Page 37 of The Wild Zone

Argus leaned in. “And also…a day trip to New York City.”

The entire pavilion erupted in cheers.

Argus smiled. “The race is a weapons-optional event, but I highly recommend you bring something to protect yourselves.” A few of his eyes flitted to one side—to the table where Silas was sitting—and his tone became serious. “I’d also like to remind you all that while in the woods, if you see any area marked by mati pendants…well, that area is off-limits for your own protection, and incredibly dangerous. Do not enter upon pain of expulsion! Remember the old camp saying?”

The older campers dutifully chanted: “Evil eye, you’re gonna die. Turn around; don’t be that guy.”

I caught Clarisse glaring at me, maybe wondering if I’d said something about the Wild Zone, but I gave her my best innocent look. I was thankful, though, that Silas had spoken with Argus. Maybe now they’d take Grant’s disappearance more seriously.

“As for tonight,” Argus continued, “when you’ve finished your meal, please head to the amphitheater, where the Apollo cabin will perform an exciting medley of songs from a new musical they’re putting together: Icarus Two: The Wax Is Back!”

Everyone not from the Apollo cabin groaned. A whole musical devoted to a guy who had plummeted to his death after his feather-and-wax wings melted? It sounded drippy and painful.

Argus crossed his arms and glared at us with all one hundred eyes. The groans turned to polite applause.

Lee Fletcher, the Apollo cabin’s head counselor, waved. “That didn’t feel forced at all. Thanks.”

“Ares, up!” Clarisse commanded, and everyone at our table got to their feet. “Except you, Katie.” She smirked. “As I recall, you have KP duty for the next two weeks.”

“Oooh!” My cabinmates jeered as they followed Clarisse to the amphitheater.

As the rest of the campers cleared out, I sighed and started collecting dirty plates, scraping food leftovers into a burlap sack.

At different corners of the pavilion, Benny, Zuri, and Harper were doing the same. I realized we were alone together for the first time since last night.

“Is it wrong to say I’m glad I’m not going to the musical?” Zuri asked.

Harper grinned. “Is it really that bad?”

Zuri tossed a half-eaten corn cob in her sack. “Our opening number is ‘Good Daedalus to You.’ ”

The rest of us winced and laughed.

Zuri carried her stack of dishes to the busing cart. Benny and I added ours until the cart was groaning under the weight of greasy plates, dirty goblets, and grimy, gooey cutlery.

Only then did I realize I had no idea where we were supposed to take it. I hoped some magical army of wind spirits would sweep in, say Thanks, we got it from here! and whisk all this stuff into the skies to clean it in a rain cloud. But I didn’t figure I could be so lucky.

“I found the kitchen,” Benny said in response to my confused look. He didn’t sound happy about his discovery. “It’s over there, behind that pillar.”

“I’ll meet you there in a sec,” Harper said, slinging a bag of food waste over his shoulder. “After I put these in the compost well.”

Benny frowned. “Are you sure you want to do all that by yourself?”

“Yeah, I think the worm is feeling misunderstood,” Harper said by way of explanation. “I’m trying to get on its good side.”

He sounded weirdly cheerful about toting bags of chicken bones to a giant white earthworm, but who was I to judge?

Zuri and I pushed the wobbling cart of dishes toward the pillar Benny had indicated. He showed us how one of the iron torch sconces could be rotated downward, opening a large marble slab in the floor of the pavilion. A ramp descended into darkness, its grade shallow enough that we could roll the cart down without losing control of it.

The brimstone stench coming out of that dungeon didn’t make me want to try, though, and the heat almost knocked me off my feet.

“This seems…bad,” I said. “How did you find the entrance?”

“I asked the harpies,” Benny said, like that should be obvious. Me, I would’ve preferred almost anything over having another conversation with the cannibalistic poultry ladies.

Zuri frowned at the dark opening. “This is giving me evil-laboratory vibes, but I guess we have no choice.”

She glanced at us, as if hoping we’d suggest another option. When we didn’t, she took the front end of the cart, and we slowly navigated it down the ramp.