Thunderstorms And Ocean Waves *Book 2*

Setting Part of the World on Fire

Ari

We thought we lost it until Tyson heard a faint pinging sound. We had to backtrack a bit but soon found the spider hitting its head against a metal door.
"Hephaestus." I murmured as we entered and my eyes widened like a kid on Christmas. "Woah!" I beamed as I looked at the hydrologic lift and all of his tools.
"You like this kind of stuff?" Grover asked.
"My dad, in my world, was a mechanic. He taught me how to use most of these tools." I grinned bouncing on my feet. "That's a beautiful '98 Toyota Corolla." I sighed.
"I didn't make you, did I?" Hephaestus asked Annabeth as she hook her head. "Good, shoddy workmanship." He said as I covered a laugh. "There'd better be a good reason you're disturbing me. The suspension on this Corolla is no small matter, you know." He said as I looked under the car.
"Sir, we're looking for Daedalus. We thought-" Annabeth started.
"You want that old scoundrel? You dare seek him out?!" He roared as his beard burst into flames and his black eyes glowed.
"Uh, yes, sir, please." Annabeth tried as I kinda zoned out and Percy had to keep me from touching the car.
"- The truth is, my mother likes families, but she likes a certain kind of family. Perfect families. She took one look at me and... well, I don't fit the image, do I?" He asked.
"I can relate." I said.
"How so?" He asked.
"My mother didn't want me either. She only wanted sons, yet she had a daughter. She always treated me differently." I answered as he nodded.
"You look quite intrested in the car, do you know how to fix it?" He asked handing me a wrench as my face brightened.
"Really?" I beamed as he nodded and I got under it and fixed it up quickly. "Done." I grinned as he nodded.
"Are you one of mine?" He asked.
"No sir, but my dad was a mechanic. He taught how to fix things." I smiled.
"Ah. Aren't you the Storyteller's new one?" He asked.
"There's been more?" I asked.
"One, but he couldn't take it and the Gods had to end his immortal life." He said as my throat closed.
"Oh..." I stepped back.
"You will last." He said before he moved onto Percy and I zoned out.
"Name it." Annabeth said as Hephaestus laughed and told her what we needed to do and we followed the spider once more before Grover stopped.
"This is what I meant, Grover." I said and he nodded.
"We'll split up." I said.
"No!" Annabeth yelled.
"I'll go with him." Tyson said as I nodded.
"Be safe." I said as they nodded and went through the other tunnel as, Percy, Annabeth, and I continued to follow the spider.
I followed them blindly as we entered the volcano and slashed at telkhines.
"We have to get out." Annabeth said as telkhines charged into the room. I shoved her cap back on and pushed her away as I got my sword ready.
"You need to leave with her." Percy said.
"What? No! I'm not leaving you!" I exclaimed.
"I've got a plan. I'll distract them. I think the metal spider will lead you back to Hephaestus. You have to tell him what's going on." He said.
"You'll be killed." I whimpered.
"I'll be fine. Besides, we've got no choice." He said as I wrapped my fists around the collar of his shirt and pulled him into my lips. I felt a thousand sparks from one touch of his soft lips on mine.
"Come back to me, ok Seaweed Brain?" I whimpered as soon as his lips parted from mine. He nodded before he pulled me back into his lips and kissed me once more before he lept over the boulder to distract them as I ran back towards the exit.
Once I had made it out, I tried to go back but the volcano had just erupted.
"No!" I exclaimed as I hit the wall as my surroundings changed. I was stuck.