend. She wasn't sure she could mask the uneasiness in her eyes. Jason would never be like Hercules. But the story played into all her fears. Hera had manipulated their relationship, just as she had manipulated Hercules. Piper wanted to believe that Jason could never go into a murderous frenzy like Hercules had. Then again, only four days ago he had been controlled by an eidolon and almost killed Percy Jackson.
"Hercules is a god now," Achelous said. "He married Hebe, the youth goddess, but still he is rarely at home. He dwells here on this island, guarding those silly pillars. He says Zeus makes him do this, but I think he prefers being here to Mount Olympus, nursing his bitterness and mourning his mortal life. My presence reminds him of his failures—especially the woman who finally killed him. And his presence reminds me of poor Deianira, who could have been my wife."
The bull-man tapped the scroll, which rolled itself up and sank into the water.
"Hercules wants my other horn in order to humiliate me," Achelous said. "Perhaps it would make him feel better about himself, knowing that I'm miserable too. Besides, the horn would become a cornucopia. Good food and drink would flow from it, just as my power causes the river to flow. No doubt Hercules would keep the cornucopia for himself. It would be a tragedy and a waste."
Piper suspected the noise of the river and the drowsy sound of Achelous's voice were still affecting her thoughts, but she couldn't help agreeing with the river god. She was starting to hate Hercules. This poor bull-man seemed so sad and lonely.
Jason stirred. "I'm sorry, Achelous. Honestly, you've gotten a bum deal. But maybe... well, without the other horn, you might not be so lopsided. It might feel better."
"Jason!" Piper protested.
Jason held up his hands. "Just a thought. Besides, I don't see that we have many choices. If Hercules doesn't get that horn, he'll kill us and our friends."
"He's right," Achelous said. "You have no choice. Which is why I hope you'll forgive me."
Piper frowned. The river god sounded so heartbroken, she wanted to pat his head. "Forgive you for what?"
"I have no choice either," Achelous said. "I have to stop you."
The river exploded, and a wall of water crashed over Piper.
The current grabbed her like a fist and pulled her into the deep. Struggling was useless. She clamped her mouth shut, forcing herself not to inhale, but she could barely keep from panicking. She couldn't see anything but a torrent of bubbles. She could only hear her own thrashing and the dull roar of the rapids.
She'd just about decided this was how she would die: drowning in a swimming hole on an island that didn't exist. Then, as suddenly as she'd been pulled under, she was thrust to the surface. She found herself at the center of a whirlpool, able to breathe but unable to break free.
A few yards away, Jason broke the surface and gasped, his sword in one hand. He swung wildly, but there was nothing to attack.
Twenty feet to Piper's right, Achelous rose from the water. "I'm really sorry about this," he said.
Jason lunged toward him, summoning the winds to lift him out of the river, but Achelous was quicker and more powerful. A curl of water slammed into Jason and sent him under once more.
"Stop it!" Piper screamed. Using charmspeak wasn't easy when she was floundering in a whirlpool, but she got Achelous's attention.
"I'm afraid I can't stop," said the river god. "I can't let Hercules have my other horn. It would be mortifying."
"There's another way!" Piper said. "You don't have to kill us!"
Jason clawed his way to the surface again. A miniature storm cloud formed over his head. Thunder boomed.
"None of that, son of Jupiter," Achelous chided. "If you call lightning, you'll just electrocute your girlfriend." The water pulled Jason under again.
"Let him go!" Piper charged her voice with all the persuasiveness she could muster. "I promise I won't let Hercules get the horn!"
Achelous hesitated. He cantered over to her, his head tilting to the left. "I believe you mean that."
"I do!" Piper promised. "Hercules is despicable. But, please, first let my friend go."
The water churned where Jason had gone under. Piper wanted to scream. How much longer could he hold his breath?
Achelous looked down at her through his bifocals. His expression softened. "I see. You would be my Deianira. You would be my bride to compensate for my loss."
"What?" Piper wasn't sure if she'd heard him right. The whirlpool was literally making her head spin. "Uh, actually I was thinking—"
"Oh, I understand," Achelous said. "You were too modest to suggest this in front of your boyfriend. You are right, of course. I would treat you much better than a son of Zeus would. I could make things right after all these centuries. I could not save Deianira, but I could save you."
Had it been thirty seconds now? A minute? Jason couldn't hold out much longer.
