The Chronicles of Olympus, Book 1, The Goddess's Fury

Getting out

I ran to the door and drew my sword, then tried to open the lock with it. Nothing. In frustration, I kicked at the wall. Oops. Now I was trapped here and my foot hurt.

"Anybody have any ideas on how to escape?" Xander asked. Everybody shook their heads. I sighed.

"Maybe if we examine the door, we can find something," I said. I looked at the lock. It was a huge steel circle, with a small circle in the middle where the furies had put their hand. I tried putting my hand on the circle. Nope. nothing. I frowned.

"Now what do we do?" I asked.

"No you apologize for trying to frame my father for stealing the apple." a voice commanded. I looked around. The girl we met before appeared in front of the cell door. She was wearing a fresh new bloodred chiton, and her hair was now in a ponytail. She put her hand on the lock, and the door opened. I seized that moment to escape.

I raced to the girl. She narrowed her eyes and drew her knives. My sword met her knives, steel against silver. I twisted my blade, trying to disarm her. But this girl was quick. And smart. She twisted her blade too. Then she twisted herself and suddenly, she was in the back of me. Then, she lashed out before I could react and cut my arm. Pain roared in my left arm. But I couldn't afford to be hurt. I clenched my teeth and tried my best to ignore the pain. It was all I could do to not scream in agony. Then my friends started to help. Natalie summoned the winds to trip the girl. Xander and Julia shot arrows at her. The girl was good, but she was hopelessly outnumbered. Finally, they had her cornered and disarmed, arrow tip against her throat.

Fury blazed in her eyes. They could make most people run away in terror.

She growled as she fumbled for her knives.

I sat up (with much effort) and took her knives and walked away from her so that she wouldn't get her weapons. Did I mention that there was a lot of anger in her eyes? I could even swear that I saw specks of red in her midnight eyes.

Suddenly, the girl tensed and kicked Natalie on her chest. Hard. Natalie doubled over, gasping for breath. My eyes widened. She punched Julia and Xander each in their chest too. The two siblings fell to the ground. That left me. I was already hurt though, and a lot of golden ichor, the blood of the gods, was flowing out of my arm. Golden ichor is just like blood, except that immortals can't be hurt by blood loss or stuff like that. They can't die, after all.

I slowly sat up, each muscle moving being pure torture. Slowly my friends stood up too.

The girl's eyes narrowed. Then she charged forward and knocked me to the ground. I dropped her knives and fell to the ground. My friends rushed to help.

But the girl had already grabbed her knives. She was prepared. When Julia and Xander were drawing back their strings, the girl charged at Natalie. The goddess of the winds suddenly let out a scream. Then a huge bolt of lightning struck the place where the girl was. She jumped away just in time. I stared at Natalie in amazement. Xander and Julia were too stunned to do anything as well.

"How did you....." But the girl quickly took action. She lunged at Xander and Julia. They drew back their bowstrings and released it. The girl tried to dodge the arrows, but dodging two was harder. One hit her in the arm. She fell to the ground.

Golden Ichor spilled from a huge wound in her arm. She clenched her teeth in pain. I stood up with new energy.

"Your in no position to complain, to answer my questions," I ordered. The girl shot me a nasty look.

"Fine." She spat.

"What your name?" I asked.

"Pari." The girl said.

"Who exactly are you?" At this question, Pari sat a little straighter.

"The goddess of jems and daughter of Hades, god of the Underworld, and Persephone, goddess of springtime." I nodded. All of this made sense now.

"And what do you mean by the helmet was stolen?"Natalie questioned. I looked at her in surprise. I had forgotten that detail.

"You know!" Pari Cried. "The helmet was stolen. Stolen. So there's no possible way my father could have stolen the apple."

I looked at my friends, surprised.

"So... Hades didn't steal the apple," I said. "Then who did?"

Pari looked at us curiously.

"You didn't know that?" she asked. "You didn't frame father?"

"Nope. I didn't." Pari examined us with her dark eyes. Finally, she said: "Ok. I believe you."

"Can we work together to find out who did?" Pari nodded.

"Sure I guess. I'll tell Hades. I'll be right back." the daughter of Hades disappeared out of sight.

After a few minutes, Pari came back.

"I'm back," Pari announced. "You can go." she pressed her hand to the lock, and the door opened.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go."