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chapter thirteen.
(  titan's curse  )
❝ zoë's pet dragon! ❞

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      "Can't this thing go any faster?" Thalia demanded.

     Zoë glared at her. "I cannot control traffic."

     "You both sound like my mother," Percy muttered.

     "Shut up!"

     Zoë weaved in and out of traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. The sun was sinking on the horizon when we finally got into Marin County and exited the highway.

      The roads were insanely narrow, winding through forests and up the sides of hills and round the edges of steep ravines. Zoë didn't slow down at all, and I feel like Thalia was regretting sitting in the passenger seat.

     "Why does everything smell like cough drops?" Percy asked.

     "Eucalyptus," Zoë pointed to huge trees all around us.

     "The stuff koala bears eat?"

     I sighed, "Percy. They aren't koala bears. They're just koalas. They're not bears, they're just koalas."

     "Whatever."

     I rolled my eyes.

    "Monsters eat them too," Zoë said. "They love chewing the leaves. Especially dragons."

     "Dragons chew eucalyptus leaves?" Percy asked.

     "Believe me," Zoë said, "if you had dragon breath, you would chew eucalyptus, too."

     Ahead of us loomed Mount Tamalpais. In terms of mountains, it was small, but it looked huge. And it seemed a lot bigger considering what was awaiting us.

     "So, that's the Mountain of Despair?" Percy asked.

    "Yes," Zoë said rightly.

     "Why do they call it that?"

    She was silent for almost a mile before answering. "After the war between Titans and the gods, many of the Titans were punished and imprisoned. Kronos's right-hand man, the general of his forces, was imprisoned up there, on the summit, just beyond the Garden of the Hesperides."

      "The General," Percy said. He shared a glance with me, and he knew I knew what was happening. I knew who the General was, and if the General was Zoë's father, and then I knew exactly where she was taking us, and exactly who she was. We were going to fight Atlas, Titan who held up the sky on Mount Tamalpais. And if he wasn't holding it up, then who was?

      A part of me was worried that it was Annabeth.

     "What's going on up there?" Percy muttered, looking up at the mountain. Clouds seemed to be swirling around its peak, as though the mountain were drawing them in. "A storm?"

     Zoë didn't answer. I have a feeling she knew exactly what the clouds meant, and she didn't like it.

     "We have to concentrate," Thalia muttered. "The Mist is strong here."

    "The magical kind or the natural kind?"

    "Both."

    The grey clouds swirled even thicker. I would be lying if I wasn't nervous. I knew we would have to fight, and I don't think I can do it. I don't have my powers. I'm just useless. All I am is someone who needs to be protected and baby-sat so I don't die again. Percy frowned at the look on my face, and he held out his hand for comfort, as if saying: it's okay, I'm here, we're in this together. But I just shook my head at him and stared out the window. I was still angry, and I want him to know that. He's making me doubt myself.

      Or maybe I'm just doing that to myself.

     And then I saw something. My blood went ice cold.

    "He's here," I said.

     "What?" Percy frowned.

     "L-Luke," I pointed to the water down below. "H-his ship. The Princess Andromeda."

     I had died on that ship, seeing it again was like a kick in the stomach. It was docked at the beach; pearly white and demonic.

      "We will have company, then," Zoë said grimly "Kronos's army."

     My grip on the handle above the door tightened. But it loosened when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I glanced at Percy ... I knew this feeling.

      Thalia jolted, "Stop the car," she shouted. "NOW!"

     Zoë didn't need to be told twice. She slammed her foot on the break. We spun twice before coming to a stop on the edge of the cliff.

      "Out!" Thalia opened the door and jumped out.

      I pushed Percy out of the door and we both rolled onto the pavement. The next second: BOOOM!

      Lightning flashed, and Dr Chase's car erupted into flames. Percy and I would've been killed if it weren't for Thalia's shield. I looked over the shield once it was over, and the car was scattered all over the road in sharp, yellow pieces.

      "You saved my life," Percy breathed at Thalia.

     "One shall perish by a parent's hand," she muttered. "Curse him. He would destroy me? Me?"

      Percy frowned at her, "Oh, hey, that couldn't have been Zeus's lightning bolt. Now way."

     "Whose, then?" Thalia demanded.

     "I don't know. Zoë said Kronos's name. Maybe he—"

    Thalia shook her head, looking angry and stunned. "No. That wasn't it."

     "Wait," Percy frowned. "Where's Zoë? Zoë!"

     We both ran around the blasted Volkswagen. Nothing inside, nothing either side of the road and nothing down the cliff.

     "Where is she?" I asked. "Zoë?"

    "Zoë!" Percy shouted.

    Then she was right beside us. "Silence, fool! Do  you want to wake Ladon?!"

    "You mean we're here?"

    "Very close," she said. "Follow me."

