Chapter three ✴ Talk that Talk

THE HUNTERS SET UP THEIR CAMPING SITE in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camplike guard dogs. The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats, completely unafraid. Falcons watched them from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight, and the girl got the feeling they were on guard duty, too. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess's will. The air was still cold, but the wind died down and the snow stopped falling, so it was pleasant sitting by the fire.

Almost. . . except for not having Annabeth by her side.

Her mind never fully processed that Annabeth was gone. And she didn't want to believe that was true. Ever since the two girls met each other five years ago, they were glued to the hip, one never without the other. She was the person that Giselle could always count on, her second half as they called each other. And even when stupid arguments come up between them, it would end quickly. They both knew they couldn't be here without one another.

What had Annabeth wanted to tell her in the gym? Something serious, she'd said. Now Giselle might never find out. The brunette thought about how they'd danced together for half a song, and her heart felt even heavier. 

A bit further from where she was, Thalia pacing in the snow at the edge of camp, walking among the wolves without fear. She stopped and looked back at Westover Hall, which was now completely dark, looming on the hillside beyond the woods.

Seven years ago, Thalia had been turned into a pine tree by her father, to prevent her from dying. She'd stood her ground against an army of monsters on top of Half-Blood Hill in order to give her friends Luke and Annabeth time to escape. She'd only been back as a human for a few months now, and once in a while she would stand so motionless you'd think she was still a tree.

One of the Hunters brought their backpacks. Giselle stuffed Annabeth cap into her bag as Grover and Nico came back from their walk, with the satyr now trying to help Percy fix up his wounded arm.

Emphasize on tried.

"It's green!" Nico said with delight.

Percy winced as Grover dressed the wound, and Giselle looked up at the sky and shinning stars, trying to find different constellations to calm her mind even just for a bit.

Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, the girl didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow ─ little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes. Giselle  recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, Apollo with his sun chariot. 

"Big collection," Percy said.

Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."

"You've been playing this game a long time?"

"Just this year. Before that. . ." he knit his eyebrows.

"What?"

"I forget. That's weird." he looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?"

Percy showed him Riptide, and explained how it turned from a pen into a sword just by uncapping it.

"Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?"

Percy looked towards Giselle and Grover, the two finding the interaction amusing.

"Um, well, I don't actually write with it."

"Are you really the son of Poseidon?"

"Well, yeah."

"Can you surf really well, then?"

"Jeez, Nico," Percy said. "I've never really tried."

Nico turned to Giselle, curiosity sparkling in his eyes, "Who's your godly parent?"

"Urania." Giselle said with a smile, going on to explain about her mother as the young boy looked at her with confused expression, "She's one of the nine muses, goddess of astronomy and stars."

Nico hummed, "So, do you have any special powers or just a really good aim?"

Giselle pursed her lips. She extended her right hand in front of herself, closer towards Nico, holding it into a fist. The boy leaned closer, curious at what powers Giselle possessed. With deep breath, she opened her hand and dozen of small, shinning stars appeared from it, floating above her hand. It was taking everything inside her to make the small stars appear for the boy, fighting the urge to collapse from not using her powers. She never did; relaying on her weapon ─ just because she couldn't control them well.

"Wow," he said in awe, his finger itching closer to the miniature stars, wanting to touch them. But before he could do so, Giselle closed her hand again and made the stars disappear. She managed to cover the relief that washed over her, how her pulse was slowly coming back to normal. 

"They're hot to human touch," the brunette said, "Don't want you hurting yourself."

The boy nodded at the statement. He went on asking questions. Did Percy fight a lot with Thalia, since she was a daughter of Zeus? ( he didn't answer that one ) If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff? ( Giselle tried not to strangle Nico for asking that one ) Were Giselle or Annabeth dating Percy?

The two teens looked at each other before bursting out laughing, doubling over from the fits of their laughs. Grover shook his head behind them, but he too laughed.

Nico looked at them confused, "So, you're not. . . ?"

Giselle composed herself a bit, hugging her stomach from how much it hurt. She shook her head, "No, none of us are dating each other." she said as she caught her breath. The girl looked towards Nico with smile painted on her lips, "I don't like boys like that, Nico. . . They're just, ew."

Percy sat up straight and hit her shoulder making the girl yelp.

"That was rude," the boy said. "We can be okay. . ."

"See, even you're unsure." 

Their conversation was cut short as Zoë Nightshade came up to them.

