The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3)

by Rick Riordan

“Watch her head!” Grover warned as we went up the stairs. But it was too late. Bonk! I whacked her mummified face against the trapdoor frame and dust flew. “Ah, man.” I set her down and checked for damage. “Did I break anything?” “I can’t tell,” Grover admitted.

Dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: Cheez Whiz, crackers, and several bottles of red wine. Then Chiron reminded him that wine was against his restrictions and most of us were underage. Mr. D sighed. With a snap of his fingers the wine turned to Diet Coke. Nobody drank that either.

“One shall perish by a parent’s hand,” Grover said in between bites of Cheez Whiz and Ping-Pong balls. “How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?” There was heavy silence around the table. I glanced at Thalia and wondered if she was thinking the same thing I was. Years ago, Chiron had had a prophecy about the next child of the Big Three—Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades—who turned sixteen. Supposedly, that kid would make a decision that would save or destroy the gods forever. Because of that, the Big Three had taken an oath after World War II not to have any more kids. But Thalia and I had been born anyway, and now we were both getting close to sixteen.

Except apollo said Thalia is almost 16

“There will be deaths,” Chiron decided. “That much we know.” “Oh, goody!” Dionysus said. Everyone looked at him. He glanced up innocently from the pages of Wine Connoisseur magazine. “Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback. Don’t mind me.”

“As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish Bianca to go.” Bianca looked stunned. “Me? But…I’m so new. I wouldn’t be any good.” “You will do fine,” Zoë insisted. “There is no better way to prove thyself.”

So biancas parent might kill her

“I have to go,” I said. “I need to be on this quest.” “Why?” Zoë asked. “Because of thy friend Annabeth?” I felt myself blushing. I hated that everyone was looking at me. “No! I mean, partly. I just feel like I’m supposed to go!”

“It’s okay,” I lied. “Really. It’s fine.” Grover’s lower lip trembled. “I wasn’t even thinking…I was so focused on helping Artemis. But I promise, I’ll look everywhere for Annabeth. If I can find her, I will.” I nodded and tried to ignore the big crater that was opening in my chest.

Percy. Tell me what’s wrong.” She always knew when something was wrong. I told her about Annabeth. The other stuff too, but mostly it boiled down to Annabeth. My mother’s eyes teared up. I could tell she was trying hard to keep it together for my sake. “Oh, Percy…” “Yeah. So they tell me there’s nothing I can do. I guess I’ll be coming home.” She turned her pencil around in her fingers. “Percy, as much as I want you to come home”—she sighed like she was mad at herself—“as much as I want you to be safe, I want you to understand something. You need to do whatever you think you have to.”

I stared at her. “What do you mean?” “I mean, do you really, deep down, believe that you have to help save her? Do you think it’s the right thing to do? Because I know one thing about you, Percy. Your heart is always in the right place. Listen to it.” “You’re…you’re telling me to go?” My mother pursed her lips. “I’m telling you that…you’re getting too old for me to tell you what to do. I’m telling you that I’ll support you, even if what you decide to do is dangerous. I can’t believe I’m saying this.”

“I don’t have much time,” my mom said. “Percy, whatever you decide, I love you. And I know you’ll do what’s best for Annabeth.” “How can you be sure?” “Because she’d do the same for you.”

Artemis’s eyes flashed with anger. I didn’t know why she just didn’t will the chains to burst, or make herself disappear, but she didn’t seem able to. Maybe the chains prevented her, or some magic about this dark, horrible place. The goddess looked at Annabeth and her expression changed to concern and outrage. “How dare you torture a maiden like this!”

Artemis ran to Annabeth and took the burden from her shoulders. Annabeth collapsed on the ground and lay there shivering. Artemis staggered, trying to support the weight of the black rocks.

I looked back at my comfortable bed. My bronze shield still hung on the wall, dented and unusable. And on my nightstand was Annabeth’s magic Yankees cap. On an impulse, I stuck the cap in my pocket. I guess I had a feeling, even then, that I wasn’t coming back to my cabin for a long, long time.

Then I went to work on the net, untangling it section by section, getting lead weights and fishing hooks straightened out, yanking out knots around the cow serpent’s hooves. It took forever—I mean, it was worse than the time I’d had to untangle all my video game controller wires.

“You’re planning to go anyway, aren’t you?” I wanted to say no. But he looked me in the eyes, and I somehow couldn’t lie to him. “Yeah,” I said. “I have to find Annabeth. I have to help, even if they don’t want me to.”

I started thinking about air patrols and missiles and stuff like that. I didn’t know exactly how all those defenses worked, and wasn’t sure if pegasi even showed up on your typical military radar, but I didn’t want to find out by getting shot out of the sky.

“Excellent! Water them, and we will let them scent their prey.” The guard picked up a little tin watering can with daisies painted on it, which was kind of bizarre, because what he poured out wasn’t water. It was dark red liquid, and I got the feeling it wasn’t Hawaiian Punch.

