โPiper had trouble falling asleep.โ
Coach Hedge spent the first hour after curfew doing his nightly duty, walking up and down the passageway yelling, โLights out! Settle down! Try to sneak out, and Iโll smack you back to Long Island!โ
He banged his baseball bat against a cabin door whenever he heard a noise, shouting at everyone to go to sleep, which made it impossible forย anyoneย to go to sleep. Piper figured this was the most fun the satyr had had since heโd pretended to be a gym teacher at the Wilderness School.
She stared at the bronze beams on the ceiling. Her cabin was pretty cozy. Leo had programmed their quarters to adjust automatically to the occupantโs preferred temperature, so it was never too cold or too hot. The mattress and the pillows were stuffed with pegasus down (no pegasi were harmed in the making of these products, Leo had assured her), so they were รผber- comfortable. A bronze lantern hung from the ceiling, glowing at whatever brightness Piper wished. The lanternโs sides were perforated with pinholes, so at night glimmering constellations drifted across her walls.
Piper had so many things on her mind, she thought sheโd never sleep. But there was something peaceful about the rocking of the boat and the drone of the aerial oars as they scooped through the sky.
Finally her eyelids got heavy, and she drifted off.
It seemed like only a few seconds had passed before she woke to the breakfast bell.
โYo, Piper!โ Leo knocked on her door. โWeโre landing!โ โLanding?โ She sat up groggily.
Leo opened her door and poked his head in. He had his hand over his eyes, which wouldโve been a nice gesture if he hadnโt been peeking through his fingers. โYou decent?โ
โLeo!โ
โSorry.โ He grinned. โHey, nice Power Ranger jammies.โ โThey are not Power Rangers! Theyโre Cherokee eagles!โ
โYeah, sure. Anyway, weโre setting down a few miles outside Topeka, as requested. And, umโฆโ He glanced out in the passageway, then leaned inside again. โThanks for not hating me, about blowing up the Romans yesterday.โ
Piper rubbed her eyes. The feast in New Rome had been only yesterday? โThatโs okay, Leo. You werenโt in control of yourself.โ
โYeah, but stillโฆyou didnโt have to stick up for me.โ
โAre you kidding? Youโre like the annoying little brother I never had. Of course Iโll stick up for you.โ
โUhโฆthanks?โ
From above, Coach Hedge yelled, โThar she blows! Kansas, ahoy!โ
โHoly Hephaestus,โ Leo muttered. โHe really needs to work on his shipspeak. Iโd better get above deck.โ
By the time Piper had showered, changed, and grabbed a bagel from the mess hall, she could hear the shipโs landing gear extending. She climbed on deck and joined the others as theย Argo IIย settled in the middle of a field of sunflowers. The oars retracted. The gangplank lowered itself.
The morning air smelled of irrigation, warm plants, and fertilized earth. Not a bad smell. It reminded Piper of Grandpa Tomโs place in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, back on the reservation.
Percy was the first to notice her. He smiled in greeting, which for some reason surprised Piper. He was wearing faded jeans and a fresh orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, as if heโd never been away from the Greek side. The new clothes had probably helped his moodโand of course the fact that he was standing at the rail with his arm around Annabeth.
Piper was happy to see Annabeth with a sparkle in her eyes, because Piper had never had a better friend. For months, Annabeth had been tormenting herself, her every waking moment consumed with the search for Percy. Now, despite the dangerous quest they were facing, at least she had her boyfriend back.
โSo!โ Annabeth plucked the bagel out of Piperโs hand and took a bite, but that didnโt bother Piper. Back at camp, theyโd had a running joke about stealing each otherโs breakfast. โHere we are. Whatโs the plan?โ
โI want to check out the highway,โ Piper said. โFind the sign that says Topeka 32.โ
Leo spun his Wii controller in a circle, and the sails lowered themselves. โWe shouldnโt be far,โ he said. โFestus and I calculated the landing as best we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?โ
Piper explained what sheโd seen in the knifeโthe man in purple with a goblet. She kept quiet about the other images, though, like the vision of Percy, Jason, and herself drowning. She wasnโt sure what it meant, anyway; and everyone seemed in such better spirits this morning, she didnโt want to ruin the mood.