"You would have to let your friends die," Achelous continued. "Hercules would be angry, but I can protect you from him. We could be quite happy together. Let's start by letting that Jason fellow drown, eh?"
Piper could barely hold it together, but she had to concentrate. She masked her fear and her anger. She was a child of Aphrodite. She had to use the tools she was given.
She smiled as sweetly as she could and raised her arms. "Lift me up, please."
Achelous's face brightened. He grabbed Piper's hands and pulled her out of the whirlpool. She'd never ridden a bull before, but she'd practiced bareback pegasus riding at Camp Half-Blood, and she remembered what to do. She used her momentum, swinging one leg over Achelous's back. Then she locked her ankles around his neck, wrapped one arm around his throat, and drew her knife with the other. She pressed the blade under the river god's chin.
"Let—Jason—go." She put all her force into the command. "Now!"
Piper realized there were many flaws in her plan. The river god might simply dissolve into water. Or he could pull her under and wait for her to drown. But apparently her charmspeak worked. Or maybe Achelous was just too surprised to think straight. He probably wasn't used to pretty girls threatening to cut his throat.
Jason shot out of the water like a human cannonball. He broke through the branches of an olive tree and tumbled onto the grass. That couldn't have felt good, but he struggled to his feet, gasping and coughing. He raised his sword, and the dark clouds thickened over the river.
Piper shot him a warning look: Not yet. She still had to get out of this river without drowning or getting electrocuted.
Achelous arched his back as if contemplating a trick. Piper pressed the knife harder against his throat.
"Be a good bull," she warned.
"You promised," Achelous said through gritted teeth. "You promised Hercules wouldn't get my horn."
"And he won't," Piper said. "But I will."
She raised her knife and slashed off the god's horn. The Celestial bronze cut through the base like it was wet clay. Achelous bellowed in rage. Before he could recover, Piper stood up on his back. With the horn in one hand and her dagger in the other, she leaped for the shore.
"Jason!" she yelled.
Thank the gods, he understood. A gust of wind caught her and carried her safely over the bank. Piper hit the ground rolling as the hairs on her neck stood up. A metallic smell filled the air. She turned toward the river in time to be blinded.
BOOM! Lightning stirred the water into a boiling cauldron, steaming and hissing with electricity. Piper blinked the yellow spots out of her eyes as the god Achelous wailed and dissolved beneath the surface. His horrified expression seemed to be asking: How could you?
"Jason, run!" She was still dizzy and sick with fear, but she and Jason crashed through the woods.
As she climbed the hill, clasping the bull's horn to her chest, Piper realized she was sobbing—though she wasn't sure if it was from fear, or relief, or shame for what she'd done to the old river god.
They didn't slow down until they reached the crest of the hill.
Piper felt silly, but she kept breaking down and crying as she told Jason what had happened while he was struggling underwater.
"Piper, you had no choice." He put his hand on her shoulder. "You saved my life."
She wiped her eyes and tried to control herself. The sun was nearing the horizon. They had to get back to Hercules quickly, or their friends would die.
"Achelous forced your hand," Jason continued. "Besides, I doubt that lightning bolt killed him. He's an ancient god. You'd have to destroy his river to destroy him. And he can live without a horn. If you had to lie about not giving it to Hercules, well—"
"I wasn't lying."
Jason stared at her. "Pipes... we don't have a choice. Hercules will kill—"
"Hercules doesn't deserve this." Piper wasn't sure where this rage was coming from, but she had never felt more certain of anything in her life. Hercules was a bitter, selfish jerk. He'd hurt too many people, and he wanted to keep on hurting them. Maybe he'd had some bad breaks. Maybe the gods had kicked him around. But that didn't excuse it. A hero couldn't control the gods, but he should be able to control himself.
Jason would never be like that. He would never blame others for his problems or make a grudge more important than doing the right thing.
Piper was not going to repeat Deianira's story. She wasn't going to go along with what Hercules wanted just because he was handsome and strong and scary. He couldn't get his way this time—not after threatening their lives and sending them to make Achelous miserable for the sake of spiting Hera. Hercules didn't deserve a horn of plenty. Piper was going to put him in his place.
"I have a plan," she said.
She told Jason what to do. She didn't even realize she was using charmspeak until his eyes glazed over.
"Whatever you say," he promised. Then he blinked a few times. "We're going to die, but I'm in."