hu. fi, wv@ PERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO BY RICK RIGRDAN I know whar you'te going to ask, “Percy Jackson, why are you hanging from a Times Square billboard without your pancs on, about rm fall pe your death?” Good question, You can blame Apollo, god of marsic. archery, and pooury—alse the goxl of making me do supid quests. This partkcular disaster stared when | brought my Friend Grover some alumina cans for his birthday, Pethaps I should mencion ... [im a demigod. My dad. Poseidon, it the bord of the sea, which soune cool, I guess,RICK RIORDAN but mostly it means my life is Filled with monster attacks and annoying Greek pods who tend to pop upon the sub- way on in the middle of math class or when I'm taking a shower. (Long story. Don't ask.) I figured maybe I'd get a day off from the craziness for Grover's birthday, bur of course | was wrong, Grover and his girlftiend. funiper, were spending the day in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, doing naturey scuff like dancing with the local tree nymphs and serenading the aquirtels. Grower's a satyr. That's his idea of hun. Juniper seemed oo be having an especially good rime. While Grower and [ sat on the bench together, she Erol icked across Long Meadow with the other nature spirits her chlorephyll-tinted eyes glining in the sunlight. Since she was a dryad, Juniper's life source was ched 00 a juniper bush back on Long Island, bur Grover explained thar she could take shart trips away from home a3 long as she kept a handful of fredh juniper benties in her pockets. | didn't want to ask wha would happen if the berries gor acciden- rally smashed, Anyway, we hung our fora while, talking and enjoying the nice weather. | gave Grover his ahiminum cans, which may sound like a lane gift, bur dhat’s his Favorive snack, He happily mainched on the cans while the nymphs 1B MurperColiPebisbers _ Copyrighted MurerialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO started discussing what party games we should play. Grover pulled a blindfold out of his pocker and suggested Pin the ‘Tail on the Human. which made me kind of nervous since I was the only human. Then, without warning, the sunlight brightened. The air mumned uncomfortably hot. Twenty feet away, the grass hissed and a cloud of steam whooshed up like somebody opened a big pressing machine at a Laundromat, The steam cleared, and staring in front of ws was the god Apollo, ‘Geds can look like anyihing they want. bur Apalle always seemed co go for char [-just-auditioned-for-a-boy- baned loak, Today be was rocking pencil-thin jeans, a white matche shirt. and gilded Ray-Ban sunglases His wavy bland hair glistened with produce, When he smiled the dryads squealed and gigpled. “Oh, no... Grower murmared, “This can't be good.” “Percy Jackson!” Apollo beamed at me. “And, um, your goat friend— “His name is Grover.” Laid. “And we'te kind of off dary, Lord Apollo, In’s Grover’s birehday,” “Happy birthday?" Apalle said. “I'm so glad you're rake ing the day off. That means you two have aime to belp me wath a amall problem! * + # a I HirserColkinPablabers Copyeigherd MunerialRICK RIORDAN Nanuralhy the problem wasn’t small. Apollo led Grover and me aveay frorm the party 30 we could ralk im privace, Juniper didn’t want ov ker Grover ges but she couldn't argue with a god. Grover promised to come back safely. | hoped it was a promise he'd be able to keep. When we gor co the edge of the woods, Apollo aoed us. “Allow me to introduce the chryseae celedones.” The god snapped his fingers. More steam erupted from the ground and three golden women appeared in from of us, When | say golden, | mean they were literally gokd. Their metallic skin glittered, Their deeveless gowns were mai from enough gilded fabric to financea bailout, Their golden hair was braked and piled on top of their heads ina sore of classical beehive hainda, They were uniformly beautiful, and uniformly cerrifying, I'd seen living: tares—aurematons—many times before. Beautiful or nod, they almost always tried oo kill nye. “Uh... Deook a seep back. “Whar did you say these were? Krissy Kelly something?” “Chryseae celedones,” Apollo wiki, “Golden singers. They're my backup band!” I glanced at Grower, wondering if this was some kind of Cogprighted MaterialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO Grover wasn't Lughing. His mouth hung