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Sons of Apollo
A reading of the Percy Jackson books written by Rick Riordan with exhilarating debriefs after each chapter.
Read by Panther Prakash and Dante Musa, the Sons of Apollo
Sons of Apollo
16. PJTC
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Tempo: 120.0
SPEAKER_03Chapter sixteen We meet the dragon of eternal bad breath.
SPEAKER_04We will never make it, Zoe said. We are moving too slow, but we cannot leave the Ophiotaurus. M, Bessie said. He swam next to me as we jogged along the waterfront. We left the shopping center pier far behind. We were heading toward the Golden Gate Bridge, but it was a lot farther than I'd realized. The sun was already dipping in the west. I don't get it, I said. Why do we have to get there at sunset? The Hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset, Zoe said. We can only enter their garden as day changes tonight. What happens if we miss it? Tomorrow is 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 Annabet will be dead, I thought. But I didn't say that. We need a car, Thalia said. But what about Bessie? I said I asked. Grover stopped in his tracks.
SPEAKER_05I've got an idea. The opioids can appear in different bodies of water, right?
SPEAKER_04Well, yeah, I said. I mean, he was in Long Island Sound, then he just popped into the water at Hoover Dam, and now he's here.
SPEAKER_05So maybe we could coax him back to Long Island Sound, Grover said.
SPEAKER_04Then Chiron could help us get him to Olympus. But he was following me, I said. If I'm not there, would he know where he's going? M, Bessie said forlorningly. I can show him, Grover said. I'll go with him. I stared at him. Grover was no fan of the water. He'd been almost drowned last summer in the Sea of Monsters, and he couldn't swim very well with his goat hooves. I'm the only one who can talk to him, Grover said. It makes sense. He bent down and said something in Bessie's ear. Bessie shivered, then made a contented loing sound.
SPEAKER_05The blessing of the wilds, Grover said.
SPEAKER_04That should help with safe passage.
SPEAKER_05Percy, pray to your dad too. See if he will grant us safe passage through the seas.
SPEAKER_04I didn't understand how they could possibly swim back to Long Island from California. Then again, monsters didn't travel the same way as humans. I'd seen plenty evidence of that. I ta I tried to concentrate on the waves, the smell of the ocean, the sound of the tide. Dad, I said, help us. Get the Ophiotus and Grover safely to camp. But protect them at sea.
SPEAKER_03A prayer like that needs a sacrifice, Thalia said. Something big. I thought for a second. Then I took off my coat.
SPEAKER_00Percy, Grover said, Are you sure? That lion skin. That's really helpful. Hercules used it.
SPEAKER_03As soon as he said that, I realized something. I glanced at Zoe, who was watching me carefully. I realized I did know who Zoe's hero had been. The one who'd ruined her life, gotten her kicked out of her family, and never even mentioned how she'd helped him. Hercules, a hero I'd admired all my life. If I'm gonna survive, I said, it won't be because I've got a lion skin cloak. I'm not Hercules. I threw the coat into the bay. It turned back into a golden lion skin flashing in the light. Then, as it began to sink beneath the waves, it seemed to dissolve into sunlight on the water. The sea breeze picked it up. Grover took a deep breath. Well, no time to lose. He jumped in the water and immediately began to sink. Bessie glided next to him and let Grover take hold of his neck. Be careful, I told them.
SPEAKER_00We will Grover said. Okay, um Bessie. We're going to Long Island. It's east. Over that way.
SPEAKER_03Mmm?
SPEAKER_00Bessie said. Yes. Grover answered. Long Island. It's this island. And it's long. Oh, let's just start.
SPEAKER_03Mm. Bessie lurched forward. He started to submerge, and Grover said, I can't breathe underwater.
SPEAKER_00Just thought I'd mention.
