𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

chapter forty-seven ☄︎. *. ⋆

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AT THE EDGE OF THE DUMP, we found a tow truck old enough to have been driven by my grandfather—on my godly side. But the engine started, and we had a tank full of gas, so we decided to borrow it.

Thalia drove. She didn't seem as shocked as the rest of us. She reminded us that the skeletons were still out there, which was a valid point. We needed to keep moving, as much as I wanted to rip apart the junkyard until we found Bianca and she was safe and okay and alive.

     I gripped the little statue she'd given me so hard my hands started to hurt. I couldn't tell what god it was supposed to be, but I guessed Nico would know. Oh, gods... Nico. What was I going to tell him? Maybe I wouldn't have to say anything. Maybe Bianca was still out there. But I had a bad feeling she was gone for good.

     Percy kept glancing over at me. I was afraid he was going to ask me if I was okay, because I was pretty sure if someone asked if I was "okay," I would burst into tears. Although on the other hand, I felt guilty at the thought of even crying over Bianca. After all, wasn't it my fault? Wasn't I the one that was supposed to stop Bianca, a young Hunter new to the life of gods and demigods, from running into a suicide mission?

     "It should have been me," I murmured, swallowing. "I'm the one that should have gone into the giant."

     Grover panicked. "Don't say that! It's bad enough Annabeth is gone, and now Bianca. Do you think I could stand it if..." He sniffled. "Do you think anybody else would help me make cheese enchiladas?"

"Grover.."

He wiped under his eyes with an oily cloth that left his face grimy, like he had on war paint. "I'm... I'm okay."

But I knew he wasn't. Ever since the encounter in New Mexico—whatever had happened when that wild wind blew through—he seemed really fragile, even more emotional than usual. I was going to ask him about it—really, I was—before the junkyard and before Talos and before we lost Bianca.

     Now, I just didn't have it in me.

     Our tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. This was just as well, because the road dead-ended.

     Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew. She huffed. "Great. What now?"

     "We give up," I suggested, and immediately was shut down by three unamused glares and Grover looking at me like I'd had a brilliant idea.

     I scanned the horizon. There wasn't much to see. Desert in all directions, occasional clumps of barren mountains plopped here and there. The canyon was the only thing interesting. The river itself wasn't very big, maybe fifty yards across, green water with a few rapids, but it carved a huge scar out of the desert. The rock cliffs dropped away below us.

      "There's a path," Grover said. "We could get to the river."

     I tried to see what he was talking about, and finally noticed a tiny ledge winding down the cliff face. "That's a goat path," I said.

     "So?" he asked.

     "The rest of us aren't goats," Percy pointed out.

     "We can make it," Grover said. "I think."

     I thought about that. Heights were usually a no-go for me, but I'd thrown all caution to the wind ever since we'd lost Bianca. And the prophecy never mentioned anyone falling from deathly heights and meeting their doom, so I figured I was fine. Although she did say that at least two more of us would die... but I decided not to focus on that at that moment.

     "I think we should go further upstream," Percy said, glancing at me. "We can handle a walk."

     I met his eyes. Somehow, I could tell he'd meant that as some sort of olive branch. Look, I just got us out of having to deal with your biggest fear. I'm such a good person.

     I didn't want to admit it, but it did make me feel a bit warmer towards him.

We followed the river about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but Percy left a stack of golden drachmas on the counter and a note saying IOU two canoes.

"We need to go upstream," Zoë said. It was the first time I'd heard her speak since the junkyard, and I was worried about how bad she sounded, like somebody with the flu. "The rapids are too swift."

"Good thing we're with the son of Poseidon," I pointed out. I turned to Percy. "You got us?"

     He gave me a nod. "I got us. C'mon, guys, hop in."

     We split up into three and two. Grover, Zoë, and Thalia took the first canoe, because Grover followed Zoë into it and Thalia wanted to make sure they were well-supervised. That left Percy and me into the second canoe. He let me climb in first, then followed and set us off.

     As it turned out, he didn't have to do much. I frowned as a few naiads caught sight of us and stared at Percy with wide eyes. They looked like average teenage girls—like me, I guess—with long hair and big eyes—also like me—but they looked like they had a big fat crush on Percy. I didn't have a crush on Percy. So therefore they were not as much like me as I'd thought. Because I didn't like Percy.

     "Hi," Percy said to them. I could have sworn I heard bubble popping on the surface that sounded like giggles. "We're heading upstream. Do you think you could—"

     Before he could finish, the naiads took our canoes and began pushing us up the river. We started so fast Grover flew back and landed in the back of his canoe with his hooves sticking in the air.

