{BOOK 2} Percy Jackson's Sister

The Worst Junkyard Ever

      "What did she want with you?" Bianca asked. Percy had told us about his meeting with Aphrodite while munching on tacos.

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

     I could tell he was lying and I think Zoë was on to him, too. She said, "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 Zoe," Thalia said. "You can't trust Aphrodite."

      I looked over at Grover who was eyeing Percy suspiciously. He could feel everything Percy did, so of course, he knew he was lying.

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

     "That way," Zoe said. "That is west."

     "How can you tell?"

      Zoë rolled her eyes. I answered for her.

     "Ursa Major is in the north," I said, "which means that must be west."

      Zoë nodded at me respectfully.

      "Right." She pointed west at the constellation, we all turned to look. The stars glowed brightly, the moon shone enough for me to see Bianca smiling at me. I could understand why Zoë was so fond of her, she had a good heart and she was easy to talk to. I could see why Nico was such a bubbly kid if he had Bianca as a sister.

     "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!"

       In front of us stood piles of junk so large, it hurt my neck to look all the way up. Everything gleamed in the moonlight, fridges, disks, cars, and random chunks of metal. We all stared in amazement.

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

     "It is," Thalia said, though she didn't look happy about that. "Like Percy said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods."

      "Junk?" Grover grabbed a jeweled crown that seemed to be made of solid gold. It was split in two, so he only held one half. "You call this junk?"

      I already knew where he was going with this.

      "Grover, please don't-" but too late, he took a big chomp.

    "It's delicious!"

     Thalia slapped it away from him. "I'm serious!"

     "Look!" Bianca said. She practically tripped over everything trying to one specific bow. "A Hunter's bow!"

     She let out a yelp as the bow began to shrink into a hair clip, like the one I'd seen in my dream. "It's just like Percys sword!"

     I gulped, loud enough for Percy to hear. He looked over at me and I saw his face in the same expression mine was. He had seen the clip somewhere, too. And Bianca's comparing it to his sword made him just as uneasy as it made me.

     Zoë looked sad. "Leave it, Bianca."

     "But—"

     "It is here for a reason. Anything thrown away in this junkyard must stay in this yard. It is defective. Or cursed."