MY DREAM • percy jackson

chapter 12

ALORA WAS SICK OF THIS QUEST. All she wanted at the moment was to be back at camp in her cozy, warm bed but instead she was venturing through the streets of St Louis.

"We aren't going to be able to outrun them for very long." Grover stated as the followed Annabeth through the streets.

"We don't need to." She said. "We just need a safe place to hold up."

"Some place safe." Percy repeated. "Any ideas where we might find one of those?"

"I do." Annabeth nodded. "A sanctuary, dedicated to Athena, built by one of her demigod children a long time ago."

"There is an Athenian temple hidden somewhere in the middle of downtown St Louis?" Grover asked in disbelief, throwing up his arms.

"Yes." Annabeth looked up and they followed her eye-line to the arch. "Except it's not all that hidden."

Alora didn't feel good about this, her gut telling her it wasn't a good idea, but she ignored it. They would be safe in the hands of Annabeth's mom.

They followed Annabeth and she led them to the museum for the mortals and temple for the demigods.

"It's 630 feet wide, 630 feet tall, both to within an inch." Annabeth spoke in reference to the arch as Alora looked behind them to make sure Echidna hadn't found them yet. "It's got no internal support. Each side is balanced perfectly against the other. The arch is held up by symmetry. It's held up by math.

That's a perfect way to honour Athena, Alora thought truthfully as they walked down the steps of the museum.

"And it's earthquake proof, so Poseidon can't ruin it." Annabeth added as they walked through people their age, possibly there on a school trip. "This is how you show your love to Athena. A monument to the power of perfection."

"It's a monument to some other stuff too." Grover said causing Alora to look around in confusion. There were animal skulls and other animal remains around. Animal cruelty really upset Grover.

"You're talking about what some humans want this place to be about." Annabeth said, defending her mother's temple. "I'm talking about what it actually is."

"Whatever." Grover mumbled. "We're safe here, right?"

"No monsters can enter." Annabeth nodded. "Not even echidna, we're safe."

"Great." Grover also nodded. "Well since our train exploded, i'm gonna see if there's another one we can get tickets on. We can't stay here forever. Just because we're prey doesn't mean we need to be helpless."

Grover looked at one of the painting hung up of a two men hunting and walked away.

"Grover wait," Annabeth sighed, following after him guilty.

That left Percy and Alora alone together in an awkward silence. Alora started to look at some of the artefacts lying around.

"So this is Athenas place?" Percy asked, hoping to get some conversation from the girl who went from being his biggest fan to seemingly hating him in less than a day.

"Yep." Alora said, popping the p.

"Wonder if she's around." Percy continued, getting nothing from Alora. "Be right down! Just going to the potty!"

Alora turned and looked at him in confusion at his imitation, she couldn't help but laugh a little, despite how much she didn't want to.

"Nice." She laughed at the boy, still refusing to look him in the eye.

"I have a gift." He shrugged and she shook her head lightly with a smile. "We were pretty lucky to be in the right city for a safe space, huh?"

"Luck or fate?" Alora joked slightly, making Percy smile at the fact she was actually talking to him now. "You know, this may be Athena's territory but a temple is a temple. You could talk to your dad while we're here maybe."