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

by Rick Riordan

Afterward, Thalia did something that surprised me almost as much as the pledge. She came over to me, smiled, and in front of the whole assembly, she gave me a big hug. I blushed. When she pulled away and gripped my shoulders, I said, “Um…aren’t you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean?”

There are parties, and then there are huge, major, blowout parties. And then there are Olympian parties. If you ever get a choice, go for the Olympian.

Apollo told me I could drive his sun chariot any time, and if I ever wanted archery lessons— “Thanks,” I told him. “But seriously, I’m no good at archery.” “Ah, nonsense,” he said. “Target practice from the chariot as we fly over the U.S.? Best fun there is!”

I made some excuses and wove through the crowds that were dancing in the palace courtyards. I was looking for Annabeth. Last I saw her, she’d been dancing with some minor godling.

“Your former friend Luke,” Poseidon corrected. “He once promised things like that. He was Hermes’s pride and joy. Just bear that in mind, Percy. Even the bravest can fall.” “Luke fell pretty hard,” I agreed. “He’s dead.” Poseidon shook his head. “No, Percy. He is not.” I stared at him. “What?” “I believe Annabeth told you this. Luke still lives. I have seen it. His boat sails from San Francisco with the remains of Kronos even now. He will retreat and regroup before assaulting you again. I will do my best to destroy his boat with storms, but he is making alliances with my enemies, the older spirits of the ocean. They will fight to protect him.”

“If it were so easy, he would have escaped long ago. No, my son. The curse of the sky can only be forced upon a Titan, one of the children of Gaia and Ouranous. Anyone else must choose to take the burden of their own free will. Only a hero, someone with strength, a true heart, and great courage, would do such a thing. No one in Kronos’s army would dare try to bear that weight, even upon pain of death.”

Athena looked almost sorry for me. “Kronos knows your flaw, even if you do not. He knows how to study his enemies. Think, Percy. How has he manipulated you? First, your mother was taken from you. Then your best friend, Grover. Now my daughter, Annabeth.” She paused, disapproving. “In each case, your loved ones have been used to lure you into Kronos’s traps. Your fatal flaw is personal loyalty, Percy. You do not know when it is time to cut your losses. To save a friend, you would sacrifice the world. In a hero of the prophecy, that is very, very dangerous.”

“I hope the Council’s decisions prove wise,” Athena said. “But I will be watching, Percy Jackson. I do not approve of your friendship with my daughter. I do not think it wise for either of you. And should you begin to waver in your loyalties…” She fixed me with her cold gray stare, and I realized what a terrible enemy Athena would make, ten times worse than Ares or Dionysus or maybe even my father. Athena would never give up. She would never do something rash or stupid just because she hated you, and if she made a plan to destroy you, it would not fail.

“Percy!” Annabeth said, running through the crowd. She stopped short when she saw who I was talking to. “Oh…Mom.” “I will leave you,” Athena said. “For now.”

“Was she giving you a hard time?” Annabeth asked. “No,” I said. “It’s…fine.” She studied me with concern. She touched the new streak of gray in my hair that matched hers exactly—our painful souvenir from holding Atlas’s burden. There was a lot I’d wanted to say to Annabeth, but Athena had taken the confidence out of me. I felt like I’d been punched in the gut.

“So,” Annabeth said. “What did you want to tell me earlier?” The music was playing. People were dancing in the streets. I said, “I, uh, was thinking we got interrupted at Westover Hall. And…I think I owe you a dance.” She smiled slowly. “All right, Seaweed Brain.” So I took her hand, and I don’t know what everybody else heard, but to me it sounded like a slow dance: a little sad, but maybe a little hopeful, too.

Chiron said with forced cheerfulness. “The important thing is you have prevailed. And you saved Annabeth!” Annabeth smiled at me gratefully, which made me look away.

“Luke is alive,” I said. “Annabeth was right.” Annabeth sat up. “How do you know?” I tried not to feel annoyed by her interest. I told her what my dad had said about the Princess Andromeda. “Well.” Annabeth shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “If the final battle does come when Percy is sixteen, at least we have two more years to figure something out.” I had a feeling that when she said “figure something out,” she meant “get Luke to change his ways,” which annoyed me even more.

“She’s dead.” He closed his eyes. His whole body trembled with rage. “I should’ve known it earlier. She’s in the Fields of Asphodel, standing before the judges right now, being evaluated. I can feel it.” “What do you mean, you can feel it?”

“No!” Nico shouted louder. “Go away!” The ground rumbled beneath me. The skeletons froze. I rolled out of the way just as a crack opened at the feet of the four warriors. The ground ripped apart like a snapping mouth. Flames erupted from the fissure, and the earth swallowed the skeletons in one loud CRUNCH! Silence.

I picked up the god statue Bianca had retrieved from the junkyard for Nico. The only statue he didn’t have, she’d said. A last gift from his sister. I stared at it with dread, because now I understood why the face looked familiar. I’d seen it before. It was a statue of Hades, Lord of the Dead.

I was still trying to figure out why I’d said that, but the words spilled out of me. “We can’t let anyone know. I don’t think anyone realizes that Nico is a—” “A son of Hades,” Annabeth said. “Percy, do you have any idea how serious this is? Even Hades broke the oath! This is horrible!” “I don’t think so,” I said. “I don’t think Hades broke the oath.” “What?” “He’s their dad,” I said, “but Bianca and Nico have been out of commission for a long time, since even before World War II.” “The Lotus Casino!” Grover said, and he told Annabeth about the conversations we’d had with Bianca on the quest. “She and Nico were stuck there for decades. They were born before the oath was made.”

“But you can’t hide things from the gods. Not forever.” “I don’t need forever,” I said. “Just two years. Until I’m sixteen.” Annabeth paled. “But, Percy, this means the prophecy might not be about you. It might be about Nico. We have to—” “No,” I said. “I choose the prophecy. It will be about me.” “Why are you saying that?” she cried. “You want to be responsible for the whole world?” It was the last thing I wanted, but I didn’t say that. I knew I had to step up and claim it.

“This winter will be hard…the hardest for many centuries. It’s best that you go home to the city, Percy; try to keep your mind on school. And rest. You will need rest.” I looked at Annabeth. “What about you?” Her cheeks flushed. “I’m going to try San Francisco after all. Maybe I can keep an eye on Mount Tam, make sure the Titans don’t try anything else.” “You’ll send an Iris-message if anything goes wrong?” She nodded.

“All right,” I said. “Just take care of yourself. And no crazy stunts in the Sopwith Camel.” She smiled tentatively. “Deal. And, Percy—” Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by Grover,