to your face. They tend to turn you into small fuzzy mammals or potted plants.
“Okay…” I said. “Any idea what Cacus meant about other enemies, or who would want him to steal your caduceus?”
Hermes fidgeted. “Oh, could be any number of enemies. We gods do have many.”
“Hard to believe,” Annabeth said.
Hermes nodded. Apparently he didn’t catch the sarcasm, or he had other things on his mind. I got the feeling the giant’s warnings would come back to haunt us sooner or later, but Hermes obviously wasn’t going to enlighten us now.
The god managed a smile. “At any rate, well done, both of you! Now I must be going. So many stops—”
“There’s the small matter of my reward,” I reminded him.
Annabeth frowned. “What reward?”
“It’s our one-month anniversary,” I said. “Surely you didn’t forget.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again. I don’t leave her speechless very often. I have to enjoy those rare moments.
“Ah, yes, your reward.” Hermes looked us up and down. “I think we’ll have to start with new clothes. Manhattan sewage is not a look you can pull off. Then the rest should be easy. God of travel, at your service.”
“What is he talking about?” Annabeth asked.
“A special surprise for dinner,” I said. “I did promise.”
Hermes rubbed his hands. “Say good-bye, George and Martha.”
Good-bye, George and Martha, said George sleepily.
Zzz, said Martha.
“I may not see you for a while, Percy,” Hermes warned. “But…well, enjoy tonight.”
He made that sound so ominous, I wondered again what he wasn’t telling me. Then he snapped his fingers, and the world dissolved around us.
Our table was ready. The maître d’ seated us on a rooftop terrace with a view of the lights of Paris and the boats on the River Seine. The Eiffel Tower glowed in the distance.
I was wearing a suit. I hope someone got a picture, because I don’t wear suits. Thankfully, Hermes had magically arranged this. Otherwise I couldn’t have tied the tie. Hopefully I looked okay, because Annabeth looked stunning. She wore a dark green sleeveless dress that showed off her long blond hair and her slim athletic figure. Her camp necklace had been replaced by a string of gray pearls that matched her eyes.
The waiter brought fresh-baked bread and cheese, a bottle of sparkling water for Annabeth, and a Coke with ice for me (because I’m a barbarian). We dined on a bunch of stuff I couldn’t even pronounce—but all of it was great. It was almost half an hour before Annabeth got over her shock and spoke.
“This is…incredible.”
“Only the best for you,” I said. “And you thought I forgot.”
“You did forget, Seaweed Brain.” But her smile told me she wasn’t really mad. “Nice save, though. I’m impressed.”
“I have my moments.”
“You certainly do.” She reached across the table and took my hand. Her expression turned serious. “Any idea why Hermes acted so nervous? I got the feeling something bad was happening on Olympus.”
I shook my head. I may not see you for a while, the god had said, almost like he was warning me about something to come.
“Let’s just enjoy tonight,” I said. “Hermes will be teleporting us back at midnight.”
“Time for a walk along the river,” Annabeth suggested. “And Percy…feel free to start planning our two-month anniversary.”
“Oh, gods.” I felt panicky at the thought, but also really good. I’d survived a month as Annabeth’s boyfriend, so I guess I hadn’t screwed things up too badly. In fact, I’d never been happier. If she saw a future for us—if she was still planning to be with me next month, then that was good enough for me.
“How about we go for that walk?” I pulled out the credit card Hermes had tucked in my pocket—a black metal Olympus Express—and set it on the table. “I want to explore Paris with a beautiful girl.”
It’s such an honor to speak with you. You’re quite famous, you
“Okay…” I said. “Any idea what Cacus meant about other enemies, or who would want him to steal your caduceus?”
Hermes fidgeted. “Oh, could be any number of enemies. We gods do have many.”
“Hard to believe,” Annabeth said.
Hermes nodded. Apparently he didn’t catch the sarcasm, or he had other things on his mind. I got the feeling the giant’s warnings would come back to haunt us sooner or later, but Hermes obviously wasn’t going to enlighten us now.
The god managed a smile. “At any rate, well done, both of you! Now I must be going. So many stops—”
“There’s the small matter of my reward,” I reminded him.
Annabeth frowned. “What reward?”
“It’s our one-month anniversary,” I said. “Surely you didn’t forget.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again. I don’t leave her speechless very often. I have to enjoy those rare moments.
“Ah, yes, your reward.” Hermes looked us up and down. “I think we’ll have to start with new clothes. Manhattan sewage is not a look you can pull off. Then the rest should be easy. God of travel, at your service.”
“What is he talking about?” Annabeth asked.
“A special surprise for dinner,” I said. “I did promise.”
Hermes rubbed his hands. “Say good-bye, George and Martha.”
Good-bye, George and Martha, said George sleepily.
Zzz, said Martha.
“I may not see you for a while, Percy,” Hermes warned. “But…well, enjoy tonight.”
He made that sound so ominous, I wondered again what he wasn’t telling me. Then he snapped his fingers, and the world dissolved around us.
Our table was ready. The maître d’ seated us on a rooftop terrace with a view of the lights of Paris and the boats on the River Seine. The Eiffel Tower glowed in the distance.
I was wearing a suit. I hope someone got a picture, because I don’t wear suits. Thankfully, Hermes had magically arranged this. Otherwise I couldn’t have tied the tie. Hopefully I looked okay, because Annabeth looked stunning. She wore a dark green sleeveless dress that showed off her long blond hair and her slim athletic figure. Her camp necklace had been replaced by a string of gray pearls that matched her eyes.
The waiter brought fresh-baked bread and cheese, a bottle of sparkling water for Annabeth, and a Coke with ice for me (because I’m a barbarian). We dined on a bunch of stuff I couldn’t even pronounce—but all of it was great. It was almost half an hour before Annabeth got over her shock and spoke.
“This is…incredible.”
“Only the best for you,” I said. “And you thought I forgot.”
“You did forget, Seaweed Brain.” But her smile told me she wasn’t really mad. “Nice save, though. I’m impressed.”
“I have my moments.”
“You certainly do.” She reached across the table and took my hand. Her expression turned serious. “Any idea why Hermes acted so nervous? I got the feeling something bad was happening on Olympus.”
I shook my head. I may not see you for a while, the god had said, almost like he was warning me about something to come.
“Let’s just enjoy tonight,” I said. “Hermes will be teleporting us back at midnight.”
“Time for a walk along the river,” Annabeth suggested. “And Percy…feel free to start planning our two-month anniversary.”
“Oh, gods.” I felt panicky at the thought, but also really good. I’d survived a month as Annabeth’s boyfriend, so I guess I hadn’t screwed things up too badly. In fact, I’d never been happier. If she saw a future for us—if she was still planning to be with me next month, then that was good enough for me.
“How about we go for that walk?” I pulled out the credit card Hermes had tucked in my pocket—a black metal Olympus Express—and set it on the table. “I want to explore Paris with a beautiful girl.”
It’s such an honor to speak with you. You’re quite famous, you
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