Thunderstorms And Ocean Waves *Book 2*

Trouble is Ahead

Ari

I woke up from the Earth shaking and I shook Percy awake.
"Tyson! Tyson's in trouble! We need to help him!" He yelped.
"I know, but first, earthquake." I wobbled and fell as he caught me.
"Rachel!" Percy called as her green eyes flew open and she grabbed her bag and the 4 of us ran before we stopped at a large, blue, Greek delta inscribed in a steel door. Annabeth pressed the symbol and the doors hissed open.
"So much for ancient architecture." Annabeth grumbled as we walked inside. It was quite beautiful inside, but I was drawn to the sun shining through the large windows.
"Where are we?" Percy asked.
"I think her Highness can answer that." Quintus said as we turned around.
"Colorado Springs, the Garden of the Gods." I said as he nodded.
"You!" Annabeth said as she glared at him.
"Where's Daedalus?" Percy asked.
"Ask the sweet girl to your left." He said as they looked left and saw me.
"Annabeth, what does Quintus mean?" I asked her.
"The fifth in Latin." She said.
"This is Daedalus, in his fifth body." I said as they all looked between me and him. Once Daedalus started to talk again, I zoned out for a while before Nico was pushed through the doors in chaines.
"Nico!" I exclaimed as he looked up at me with sad dark brown eyes. I rubbed my thumb over my tattoo and my sword materialized in my hands. I swung it a bit before all Hades broke loose. Annabeth and Percy charged at Kelli and I ran over to Nico to help him. I slashed through his chains and freed him before he went over to take care of Minos.
"-I am the lord of spirits! The Ghost King!" Minos cried out.
"No. I am." Nico corrected before he stabbed his sword down and Minos was sucked into the floor. I knew at this point Percy got distracted and Kelli pounced on him. I ran over to him and stabbed down on Kelli's back.
"No... school... spirit..." She said before she dissolved into yellow vapor. I quickly helped Percy up and we ran over to Rachel who was helping Nico with his wings.
"There's not enough!" Rachel said.
"I'll be fine. Just go!" I said as I pushed them off the cliff. "If Jason can do it, I can do it!" I repeated over and over as I jumped out the window. "Oh shit!" I yelled as I free fell.
"Are you a moron!?" Annabeth yelled at me.
"Yep!" I yelled back and just before I hit the water I slammed my eyes shut but nothing happened. I opened my eyes and was flying right above the water. "Yes!" I exclaimed as I shot into the sky.
"You can fly?!" Rachel asked.
"Adopted daughter of Zeus!" I exclaimed as I twirled into the air. I never would have thought that I would someday be able to fly. We landed and Percy hugged the life out of me.
"Are you insane?" Annabeth punched my arm.
"Insanely." I grinned.
"You could have died." Rachel said.
"I had a thought able someone else that you'll meet later on, but he could fly, so-" I started.
"Your ring." Percy said.
"I didn't have anything else to give." I frowned.
"You can get another one, what's the big deal? It's just a ring." Annabeth said.
"My dad gave that to me... before he passed. Other then the chain of weddings rings, this is the only thing I've been able to keep." I changed a little as Percy put his hand on my back.
"I'm sorry." He frowned.
"Anyway, so lots find another way into the Labyrinth." I said trying to flee from that topic.
"Uh, ok then... we need a car to take us into the city." Annabeth said as I nodded.
"I'll take care of it." Rachel said.
"I'm going to buy a prism at the gift shop and send an Iris message to camp." Annabeth nodded.
"I'll go with you, I'm hungry." Nico said.
"I guess I'll go with Ari and Rachel." Percy said. "Meet you guys in the parking lot." We departed and Rachel walked over to a chauffeured Lexus and talked to the man before he opened the door for her and she got in. Annabeth walked over to us and told us about what Chiron said before we hopped in and sat down before the car started to move. I zoned out until we stopped at the old mining museum.