open in amazement, as if the golden ladies were the largest. tasti- est aluminum cans he'd ever seen, “l—I didnt chink they were reall” Apallo senibed. “Well. its been a fevwe centuries since | broughe them our. IF they perform too often, you kmow, their nowely wears off, They used oo live ar my temple in Delphi, Man. they could rock that place. Now | anky use them for special occasions.” (Grower got teary-eyed. “You broughe them out for my biethday?” Apallo baughed. “No, fool! Ive got a concert tonight on Mount Olympus. Everyone it going to be there! The Nine Muses are opening, and I'm performing a mix of okd favorites and new material. | mean, its mor like | need the celedanes, My solo career has heen great. Bur people will expect to hear some of my clastic hits with the girls: ‘Daphne on My Mind? ‘Stairway co Olympus! “Sweet Home Atlantis! [rs going wo be awesonse!” Tried nor eo look nauseous, I'd heard Apollo's poetry before, and if his music was even half that bad, this concert vwas going to blow harder than Aeohue the wind pod. “Great.” | said hall-heareedly. “So whar's the problem?” Apollo's smile Faded, “Listen.” 8 HirperCollnaPebiahers Copprighted MaterialRICK RIORDAN He vurned to his gakden singers and raised his hands like aconductor On cue, they sing in harmony: “Laaaa Ir was only ane chord, bur ix filled me with bliss, I sud- denly couldn't remember where | was or what 1 was doing. Ifthe goklen singers had decided to tear me eo pieces at thar moment, Dwouldi't have resisted, a3 long as they kept singing. Nothing martered co me, excepe che sound. Then the golden pirls went silent. ‘The feeling passed, Their faces retumed to beautiful, impassive mera. “Thar...” 1 swallowed. “That was amazing. “Amazing!” Apollo wrinkled his nase, “There are only three of them! Their harmonies sound empey, | can't per form without the full quartet.” Grover was weeping with joy. “Theyre so beautifull They're perfect” I was kind of glad Juniper wasn't wishin earshot, since she's the jealous type, Apella eresed his tan arms. “Theyre nor perfect, Mr, Satyr, [ need all four or che concert will be ruined. Linforcunarely, my fourth celedon wene rogue this morn- ing. | can’t find her anywhere” | looked at the three golden aucomarons, staring at Apolks, quietly waiting for orders. “Uh . . . how does a backup singer go rogue!” 1B HirperCollnPeblabers Coprrighird MaterialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO Apollo made another conductor verve, and the singers sighed in three-part harmony. The sound was so nsourn- ful my heare sank inne mey pur, Achar moment, | felt sure I'd never be happy again. Then, just at quickly. the feeling dissipared, “They're our of warranty” the god explained. “Hephaesis made them for me back in the old days. and they worked fine... until the day after their nwo-thousand- year warranty expired. Then. naturally, WHAM! The fourth ane gocs haywire and mins off po che big city.” He gestured in the general direction of Manhattan. “Of course L tried ee complain to Hephaestus, bat he’s all, “Well. did you have my Protection Plus package?” And I'm like, ‘I didn’t want your dupid ectended warranty! And he acts ag if it's my faulr the celedon broke, and says if I'd bought the Mus package, | could've had a dedicated service Isoe- line. bur —" “Whoa, whea, whoa.” [incenrupoed. | really didn't want to pet in the middle af a god-versus-god argument. I'd been there toc many times. “So iF you knew chat your celedon is inthe city. why can't you just look for her yourself” “1 don't hawe cime! | have to practice. [ have to write a set List and doa sound check! Besides, this is what heroes are for.” Caprrighord MaterialRICK RIDROAM “Funniing. the gods’ errands,” | miattered. “Exactly.” Apollo spread bis hands. “I assume the miss: ing celedon is roaming she Theater Diswrict, looking for a suitable place to audition. Celedones have the usual starhet dreams—being discovered. headlining a Broadway musi- cal. thar sort of thing. Mo of the time | can keep bear ambitions uncer control, | mean [can't have them upsap- bg me. can 1? Bur [ins aaee wirhous ne around she chinks dhe's the mext Katy Penry. You two need to get her before she causes any problems, And hurry! The concert is tonight and Manhattan ig a large island” ‘Grower tugged his goatee. “So _. . you want us to find ber while you do sound checks?” “Think of it as a Gwar” Apollo said. “Not just fer me, bur for all those morals in Manharean.” “Oh.” Grover’s voice got very small, “Ch. na...” “Whar?” | demanded. “Whar oh, no?