“Excellent,” the General said. He climbed onto the balcony railing and jumped down, twenty feet. Where he landed, the marble floor cracked under his leather shoes. He stood, wincing, and rubbed his shoulders. “Curse my stiff neck.” “Another hot pad, sir?” a guard asked. “More Tylenol?” “No! It will pass.” The General brushed off his silk suit, then snatched up the teeth.

The lion seemed to be melting, the way dead monsters do sometimes, until there was nothing left but its glittering fur coat, and even that seemed to be shrinking to the size of a normal lion’s pelt. “Take it,” Zoë told me. I stared at her. “What, the lion’s fur? Isn’t that, like, an animal rights violation or something?” “It is a spoil of war,” she told me. “It is rightly thine.”

“Go,” I said. “They’ll be hunting me. I’ll distract them.” “No,” Zoë said. “We go together.” I stared at her. “But, you said—” “You are part of this quest now,” Zoë said grudgingly. “I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. You are the fifth quest member. And we are not leaving anyone behind.”

“The Hunters tried to recruit you,” I guessed. Her eyes got dangerously bright. I thought she was going to zap me out of the Mercedes, but she just sighed. “I almost joined them,” she admitted. “Luke, Annabeth, and I ran into them once, and Zoë tried to convince me. She almost did, but…” “But?” Thalia’s fingers gripped the wheel. “I would’ve had to leave Luke.” “Oh.”

As I was about to leave, she said, “Percy.” When I looked back, her eyes were red, but I couldn’t tell if it was from anger or sadness. “Annabeth wanted to join the Hunters, too. Maybe you should think about why.”

“Dreams like a podcast, Downloading truth in my ears. They tell me cool stuff.” “Apollo?” I guessed, because I figured nobody else could make a haiku that bad. He put his finger to his lips. “I’m incognito. Call me Fred.” “A god named Fred?” “Eh, well…Zeus insists on certain rules. Hands off, when there’s a human quest. Even when something really major is wrong. But nobody messes with my baby sister. Nobody.”

She seemed to be agonizing over a decision. Then, her fingers trembling, she reached up and plucked a long white brooch from her hair. “If you must fight, take this. My mother, Pleione, gave it to me. She was a daughter of the ocean, and the ocean’s power is within it. My immortal power.”

The girl’s voice softened my heart. I reached down and took the hairpin, and as I did, it grew longer and heavier in my hand, until I held a familiar bronze sword. “Well balanced,” I said. “Though I usually prefer to use my bare hands. What shall I name this blade?” “Anaklusmos,” the girl said sadly. “The current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it, you have been swept out to sea.”

I fished my pen out of my pocket and stared at it. Anaklusmos, the Ancient Greek name for Riptide. A different form, but I was sure it was the same blade I’d seen in my dream. And I was sure of something else, too. The girl I had seen was Zoë Nightshade.

The General had said Annabeth would only be kept alive until the winter solstice. That was Friday, only four days away. And he’d said something about a sacrifice. I didn’t like the sound of that at all.

Bianca nodded. “I hope we find her. Annabeth, I mean. She’s lucky to have a friend like you.” “Lot of good it did her.” “Don’t blame yourself, Percy. You risked your life to save my brother and me. I mean, that was seriously brave. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have felt okay about leaving Nico at the camp. I figured if there were people like you there, Nico would be fine. You’re a good guy.”

“That’s the Erymanthian Boar,” Zoë said, trying to stay calm. “I don’t think we can kill it.” “It’s a gift,” Grover said. “A blessing from the Wild!” The boar said “REEEEEET!” and swung its tusk. Zoë and Bianca dived out of the way. I had to push Grover so he wouldn’t get launched into the mountain on the Boar Tusk Express. “Yeah, I feel blessed!” I said. “Scatter!”

“That’s us,” he said. “Those five nuts right there.” “Which one is me?” I asked. “The little deformed one,” Zoë suggested. “Oh, shut up.”

“This is nothing,” Zoë said. “In the old days, there were more. Whole constellations have disappeared because of human light pollution.” “You talk like you’re not human,” I said. Zoë raised an eyebrow. “I am a Hunter. I care what happens to the wild places of the world. Can the same be said for thee?”

“What I want to know,” Thalia said, looking at Bianca, “is how you destroyed one of the zombies. There are a lot more out there somewhere. We need to figure out how to fight them.” Bianca shook her head. “I don’t know. I just stabbed it and it went up in flames.”

“This is a friendly meeting.” He dug the point of his blade a little farther under my chin. “Of course I’d like to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady.” “What lady?” Thalia asked.

