𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐔𝐄𝐋. pj & ac

X.

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖊𝖋

THE NEXT AFTERNOON IT WAS JUNE FOURTEENTH, seven days before the solstice, their train rolled into Denver.

"Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth said. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit."

"We can't use phones, right?" Percy asked.

"She's not talking about phones," Phoenix answered,

Percy looked like he had more questions.

They wandered through downtown for about half an hour. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis.

Finally, they found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. They veered toward the stall farthest from the street, keeping their eyes open for patrol cars. They were four teenagers hanging out at a car wash without a car; any capable cop would figure out they were up to no good.

"What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked as Grover took out the spray gun.

"It's seventy-five cents," he grumbled. "I've only got two quarters left."

"Don't look at me," Phoenix shrugged. "I'm broke."

"The dining car wiped me out," Annabeth admitted

Percy fished a quarter out of his pocket and passed it to Grover.

"Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping."

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, not understanding,

He fed in the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST. "I-M'ing."

"Instant messaging?"

"No, Fishface." Phoenix rolled her eyes.

"Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods."

"We're going to summon the goddess with a spray gun." Phoenix snatched the hose away from Grover, she pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. She held it at arms length, making sure the droplets wouldn't reach her.

Grover looked like he wanted to protest but fell silent at Phoenix's challenging stare. He looked back at Percy and nodded, "Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow."

Sure enough, late afternoon light filtered through the vapor and broke into colors.

Annabeth held her palm out to Percy. "Drachma, please."

He handed it over and smiled sheepishly.

Phoenix coughed, "Cheap."

"Hey, I heard that! Annabeth you heard her?" Percy whined.

Annabeth held back her smile and raised the coin over her head. "Goddess, accept our offering." She threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared in a golden shimmer.

"Half-Blood Hill," Annabeth requested.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then they were looking through the mist at strawberry fields, and the Long Island Sound in the distance.

They were on the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to us at the railing was a sandy-haired guy in shorts and an orange tank top. He was holding a bronze sword and seemed to be staring intently at something down in the meadow.