the_blood_of_olympus_-_rick_riordan

She thought she heard her own heartbeat echoing through the corridors, getting louder and louder
the deeper they went. Then she realized the persistent boom ba-boom was all around them, resonating
through the stone and the air.
I wake. A woman’s voice, as clear as Piper’s singing.
Annabeth froze. ‘Oh, that’s not good.’
‘It’s like Tartarus,’ Percy said, his voice edgy. ‘You remember … his heartbeat. When he appeared
–’
‘Don’t,’ Annabeth said. ‘Just don’t.’
‘Sorry.’ In the light of his sword, Percy’s face was like a large firefly – a hovering, momentary
smudge of brightness in the dark.
The voice of Gaia spoke again, louder: At last.
Piper’s singing wavered.
Fear washed over her, as it had in the Spartan temple. But the gods Phobos and Deimos were old
friends to her now. She let the fear burn inside her like fuel, making her voice even stronger. She sang
for the snake people, for her friends’ safety. Why not for Gaia, too?
Finally they reached the top of a steep slope, where the path ended in a curtain of green goo.
Kekrops faced the demigods. ‘Beyond this camouflage is the Acropolis. You must remain here. I
will check that your way is clear.’
‘Wait.’ Piper turned to address the crowd of gemini. ‘There is only death above. You will be safer
in the tunnels. Hurry back. Forget you saw us. Protect yourselves.’
The fear in her voice channelled perfectly with the charmspeak. The snake people, even the guards,
turned and slithered into the darkness, leaving only the king.
‘Kekrops,’ Piper said, ‘you’re planning to betray us as soon as you step through that goo.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘I will alert the giants. They will destroy you.’ Then he hissed. ‘Why did I tell
you that?’
‘Listen to the heartbeat of Gaia,’ Piper urged. ‘You can sense her rage, can’t you?’
Kekrops wavered. The end of his staff glowed dimly. ‘I can, yes. She is angry.’
‘She’ll destroy everything,’ Piper said. ‘She’ll reduce the Acropolis to a smoking crater. Athens –
your city – will be utterly destroyed, your people along with it. You believe me, don’t you?’
‘I – I do.’
‘Whatever hatred you have for humans, for demigods, for Athena, we are the only chance to stop
Gaia. So you will not betray us. For your own sake, and your people, you will scout the territory and
make sure the way is clear. You will say nothing to the giants. Then you will return.’
‘That is … what I’ll do.’ Kekrops disappeared through the membrane of goo.
Annabeth shook her head in amazement. ‘Piper, that was incredible.’
‘We’ll see if it works.’ Piper sat down on the cool stone floor. She figured she might as well rest
while she could.
The others squatted next to her. Percy handed her a canteen of water.
Until she took a drink, Piper hadn’t realized how dry her throat was. ‘Thanks.’
Percy nodded. ‘You think the charm will last?’