"Percy Jackson. Giselle Wright"

She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that Giselle had to resist the urge to sit up straight and say "Yes, ma'am." She studied Percy distastefully, like he was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch. But when she looked at Giselle there was more of a kinder expression, one that she gave her when they had met for the first time.

"Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."

The pair stood up from their seats and followed the huntress. 

Zoë led them to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved the two inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to the auburn-haired girl. The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others Giselle didn't recognize. She figured an animal rights activist would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins, but maybe since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she could replenish whatever she shot. The girl thought she had another animal pelt lying next to her, and then she realized it was a live animal ─ a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap.

"Join us, Percy Jackson, Giselle Wright." the goddess said.

They sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied them both, just how Giselle remembers her to do it.

"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked Percy.

"Uh. . . a little."

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?" Percy asked.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"Oh."

Zoë sat down at Artemis's right. She glared at the boy as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was his fault, like he'd invented the idea of being a guy.

She turned back to Percy, "You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you. It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp. . ." she looked at Zoë. "Which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoë said. "You turned him into a jackalope."

"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Both of you. Bianca has reported some of the. . . mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you." she turned her silver eyes towards Giselle, "I have other things to talk with you, however Giselle."

The brunette nodded, her lips in a thin line, knowing what the goddess wanted to talk about with her.

Percy told Artemis all he knew. When he was done, the goddess put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."

Zoe sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"

"Yes."

"What scent?" Percy asked.

"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten." she stared at Percy intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."

"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'"

"No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."

Zoë 's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot ─ "

"Stirring," Bianca corrected.

"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all ─ the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"

The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.

"Maybe he was lying," Percy said.

Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

Zoë looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."

"No, Zoë. I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis ─ "

"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."

"As. . . as you wish, my lady."

"I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."

"You have an idea of what the monster is?" Giselle asked.

Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."

"Can goddesses pray?" Percy asked and Giselle bit her fist so she wouldn't laugh.

A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips. "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you. Both of you actually."

"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?" the boy asked.

"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."

"What?" Zoë blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there ─ "

"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."

Zoë muttered something about foolish campers.

"And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"

Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Wait," Percy said. "Thinking about what?"

"They. . . they've invited me to join the Hunt." Bianca said softly.

"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."

"It is not the only way for a girl," Zoë said. "Or someone who identifies with the term 'girl'. Your Camp is not everything."

Percy looked speechless, "Bianca, camp is cool! It's got a pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and. . . I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?"

"To begin with," Zoë said, "immortality."

Percy stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?"

"Zoe rarely kids about anything," Artemis said. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal. . . unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath."

"What oath?"

"To foreswear romantic love forever," Artemis said. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally."

"Like you?"

The goddess nodded.

"So you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods ─ "

"Not just half-bloods," Zoë interrupted. "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals ─ "

"Which are you, then?" Percy asked.

Giselle smacked his shoulder, shaking her head and indicating for him to be quiet.

Anger flashed in Zoë's eyes. "That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice."

"Bianca, this is crazy," Percy said. "What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter."

"Certainly not," Artemis agreed. "He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that's the best boys can do."

"Hey!" Percy protested.

"You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us."

"A new family," Bianca repeated dreamily. "Free of responsibility."

"Bianca, you can't do this," Percy said. "It's nuts."

She looked at Zoë. "Is it worth it?"

Zoë nodded. "It is."

"What do I have to do?"

"Say this," Zoë told her, "'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'"

"I. . . I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'"

Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?"

Zoë nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."

"I accept it," Artemis said.

The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide.

"I feel. . . stronger."

"Welcome, sister," Zoë said.

"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life. . . Do not despair, Percy Jackson, you will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."

There was a moment of silence. The goddess looked towards Giselle and the girl felt a shiver run down her spine. "Zoe," the goddess said, "Would you please escort Bianca and Percy out of the tent. I would like to talk with Giselle privately."

Percy whipped his head towards the brunette and back to the goddess, "What? What do you want to talk about?"

"Percy," Giselle said with a calm tone, "Listen to the goddess, go outside and wait with Thalia until we're done."

"But ─ What does she want from you, Gigi? Is everything okay?" there was worried expression settled onto his face. The boy always looked out for his best friend ever since he had met her ─ like a sister from another blood. They had gone though so much together that now they were not friends, but family.

"Everything's fine," the brunette reassured him, "Go outside."

With one more looked between his friend and the goddess, Percy followed Zoe and Bianca out of the tent, leaving Giselle alone with Artemis.