โPurple shirt?โ Jason asked. โVines on his hat? Sounds like Bacchus.โ โDionysus,โ Percy muttered. โIf we came all the way to Kansas to seeย Mr.
Dโโ
โBacchus isnโt so bad,โ Jason said. โI donโt like his followers much.โฆโ
Piper shuddered. Jason, Leo, and she had had an encounter with the maenads a few months ago and almost gotten torn to pieces.
โBut the god himself is okay,โ Jason continued. โI did him a favor once up in the wine country.โ
Percy looked appalled. โWhatever, man. Maybe heโs better on the Roman side. But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didnโt Zeus order the gods to cease all contact with mortals?โ
Frank grunted. The big guy was wearing a blue tracksuit this morning, like he was ready to go for a jog in the sunflowers.
โThe gods havenโt been very good at followingย thatย order,โ he noted. โBesides, if the godsย haveย gone schizophrenic like Hazel saidโโ
โAndย Leoย said,โ added Leo.
Frank scowled at him. โThen who knows whatโs going on with the Olympians? Could be some pretty bad stuff out there.โ
โSounds dangerous!โ Leo agreed cheerfully. โWellโฆyou guys have fun. Iโve got to finish repairs on the hull. Coach Hedge is gonna work on the broken crossbows. And, uh, AnnabethโI could really use your help. Youโre the only other person who evenย sort ofย understands engineering.โ
Annabeth looked apologetically at Percy. โHeโs right. I should stay and help.โ
โIโll come back to you.โ He kissed her on the cheek. โPromise.โ They were so easy together, it made Piperโs heart ache.
Jason was great, of course. But sometimes he acted so distant, like last night, when heโd been reluctant to talk about that old Roman legend. So often he seemed to be thinking of his old life at Camp Jupiter. Piper wondered if she would ever be able to break through that barrier.
The trip to Camp Jupiter, seeing Reyna in person, hadnโt helped. Neither did the fact that Jason had chosen to wear a purple shirt todayโthe color of the Romans.
Frank slid his bow off his shoulder and propped it against the rail. โI think I should turn into a crow or something and fly around, keep an eye out for Roman eagles.โ
โWhy a crow?โ Leo asked. โMan, if you can turn into a dragon, why donโt you just turn into a dragon every time? Thatโs the coolest.โ
Frankโs face looked like it was being infused with cranberry juice. โThatโs like asking why you donโt bench-press your maximum weight every time you lift. Because itโs hard, and youโd hurt yourself. Turning into a dragon isnโt easy.โ
โOh.โ Leo nodded. โI wouldnโt know. I donโt lift weights.โ โYeah. Well, maybe you should consider it, Mr.โโ
Hazel stepped between them.
โIโll help you, Frank,โ she said, shooting Leo an evil look. โI can summon Arion and scout around below.โ
โSure,โ Frank said, still glaring at Leo. โYeah, thanks.โ
Piper wondered what was going on with those three. The boys showing off for Hazel and razzing each otherโthatย she understood. But it almost seemed
like Hazel and Leo had a history. So far as she knew, theyโd met for the first time just yesterday. She wondered if something else had happened on their trip to the Great Salt Lakeโsomething they hadnโt mentioned.
Hazel turned to Percy. โJust be careful when you go out there. Lots of fields, lots of crops. Could beย karpoiย on the loose.โ
โKarpoi?โย Piper asked.
โGrain spirits,โ Hazel said. โYou donโt want to meet them.โ
Piper didnโt see how a grain spirit could be so bad, but Hazelโs tone convinced her not to ask.
