SERENDIPITY ~ a. chase

xv ~ Meeting the King of Dragon Breath

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chapter fifteen ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
015. Meeting the King of Dragon Breath

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Cassie was panicking, only slightly. It wasn't as if Annabeth's life was at stake and at the rate they were going they would never save her in time.

Zoë voiced her concerns, noticing the subtle quickening of the brunette's breathes. "We will never make it. We are moving too slow. But we cannot leave the Ophiotaurus."

"Mooo," Bessie called, swimming beside them as they jogged by the waterside. The group was far from the shopping center and going in the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was just a lot farther and the sun was disappearing in the west already.

"I don't get it. Why do we have to get there at sunset?" Percy questioned, he was confused and worried.

"The Hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset. We can only enter their garden as day changes to night." Zoë answered.

"What happens if we miss it?"

"Tomorrow is winter solstice. If we miss sunset tonight, we would have to wait until tomorrow evening. And by then, the Olympian Council will be over. We must free Lady Artemis tonight."

Or Annabeth will be dead, Percy thought and as if she read his mind Cassie hit him on the backside of his head.

"We need a car," Thalia told them.

"But what about Bessie?" Percy reminded.

Grover halted with a smile. "I've got an idea! The Ophiotaurus can appear in different bodies of water, right?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, he was in Long Island Sound. Then he just popped into the water at Hoover Dam. And now he's here." The son of Poseidon recapped.

"So maybe we could coax him back to Long Island Sound," Grover suggested. "Then Chiron could help us get him to Olympus."

"But he was following me. If I'm not there, would he know where he's going?"

"Moo," Bessie said at the mention of abandoning Percy.

"I... I can show him. I'll go with him." That was really brave of Grover. Cassie watched him proudly, and Percy stared for any sign of reluctance. Grover wasn't a water enthusiast, especially not after the whole Sea of Monsters quest. He wasn't the best swimmer with his goat hooves.

"I'm the only one who can talk to him. It makes sense." Grover continued.

He whispered something to Bessie and the Ophiotaurus shivered and let out a lowing sound.

"The blessing of the Wild. That should help with safe passage. Percy, pray to your dad, too. See if he will grant us safe passage through the seas." The satyr said.

It didn't seem possible for the two to swim all the way back to Long Island from California. But monsters did have a different way of traveling. They had enough experience with that.

Percy focused on the waves, the sea smell, and crash of the tide. "Dad," He prayed. "Help us. Get the Ophiotaurus and Grover safely to camp. Protect them at sea."

"A prayer like that needs a sacrifice. Something big." Thalia muttered, thinking of what they could offer.

Percy knew, he removed his coat from his shoulders.

"Percy. Are you sure? That lion skin... that's really helpful. Hercules used it!" Grover exclaimed.

That's when it hit him. Back in the canoe with Cassie and Zoë. The hero the girls had talked about. Percy did know who he was. The one who'd ruined Zoë's life, gotten her kicked out of her family, and never even mentioned how she'd helped him: Hercules. He had admired him as long as he had lived.