Reconnected [Book 3]

7 - Stoll

(ADELIA'S POV)

Adelia decided the monsters wouldn't kill her. Neither would the poisonous atmosphere, nor the treacherous landscape with its pits, cliffs, and jagged rocks.

Nope. Most likely she would die from an overload of weirdness that would make her brain explode. But hey, that's every demigods daily life.

First, she and Percy had had to drink fire to stay alive. Then they were attacked by a gaggle of vampires, led by a cheerleader she had killed two years ago. Finally, they were rescued by a Titan janitor named Bob who had Einstein hair, silver eyes, and wicked broom skills.

Sure. Why not?

They followed Bob through the wasteland, tracing the route of the Phlegethon as they approached the storm front of darkness. Every so often they stopped to drink firewater, which kept them alive, but Annabeth wasn't happy about it. She kept gagging. Adelia agreed her throat felt like she was constantly gargling with battery acid.

Her only comfort was Percy. Every so often he would glance over and smile, or squeeze her hand or kiss her forehead. He had to be just as scared and miserable as she was, and she loved him for trying to make her feel better.

"Bob knows what he's doing," Percy promised.

"You have interesting friends," Annabeth murmured.

"Bob is interesting!" The Titan turned and grinned. "Yes, thank you!"

The big guy had good ears. Adelia would have to remember that, she added it onto the list of things to worry about.

"So, Bob..." She tried to sound casual and friendly, which wasn't easy with a throat scorched by firewater. "How did you get to Tartarus?"

"I jumped," he said, like it was obvious.

"You jumped into Tartarus," she said, "because Percy said your name?"

"He needed me." Those silver eyes gleamed in the darkness. "It is okay. I was tired of sweeping the palace. Come along! We are almost at a rest stop."

A rest stop. Oh god, she was going to be eaten

Adelia couldn't imagine what those words meant in Tartarus., probably something bad in which she would have to bathe in acid. Or god, she was going to have to eat watermelon flavoured sweets. Or decaf coffee.

Wherever Bob was taking them, she hoped it had clean restrooms and a snack machine. She repressed the giggles. Yes, she was definitely losing it.

Adelia hobbled along, trying to ignore the rumble in her stomach. She stared at Bob's back as he led them toward the wall of darkness, now only a few hundred yards away. His blue janitor's coveralls were ripped between the shoulder blades, as if someone had tried to stab him. Cleaning rags stuck out of his pocket. A squirt bottle swung from his belt, the blue liquid inside sloshing hypnotically.

He's not your friend, she reminded herself. Enemy, could kill you with a sweep of a broom.

She was terrified that Bob would suddenly remember himself. Tartarus was where monsters came to regenerate. What if it healed his memory? If he became Iapetus again...well, Adelia had seen the way he had dealt with those empousai. She had no weapon. She and Percy were in no condition to fight a Titan. But she would try, for him. As long as he got free.

She glanced nervously at Bob's broom handle, wondering how long it would be before that hidden spearhead jutted out and got pointed at her.

Following Bob through Tartarus was a crazy risk. Unfortunately, she couldn't think of a better plan.