The Adventure That Lies Ahead | PJO x HP

CHAPTER 10

The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, their train rolled into Denver. They hadn't eaten since the night before in the dining car, somewhere in Kansas. They hadn't taken a shower since Half-Blood Hill, and it was sure that was obvious.

"Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth said. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit."

"We can't use phones right?" Percy asked.

"I'm not talking about phones."

Isa chuckled at that.

They wandered through downtown for about half an hour.

Though Isa could tell Percy wasn't sure what Annabeth was looking for, she didn't want to tell him just yet for the fun of it.

The air was hot and dry, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. Everywhere they turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at them, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city.

They finally found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. They veered towards the stall furthest from the street, keeping their eyes open for patrol cars. They were three adolescents plus a child-though the news said she was an adolescent⎼hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his donuts would figure they were up to no good.

"What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked, as Grover took out the spray gun.

"It's seventy-five cents," he grumbled. "I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth? Isa?"

"None of you guys gave me money." Isa pouted though she didn't mind. If she was carrying the money, it would probably slip out of her pockets, and she wouldn't notice.

"Don't look at me," Annabeth said. "The dining car wiped me out."

Percy fished his last bit of change and passed Grover a quarter, which left him two nickels and one drachma from Medusa's place.

"Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping."

Isa had to hide her smile, so she folded her arms and placed a hand over her mouth.

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked.

The satyr fed the quarters and set the knob to fine mist "I-M'ing."

"Instant messaging?"

Isa snorted but replied, "Iris message."

"The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods." Annabeth continued.

"You summon the goddess with a spray gun?"

Isa snorted again at that and she immediately clamped a hand over her mouth.

Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. "Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow."

Sure enough, late afternoon light filtered through the vapor and broke into colors.

Percy handed Annabeth his drachma after asking him for it.

She raised the coin over her head. "O goddess, accept our offering."

She threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared in a golden shimmer.

"Half-Blood Hill." Annabeth requested.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then they were looking through a mist at strawberry fields and the Long Island Sound in the distance.