     "Do all sea creatures have a crush on you?" I grumbled, peering at the naiads over the edge of our canoe. "Do they think you're, like, super hot just because your dad's Poseidon?"

     "If they think I'm hot, it's not 'cause of my dad," he replied, grinning charmingly. When I gave him a flat, unamused look, he dropped the smile. "I, uh, dunno. I guess naiads are just... um..."

     "Flirty?" I suggested, raising my eyebrows. A moment later, I got a splash of water to the face. Dripping, I spluttered, reaching for my bow. "Oh, those little—"

     "Hey," Percy laughed, putting his hands on my shoulders to keep me from diving in the water. "They're just joking around."

"Yeah, real funny of them," I muttered, shaking my head. Percy was still smirking, but I ignored it. We lapsed into uncomfortable silence.

After a moment, he pursed his lips, like he wasn't sure if he actually wanted to say what he was about to. I guess he chose to, because a second later, he said, "What happened to Bianca wasn't your fault."

I wish he hadn't said it. I could feel my throat closing and my eyes stinging with tears. "Yeah? Feels a lot like it."

     "Well.. it wasn't."

     I scoffed. "Did they give you an award for being the best at giving pep talks, or—?"

     His lips upturned in an innocent smile. "It was self-appointed."

     Despite myself, I bit back a laugh. "I can tell," I said, rolling my eyes. I could have sworn he chuckled. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly feeling quite dry as I said, "I guess.. well, I guess what happened to Annabeth wasn't entirely your fault, either. I'm sorry for taking it all out on you. I guess I just needed someone to blame."

     He was quiet for a second after I finished talking, and I was afraid he was about to reject my apology. But he did something even worse, almost—he gave me a hug. He leaned across our canoe and wrapped his arms around me. I was taken aback at first, but when my surprised tension only caused him to tighten his arms around me, I returned the hug and rested my cheek on his shoulder. He smelled like he always did; of the ocean.

When we pulled away from the hug, our faces were... close. I inhaled a short, tense breath. His eyes flickered down to my lips, and he was on the cusp of leaning in to close the gap between us, I could tell.

But I leaned back and turned my head away. "Connor," was all I whispered, shaking my head.

Percy froze, his jaw clenching. "You're right," he said shortly.

I wanted to apologize, talk it out a little, but then Grover was yelling at us and saying that we had arrived, so Percy and I jumped apart and landed as far away from each other as we could be.

"This is as far as they can take us," Grover called from a few yards ahead. "'Cause.. well, you know."

He gestured to the dam. It was the size of a football stadium. We stood at the very bottom. People were walking along the top of it, but they were so tiny they looked like fleas.

"Seven hundred feet tall," Percy said. "Built in the '30's."

"Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia said.

"138 deaths," I added. "But still not one of the deadliest projects in history."

Grover sighed. "Largest construction plan in the United States."

Zoë stared at us in shock. "How do you know all that?"

I pursed my lips. "Annabeth loved architecture. She was nuts about monuments."

"Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffed. "So annoying."

"I wish she were here," Percy said.

     We all nodded sadly. It seemed cruel that we were at one of Annabeth's favorite monuments and she wasn't there to see it. Zoë was still staring at us weirdly, but I didn't care. She just didn't get it.

"We should go up there," I suggested. "For her. Just to say we've been."

"You are mad," Zoë said. "But that is where the road is, so sightseeing it is."

We had to walk for almost an hour before we found a path that led up to the road. It came up on the east side of the river. Then we came up on the east side of the river. Then we straggled back toward the dam. It was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river seven hundred feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.

I walked in the middle of the road, far away from the edges. Grover kept sniffing the wind and looking nervous. He didn't say anything, but I knew he smelled monsters. I wondered how far they were, how long we had before they would reach us..

"There's a snack bar inside," Thalia said. "Let's stop in and grab something to eat."

"Yes, let us find the dam snack bar," Zoë agreed. "We should eat while we have time."

Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"

Zoë blinked. "Yes. What is so funny?"

"Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "But I could use some dam french fries."

Thalia and Percy snickered. Thalia said, "I need to use the dam restroom."

Even I smiled at that. "I'd like to find the dam gift shop."

Maybe it was the fact that we were so tired and strung out emotionally, but I started cracking up, and Percy, Thalia, and Grover joined in, while Zoë just looked at us. "I do not understand."

"I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said.

"And..." I tried to catch my breath, my cheeks aching from smiling so much. "I want to buy a dam t-shirt."

     "This," Zoë murmured, "is why I only socialize with the Hunters."

     That just made the rest of us crack up even more.