The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus, #2)

by Rick Riordan

Good memories washed over him: the smell of strawberry fields in the warm summer sun, fireworks lighting up the beach on the Fourth of July, satyrs playing panpipes at the nightly campfire, and a kiss at the bottom of the canoe lake.

Frank choked when he heard about Tyson. “You have a half-brother who’s a Cyclops?” “Sure,” Percy said. “Which makes him your great-great-great—” “Please.” Frank covered his ears. “Enough.”

“I can’t believe how much this place has grown,” Hazel muttered. The taxi driver grinned in the rearview mirror. “Been a long time since you visited, miss?” “About seventy years,” Hazel said. The driver slid the glass partition closed and drove on in silence.

They all ordered massive plates of eggs, pancakes, and reindeer sausage, though Frank looked a little worried about the reindeer. “You think it’s okay that we’re eating Rudolph?” “Dude,” Percy said, “I could eat Prancer and Blitzen, too. I’m hungry.”

“Now I don’t have a spear, and I’m almost out of arrows. And…I’m scared.” “I’d be worried if you weren’t scared,” Percy said. “We’re all scared.”

Percy sighed. “Another inspiring speech from Jackson,” he said to himself. “Rest up, Frank. Big day ahead.”

Instantly, she was frozen in a memory. Not now! she wanted to scream. Ella said I was done with blackouts! Oh, but my dear, said the voice of Gaea, this is not one of your blackouts. This is a gift from me.

Frank hovered over them, yelling, “Oh, gods! Oh, gods! Oh, gods!” He yanked some extra clothes from his bag and started toweling off Hazel’s face, but it didn’t do much good. He dragged Percy farther from the muskeg. “You were down there so long!” Frank cried. “I didn’t think—oh, gods, don’t ever do something like that again!” He wrapped Hazel in a bear hug. “Can’t—breathe,” she choked out.

Then Percy studied the picture of Sammy. “Who is that?” Hazel didn’t understand why he looked so spooked. “That’s…that’s Sammy. He was my—uh—friend from New Orleans.” She forced herself not to look at Frank. “I’ve seen him before,” Percy said. “You couldn’t have,” Hazel said. “That was in 1941. He’s…he’s probably dead now.” Percy frowned. “I guess. Still…” He shook his head, like the thought was too uncomfortable.

“But when I was down in the mud, I remembered that line from Ella’s prophecy—about the son of Neptune drowning. I thought. ‘This is what it means. I’m drowning in the earth.’ I was sure I was dead.”

“He followed me!” Hazel beamed. “Because he’s the best—horse—EVER! Now, get on!” “All three of us?” Percy said. “Can he handle it?” Arion whinnied indignantly. “All right, no need to be rude,” Percy said. “Let’s go.”

“We have to,” Percy said. “The giant is at the top.” Arion nickered. “Jeez, Hazel,” Percy said, “tell your horse to watch his language.” Hazel tried not to laugh. “What did he say?” “With the cussing removed? He said he can get us to the top.” Frank looked incredulous. “I thought the horse couldn’t fly!” This time Arion whinnied so angrily, even Hazel could guess he was cursing. “Dude,” Percy told the horse, “I’ve gotten suspended for saying less than that. Hazel, he promises you’ll see what he can do as soon as you give the word.”

Before Hazel could change her mind, she urged Arion through the gates. The layout was so familiar—cohort barracks, baths, armory. It was an exact replica of Camp Jupiter, except three times as big.

The god’s hood fell away and his robes dropped off as he spread his wings, leaving him in only a sleeveless black tunic belted at the waist. He was the most beautiful man Hazel had ever seen.

“It’s Cupid,” Frank said. “A really buff Cupid,” Percy agreed.

Thanatos smiled. “Only the fire of life can melt the chains of death.” “Without the riddles, please?” Percy asked. Frank drew a shaky breath. “It isn’t a riddle.” “Frank, no,” Hazel said weakly. “There’s got to be another way.” Laughter boomed across the glacier. A rumbling voice said: “My friends. I’ve waited so long!”

