DIVINE! | percy jackson

chapter ten - dogs are better than cats

CHAPTER TEN
☽ 𓆉

ESTELLA AND Percy ran like no tomorrow through the Air and Space Museum. Once they were through the admissions area, Estella broke the spell. She stumbled when she did so, feeling the fatigue of the long-term casting hit her all at once. Percy caught her when she did so with a concerned look in his eyes. She waved him off, though, more determined to find her friends.

They continued forward, but with Estella lagging behind the boy. She was glad she did so because, at a moment's notice, Percy was tumbling into Thalia when they reached the top-floor balcony, knocking the girl into an Apollo space capsule.

Grover yelped in surprise.

Estella watched Zoë and Bianca yield their bows, and she quickly reached by tapping her pendant and releasing her sword. Zoë looked between them, recognition and annoyance on her face. But she didn't lower her bow.

"You! How dare you show thy face here?"

"Percy, Stella!" Grover said. "Thank goodness." Zoë glared at him and he blushed. "I mean, um, gosh. You're not supposed to be here!"

"Luke," Percy said, catching his breath. "He's here."

Thalia's face softened. She put her hand on her silver bracelet. "Where?"

Estella and Percy explained about the museum, seeing Dr. Thorn and the General.

"The General is here?" Zoë looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."

Estella frowned, eying the girl. The way she reacted, how uncomfortable she was, meant she knew him somehow.

"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors—"

"What?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"

"Twelve," Estella answered. "The General," she glanced at Zoë, "he is also sending something else here as a distraction. A monster."

Thalia and Grover exchanged looks.

"We were following Artemis' trail. I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent... She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet."

"Zoë," Bianca said nervously. "If it is the General—"

"It cannot be!" Zoë snapped. "They must've seen an Iris message or some other illusion."

"Illusions don't crack marble floors," Percy said.

Zoe's reaction confirmed to Estella that she knew him. But the real question was: why was the thought of the General making her so stressed? What was their relationship?

Zoë took a breath, regaining her composure. "If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors," she said, "we have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible... We must leave now."

"Good idea," Percy said.

"I was not including thee boy," Zoë said. "You and Estella are not a part of this quest."

"We're trying to help you guys!" Estella said, still offended that her mother bothered Zoë so much.

"You shouldn't have come, guys," Thalia said grimly. "But you're here now. Come on. Let's get back to the van."