The Path Of Glory (Annabeth Chase x Male Reader)

56. The Dragon Of Bad Breath

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

Yes, that'd be very bad, Bessie said. She swam next to Y/N as they trotted along the waterfront. They'd left the shopping center pier far behind. They were heading toward the Golden Gate Bridge, but it was a lot farther than they'd realized. The sun was already dipping in the west.

"I don't get it," Percy said. "Why do we have to get there at sunset?"

"The Hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset," Zoë said. "We can only enter their garden as day changes to night."

"What happens if we miss it?"

"Tomorrow is the winter solstice. 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."

Or Annabeth will be dead, Y/N thought, but he figured it was better not to add insult to injury.

"We need a car," Thalia said.

"What about Bessie?" he asked.

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

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

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

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

I don't want to leave you, my Lord, Bessie said forlornly.

"I—I can show her," Grover said. "I'll go with her."

Y/N bent down and explained the plan in Bessie's ear. Bessie shivered, then said, All right.

"The blessing of the Wild," Grover said. "That should help with safe passage. Percy, pray to your dad. See if he will grant us safe passage through the seas."

Percy frowned, as if he didn't really get what he had to do. "Dad," he said. "Help us. Get Bessie and Grover safely to camp. Protect them at sea."

"You're sure that's enough?" Y/N said doubtfully.

Percy shrugged. "Well . . . I don't have anything else."

Grover took a deep breath. "No time to lose."

He jumped in the water and immediately began to sink. Bessie glided next to him and let him take hold of her neck.

"Be careful," Percy said.

"We will," Grover said. "Okay, um . . . Bessie? We're going eastward. Over that way."

To Long Island? Bessie said.

"Long Island," Grover answered. "It's this island. And . . . it's long. Oh, let's just start."

Okay!

Bessie lurched forward. She started to submerge and Grover said, "I can't breathe underwater! Just thought I'd mention—" Glub!

Under they went, and Y/N wondered if Percy's prayer would work. And if it did, would it extend to little things, like breathing?

"Well, that's one problem addressed," Ethan said. "Now, how do we get to those Hesperides' garden?"

"Thalia's right," Percy said. "We need a car. But there's nobody to help us here. Unless we, uh, borrowed one."