NEVER BE THE SAME . . . percy jackson

seventy five: the bull.

THE HERCULES GUIDE to the Mare Nostrum didn't help much with snakes and mosquitoes.

"If this is a magic island," Piper grumbled, "why couldn't it be a nice magic island?"

"Preach!" Brooklyn swatted at her arms. "I'm, like, allergic to mosquito bites. Hate them so fuckin' much."

They tromped up a hill and down into a heavily wooded valley, careful to avoid the black-and-red-striped snakes sunning themselves on the rocks. Mosquitoes swarmed over stagnant ponds in the lowest areas. The trees were mostly stunted olives, cypress, and pines. The chirring of the cicadas and the oppressive heat were really starting to annoy Brooklyn. So far they hadn't found any river.

"We could fly," Jason suggested again.

"We might miss something," Piper said. "Besides, I'm not sure I want to drop in on an unfriendly god. What was his name? Etch-a-Sketch?"

"I love Etch-a-Sketches," Brooklyn added helpfully.

"Achelous." Jason was trying to read the guidebook while they walked, so he kept running into trees and stumbling over rocks. "Says here he's a potamus."

"He's a hippopotamus?" she gasped.

"No. Potamus. A river god. According to this, he's the spirit of some river in Greece."

"Since we're not in Greece, let's assume he's moved," Piper said. "Doesn't bode well for how useful that book is going to be. Anything else?"

"Says Hercules fought him one time," Jason offered.

"Hercules fought ninety-nine percent of everything in Ancient Greece," Brooklyn rolled her eyes. "Except for a giant pig, which Percy defeated using a shit ton of statues."

"He what?" Piper asked.

"Long story," Brooklyn waved her off.

"Okay. Let's see. Pillars of Hercules . . ." Jason flipped a page. "Says here this island has no hotels, no restaurants, no transportation. Attractions: Hercules and two pillars. Huh, this is interesting. Supposedly the dollar sign — you know, the S with the two lines through it? — that came from the Spanish coat of arms, which showed the Pillars of Hercules with a banner curling between them."

"Oh my gods, you're becoming a nerd," Brooklyn commented, and he glared at her.

"Anything helpful?" Piper agreed.

"Wait. Here's a tiny reference to Achelous: This river god fought Hercules for the hand of the beautiful Deianira. During the struggle, Hercules broke off one of the river god's horns, which became the first cornucopia."

Brooklyn scrunched up her nose. "Corn of what?"

"It's that Thanksgiving decoration," Jason said. "The horn with all the goodies spilling out? We have some in the mess hall at Camp Jupiter. I didn't know the original one was actually some guy's horn."

"And we're supposed to take his other one," Piper said. "I'm guessing that won't be so easy. Who was Deianira?"

"Hercules married her," Jason said. "I think . . . doesn't say here. But I think something bad happened to her."

Brooklyn remembered what Hercules had told them: his first family dead, his second wife dead after being tricked into poisoning him. She was hating this challenge more and more.

They trudged across a ridge between two hills, trying to stay in the shade; but Brooklyn was already soaked with sweat. She wondered how Percy would react if she tackled him into a hug right now. Oh, to have him here right now, instead of third wheeling her brother and his girlfriend, itching her mosquito bites to make herself busy.