™ Vears ago, Grover created a magic empathy link berwecn ut fanother kong story) amd we could eense each other's emotions, It wasn't exactly mir meading. bur | could tell he was terrified. “Percy.” he saicl, “if thar celedom starts singing in public, in the middle of aftemoon rush hour—" “She'll cause no end of have.” Apoalls said, “She might @ HarerColkmPabiaben Caprrighted MaterialPERCY JACKSON AMD THE SINGER OF APOLLO sing a love song, or a hullaby, of a parriotic war nine, and whatever the mortals bear. .~ I shuddered, One-sigh from she golden gids had phanged me inte despain even with Apolle conmolling their power. L imagined a rogue celedon busting into song in a crowded city—purting people co deep, or making chen fall im lowe, oc urging them to Fight. “She has ao be seopped.” | agreed, “Bur why us” “Like you!” Apollo grinned. “You've faced the Sirent before, This ion't poo different. Just pur some wax in your ears. Besides, pour friend Grover here isa satyr. He has nat ural resistance to magical music. Plus he can play the byre” “Whar bere?” | asked, Apollo snapped bis fingers. Suddenly Grover was hold- ing the weirdest musical inserumene U'd ever seen, The base was a bollowed-out tortoise shell, which made me feel really bad for the rortoise. Tyo polished wooden arms suck cut one side like a bull's horns, with a bar across the fop and seven sirings stretching from the bar to the base af the shell, In looked ke a combination harp, banjo, and dead turtle. “Oh!” Grover almost dropped the bye. “1 couldn't! This is your—~ “Yes.” Apollo agreed cheerfully, “That's ny own personal 3 s HarprCollim Paitiabers Coprrigherd MutrsialRICK RIGROAN Iyre. OF course if you damage it, [ll incinerate you, but [in sure you'll be carefull! You can play the lyre, cant you!” “Lm. ° Grover plicked a few moves thar sounded like a funewal dirge. “Keep practicing.” Apollo cid. “You'll need the lyre's magic to capaure the celedon. Have Pescy distract her vehile you play.” “Diistrace her.” | repeared, This quest was sounding werse and warse. | didn't see how a torceieeshell harp could defeat a gokden auromaton, bur Apollo clapped me on the shoulder like everything was settled, “Excellent!” he said. “U'1 meer you at the Empire Seate Building at sunset. Bring me the celedon. One way or another [Il persuade Hephacsms oo fix her, Just don’t be fare! E can't keep my audience waiting. And remember, not a scratch on that lyre.” Then the sun geal and his golden backup singers disap- peared in a cloud of steam. “Happy birthday co me, Grover whimpered, and plocked a sour note on the lyre, We caught the subway co Times Square, We figured thar would be a good place ro ssant looking, br was in the middle af the Theater District and full of weird street performers 1 MarperColkePeblabers Coprrigherd bLatcrialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO arel abour a billion courisss, so if was dhe natural place fora pollen diva to get some attention for herself, Grower hadn't bothered disguising himself, His whine ‘T-shirt read: What Would Pan Det The tips of his horn stuck our from bis curly hair, Usually be wore jeans over his shaggy logs and specially fined shoes aver his hooves. burt today trom the waist down he was au nagurel goat, | doubted it would mater, Most morrals couldn't see through the Mist, which hid the true appearance of man sters, Even without Grower's normal dixguise, people would have co look really cloweky to eatior he yeas a satye, ane even then they probably wouldn't bat an eye. This was New York. after alll. Aswe pushed through the crowd, | kept searching for the glint of gold, hoping mo spor the rogue celedon, bur the square was packed as usual. A guy wearing only bia underwear and a guisar was having his picture taken with some courtsts, Cops hung ouron the seeet comers, looking bored. At Broxhway and West Forty-Ninth, the intersec- don was blocked and a crew of roadies was setring up wore dort of stage. Preachers, ticket acalpers, and hawk- ers shouted over each other, crying 1 get anention, Music blasted fron dozens of loudspeakers, bur | déda't hear any magical singing, Grower had given mea ball of warm wax co scuff in S HarperCollmPabishers Gaprrighted