Annabeth resisted the urge to tear her hair out.
"I told you not to trust her," she said, glaring at the boy before her.
Percy rolled his eyes.
It was not the first time he had done that since Argus dropped them off at the nearest town.
"And why should I do that?" he asked, glancing around the street. "Because you're supposed to be the wisest daughter of wisdom?"
"You should do it." She stomped her foot. "Because I'm right!"
"Well, nobody in camp agrees with you." He shook his head. "They all love her."
"And you don't think that's weird?" she asked, throwing her hands into the air. "No one is loved by everyone!"
Percy shrugged.
"Not really, no. Besides, you obviously don't like her. So it's not everyone."
A group of adult mortals cast them amused glances as they walked past.
Whatever the Mist made them see, it must have been entertaining.
Annabeth's shoulders dropped.
He was not listening to her at all.
Like every other boy at camp, he was blinded by Isabella's beauty.
"Aren't you at least worried for Grover?" she asked slowly, her voice nearly drowned out by the noise of passing cars.
She had forgotten just how loud mortal vehicles could be.
Percy paused his search for their missing group member and turned toward her.
"Why should I be worried?" he asked, arching a brow. "You don't seriously believe she hurt him, do you?"
He scoffed.
"Because that would be insane."
"Would it really?" she asked. "Don't you think it's strange that he just asked her to take his place?"
She gestured between them.
"Without letting either of us know first?"
"Luke told me that she's the strongest demigoddess at camp," Percy said, his green eyes growing distant for a second. "If I had I known that Chiron was going to change his mind, I would have asked her to come from the start."
"That's another thing!" Annabeth shot back, her gaze sharpening. "Chiron wouldn't just change his mind! That's not like him at all."
Her brows twitched at the memory as she glared into the direction the older girl had headed off to earlier.
Isabella had promptly dismissed her plan to buy tickets for public transportation—since traveling by bus was apparently undignified and beneath them.
Then she walked straight into the incoming traffic without a word.
Even though the Mist that obscured her face should have reduced her allure, every car that crossed her path had swerved aside.
"Maybe she didn't hurt Grover, but I'm sure she at least tricked him to sneak out of camp."
She turned back to Percy.
"She's not supposed to be here."
"Well, that's too bad," he sighed, "because she is, and—"
A loud honk cut him off.
Annabeth snapped toward the sleek black car that had stopped beside them.
Its windows were darkened.
She did not recognize the brand, but it looked expensive.
"Whoa," Percy exclaimed, his mouth hanging open. "This is one of those luxury cars the guys at Yancy were always talking about!"
Annabeth shot him an annoyed look.
It was unfair that a kelp head like him got to go to school, while she did not.
The driver's door opened, and a middle aged mortal stepped outside. He wore an immaculate three-piece suit and a pair of brown sunglasses.
He smiled at Percy.
"You must be the brave Percy Jackson. And you…" His lips twitched as he looked at her. "The delightful Annabeth."
He circled the car and stopped at the backseat door. "The young mistress has told me all about you."
He opened the door with a bow. "Go ahead. She's waiting for you."
Annabeth frowned as she watched the man walk back to the driver's seat.
Don't tell me…
She flinched as Percy slapped her shoulder.
"What're you waiting for?" He grinned. "Come on."
He entered the car without a hint of caution.
That boy really has seaweed for brains.
She rubbed her temples and followed him inside.
"Please be a dear and close the door behind you, Annabeth."
On the left side of the backseat sat Isabella Barthomeloi.
Percy sat in the middle seat, glancing around the beige interior with obvious excitement.
"Would you care to explain…" Annabeth began as she closed the door and took a seat. "How you did this?"
She pointed toward the mortal in the driver's seat.
"Who is that?"
The car started to move without a hitch or noise.
Percy stopped his inspection and similarly turned to face their third quest member.
"Do you know this guy?" he asked. "He even called you by a title."
"Do I know him?" Isabella asked, chuckling softly. "How could that be? This is the first time I left camp since I was a child."
Percy hummed. "Then why is he…" he hesitated. "You know… driving us around."
Annabeth's grip on the armrest tightened as they came to a stop at a red light.
"That's an easy question to answer," Isabella said, her lips curving upward. "I simply asked him for it."
She raised her voice slightly.
"Isn't that right?"
"It is," the mortal answers. "If driving you to your destination is what pleases you most, then that is exactly what I'll do."
Annabeth frowned.
She had seen people at camp act like this before.
