Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3
The Titan's Curse
by Rick Riordan
Contents
9. I Learn How To Grow Zombies
Overview
Percy secretly follows the quest south, but Mr. D intercepts him long enough to reveal his deep distrust of heroes and hint that Zoë was once betrayed by one. Percy reaches Washington, D.C., where he discovers Dr. Thorn survived and is working with Luke and a powerful commander called the General.
The chapter shifts the danger from pursuit to direct warfare: the General creates relentless skeleton warriors meant to hunt the Hunters. Percy saves Zoë from being marked, but in doing so gives the warriors his own scent and becomes their target.
Summary
Percy follows the Camp Half-Blood van from the air while riding Blackjack, struggling with cold weather and trying not to be seen by mortals. As the van leaves New York, Mr. D traps Percy and Blackjack with grapevines on the Chrysler Building and confronts Percy for leaving camp without permission.
Mr. D explains his hatred of heroes by telling Percy about Ariadne, whom Theseus abandoned after she helped him. Mr. D says heroes are selfish and betraying, and he hints that Zoë Nightshade has her own painful history with heroes. Instead of stopping Percy, Mr. D releases him, warning that the prophecy predicts deaths and that Percy will prove no better than other heroes.
Percy and Blackjack continue following the van south until the quest group stops in Maryland. Wearing Annabeth’s invisibility cap, Percy overhears Grover, Thalia, Bianca, and Zoë argue over Grover’s acorn tracking spell, which points them toward Washington, D.C. Bianca realizes she and Nico used to live there, while Zoë reluctantly accepts the route despite believing the quest should continue straight west.
Near the Washington Monument, Percy sends the exhausted Blackjack back to camp and continues on foot. Percy sees Dr. Thorn, the manticore from Westover Hall, following the quest group and realizes that if Thorn survived the cliff fall, Annabeth likely survived too. Percy follows Thorn instead of his friends and enters the Museum of Natural History during a private event.
Inside, Percy spies on Luke, Dr. Thorn, snake-women monsters, mortal guards, and a powerful figure called the General. Thorn reports that the quest group is at the Air and Space Museum, but the General scolds Thorn for failing to capture a child of the three elder gods. The General reveals that he wants to isolate Thalia and that a monster they seek will come to her, while Luke appears weakened and uneasy under the General’s authority.
The General demonstrates his plan to destroy the Hunters by planting dragon teeth and watering them with red liquid. After an initial mistake produces kittens from saber-toothed tiger teeth, the General uses the correct teeth to raise twelve undead gray warriors. When a dracaena drops a silver Hunter scarf so the warriors can track Zoë’s scent, Percy snatches it first; however, one warrior tears Percy’s sleeve and catches Percy’s scent, forcing Percy to flee as Luke identifies him.
Who Appears
- Percy JacksonSecretly follows the quest, spies on enemies, and diverts skeleton warriors onto his own trail.
- BlackjackCarries Percy south by air until exhaustion forces Percy to send him home.
- Mr. DStops Percy, explains his hatred of heroes, then allows Percy to continue.
- Zoë NightshadeDrives the quest group and becomes the intended target of the General’s warriors.
- Thalia GraceArgues with Zoë and is identified by enemies as a key target.
- Grover UnderwoodUses an acorn tracking spell that directs the quest group to Washington, D.C.
- Bianca di AngeloSupports Grover’s route and recalls that she and Nico once lived in D.C.
- Dr. ThornSurviving manticore who tracks the quest group and reports to the General.
- LukeWeakened enemy lieutenant serving Kronos and clashing uneasily with the General.
- The GeneralPowerful commander who raises dragon-tooth warriors to hunt the Hunters and their allies.
- Skeleton warriorsUndead soldiers grown from dragon teeth; they catch Percy’s scent and pursue him.