The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus #2)(83)

“What?” Frank asked.

Then Hazel stopped so abruptly, the guards behind her stumbled. A few feet from the queen’s throne, two Amazons guarded a cage. Inside was a beautiful horse—not the winged kind, but a majestic and powerful stallion with a honey-colored coat and a black mane. His fierce brown eyes regarded Hazel, and she could swear he looked impatient, as if thinking: About time you got here.

“It’s him,” Hazel murmured.

“Him, who?” Percy asked.

Kinzie scowled in annoyance, but when she saw where Hazel was looking, her expression softened. “Ah, yes. Beautiful, isn’t he?”

Hazel blinked to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. It was the same horse she’d chased in Alaska. She was sure of it…but that was impossible. No horse could live that long.

“Is he…” Hazel could hardly control her voice. “Is he for sale?”

The guards all laughed.

“That’s Arion,” Kinzie said patiently, as if she understood Hazel’s fascination. “He’s a royal treasure of the Amazons—to be claimed only by our most courageous warrior, if you believe the prophecy.”

“Prophecy?” Hazel asked.

Kinzie’s expression became pained, almost embarrassed. “Never mind. But no, he’s not for sale.”

“Then why is he in a cage?”

Kinzie grimaced. “Because…he is difficult.”

Right on cue, the horse slammed his head against the cage door. The metal bars shuddered, and the guards retreated nervously.

Hazel wanted to free that horse. She wanted it more than anything she had ever wanted before. But Percy, Frank, and a dozen Amazon guards were staring at her, so she tried to mask her emotions. “Just asking,” she managed. “Let’s see the queen.”

The argument at the front of the room grew louder. Finally the queen noticed Hazel’s group approaching, and she snapped, “Enough!”

The arguing Amazons shut up immediately. The queen waved them aside and beckoned Kinzie forward.

Kinzie shoved Hazel and her friends toward the throne. “My queen, these demigods—”

The queen shot to her feet. “You!”

She glared at Percy Jackson with murderous rage.

Percy muttered something in Ancient Greek that Hazel was pretty sure the nuns at St. Agnes wouldn’t have liked.

“Clipboard,” he said. “Spa. Pirates.”

This made no sense to Hazel, but the queen nodded. She stepped down from her dais of best sellers and drew a dagger from her belt.

“You were incredibly foolish to come here,” she said. “You destroyed my home. You made my sister and me exiles and prisoners.”

“Percy,” Frank said uneasily. “What’s the scary woman with the dagger talking about?”

“Circe’s Island,” Percy said. “I just remembered. The gorgon’s blood—maybe it’s starting to heal my mind. TheSea of Monsters. Hylla…she welcomed us at the docks, took us to see her boss. Hylla worked for the sorceress.”

Hylla bared her perfect white teeth. “Are you telling me you’ve had amnesia? You know, I might actually believe you.

Why else would you be stupid enough to come here?”

“We’ve come in peace,” Hazel insisted. “What did Percy do?”

“Peace?” The queen raised her eyebrows at Hazel. “What did he do? This male destroyed Circe’s school of magic!”

“Circe turned me into a guinea pig!” Percy protested.

“No excuses!” Hylla said. “Circe was a wise and generous employer. I had room and board, a good health plan, dental, pet leopards, free potions—everything! And this demigod with his friend, the blonde—”

“Annabeth.” Percy tapped his forehead like he wanted the memories to come back faster. “That’s right. I was there with Annabeth.”

“You released our captives—Blackbeard and his pirates.” She turned to Hazel. “Have you ever been kidnapped by pirates? It isn’t fun. They burned our spa to the ground. My sister and I were their prisoners for months. Fortunately we were daughters of Bellona. We learned to fight quickly. If we hadn’t…” She shuddered. “Well, the pirates learned torespect us. Eventually we made our way to California where we—” She hesitated as if the memory was painful. “Where my sister and I parted ways.”

She stepped toward Percy until they were nose-to-nose. She ran her dagger under his chin. “Of course, I survived and prospered. I have risen to be queen of the Amazons. So perhaps I should thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Percy said.

The queen dug her knife in a little deeper. “Never mind. I think I’ll kill you.”

“Wait!” Hazel yelped. “Reyna sent us! Your sister! Look at the ring on his necklace.”

Hylla frowned. She lowered her knife to Percy’s necklace until the point rested on the silver ring. The color drained from her face.

“Explain this.” She glared at Hazel. “Quickly.”

Hazel tried. She described Camp Jupiter. She told the Amazons about Reyna being their praetor, and the army of monsters that was marching south. She told them about their quest to free Thanatos in Alaska.

As Hazel talked, another group of Amazons entered the room. One was taller and older than the rest, with plaited silver hair and fine silk robes like a Roman matron. The other Amazons made way for her, treating her with such respect that Hazel wondered if she was Hylla’s mother—until she noticed how Hylla and the older woman stared daggers at each other.