CHAPTER NINE

ANNABETH HITS THE JACKPOT AT THE ICE PALACE CASINO

We camped about a mile away from the city and for the first time dreams found me.

I was back in the ballroom with Silena, whose hands were bound in bronze shackles behind her back.

An Arteca walked into the room carrying a spear.

"Hello," she said. "I'm Jayne."

Silena looked away and said nothing.

"I wouldn't feel like talking, either." said Jayne. "Illya is going to make great work of you."

"So I've been told," said Silena, fiddling a little.

"I feel sorry for you. Wait, I don't. I don't feel anything. I can't wait for our grand finale. You see, Illya is doing the Titan Lord a great service. Once she casts her spell, she shall move up in her ranks, and become the goddess of the unloved."

"Unloved?" Silena looked disgusted. "That's the most lamest thing you people have ever thought up."

Jayne pointed her spear between Silena's eyes.

"I would kill you now, if you weren't so useful."

Silena tensed.

"You know what," she said, "do you know anything about us?"

"About who?"

"Children of Aphrodite?"

"I don't care."

"I figured," said Silena. "You see, Aphrodite's children are the coolest of all the demigods. We're good looking and have amazing powers. You want to know what my favorite one is?"

"No."

There was a soft click.

"We look good in jewelry," said Silena as though that were obvious.

"What?"

"Oh yeah," said Silena, her face beginning to light up at the thought. "Diamonds, crystals, chains, and bracelets....even handcuffs."

Jayne realized what she meant now and before she could react, Silena's unshackled hands reached out and grabbed her spear. They wrestled and Silena kicked Jayne away from her. She smacked her in the face with the flat end of the spear, causing her to spin to the ground. She pointed the spear at Jayne.

"You know Jaynie," said Silena, playfully. "The children of Aphrodite help make the world. I'm so glad I get to the chance to take you out of it. Like totally." And she thrusted the spear downward and Jayne was no more.

Silena, still holding the spear, ran out of the ballroom and into a dimly lit hallway. The sound of pinging and ringing was heard in the distance. She began to follow the sound and she made a turn and came out on a balcony over looking a huge casino.

"Beautiful isn't it," said a deadly voice.

Silena turned around and pointed her spear at someone standing in the shadows of the hall.

"Who are you?" asked Silena.

Then, she stepped into the light and Silena screamed.

"Your sister," said Illya.

Las Vegas stood out against the desert like a shining sun on the horizon.

We pulled up on Doreo Drive.

"So," said Grover, "we're here...in Vegas..where do we go?"

I thought about the prophecy.

You shall head into the land without rain...okay, that's Las Vegas. There you shall find true love's bane...Illya and her ice warriors are here and so is Silena. A deadly silence will break the day....

"Whatever Illya is planning," I said, "is gonna happen by sunrise tomorrow. We have tonight to find Silena and stop her."

"Where are they, though," said Annabeth.

I looked around at all of the restaurants and casinos. I froze.

"There," I said, pointing.

A block down, facing Doreo Drive was a casino that chilled my blood. It was a ten story building and powder blue with cursive crystal writing which was murder on my dyslexic eyes. After a minute I realized it read, Ice Palace Hotel and Casino. The marble roof had ice supports and the entire place seemed to sparkle in the setting sun.

"Are you sure?" asked Annabeth.

"Positive," I said. "Come on."

As soon as we reached the steps of the casino, the doorman pulled a crystalized door open. Mist hissed out as though a dry freezer had been turned on. He wore a powder blue suit and his face was blank of all emotions.

"Have an icy time," he chimed.

We walked in. The casino was amazing. Everything seemed to catch my eye. There were several shiny silver game machines, which lined the walls. In the center, a card game was going on with several tourist and some Artecans thrown in. The Artecans, who all looked alike, seemed to act like waitresses or game masters. Toward the left side of the room, was an awesome food court that served everything you could ever imagine you could eat. The ceiling was domed shaped and white drapes laced around the entire room. Balcones rose up to the other floors and a glass elevator led up to the hotel rooms.

