Trials of Apollo 5

minute hotel deals!”
I lifted the projectile in my trembling fingers. “O great Arrow of Dodona
—”
“Is he talking to that arrow?” Lu asked Meg.
“He talks to inanimate objects,” Meg told her. “Humor him.”
“We need your advice!” I said, suppressing the urge to kick Meg in the
shin. “Where should we go for shelter?”
The arrow’s voice buzzed in my brain: DIDST THOU CALLEST ME THY
FRIEND? It sounded pleased.
“Uh, yes.” I gave my companions a thumbs-up. “We need a place to hide
out and regroup—somewhere nearby, but away from Nero’s surveillance
cameras and whatnot.”
THE EMPEROR’S WHATNOT IS FORMIDABLE INDEED, the arrow
agreed. BUT THOU ALREADY KNOWEST THE ANSWER TO THY
QUESTION, O LESTER. SEEKEST THOU THE PLACE OF THE SEVEN-
LAYER DIP.
With that, the projectile fell silent.
I groaned in misery. The arrow’s message was perfectly clear. Oh, for the
yummy seven-layer dip of our hostess! Oh, for the comfort of that cozy
apartment! But it wasn’t right. I couldn’t.…
“What did it say?” Meg demanded.
I tried to think of an alternative, but I was so tired I couldn’t even lie.
“Fine,” I said. “We go to Percy Jackson’s place.”