The Hidden Goddess

Chapter 9: Hay Is for Horses...Oh Wait, Never Mind

We leave the next morning.

Chiron tells me to pack my bags, forgetting that I was essentially kidnapped to be brought here and I therefore have none of my stuff. He then boots everyone out of the camp store and says to take whatever I think I'll need.

I grab a bunch of shirts, a bunch of pairs of shorts, a sweatshirt, and a some toiletries. There aren't undergarments in the store, which makes sense. I'll just have to look for some when we're out and about frolicking through monster fields and skedaddling to California or whatever.

I'm in my room packing my stuff into a backpack when someone knocks on the doorframe. I turn around and see Sorin leaning on it with his arms crossed. I have to resist the urge to laugh, because he looks like he's trying really hard to be the love interest in some badly written fanfiction.

"Hi?" I say, unintentionally making it a question.

"Are you done packing yet?" he asks.

"I wouldn't be packing my bag if I were done packing my bag."

"Well, come downstairs when you're done," Sorin says, glancing around my room. "We're leaving...basically as soon as you're ready."

He walks down the hallway, leaving me alone again. I finish packing my bag and go downstairs. Chiron, Sorin, Chuck, and Mr. D are there already. Their eyes are already on me as I walk in, except for Mr. D's. He's swirling around a Diet Coke can. Were they all sitting and staring at the door while I wasn't here?

"Estelle," Chiron says. "You are the leader of this quest. You received Rachel's prophecy, and therefore you must decide what mode of transportation you would like to use. We will take you as far as we can."

"Uh, can I have, like, a list of options or something? Because I'd like to say private jet, but I'm guessing that's not exactly something you have on speed dial."

"Argus can drive you, you can use pegasi, or we can provide you with funds to get as far as you can on any type of public transportation," Chiron says.

"I don't really care." I turn to Chuck and Sorin. "Do either of you guys have an opinion?"

I really hope they don't say—

"Pegasi," they say in unison.

Great.

"I like that I can communicate with them," Chuck says.

I can't back out of this now, I guess. "Okay. Pegasi it is."

"Head to the stables now," Chiron says. "Good luck."

He turns to Mr. D, who doesn't look up from the dregs of his Diet Coke. He notices the sudden silence and looks around. "What? Oh, yes. Good luck on your quest, Este Bailey-Johannsen."

"Doesn't it take more energy to make up names than to remember them?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mr. D says, turning his attention back to his beverage.

"Oh, and Sorin," Chiron says. He holds out a wallet to him. Sorin takes it and opens it. There's probably about three hundred dollars in cash and a couple of gold coins I recognize from when Chiron Iris-messaged my mom.

"Use the drachmas only in emergencies to Iris-message me or someone from Camp Jupiter, depending on which you're closer to."

"Got it," Sorin says. "Thanks, Chiron."

"So those are the currency that you goddy people use, right?" I ask.

Chiron purses his lips ever so slightly. "I would appreciate if you could use a different term, but yes. Drachmas are the currency of the gods."