"Huh," Percy hummed, sinking into the cushioned seat. "How… nice of him."
"Right?" Isabella said brightly. "His eagerness to please was half the reason I chose him out of everyone who offered me their services."
Offered their services…
"And what was the other half?" Annabeth asked as the car began to move again.
They were heading west.
"The car, of course," Isabella said. "It's a Rolls Royce—a prestigious mortal brand."
She ran her fingers along the cushioned interior.
"A very interesting member of House Hephaestus told me about them a few years ago." She paused. "He promised to build me one and then drive me to wherever I wished to go."
Her hand fell back to her lap as she smoothed her dress.
"What car could be more fitting for our adventure?"
"I see," Annabeth said, watching the city streak past them through the window.
"He sounds like a pretty cool guy," Percy said. "What's his name? I'd love to meet him."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible."
"Why not?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes as she leaned her head against the window.
Did he really not know, or was he just playing stupid?
"He left camp soon after he made that promise," Isabella said. "He hasn't returned since."
"Ah…" Percy winced. "I'm… sorry for your loss."
"No need to apologize," she replied, her tone remaining unchanged. "I didn't know him well."
"Still, he was—"
A loud crack—and the sound of shattering glass—boomed around them.
The car swerved off the road and lurched to a stop at the edge of a forest.
Annabeth gripped her seatbelt, her pulse thundering in her ears as she stared at the source of the noise.
"Mistress," their driver coughed wetly. "I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany you any further on your journey."
His hands slipped from the steering wheel as he wrapped them around the spear protruding from his chest.
Blood poured from the gaping wound as he pulled it free.
"How is this happening again," Percy muttered, exhaling deeply. "My luck really has been terrible recently."
"Looks like we've been found," Isabella said as she unfastened her seatbelt. "Let's go kill some monsters and avenge our poor driver, shall we?"
She flashed them a dazzling smirk and stepped outside.
"Can't be much worse than the Minotaur." Percy rolled his shoulder and followed behind her.
He paused and looked back at Annabeth.
"You coming?"
She averted her eyes from the corpse the kind mortal had turned into and met the boy's gaze.
He looked at her expectantly.
"Of course I'm coming," she scoffed. "You'd probably just stand there with that stupid look on your face and let her hog all the glory if I didn't."
Percy clicked his tongue.
"Are you still on about that?"
He chuckled as they stepped outside.
They stood on a wide strip of grass between the highway and a dark forest, their driver had somehow managed to avoid hitting anything even after he had lost control over the car.
"It's the Erinyes," Isabella said, looking up at the sky.
Annabeth followed her gaze, studying the winged women circling high above them.
There were supposed to be three Furies—but one was missing.
"That's not too bad," Percy said, pulling out his sword, still in pen form. "I already killed one of them before. It wasn't that difficult."
What did he just say?
She stared at him incredulously.
"The Kindly Ones are divine spirits of vengeance." She raised a brow. "You fought them—but were scared of the Minotaur?"
Percy snapped his head toward her.
"Shut up!" he yelled. "I wasn't—"
"While it is delightful to see how well you two get along," Isabella cut in. "I would appreciate it if you saved your energy for the battle."
She approached them while keeping an eye on the monsters above.
"I'll take Megaera."
Her gaze settled on them.
"I trust you two will be able to handle Trisiphone?"
"Sure we can," Percy said easily, nodding as Anaklusmos shifted into a bronze sword.
Annabeth drew her dagger, her invisibility cap clenched in the other hand.
Above them, the Furies hovered, glowering down at them.
"If anything goes wrong…" Isabella said as she glided closer to Percy. "Call out my name."
Her hand brushed his cheek as she cupped it gently.
"Your safety is my highest priority."
She tapped his lips with her finger and turned away, the hem of her white dress fluttering in the wind as she strode forward.
A spear of ice formed in her hand.
Annabeth rolled her eyes as Percy stammered something inaudible, still staring after the girl.
The Fury on the left screeched loudly, falling from the sky as the spear streaked into the air and pierced her wing.
"Focus," Annabeth snapped, slapping his shoulder. "She's coming."
She clutched her weapons tightly as their opponent descended toward them.
"Thief," Trisiphone spat. "Return what you've stolen!"
The Fury's undivided attention was fixed on Percy, to the point she did not so much as twitch as Annabeth slipped on her cap and vanished from sight.
"Like I told your ugly sister already," Percy retorted, pointing his sword up at the monster. "I didn't steal anything!"
