Page 40 (1/2)

"Hold on" Percy esture "What statue?"

Annabeth took back the silver coin and slipped it into her pocket "The Athena Parthenos," she said "The most famous Greek statue of all tiold It stood in the middle of the Parthenon in Athens"

The ship went silent, except for the waves lapping against the hull

"Okay, I’ll bite," Leo said at last "What happened to it?"

"It disappeared," Annabeth said

Leo frowned "How does a forty-foot-tall statue in the middle of the Parthenon just disappear?"

"That’s a good question," Annabeth said "It’s one of the biggest ht the statue was old, or destroyed by invaders Athens was sacked a nuht the statue was carried off--"

"By Romans," Jason finished "At least, that’s one theory, and it fits the legend I heard at Camp Jupiter To break the Greeks’ spirit, the Romans carted off the Athena Parthenos when they took over the city of Athens They hid it in an underground shrine in Roht of day They literally stole Athena, so she could no longer be the symbol of Greek oddess"

"And the children of Athena have been searching for the statue ever since," Annabeth said "Most don’t know about the legend, but in each generation, a few are chosen by the goddess They’re given a coin like ical trail that links the place of the Athena Parthenos and get the statue back"

Piper watched the two of them--Annabeth and Jason--with quiet amazement They spoke like a team, without any hostility or blame The two of theh to both of thee problem so calmly--the ultimate source of Greek/Roman hatred--maybe there was hope for the two ca si from his surprised expression "So if we--I mean you--find the statue…ould we do with it? Could we even move it?"

"I’m not sure," Annabeth admitted "But if we could save it somehow, it could unite the two ca her two aspects apart And maybe…ainst the giants"

Piper stared at Annabeth with awe, just starting to appreciate the huge responsibility her friend had taken on And Annabeth e everything," Piper said "It could end thousands of years of hostility ItGaea But if we can’t help you…"

She didn’t finish, but the question see the statue even possible?

Annabeth squared her shoulders Piper knew sheit

"I have to succeed," Annabeth said simply "The risk is worth it"

Hazel twirled her hair pensively "I don’t like the idea of you risking your life alone, but you’re right We sahat recovering the golden eagle standard did for the Roion If this statue is the most powerful symbol of Athena ever created--"

"It could kick some serious booty," Leo offered

Hazel frowned "That wasn’t the way I’d put it, but yes"

"Except…" Percy took Annabeth’s hand again "No child of Athena has ever found it Annabeth, what’s down there? What’s guarding it? If it’s got to do with spiders--?"

"Won through pain from a woven jail," Frank recalled "Woven, like webs?"

Annabeth’s face turned as white as printer paper Piper suspected that Annabeth knehat awaited her…or at least that she had a very good idea She was trying to hold doave of panic and terror

"We’ll deal with that e get to Ro a little char to work out Annabeth is going to kick some serious booty, too You’ll see"

"Yeah," Percy said "I learned a long tiainst Annabeth"

Annabeth looked at the from their half-eaten breakfasts, the others still felt uneasy; but Leo ed to shake them out of it He pushed a button, and a loud blast of stea everyone jump

"Well!" he said "Good pep rally, but there’s still a ton of things to fix on this ship before we get to the Mediterranean Please report to Supreme Commander Leo for your superfun list of chores!"