"It's been a long time since we meet again, Giselle," Artemis said, looking at the girl with soft silver eyes, "Two years, I believe?"

"Yes, m'lady," Giselle nodded her head.

"You've heard the offer," Artemis said, "The opportunity of immortality, no responsibilities. . . you will always have a place open in my hunt. After all, stars go along with the moon."

Even after so many years of being sent offers and countless pamphlets about the hunt, Giselle never accepted the offer. She won't lie, she was tempted every single time. Travelling with the group of strong, supporting girls was like a dream for her. She wouldn't be judge, but supported at all her doings. She wouldn't have to worry about fitting in or proving herself. She would be free of everything that was holding her down. Be free to explore. Be free to run away.

But, she could never accept it. 

She couldn't just leave her cousins all alone at the Camp. They were family, one that had each other's back. And she knew they would support her decision. But she would never turn her back to them. They were everything she had left that was her family ─ one she wanted to keep with her forever, one that she found.

"I. . ." Giselle breathed out, "I cannot accept the offer, but thank you for always considering me."

Artemis looked saddened by her response, but much like every other time, she gave her a kind smile, "I figured that would be your answer. . . just like every other time."

"I appreciate it, Lady Artemis, but there are too many things I'm not ready to say goodbye to."

The goddess nodded, "I understand, my child," she said, "You know there will be place for you whenever you change your mind. . . even when things start going west."

Giselle frowned a bit, "Isn't the saying 'going south'?"

Artemis only smiled, "Dawn is approaching. I believe my hunters had broken the camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."

WHEN GISELLE EXITED THE TENT, it was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless. The witch wished everything just to go up to the dark castle and just sleep in one of the dormitories. Sleep and tiredness was getting to her.

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. Giselle stood shivering in the snow ( unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable ), her coat doing little of the job it was meant for and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. The girl could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt.

Percy, Thalia and Grover came up towards Giselle, wanting to know what the goddess talked to her about.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." the girl assured her friends.

When Percy and Giselle told them about conversation of what was about to happen, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they even show up here?" Percy wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them," Thalia said, disgusted. "I was betting my money they tried to recruit you again, Gigi."

Percy turned to her, "Wait, what?" he asked, "They tried before?"

Giselle nodded, "Many times," she said, "And not just me, but my cousins too, but we all rejected it."

"Is that what Artemis wanted to talk to you about?"

The brunette nodded.

Thalia scoffed, "It's all Zoë's fault. That stuck-up, no good fucking ─ "

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" he heaved a big sigh.

Daughter of Zeus rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so. . . into nature," Grover swooned.

"You're nuts," said Thalia.

"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."

Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" Percy asked.

"For my brother. Yes. . . It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said.

"Oh, okay. . . So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a ─ "

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth.

"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."

"Parks?"

Giselle averted her gaze like everyone else did. The light and warmth intensified until her winter coat felt like it was melting off of me. Then suddenly the light died.

A red convertible Maserati Spyder stood in front of them. Giselle didn't know much about cars, but was this one fucking gorgeous! It was glowing because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why they were now standing on green grass.

The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and the girl had to blink to make sure it wasn't Luke, her former friend. But this wasn't him. This guy had sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. He was taller, with no scar on his face like Luke's. His smile was brighter and more playful ( Luke seemed to lost the smile Apollo possessed now ) The Maserati driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.

"Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

Giselle made a face at the girl's words, but agreed that the god was good-looking.

"He's the sun god," Percy said.

"That's not what I meant."

"Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded them without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"

Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister."

"Hey, I was born first."

"We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue ─ "

"So what's up?" he interrupted. "Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?"

Artemis grit her teeth. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."

"Sure, sis!" then he raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."

The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they'd met Apollo before.

He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.

"Green grass breaks through snow.
Artemis pleads for my help.
I am so cool."

He grinned at them, waiting for applause.

He was met with silence.

"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.

Apollo frowned. "Was it?"

"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?"

"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." he started muttering to himself.

Zoë Nightshade turned to them. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from Sparta ─ "

"I've got it!" Apollo announced. "I am so awesome. That's five syllables!" he bowed, looking very pleased with himself. "And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll."

"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis said, pointing to the group. "Some of Chiron's campers."

"No problem!" Apollo checked them out. "Let's see. . ." his eyes landing on Giselle and almost immediately a grin spread out on his face, "Giselle Wright! Oh, how great to see you again."

Giselle nodded her head, "Hi, Apollo."

"How long has it been? A few weeks?"

