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They circled over midtown Manhattan, making one complete orbit around Mount Olympus.
It confused Elaine to see the Mount Olympus hovering above the clouds of New York, but she was afraid that if she asked anymore questions, Thalia might explode.
In the early-morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colors, from bloodred to indigo.
Apparently no one ever slept on Olympus. The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings bustling around, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes.
Winter didn't seem to exist there. Elaine caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things that reminded her of her mother's perfume. Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of lyres and reed pipes.
Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest palace of all, the glowing white hall of the gods.
Their pegasi set them down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before Elaine could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.
Blackjack and his friends flew off, leaving Elaine, Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth alone. For a minute they stood, admiring the palace.
And then, side by side, they walked into the throne room.
Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at camp. The ceiling above glittered with constellations—even the newest one, the Huntress, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn.
All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall.
"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.
"Mooo!"
That's when Elaine noticed Bessie and Grover.
A sphere of water was hovering in the center of the room, next to the hearth fire. There was a girl tending to the hearth, stroking the flames and keeping it comfortably warm in the throne room. She appeared to be in her own world, unattached and unconcerned with the swimming sea monster a few feet away from her.
Bessie was swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out the sides and bottom of the sphere. He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw his friends, he cried, "You made it!"
He started to run toward them, then remembered he was turning his back on Zeus, and looked for permission.
"Go on," Zeus said. But he wasn't really paying attention to Grover. The lord of the sky was staring intently at Thalia.
Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water. The hearth fire crackled.
