The Heroes of Olympus, #5
The Blood of Olympus
by Rick Riordan
Contents
XLII
Overview
Piper, Percy, and Annabeth infiltrate Athens via Kekrops’s tunnels. Piper charms the snake king into aiding them, then they emerge beneath the Erechtheion. With Hazel’s Mist disguises and Frank scouting as bees, they sabotage siege engines. The giants’ ritual peaks, and Enceladus and Periboia capture Percy and Annabeth for Porphyrion’s blood sacrifice.
Summary
Piper, Percy, and Annabeth are led through Athens’s sewers by Kekrops and his gemini. Piper sustains them with a charmsung tune that keeps the snake men calm. Hearing Gaea’s heartbeat, Piper channels her fear, orders most gemini away, and compels Kekrops not to betray them but to scout the way to the surface.
Kekrops returns, saying the way is clear, and the trio push through a green membrane into a pit beneath the Erechtheion. They find ancient trident scars where Poseidon once struck the rock. Percy and Annabeth reaffirm their bond, then Annabeth outlines their plan: circle the perimeter, disable siege engines, and clear an approach for the Argo II.
Frank signals overhead as a swarm of bees, and Hazel casts the Mist, disguising them as hulking Earthborn. They split up despite the mounting chanting from the Parthenon. Piper moves counterclockwise, quietly killing isolated monsters and disabling multiple onagers by cutting torsion ropes and planting Greek fire.
As the giants’ ceremony intensifies, a thunderous boom sounds and monsters surge toward the Parthenon. Piper climbs scaffolding to observe. Inside the ruins, giants ring Porphyrion’s throne while Periboia parades a captured Annabeth and Enceladus grips Percy. The horde roars as Porphyrion proclaims that the blood of Olympus will raise Gaea, signaling imminent sacrifice.
Who Appears
- Piper McLeanLeads infiltration; charms and redirects Kekrops, sabotages onagers, and witnesses Percy and Annabeth’s capture.
- Annabeth ChasePlans the approach from the Erechtheion; later captured by Periboia for the giants’ ritual.
- Percy JacksonSupports the plan beneath the Erechtheion; is seized by Enceladus for Porphyrion’s sacrifice.
- KekropsSnake-bodied king; initially intends betrayal but, under Piper’s charmspeak, scouts and allows passage.
- PorphyrionGiant king on the Parthenon; presides over the rite and demands demigod blood to raise Gaea.
- EnceladusGiant who captures and displays Percy before the assembled monsters.
- PeriboiaGiant princess; seizes Annabeth by the neck and presents her to Porphyrion.
- Frank ZhangScouts overhead as a swarm of bees, coordinating with Hazel.
- Hazel LevesqueCasts powerful Mist illusions, disguising the team as Earthborn to move unnoticed.
- GaeaHer awakening heartbeat reverberates through the tunnels; the giants’ ritual seeks her rise.