     Fog drifted across the road. Zoë gave us a glance before she walked through it and disappeared.

     "Whoa," I muttered.

    "Concentrate on Zoë," said Thalia. "We are following her. Go straight into the fog and keep that in mind."

     "Wait, Thalia," Percy turned to her. "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 have actually ... you know?"

     I hated the guilty look on Thalia's face. "I was just shocked, that's all."

    I know she was lying, but there was no point in pushing it. "Thalia," I said. "I know you think it was your father that tried to kill you, but, it wasn't him. It was Kronos. He's trying to manipulate you, make you hate your dad."

     She gave me a slight smile, "Claire, I know you're trying to make me feel better. Thanks. But we have to go. Come on."

     She stepped into the fog—into the Mist, and disappeared. I shared a glance with Percy before following. As I stepped into it, I thought of Zoë and where she was taking us. A cold washed over me and once I stepped through, I was on the other side of the road, but it was dirt not tar. The grass was thicker and the sunset made a blood red slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain was closer now, and the path to the tip was right before us. It led through a lush meadow of flowers and grass.

We were almost there.

° ° °

The garden was beautiful. The grass shimmered in the sunset, except it sparkled with lights, as if there were fairies dancing amongst the ferns. The flowers were wonderful, bright colours of purple, pink, orange and blue that seemed to glow in the dark. Stepping stones, polished black marble, led round either side of a five-story tall apple tree, flourishing with bright golden apples.

I remembered Annabeth mentioning something about golden apples ... and then I realised with a gasp, "The apples of immortality! They were a wedding gift from Hera to Zeus!"

Percy looked as if he wanted to grab one, but he stopped when he saw the dragon coiled around the tree. Its body was thicker than the tree's trunk, with copper scales and more heads than I could count. It seemed to be asleep, the heads lay curled in a big spaghetti-like on the grass, all the eyes closed.

Then the shadow in front of us began to move. Beautiful voices—eerie singing—echoed around the garden, blowing the flowers and grass at our feet. Percy reached for his sword, but Zoë held out her hand to stop him. Four figures shimmered into view; four young women, who all looked almost exactly like Zoe. Caramel skin, midnight black hair. Zoë's siblings, the Hesperides, looked like embodiments of the moonlight; gorgeous and dangerous.

"Sisters," Zoë greeted.

"We do not see any sister," one of the girls said coldly. "We see three half-bloods and a Hunter. All of whom shall soon die."

"You've got it wrong," Percy stepped forward. "Nobody is going to die."

The girls studied Percy. They had glassy black eyes—like obsidian. "Percy 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, towards the top of the mountains. "They fear thee. They are unhappy that this one has not yet killed thee."

She pointed at Thalia. The daughter of Zeus narrowed her eyes, "Tempting sometimes, 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," Zoë added. "We must approach the mountain."

"You know he will kill thee," the girl said. "You are no match for him."

"Artemis must be freed," Zoë insisted. "Let us pass."

Her sister shook her head. "You have no right here any more. We have only to raise our voices and Ladon will wake."

"He will not hurt me."

"No? And what about thy so-called friends?"

Zoë did the last thing I expected. She turned to the dragon and shouted, "Ladon! Wake!"

The dragon stirred, and the Hesperides yelped and scattered. The eldest said to Zoë, "Are you mad?!"

"You never had any courage, sister," Zoë said. "That is thy problem."

Ladon was writhing now, a hundred heads whipping around and tongues flickering. Zoë took a step forward, her arms raised.

"Zoë, don't," Thalia said. "You're not a Herisped anymore. He'll kill you."

"Ladon is trained to protect the tree," Zoë said. "Skirt round the edges of the garden. Go up the mountain. As long as I am a bigger threat, he should ignore thee."

"Should," I said. "Not exactly reassuring..."

"It is the only way," she said. "Even the four of us together cannot fight him."

Ladon opened his mouths. The sound of a hundred heads hissing at once sent a shiver down my spine. I realised Zoë was right. We couldn't fight him, no matter how much I wished I could go in there and get her out.

So we split up. Thalia and I went left. Percy went right. Zoë walked straight towards the monster.

"It's me, my little dragon," said Zoë. "Zoë has come back."

Ladon shift forward, then back. Some of the mouths closed. Some kept hissing. Meanwhile, her sisters shimmered and turned to shadows. The voice of the eldest whispered, "Fool."

"I used to feed thee by hand," Zoë continued, speaking in a soothing voice as she stepped towards the golden tree. "Do you still like lamb's meat?"

The dragon's eyes glinted.

Percy, Thalia and I were about halfway around the garden. I could see the trail leading up to the mountain, and to Annabeth, ahead of us. The storm was still swirling above it, spinning on the summit like it was the axis for the whole world. I kinda guess it is.

