Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
ite her and take her life in exchange. <strong>The</strong> man was heartbroken, but he did what they asked. Afterward, the<br />
snakes were impressed that the man had given up so much and kept his promise. <strong>The</strong>y taught him the snake<br />
song for all the Cherokee to use. From that point on, if any Cherokee met a snake and sang that song, the<br />
snake would recognize the Cherokee as a friend, and would not bite.<br />
―That‘s awful!‖ Piper had said. ―He let his wife die?‖<br />
Her dad spread his hands. ―It was a hard sacrifice. But one life brought generations of peace between<br />
snakes and Cherokee. Grandpa Tom believed that Cherokee music could solve almost any problem. He<br />
thought you‘d know lots of songs, and be the greatest musician of the family. That‘s why we named you Piper.‖<br />
A hard sacrifice. Had her grandfather foreseen something about her, even when she was a baby? Had he<br />
sensed she was a child of Aphrodite? Her dad would probably tell her that was crazy. Grandpa Tom was no<br />
oracle.<br />
But still … she‘d made a promise to help on this quest. Her friends were counting on her. <strong>The</strong>y‘d saved<br />
her when Midas had turned her to gold. <strong>The</strong>y‘d brought her back to life. She couldn‘t repay them with lies.<br />
Gradually, she started to feel warmer. She stopped shivering and settled against Jason‘s chest. Leo handed out<br />
the food. Piper didn‘t want to move, talk, or do anything to disrupt the moment. But she had to.<br />
―We need to talk.‖ She sat up so she could face Jason. ―I don‘t want to hide anything from you guys<br />
anymore.‖<br />
<strong>The</strong>y looked at her with their mouths full of burger. Too late to change her mind now.<br />
―Three nights before the Grand Canyon trip,‖ she said, ―I had a dream vision—a giant, telling me my father<br />
had been taken hostage. He told me I had to cooperate, or my dad would be killed.‖<br />
<strong>The</strong> flames crackled.<br />
Finally Jason said, ―Enceladus? You mentioned that name before.‖<br />
Coach Hedge whistled. ―Big giant. Breathes fire. Not somebody I‘d want barbecuing my daddy goat.‖<br />
Jason gave him a shut up look. ―Piper, go on. What happened next?‖<br />
―I—I tried to reach my dad, but all I got was his personal assistant, and she told me not to worry.‖<br />
―Jane?‖ Leo remembered. ―Didn‘t Medea say something about controlling her?‖<br />
Piper nodded. ―To get my dad back, I had to sabotage this quest. I didn‘t realize it would be the three of<br />
us. <strong>The</strong>n after we started the quest, Enceladus sent me another warning: He told me he wanted you two dead.<br />
He wants me to lead you to a mountain. I don‘t know exactly which one, but it‘s in the Bay Area—I could see the<br />
Golden Gate Bridge from the summit. I have to be there by noon on the solstice, tomorrow. An exchange.‖<br />
She couldn‘t meet her friends‘ eyes. She waited for them to yell at her, or turn their backs, or kick her out<br />
into the snowstorm.<br />
Instead, Jason scooted next to her and put his arm around her again. ―God, Piper. I‘m so sorry.‖<br />
Leo nodded. ―No kidding. You‘ve been carrying this around for a week? Piper, we could help you.‖<br />
She glared at them. ―Why don‘t you yell at me or something? I was ordered to kill you!‖<br />
―Aw, come on,‖ Jason said. ―You‘ve saved us both on this quest. I‘d put my life in your hands any day.‖<br />
―Same,‖ Leo said. ―Can I have a hug too?‖<br />
―You don‘t get it!‖ Piper said. ―I‘ve probably just killed my dad, telling you this.‖<br />
―I doubt it.‖ Coach Hedge belched. He was eating his tofu burger folded inside the paper plate, chewing it<br />
all like a taco. ―Giant hasn‘t gotten what he wants yet, so he still needs your dad for leverage. He‘ll wait until the<br />
deadline passes, see if you show up. He wants you to divert the quest to this mountain, right?‖<br />
Piper nodded uncertainly.<br />
―So that means Hera is being kept somewhere else,‖ Hedge reasoned. ―And she has to be saved by the<br />
same day. So you have to choose—rescue your dad, or rescue Hera. If you go after Hera, then Enceladus<br />
takes care of your dad. Besides, Enceladus would never let you go even if you cooperated. You‘re obviously<br />
one of the seven in the Great Prophecy.‖<br />
One of the seven. She‘d talked about this before with Jason and Leo, and she supposed it must be true,<br />
but she still had trouble believing it. She didn‘t feel that important. She was just a stupid child of Aphrodite. How<br />
could she be worth deceiving and killing?<br />
―So we have no choice,‖ she said miserably. ―We have to save Hera, or the giant king gets unleashed.<br />
That‘s our quest. <strong>The</strong> world depends on it. And Enceladus seems to have ways of watching me. He isn‘t stupid.<br />
He‘ll know if we change course and go the wrong way. He‘ll kill my dad.‖<br />
―He‘s not going to kill your dad,‖ Leo said. ―We‘ll save him.‖<br />
―We don‘t have time!‖ Piper cried. ―Besides, it‘s a trap.‖<br />
―We‘re your friends, beauty queen,‖ Leo said. ―We‘re not going to let your dad die. We just gotta figure out<br />
a plan.‖
Change language