CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
( pigeons of death )

     I WAS STILL worried about the tree's state, but I was forced to give up and follow Tantalus's orders, no matter how much I despised him. None of us had any ideas on how to save camp, so until then, there was nothing we could do. My cabin was glad to put the thought of finding an antidote to the side and focus on the chariot design. I was reluctant about it, especially now that I was in charge and didn't want anyone to end up hurt, but they all voted in wanting to do it. I had no choice but to follow. From what I heard, Annabeth and Percy were doing their chariot together, since Athena had invented the chariot, and Poseidon created horses. They'd be a tough team to beat, but I was convinced we could do something to have a fair competition with them.

     On my way to the arena with the rest of my cabin trailing behind me, I couldn't help but think of what Chiron was referring to before he cut himself off. There was a magical object powerful enough to heal the tree, but he couldn't bring himself to say what it was. I had a feeling I knew what it was, but couldn't quite remember the name – it was at the tip of my tongue. I didn't give it that much thought after that for two reasons; Chiron didn't want to say out loud for a reason, and because Will fell backwards into the grass and knocked me off my thoughts.

     After I told him to be careful and watch his step, I pushed my thoughts to the side and decided to focus on the day's activities. Surprisingly enough, I found Percy in the arena when I got there. He claimed he wanted to clear his mind for a while and sparred with a few guys from my cabin. Unfortunately, they were no match against Percy's sword fighting, and looked like they were no challenge for him. It reminded me of – No, Maia, don't you dare say it.

     Milo, a new camper and a year younger than me, backed away from the arena in surrender after Percy quickly defeated him. He was sweating from the draining fight, but Percy looked like he still had energy on him. I turned around to face my cabin to see if anyone wanted to volunteer, but they all avoided my eyes when I looked back at them.

     I sighed and grabbed one of the forgotten swords from the floor, making my way to Percy. I didn't practice my sword fighting as much as I wanted to, mostly focusing on skills that I already mastered – like archery – but I hoped that whatever I remembered from old classes might help me. Percy smirked, since he knew this already.

     I slashed my sword in a wide arch, our blades clashing together in a mixture of steel. Percy was able to block the attack to his side, not missing a beat before asking, "Do you still need a partner for the race?"

     I pulled back to create distance between the both of us, "No. Why?"

     He twirled the sword in his hands before responding, "I thought we could do it together."

     "I thought you were doing it with Annabeth."

     "Not anymore," He hesitated before answering. "We – "

     "You fought, didn't you?"

     "Yeah. Did she tell you?"

     "Nope, but I can tell. You wouldn't have come to me if it weren't for that."

     He sighed, a mixture of frustration and disappointment being visible in his face. I couldn't help but wonder, so I asked, "What happened?"

     "She said some mean things about Tyson, I can't believe her!"

     "Oh."

     He didn't like my tone. His eyes searched mine, like he was trying to figure me out. "I know that look. You agree with her, don't you?"

     "No – "

     "He's not a monster!" he cut me off in indignation. "You've been acting weird ever since you met him, now that I think of it. You haven't talked to me ever since that night."

     "That's not true."

     "Yes it is. I don't know what Tyson did to make you hate him, but it's not okay!"

     "Percy!" I raised my voice before this escalated. I lowered my sword and he followed my example. "I don't hate him. It's a lot more complicated than that. I need time to figure stuff out, okay?"

     His jaw clenched, frustration evident in his eyes. "You can't just shut me out like this. Friends talk about things, and we're friends."

     I nodded with a sigh. There were thousands of things I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't just dump all my worries on him. That wasn't something friends did. "There's a lot on my mind right now, Kelp Head. It isn't about Tyson."

     "Fine," his expression softened but there was still tension in his eyes. "But you can't push me away forever, Arrow Girl."

     "I don't plan to," I gave him a smile, though it didn't reach my eyes.

     We sparred for the next couple of minutes and ended up in a tie ( though he'd want to convince you otherwise ) and went our separate ways. Mine and the other cabins organized a schedule to do secret border patrols, since Tantalus told us to forget about it and give up in wanting to save the tree.

     My shift around the tree was over, so I walked down the hill to switch with the next team when I suddenly saw the dryads all singing to the dying pine tree. Satyrs brought their reed pipes and played nature magic songs, which reminded me of Grover and I couldn't help but wonder where he was now.

