Spark [Rick_Riordan]_The_Battle_of_the_Labyrinth_(Percy_ | Page 8

Rick Riordan The Battle of the Labyrinth - 04 she cried . I couldn ’ t stop my blade . It was already in motion .
Just before the celestial bronze hit her , Kelli exploded into flames like a Molotov cocktail . Waves of fire splashed over everything . I ’ d never seen a monster do that before , but I didn ’ t have time to wonder about it . I backed into the band room as the flames engulfed the doorway .
“ Percy ?” Paul Blofis looked completely stunned , staring at me from across the fire . “ What have you done ?” Kids screamed and ran down the hall . The fire alarm wailed . Ceiling sprinklers hissed to life . In the chaos , Rachel tugged on my sleeve . “ You have to get out of here !” She was right . The school was in flames and I ’ d be held responsible . Mortals couldn ’ t see through the Mist properly . To them it would look like I ’ d just attacked a helpless cheerleader in front of a group of witnesses . There was no way I could explain it . I turned from Paul and sprinted for the broken band room window . *** I burst out of the alley onto East 81st and ran straight into Annabeth . “ Hey , you ’ re out early !” she laughed , grabbing my shoulders to keep me from tumbling into the street . “ Watch where you ’ re going , Seaweed Brain .”
For a split second she was in a good mood and everything was fine . She was wearing jeans and an orange camp T-shirt and her clay bead necklace . Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail . Her gray eyes sparkled . She looked like she was ready to catch a movie , have a cool afternoon hanging out together .
Then Rachel Elizabeth Dare , still covered in monster dust , came charging out of the alley , yelling , “ Percy , wait up !”
Annabeth ’ s smile melted . She stared at Rachel , then at the school . For the first time , she seemed to notice the black smoke and ringing fire alarms . She frowned at me . “ What did you do this time ? And who is this ?” “ Oh , Rachel — Annabeth . Annabeth — Rachel . Um , she ’ s a friend , I guess .” I wasn ’ t sure what else to call Rachel . I mean , I barely knew her , but after being in two life-ordeath situations together , I couldn ’ t just call her nobody . “ Hi ,” Rachel said . Then she turned to me . “ You are in so much trouble . And you still owe me an explanation !” Police sirens wailed on FDR Drive . “ Percy ,” Annabeth said coldly . “ We should go .” “ I want to know more about half-bloods ,” Rachel insisted . “ And monsters . And this stuff about the gods .” She grabbed my arm , whipped out a permanent marker , and wrote a phone number on my hand . “ You ’ re going to call me and explain , okay ? You owe me that . Now get going .” “ But —” “ I ’ ll make up some story ,” Rachel said . “ I ’ ll tell them it wasn ’ t your fault . Just go !” She ran back toward the school , leaving Annabeth and me in the street . “ Hey !” I jogged after her . “ There were these two empousai ,” I tried to explain . “ They were cheerleaders , see , and they said camp was going to burn , and —” “ You told a mortal girl about half-bloods ?” “ She can see through the Mist . She saw the monsters before I did .” “ So you told her the truth ?” “ She recognized me from Hoover Dam , so —” “ You ’ ve met her before ?” “ Um , last winter . But seriously , I barely know her .” “ She ’ s kind of cute .” “ I — I never thought about it .” Annabeth kept walking toward York Avenue . “ I ’ ll deal with the school ,” I promised , anxious to change the subject . “ Honest , it ’ ll be fine .” Annabeth wouldn ’ t even look at me . “ I guess our afternoon is off . We should get you out of here , now that the police will be searching for you .” Behind us , smoke billowed up from Goode High School . In the dark column of ashes , I thought I could almost see a face — a she-demon with red eyes , laughing at me . Your pretty little camp in flames , Kelli had said . Your friends made slaves to the Lord of Time .
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