SPEAKER_03Under they went. And I hoped my father's protection would extend to little things like breathing. Well, that is one problem addressed, Zoe said. But how can we get to my sister's garden? Dahlia's right, I said. We need a car. But there's nobody to help us there. Help us here. Unless we uh borrowed one. I didn't like that option. I mean, sure, this was a life or death situation, but still, it was stealing and it was bound to get us noticed. Wait, Dahlia said. She started rifling through her backpack. There is somebody in San Francisco who can help us. I've got the address here somewhere. Who? I asked. Thalia pulled out a crumpled piece of notebook paper and held it up. Professor Chase. Annabeth's dad. After hearing Annabeth gripe about her dad for two years, I was expecting him to have devil horns and fangs. I was not expecting him to be wearing an old fashioned aviators cap and goggles. He looked so weird with his eyes bugging out through the glasses that we all took a step back on the front porch. Hello, he said in a friendly voice. Are you delivering my airplanes? Thalia, Zoe, and I looked at each other warily. Um no, sir, I said.
SPEAKER_04I need three more sopwith camels. Right, I said, though I had no clue what he was talking about. We're friends of Annabeth. Annabeth? He straightened as if he just as if I'd just given him an electric shock. Is she alright? Has something happened? None of us answered, but our faces must have told him that something was very wrong. He took off his cap and goggles. He had sandy colored hair like Annabeth and intense brown eyes. He was handsome, I guess, for an older guy, but it looked like he hadn't shaved in a couple of days, and his shirt was button wrong, so one side of his collar stuck up higher than the other side. You'd better come in, he said. It didn't look like a house that it just that it just moved into. There were Lego robots on the stairs and two cats sleeping on the sofa in the living room. The coffee table was stacked with magazines, and a little kid's winter coat was spread on the floor. The whole house smelled like fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. There was jazz music coming from the kitchen. It seemed like a messy, happy kind of home, the kind of place that had been lived in forever. Dad, a little boy screamed, he's taking apart my robots. Bobby, doctor Chase called absently. Don't take apart your brother's robots. I'm Bobby, the little boy protested. He's Matthew. Matthew Doctor Chase called. Okay, dad. Doctor Chase turned to us. We'll go upstairs to my study. This way. Honey, a woman called. Annabeth's stepmom appeared in the living room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She was a pretty Asian woman with red highlighted hair tied in a bun. Who are our guests? she asked. Oh, doctor Chase said. This is he stared at us blankly. Frederick, she chided. You forgot to ask them their names. We introduced ourselves a little uneasily, but Mrs. Chase seemed really nice. She asked if we were hungry. We admitted we were, and she told us she'd bring us some cookies and sandwiches and sodas. Dear, doctor Chase said, they came about Annabeth. I half expected Mrs. Chase to turn into a raving lunatic at the mention of her stepdaughter, but she just pursed her lips and looked concerned. All right, go on up to the study and I'll bring you some food. She smiled at me. Nice meeting you, Percy. I've heard a lot about you. Upstairs, we walked into Dr. Chase's study and I said, Whoa. The room was wall-to-wall books, but what really caught my attention were the war toys. There was a huge table with miniature tanks and soldiers fighting along a blue painted river with hills and fake trees and stuff. Old-fashioned biplanes hung on strings from the ceiling, tilted at crazy angles like what they were in the middle of a dog fight.