     For a few minutes, the grass was returning to its original green color and the pine needles looked healthier, but as soon as the music stopped, the sickness crept back into the air. The whole hill seemed to be infected, dying from the poison that had sunk into the tree's roots. I'm going to heal you, Thalia, I promised, to both me and her.

     THE WEATHER ON the morning of the race was humid, to the point where it became uncomfortable. Millions of birds were circling in the trees – fat gray-and-white pigeons. They didn't caw like any other pigeon, they made this annoying metallic screeching sound. The racetrack had been built in a grassy field between the archery range and the woods.

     Hephaestus's cabin had used the bronze bulls, which had their heads smashed in, to plough an oval track in a matter of minutes. There were rows of stone steps for the spectators – Tantalus, a few dryads, satyrs and all of the campers who weren't participating, like Will, for example. I sent him up there because he was too young to be in this kind of race. Mr D, as expected, didn't show. He never got up before ten o'clock.

     "Right!" Tantalus announced as the teams began to assemble. A naiad brought him a big platter of pastries, and as he spoke his right hand chased a chocolate eclair across the judge's table. "You all know the rules. A quartermile track. Twice around to win. Two horses per chariot. Each team will consist of a driver and a fighter. Weapons are allowed. Dirty tricks are expected. But try not to kill anybody!"

     Tantalus smiled at us, showing off those dirty, yellow teeth. "Any killing will result in harsh punishment. No s'mores at the campfire for a week! Now ready your chariots!"

     Beckendorf led the Hephaestus team onto the track. They had a chariot made of bronze and iron – even the horses, which were magical automatons like the Colchis bulls. There was no doubt they had filled the entire chariot with traps whenever someone got too close.

     The Ares chariot was blood-red, and pulled by two grisly horse skeletons. Clarisse climbed aboard with a batch of javelins, spiked balls, and caltrops.  Hermes's was green and old-looking, as if it hadn't been out of the garage in years. It was manned by the Stoll brothers, and I gulped at the thought of all the dirty tricks they came up with.

     Our chariot was completely gold and graceful, pulled by two gorgeous palominos. Michael had argued the last two days on being the designated fighter of the chariot, so I had no choice but to give in. He promised he wasn't going to shoot regular arrows at the other drivers, and I just hoped he would stick to his word. That left me to be the driver, as much as I didn't like the whole idea of the race. I figured the least I could do was keep the rest of my cabin safe and take whatever blow myself.

     That left two chariots: one driven by Annabeth, and the other by Percy.

     "Hey, Maia!"

     I turned around, expecting it to be Percy, even though that voice sounded completely different from his. Instead, I was received by one of our newest campers, Xavier. He had arrived a month ago and was quickly claimed as a son of Aphrodite, which wasn't a surprise to anyone – he wore that confident smile that almost all Aphrodite kids had.

     The only reason he knew my name was because I had been instructed to show him around. We said hello to each other whenever we came across one another in the mess hall, but other than that, we didn't talk much. I didn't know why he was here in the first place.

     "What's up, Xavier?" I asked in genuine curiosity.

     "Nothing much. Just here to wish you good luck," he shrugged, hiding his hands behind his back. "From one friend to another."

     "Oh," I diverted my eyes to the grass, feeling my face grow hot. A few, short conversations with someone and you can consider them your friend? Was it that easy? "Thank you."

     I skimmed the area for a chariot that might've resembled the Aphrodite cabin, but couldn't find it. I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you not competing?"

     "Nope," he shook his head. "Silena didn't want any of us getting hurt. No one argued, although I'm sure we didn't sign up because we would've been humiliated."

     I gave him a look. "Careful, Price. You're new here. You don't want to see the Aphrodite kids when they get competitive."

     "Ooh, I'm so scared," he said sarcastically as he placed an overdramatic hand over his chest. "I'm gonna be cursed with wearing permanent makeup."

     "It's not pretty," I told him.

     "But it's not as impressive as cursing someone to speak in rhymes for a week," he argued. "Thank you for doing that, by the way. Drew has been a lot more bearable."

     I let out a nervous laugh. I wasn't proud of my actions, but Drew seemed to be asking for it. She had been telling the same three one-eye jokes about Tyson and Percy over and over, and since neither of them were there to defend themselves, I stepped in. It wasn't common for me to curse people just for pissing me off like that, but Percy was my friend. I had to do something.

