Rick Riordan
The Titan’s Curse - 03
Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest palace of all, the glowing white hall of
the gods.
Our pegasi set us down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before I could
even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.
Good luck, boss, Blackjack said.
"Yeah." I didn't know why, but I had a sense of doom. I'd never seen all the gods together. I
knew any one of them could blast me to dust, and a few of them would like to.
Hey, if ya don't come back, can I have your cabin for my stable?
I looked at the pegasus.
Just a thought, he said. Sorry.
Blackjack and his friends flew off, leaving Thalia, Annabeth, and me alone. For a minute we
stood there regarding the palace, the way we'd stood together in front of Westover Hall, what
seemed like a million years ago.
And then, side by side, we walked into the throne room.
Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the
cabins at camp. The ceiling above glittered with constellations—even the newest one, Zoe the
Huntress, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn.
All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall, and I'm
telling you, if you've ever had a dozen all-powerful super-huge beings turn their eyes on you at
once… Well, suddenly, facing monsters seemed like a picnic.
"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.
"Mooo!"
That's when I noticed Bessie and Grover.
A sphere of water was hovering in the center of the room, next to the hearth fire. Bessie was
swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out the sides and bottom of
the sphere. He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. Grover was
kneeling at Zeus's throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw us, he cried, "You
made it!"
He started to run toward me, then remembered he was turning his back on Zeus, and looked
for permission.
"Go on," Zeus said. But he wasn't really paying attention to Grover. The lord of the sky was
staring intently at Thalia.
Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the
marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water. The hearth fire crackled.
I looked nervously at my father, Poseidon. He was dressed similar to the last time I'd seen
him: beach shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and sandals. He had a weathered, suntanned face with a dark
beard and deep green eyes. I wasn't sure how he would feel about seeing me again, but the corners
of his eyes crinkled with smile lines. He nodded as if to say It's okay.
Grover gave Annabeth and Thalia big hugs. Then he grasped my arms. "Percy, Bessie and I
made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!"
"Do what?" I asked.
"Heroes," Artemis called.
The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired
girl, perfectly at ease in the midst of the giant Olympians. She walked toward us, her silver robes
shimmering. There was no emotion in her face. She seemed to walk in a column of moonlight.
"The Council has been informed of your deeds," Artemis told us. "They know that Mount
Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of
Kronos. We have voted to act."
There was some mumbling and shuffling among the gods, as if they weren't all happy with
this plan, but nobody protested.
"At my Lord Zeus's command," Artemis said, "my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most
powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena
shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons.
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