Rick Riordan The Titan ’ s Curse - 03
" I ' m sorry about what happened at Westover . I should ' ve waited for you guys ."
'" S okay , Percy . I probably would ' ve done the same thing ." She shifted from foot to foot , like she was trying to decide whether or not to say more . " You know , you asked about my mom and I kinda snapped at you . It ' s just … I went back to find her after seven years , and I found out she died in Los Angeles . She , um … she was a heavy drinker , and apparently she was out driving late one night about two years ago , and …" Thalia blinked hard . " I ' m sorry ." " Yeah , well . It ' s … it ' s not like we were ever close . I ran away when I was ten . Best two years of my life were when I was running around with Luke and Annabeth . But still —" " That ' s why you had trouble with the sun van ." She gave me a wary look . " What do you mean ?" " The way you stiffened up . You must ' ve been thinking about your mom , not wanting to get behind the wheel ." I was sorry I ' d said anything . Thalia ' s expression was dangerously close to Zeus ' s , the one time I ' d seen him get angry — like any minute , her eyes would shoot a million volts . " Yeah ," she muttered . " Yeah , that must ' ve been it ." She trudged off toward the court , where the Ares camper and the Hunter were trying to kill each other with a sword and a basketball .
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The cabins were the weirdest collection of buildings you ' ve ever seen . Zeus and Hera ' s big white-columned buildings , Cabins One and Two , stood in the middle , with five gods ' cabins on the left and five goddesses ' cabins on the right , so they all made a U around the central green and the barbecue hearth .
I made the rounds , telling everybody about capture the flag . I woke up some Ares kid from his midday nap and he yelled at me to go away . When I asked him where Clarisse was he said , " Went on a quest for Chiron . Top secret !" " Is she okay ?" " Haven ' t heard from her in a month . She ' s missing in action . Like your butt ' s gonna be if you don ' t get outta here !" I decided to let him go back to sleep . Finally I got to Cabin Three , the cabin of Poseidon . It was a low gray building hewn from sea stone , with shells and coral fossils imprinted in the rock . Inside , it was just as empty as always , except for my bunk . A Minotaur horn hung on the wall next to my pillow .
I took Annabeth ' s baseball cap out of my backpack and set it on my nightstand . I ' d give it to her when I found her . And I would find her .
I took off my wristwatch and activated the shield . It creaked noisily as it spiraled out . Dr . Thorn ' s spikes had dented the brass in a dozen places . One gash kept the shield from opening all the way , so it looked like a pizza with two slices missing . The beautiful metal pictures that my brother had crafted were all banged up . In the picture of me and Annabeth fighting the Hydra , it looked like a meteor had made a crater in my head . I hung the shield on its hook , next to the Minotaur horn , but it was painful to look at now . Maybe Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin could fix it for me . He was the best armorsmith in the camp . I ' d ask him at dinner .
I was staring at the shield when I noticed a strange sound — water gurgling — and I realized there was something new in the room . At the back of the cabin was a big basin of gray sea rock , with a spout like the head of a fish carved in stone . Out of its mouth burst a stream of water , a saltwater spring that trickled into the pool . The water must ' ve been hot , because it sent mist into the cold winter air like a sauna . It made the room feel warm and summery , fresh with the smell of the sea .
I stepped up to the pool . There was no note attached or anything , but I knew it could only be a gift from Poseidon . I looked into the water and said , " Thanks , Dad ." The surface rippled . At the bottom of the pool , coins shimmered — a dozen or so golden drachma . I realized what the fountain was for . It was a reminder to keep in touch with my family . I opened the nearest window , and the wintry sunlight made a rainbow in the mist . Then I fished a coin out of the hot water .