the lakes 𖥻 PJO

xii. model parent

"We will never make it," Zoë said. "We are moving too slow. But, we cannot leave the Ophiotaurus."

They had left the pier, moving towards the Golden Gate Bridge, but the mountain was further away than any of them had realised. The sun was already bathing the bay in golden pools.

"I don't get it," Percy huffed, out of breath. "Why do we have to get there at sunset?"

"The Hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset," Zoë explained, not stopping to look back at him. "We can only enter their garden as day changes to night."

"What happens if we miss it?"

"Tomorrow is winter solstice," she pointed out. ""If we miss sunset tonight, we would have to wait until tomorrow evening. And by then, the Olympian Council will be over. We must free Lady Artemis tonight."

Angela still had no idea what was happening. She didn't know where Artemis was, where Annabeth was, where Dr Thorn was. But they needed to get into that garden by sunset, which was quickly approaching.

"We need a car," Thalia groaned.

"But what about Bessie?" Percy asked.

Grover stopped. "I've got an idea! The Ophiotaurus can appear in different bodies of water, right?"

"Well, yeah," Percy said uncertainly. "I mean, he was in Long Island Sound. Then he just popped into the water at Hoover Dam. And now he's here."

"So maybe we could coax him back to Long Island Sound," Grover suggested. "Then Chiron could help us get him to Olympus."

"But he was following me," Percy emphasised. "If I'm not there, would he know where he's going?"

"I..." Grover hesitated before his face set with a determined look. "I can show him. I'll go with him." Angela felt her heart rate quicken. Grover, much like her, wasn't the biggest fan of water. She never felt very useful on land anyway, but away from anything she could control she was completely useless. "I'm the only one who can talk to him, it makes sense." He bent down to talk to Bessie, who shivered. "The blessing of the Wild. That should help with safe passage. Percy, pray to your dad, too. See if he will grant us safe passage through the seas."

Percy closed his eyes. "Dad, help us. Get the Ophiotaurus and Grover safely to camp. Protect them at sea."

"A prayer like that needs a sacrifice," Thalia said solemnly. "Something big."

Percy thought for a second before shrugging off the lion fur coat. "Percy, are you sure?" Grover asked. "Are you sure? The lion skin... that's really helpful. Hercules used it!"

Percy frowned, looking at Zoë for a moment. He didn't say anything, but he fully pulled the coat off. "If I'm going to survive, it won't be because I've got a lion-skin cloak. I'm not Hercules."