❝In a fight, they're lethal. Around each other, they melt❞
"I'm fine." I said, trying to hide the frown and tears that threatened to spill.
Percy looked at me once.
"I'm not going anywhere, unless you tell me what's wrong," he declared and I would h...
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Distance was shorter in the Labyrinth. Still, by the time Rachel got us back to Times Square, I felt like we'd pretty much run all the way from New Mexico. We climbed out of the Marriott basement and stood on the sidewalk in the bright summer daylight, squinting at the traffic and crowds.
I couldn't decide which seemed less real—New York or the crystal cave where I'd watched a god die.
Percy led the way into an alley, where he could get a nice echo. Then he whistled as loud as he could, five times.
A minute later, Rachel gasped. "They're beautiful!"
A flock of pegasi descended from the sky, swooping between the skyscrapers. Blackjack was in the lead, followed by three of his white friends.
"Yeah," Percy told him. "I'm lucky that way. Listen, we need a ride to camp quick."
We had to wait a minute but one of the pegasi decided to carry Tyson. Everybody started saddling up—except Rachel. Percy had insisted I ride with him, since none of the others seemed eager and he refused to let me fly myself. Something about me needing energy or some shit.
"Well," she told him, "I guess this is it."
He nodded uncomfortably. We all knew she couldn't go to camp. He glanced at me and I tried to look my best to be very busy with Blackjack, while trying to listen the best I could and sneaking glances at the pair.
"Thanks, Rachel," Percy said. "We couldn't have done it without you."
"I wouldn't have missed it. I mean, except for almost dying, and Pan..." Her voice faltered.
"He said something about your father," Percy remembered. "What did he mean?"
Rachel twisted the strap on her backpack. "My dad...My dad's job. He's kind of a famous businessman."
"You mean...you're rich?"
"Well, yeah."
"So that's how you got the chauffeur to help us? You just said your dad's name and—"
"Yes," Rachel cut him off. "Percy...my dad's a land developer. He flies all over the world, looking for tracts of undeveloped land." She took a shaky breath. "The wild. He—he buys it up. I hate it, but he plows it down and builds ugly subdivisions and shopping centers. And now that I've seen Pan...Pan's death—"
"Hey, you can't blame yourself for that."
"You don't know the worst of it. I—I don't like to talk about my family. I didn't want you to know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."
"No," Percy said. "It's cool. Look, Rachel, you did awesome. You led us through the maze. You were so brave. That's the only thing I'm going to judge you on. I don't care what your dad does."