MitarialRICK RIGROAN my ears whenever necessary. He said he always kept some handy, like chewing gum, which didnt make me eager use in, He bumped into a pretzel vendos's cart and hunched back, hugging Apollo's lyre protectively, “You know how oo use that ching?” | asked. “I mean, what kind of magle does in do?” Grover's eyes widened, “You dont know? Apollo built the walls of Troy just by playing this lyre. With the right song, it can creape almost anything!” “Like a cage for the ecledon?” | asked. “Uh... yeah!” He didn’t sound coo conficene, ane | wasn't sure | wanted him plying Guitar Here with a godly tortoise banjo. Sure, ‘Grover could do some magic with his reed pipes. On a good day, be could make plants grow and rangle his enemies, On a bal day, he could only remember Justin Bieber songs. which didn't do anything exeept give me a headache. Leried eo think of a plan, | wished my girlfriend, Annabeth, was here, She was more of rhe planning type. Unformmarely, she was. offfin San Francisco vieting her dad. Grover grabbed ey arm. “There.” I followed his gare. Across the square, ar the oundoor stage, workers scurried around, insqalling lights om the ir @ MareetColbsiPebinbens Coorrighted MaterialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO scaffolling. stuing up microphone stands, and phipging in giant speakers. Probably they were prepping fora Broadway Nousical preview or somerhing, Then | saw her—a golden lady making her way toward the platform. She climbed over the police barricades shar cordoned off the intersection, sqpicered between work ers who completely ignored her, and breaded for the seeps. stage righ. She glanced at the crowd in Times: Square and smiled, a3 if imagining their wild applause. Then she headed for che center microphone, “CWh. pode!” Grover yelped. “I thar sound system ie meee | stuffed wax in my ears.as we ran fow the stage. Fighting aucomarons is bad encagh. Fighting ene in a crowd of mortals ig a recipe for disaster. 1 dida’t want eo worry about the mortals’ safery and mine and figure out how no capmint the ecledon. [ mecded a way no evacuate ‘Times Square without causing a stampede. As we wove through the crowd, | grabbed the nearest cop by the shoulder, “Hey! I tokd him, “Presidential motorcade coming! You guys beter clear the arcers™ | pointed down Seventh Avenue, C4 course there was no S HarperCollmPebishers “Copyrighted MxierialRICK RIOR OAM motorcade, but [did my best to imagine one, See, some demigads.can actually corral the Mist. They can make people see whar they wane them te see. | wasnt very good arin bur ir-was worth a shot. Presidencial visits are common enough, with the United Nations in town and all, 20 | Figuted the cop might buy a. Apparently be did, He glanced coward my imaginary Hine of limos. made a dixgusted fice, and said something inte his twoeway radio. With the wax in my eark | couldi’t hear whar, bur all che other cops in she square starved hend- ing the crowd teward che tile streets. Uniorrunarely, the celedon hard reached center stage. We were scilll Fifty feet away when she grabbed the mike and tapped it, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM echoed rhrough the streets. “Grower,” [ yelled, “you'd beter stare playing that lye.” If bee responded, E didn't hear it, | gpringed for the srage. The workers were too busy anguing with the caps to ay stopping me. | bounded up che steps, pulled my pen from my pocket, and uncapped ir, My sword, Riptide, sprang ine existence, though | wasn't sure it would help me. Apalla wouldn't be happy with me if 1 decapirared his backup simger. I was ewenty Feet from the celedon when a lot of things happened ar once, 8 HarperCollins Coprrighted MaterialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO The palden singer belted out a note sa powerhal | could hear it through the wax plugs. Her voice was heantbreak- ingly sad. Filled wish longing. Even muffled through she wan. it made me vant to break down and ery—which is what several thousand people around Times Square did. Can stopped, Police and courte fell to their knees, weep- ing, hugpiing each orher in comsplation, Then | became aware of a differens sound—Grover, frantically strumming bis lyre. | couldevt exactly hear it, bur [could feel rhe cremor of magic rippling through dhe ain shaking the stage under my feet. Thanks co the cenpa- thy link, | caughe Flashes