SPEAKER_03Dr. Chase smiled. Yes. The third battle of Ypres. I'm writing a paper, you see, on the use of soapwith camels to strafe enemy lines. I believe they played a much greater role than they've been given credit for. He plucked a butt biplane from its string and swept it across the battlefield, making airplane engine noises as he knocked down little German soldiers. Oh right, I said. I knew Annabet's dad was a professor of military history. She'd never mentioned he played with toy soldiers. Zoe came over and studied the battlefield. The German lines were farther from the river. Doctor Chase stared at her. How do you know that? I was there, she said matter of factly. Artemis wanted to show us how horrible war was, the way mortal men fight each other, and how foolish too. The battle was a complete waste. Doctor Chase opened his mouth in shock. You She's a hunter, sir, Thalia said. But that's not why we're here. We need you saw the sopwith camels? Doctor Chase said. How many were there? What formations did they fly? Sir Thalia broke in again. Annabeth is in danger. That got his attention. He set the biplane down. Of course, he said, tell me everything. It wasn't easy, but we tried. Meanwhile, the afternoon light was fading outside. We were running out of time. When we'd finished, Dr. Chase collapped in his leather recliner. He laced his hands. My poor brave Annabeth, we must hurry. Sir, we need transportation to Mount Mount Tamilpais, Zoe said. And we need it immediately. I'll drive you. Hmm. It would be faster to fly in my camel, but it only seats two. Whoa you have an actual biplane? I said. Down at Chrissy Field, doctor Chase said proudly. That's the reason I had to move here. My sponsor is a private collector with some of the finest World War I relics in the world. He let me restore the Sopwith camel. Sir, Thalia said, just a car would be great. And it might be better if we went without you. It's too dangerous. Doctor Chase frowned uncomfortably. No, wait a minute, young lady. Annabh is my daughter. Dangerous or not, I I I can't just snacks, misses Chase announced. She pushed through the door with a tray full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cokes and cookies fresh out of the oven, the chocolate chips still gooey. Dolly and I inhaled a few cookies while Zoe said, I can drive, sir. I'm not as young as I look. I promise not to destroy your car. Mrs. Chase knit her eyebrows. What's this about? Annabet is in danger, doctor Chase said. On Mount Tam. I would drive them, but apparently it's no place for mortals. It sounded like it was really hard for him to get that last part out.
SPEAKER_04I waited for Mrs. Chase to say no. I mean, what mortal parent would allow three underage teenagers to borrow their car? To my surprise, Mrs. Chase nodded. Then they'd better get going. Right doctor Chase jumped up and started patting his pockets. My keys his wife sighed. Frederick, honestly, you'd lose your head if it weren't wrapped inside your aviator hats. The keys are hanging on the peg by the front door. Right, doctor Chase said. Zoe grabbed a sandwich. Thank you both. We should go now. We hustled out the door and down the stairs. The chase is right behind us. Percy, misses Chase called as I was leaving. Tell Annabeth, tell her she still has a home here, will you? Remind her that. I took one last look at the messy living room. Annabeth's half brothers spilling Legos and arguing, the smell of cookies filling the air. Not a bad place, I thought. I'll tell her, I promised. We ran out to the yellow VW convertible parked in the driveway. The sun was going down. I figured we had less than an hour to save Annabeth. Can't this thing go any faster? Thalia demanded. Zoe glared at her. I cannot control traffic. You both sound like my mother, I said. Shut up, they said in unison. Zoe weaved in and out of traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. The sun was sinking on the horizon when we finally got into Marine County and exited the highway. The roads were insanely narrow, winding through forests and up the sides of hills and around the edges of steep ravines. Zoe didn't slow down at all. Why does everything smell like cough drops? I asked. Eucalyptus Eucalyptus Zoe pointed to the huge trees all around us. The stuff koala bears eat and monsters, she said. They love chewing the leaves, especially dragons. Dragons chew eucalyptus leaves? Believe me, Zoe said, if you had dragon breath, you would chew eucalyptus too. I didn't question her, but I did keep my eyes peeled more closely as we drove. Ahead of us loomed Mount Damalbais. I guess in terms of mountains, it was a small one, but it looked plenty huge as we were driving towards it. So that's the Mount of Despair? I asked. Yes, Zoe said tightly. Why do you call it that? She was silent for almost a mile before answering. After the war between the Titans and the gods, many of the Titans were punished and imprisoned. Kronos was sliced to pieces and thrown into Tartarus. Kronos' right hand man, the general of his forces, was imprisoned up there on the summit, just beyond the garden of the Hesperides. The general, I said. Clouds seemed to be swirling around its peak, as though the mountain was drawing them in, spinning like a top. What's going on up there? A storm?