The brunette looked towards her friends who waited for her answer to the god ─ wanting to know what this was about, "Um, about that yeah," she said with a smile, "You bumped into me while on my way back to Camp from visiting Ashlyn."

Apollo mused, "The pretty blonde one."

Giselle gaped at him, "That's my cousin you're talking about! . . . And it's creepy."

The god shrugged and turned towards the rest, "Now who else do we have here. . . Thalia, right? I've heard all about you."

Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."

"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time ─ "

"Brother," Artemis said. "You should get going."

"Oh, right." then he looked at Percy, and his eyes narrowed. "Percy Jackson?"

"Yeah. I mean. . . yes, sir."

Apollo studied him, but he didn't say anything. Percy turned to the rest of them, sending a panicked look that could be translated as: Did I do something wrong? Help!

"Well!" he said at last. "We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way ─ west. And if you miss it, you miss it."

Giselle looked at the Maserati, which would seat two people max. There were about twenty of them.

"Cool car," Nico said.

"Thanks, kid," Apollo said.

"But how will we all fit?"

"Oh." Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. "Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose. . ."

He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. Chirp, chirp. For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses.

"Right," he said. "Everybody in."

Zoë ordered the Hunters to start loading. She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, "Here, sweetheart. Let me get that."

Zoë recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously.

"Brother," Artemis chided. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart."

Apollo spread his hands. "Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"

"Hunting," Artemis said. "It's none of your business."

"I'll find out. I see all. Know all."

Artemis snorted. "Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!"

"No, no! I never mess around."

Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at them. "I will see you by winter solstice. Zoë, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do."

Zoë straightened. "Yes, my lady."

Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. When she rose, she looked troubled. "So much danger. The beast must be found." she sprinted toward the woods and melted into the snow and shadows.

Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger.

"So," he said. "Who wants to drive?" 

The Hunters piled into the van. They all crammed into the back so they'd be as far away as possible from Apollo and the rest of the highly infectious males. Bianca sat with them, leaving her little brother to hang in the front with them, which seemed cold to Giselle, but Nico didn't seem to mind.

"This is so cool!" Nico said, jumping up and down in the driver's seat. "Is this really the sun? I thought Helios and Selene were the sun and moon gods. How come sometimes it's them and sometimes it's you and Artemis?"

"Downsizing," Apollo said. "The Romans started it. They couldn't afford all those temple sacrifices, so they laid off Helios and Selene and folded their duties into our job descriptions. My sis got the moon. I got the sun. It was pretty annoying at first, but at least I got this cool car."

"But how does it work?" Nico asked. "I thought the sun was a big fiery ball of gas!"

Apollo chuckled and ruffled Nico's hair. "That rumor probably got started because Artemis used to call me a big fiery ball of gas. Seriously, kid, it depends on whether you're talking astronomy or philosophy. You want to talk astronomy? Bah, what fun is that? You want to talk about how humans think about the sun? Ah, now that's more interesting. They've got a lot riding on the sun. . . er, so to speak. It keeps them warm, grows their crops, powers engines, makes everything look, well, sunnier.

"This chariot is built out of human dreams about the sun, kid. It's as old as Western Civilization. Every day, it drives across the sky from east to west, lighting up all those puny little mortal lives. The chariot is a manifestation of the sun's power, the way mortals perceive it. Make sense?"

Nico shook his head. "No."

"Well then, just think of it as a really powerful, really dangerous solar car."

"Can I drive?"

"No. Too young."

"Oo! Oo!" Grover raised his hand.

"Mm, no," Apollo said. "You seem like a nervous driver." he looked at Giselle and the girl pursed her lips and shook her head. The god looked past Percy and focused on Thalia.

"Daughter of Zeus!" he said. "Lord of the sky. Perfect."

"Oh, no." Thalia shook her head. "No, thanks."

"C'mon," Apollo said. "How old are you?"

Thalia hesitated. "I don't know."

It was sad, but true. She'd been turned into a tree when she was twelve, but that had been seven years ago. So she should be nineteen, if you went by years. But she still felt like she was twelve, and if you looked at her, she seemed somewhere in between. The best Chiron could figure, she had kept aging while in tree form, but much more slowly.

Apollo tapped his finger to his lips. "You're fifteen, almost sixteen."

"How do you know that?"

"Hey, I'm the god of prophecy. I know stuff. You'll turn sixteen in about a week."

"That's my birthday! December twenty-second."

"Which means you're old enough now to drive with a learner's permit!"