     Everyone around us was still getting ready for the race, so I still had time to talk to Xavier before he had to leave. I was about to open my mouth to say something else, wanting to know him a little better, but a third voice rang in my ears.

     "Maia, can we talk – ?" Percy joined my side, the urgency in his eyes disappearing when they fell on Xavier in front of him. "Do I know you?"

     "Xavier," he extended his hand for a handshake coolly. He looked at him up and down, like he was confirming the mental image he had of him.  "Cabin 10. You're Percy Jackson, right? I've heard a lot about you."

     "Right," Percy bit back in a sour tone. I knew the last few days had been rough for him, but the tone surprised me. "Why don't you save whatever lame one-eye joke you have for the next time you see yourself in the mirror?"

     Xavier straightened, but didn't react to the retort. A smile formed in his lips, one to show politeness. "I was just leaving. Again, good luck out there, Maia."

     The smile faded, and he nodded as a form of farewell. "Jackson."

     He walked away, pushing in between the other teams on the race to make his way toward the audience with the rest of his cabin.

     I faced Percy, crossing my arms. "That wasn't very nice."

     "Who is he anyway?" he huffed.

     "Are you here for something important or just to scare off my new friends?" I asked instead.

     Percy proceeded to tell me of his most recent dream. I don't know if I drifted off halfway and missed a couple things, but I could've sworn I heard the phrase 'Grover in a wedding dress' leave his lips once. He then mentioned something along the lines of the Sea of Monsters, claiming that's where Grover supposedly was, stuck in the island of Polyphemus. That got my attention, and suddenly what Chiron said before he left made perfect sense.

     "And you're sure you weren't just dreaming?" I asked.

     "What? No!" he shook his head. "I'm not making this up. He's in trouble, Maia."

     "It's just a little convenient that Grover would just stumble upon the one thing that could save the tree," I pointed out, although my mind reminded me how Grover had the luck to bring to camp not just one, but two of the most powerful demigods to camp.

     Percy looked ready to argue with me, and I couldn't blame him. Even though we weren't always on the same page, we'd been through a lot together. "Percy, I want Grover to be safe too, but we can't just drop everything and sail off based on just your dreams."

     "The Oracle," he said. "We could consult the Oracle."

     I pressed my lips together, knowing he was serious. If we consulted the Oracle in the Big House attic, it would give us the guidance we needed before leaving. It sounded simple, especially after last summer's events, but convincing Tantalus and Mr. D to let us go would be as difficult as the quest itself.

     Before I could speak, the conch horn sounded.

     "Charioteers!" Tantalus called. "To your mark!"

     "We'll talk later," I decided. "And we'll tell Annabeth too."

     He frowned, obviously still mad from his argument with her, but he didn't argue with me. No matter how angry he was, he couldn't deny that Annabeth might have a plan to make everything work out.

     More pigeons were gathering in the trees now – screeching like crazy, making the whole forest rustle. Nobody else seemed to be paying them much attention, and I wouldn't have either if it weren't for these past, chaotic weeks.

     Now, just so you know, a Greek chariot isn't built for security or comfort; it's built for speed. It's basically a wooden basket, open at the back, mounted on an axle between two wheels. The driver, me on this occasion, stands up the whole time, and you feel every bump in the road. The carriage is made of such light wood that even the least harsh turns are able to tip you over and crush both the chariot and yourself.

     I took the reins and drove the chariot to the starting line. Michael was readying two arrows in his bow, the only defense we had against the other teams. As the other chariots lined up, more pigeons gathered in the woods. They were screeching so loudly the people in the audience were starting to take notice, glancing nervously at the trees. I thought Tantalus would think this wasn't a good sign and call off the race, but he didn't look the slightest bit concerned.

     "Charioteers!" he shouted. "Attend your mark!"

     He waved his hand and the chariots roared to life. Hooves thundered against the dirt. The crowd cheered.

     My knuckles were gripping tightly against the reins and I was already bracing myself for the upcoming harsh turns, but we weren't able to. Before I could even react and move the chariot to the side, the Hermes chariot crashed into us. The push was so strong that it was able to flip the entire chariot over, sending both Michael and I free. Our poor horses weren't lucky though, and they dragged the abandoned golden chariot diagonally across the track in panic.

    "Curse you, Travis!" I yelled out. "Or was it Connor? I don't even care at this point!"

     "Sorry, Maia!"