SPEAKER_03Zoe didn't answer. I got the feeling she knew exactly what the clouds meant, and she didn't like it. We have to concentrate, Thalia said. The mist is really strong here. The magical kind or the natural kind? I asked. Both. The gray clouds swirled even thicker over the mountain, and we kept driving straight toward them. We were out of the forest now, into wide open spaces of cliffs and grass and rocks and fog. I happened to glance down at the ocean as we passed the scenic curve and I saw something that made me jump out of my seat. Look! But we turned a corner and the ocean disappeared behind the hills. What? Thalia asked. A big white ship, I said, Docked near the beach. It looked like a cruise ship. Her eyes widened. Luke's ship? I wanted to say I wasn't sure. It might be a coincidence, but I knew better. The Princess Andromeda, Luke's demon cruise ship, was docked at the beach. That's why he'd send his ship all the way down to the Panama Canal. It was the only way to sail it from the East Coast to California. We will have company then, Zoe said grimly. Kronos is on me. I was about to answer when suddenly the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Dahlia shouted shouted, Stop the car now. Zoe must have sensed something was wrong, because she slammed on the brakes without question. The yellow VW spun twice before coming to a stop at the edge of the cliff. Out Thalia opened the door and pushed me hard. We both rolled onto the pavement. The next second boom Lightning flashed and doctor Chase's Volkswagen erupted like a canary yellow grenade. I probably would have been killed by shrapnel except for Thalia's shield, which appeared over me. I heard a sound like metal rain, and when I opened my eyes, we were surrounded by wreckage. Part of the VW's fender had impaled itself in the street. The smoking hood was spinning in circles. Pieces of yellow metal were strewn across the road. I swallowed the taste of smoke out of my mouth and looked at Thalia. You saved my life. One shall perish by a parent's hand, she muttered. Curse him. He would destroy me? Me? It took me a second to realize she was talking about her dad. Oh, hey, that couldn't have been Zeus's lightning bolt. No way. Who's then? Thalia demanded. I don't know. Zoe said Cronus' name. Maybe he Thalia shook her head looking angry and stunned. No, that wasn't it. Wait, I said, Where's Zoe? Zoe.
SPEAKER_04We both got up and ran around the blasted VW. Nothing inside. Nothing either direction down the road. I looked down the cliff. No sign of her. Zoe I shouted. Then she was standing right next to me, pulling me by my arm. Silence, fool. Do you want to wake the dawn? You mean we're here? Very close, she said. Follow me. Sheets of fog were drifting right across the road. Zoe stepped into one of them and when the fog passed, she was no longer there. Tolly and I looked at each other. Concentrate on Zoe, Thalia advised. We are following her. Go straight into the fog and keep that in mind. Wait, Thali. About what happened back on the pier. I mean, with the manticore and the sacrifice, I don't want to talk about it. You wouldn't actually have you know. She hesitated. I was just shocked. That's all. Zeus didn't send that lightning bolt at the car. It was Kronos. He's trying to manipulate you, make you angry at your dad. She took a deep breath. Percy, I know you're trying to make me feel better. Thanks. But come on, we need to go. She tapp she stepped into the fog, into the mist. And I followed. When the fog cleared, I was still on the side of the mountain, but the road was dirt. The grass was thicker. The sunset made a blood red slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain seemed closer now, swirling with storm clouds and raw power. There was only one path to the top, directly in front of us, and it led through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers. The garden of twilight, just like I'd seen in my dream. If it hadn't been for the enormous dragon, the garden would have been the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. The grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colors, they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either side of a five-story tall apple tree. Every bough glittering with golden apples, and I don't mean yellow golden apples, like in the grocery store. I mean real golden apples. I can't describe why they were so appealing, but as soon as I smelled their fragrance, I knew that one bite would be the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted. The apples of immortality, Thalia said. I wanted to step right up and pluck one, except for the dragon coiled around the tree. Now, I don't know what you think of when I say dragon. Whatever it is, it's not scary enough. The serpent's body was as thick as a booster rocket, glinting with coppery scales. He had more heads than I could count, as if a hundred deadly pythons had been fused together. He appeared to be asleep. The heads lay curled in a big spaghetti-like mound on the grass, all the eyes closed. Then the shadows in front of us began to move. There was a beautiful, eerie singing. Like voices from the bottom of a well. I reached for riptide, but Zoe stopped my hand. Four figures shimmered into existence. Four young women who looked very much like Zoe. They all wore white Greek cheetons. Their skin was like caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose around their shoulders. It was strange, but I'd never realized how beautiful Zoe was until I saw her saw her siblings, the Hesperids. They looked just like Zoe. Gorgeous and probably very dangerous.
