"Gods, have I ever told you how much I hate flying?" Percy gulped, pressing back into his seat.
"Once or twice," I sighed, pushing my own seat as far back as it would go and closing my eyes. "Maybe three times. Possibly four. Fifteen tops."
"I get the idea," he muttered sourly. "How can you relax like that?"
I shrugged. "Always been better in the air. Ever fancied parachuting?"
"Not really," he groaned, sitting back. I chuckled, fidgeting to make myself more comfortable. Percy's hands tightened around the seat's arm rests and didn't loosen the entire journey. Of course, there was a reasonable amount of turbulence. The look on Percy's face amused me slightly, and I began wondering if I could make the wind ever so slightly stronger. The plane jerked harder than usual and he actually threw up. I pursed my lips guiltily, closing my eyes again and letting the wind go.
We landed a whole half an hour earlier than we were supposed to. Percy almost ran off the plane, forgetting that the Master Bolt was still in the storage compartment. I groaned, rolling my eyes and taking the backpack myself. I found him stood beside a small stand in the airport and hurried him outside before he could get anymore freaked out.
Percy called a taxi and the two of us climbed in. Before long, we were speeding toward the Empire State Building. Percy fell asleep on the way there, but as tired and sore as I was, I couldn't bring myself to do the same. I supposed part of me was so used to waiting for the next disaster that I couldn't help but watch out of the window, as though Hera was suddenly going to attack me, or a different god would spring a test on me. As far as I knew, I'd passed four out of the twelve. Sasha was Artemis's test, Medusa's garden had been Demeter's, Ares had sent a dead Roman warrior after me and Hephaestus had praised my resourcefulness. That was it. Still another eight to go. I wondered if I was allowed a break.
Within half an hour, we were striding into the lobby at the Empire State Building. And I'll admit, we got weird looks. My skin was still bright red and burned from the travel using the Master Bolt and both our clothes were tatty and dirty. Percy strode right up to the man behind the desk.
"Sixth hundredth floor," he said simply.
The man stared over the top of his book, frowning slightly. "There ain't a sixth hundredth floor kid. Beat it." I scowled, but kept quiet and let Percy do the talking.
"Yes there is," he insisted. "I need to see Zeus."
The man smiled. "Sorry?" he asked, as though he'd never heard of such a person.
I groaned. "Look," I sighed, unzipping the backpack and holding it for him to see. He stared, confused. His eyes suddenly flashed with recognition and he paled.
"No," he breathed, stunned. I dipped my hand into the bag, snorting. "No! No! Here you go, don't get it out. Are you crazy?"
"Probably," I admitted with another sigh. Percy took the card off the guard, frowning.
"Put it into the slot. Make sure no one is in the elevator with you." We nodded and hurried across the lobby. Luckily, the elevator was empty when we reached it and we slipped inside, shoving the card into the slot before someone else jumped in. An extra button appeared, reading 600. I shrugged and Percy pressed it, his face set.
I want to say that Mount Olympus was spectacular. That a floating mountain peak above New York amazed me and that the many different coloured stalls of the market and the numerous palaces were beautiful and stunning. But I couldn't muster the enthusiasm Percy could. I'd already seen the place. Sure, it was in a dream, but I was tired enough that I felt I could be asleep now.
I led a dazed Percy down the concentrate path toward the staircase that disappeared up into the clouds. We skipped up them hurriedly and as we reached the top, I handed Percy back the backpack with a meaningful look. He frowned, but nodded at me. As we walked through, people stopped and turned. I watched the nine muses tune their instruments and tried to ignore the stares I got from a bunch of teenagers hanging around. I assumed they were minor gods and goddesses, but they seemed to pay just as much attention to me as the Olympian gods did. It gave me the same unsettling feeling I didn't like.
We headed straight for the big palace at the very top. Neither of us said a word and my stomach twisted nervously as I began to recognise the gods. We walked past an irritated Hermes, who didn't even turn. He hissed down his phone, scowling into thin air. We passed a bored looking Demeter, who sat beside another goddess I didn't recognised. Until I looked closer. I supposed it was Persephone, visiting her mother while she didn't have to stay in the Underworld. Athena frowned at us as we passed her, but she said nothing. She gave me that look, as though trying to work out if I was any good at all. For a second, I was relieved when we got to the palace. Then we walked in.
The throne room was just like I had seen it in my dream. Twelve grand thrones, arranged in an inverted U shape. The ceiling displayed every constellation known and a fire roared in the hearth. The place was empty, apart from two gods.
Poseidon's eyes were instantly on his son as we walked in. He sat on a throne that looked like a fisherman's chair, though instead of holding a fishing rod, it held his trident. Zeus sat on a simple throne of solid platinum and I couldn't help but wonder if that was even comfortable.
"Father," I managed to croak. "Lord Poseidon."