Thalia shifted her feet nervously. "Uh ─ "

"I know what you're going to say," Apollo said. "You don't deserve an honor like driving the sun chariot."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"Don't sweat it! Maine to Long Island is a really short trip, and don't worry about what happened to the last kid I trained. You're Zeus's daughter. He's not going to blast you out of the sky."

Apollo laughed good-naturedly. The rest of them didn't join him.

Thalia tried to protest, but Apollo was absolutely not going to take "no" for an answer. He hit a button on the dashboard, and a sign popped up along the top of the windshield ─ WARNING: STUDENT DRIVER.

"Take it away!" Apollo told Thalia. "You're gonna be a natural!"

"We're so going to die." Giselle muttered more to herself than to anyone.

"Speed equals heat," Apollo advised. "So start slowly, and make sure you've got good altitude before you really open her up."

Thalia gripped the wheel so tight her knuckles turned white. She looked like she was going to be sick.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked her.

"Nothing," she said shakily. "N-nothing is wrong."

She pulled back on the wheel. It tilted, and the bus lurched upward so fast almost everyone fell back. Giselle caught herself just in time before her head hit the wall. Her eyes caught onto the smaller figure, her hand grabbing onto their shirt before he could go flying backwards. The brunette pushed Nico beside her, making sure he was alright.

"Ow!" Grover said.

"Sorry." Percy groaned as he landed on Grover, "Who let her drive?"

"Slower!" Apollo said.

"Sorry!" Thalia said. "I've got it under control!"

The girl looked out the window which was bad idea. She saw a smoking ring of trees from the clearing where they'd taken off.

"Thalia," Percy said, "lighten up on the accelerator."

"I've got it, Percy," she said, gritting her teeth. But she kept it floored.

"Loosen up," Percy told her.

"I'm loose!" Thalia said. She was so stiff she looked like she was made out of plywood.

"We need to veer south for Long Island," Apollo said. "Hang a left."

Thalia jerked the wheel and again threw Percy into Grover, who yelped.

"The other left," Apollo suggested.

Giselle didn't like this.

"Ah. . ." Apollo said, and the girl got the feeling he was forcing himself to sound calm. "A little lower, sweetheart. Cape Cod is freezing over."

Thalia tilted the wheel. Her face was chalk white, her forehead beaded with sweat. Something was definitely wrong. Giselle'd never seen her like this.

The bus pitched down and somebody screamed. Maybe it was Giselle, maybe Percy, maybe Grover or maybe some of the Hunters.

Now they were heading straight toward the Atlantic Ocean at a thousand miles an hour, the New England coastline off to their right. And it was getting hot in the bus. Apollo had been thrown somewhere in the back of the bus, but he started climbing up the rows of seats.

"Take the wheel!" Grover begged him.

"No worries," Apollo said. He looked plenty worried. "She just has to learn to ─ WHOA!"

Giselle saw what he was seeing. Down below them was a little snow-covered New England town. At least, it used to be snow-covered. As she watched, the snow melted off the trees and the roofs and the lawns. The white steeple on a church turned brown and started to smolder. Little plumes of smoke, like birthday candles, were popping up all over the town. Trees and rooftops were catching fire.

"Pull up!" Percy yelled.

"I'm too young to die" yelled Giselle.

"So cool!" Nico screamed in joy beside her.

There was a wild light in Thalia's eyes. She yanked back on the wheel, and everyone held on this time. As they zoomed up, Giselle could see through the back window that the fires in the town were being snuffed out by the sudden blast of cold.

"There!" Apollo pointed. "Long Island, dead ahead. Let's slow down, dear. 'Dead' is only an expression."

Thalia was thundering toward the coastline of northern Long Island. There was Camp Half-Blood: the valley, the woods, the beach. The girl could see the dining pavilion and cabins and the amphitheater.

"I'm under control," Thalia muttered. "I'm under control."

They were only a few hundred yards away now.

"Brake," Apollo said.

"I can do this."

"BRAKE!"

Thalia slammed her foot on the brake, and the sun bus pitched forward at a forty-five degree angle, slamming into the Camp Half-Blood canoe lake with a huge FLOOOOOOSH!

Steam billowed up, sending several frightened naiads scrambling out of the water with half woven wicker baskets. The bus bobbed to the surface, along with a couple of capsized, half-melted canoes.

"Well," said Apollo with a brave smile. "You were right, my dear. You had everything under control! Let's go see if we boiled anyone important, shall we?"