Bloodlines: Ichor || [2]

CXXVIII. The Temple of Fear

WHEN PIPER TOLD ARIANA ABOUT HER DREAM, she scowled in disgust. When she recounted the dream for Percy, the ship's toilets exploded.

"No way are you two going down there alone," Percy said.

Leo ran down the hall waving a wrench. "Man, did you have to destroy the plumbing?"

Percy ignored him. Water ran down the gangway. The hull rumbled as more pipes burst and sinks overflowed. Ariana guessed that Percy hadn't meant to cause so much damage, but his glowering expression almost rivaled her own.

"I'll be fine," Ariana told him. "Piper saw the two of us going down there, so that's what needs to happen."

Percy glared at Piper. "And this Mimas dude who's waiting for you? I'm guessing he's a giant?"

"Probably," Piper said, shifting on her feet. "Porphyrion called him our brother."

"And a bronze statue surrounded by fire," Percy said. "And those ... other things you mentioned. Mackies?"

"Makhai," Piper said. "I think the word means battles in Greek, but I don't know how that applies, exactly."

"That's my point!" Percy said. "We don't know what's down there. I'm going with you."

"No." Ariana put her hand on his arm. "If the giants want our blood, the last thing we need is a boy and a girl going down there together. That way, if something does go bad, they'll only have one part of their plan completed."

"Then I'll get Jason," Percy said. "And the two of us –"

"—will end up fighting in a corn field again? No. I can handle myself. You don't need to worry."

Percy's expression was strained. She could see that he wanted to bring up her leg again, to leverage that somehow. But he must've been able to see her resolve in her expression. "If you're not back in two hours, I'm coming after you."

Ariana kissed him. "Make it three."

"Two and a half."

She flicked him between his eyes. "I'll have Natasha tie you to the crows nest. Love you."

"Love you too," he called.

Piper followed Ariana upstairs before the whole lower deck could flood with toilet water.

♝♔♝

An hour later, the two of them stood on a hill overlooking the ruins of Ancient Sparta. They'd already scouted the modern city — a bunch of low, boxy, whitewashed buildings sprawled across a plain at the foot of some purplish mountains. They'd checked the archaeology museum, then the giant metal statue of the Spartan warrior in the public square, and looked around the National Museum of Olives and Olive Oil (yes, that was a real thing). Ariana had learned more about olive oil than she ever wanted to know, but no giants attacked them. They found no statues of chained gods.

Finally, they ran out of places to look. They headed towards the ruins on the edge of town. There wasn't much to see.

The hill they stood on had once been Sparta's acropolis – its highest point and main fortress – but it didn't seem so impressive anymore. The weathered slope was covered with dead grass, rocks and stunted olive trees. Below, ruins stretched out for maybe a quarter of a mile: limestone blocks, a few broken walls and some tiled holes in the ground like wells.

Piper wiped the sweat from her forehead. "You'd think if there was a thirty-foot-tall giant around we'd see him."

Ariana stared at the distant shape of the Argo II floating above downtown Sparta. She almost wondered what Luke would think of her now—the Captain of the Argo II, hero of Olympus. She'd survived hell. Would he be proud of her? She almost saw him in her head, reaching out a hand. When he turned his head, his eyes were golden.