Perseus Jackson Son of the Sea: The Stolen Bolt

Chapter 21

"You know," Clarisse mumbled, "I bet Hades doesn't have trouble with door-to-door salesmen."

Percy's backpack weighed a ton now. I

"Hey, hold on I need to check something." Percy spoke up as he removed Ares backpack. He opened the backpack and reached inside pulling out a miniature golden bolt. As he removed it it grew larger until it was its full size, electricity emitted from it.

"Is that?" Clarisse asked.

"The Master Bolt." Annabeth replied holding her breath. "We had it the whole time?"

"No Ares did, he just gave it to us. I assume he wanted to have it appear near Hades so that he would have kept us here or killed us starting the war."

"My father really is a bastard." Clarisse muttered. Percy put the bolt back and closed the bag.

"Let's go I need to ask Hades something." Percy slung on the backpack again and headed to the door. A hot wind blew down the corridor, and the doors swung open. The guards stepped aside.

"I guess that means entrez-vous," Annabeth said.

The room inside looked just like in my dream, except this time the throne of Hades was occupied. He was the third God he met, but the first who really struck him as godlike.

He was at least ten feet tall, for one thing, and dressed in black silk robes and a crown of braided gold. His skin was albino white, his hair shoulder-length and jet black. He wasn't bulked up like Ares, but he radiated power. He lounged on his throne of fused human bones, looking lithe, graceful, and dangerous as a panther.

Hades's aura was affecting him, just as Ares's had. The Lord of the Dead resembled pictures he had seen of Adolph Hitler, or Napoleon, or the terrorist leaders who direct suicide bombers. Hades had the same intense eyes, the same kind of mesmerizing, evil charisma.

"You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon," he said in an oily voice. "After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply very foolish."

Percy stepped forward. He knew what he had to say. "Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests."

Hades raised an eyebrow. When he sat forward in his throne, shadowy faces appeared in the folds of his black robes, faces of torment, as if the garment were stitched of trapped souls from the Fields of Punishment, trying to get out.

"Only two requests?" Hades said. "Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken enough. Speak, then. It amuses me not to strike you dead yet."

Percy glanced at the empty, smaller throne next to Hades's. It was shaped like a black flower, gilded with gold. It was summer. Of course, Persephone would be above in the world of light with her mother, the goddess of agriculture, Demeter. Her visits, not the tilt of the planet, create the seasons.

Annabeth cleared her throat. Her finger prodded me in the back.

"Lord Hades," Percy said. "I have long guessed the truth of what happened. A thief has stolen your helm during the Solstice, and I know who did it and what God currently has your Helm."

"Tell me, then who stole my Helm?"

"Luke Castellan Son of Hermes stole your Helm and the bolt. Ares caught him and was tricked, and he gave us the bolt and he currently still has your Helm."

Annabeth looked at him in confusion and rage at the accusation.

"Swear it." Hades ordered.

"I swear of the Styx on what I said is true." Thunder boomed above and when nothing happened Hades seemed to relax, and Annabeth crumbled. Clarisse just stood to the side chewing gum. Wait where did she get gum?