𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 - 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚 𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒙 𝒐𝒄

‧⁺˚*･༓𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑳𝑽𝑬༓･*˚⁺‧

The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, their train rolled into Denver. 

They hadn't eaten since the night before in the dining car, somewhere in Kansas. They hadn't taken a shower since Half-Blood Hill except Aphrodite definitely included a free shower for Phoenix.

"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

"I'm not talking about phones." 

They wandered through downtown for about half an hour, though Percy wasn't sure what Annabeth was looking for. 

The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. 

Everywhere they turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at them, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city. 

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 adolescents hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his doughnuts would figure we 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. Annabeth?" 

"Don't look at me," she said. "The dining car wiped me out." 

Percy fished out his last bit of change and passed Grover a quarter.

"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?" 

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

"Instant messaging?" 

"Iris-messaging," Phoenix 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." 

"You summon the goddess with a spray gun?" 

Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. "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." 

Percy handed it over. 

She raised the coin over her head. "O 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 seemed to be 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. 

"Luke!" Percy called. 

He turned, eyes wide. He could see Phoenix standing next to Percy. The two blondes made eye contact. Phoenix felt a knot in her chest and her stomach twist. It was a bad feeling. 

"Percy!" His scarred face broke into a grin. "Is that Annabeth, too? Thank the gods! Are you guys okay?"

"We're...uh...fine," Annabeth stammered. She was madly straightening her dirty T-shirt, trying to comb the loose hair out of her face. "We thought— Chiron—I mean—"