The Titan's Curse

Half-Blood.”
    “Sure, sis!” Then he raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. “I feel a haiku coming on.”
    The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they’d met Apollo before.
    He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.
    “Green grass breaks through snow.
    Artemis pleads for my help.
    I am so cool.”
    He grinned at us, waiting for applause.
    “That last line was only four syllables,” Artemis said.
    Apollo frowned. “Was it?”
    “Yes. What about I am so big-headed ?”
    “No, no, that’s six syllables. Hmm.” He started muttering to himself.
    Zoë Nightshade turned to us. “Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. ’Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I’d had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from Sparta— ”
    “I’ve got it!” Apollo announced. “ I am so awesome. That’s five syllables!” He bowed, looking very pleased with himself.
    “And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll.”
    “These demigods will also need a ride,” Artemis said, pointing to us. “Some of Chiron’s campers.”
    “No problem!” Apollo checked us out. “Let’s see . . . Thalia, right? I’ve heard all about you.”
    Thalia blushed. “Hi, Lord Apollo.”
    “Zeus’s girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn’t you? Glad you’re back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—”
    “Brother,” Artemis said. “You should get going.”
    “Oh, right.” Then he looked at me, and his eyes narrowed. “Percy Jackson?”
    “Yeah. I mean . . . yes, sir.”
    It seemed weird calling a teenager “sir,” but I’d learned to be careful with immortals. They tended to get offended easily. Then they blew stuff up.
    Apollo studied me, but he didn’t say anything, which I found a little creepy.
    “Well!” he said at last. “We’d better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it.”
    I looked at the Maserati, which would seat two people max. There were about twenty of us.
    “Cool car,” Nico said.
    “Thanks, kid,” Apollo said.
    “But how will we all fit?”
    “Oh.” Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. “Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose . . .”
    He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. Chirp, chirp.
    For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses like we used for school basketball games.
    “Right,” he said. “Everybody in.”
    Zoë ordered the Hunters to start loading. She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, “Here, sweetheart. Let me get that.”
    Zoë recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously.
    “Brother,” Artemis chided. “You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart.”
    Apollo spread his hands. “Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?”
    “Hunting,” Artemis said. “It’s none of your business.”
    “I’ll find out. I see all. Know all.”
    Artemis snorted. “Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!”
    “No, no! I never mess around.”
    Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at us. “I will see you by winter solstice. Zoë, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do.”
    Zoë straightened. “Yes, my lady.”
    Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. When she rose, she looked troubled. “So much danger. The beast must be found.”
    She sprinted toward the woods and melted into the snow and shadows.
    Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger. “So,” he said. “Who wants to drive?”
    The Hunters piled into the van. They all crammed into the back so they’d be as far away as possible from Apollo and the rest of us highly infectious males. Bianca sat with them, leaving her little brother to hang in the front with us, which seemed cold to me, but Nico didn’t seem to mind.
    “This is so cool!” Nico said, jumping up and down in the driver’s seat. “Is this really the sun? I thought Helios and Selene were the sun and moon gods. How come sometimes it’s them and sometimes it’s you and Artemis?”
    “Downsizing,” Apollo said. “The Romans started it. They couldn’t afford all those temple