     "No, we're not!"

     Travis and Connor Stoll were laughing like madmen, but not for long. The palomino horses from my chariot crashed into theirs, and the chariot flipped too, leaving a pile of broken wood and four rearing horses in the dust.

     I didn't understand why I was so mad – I didn't even want to compete in this stupid race in the first place. I guess the only reason for my anger was because I wanted a fair opportunity in the race and utilize our chariot, which took us a long time to make.

     I helped Michael up from the grass and we both turned our attention back to the front. It seemed Percy was doing alright, pulling ahead of Ares, but Annabeth's chariot was way ahead of them. She was already making her turn around the first post, her javelin man grinning in satisfaction.

     The Hephaestus chariot was starting to gain speed, too. Beckendorf pressed a button, and a panel slid open on the side of his chariot. "Sorry, Percy!" I heard him yell.

     If Michael hadn't grabbed my shoulder roughly and gestured to the stands, I would've seen what happened next. The pigeons had escaped from the trees and were spiraling like a huge tornado, heading towards the track.

     Before my eyes registered anything, I heard the screaming. Thousands of pigeons were swarming, dive-bombing the spectators in the stands and attacking the other chariots. The Hephaestus chariot steered off course and plowed through the strawberry fields, with the mechanical horses steaming along.

     The spectators had the same bad luck. The birds were clawing at any bit of exposed flesh, driving everyone into a panic. Their eyes were beady and evil-looking, with beaks made of bronze, completely different from any other bird. Then it clicked. Stymphalian birds.

     Come on, Maia, think, I thought to myself. All around me, my cabin was pulling out their bows and arrows to take out the intruders, but it was completely useless without having a clear shot in all the ruckus. The Athena cabin was preparing their shields, and the screams from the other campers were increasing as the birds pecked on their clothes and hair. I couldn't just wait until someone came to me with a plan in mind. How did Heracles beat them in the original story? Noise.

     I rushed toward two campers from Athena and grabbed their shields, ignoring their cries of protest. I prayed this would work – at least to some extent – and smacked both shields against each other like a pair of cymbals. It seemed to work, but that much noise only made their loud shrieks waver for a few seconds. Michael caught onto what I was doing and grabbed a spare shield from the floor to do the same thing.

     Clarisse pulled across the finish line, completely unopposed, and finally took into consideration how serious the bird problem was. "You're running? The fight is here, cowards!"

     I turned to search who she was yelling at, and spotted Percy still on top of his chariot with Annabeth on his side. He urged the horses into a gallop, driving the chariot through the strawberry fields. That path only led one way, and I didn't have to be a genius to know where they were heading. I had to buy them enough time distracting the birds until they returned.

     It wasn't an easy task, especially with ablaze chariots on the track and wounded campers running in every possible direction, but Michael and I never stopped smacking the shields together. Tantalus still chased breakfast pastries around the stands, every once in a while yelling, "Everything's under control! Not to worry!"

     After a long time, Percy and Annabeth pulled up at the finish line. Annabeth got the boom box from Chiron's study ready. Percy pressed PLAY and started up Chiron's favorite – the All-Time Greatest Hits of Dean Martin. I dropped the shields on the grass just as the air was filled with obnoxiously loud violins and men screaming in Italian.

     The birds went crazy. They started flying in circles, running into each other like they wanted to bash their own brains out. Then they abandoned the track altogether and flew skywards, thinking they'd escape that easily.

     "Now!" Annabeth cried out. "Archers!"

     With a bow that wasn't my own, I prepared an arrow and fired. With clear targets, all archers in my cabin had impeccable aim. In an act of confidence, I prepared five arrows and shot them all at the same, knocking a majority of the birds. The ground was littered with dead bronze-beaked pigeons within minutes, and that's when I had enough time to stare at the state of my clothes and immediately winced. My shirt and pants looked like a typical park bench.

     The camp was saved from the birds, but not from the wreckage. Most of the chariots had been completely destroyed. Almost everyone was wounded from the bird pecks, and I knew for sure that Tantalus or Mr. D would be happy about this.

     "Bravo!" Tantalus said, but he wasn't looking at who I expected. "We have our first winner!"

     He walked to the finish line and awarded the promised golden laurels for the race to a stunned-looking Clarisse.

     Then he turned, smiling at me, Percy and Annabeth. "And now to punish the troublemakers who disrupted this race."