of Grover's thoughts, He was singing about walls, wring 1 summon a box around the celedon. The good news: Insert of worked, A brick wall erupsed from the stage between me and the celedon, knocking, over the mike stand and interrupting her song. The bad news By the time | figured our what was going on, | couldn't stop my momentum. | ran straight into the wall, whieh wasnt morcared, so | promptly collapsed on top of dhe cel- eden along with about a thousand bricks, My eyes warered. My nase Febt broken. Before I could regain my bearings. the celedon scrugghed our of the pile of bricks and pushed me off She raised her arms in triumph as if the whede thing had been a planned sunt, @ HurpeColkmPaiiabers ‘Coprrighted MaicrialRICK RIOROAM She sang, “Ta-daaaaah!” She was no longer amplified. but her voice carried. The mortals ssopped sobbing and rose to sheie feet, clapping and cheering for the celedon, “Grower!” I yelled, nor sure if he could hear me, “Play something elect” [picked up my sword amd suruggled to my feet, | rackled the golden lady, bur it was like tackling a Lanppost, She ignoced me and Launched into song. As | wrestled her, crying co pull ber of balance, the gem- perature onstage began to rise. The ocledon’s lyrics: were in Ancient Greek, but | caught a few of the words Apalle, sunlight, golden Fire. It was some kind of ode no che pod. ‘Her metal ekin grew hor. | smelled something burning and realized in was my shirt, [ stunbled away from her. my clothes smoldering. The wax had meled our of my ears so | could hear her somg clearly. All around Tinses Square, people started dropping fron the heat. Over at the barricades, Grover played wiklly on the lyre, but he was too anxious to focus. Random bricks fell from the sky. Gne of the monitor speakers om stage morphed ime a chicken, A place of enchiladas appeared at che cel- edon's feet. @ HarprColimPebiabers Coprrighord MairrialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO “Nor belpfull” fl shouted through the pain of the rising heat, “Sing abour cages! Oh gape!” The air fele like a blast fumace. Ifthe celedon kepr ehis up. Mideawen would burst inte Hanes. I couldin’t afford to play nice anymore. As the celedom started her next verse, | lunged at her vith ny sword. She lurched away with surprising speed. The tip of my bade mlseed her fee by an inch, I'd managed co stop ber Singing, ard she was not happy abour it. She glored ar me with outrage, then Focused on my bade, Fear flickered across her metallic face. Mest magical beings knew enough to respect Celestial bronze. since it could vaporize them om conTaCt, “Saucrender and | won't hurt you.” I said. “We just want toke you back oo Apollo.” She spread her arms. | was afraid she was going to sing again, bur insgead the celedon changed form. Her arms grew neo golden feathery wings. Her face changated, grow- ing a beak. Her body shrank wail | was staring at a plump metal bind abour the size of a quail, Before | could react, the celedon launched lberselfin the air and flew snrarght for the top of the nearest building. Grower smbled anne the sage next po me. All acres Times Square, the mortals who had collapsed from the WF 8 HaperCollmPsiaken Comrrigheed MaterialRICK RIGROAM heat were starting to recover. The pavensent atill seamed. Police starred shouring orders, making a serious effort now to clear the area, Nobody paid us any agenion, Iwatebed the golden bird spiral up-uatil she disappeared over the highest billboard om che Times Tower, You've probably seen the buikding in pictures: che tall skinny one that’s stacked with glowing advertisements and Jurnbo- TOT SOREN, To be completely honest, | didn’t feel eo great. | had bor wax melting out of my ears, I'd been chasbrailed medium fare. My face felt like at had just been ranimed into a brick wall... because it had, | had the coppery caste of blood in my mouth, and | was really starting wo han music, And quails. Tuned co ‘Grover, "Did you know she could morph into a band “Uh, yeah... Bur I kind of forges,” “Grear.” U nudged the enchilada place ae my foot. “Coukd you try te summon something more helpful next time?” “Sorys” he murmured, “I get hungry when | get mer- vous. Se whae de we de mows” I stared up at the top of the Times Tower. “The goklen girl wins sound ome. Three for posed pvvo.” se * S HurprCollimPsiviabers _ Coprrigherd MaterialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO Youre probably wondering why | did) put more wax in my ears. For one thing. | didn't have any. For another thing, wax meling car of my ears hurts. And maybe part of me was thinking: Hey, I'm a demiged. This time I'm prepared. [ can face the music, liseralky, Grover aseured me he bad the lyre figured out, No more enchiladas or bricks falling from the sky, | just had to find the celedon, carch her by surprise, and distract ber by... well, | hadn't Figured oue that part yee. We rook the elevator ro the top floor and foand srairs to the rook Po widhed | could fy. but thar wasn't one of my powers, ard my pepanus friend Blackjack hadn't been answering my calls for help lanely, (Me gers a line dis tracted in che springtime when he's searching the skies for cure lady pegasi} Once we made it te the roof, the celedon waa easy to find, She was in human form, standing ac the edge of dhe building with her arms spread. serenading Tinses Square with her own rendition of “New York, Mew York.” I reallly hare char song. | don't know anybody wha's acru- ally from New York whe doesn’t have chat song, but hearing her sing it made me have ita whole bot more, Anyway. dhe had her back to us, so we had an advantage. Iwas cempted to sneak up behind ber and push ber off. but i HarperColkm Publishers _ Coprrighted MaterialRICK RIQROAM the was so arong [hadn't been able co budge ber before. Besides. she'd probably jest curn inca a bird and _. Hom. A bied, An idea formed in my mind. Yes, | de ges ideas sorme- times, “Grower,” | said, “ean you use the lyre to suminor a bind- cage? Like. really surong one, made from Celestial bronze?” He pursed his lips. “I suppose, ber bids shoaldn': be caged, Percy. They should be free! They should fly and—" He looked ar the celedon. “Oh, you mean—" “Yeah.” “Til ery" “Good,” | said, “Just walt for my cue. Dio you sallll have that blindfold from Pin the Tail on the Human?” He handed me the strip of cloth, | shrank my sword ro ballpednt-pen form and dipped itin the pocket af my jeans. T'dineed both hands free for this. | crept up on the celedon, who was now belting cue the Final chorus, Even though she was facing the other way. ber music filled me with the ugge to dance (which, believe me, you never wand to cee). | forced myself to keep going, bar fighs- ing her magic was like pushing my way through a row of heavy drapes. My plan was simple: Gag the oeledon. She woald cura @ HarpeCollimPablabers Copraighted MaterialPERCY JACKSON AMD THE SINGER OF APOLLO back inte a bird and tey to escape. | would grab her and shewe her into a biedcage. What could go varong? Ohm chee base line of “New York, New York,” [ jumped om her back, locking my legs around her waist and yanking the blindfold across her mouth like a house's bridle, He grand finale was cut dhort with a “New Yor—urlf™ “Grover, now!” | yelled, The celedon stumbled forward, | had a diezying view of the chaos below in Times Square—oaps trying to clear the crowd, lines of nowrists doing imprompr bigh-kick routines like the Radio City Rocketes. The electronic bill- boards down the side of the Times Tower looked likea very steep, paychedelic warcrslide, with moching bac hard pave- ment at the borcam. The celedon staggered backward, flailing ancl maum- thing through the gag. Grover desperately sirummed his lyre. The strings sent powerful magic vibrations through the air, bur Grover's voice quivered with uncertainty. “Lm, binds!” be warbled, “La, I, la! Blrds in cages! Very strong capes! Birds!” He wasn't going eo win any Grammys with ghose lyr- ics, and F was loging my grip. The celodom was serong. Fd ridden a Minotaur before, and ihe goklen dy was at least @HupeColimPababers Copraighted MaterialRICK RIORDAN that hard to held on ta. The celedon spun arqund. teying to throw me. She chimped ber hands around my forearms and squeezed. Pain shot up ce my shoulders. 