"You managed to retrieve my bolt?" Zeus asked shortly, his eyes on Percy. I pursed my lips, nudging Percy forward. He opened the backpack and refrained from wincing as he pulled out the Master Bolt. It cracked in Zeus's presence and as Percy placed it at my father's feet, the air was suddenly filled with the smell of ozone. Zeus snorted, staring down at it.
"We heard what Ares has done," Poseidon admitted with a sigh. "It is not like him to do such a thing." I knew Poseidon knew Ares hadn't been acting alone. He looked uncomfortable, but as though he had been expecting it too. Zeus's expression was unreadable.
"You thought you could fly, boy?" he scowled. Percy paled slightly, but Poseidon groaned quietly.
"Was it, or was it not the only way to get your bolt back to you, brother?" he questioned. Zeus snorted again, eyes narrowed. "You would have struck down your bolt? Your daughter?" I didn't meet either of their gazes as they turned on me. My stomach couldn't have felt queasier.
"Do not expect to fly again, Perseus Jackson," Zeus grumbled. "Though, I suppose you have done well. Because of that, I will not kill you today. As for you Acacia, if you wish to return to Mary Cunningham in Scotland, you may do so until next summer." He stood up, opening his palm out. The Master Bolt leapt into his hand, cracking dangerously. His eyes never left me. "You will not be tested and Hera will not hunt you down."
"Thank you," I muttered again. Zeus pursed his lips, staring down at me thoughtfully. But whatever he was going to say was interrupted with a loud bang. Instinctively, Percy and I both whirled around as the throne room doors literally bounced off the walls as someone, or rather something, burst in.
The creature was amazing. It's coat was pure white, not a speck of dirt on it. If anything, it was that white, it seemed to glow silver. In its presence, everything else suddenly looked dull and dirty. It's mane and tail looked like threads of silver, not in the slightest bit ruffled by the creature's sudden movements. The pegasus gave an indignant whine, spanning it's gorgeous wings and cantered in a tight circle nervously. It skidded to a halt. Eyes on me.
Lady Acacia, a male voice rang in my head. Percy choked, Poseidon almost leapt out of his throne and I was on the brink of heart failure. Not only was this the second animal to talk inside my head, it was a pegasus. As in, associated with Poseidon. They didn't mind me so much, since I liked taking them out for a flight, but they weren't exactly my biggest fans.
"Pegasus," Poseidon started.
"What is going on?" Zeus demanded. Apparently, he was the only one that couldn't hear what the pegasus was saying. It still hadn't even acknowledged Poseidon or Percy, which I gathered must have been incredibly disrespectful.
Lady Acacia, there is no time to explain, it said sternly. Your Camp is in danger. You must help. One of my brethren is outside ready to take Lord Perseus, but you must come with me.
"Pegasus, explain yourself," Poseidon frowned sternly. The pegasus shifted nervously and his head tilted, as though he was going to address the god. But he shook himself, cantering toward me and nudging me abruptly.
Please Lady Acacia, the pegasus said. There isn't much time! The half-bloods! He knelt beside me, placing his wing carefully to the side and waiting for me to get on. I blinked, stunned.
"Pegasus," Poseidon said through his teeth, getting increasingly impatient. Percy just gawped, glancing from the pegasus to his father in an amazed silence.
Lady Acacia, the pegasus persisted. I stared. There was a pegasus, taking me to Camp because-
I snapped out of it. Camp. Half-bloods. Before I could think twice, I bolted forward, almost leaping onto the pegasus's back. He straightened, galloping for the door.
"PEGASUS!" Poseidon yelled angrily.
"ACACIA!" Zeus bellowed furiously. I flinched as the pegasus skidded around the corner, racing for the edge of the mountain.
The gods were still wandering the courtyard. At the sound of Poseidon and Zeus's yells, Hermes, Athena and Demeter all turned, stunned. Demeter's jaw dropped, Athena's eyes couldn't have gotten any wider and Hermes actually dropped his phone. But the pegasus paid them no attention, weaving through the gate and down the path Percy and I had walked up.
"When Poseidon said pegasus," I started slowly.
I am Pegasus, he said. Sired by Lord Poseidon and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa.
I gulped. "Lovely," I mumbled. "Oh, no offence."
None taken Lady Acacia, Pegasus replied. As he cantered down the path, everyone turned to stare. The nine muses broke off mid-song and all the good-looking teenagers gawped at me. I tried to forget they were there, but it wasn't easy. Focus, I told myself. Camp.
"What's actually wrong?" I asked, not sure I really wanted to know the answer.
I'm not sure, Pegasus answered honestly. Only that the campers are in danger and you must help them.
"Why specifically me?" I questioned, confused. "I thought Percy-"
Although Lord Perseus is my half-brother Lady Acacia, I would not neglect my duty to place him before you.
"Do I want to know what your duty is?" I gulped.
Not really, he sighed. I left it after that. If he didn't think I needed to know, I didn't. Simple really. You may want to hold on Lady Acacia.
Before I even had time to ask why, Pegasus leapt off the end of the path, bolting headfirst for the pavements of New York in a terrifying free-fall.