The Silver Archer 2️⃣ (Percy Jackson)

44. We Meet a Rainbow

Adira

We ditched every Lancaster except me and Brett.

"What was she thinking?" Annabeth said as we ran for the river.

The traffic was horrible. Everybody was out on the streets gawking at the war zone damage. Police
sirens wailed on every block. There was no possibility of catching a cab, and the pegasi had flown away. I would've settled for some Party Ponies, but they had disappeared along with most of the root beer in Midtown. So we ran, pushing through mobs of dazed mortals that clogged the sidewalks.

"She'll never get through the defenses," Brett complained. "Peleus will eat her."

I hadn't considered that. The Mist wouldn't fool Rachel like it would most people. She'd be able to find the camp no problem, but I'd been hoping the magical boundaries would just keep her out like a force field. It hadn't occurred to me that Peleus might attack.

"We've got to hurry." Percy glanced at Nico. "I don't suppose you could conjure up some skeleton horses."

He wheezed as he ran. "So tired . . . couldn't summon a dog bone."

I waved it off. "It's okay, Neeks," I smiled, continuing to run. He looked up at me, and I could swear a smile perched his lips.

"Well, sorry to burst y'all's bubble, but I am NOT changing into a pegasus," Brett complained. I agreed. "Sorry guys, ditto."

Percy waved it off. "Didn't expect you to. You guys already did enough."

Finally we scrambled over the embankment to the shore, and Percy let out a loud whistle.

Three wake lines appeared in the gray water, and a pod of hippocampi broke the surface. They whinnied unhappily, shaking the river muck from their manes. They were beautiful creatures, with multicolored fish tails, and the heads and forelegs of white stallions. The hippocampus in front was much bigger than the others—a ride fit for a Cyclops.

"Rainbow!" I called. "How's it going, buddy?"

He neighed a complaint.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Percy said. "But it's an emergency. We need to get to camp."

He snorted.

"Tyson?" Percy said. "Tyson is fine! I'm sorry he's not here. He's a big general now in the Cyclops army."

"NEEEEIGGGGH!"

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll still bring you apples. Now, about that ride . . ."

In no time, Percy, Brett, Annabeth, Nico, and I were zipping up the East River faster than Jet Skis.

We sped under the Throgs Neck Bridge and headed for Long Island Sound.

⚔️

It seemed like forever until we saw the beach at camp. We thanked the hippocampi and waded ashore, only to find Argus waiting for us. He stood in the sand with his arms crossed, his hundred eyes glaring at us.

"Is she here?" I asked.

He nodded grimly.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth said.

Argus shook his head.

We followed him up the trail. It was surreal being back at camp, because everything looked so peaceful: no burning buildings, no wounded fighters. The cabins were bright in the sunshine, and the fields glittered with dew. But the place was mostly empty.

Up at the Big House, something was definitely wrong. Green light was shooting out all the windows. Mist—the magical kind—swirled around the yard.

Chiron lay on a horse-size stretcher by the volleyball pit, a bunch of satyrs standing around him. Blackjack cantered nervously in the grass.