DIVINE! | percy jackson

chapter nine - translucent skeleton warriors?

CHAPTER NINE
☽ 𓆉

          ESTELLA underestimated the amount of effort needed to keep herself, Percy, and a magical pegasus, invisible. She knew that Percy was relieved people now couldn't see a flying horse, but there were still cautions Blackjack had to take when flying above the metropolitan area.

For starters, the Long Island Expressway was one of the worst systems in New York, and causing an accident on there? No God could help with that traffic. So, they had to stay pretty high up, but not high up enough where Estella and Percy could freeze to death.

She let Percy take the wheel and talk to Blackjack. Her eyes were squeezed shut for the majority of the flight, anyway, due to the stress of her Invisibility Spell and her newfound fear of heights. Or maybe she was just nervous because there was no harness to keep them in...

"Where's Argus taking them?" Percy muttered. He paused. "Which girl? Zoë?"

"What does that mean?" Estella asked.

"Zoë is driving, not Argus," Percy told. "Let's get it after the trip," he added to Blackjack.

"Zoë's... driving?" Estella questioned, panicking rising in her voice. There was no way a girl their age could perfectly drive a motor vehicle around the hell called Manhattan.

They were about to leak off the Chrysler Building but Blackjack let out a sound that sounded unpleasant. Estella quickly found something wrapping up her legs, and she let out a disgusted scream, losing focus and dropping their invisibility. Percy protectively reached for her hand, and though it didn't do much, it still gave her comfort.

"Going somewhere?" Mr. D asked. By this point, they were wrapped heftily in his grapevines.

Mr. D sighed. "The next person, or horse, who calls me the 'wine dude' will end up in a bottle of Merlot!"

"Mr. D," Percy said shakily. "What do you want?"

Estella tried to not be so repulsed by the feeling of the vibes snaking up her legs, but she couldn't help but shudder.

"Oh, what do I want? You thought, perhaps, that the next immortal, all-powerful director of camp would not notice you two leaving without permission?"

"Well... maybe."

"I should throw you both of this building, minus the flying horse, and see how heroic you sound on the way down."

Estella looked to her right, only to instantly regret her decision. They were so high up and were dwindling on the top of a building with their lives literally in the hands of a God.

"Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?" Percy asked.

Purple flames lit in his eyes. Touchy subject. "You're a hero, boy. I need no other reason."

"We have to go on this quest! We have to help our friends! That's something you wouldn't understand!"

The vines curled tighter around them. "Percy, maybe you should apologize," Estella squeaked.

"Did I ever tell you about Ariadne?" Mr. D asked. "Beautiful young princess of Crete? She liked helping her friends, too. In fact, she helped a young hero named Theseus, also a son of Poseidon. She gave him a ball of magical yarn that let him find his way out of the Labyrinth. And do you know how Theseus rewarded her?"