"If you won't confess to your crimes," Trisiphone shouted as she uncoiled the red whip from her waist, "I will simply have to force it out of you!"
A grin split her face.
"Alecto will be most delighted to know that I avenged her murder."
"Murder? What the—"
Percy raised his sword just in time to deflect the whip aimed at his head.
"First of all," he breathed, shifting seamlessly into one of the stances Luke had taught him mere days ago. "That was rude. Second—"
The Fury's whip snapped toward him again.
We need to get her down from there.
Annabeth cast a glance toward Isabella's battle with Megaera.
A ball of fire tore across the monster's face.
She shook her head and refocused on Percy.
His gleaming sword was a blur as he fended off attack after attack, each strike faster than the last.
They did not have magic to rely on. With no source of water in sight, all they had was their weapons.
It would be enough.
She slowly stepped forward, stopping just behind the Fury—her dagger poised in her hand.
Unfortunately, this was unlikely to be as simple as just striking at the monster's vitals.
A divine spirit like Trisiphone surely possessed the ability to sense killing intent.
"Is that—" Percy taunted, leaning to the side as the barbed whip missing him by a breath. "All you got?"
His lips curled into a grin.
"I've had math teachers that fought better than you!"
"You impudent thief!" Trisiphone roared.
Realizing that none of her attacks were landing, she halted her barrage and glared down at him.
"Your resistance is—"
Annabeth struck.
Her dagger cleaved through the monster's shoulder with pinpoint precision.
A deafening screech tore from the Fury's throat as she dropped from the sky, one of her wings entierly severed.
"Get her!" Annabeth screamed. "Now!"
She ripped off her cap and lunged forward.
Trisiphone shrieked as Annabeth mounted her back, seizing her remaining wing and clawing at the gushing wound.
Few things distracted an enemy better than pain.
"I'm on it!" Percy shouted, crossing the distance between them in a single leap.
He landed low and drove his sword up through the Fury's chin into her skull.
The monster crumbled into golden sand.
"Holy shit," he wheezed, sucking in a sharp breath as he collapsed to the ground beside her. "I thought for sure I was going to die there a couple times."
"You have an odd way of showing it," Annabeth snorted as she retrieved her dagger. "You reacted far faster than I thought you would.
She shot him a sidelong glance.
"How did you know what I was going to do?"
She had been invisible for the entirety of the battle.
Percy hummed quietly as his sword shrank back into a pen.
"It was obvious you wouldn't just run away," he said, shrugging. "All I had to do was wait for you to come up with a plan and give me an opening."
He met her gaze with a smirk.
"That's what wise girls like you are best at, aren't you?"
Annabeth quietly studied his face for a moment.
"I suppose."
Her eyes widened as a choked scream rang out from behind her.
It came from Isabella's direction.
"Get up!" She nudged Percy's side and spun around. "This isn't—"
The words died in her throat as she watched what their third member was doing to Megaera.
The Fury sat cross legged on a circle of scorched earth, a soft smile curling her lips, even as tears streamed down her face.
Both of her wings were cut off cleanly at the base, the wound sealed shut—cauterized by fire.
Isabella stood behind her, tapping her chin as she examined the wing in her hand.
"What the hell?" Percy whispered, his jaw dropped.
He glanced at Annabeth.
"What is she doing?"
"How would I know?" She frowned. "Let's go ask her."
Annabeth made sure to keep her distance from the seated Fury as they approached Isabella from the side.
"Why haven't you killed her yet?" she asked. "And what're you doing with that wing?"
Isabella perked up and looked at them, her eyes lingering on Percy for a moment.
"You won," she said, her voice brightening as she met Annabeth's gaze. "That's fortunate."
She smiled, and snapped her fingers.
A stone lance erupted from the ground, piercing upward through Megaera until it protruded from the top of her skull.
The monster made no sound as she disintegrated, her expression unchanged until the very last moment.
"Damn," Percy whispered, before tilting his head. "How'd you do that?"
"I have good news," Isabella spoke up, ignoring his question.
Annabeth bit down on her lip.
The others might not see it—but she could.
There was definitely something wrong with that girl.
"What news?" she asked.
Isabella's clothes caught fire.
However, instead of burning away, only the blood on them vaporized.
"I learned what they want from you," she said, looking at Percy. "They think you stole their king's symbol of power."
She turned back to Annabeth. "I also found out where the entrance to the underworld is."
Her hair fell to the side as she inclined her head.
