"They were coming to find me," I said. "My mom must've sensed something was

wrong."

 

"Most likely," Chiron said. "But, Percy, they will be fine. The best thing we

can do for them is stay focused on our job."

 

Then I noticed something in the backseat of the Prius, and my heart skipped a

beat. Seat-belted behind my mother was a black-and-white Greek jar about three

feet tall. Its lid was wrapped in a leather harness.

 

"No way," I muttered.

 

Annabeth pressed her hand to the window. "That's impossible! I thought you left

that at the Plaza."

 

"Locked in a vault," I agreed.

 

Chiron saw the jar and his eyes widened. "That isn't — "

 

"Pandora's jar." I told him about my meeting with Prometheus.

 

"Then the jar is yours," Chiron said grimly. "It will follow you and tempt you

to open it, no matter where you leave it. It will appear when you are weakest."