The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan

Author:Rick Riordan [Riordan, Rick]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781484746424
Amazon: 1484746422
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: 2017-05-02T05:00:00+00:00

Science can be fun

Squirt those toxic chemicals

Anywhere, really

GEORGINA GRABBED MY WRIST, sending an unpleasant chill up my forearm. “Some death.”

On the list of things that freaked me out, seven-year-old girls who giggled about death were right at the top, along with reptiles and talking weapons.

I remembered the prophetic limerick that had brought us west—the warning that I would be forced death and madness to swallow. Clearly, Georgina had encountered such horrors in the Cave of Trophonius. I did not fancy following her example. For one thing, I had zero skill at painting with prison slop.

“Yes,” I said agreeably. “We can talk more about death once we get you home. Emmie and Josephine sent me to get you.”

“Home.” Georgina spoke the word as if it were a difficult term from a foreign language.

Leo got impatient. He climbed into the cell and trotted over. “Hey, Georgie. I’m Leo. That’s a nice suitcase. Can I see it?”

Georgina tilted her head. “My clothes.”

“Oh, uh…yeah.” Leo brushed the name tag on his borrowed coveralls. “Sorry about the sewage stains and the burning smell. I’ll get ’em cleaned.”

“The burning hot,” Georgie said. “You. All of it.”

“Right…” Leo smiled uncertainly. “Ladies often tell me I’m all the burning hot. But don’t worry. I won’t set you on fire or anything.”

I offered Georgie my hand. “Here, child. We’ll take you home.”

She was content to let me help her. As soon as she was on her feet, Leo rushed to the bronze suitcase and began fussing over it.

“Oh, buddy, I’m so sorry,” he murmured. “I should never have left you. I’ll get you back to the Waystation for a good tune-up. Then you can have all the Tabasco sauce and motor oil you want.”

The suitcase did not respond. Leo managed to activate its wheels and handle so he could lug it out of the cell.

Georgina remained docile until she saw Meg. Then, suddenly, she had a burst of strength worthy of me.

“No!” She yanked herself from my grip and plunged back into her cell. I tried to calm her, but she continued to howl and stare at Meg in horror. “NERO! NERO!”

Meg did her famous turn-to-cement expression, shutting down all emotion, extinguishing all light from her eyes.

Hunter Kowalski rushed in to help with Georgie. “Hey. Hey, hey, hey.” She stroked the girl’s ratty hair. “It’s okay. We’re friends.”

“Nero!” Georgie shrieked again.

Hunter frowned at Meg. “What’s she talking about?”

Meg stared down at her high-tops. “I can leave.”

“We’re all leaving,” I insisted. “Georgie, this is Meg. She escaped from Nero, that’s true. But she’s on our side.”

I decided not to add, Except for that one time she betrayed me to her stepfather and almost got me killed. I didn’t want to complicate matters.

In Hunter’s kind embrace, Georgie calmed down. Her wide eyes and trembling body reminded me of a terrified bird held in cupped hands. “You and death and fire.” Suddenly she giggled. “The chair! The chair, the chair.”

“Ah, taters,” I cursed. “She’s right. We still need the chair.”

Tall, Dark & Jimmy appeared on my left, a brooding presence not unlike a storm front.

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