โThat leaves three of us to check on the mile marker,โ Percy said. โMe, Jason, Piper. Iโm not psyched about seeing Mr. D again. That guy is a pain. But, Jason, if youโre on better terms with himโโ
โYeah,โ Jason said. โIf we find him, Iโll talk to him. Piper, itโs your vision.
You should take the lead.โ
Piper shivered. Sheโd seen the three of them drowning in that dark well. Was Kansas where it would happen? That didnโt seem right, but she couldnโt be sure.
โOf course,โ she said, trying to sound upbeat. โLetโs find the highway.โ
Leo had said they were close. His idea of โcloseโ needed some work.
After trudging half a mile through hot fields, getting bitten by mosquitoes and whacked in the face with scratchy sunflowers, they finally reached the road. An old billboard for Bubbaโs Gas โnโ Grub indicated they were still forty miles from the first Topeka exit.
โCorrect my math,โ Percy said, โbut doesnโt that mean we have eight miles to walk?โ
Jason peered both ways down the deserted road. He looked better today, thanks to the magical healing of ambrosia and nectar. His color was back to normal, and the scar on his forehead had almost vanished. The newย gladiusย that Hera had given him last winter hung at his belt. Most guys would look pretty awkward walking around with a scabbard strapped to their jeans, but on Jason it seemed perfectly natural.
โNo carsโฆโ he said. โBut I guess we wouldnโt want to hitchhike.โ
โNo,โ Piper agreed, gazing nervously down the highway. โWeโve already
spent too much time going overland. The earth is Gaeaโs territory.โ โHmmโฆโ Jason snapped his fingers. โI can call a friend for a ride.โ
Percy raised his eyebrows. โOh, yeah? Me too. Letโs see whose friend gets here first.โ
Jason whistled. Piper knew what he was doing, but heโd succeeded in summoning Tempest only three times since theyโd met the storm spirit at the Wolf House last winter. Today, the sky was so blue, Piper didnโt see how it could work.
Percy simply closed his eyes and concentrated.
Piper hadnโt studied him up close before. After hearing so much at Camp Half-Blood about Percy Jacksonย thisย and Percy Jacksonย that, she thought he lookedโฆwell, unimpressive, especially next to Jason. Percy was more slender, about an inch shorter, with slightly longer, much darker hair.
He wasnโt really Piperโs type. If sheโd seen him in the mall somewhere, she probably wouldโve thought he was a skaterโcute in a scruffy way, a little on the wild side, definitely a troublemaker. She would have steered clear. She had enough trouble in her life. But she could see why Annabeth liked him, and she could definitely see why Percy needed Annabeth in his life. If anybody could keep a guy like that under control, it was Annabeth.
Thunder crackled in the clear sky. Jason smiled. โSoon.โ
โToo late.โ Percy pointed east, where a black winged shape was spiraling toward them. At first, Piper thought it might be Frank in crow form. Then she realized it was much too big to be a bird.
โA black pegasus?โ she said. โNever seen one like that.โ
The winged stallion came in for a landing. He trotted over to Percy and nuzzled his face, then turned his head inquisitively toward Piper and Jason.
โBlackjack,โ Percy said, โthis is Piper and Jason. Theyโre friends.โ The horse nickered.
โUh, maybe later,โ Percy answered.
Piper had heard that Percy could speak to horses, being the son of the horse lord Poseidon, but sheโd never seen it in action.
โWhat does Blackjack want?โ she asked.
โDonuts,โ Percy said. โAlways donuts. He can carry all three of us ifโโ
Suddenly the air turned cold. Piperโs ears popped. About fifty yards away, a miniature cyclone three stories tall tore across the tops of the sunflowers like a scene fromย The Wizard of Oz. It touched down on the road next to Jason and took the form of a horseโa misty steed with lightning flickering through its body.
โTempest,โ Jason said, grinning broadly. โLong time, my friend.โ The storm spirit reared and whinnied. Blackjack backed up skittishly.
