The Adventure That Lies Ahead | PJO x HP

CHAPTER 34

They arrived in Long Island just after Clarisse, thanks to the centaurs' travel powers. Percy and Isa rode on Chiron's back, but they didn't talk much, especially about Kronos. Isa knew it had been difficult for Chiron to tell Percy. They didn't want to push him any more questions.

When they got to camp, the centaurs were anxious to meet Dionysus. They'd heard he threw some really wild parties, but they were disappointed. The wine god was in no mood to celebrate as the whole camp gathered at the top of Half-Blood Hill.

The camp had been through a hard two weeks. The arts and crafts cabin had burned to the ground from an attack by a Draco Aionius (which in Latin meant 'really-big-lizard-with-breath-that-bows-stuff-up'). The Big House's rooms were overflowing with wounded campers, the kids in the Apollo cabin, who were the best healers, had been working overtime performing first aid. Everybody looked weary and bartered as they crowded around Thalia's tree.

The moment Clarisse draped the Golden Fleece over the lowest bough, the moonlight seemed to brighten, turning from grey to liquid silver. A cool breeze rustled in the branches and rippled through the grass, all the way into the valley. Everything came into sharper focus—the flow of the fireflies down in the woods, the smell of the strawberry fields, the sound of the waves in the beach.

Gradually, the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green.

Everybody cheered. It was happening slowly, but there could be no doubt—the Fleece's magic was sleeping into the tree, filling it with new power and expelling the poison.

Chiron ordered a twenty-four/seven guard duty on the hilltop, at least until he could find an appropriate monster to protect the Fleece. He said he'd place an ad in Olympus Weekly right away.

In the meantime, Clarisse was carried on her cabin mates' shoulders down to the amphitheater, where she was honored with a laurel wreath and a lot of celebrating around the campfire.

Nobody gave Annabeth, Percy or Isa a second look. It was as if they'd never left. In a way, Isa guessed that was the best thank-you anyone could give them, because if they admitted they'd snuck out of camp to do the quest, they'd have to expel them. And, really, Isa didn't want any more attention but felt good to be just one of the campers for once.

Later that night, as they were roasting marshmallows—with Isa overloading on them as always and with nobody stopping her—and listening to the Stoll brothers tell them a ghost story about an evil king who was eaten alive by demonic breakfast pastries (which Isa couldn't stop laughing at), Clarisse shoved Percy and Isa from behind and whispered in their ears, "Just because you were cool one time, Potter and Jackson, don't think you're off the hook with Ares. I'm still waiting for the right opportunity to pulverize you."

Percy and Isa gave her a grudging smile.

"What?" She demanded.

"I'll be holding on to you for that," Isa smirked.

"Nothing," Percy said. "Just good to be home."

The next morning, after the party ponies headed back to Florida, Chiron made a surprise announcement: the chariot races would go ahead as scheduled. They'd all figured they were history now that Tantalus was gone, but completing them did feel like the right thing to do, especially now that Chiron was back and the camp was safe.

Percy and Annabeth would've teamed up, but they thought it would be interesting on who would win. They didn't like the whole Poseidon vs Athena feud, but they thought for this... why not? Isa wouldn't have minded if she teamed up with somebody else, but she didn't mind either working with Percy again. Tyson helped them once more with their chariot, and added a whole bunch of special modifications.