Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
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"Very close," she said. "Follow me."
Sheets of fog were drifting right across the road. Zoe stepped into one of them, and when
the fog passed, she was no longer there. Thalia and I looked at each other.
"Concentrate on Zoe," Thalia advised. "We are following her. Go straight into the fog and
keep that in mind."
"Wait, Thalia. About what happened back on the pier… I mean, with the manticore and the
sacrifice—"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"You wouldn't actually have… you know?"
She hesitated. "I was just shocked. That's all."
"Zeus didn't send that lighting bolt at the car. It was Kronos. He's trying to manipulate you,
make you angry at your dad."
She took a deep breath. "Percy, I know you're trying to make me feel better. Thanks. But
come on. We need to go."
She stepped into the fog, into the Mist, and I followed.
When the fog cleared, I was still on the side of the mountain, but the road was dirt. The
grass was thicker. The sunset made a bloodred slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain
seemed closer now, swirling with storm clouds and raw power. There was only one path to the top,
directly in front of us. And it led through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers: the garden of
twilight, just like I'd seen in my dream.
If it hadn't been for the enormous dragon, the garden would've been the most beautiful place
I'd ever seen. The grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant
colors they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either
side of a five-story-tall apple tree, every bough glittering with golden apples, and I don't mean yellow
golden apples like i n the grocery store. I mean real golden apples. I can't describe why they were so
appealing, but as soon as I smelled their fragrance, I knew that one bite would be the most delicious
thing I'd ever tasted.
"The apples of immortality," Thalia said. "Hera's wedding gift from Zeus."
I wanted to step right up and pluck one, except for the dragon coiled around the tree.
Now, I don't know what you think of when I say dragon. Whatever it is, it's not scary enough.
The serpent's body was as thick as a booster rocket, glinting with coppery scales. He had more
heads than I could count, as if a hundred deadly pythons had been fused together. He appeared to
be asleep. The heads lay curled in a big spaghetti-like mound on the grass, all the eyes closed.
Then the shadows in front of us began to move. There was a beautiful, eerie singing, like
voices from the bottom of a well. I reached for Riptide, but Zoe stopped my hand.
Four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked very much like Zoe.
They all wore white Greek chitons. Their skin was like caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose
around their shoulders. It was strange, but I'd never realized how beautiful Zoe was until I saw her
siblings, the Hesperides. They looked just like Zoe—gorgeous, and probably very dangerous.
"Sisters," Zoe said.
"We do not see any sister," one of the girls said coldly. "We see two half-bloods and a
Hunter. All of whom shall soon die."
"You've got it wrong." I stepped forward. "Nobody is going to die."
The girls studied me. They had eyes like volcanic rock, glassy and completely black.
"Perseus Jackson," one of them said.
"Yes," mused another. "I do not see why he is a threat."
"Who said I was a threat?"
The first Hesperid glanced behind her, toward the top of the mountain. "They fear thee. They
are unhappy that this one has not yet killed thee."
She pointed at Thalia.
"Tempting sometimes," Thalia admitted. "But no, thanks. He's my friend."
"There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus," the girl said. "Only enemies. Go back."
"Not without Annabeth," Thalia said.
"And Artemis," Zoe said. "We must approach the mountain."