Once we were back into the Labyrinth, Rachel and Annabeth stayed talking to each other about art and architecture, so I followed Percy's lead and stayed back with Nico.
"Thanks for coming after us." Percy started.
"I owed you for the ranch..." Nico replied before I absentmindedly follow them until Rachel stopped.
"Oh no." I groaned as the smell of Eucalyptus leaves flooded my nose.
"What's wrong?" Rachel asked.
"Mt. Tam." Annabeth said. "Not even a year here and she almost died there."
"Super fun. Let's not." I said as my stomach started to squeeze.
"Part of the plot?" Percy asked.
"Yeah." I breathed out painfully as he rubbed my back soothingly.
"Why does that happen to her?" Nico asked.
"Because one God in particular likes to mess with me." I growled.
"I have to go." Percy said.
"Then we'll all go." Annabeth said.
"No. I have to fo this alone."
"Fine, then take this." She said handing him her invisible Yankees cap.
"Be safe, Percy." I said as he nodded and left... to be completely honest, I wanted a kiss... but, oh well. We waited there a little bit before I got antsy and ran the way he did.
"Percy!" I yelled as Rachel threw her hairbrush at Luke. He yelped and Percy grabbed Annabeth by her collar and we booked it out of there.

We ran until we couldn't and we all collapsed in a tunnel of wet rock, like a natural cave. Annalise had been crying all the way here and once she collapsed, I sat behind her and ran my fingers through her hair.
"What are you doing?" She sobbed but I didn't answer her for a little bit until I finished combing through her hair with my fingers.
"My step mom used to sing to me and braid my hair when I was upset. No matter how distrust I was, this was always one of the only things that could calm me." I said as I gently braided her hair and took out my hair tie and put it in her hair.
"I've been horrible to you, why are you helping me?" She asked as she wiped her eyes.
"Because that's what I do. I've never been able to hold grudges for more then a few hours, unless it was something really horrible. But, on top of all that, seek people cry has always been one of my biggest weaknesses. I hate seeing people cry." I smiled softly as if pulled a tissue out of my bag. "Now, where is that strong, courageous, brave, wise, intelligent, and independent Annabeth I have looked up to for about 8 years?" I asked as she grinned. "Much better." I said as I helped her up and she hugged me.
"Thank you." She said as I nodded before we started moving again until Percy froze.
"Let's go find them." I said as we followed the footsteps into a cave.
"Tyson!" Percy called as we ran over to them. Something came over me and I kissed two of my fingers before placing them on Grover's forehead and turning them counterclockwise until they pointed away from me and he woke up.
"What was that?" Percy asked.
"A kiss of life... only a princess can perform that successfully." Nico said looking at me.
"I'm not a princess." I said before we helped Grover to his feet.
"That would explain why people have been calling you that." Annabeth said.
"Let's go find out what's on the other side of that darkness? Yey!" I said with a sarcastic tone.
"Ari? Are you ok?" Nico asked.
"Yeah... I'm sorry... just a bit, tired, I guess." I said trying to calming myself. "Come on." I said as we walked in and a clean, and warm breeze coaxed itself over my tense muscles. I took in a deep breath of the sweet orchid scented air and relaxed a little bit before we saw Pan. I zoned in and out because I remembered this part.
"Dear Ariannah, before I leave, you must know that you are a princess. A princess of love and family everlasting." Pan said as I looked up at him. "Your father is proud of everyone that you have and will accomplish." He said as a whimper escaped from my mouth before he patted my hand and nodded at Grover.
"I've spent my whole life looking for you. Now... I release you." Grover said as Pan thanked him and let a whisp of his energy float into our mouths. Once mine came in, I was filled with energy and I felt a light squeeze on my finger.
"My ring." I cried as a tear fell from my eye.
"Your hair." Rachel said as I ran my hand down my hair and pulled a little bit to the front to find that it was cleaned and in beautiful waves and the tips were dip dyed blue and purple.
"Woah... uh, we she probably get going now." Grover said as I nodded and we all followed Rachel out.