¹𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒 ! - percy jackson

-010

THERE WAS NOTHING BUT scrap metal for miles. 

"What did she want with you?" Bianca asked once Percy had told them about Aphrodite.

Stella found it odd that he didn't look at her once since they had regrouped, not even when he told them about his peculiar meeting with the goddess.

"Oh, uh, not sure," Percy said, "She said to be careful in her husband's junkyard. She said not to pick anything up."

"That's all she said?" Stella questioned skeptically.

She knew he was lying and had no idea why. He met her eyes for a split second, and she couldn't pretend she didn't notice the small blush that coated his cheeks before he immediately looked away.

Zoë narrowed her eyes at him, equally suspicious. "The goddess of love would not make a special trip to tell thee that. Be careful, Percy. Aphrodite has led many heroes astray."

"For once I agree with Zoë," Thalia said. "You can't trust Aphrodite."

Stella looked over at Grover, who was looking at Percy all funny. Did he know? She wouldn't put it past him, he had a strange empathy link with Percy. Did Aphrodite give him the talk? Stella continued to wonder what the goddess of love could have possibly told him before Percy shook her out of her thoughts.

"So," Percy said, anxious to change the subject, "how do we get out of here?"

"That way," Zoë said. "That is west."

"How can you tell?"

In the light of the full moon, Stella was able to clearly see Zoë roll her eyes at him. "Ursa Major is in the north," she said, "which means that must be west."

She pointed west, then at the northern constellation, which was hard to make out because there were so many other stars.

"Oh, yeah," Percy said. "The bear thing."

Zoë looked offended. "Show some respect. It was a fine bear. A worthy opponent."

"You act like it was real."

"Guys," Grover broke in. "Look!"

They had reached the crest of a junk mountain. Piles of metal objects glinted in the moonlight: broken heads of bronze horses, metal legs from human statues, smashed chariots, tons of shields and swords and other weapons, along with more modern stuff, like cars that gleamed gold and silver, refrigerators, washing machines, and computer monitors.

"Whoa," Bianca said. "That stuff... some of it looks like real gold."

"It is," Thalia said grimly. "Like Percy said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods."

"Junk?" Grover picked up a beautiful crown made of gold, silver, and jewels. It was broken on one side as if it had been split by an axe. "You call this junk?"

He bit off a point and began to chew. "It's delicious!"

Stella swatted the crown out of his hands. "Maybe that's not the best idea."

"Look!" Bianca said. She raced down the hill, tripping over bronze coils and golden plates. She picked up a bow that glowed silver in the moonlight. "A Hunter's bow!"

Stella couldn't deny she was also drawn to the bow; it was beautiful. Bianca yelped in surprise as the bow began to shrink and became a hair clip shaped like a crescent moon.

"It's just like Stella's ring!" The girl exclaimed.

Zoë's face was grim. "Leave it, Bianca."

"But—"