"What do we do now?" asked Grover. "This place is big."

"Split up," said Annabeth. "You and Beckendorf scope around down here. Percy and I will head up."

"Got it," said Beckendorf.

"You have a plan?" I said.

"Always," said Annabeth, pulling out her bronze knife.

Once Annabeth and I reached a balcony two stories up, Grover and Beckendorf ran through the room. The plan worked like this: bring as much attention to them as possible, while we searched the top deck. Beckendorf took out his sword and sliced a game machine and an Arteca waitress in half. Grover played a frantic jiggle on his reed pipes, causing people to go crazy.

Annabeth took her knife and stabbed a nearby game machine. The lights turned on and three cherries appeared on the screen. Annabeth had hit a jackpot!

Sirens went off and money spilled all over the floor.

"We've gone public," said Annabeth, grabbing my hand and pulling me down a chilly hallway.

An Arteca stepped into view, but she didn't do much before Annabeth stabbed her with her knife.

"More will becoming," I said. "How can we face them all?"

"If we kill them one at a time, we've got a shot," said Annabeth, ducking as I stabbed an ice monster with Riptide.

The hall was getting colder and Artecans kept coming.

We fought, stabbed, and sliced them down.

"Where is she?" Annabeth muttered.

Someone grabbed my shoulder. I reacted instinctively. I grabbed their arm and flipped them to the ground

"Like, could you be more gentler Percy?" said Silena, looking up at me from the floor.

"Oh, Silena!" I said helping her up. "I'm so sorry."

"Its okay," she said. "I'm so super glad you guys came to rescue me."

"Of course," said Annabeth. "We weren't gonna leave you alone."

"Coolness," said Silena. "Thanks you guys."

"Beckendorf and Grover are down here too," I said.

"Really?!" said Silena. "Charlie came to rescue me?!"

"Yeah," said Annabeth. "Do you know a way back to the casino?

"Totally," said Silena, with a sly grin. "Come on."

We headed back down the hallway, Silena leading us.

"You know where to go?" I asked.

"Of course," said Silena. "I've been here for days, Percy."

She led us deeper into the casino, away from the noises and sirens, which I thought was a little weird.

It was really cold now. I could see my breath.

"What is this place?" asked Annabeth as we reached a steel door.

"An exit," said Silena, pushing the door open. "I found it while trying to escape."

We stepped into the room and the steel door closed behind us. We were standing on a lane that looked like a runway. At the end of the runway was a high platform, where someone was wrapped in those reflexible icicles, suspended from the ceiling, in a cage of ice. Beneath the prisoner, was a twelve foot glass mirror encased in bronze.

"Silena," I said.

"That's not Silena," said Annabeth, staring up at the prisoner.

"What are you talking about, Annabeth?" I said.

"Silena's up there," said Annabeth, pointing at the suspended prisoner.

I looked and gasped in terror. Silena was wrapped in icicles and hanging from the ceiling, her head tilted forward. So my dream had been right! Illya had recaptured her. She was pale and looked really dead.

I raised Riptide, prepared to fight.

"What did you do to her?" I growled.

"Nothing," said the fake Silena. "We just had a nice chat and I put her on ice for a while."

Annabeth held up her knife and tried to strike the fake Silena, but she was too fast. She grabbed Annabeth's wrist and smiled, wickedly. Her knife hand was soon encased in ice and Annabeth let out a scream of pain.

She backhanded her and Annabeth went flying through the air, and skidded across the runway and hit the mirror.

"She's a beauty as well," said the fake Silena, looking at Annabeth's unconscious face. "I sense great indecision from her about whom she loves the most. Love that spirals out of control is the greatest kind. It shall add to my strength."

The fake Silena turned to look at me and transformed into the evil hag I had seen in my dream.

"I'm Illya," she said, coldly. "Ugly on in and beauty on out! And its my time to be beautiful once again."