𝕮𝖗𝖚𝖊𝖑 - 𝕱𝖊𝖒𝕺𝕮𝖝𝕷𝖊𝖔 𝖁𝖆𝖑𝖉𝖊𝖟

20. FINALLY! GODS DAMNED!

"What was she thinking?" Annabeth said as we ran out of the street, scouring for anything or anyone last minute. 

The traffic was horrible. Everybody was out on the streets gawking at the war zone damage. Police sirens wailed on every block. There was no possibility of catching a cab, and the pegasi had flown away. I would've settled for the Party Ponies, but they disappeared around the afternoon, with half the root beer in Midtown.

"She'll never get through the defenses," I said. "Peleus or Festus will eat her."

"Festus?" Annabeth asked. 

I shook my head, saying, "Another long story—I'm gonna be too old to speak by the time I'm done."

She just gave me a thumbs up.

"Okay guys, we have no method of travel," Percy said. "What now?"

I grinned. "Hold on."

I pulled Percy and Annabeth into the shadows and felt myself dissolve. Camp Half-Blood.

When we walked out of the shadows, Percy held onto his stomach, slightly green.

We met Argus at the barrier. He stood in the sand with his arms crossed, his hundred eyes glaring at us.

"Is she here?" Percy asked.

He nodded grimly.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth said.

Argus shook his head.

We followed him up the trial. It was surreal being back at camp, because everything looked so peaceful: no burning buildings, no wounded fighters. The place was mostly empty, but still.

Up at the Big House, something was definitely wrong. Green light was shooting out all the windows, just like Percy described in his dream about May Castellan. Mist—the magical kind—swirled around the yard. Chiron lay on a horse-sized stretcher by the volleyball pit, a bunch of satyrs standing around him. Blackjack cantered nervously in the grass. Ace nicked at him and whinnied when he saw me.

don't blame me, boss! Blackjack pleaded. The weird girl made me do it!

Rachel stood at the bottom of the porch steps. Her arms were raised like she was waiting for someone inside the house to throw her a ball.

"What's she doing?" Annabeth demanded. "How did she get past the barriers?"

"She flew," one of the satyrs said, looking accusingly at Blackjack. "Right past the dragon, right through the magic boundaries."

"Rachel!" I called, but the satyrs wouldn't let me get any closer.

"Kiera, don't." Chiron warned. He winced as he tried to move. His left arm was in a sling, his two back legs were in splints, and his head was wrapped in bandages. "You can't interrupt."

Percy glared at him. "I thought you explained things to her!"

"I did. And I invited her here."

He stared at Chiron in disbelief. "You said you'd never let anyone try again! You said—"

"I know what I said, Percy. But I was wrong. Rachel had a vision about the curse of Hades. She believes it may be lifted now. She convinced me she deserves a chance.

"And if the curse isn't  lifted? If Hades hasn't gotten to that yet, she'll go crazy!"

The Mist swirled around Rachel. She shivered like she was going into shock.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Stop!"

I tried moving to her again, but the satyrs picked me off my feet and dropped me back by Chiron.