Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>The</strong> only thing connecting Pikes Peak to the floating island was a narrow bridge of ice that glistened in the<br />
moonlight.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n Leo realized the bridge wasn‘t exactly ice, because it wasn‘t solid. As the winds changed direction,<br />
the bridge snaked around—blurring and thinning, in some places even breaking into a dotted line like the vapor<br />
trail of a plane.<br />
―We‘re not seriously crossing that,‖ Leo said.<br />
Thalia shrugged. ―I‘m not a big fan of heights, I‘ll admit. But if you want to get to Aeolus‘s fortress, this is<br />
the only way.‖<br />
―Is the fortress always hanging there?‖ Piper asked. ―How can people not notice it sitting on top of Pikes<br />
Peak?‖<br />
―<strong>The</strong> Mist,‖ Thalia said. ―Still, mortals do notice it indirectly. Some days, Pikes Peak looks purple. People<br />
say it‘s a trick of the light, but actually it‘s the color of Aeolus‘s palace, reflecting off the mountain face.‖<br />
―It‘s enormous,‖ Jason said.<br />
Thalia laughed. ―You should see Olympus, little brother.‖<br />
―You‘re serious? You‘ve been there?‖<br />
Thalia grimaced as if it wasn‘t a good memory. ―We should go across in two different groups. <strong>The</strong> bridge is<br />
fragile.‖<br />
―That‘s reassuring,‖ Leo said. ―Jason, can‘t you just fly us up there?‖<br />
Thalia laughed. <strong>The</strong>n she seemed to realize Leo‘s question wasn‘t a joke. ―Wait … Jason, you can fly?‖<br />
Jason gazed up at the floating fortress. ―Well, sort of. More like I can control the winds. But the winds up<br />
here are so strong, I‘m not sure I‘d want to try. Thalia, you mean … you can‘t fly?‖<br />
For a second, Thalia looked genuinely afraid. <strong>The</strong>n she got her expression under control. Leo realized she<br />
was a lot more scared of heights than she was letting on.<br />
―Truthfully,‖ she said, ―I‘ve never tried. Might be better if we stuck to the bridge.‖<br />
Coach Hedge tapped the ice vapor trail with his hoof, then jumped onto the bridge. Amazingly, it held his<br />
weight. ―Easy! I‘ll go first. Piper, come on, girl. I‘ll give you a hand.‖<br />
―No, that‘s okay,‖ Piper started to say, but the coach grabbed her hand and dragged her up the bridge.<br />
When they were about halfway, the bridge still seemed to be holding them just fine.<br />
Thalia turned to her Hunter friend. ―Phoebe, I‘ll be back soon. Go find the others. Tell them I‘m on my<br />
way.‖<br />
―You sure?‖ Phoebe narrowed her eyes at Leo and Jason, like they might kidnap Thalia or something.<br />
―It‘s fine,‖ Thalia promised.<br />
Phoebe nodded reluctantly, then raced down the mountain path, the white wolves at her heels.<br />
―Jason, Leo, just be careful where you step,‖ Thalia said. ―It hardly ever breaks.‖<br />
―It hasn‘t met me yet,‖ Leo muttered, but he and Jason led the way up the bridge.<br />
Halfway up, things went wrong, and of course it was Leo‘s fault. Piper and Hedge had already made it safely to<br />
the top and were waving at them, encouraging them to keep climbing, but Leo got distracted. He was thinking<br />
about bridges—how he would design something way more stable than this shifting ice vapor business if this<br />
were his palace. He was pondering braces and support columns. <strong>The</strong>n a sudden revelation stopped him in his<br />
tracks.<br />
―Why do they have a bridge?‖ he asked.<br />
Thalia frowned. ―Leo, this isn‘t a good place to stop. What do you mean?‖<br />
―<strong>The</strong>y‘re wind spirits,‖ Leo said. ―Can‘t they fly?‖<br />
―Yes, but sometimes they need a way to connect to the world below.‖<br />
―So the bridge isn‘t always here?‖ Leo asked.<br />
Thalia shook her head. ―<strong>The</strong> wind spirits don‘t like to anchor to the earth, but sometimes it‘s necessary.<br />
Like now. <strong>The</strong>y know you‘re coming.‖<br />
Leo‘s mind was racing. He was so excited he could almost feel his body‘s temperature rising. He couldn‘t<br />
quite put his thoughts into words, but he knew he was on to something important.<br />
―Leo?‖ Jason said. ―What are you thinking?‖<br />
―Oh, gods,‖ Thalia said. ―Keep moving. Look at your feet.‖<br />
Leo shuffled backward. With horror, he realized his body temperature really was rising, just as it had years<br />
ago at that picnic table under the pecan tree, when his anger had gotten away from him. Now, excitement was<br />
causing the reaction. His pants steamed in the cold air. His shoes were literally smoking, and the bridge didn‘t<br />
like it. <strong>The</strong> ice was thinning.<br />
―Leo, stop it,‖ Jason warned. ―You‘re going to melt it.‖
Change language