Anthízo, Percy Jackson

I. the final stretch has begun

CLIMBING UPHILL three hundred feet into the air was not how karina had imagined her afternoon was going to go.

beside her, jason hobbled and heaved up the hill— having changed from sixteen to seventy-five in a matter of seconds in order to disguise himself. karina had to force herself not to laugh at the sight. strong, roman leader jason grace— disguised as an old and frail seventy-five year old man.

"almost there." piper said, smiling at jason. "you're doing great."

karina snorted, and jason glared at her— though, it didn't intimidate her in the slightest. the old man looked about as harmful as a butterfly.

that was easy for them to say. piper, karina, and annabeth were disguised as lovely greek service maidens. even in their white sleeveless gowns and laced sandals, they had no trouble navigating the rocky path.

piper's mahogany hair was pinned up in a braided spiral. silver bracelets adorned her arms. she resembled an ancient statue of her mom, aphrodite.

karina was dressed in a similar outfit, her hair being left down with small braids scattered through it— gold lacing weaved through them. the white material of her dress made her tanned skin look almost golden— and it was almost as if she was glowing— the gold in her eyes being illuminated by the light of the mid-day sun, making her body become drenched in pure sunlight.

karina glanced uphill. the summit was still a hundred yards above.

"worst idea ever." jason leaned against a cedar tree and wiped his forehead. "hazel's magic is too good. if i have to fight, i'll be useless."

"it won't come to that," annabeth promised. she looked uncomfortable in her serving-maiden outfit. she kept hunching her shoulders to keep the dress from slipping. her pinned-up blonde bun had come undone in the back and her hair dangled like long spider legs. knowing her hatred of spiders, karina decided not to mention that.

"we infiltrate the place," karina said. "we get the information we need, and we get out."

piper set down her amphora, the tall ceramic wine jar in which her sword was hidden. "we can rest for a second. catch your breath, jason."

"yeah," karina said, an amused look present on her face. "wouldn't want grandpa to pull a muscle before we even got there."

"karina," jason glowered. "i swear to the gods i will— "

"you'll what?" she asked. "hit me with your cane?"

she heard annabeth stifle a laugh from behind her, and she could see piper trying to hold in her giggles— but she remained stoic, and patted jason on the shoulder.

"it's okay, jason, we're almost there." her voice wavered slightly, small laughs threatening to escape.

from piper's waist cord hung her cornucopia— the magic horn of plenty. tucked somewhere in the folds of her dress was her knife, katoptris. piper didn't look dangerous, but if the need arose, she could double-wield celestial bronze blades or shoot her enemies in the face with ripe mangoes.

karina had her own gladius concealed in her necklace that sat around her neck— so she had no need for an amphora. she also had a small, hand-held dagger strapped around her thigh— concealed under the layers of her white dress. she'd found it tucked away in her closet the other day— so she figured she'd put it to good use. she knew that right now she looked completely harmless and unarmed— but one wrong move from any of the ghosts on the summit— and she'd have the whole mountain shaking.

annabeth slung her own amphora off her shoulder. she too had a concealed sword; but even without a visible weapon, she looked deadly. her stormy gray eyes scanned the surroundings, alert for any threat. if any dude asked annabeth for a drink, karina figured she was more likely to kick the guy in the bifurcum.