𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐩. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

Swan diving out of a monument

June 13th, eight days before the summer solstice. The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day, the lines to get in weren't that long. The quest members threaded their way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s.

It wasn't all that thrilling, Annabeth kept rambling interesting facts about how the Arch was built, and Grover kept passing Percy jelly beans while Evangeline stared off into the distance tuning everything out. So, at the moment, everyone was occupied.

But Percy was on the extreme edge.

"You smell anything?" Percy murmured to Grover.

The satyr took his nose out of the jelly bean bag long enough to sniff. "Underground," he said with a scowl. "Underground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything."

"Guys," Percy said. "You know the gods' symbols of powers?"

Annabeth had been in the middle of reading about the construction equipment used to build the Arch, but she looked over. "Yeah?"

"Well, Hade—"

Annabeth talked over him, "We're in a public place ... So, what about your future father-in-law?"

"Um, right, my future father-in—" Percy cut himself short. "Wait what?"

Annabeth resisted a smirk. "Doesn't matter, what did you want to ask?"

"Doesn't he have a hat like yours?"

"You mean the Helm of Darkness," said Annabeth. "Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting."

"He was there?" Percy asked.

"The winter solstice is the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus," said Grover "On the darkest day of the year. Remember?"

"But his helmet is a lot more powerful than my invisibility hat," Annabeth went on, "if what I've heard is true ..."

"It allows him to become darkness," Evangeline spoke up. "He can melt into shadows or pass through walls. He can't be touched, or seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think all rational creatures fear the dark?"

Percy changed the topic. "Then ... how do we know he's not here right now, watching us?"

Annabeth and Grover exchanged looks. The two other demigods and Saytr turned their heads towards the daughter of Hades, who just shrugged.

"We don't," said Grover.

Percy looked more on edge. Still, he turned to Grover and asked, "Got any more blue jelly beans left?"

The four got shoehorned into the small elevator car that would take them to the top. A big lady and her dog, a Chihuahua with an out-of-style rhinestone collar, were crammed with them as well. They started going up the arch.

"No parents?" the lady asked them suddenly.

She had beady eyes; pointy coffee-stained teeth; a floppy denim hat, and a denim dress that bulged so much she looked like a blue-jean blimp.

"They're below," Annabeth told her. "Scared of heights."

"Oh, the poor darlings."

The Chihuahua growled. The dog had beady eyes like its owner; vicious and canny.

The woman said, "Now, now, Sonny. Behave."

Percy said, "Sonny, is that his name?"

"No," the lady said.