The Silver Archer 2️⃣ (Percy Jackson)

45. Goodbye, Rachel

Adira

Distance was shorter in the Labyrinth. Still, by the time Rachel got us back to Times Square, I felt like we'd pretty much run all the way from New Mexico. We climbed out of the Marriott basement and stood on the sidewalk in the bright summer daylight, squinting at the traffic and crowds.

I couldn't decide which seemed less real—New York or the crystal cave where I'd watched a god die.

Percy led the way into an alley, where he could get a nice echo. Then he whistled as loud as he could, five times.

A minute later, Rachel gasped. "They're beautiful!"

A flock of pegasi descended from the sky, swooping between the skyscrapers. Freedom and Blackjack were in the lead, followed by four of their white friends.

Bro! Freedom neighed. You survived!

"Yeah," I told him. "I'm really lucky in that way. Listen, we need a ride to camp... quickly."

Oh man, you got that Cyclops with you? Yo, Guido! How's your back holding up? Blackjack asked Percy.

The Pegasus Guido groaned and complained, but eventually he agreed to carry Tyson. Everybody started saddling up—except Rachel.

"Well," she told us, "I guess this is it."

I nodded. We both knew she couldn't go to camp. I glanced at Annabeth, who was pretending to be very busy with her Pegasus.

"Thanks, Rachel," I said. "We couldn't have done it without you."

I gave her a hug. "I wouldn't have missed it. I mean, except for almost dying, and Pan..." Her voice faltered.

"He said something about your father," I remembered. "What did he mean?"

Rachel twisted the strap on her backpack. "My dad...My dad's job. He's kind of a famous businessman."

"You mean...you're rich?"

"Well, yeah."

"So that's how you got the chauffeur to help us? You just said your dad's name and—"

"Yes," Rachel cut Percy off. "Percy...my dad's a land developer. He flies all over the world, looking for tracts of undeveloped land." She took a shaky breath. "The wild. He—he buys it up. I hate it, but he plows it down and builds ugly subdivisions and shopping centers. And now that I've seen Pan...Pan's death—"

"Hey, you can't blame yourself for that."

"You don't know the worst of it. I—I don't like to talk about my family. I didn't want you to know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Nah," I said. "It's cool. Rachel, you did awesome. You led us through the maze. You were so brave. That's the only thing I'm going to judge you on. I don't care what your dad does."

Rachel looked at me gratefully. "Well...if you ever feel like hanging out with a mortal again...you could call me or something. If you feel like having some fun. Any chance you have some more brothers?"

I laughed. "In total, I have 5 brothers and 3 sisters. A mortal boy toddler, 3 demigod brothers, 3 demigod sisters, and one adult demigod brother. But, yeah. Sure."

She knit her eyebrows. "Damn," she nodded.

"I'd like to hang out," I said.

"My number's not in the book," she said.

"I've got it."

"How?"

"Let's just say that for the time that I hated you... I kinda recognised it so I could call you up and curse all I ever wanted."

"Typical Adi," Percy added.

Rachel's smile came back slowly, but a lot happier. "See you later, Adiraleise Lancaster and Percy Jackson. Go save the world for me, okay?"

She walked off down Seventh Avenue and disappeared into the crowds.

🪨

When I got back to the horses. Nico was having trouble. His Pegasus kept shying away from him, reluctant to let him mount.

He smells like dead people! The Pegasus complained.

Hey now, Freedom said. Come on, Porkpie. Lotsa demigods smell weird. It ain't their fault. Oh—uh, I didn't mean you, bro.

"Go without me!" Nico said. "I don't want to go back to that camp anyway."

"Nico," Brett said, "we need your help."

He folded his arms and scowled. Then I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Neeks," I said. "Please."

Slowly, his expression softened. "All right," he said reluctantly. "For you. But I'm not staying."

Annie raised an eyebrow at me, like, How come all of a sudden Nico listens to you? I stuck my tongue out at me. She mocked me by doing the same. I flipped her off, pretending to scratch my nose.

At last we got everybody on a Pegasus. Some had to double up, so I doubled with Annie. We shot into the air, and soon we were over the East river with Long Island spread out before us.

🪨

We landed in the middle of the cabin area and were immediately met by Chiron, the potbellied satyr Silenus, and a couple of Apollo and Artemis cabin archers. Chiron raised an eyebrow when he saw Nico, but if I expected him to be surprised by our latest news about Quintus being Daedalus, or Kronos rising,

I was mistaken.

"I feared as much," Chiron said. "We must hurry. Hopefully you have slowed down the Titan lord, but his vanguard will still be coming through. They will be anxious for blood. Most of our defenders are already in place. Come!"

"Wait a moment," Silenus demanded. "What of the search for Pan? You are almost three weeks overdue, Grover Underwood! Your searcher's license is revoked!"

Grover took a deep breath. He stood up straight and looked Silenus in the eye. "Searcher's licenses don't matter any more. The great god Pan is dead. He has passed on and left us his spirit."

"What?" Silenus's face turned bright red. "Sacrilege and lies! Grover Underwood, I will have you exiled for speaking thus!"

"It's true," Percy said. "We were there when he died. All of us."

"Impossible! You are all liars! Nature-destroyers!"

Chiron studied Grover's face. "We will speak of this later."

"We will speak of it now!" Silenus said. "We must deal with this—"

"Silenus," Chiron cut in. "My camp is under attack. The matter of Pan has waited two thousand years. I fear it will have to wait a bit longer. Assuming we are still here this evening."

And on that happy note, he readied his bow and galloped toward the woods, leaving us to follow as best we could.