1 yelled. “Grover. barry?” But with my teeth clenched. the words came out more like. “Gre—huh.” “Birds in capes!” Grover strummed another chord, “La, la, ba, cagest™ Amazingly, a birdcage shimmered into being at the edge of the roof. I was too busy getting costed around to have a good look, but Grover scemed no have done a good jobs, The cage was just large enough for a parros, or a far quail, ane the bars ghewed faintly... Celestial bronze, Mow if | coal juse get the eeledon inte bird form. Unforcunavely, she wasn't cooperating. She spun (hard, breaking my grip and shoving me over the side of the building. Laried nor to panic. Sadly. dhis wase'e the first time Pd been chrewn off a skyscraper, Vd like to cell you thar | did some coal acrobatic mowe, grabbed che edge of a billboard, and vaulted back up to che rol ina perkecd triple flip. Nope. As | bounced off the fire Jumborron screen, a metal strut somehow snagged my belt and stopped me 22 1B HarperColhnPebliahers Copyrighted MusreislPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO from falling. lt alse gave me the ubimate wedgie of all dime, Then, as if thar wasn't bad enough, ny monencum spun me upside down and [ peeled right car of my parce. I plummeted headfirst toward Times Square, grabbing wildly for anything to slow me down. Luckily the top of the newt billboard had a rump across it, maylse for extremely brave maintenance workers oo larch their harnesses ona, I managed to catch it and flipped righs side up. My ans were nearly yanked out of their sackers. but somehow | kept my grip. And char’s how fended up hanging from a billboard over Times Square withour my pants. To answer your next question; bowers, Main blue boxers, No smiley faces. No hearts, Laugh all you want. They're more combortable than briefs. The celedon smiled at me from the top of the real, about owenty feet above, Just below her, my jeans hung from the metal strut. bowing in the wind like they were waving me goodbye, [| couldnt see Grover. His music had sroppsed. My grip weakened, The pavement was maybe seven hun- dred feet down, which would make for a very long scream as | fell to my death. The glowing sereen of dhe Jumbotron vead slowly cooking my stomach, As I was dangling there, the celedon began a special @ HicperColnPebiabens Cogprighted MaterialRICK RIORDAN serenade just for me. She suing abour leteing po. laying down my troubles, resting by the banks ofa river | don't remember che exact lyrics, bur you get the idea, Ie was all | could doco hold on. 1 didn’s wane oo drop, but the celedon's masic washed over me, dismantling my tesolve. | imagined char | would float down safely. | would land on the banks ofa lazy river, where | could have a nice relaxing picnic with my girlfriend, Annabeth. | remembered the time I'd saved Anmabeth from the Sirens in the Sea of Monsters, I'd held her while she cried and serugeled, oryiing co swim oo her death becanse she thoughe she would reach some beautiful promised land, Now | imagined she was holding me back. | could hear whar she'd say: J75 ar eriot, Seareeea! Briciv! Yore'ee gor ne rick ber back or yaw ll dtc, Amd if'yow die, U1 newer forgive pow! That broke the celedon’s spell, Annabeth’s anger was way searier than most monsters. but dort tell her 1 said that. | looked up ar my jeans, dangling uselessly above, My sword was in pen form in the pocket. where it did me no good. Grower had started to sing about birds again, ue it wasnt helping. Apparently the celedon only nurned inno bird form when she was ssancled, 24 SS hirprColbaPebioben Coprrighted MaterialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO ‘Wait... Chit of desperation, | formed Scupid Plan Versson 2.0, “Hey! called up. “You really are amazing, Miss Celedon! Before | die, can 1 have your autograph?” The celedan haleed midsong. She looked surprised, then smiled with pleasure. “Grover!” | called. “Come over here!” The byre music stopped. Grower's head poked over the side. “Oh. Perey... 1—I'm sorry—* “sokay!” | ked a smile, using our empathy link te tell him how | really felt. 1 couldn’s send compere thoughts, ba [ aried co get the general point across: He needed to be reaily. He needed to be quick. | hoped he was.a good caich, “De pou havea pen and paper” [adked hin. “] want to get this body's aacograph before | die Grover blinked, “Uh... jeez. No, Bur isn't there a pen in the pocket of your jeans?” Beet. Satyr. Ever, He orally por the plan. “Youre right!” | pared up ac the celedon impboringly, “Please? Lase request? Coukd you just fish the pen our of my jeans and sign chem? Then E can die happy.” Golden statues can't bluish, but the celedon looked extremely Flactered, She reached down, retrieved my jeans, and pulled our dhe pen, 8 Harper Collen Febinkes Ceorrigherd MaserislRICK RIORDAN | caught my breath. I'd never seen Rapaide in the banal of a monster