SPEAKER_02Sisters, Zoe said. We do not see any sister, one of the girls said coldly.
SPEAKER_03We too we see two half bloods and a hunter, all of whom shall soon die. You've got it wrong, I stepped forward. Nobody is going to die. The girls studied me. They had eyes like volcanic rock, glassy and completely black. Perseus Jackson, one of them said. Yes, mused another. I do not see why he is a threat. Who said I was a threat? The first Hesperid glanced behind her toward the top of the mountain. They fear thee. They are unhappy that this one has not killed thee. Has not yet killed thee. She pointed at Thalia. Tempting sometimes, Thalia admitted, but no thanks. He's my friend. There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus, the girl said. Only enemies. Go back. Not without Annabeth, Thalia said. And Artemis, Zoe said. We must approach the mountain. You know he will kill thee, the girl said. You are no match for him. Artemis must be freed, Zoe insisted. Let us pass. The girl shook her head. You have no rights here any more. We only we have only to raise our voices and Ledon will wake. He will not hurt me, Zoe said. No? And what about thy those what about thy so called friends? Then Zoe did the last thing I expected. She shouted Ledon, wake The Dragon stirred, glittering like a mountain of pennies. The Hesperides yelped and scattered. The lead girl said to Zoe, Are you mad? You never had any courage, sister, Zoe said. That is thy problem. The dragon Ledon was writhing now, a hundred heads whipping around, tongues flickering and tasting the air. Zoe took a step forward, her arms raised. Zoe, don't, Thalia said. You're not a Hesperit anymore. He'll kill you. Ladon is trained to protect the tree, Zoe said. Skirt around the edges of the garden. Go up the mountain. As soon as I'm a bigger threat, he should ignore thee. Should, I said, not exactly reassuring. It is the only way, she said. Even the three of us together cannot fight him. Ladon opened his mouths. The sound of a hundred heads hissing at once sent a shiver down my back. And that was before his breath hit me. The smell was like acid. It made my eyes burn, my skin crawl, and my hair stand on end. I remembered the time a rat had died inside our apartment wall in New York in the middle of the summer. The stench was like that, except a hundred times stronger, and mixed with the smell of chewed eucalyptus. I promised myself right then and there I would never ask a school nurse for another cough drop.
