The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

twenty

"What was she thinking?" Annabeth said as they ran for the river.

Unfortunately, Ariana had a pretty good idea, and it filled her with dread.

The traffic was horrible. Everybody was out on the streets gawking at the war zone damage. Police sirens wailed on every block.

There was no possibility of catching a cab, and the pegasi had flown away. Ariana would've settled for some Party Ponies, but they had disappeared along with most of the root beer in Midtown.

So they ran, pushing through mobs of dazed mortals that clogged the sidewalks.

"She'll never get through the defenses," Annabeth said. "Peleus will eat her."

Ariana hadn't considered that. The Mist wouldn't fool Rachel like it would most people. She'd be able to find the camp no problem, but Ariana had been hoping the magical boundaries would just keep her out like a force field. It hadn't occurred to her that Peleus might attack.

"We've got to hurry." Percy glanced at Nico and Ariana. "I don't suppose you could conjure up some skeleton horses."

Nico wheezed as he ran. "So tired . .. couldn't summon a dog bone."

Ariana looked at Nico, worried. "Im not doing anything whilst he's in this state."

Finally they scrambled over the embankment to the shore, and Percy let out a loud whistle. Ariana hated doing it.

Even with the sand dollar Percy had given the East River for a magic cleaning, the water here was pretty polluted. Ariana didn't want to make any sea animals sick, but they came to Percy's call.

Three wake lines appeared in the gray water, and a pod of hippocampi broke the surface. They whinnied unhappily, shaking the river muck from their manes.

They were beautiful creatures, with multicolored fish tails, and the heads and forelegs of white stallions. The hippocampus in front was much bigger than the others a ride fit for a Cyclops.

"Rainbow!" Percy called. "How's it going, buddy?"

He neighed a complaint.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Ariana said. "But it's an emergency. We need to get to camp."

He snorted.

"Tyson?" Percy said. "Tyson is fine! I'm sorry he's not here. He's a big general now in the Cyclops army."

"NEEEEIGGGGH!"

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll still bring you apples. Now, about that ride.."

In no time, Ariana, Annabeth, Nico, and Percy were zipping up the East River faster than Jet Skis. They sped under the Throgs Neck Bridge and headed for Long Island Sound.

It seemed like forever until they saw the beach at camp. They thanked the hippocampi and waded ashore, only to find Argus waiting for them.

He stood in the sand with his arms crossed, his hundred eyes glaring at them.

"Is she here?" Ariana asked.

He nodded grimly.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth said.

Argus shook his head.

They followed him up the trail. It was surreal being back at camp, because everything looked so peaceful: no burning buildings, no wounded fighters. The cabins were bright in the sunshine, and the fields glittered with dew. But the place was mostly empty.

Up at the Big House, something was definitely wrong. Green light was shooting out all the windows. just like she had seen in her dream about May Castellan.