before. If ghis went wrong, if she realized it wasa trick, she could kill Grower, Celestial bronze blades work just fine on sutyrs, She examined the pen like she'd never used one before. “You have to dake the cap off” 1 said helpfully, My fin- gers were beginning co slip. She laid the jeans on the ledge. next to the birdcage. She uncapped the pen and Riptide sprang to life. IFT hadn't beer abour to die, it woukd’ve been the fucimi- eat thing I'd ever scen, You know those gag cans of candy with the cailed-up toy snake inside? lt was like waeching somebody open ane of those, except replace the toy snake with a three-foot-long blade, The Celestial sword shor vo full lengrh and the celedon thrust it away, leaping backward with a notvery-musical shrick, She turned into a bird, bur Grover was ready, He dropped Apollos lyre and caughe the far golden quail in borh hands, Grower stuffed her in the cage and slammed the door shut, The celedon went crazy, squawking and flapping, but she didn’t have roam to tun back to human form, ard in bird fomm—thank the pods—she didnt seem oo have any magic in her voice, 26 8 HirperCollwPebliabers Copyrighted MaberislPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO “Good job" | called up te Grover. He looked sick. “I think | scratched Apollo's lyre. And | just caged a bied. This is che worst birthday ever.” “By the way,” | reminded him, “I'm about eo fall mo my death bene.” “ARM Grover snatched up che lyre and played a quick tune, Now thar he wasn't in danger and che monster was caged, be seemed co have no problem using the lyre's magic, ‘Typical. He summoned a rope and threw it down to me. Somehow he managed to pull me eo the top, where | eal- lapsed, Below us, Times Square was still in complete chaos, ‘Tourists wandered around in a daze, The cops were breaking up the last of the high-kick dance routines, A few cars were on fire, and the outdoor stage had been reduced co a pile of kindling, bricks, and broken sound equipment. Across the Hudson River, the sum was going down. All! wanted to do was He there on the roof ansl enjoy the feeling of nor being dead. But our job wasn't dane yer, “We've gor to get the celedon back to Apollo,” | said. “Yeah.” Grover agreed. “But, ah... maybe part your panesom Firs?” s HurperColkenFiblisbers Copyrighted MaterialRICK RIORDAN Apollo was waiting for us in the lobby of dhe Empire Seace Building, His three golden singers paced nervously behind him, When he srw us, he beightened—literally, A glowing aura appeared around his head. “Exedlent!” He rook the birdcage. “I'll pet Hephacsrns wo fix her up, and this time [im nor taking any excuses about expired warranties, My show stares in half an heal” “You're weleome,” | said. Apolle accepted the lyre from Grower. The god's expres- son turned dangerously srormy, “You scranched in” Grover whimpered, “Lord Apollo—" “Ie was the only way to catch the celedon,” | interceded. “Besides, ill buff ou. Ger Hephaestus co do it, He owes you, righa For a second, | cheaght Apollo might blast us bodh i ashes, but finally he just grunted. “1 suppose youre right. Well, good job, pou two! As your reward, pou're invited to watch me perform on Mount Olymnpust” Grover and | glanced ac-each other, Insulting a god was dangerous, bur the last thing | waneed to do was hear more avsic. “Wife arene warkhys” | lied. “We'd lowe oo, really bur you knew, we'd probably explode or something if we beard B HurperColenPabktabers Cooyaighted hlaseeialPERCY JACKSON AND THE SINGER OF APOLLO your godly music at full volumes Apollo nodded thoughtfully. “You're right. le mighe distract from my perfomance iF you exploded, How con- siderare of you.” He grinned. “Well, I'm off, then. Happy birthday, Perey!” “Drs Grower's birthday.” | corrected, but Apollo amd his singers had already disappeared ina flash of goklen light. “So much for aday off” I said, curing back to Grover. “Back to Prospect Park!” he suggested. “Juniper must be wortted to death.” “Yeah.” | agreed, “And I'm really hungry” Grover nodded enthusiastically, “If we leave now, we can pick up Juniper and reach Camp Half-Blood in tine for the sing-along. They have sinsares!” I winced. “No sing-along, please. Bur Pll go for the simvares,” “Deal!” Grover said, Lelapped him on dhe choukber. “Come on. G-man. Your blethday might cur out okay after alll.” @ HurperColkePeblabers _ Ceprriphtrd MLarcrisl