โEasy, boy,โ Percy said. โHeโs a friend too.โ He gave Jason an impressed look. โNice ride, Grace.โ
Jason shrugged. โI made friends with him during our fight at the Wolf House. Heโs a free spirit, literally, but once in a while he agrees to help me.โ
Percy and Jason climbed on their respective horses. Piper had never been comfortable with Tempest. Riding full gallop on a beast that could vaporize at any moment made her a bit nervous. Nevertheless, she accepted Jasonโs hand and climbed on.
Tempest raced down the road with Blackjack soaring overhead. Fortunately, they didnโt pass any cars, or they might have caused a wreck. In no time, they arrived at the thirty-two-mile marker, which looked exactly as Piper had seen it in her vision.
Blackjack landed. Both horses pawed the asphalt. Neither looked pleased to have stopped so suddenly, just when theyโd found their stride.
Blackjack whinnied.
โYouโre right,โ Percy said. โNo sign of the wine dude.โ โI beg your pardon?โ said a voice from the fields.
Tempest turned so quickly, Piper almost fell off.
The wheat parted, and the man from her vision stepped into view. He wore a wide-brimmed hat wreathed in grapevines, a purple short-sleeved shirt, khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks with white socks. He looked maybe thirty, with a slight potbelly, like a frat boy who hadnโt yet realized college was over. โDid someone just call me theย wine dude?โ he asked in a lazy drawl. โItโs Bacchus, please. Or Mr. Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-
Gods-Please-Donโt-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus.โ
Percy urged Blackjack forward, though the pegasus didnโt seem happy about it.
โYou look different,โ Percy told the god. โSkinnier. Your hair is longer.
And your shirt isnโt so loud.โ
The wine god squinted up at him. โWhat in blazes are you talking about?
Who are you, and where is Ceres?โ โUhโฆwhat series?โ
โI think he means Ceres,โ Jason said. โThe goddess of agriculture. Youโd call her Demeter.โ He nodded respectfully to the god. โLord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma.โ
Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin. โAhโฆyes. John Green.โ โJason Grace.โ
โWhatever,โ the god said. โDid Ceres send you, then?โ
โNo, Lord Bacchus,โ Jason said. โWere you expecting to meet her here?โ
The god snorted. โWell, I didnโt come to Kansas toย party, my boy. Ceres asked me here for a council of war. What with Gaea rising, the crops are withering. Droughts are spreading. Theย karpoiย are in revolt. Even my grapes arenโt safe. Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war.โ
โThe plant war,โ Percy said. โYouโre going to arm all the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?โ
The god narrowed his eyes. โHave we met?โ
โAt Camp Half-Blood,โ Percy said, โI know you as Mr. DโDionysus.โ โAgh!โ Bacchus winced and pressed his hands to his temples. For a
moment, his image flickered. Piper saw a different personโfatter, dumpier, in a much louder, leopard-patterned shirt. Then Bacchus returned to being Bacchus. โStop that!โ he demanded. โStop thinking about me in Greek!โ
Percy blinked. โUh, butโโ
โDo you have any idea howย hardย it is to stay focused? Splitting headaches all the time! I never know what Iโm doing or where Iโm going! Constantly grumpy!โ
โThat sounds pretty normal for you,โ Percy said.
The godโs nostrils flared. One of the grape leaves on his hat burst into flame. โIf we know each other from thatย otherย camp, itโs a wonder I havenโt already turned you into a dolphin.โ
โIt was discussed,โ Percy assured him. โI think you were just too lazy to do it.โ
Piper had been watching with horrified fascination, the way she might watch a car wreck in progress. Now she realized Percy wasย notย making things better, and Annabeth wasnโt around to rein him in. Piper figured her friend would never forgive her if she brought Percy back transformed into a sea mammal.
โLord Bacchus!โ she interrupted, slipping off Tempestโs back. โPiper, careful,โ Jason said.
