Abracadabra | Percy Jackson

1.7

THE NEXT AFTERNOON, JUNE 14, seven days before the solstice, their train rolled into Denver.

The quartet hadn't eaten since the night before in the dining car, somewhere in Kansas.

Atalanta felt disgusting since she hadn't taken a shower since Half-Blood Hill, and the daughter of Hecate was sure that it was obvious.

"Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth said. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit."

"We can't use phones, right?" Percy furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm not talking about phones." Annabeth said shortly.

As the group walked around downtown, Atalanta felt like the weather was such a drastic change from the hot, humid air of St. Louis.

She glanced around at all of the mountains that surrounded them.

They were beautiful.

Everywhere they turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at her, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city.

Finally they had found an empty clean it yourself car wash.

The three others were worried and continually looked around to see if anyone was coming while the dark haired girl tried to magically move rocks to make certain shapes.

So far she had made a heart, a star and a smiley face.

"What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked, as Grover took out the spray gun.

"It's seventy-five cents," he grumbled. "I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth?"

"Don't look at me," she said. "The dining car wiped me out."

"Attie do you have anything?" Grover asked the spaced out demigod.

"Huh?" The girl asked, looking up at the satyr.

"Do you have a quarter?" Grover asked giving the girl a soft smile.

"Oh yeah. Here." She said throwing him a quarter.

He caught it and sent the girl a grateful smile.

"Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping."

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, confused yet again.

Atalanta wondered if there was ever a moment that he wouldn't be confused about something.

Grover fed in the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST. "I-M'ing."

"Instant messaging?" Percy asked, his interest piqued.

"Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods."

"You summon the goddess with a spray gun?" Percy huffed out.

Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. "Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow."

Sure enough, late afternoon light filtered through the vapor and broke into colors. Annabeth held her palm out. "Drachma, please."

Atalanta now focused back on her task of making magic stone shapes, didn't notice the hand waiting expectantly in front of her.

"Attie." Grover nudged the girl with his shoulder, "she needs the drachma."

"Oh right." The girl muttered grabbed the coin out of her pocket and handed it to the blonde.