SPEAKER_04I wanted to draw my sword, but then I remembered my dream of Zoe and Hercules and how Hercules had failed in a head-on assault. I decided to trust Zoe's judgment. Thaleo went left. I went right. Zoe walked straight toward the monster. It's me, my little dragon, Zoe said. Zoe has come back. Ladon shifted forward and then back. Some of the mouths closed. Some kept hissing dragon. Confusion. Meanwhile, the Hesperide shimmered and turned into shadows. The voice of the eldest whispered Fool I used to feed thee by hand, Zoe continued, speaking in a soothing voice as she stepped toward the golden tree. Do you still like lamb meat? The dragon's eyes glinted. Talia and I were about halfway around the garden ahead, and I could see a single rocky trail leading up to the black peak of the mountain. The storm swirled above it, spinning on the summit like it was the axis for the whole world. We'd almost made it out of the meadow when something went wrong. I felt the dragon's mood shift. Maybe Zoe got too close. Maybe the dragon realized he was hungry. Whatever the reason, he lunged at Zoe. Two thousand years of training kept her alive. She dodged one set of slashing fans and tumbled under another, weaving through the dragon's heads as she ran in our direction, gagging from the monster's horrible breath. I drew rip tie to help. No, Zoe panted. Run! The dragon snapped at her side and Zoe cried out Thalia uncovered Aegis and the dragon hissed in his moment of indecision, Zoe sprinted past us up the mountain, and we followed. The dragon didn't try to pursue. He hissed and stomped the ground. But I guess he was well trained to guard that tree. He wasn't going to be lured off even by the tasty prospect of eating some heroes. We ran up the mountain as the Hesperides resumed their song in the shadows behind us. The music didn't sound so beautiful to me now. More like the soundtrack for a funeral. At the top of the mountain were ruins, blocks of black granite and marble as big as houses, broken columns, statues of bronze that looked as though they've been half melted. The ruins of Mount Orthis, Talia whispered in awe. Yes, Zoe said. This is bad. What's Mount Othrus? I asked, feeling like a fool as usual.
SPEAKER_03The mountain fortress of the Titans, Zoe said. In the first war, Olympus and Othrus were the two rival capitals of the world. Othrus was she winced and held her side. You're hurt, I said. Let me see. No, it is nothing. I was saying in the first war, Othrus was blasted to pieces. But how is it here? Dahlia looked around cautiously as we picked our way through the rubble, past blocks of marble and broken archways. It moves in the same way that Olympus moves. It always exists on the edges of civilization. But the fact that it is here on this mountain is not good. Why? This is Atlas's mountain, Zoe said. Where he holds she froze. Her voice was ragged with despair. Where he used to hold up the sky. We had reached the summit. A few yards ahead of us, grey clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop, but instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve year old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress. Artemis, her legs bound to the rock with celestial bronze chains. This is what I had seen in my dream. It hadn't been a cavern roof that Artemis was forced to hold. It was the roof of the world. My lady! Zoe rushed forward, but Artemis said, Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now. Her voice was strained. She was drenched in sweat. I had never seen a goddess in pain before, but the weight of the sky was clearly too much for Artemis. Zoe was crying. She ran forward despite Artemis' protests and tugged at the chains. A booming voice spoke behind us.
SPEAKER_01Ah how touching.
SPEAKER_03We turned. The general was standing there in his brown silk suit. At his side were Luke and a half dozen draconae bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. Annabeth stood at Luke's side. She had her hands cuffed behind her back, a gag in her mouth, and Luke was holding the point of his sword to her throat. I met her eyes, trying to ask a thousand questions. There was just one message she was sending me though. Run. Luke, Thalia snarled. Let her go. Luke's smile was weak and pale. He looked even worse than he had three days ago in DC. That is the general's decision, Thalia. But it's good to see you again. Thalia spat at him.
SPEAKER_01The general chuckled. So much for old friends. And you, Zoe. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you.
SPEAKER_03Do not respond, Artemis groaned. Do not challenge him. Wait a second, I said, you're Atlas? The general glanced at me.
SPEAKER_01So even the stupidest of heroes can finally figure something out. Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans, and Terror of the Gods. Congratulations. I will kill you presently, as soon as I deal with this wretched girl. You're not gonna hurt Zoe, I said. I won't let you. The general sneered. You have no right to interfere, little hero. This is a family matter. I frowned. A family matter?
SPEAKER_03Yes, Zoe said bleakly. Atlas is my father.
SPEAKER_04Chapter fifteen, anyone? Chapter sixteen. Chapter sixteen, anyone I am cool.
SPEAKER_02Atlas is my father. At my father.
