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"What does Blackjack want?" she asked

"Donuts," Percy said "Always donuts He can carry all three of us if--"

Suddenly the air turned cold Piper’s ears popped About fifty yards away, a miniature cyclone three stories tall tore across the tops of the sunflowers like a scene from The Wizard of Oz It touched down on the road next to Jason and took the forh its body

"Te time, my friend"

The storm spirit reared and whinnied Blackjack backed up skittishly

"Easy, boy," Percy said "He’s a friend too" He gave Jason an ied "I ht at the Wolf House He’s a free spirit, literally, but once in a while he agrees to help me"

Percy and Jason climbed on their respective horses Piper had never been coallop on a beast that could vaporize at any moment made her a bit nervous Nevertheless, she accepted Jason’s hand and climbed on

Te overhead Fortunately, they didn’t pass any cars, or they ht have caused a wreck In no time, they arrived at the thirty-two-mile marker, which looked exactly as Piper had seen it in her vision

Blackjack landed Both horses pawed the asphalt Neither looked pleased to have stopped so suddenly, just when they’d found their stride

Blackjack whinnied

"You’re right," Percy said "No sign of the wine dude"

"I beg your pardon?" said a voice from the fields

Tempest turned so quickly, Piper almost fell off

The wheat parted, and the man from her vision stepped into view He wore a wide-brirapevines, a purple short-sleeved shirt, khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks hite socks He looked ht potbelly, like a frat boy who hadn’t yet realized college was over

"Did someone just call me the wine dude?" he asked in a lazy drawl "It’s Bacchus, please Or Mr Bacchus Or Lord Bacchus Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don’t-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus"

Percy urged Blackjack forward, though the pegasus didn’t seem happy about it

"You look different," Percy told the god "Skinnier Your hair is longer And your shirt isn’t so loud"

The wine god squinted up at hi about? Who are you, and where is Ceres?"

"Uh…what series?"

"I think he riculture You’d call her Deod "Lord Bacchus, do you re leopard in Sonoma"

Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin "Ah…yes John Green"

"Jason Grace"

"Whatever," the god said "Did Ceres send you, then?"

"No, Lord Bacchus," Jason said "Were you expecting to od snorted "Well, I didn’t come to Kansas to party, my boy Ceres asked , the crops are withering Droughts are spreading The karpoi are in revolt Even rapes aren’t safe Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war"

"The plant war," Percy said "You’re going to arrapes with tiny assault rifles?"

The god narrowed his eyes "Have we met?"

"At Camp Half-Blood," Percy said, "I know you as Mr D--Dionysus"

"Agh!" Bacchus winced and pressed his hands to his tee flickered Piper saw a different person--fatter, dumpier, in a much louder, leopard-patterned shirt Then Bacchus returned to being Bacchus "Stop that!" he de about me in Greek!"

Percy blinked "Uh, but--"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay focused? Splitting headaches all the ti! Constantly grumpy!"

"That sounds pretty norod’s nostrils flared One of the grape leaves on his hat burst into flame "If we know each other from that other camp, it’s a wonder I haven’t already turned you into a dolphin"

"It was discussed," Percy assured him "I think you were just too lazy to do it"

Piper had been watching with horrified fascination, the way she ress Now she realized Percy was not s better, and Annabeth wasn’t around to rein hiive her if she brought Percy back transformed into a seaoff Tempest’s back

"Piper, careful," Jason said

She shot hiot this

"Sorry to trouble you, et your advice Please, we need your wisdo respect into her charlow faded in his eyes "You’re well-spoken, girl Advice, eh? Very well I would avoid karaoke Really, theeneral are out In these austere ti for a sianic snacks and--"