[1] 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 ― p.jackson ✓

015.

「015. lilly meets the parents (sort of) 」

"WE WILL never make it," zoë said. "we are moving too slowly. but we cannot leave the ophiotaurus."

"mooo," bessie said, swimming next to them as they jogged along the waterfront. they'd officially left the shopping-centre pier far behind. they were heading now towards the golden gate bridge, but it was a lot further than cadie had expected. the sun was already dipping in the west.

"i don't get it," percy said. "why do we have to get there at sunset?"

"the hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset," zoë said. "we can only enter their garden as day changes to night."

"what happens if we miss it?" fretted cadie.

"well, tomorrow is the winter solstice. if we do miss the sunset tonight, then we would have to wait until tomorrow evening. and by then, the olympian council will be over. we must free lady artemis tonight."

"we need a car," thalia said.

"but what about bessie?" percy asked.

grover stopped in his tracks, "i've got an idea! the ophiotaurus can appear in different bodies of water, right?"

percy frowned, "well... yeah. i mean, he was in long island sound. then he just popped into the water at hoover dam. and now he's here."

"so maybe we could coax him back to long island sound," grover said. "then chiron could help us get him to olympus."

"but he was following me," percy said. "if i'm not there, would he know where he's going?"

"moo," bessie said forlornly.

"i... i can show him," grover said. "i'll go with him."

"but grover," frowned lilly, "don't you hate water?"

"didn't you almost drown last summer?" added cadie.

"i'm the only one who can talk to him," grover reasoned. "it makes sense.'" he bent down and said something in bessie's ear. bessie shivered, then made a contented, lowing sound. "the blessing of the wild," grover said. "that should help with safe passage. percy, pray to your dad, too. see if he will grant us safe passage through the seas."

percy looked a little bit awkward, but he stood up straight, closing his eyes as he said, "dad. help us. get the ophiotaurus and grover safely to camp. protect them at sea."

"a prayer like that needs a sacrifice," thalia said. "something big."

"your lion skin," lilly pointed out, "would that be enough?"

percy thought about it for a second, before he took it off.

"percy!" grover said, "i mean... are you sure? that lion skin... that's really helpful. hercules used it!"

"if... if i'm going to survive then it won't be because i've got a lion-skin cloak. i am not hercules."

percy threw the coat into the bay. it turned back into a golden lion skin, flashing in the light. then, as it began to sink beneath the waves, it seemed to dissolve into sunlight on the water. the sea breeze picked up.

grover took a deep breath. "well, no time to lose." he jumped in the water and immediately began to sink. bessie glided next to him and let grover take hold of his neck.

"be careful," percy told them.

"don't die," added cadie, "...please."

"we will," grover said, "i mean... not die and y'know, be careful. um, bessie? we're going to long island. it's east. over that way."