We almost made it out of the meadow when I felt a tug in my stomach. I felt the dragon's mood shift. The feel of a hundred heads lunging vibrated the ground, and I whirled around to see Ladon attack Zoë.

Two thousand years of training kept her alive. She dodged one head, and tumbled under another. She weaved through the dragon's heads as she ran in our direction, gapping from the dragon's horrible breath. Percy drew riptide to help.

"NO!" Zoë shouted. "Run!"

The dragon snapped at her side, and Zoë cried out. I shouted her name as Thalia uncovered Aegis and the dragon hissed in pain. In this moment of indecision, Zoë sprinted past us up the mountain, and we followed.

We ran up the mountain as fast as we could. The Hesperides resumed their song in the shadows behind us, and it wasn't as beautiful as it was before. Maybe it was because I was half dead, and half alive, but I knew that the song was about death. Ancient, eerie, and I wasn't sure it was about our death or another.

All that I knew was that I was cold. I was colder than I had ever been before.

At the top of the mountain, there were ruins; blocks of black granite and marble bigger than houses. Broken columns that had crumbled down bore the ghost of a once mighty place that now seemed bare and weak.

"The ruins of Mount Othrys," Thalia whispered in awe.

"Yes," Zoë said. "It was not here before. This is bad."

"What's Mount Othrys?" Percy asked. I was going to do my usual—gosh you're so stupid why don't you know this voice, as usual, but then I saw his face. He looked embarrassed that he didn't know. I frowned ... all those times I spoke like that—I never meant any harm by it, I was always joking, but ... had it really made him think he was a fool? Percy wasn't a fool. He was smarter than he realised. Guilt heaved in my chest.

"The mountain fortress of the Titans," Zoë said. "In the first war, Olympus and Othrys were the two rival capitals of the world. Othrys was—" she winced and held her side.

Immediately, I stepped forward. I may not be able to heal her, but I know an injury when I see one. "You're hurt," I said. "Let me have a look—"

"No, it is nothing." I knew it wasn't nothing, but she gave me a look and I pursed my lips. I took a step backwards nonetheless. "I was saying ... in the first war, Othrys was blasted to pieces."

"But ..." Percy frowned. "How is it here?"

Thalia gave a nervous glance around the ruin. "It moves the same way that Olympus moves. It always exists on the edges of civilisation. But the fact that it is here, on this mountain, is not good."

"Why?"

"This is Atlas's mountain," I said. "Where he holds—" I fell short. We had reached the summit. A few metres ahead of us, grey clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountain top. However, instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress: Artemis. "... Where he used to hold the sky..."

Zoë gasped. "My lady!" she rushed forward, but Artemis cried out, "Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now!"

Her voice was strained. She was drenched in sweat. Seeing a god in pain made my chest tighten. Gods were never in pain ... I couldn't imagine how much pain holding the sky was if a god found it painful. Zoë was crying. She ran forward despite Artemis's protests, and tugged at the chains in desperation.

"Ah, how touching."

Even the sky seemed to tremble a little bit. We spun around and there he was; the General, or Atlas. At his side were Luke and Jay, along with half a dozen dracaenae bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. Annabeth was also there. As soon as I saw her, I cried out her name and went to run towards her, but Jay held out a sword to stop me. It was probably for the best as well, for Luke had the point of his sword to her throat.

I met her eyes, trying to ask her a thousand questions. Annabeth as well—she had a look in her eyes that was a mix between: you're alive? and get out of here!

"Luke," Thalia snarled. "Let her go."

Luke's smile was weak and pale ... I had never seen him like that. He looked tired, he looked dead ... in fact, Luke looked scared. Despite everything, I itched to go towards him and ask what was wrong. To bring him home—to bring him and Jay home. "That is the General's decision, Thalia. But it's good to see you again."

Thalia spat at him.

Luke then smiled at me, "So, the prophecy was true. You came back, just like Lord Kronos said."

I tried to hide how much my fingers trembled. "Luke ... just ... just let Annabeth go, please."

The General chuckled, "So much for old friends. And you, Zoë. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

"Do not respond," Artemis groaned. "Do not challenge him."

"Wait," Percy frowned. "You're Atlas?"

Atlas glanced at him. "So, even the stupidest of heroes can finally figure something out. Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans and terror of the gods. Congratulations. I will kill you presently, as soon as I deal with this wretched girl."

I pulled out my dagger, "Touch Zoë and you'll regret it."

Percy stepped forward beside me, "You're not going to hurt Zoë," he said. "We won't let you."

Atlas sneered. "You have no right to interfere, little heroes. This is a family matter."

Percy frowned, "A family matter?"

"Yes," Zoë said bleakly. "Atlas is my father."

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    a/n: imma fail hsc at this point. also, another short chapter. sorry not sorry?