She shot him a warning glance:ย Iโve got this.
โSorry to trouble you, my lord,โ she told the god, โbut actually we came here to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom.โ
She used her most agreeable tone, pouring respect into her charmspeak. The god frowned, but the purple glow faded in his eyes. โYouโre well-
spoken, girl. Advice, eh? Very well. I would avoid karaoke. Really, theme parties in general are out. In these austere times, people are looking for a simple, low-key affair, with locally produced organic snacks andโโ
โNot about parties,โ Piper interrupted. โAlthough thatโs incredibly useful advice, Lord Bacchus. We were hoping youโd help us on our quest.โ
She explained about theย Argo IIย and their voyage to stop the giants from awakening Gaea. She told him what Nemesis had said: that in six days, Rome would be destroyed. She described the vision reflected in her knife, where Bacchus offered her a silver goblet.
โSilver goblet?โ The god didnโt sound very excited. He grabbed a Diet Pepsi from nowhere and popped the top of the can.
โYou drink Diet Coke,โ Percy said.
โI donโt know what youโre talking about,โ Bacchus snapped. โAs to this vision of the goblet, young lady, I have nothing for you to drink unless you want a Pepsi. Jupiter has put me under strict orders to avoid giving wine to minors. Bothersome, but there you have it. As for the giants, I know them well. I fought in the first Giant War, you know.โ
โYou can fight?โ Percy asked.
Piper wished he hadnโt sounded so incredulous.
Dionysus snarled. His Diet Pepsi transformed into a five-foot staff wreathed in ivy, topped with a pinecone.
โAย thyrsus!โ Piper said, hoping to distract the god before he whacked
Percy on the head. Sheโd seen weapons like that before in the hands of crazy nymphs, and wasnโt thrilled to see one again, but she tried to sound impressed. โOh, what a mighty weapon!โ
โIndeed,โ Bacchus agreed. โIโm gladย someoneย in your group is smart. The pinecone is a fearsome tool of destruction! I was a demigod myself in the first Giant War, you know. The son of Jupiter!โ
Jason flinched. Probably he wasnโt thrilled to be reminded that the Wine Dude was technically his big brother.
Bacchus swung his staff through the air, though his potbelly almost threw him off balance. โOf course that was long before I invented wine and became an immortal. I fought side by side with the gods and some other demigodโฆ Harry Cleese, I think.โ
โHeracles?โ Piper suggested politely.
โWhatever,โ Bacchus said. โAnyway, I killed the giant Ephialtes and his brother Otis. Horrible boors, those two. Pinecone in the face for both of them!โ
Piper held her breath. All at once, several ideas came together in her head
โthe visions in the knife, the lines of the prophecy theyโd been discussing the night before. She felt like she used to when she was scuba diving with her father, and he would wipe her mask for her underwater. Suddenly, everything was clearer.
โLord Bacchus,โ she said, trying to control the nervousness in her voice. โThose two giants, Ephialtes and Otisโฆwould they happen to be twins?โ
โHmm?โ The god seemed distracted by hisย thyrsus-swinging, but he nodded. โYes, twins. Thatโs right.โ
Piper turned to Jason. She could tell he was following her thoughts:ย Twins snuff out the angelโs breath.
In the blade of Katoptris, sheโd seen two giants in yellow robes, lifting a jar from a deep pit.
โThatโs why weโre here,โ Piper told the god. โYouโre part of our quest!โ
Bacchus frowned. โIโm sorry, my girl. Iโm not a demigod anymore. I donโt
doย quests.โ
โBut giants can only be defeated by heroes and gods working together,โ she insisted. โYouโre a god now, and the two giants we need to face are Ephialtes and Otis. I believe theyโre waiting for us in Rome, ready to destroy the city. The silver goblet I saw in my visionโit might symbolize your help. You have to help us take down the giants!โ
Bacchus glared at her, and Piper instantly regretted her choice of words. โMy girl,โ he said coldly, โI donโt have to do anything. I only assist those who pay me proper tribute, which hasnโt happened in many centuries.โ
Blackjack whinnied nervously.
