The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3)(89)

“Princess of Calydon,” the river god said mournfully. “She was promised to me, until Hercules butted in. He insisted on combat.”

“And he broke off your horn?” Jason guessed.

“Yes,” Achelous said. “I could never forgive him for that. Horribly uncomfortable, having only one horn. But the situation was worse for poor Deianira. She could have had a long, happy life married to me.”

“A man-headed bull,” Piper said, “who lives in a river.”

“Exactly,” Achelous agreed. “It seems impossible she would refuse, eh? Instead, she went off with Hercules. She picked the handsome, flashy hero over the good, faithful husband who would have treated her well. What happened next? Well, she should have known. Hercules was much too wrapped up in his own problems to be a good husband. He had already murdered one wife, you know. Hera cursed him, so he flew into a rage and killed his entire family. Horrible business. That’s why he had to do those twelve labors as penance.”

Piper felt appalled. “Wait…Hera made him crazy, and Hercules had to do the penance?”

Achelous shrugged. “The Olympians never seem to pay for their crimes. And Hera has always hated the sons of Zeus…or Jupiter.” He glanced distrustfully at Jason. “At any rate, my poor Deianira had a tragic end. She became jealous of Hercules’s many affairs. He gallivanted all over the world, you see, just like his father Zeus, flirting with every woman he met. Finally Deianira got so desperate she listened to bad advice. A crafty centaur named Nessus told her that if she wanted Hercules to be faithful forever, she should spread some centaur blood on the inside of Hercules’s favorite shirt. Unfortunately Nessus was lying because he wanted revenge on Hercules. Deianira followed his instructions, but instead of making Hercules a faithful husband—”

“Centaur blood is like acid,” Jason said.

“Yes,” Achelous said. “Hercules died a painful death. When Deianira realized what she’d done, she…” The river god drew a line across his neck.

“That’s awful,” Piper said.

“And the moral, my dear?” Achelous said. “Beware the sons of Zeus.”

Piper couldn’t look at her boyfriend. She wasn’t sure she could mask the uneasiness in her eyes. Jason would never be like Hercules. But the story played into all her fears. Hera had manipulated their relationship, just as she had manipulated Hercules. Piper wanted to believe that Jason could never go into a murderous frenzy like Hercules had. Then again, only four days ago he had been controlled by an eidolon and almost killed Percy Jackson.

“Hercules is a god now,” Achelous said. “He married Hebe, the youth goddess, but still he is rarely at home. He dwells here on this island, guarding those silly pillars. He says Zeus makes him do this, but I think he prefers being here to Mount Olympus, nursing his bitterness and mourning his mortal life. My presence reminds him of his failures—especially the woman who finally killed him. And his presence reminds me of poor Deianira, who could have been my wife.”

The bull-man tapped the scroll, which rolled itself up and sank into the water.

“Hercules wants my other horn in order to humiliate me,” Achelous said. “Perhaps it would make him feel better about himself, knowing that I’m miserable too. Besides, the horn would become a cornucopia. Good food and drink would flow from it, just as my power causes the river to flow. No doubt Hercules would keep the cornucopia for himself. It would be a tragedy and a waste.”

Piper suspected the noise of the river and the drowsy sound of Achelous’s voice were still affecting her thoughts, but she couldn’t help agreeing with the river god. She was starting to hate Hercules. This poor bull-man seemed so sad and lonely.

Jason stirred. “I’m sorry, Achelous. Honestly, you’ve gotten a bum deal. But maybe…well, without the other horn, you might not be so lopsided. It might feel better.”

“Jason!” Piper protested.

Jason held up his hands. “Just a thought. Besides, I don’t see that we have many choices. If Hercules doesn’t get that horn, he’ll kill us and our friends.”

“He’s right,” Achelous said. “You have no choice. Which is why I hope you’ll forgive me.”

Piper frowned. The river god sounded so heartbroken, she wanted to pat his head. “Forgive you for what?”

“I have no choice either,” Achelous said. “I have to stop you.”

The river exploded, and a wall of water crashed over Piper.

Chapter 28

The current grabbed her like a fist and pulled her into the deep. Struggling was useless. She clamped her mouth shut, forcing herself not to inhale, but she could barely keep from panicking. She couldn’t see anything but a torrent of bubbles. She could only hear her own thrashing and the dull roar of the rapids.

She’d just about decided this was how she would die: drowning in a swimming hole on an island that didn’t exist. Then, as suddenly as she’d been pulled under, she was thrust to the surface. She found herself at the center of a whirlpool, able to breathe but unable to break free.

A few yards away, Jason broke the surface and gasped, his sword in one hand. He swung wildly, but there was nothing to attack.

Twenty feet to Piper’s right, Achelous rose from the water. “I’m really sorry about this,” he said.