When I saw her, my jaw dropped. I forgot my name. I forgot where I was. I forgot how to speak in complete sentences. She was wearing a red satin dress and her hair was curled in a cascade of ringlets. Her face was the most beautiful I’d ever seen: perfect makeup, dazzling eyes, a smile that would’ve lit up the dark side of the moon. Thinking back on it, I can’t tell you who she looked like. Or even what color her hair or her eyes were. Pick the most beautiful actress you can think of. The goddess was ten times more beautiful than that. Pick your favorite hair color, eye color, whatever. The goddess had that. When she smiled at me, just for a moment she looked a little like Annabeth. Then like this television actress I used to have a crush on in fifth grade. Then…well, you get the idea. “Ah, there you are, Percy,” the goddess said. “I am Aphrodite.”

“Do you know why you’re here?” she asked. I wanted to respond. Why couldn’t I form a complete sentence? She was only a lady. A seriously beautiful lady. With eyes like pools of spring water…Whoa. I pinched my own arm, hard.

“Always some monster. But my dear Percy, that is why the others are on this quest. I’m more interested in you.” My heart pounded. I didn’t want to answer, but her eyes drew an answer right out of my mouth. “Annabeth is in trouble.” Aphrodite beamed. “Exactly!”

“I have to help her,” I said. “I’ve been having these dreams.” “Ah, you even dream about her! That’s so cute!” “No! I mean…that’s not what I meant.”

“You did that?” “Of course! Because really, how boring these Hunters are! A quest for some monster, blah blah blah. Saving Artemis. Let her stay lost, I say. But a quest for true love—” “Wait a second, I never said—” “Oh, my dear. You don’t need to say it. You do know Annabeth was close to joining the Hunters, don’t you?” I blushed. “I wasn’t sure—” “She was about to throw her life away! And you, my dear, you can save her from that. It’s so romantic!” “Uh…”

“Now listen, Percy,” Aphrodite said. “The Hunters are your enemies. Forget them and Artemis and the monster. That’s not important. You just concentrate on finding and saving Annabeth.”

Aphrodite waved her hand irritably. “No, no. I leave the details to you. But it’s been ages since we’ve had a good tragic love story.” “Whoa, first of all, I never said anything about love. And second, what’s up with tragic?” “Love conquers all,” Aphrodite promised.

“Not knowing is half the fun,” Aphrodite said. “Exquisitely painful, isn’t it? Not being sure who you love and who loves you? Oh, you kids! It’s so cute I’m going to cry.” “No, no,” I said. “Don’t do that.”

“And don’t worry,” she said. “I’m not going to let this be easy and boring for you. No, I have some wonderful surprises in store. Anguish. Indecision. Oh, you just wait.” “That’s really okay,” I told her. “Don’t go to any trouble.”

“You’re so cute. I wish all my daughters could break the heart of a boy as nice as you.” Aphro...

Grover was looking at me funny. Being empathic and all, he could usually read my emotions, and I got the feeling he knew exactly what Aphrodite had talked to me about. “So,” I said, anxious to change the subject, “how do we get out of here?”

“Look!” Bianca said. She raced down the hill, tripping over bronze coils and golden plates. She picked up a bow that glowed silver in moonlight. “A Hunter’s bow!” She yelped in surprise as the bow began to shrink, and became a hair clip shaped like a crescent moon. “It’s just like Percy’s sword!” Zoë’s face was grim. “Leave it, Bianca.”

“Someone took something,” Zoë said. “Who took something?” She stared accusingly at me. I shook my head. “I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a thief.”

“Run!” Grover yelped. Great advice, except that it was hopeless. At a leisurely stroll, this thing could outdistance us easily.

We searched until the sun started to rise, but no luck. Zoë sat down and wept. I was stunned to see her cry. Thalia yelled in rage and impaled her sword in the giant’s smashed face. “We can keep searching,” I said. “It’s light now. We’ll find her.” “No we won’t,” Grover said miserably. “It happened just as it was supposed to.” “What are you talking about?” I demanded. He looked up at me with big watery eyes. “The prophecy. One shall be lost in the land without rain.” Why hadn’t I seen it? Why had I let her go instead of me? Here we were in the desert. And Bianca di Angelo was gone.

“No, Percy. I pushed her into going on the quest. I was too anxious. She was a powerful half-blood. She had a kind heart, as well. I…I thought she would be the next lieutenant.” “But you’re the lieutenant.” She gripped the strap of her quiver. She looked more tired than I’d ever seen her. “Nothing can last forever, Percy. Over two thousand years I have led the Hunt, and my wisdom has not improved. Now Artemis herself is in danger.”

Without thinking about it, I took Riptide out of my pocket. Zoë looked at the pen, and her expression was pained. “You made this,” I said. “Who told thee?” “I had a dream about it.” She studied me. I was sure she was going to call me crazy, but she just sighed. “It was a gift. And a mistake.” “Who was the hero?” I asked. Zoë shook her head. “Do not make me say his name. I swore never to speak it again.” “You act like I should know him.” “I am sure you do, hero. Don’t all you boys want to be just like him?”