Piper couldnโt blame him; she didnโt like the sound of tribute. She recalled the maenads, Bacchus’s wild followers who would tear apart nonbelievers with their bare handsโespecially when they were in a good mood.
Percy voiced the question that made Piper uneasy. โWhat kind of tribute?โ
Bacchus waved his hand dismissively. โNothing you could handle, insolent Greek. But since this girl has some manners, Iโll offer you a bit of free advice. Seek out Gaeaโs son, Phorcys. He has always despised his motherโwho can blame him? He didnโt care much for his twin siblings either. Youโll find him in the city named after that heroineโAtalanta.โ
Piper hesitated. โYou mean Atlanta?โ โThatโs the one.โ
โBut this Phorcys,โ Jason said. โIs he a giant? A Titan?โ Bacchus laughed. โNeither. Seek out the salt water.โ โSalt waterโฆโ Percy said. โIn Atlanta?โ
โYes,โ Bacchus said. โAre you hard of hearing? If anyone can give you insight on Gaea and the twins, itโs Phorcys. Just watch out for him.โ
โWhat do you mean?โ Jason asked.
The god glanced at the sun, which had climbed almost to high noon. โItโs unlike Ceres to be late, unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Orโฆโ
The godโs face suddenly went slack. โOr a trap. Well, I must be going!
And if I were you, Iโd do the same!โ โLord Bacchus, wait!โ Jason protested.
The god shimmered and disappeared with a sound like a soda-can top
being popped.
The wind rustled through the sunflowers. The horses paced in agitation. Despite the dry, hot day, Piper shivered. A cold feelingโฆAnnabeth and Leo had both described a cold feeling.โฆ
โBacchus is right,โ she said. โWe need to leaveโโ
Too late,ย said a sleepy voice, humming through the fields all around them and resonating in the ground at Piperโs feet.
Percy and Jason drew their swords. Piper stood on the road between them, frozen with fear. The power of Gaea was suddenly everywhere. The sunflowers turned to look at them. The wheat bent toward them like a million scythes.
Welcome to my party,ย Gaea murmured. Her voice reminded Piper of corn growingโa crackling, hissing, hot and persistent noise she used to hear at Grandpa Tomโs on those quiet nights in Oklahoma.
What did Bacchus say?ย the goddess mocked.ย A simple, low-key affair with organic snacks? Yes. For my snacks, I need only two: the blood of a female demigod, and the blood of a male. Piper, my dear, choose which hero will die with you.
โGaea!โ Jason yelled. โStop hiding in the wheat. Show yourself!โ
Such bravado,ย Gaea hissed.ย But the other one, Percy Jackson, also has appeal. Choose, Piper McLean, or I will.
Piperโs heart raced. Gaea meant to kill her. That was no surprise. But what was this about choosing one of the boys? Why would Gaea let either of them go? It had to be a trap.
โYouโre insane!โ she shouted. โIโm not choosing anything for you!โ Suddenly Jason gasped. He sat up straight in his saddle.
โJason!โ Piper cried. โWhatโs wrongโ?โ
He looked down at her, his expression deadly calm. His eyes were no longer blue. They glowed solid gold.
โPercy, help!โ Piper stumbled back from Tempest.
But Percy galloped away from them. He stopped thirty feet down the road and wheeled his pegasus around. He raised his sword and pointed the tip toward Jason.
โOne will die,โย Percy said, but the voice wasnโt his. It was deep and
hollow, like someone whispering from inside the barrel of a cannon.ย โI will choose,โย Jason answered, in the same hollow voice. โNo!โ Piper yelled.
All around her, the fields crackled and hissed, laughing in Gaeaโs voice as Percy and Jason charged at each other, their weapons ready.