The whole group walked on the golden path winding through all the mansions. Several children stopped and stared at them, finally noticing that they weren't glowing like everyone else. Mothers hustled their children out of the way. Percy just looked ahead as he followed Silena through the streets. One kid about 5 walked up to Tyson and tugged on his shirt. Tyson looked down in a panic as if it was something important.
"Mister, where's your glitter?" he asked in a small voice.
"My what?" Tyson trembled, obviously thinking he needed glitter for some reason.
"You're not sparkly." The kid confirmed. Annabeth tugged on Tyson's other sleeve and suggested they keep going. Silena led them to a parking lot not too far. She walked up to the car they had all hope that was hers; a cherry red Ferrari. Grover did a little happy dance.
"We have a long way to go, so we be faster this way." Silena grinned and slid in the buttery leather driver's seat. The rest slid in the back while Clarisse got in the passenger's seat. Annabeth crossed her arms and huffed, fingering the blade of her knife.
As they drove farther and farther away from the park, the atmosphere of where they were began to change. Instead of the lavish suburbs and the sky high golden skyscrapers, Percy noticed that the glitzy glam Barbie Doll houses they were passing were becoming older. Some of them weren't even that big. Log cabins and country styled homes showed up more next to the golden pavement. The horizon seemed to go on forever and corn fields stretched forth with cows and horses dotting them all. As they were driving Silena was blasting last summer's hit music and drumming her fingers against the wheel. Will and Grover began to talk about sports while Nico took out his aviator sunglasses and gazed at the now afternoon sun. Silena began to chat away to the rest about life in the Underworld.
"Oh it's great here." Silena gushed. "I mean, I'd pick college any day, but Charlie and I spend every waking moment together, and that's always awesome." Percy smiled and nodded while looking at the horizon. He inhaled a deep breath, but ended up gagging. Instead of hot, dry wind that you would usually smell on the plains, he smelled the familiar salty, fresh air that he always loved.
"Wait…what?" Percy asked confused. Silena smirked and pointed ahead with her chin. The scenery began to change again. Beach houses and cabanas took place of the wide open fields and ranches. A familiar summer breeze wafted throughout the air and rejuvenated Percy with a jitter. They were in a beach town now. Surfers walked up the gold pavement streets with their boogie boards and moms toted their toddlers in those red wagons you would see at the ocean. Silena took out her sunglasses and put them on as the late sun began to go in her eyes. Percy blinked ahead. They stayed on the main street until they reached the edge of town. They drove a little farther out until Silena parked at the edge of the road. She hopped out and told the others to follow. As Percy and his friends got out of the car, Nico couldn't help but look at his watch.
"Silena…we really need to hurry." He said awkwardly. Silena focused her eyes on him with an icy stare.
"No..problem." she gritted through her teeth. Tyson shifted his feet and stared at the floor.
Clarisse walked ahead with Silena while the rest trudged along. Palm trees swayed with the breeze off the side of the road. Percy smelled the salty water in the air and broke into a mild sweat.
Silena led them off the road and onto a crushed seashell trail. They passed sparse weeds sprouting from the sand and timid crabs crawling through the beach. Inhaling a breath full of salty air and smelled the ocean, they came to a small beach. It was sunset and the orange sun was on the horizon from a distance.
The only house sitting on the beach was a pretty little blue beach house with cream lace curtains. Silena stepped onto the small wooden porch and rapped her knuckles onto the yellow door. Percy and the rest of the campers waited at the bottom of the 7 steps. Percy looked around. The whole place reminded him of the beach at Maultalk where his parents had met. His mom promised that they would go there again as soon as he comes back to the city. Another breeze swept his black hair over his eyes. When he swiped it away, he saw that a frail old woman stood at the door and smiled when she saw Silena. He saw Silena talking to her at the doorway and the nudged her head in their direction. The old woman smiled warmly and gave a welcoming gesture to them. Silena turned back and smiled and mouthed come on! Percy began to walk up the steps with Annabeth but she stopped. Percy turned around and pulled her hand.
"Come on." He said.
"I think it's ok if I don't come in." she said and dropped her bag on the sand. "Just tell Granny this is a pit stop."
Grover took out his reed pipes. "I think I'm gonna walk out on this too. It'll only be a second right?"
Percy sighed. "Yeah sure. Anybody else wanna come with me?"
Tyson raised her hand and they both went up the wooden steps. As they entered, Percy looked around. The carpets were a thick sandy colored plush and all the windows were open to let in the summer breeze. The walls were a pretty blue and the living room had a tweed beige couch with a glass coffee table. Weird pictures of cats and sea shell paintings adorned the walls, but seemed to fit in with the interior. The old woman carried a glossy wooden cane and was dressed in a white old styled summer dress that covered her legs and arms. She looked kind of Amish but didn't have a bonnet or anything else covered. She had white hair and a few wrinkles. She also had perfectly white straight teeth and kind blue eyes. She kind of reminded Percy of the old Rose from Titanic.
"Please, sit!" she said graciously and waved her arm towards the couch. They all found spots on the couch and left their bags in the foyer. Percy sat in the center and Silena sat next to the woman, who was sitting properly in a red armchair.
"I am Emilie." She said smiling, in a strong French accent. She turned to Silena, "Who are these nice children you have brought to me?"
Silena answered, "They're my friends Mamaw. From Above."
"Ahh…Above? Why are they here?" She asked questioningly with her all knowing eyes.
"Uhm…well…" Silena began but Percy interrupted.
"Madame Daaé…"
"Emillie. Please call me Emillie."
"Right, Emillie. We're here because─"
"─'Cause we going to rescue my sissy Odette!" Tyson shouted. There was a deadly silence.
Emillie grasped the necklace around her neck. "Odette? Sister?" she whispered. "You're a…Son of Poseidon? Demi-gods like Silena?"
"Not just me! Percy too!" he smiled proudly and pointed at his brother. Percy blushed a crimson red.
"Is this true?" Emillie stared at Percy and kept hold of the golden pendent on her throat.
He sighed at looked at Silena. "Does she know?" she nodded. Emillie got up and walked to the window.
"You know," she began, staring at the blue waves lapping outside. "I always knew that Odette would be a great importance to someone. Poseidon visited me a few years ago and explained the whole story. I was completely in shock and pained that my daughter, my sweet innocent girl who I hadn't see since she was a toddler, had become the prisoner and object of a crazed god. It's rare if a god is smitten with you, such as me, but two! Impossible!"
Percy looked at her. "My dad, Poseidon, came to me a few days ago and asked me and my friends to rescue your daughter. She isn't dead, but she is immortal now. We're taking her to Olympus to be with him and the sun god Apollo."
"So Apollo is the other god?" Emillie kept her gaze on the ocean.
"Yes, may I ask you something?" Percy got up and walk towards her.
"Yes, dear." Her old tired eyes began to glisten with a wet tear.
"When we bring her out, would you like to see her?" he asked, knowing he might have to pay for it, since they'd have to get Odette out of the Underworld quick.
Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Yes…yes I'd like that very much."
Silena got up and comforted her. "I'll stay with you until they get back," she said. "You could use the company."
Emillie turned around and patted her on the shoulder. "Yes dearie, I could use some."
She faced Percy. "Merci young demi-god. Please bring my daughter to me."
"No problem. We'll come back as soon as we can." He got up and Tyson followed him out the door.
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