Daughter Of Lightning - Book 2 (A Percy Jackson x OC fanfic)

CHAPTER 8

(Percy's POV)

As I was walking back to my own chariot, I noticed how many more pigeons were in the trees now- screeching like crazy, making the whole forest rustle. Nobody else seemed to be paying them much attention, but they made me nervous. Their beaks glinted. Their eyes were shinier than regular birds.

Tyson was having trouble getting our horses under control. I had to talk to them a long time before they would settle down.

'He’s a monster, lord!' they complained to me.

'He’s a son of Poseidon', I told them. 'Just like... well, just like me.'

'No!' they insisted. 'Monster! Horse eater! Not trusted!'

'I’ll give you sugar cubes at the end of the race,' I said.

'Sugar cubes?'

'Very big sugar cubes. And apples. Did I mention the apples?'

Finally they agreed to let me harness them.

"You know...its really odd to hear a one sided conversation with horses right?" Nora said as she tried to stifle a laugh.

"Shut up!" I grumbled, but I could feel a smile on my face too.

Now, if you’ve never seen a Greek chariot, it’s built for speed, not safety or comfort. It’s basically a wooden basket, open at the back, mounted on an axle between two wheels. The driver stands up the whole time, & you can feel every bump in the road. The carriage is made of such light wood that if you wipe out making the hairpin turns at either end of the track, you’ll probably tip over & crush both the chariot & yourself.

It’s an even better rush than skateboarding.

I took the reins and maneuvered the chariot to the starting line. I gave Tyson a ten-foot pole & told him that his job was to push the other chariots away if they got too close, & to deflect anything they try to throw at us.

“No hitting ponies with the stick,” he insisted.

“No,” I agreed. “Or people, either, if you can help it. We’re going to run a clean race. Just keep distractions away & let me concentrate on driving. Nora?”
"Tyson & I will take care of it. Right Tyson?" He nodded in agreement. "And Percy?"

I turn to look at her.

"Try not to get us killed okay?" I just rolled my eyes, but we both laughed.

“We will win.’” Tyson beamed.

We are so going to lose, I thought to myself, but I had to try. I wanted to show the others, well, I wasn’t sure what, exactly. That Tyson wasn’t a bad guy? That I wasn’t ashamed of being seen with him in public? Maybe that
they hadn’t hurt me with all their jokes & name-calling?

As the chariots lined up, more shiny-eyed pigeons gathered in the woods. They were screeching so loudly the campers in the stands were starting to take notice, glancing nervously at the trees, which shivered under the weight of the birds. Tantalus didn’t look concerned, but he did have to speak up to be heard over the noise.

“Charioteers!” he shouted. “Attend your mark!”

He waved his hand & the start signal dropped. The chariots roared to life. Hooves thundered against the dirt.

Almost immediately there was a loud nasty crack! I looked back in time to see the Apollo chariot flip over. The Hermes chariot had rammed into it-maybe by mistake, maybe not. The riders were thrown free, but their panicked horses dragged the golden chariot diagonally across the track.