The spider’s silk support cables trembled like massive guitar strings and began to snap. Plumes of dust and cobwebs blasted from holes in the floor. “The rest of us should get to the ladder.” “Back for you guys in a sec.” He summoned the wind and shot into the air. “Get me to the helm, quick! The coach is up there alone.”įrank transformed into a giant eagle, and the two of them soared toward the ship. If the statue fell into the chasm, all her work would be for nothing. Its head caught on one of Arachne’s support cables, but the marble foundation under the pedestal was crumbling. She almost asked Percy to do the honors with Riptide, but before she could, he said, “Bacchus mentioned something about my voyage being harder than I expected. She wished she had her dagger to cut that junk off. Her arms and legs trailed spider silk like a bridal train. He guided her a little farther from the edge. The chasm did go straight to the Underworld. That’s when Annabeth knew with certainty. The pit behind them exhaled a cold blast of air. The word seemed to echo through the chamber. “At least that’s somewhere we can reach.” “So the mortal side is in Epirus,” she said. Even with sunlight streaming in from above, Percy’s news made the cavern seem dark again. Percy explained what Nico had found out about the Doors of Death, and how they had to be closed on both sides. The poor guy looked like he’d been wandering through a wasteland for six weeks. Percy told her about rescuing Nico, the appearance of Bacchus, and the fight with the twins in the Colosseum. Then she thought about the other lines of the prophecy: The twins snuff out the angel’s breath, who holds the keys to endless death. She imagined the Athena Parthenos jutting from their trireme with a sign across her pedestal that read: WIDE LOAD. If she sticks out the end, I might have to wrap a flag around her feet or something.”Īnnabeth shuddered. “Well, it might take some rearranging, but I think we can fit her through the bay doors in the stable. He made a finger picture frame around the Athena Parthenos like he was taking measurements. “Won with pain from a woven jail.” She looked at Annabeth with admiration. “The giants’ bane stands gold and pale,” Hazel quoted. Something about it will help us stop the giants.” “We’ll have to take her with us to Greece,” Annabeth said. Generations of Athena kids tried and failed. “You made Arachne weave her own trap? I knew you were good, but Holy Hera-Annabeth, you did it. When she finished, her friends’ faces were slack with amazement. Percy didn’t let go of her hand, which also made her feel more confident. Talking was difficult, but as she went along, her words came more easily. “Your leg.” Piper knelt next to her and examined the Bubble Wrap cast. It seemed only right that he would be with them. Nico di Angelo was there, but Annabeth’s thoughts were so fuzzy, this didn’t seem surprising to her. After all they’d been through over the last year, he knew the most important thing was that they were together. He didn’t say you’re okay, or we’re alive. She buried her face in his chest and broke down in tears. He turned her gently away from the pit and wrapped his arms around her. Then suddenly Percy was next to her, lacing his fingers in hers. It lowered a rope ladder, but Annabeth stood in a daze, staring into the darkness. After all that, falling into Tartarus seemed like too harsh an end.Īnnabeth was dimly aware of the Argo II hovering to a stop about forty feet from the floor. Had the spider fallen all the way to Tartarus? She tried to feel satisfied with that idea, but it made her sad. A few small ledges jutted out here and there, but Annabeth saw nothing on them-just strands of spider silk dripping over the sides like Christmas tinsel.Īnnabeth wondered if Arachne had told the truth about the chasm. Jagged rock walls plunged into the darkness as far as Annabeth could see. She edged closer to the gaping hole made by the Fiat 500.
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