orenda [leo valdez]

xxxvii. The Evil Demon Grandmothers

❝always remember

my heart holds you

when my arms cannot❞

⤷ perry poetry

△△△

Kira stumbled though Tartarus with her two best friends and a giant Titan. She couldn't think how life could be any better.

(That was sarcasm.)

Rocks loomed out of nowhere. Pits appeared at their feet. Monstrous roars echoed in the gloom, but Kira couldn't tell where they came from.

Kira was about to suggest playing sticks when Annabeth slipped.

Percy yelled, "Whoa!" He grabbed for her arm, but she was already falling.

Fortunately, it was only a shallow depression. Most of it was filled with a monster blister. She had a soft landing on a warm bouncy surface.

Kira rushed forward to help.

A face appeared in the dirt, and Annabeth screamed and flailed, toppling sideways off the mound.

Percy helped her to her feet. "You okay?"

Annabeth didn't answer.

"Hyperion, I hate that guy." Percy said. They must have faced him already in an earlier quest, but Kira had no idea.

"I thought Grover turned this guy into a maple tree." Annabeth said.

Kira glanced at the two, confused and intrigued, but they ignored her.

"Yeah," Percy agreed. "Maybe the maple tree died, and he wound up back here?"

Annabeth glanced at Bob.

The silvery Titan was studying Hyperion with a frown of concentration—maybe recognition.

"Bob," Annabeth said, "we should go."

"Gold, not silver," Bob murmured. "But he looks like me."

"Bob," Percy said. "Hey, buddy, over here."

The Titan reluctantly turned.

"Am I your friend?" Percy asked.

"Yes." Bob sounded dangerously uncertain. "We are friends."

"You know that some monsters are good," Percy said. "And some are bad."

"Hmm," Bob said. "Like...the pretty ghost ladies who serve Persephone are good. Exploding zombies are bad."

"Right," Percy said. "And some mortals are good, and some are bad. Well, the same thing is true for Titans."

"Titans..." Bob loomed over them, glowering.