He pulled a pure-black iPad from thin air. Death tapped the screen a few times, and all Frank could think was: Please don’t let there be an app for reaping souls.

“Are you sure?” Death asked helpfully. “I have video conferencing enabled. I have his Skype address here somewhere…” “Really, no.” Hazel looked as if several thousand pounds of worry had just been lifted from her shoulders. “Thank you.”

“Here’s a tip, Alcyoneus. Next time you choose the biggest state for your home, don’t set up base in the part that’s only ten miles wide. Welcome to Canada, idiot.”

Percy frowned. “The fall? That was nothing. I fell twice that far from the St. Louis Arch.” “You did what?” Hazel asked. “Never mind. The important thing was I didn’t drown.” “So the prophecy was incomplete!” Hazel grinned. “It probably said something like: The son of Neptune will drown a whole bunch of ghosts.”

“I got a bone to pick with you, Zhang. You can turn into an eagle? And a bear?” “And an elephant,” Hazel said proudly. “An elephant.” Percy shook his head in disbelief. “That’s your family gift? You can change shape?”

“And he got that gift from Poseidon,” Percy said. “That’s completely unfair. I can’t turn into animals.” Frank stared at him. “Unfair? You can breathe underwater and blow up glaciers and summon freaking hurricanes—and it’s unfair that I can be an elephant?” Percy considered. “Okay. I guess you got a point. But next time I say you’re totally beast—” “Just shut up,” Frank said. “Please.” Percy cracked a smile.

Even Frank helped by turning into a seal, which was kind of cool, though Percy claimed his breath smelled like fish.

“Hazel,” Percy said, “I am seriously going to wash your horse’s mouth with soap. He says, yes, he can pull it, but he needs food.”

(That was the downside of dating the smartest girl at camp: You learn stuff.)

Ella fluttered to the ground and began preening her feathers. “Ella found a dog,” she announced. “A large dog. And a Cyclops.”

Tyson ran down the hill, waving his club and yelling, “Bad pony-men! BOO!” while Ella fluttered around him, reciting facts from the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

He passed Mrs. O’Leary, who looked up curiously with a gorgon wriggling in her mouth. “I’m fine!” Percy yelled as he ran by, followed by a giant screaming bloody murder.

“The groin. The Earthborn’s groin is sensitive.” SMASH! “Good. Yes. Tyson found its groin.” “Percy needs help?” Tyson called. “I’m good!” “Die!” Polybotes yelled, closing fast. Percy kept running.

One grain spirit yelled, “Wheat! I’ll give you wheat!” but Arion stomped him into a pile of breakfast cereal.

“Enough!” The giant stepped on the statue and broke Terminus in three pieces—pedestal, body, and head. “You DIDN’T!” shouted Terminus.

If you ever need a new girlfriend…well, I think you’d look great in an iron collar and an orange jumpsuit.” Percy couldn’t tell if she was kidding or not. He politely thanked her and changed seats.

“Don’t get testy. If we are to defeat Gaea, our plans must be timed perfectly. First, I needed Jason and his friends to free me from my prison—” “Your prison? You were in prison and they let you out?” “Don’t sound so surprised, dear! I’m a sweet old woman.

“Because I was right,” Percy said. “And he was wrong.” The old lady shrugged. “He should be used to that, after so many eons married to me, but alas!

“Wow.” Percy handed back the book. “Maybe Mars is different than Ares. I don’t think Ares can read.”

“Good morning, brothers!” Tyson had hay in his hair and peanut butter in his teeth. “The scroll is from Leo. He is funny and small.”

See you soon. Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out.”

“It’s Sammy Valdez,” she said. “But how…how—” “It can’t be,” Percy said. “That guy’s name is Leo. And it’s been seventy-something years. It has to be a…”