"That is where we're headed, isn't it?"
"Again… really?" Percy groaned. "What's up with these gods?" He palmed his face. "How could I have stolen not one, but two divine weapons!"
His voice was thick with frustration.
"I didn't even know they existed a week ago!"
"That is indeed where we're going," Annabeth said, crossing her arms as she stared at the stone pillar. "What were you doing with her wings?"
Percy's grumbling ceased, clear interest replacing it as he looked at Isabella.
A dazzling smile lit up her face.
"I'm so glad you asked!"
She spread her arms—and a radiant pair of white wings unfurled from her back, forming a striking contrast with her dark hair and bright purple eyes.
"My magic has granted me a new ability."
Annabeth suppressed a frown as she stared at Isabella's angelic figure.
This is so unfair.
—————
He is such a cheater.
A faint smile tugged at Audrey's lips as she dodged the sand Luke had thrown at her face.
"You don't fight fair, do you?" she asked, raising the practice sword she had borrowed from the armory.
The young man smirked as he twisted his wrist, his blade tracing a practiced flourish through the air.
And a show-off too.
"Of course I don't." He clicked his tongue. "Do you really expect your enemies to fight honorably?"
His sword crashed against hers.
She pivoted aside and swung for his back.
He deflected the strike without even looking.
"Remember, Audrey," he said, turning to face her again. "Monsters never fight fair."
She nodded curtly, her eye fixed on his feet.
When he lunged forward, she was ready.
She slipped past his attack and stepped inside his guard, driving the pommel of her sword into his gut.
The air burst from his lungs as he staggered back.
"Good job," he groaned, rubbing his stomach. "You're improving fast."
A smile curved her lips.
"I have a good teacher."
She mimicked his earlier flourish, her blade cutting a smooth arc through the air.
"The best, you mean," he shot back, straightening as he raised his sword.
"Are you ready?"
"Always."
They clashed in the middle of the arena.
The demigods training nearby paused to watch. And even the spectator stands were more crowded than usual.
Her siblings had warned her that something like this would happen.
Apparently, it was rare for their leaders to take an interest in newcomers.
Now that Isabella had left and Luke had started to train her in the art of the sword, she was starting to see it too.
They were jealous.
"Focus," Luke snapped, tapping the flat of his blade against her hip.
While they were not officially keeping count, it was clear that he was scoring more often than she was.
"Enjoy your time in the sun while it lasts." She smirked as she dashed forward. "I'm coming for that title!"
Luke chuckled as he deflected her strike.
"You really are an unique one."
She stepped aside to avoid the kick coming at her midsection.
"The children of wisdom are usually more interested in books, instead of swords."
She rolled her eyes and slashed at his legs.
"They're wasting their gifts."
Her head snapped back as his fist connected with her face.
She leapt backward, rubbing her cheek.
"Did you seriously just punch me?" she asked, her voice suffused with bafflement. "So much for the greatest swordsman of the last century."
"Always expect the unexpected," Luke said, a smirk curling his lips. "Also…"
He bowed mockingly.
"It's the greatest swordsman of the last three centuries."
An amused glint flickered in his blue eyes.
"Don't think I'll forfeit that title so easily."
Audrey carefully pinched the bridge of her nose.
Not broken.
"Do your worst," she forced out, gripping her sword.
"Gladly."
Sweat soaked her clothes as their sparring match dragged on.
They had been at it since breakfast—hours ago.
A thrill shot through her as she scored another point.
She did not have magic like Isabella, nor was she a freak of nature like Ladora—but this, she could do.
With every exchange, Luke's movements became more predictable, a model of his battle style taking shape in her mind.
She could almost see his next move before he made it.
A wide grin split her face as she surged forward.
He's open!
She froze.
The tip of a gleaming sword hovered before her, inches away from piercing her eye.
"You're very talented, Audrey," Luke said quietly. "As long as you keep that ego in check, you'll go far."
His blade lowered to his side.
"That's enough for today," he added, glancing up at the clear sky. "Let's get something to eat."
He smiled at her and then turned toward the entrance.
Audrey bit down on her inner cheek as she stared at his retreating back.
He was going for a slash from the right. I'm sure of it. Why did he—
"You coming?" Luke called without looking back.
Her shoulders dropped as she nodded.
Next time.
"Sure."
She caught up to her teacher with a light jog.
__________
"… then I slipped out of the train cabin and waved the cyclops goodbye as he was carried off to the next city."
She grinned as she sank into the sand.
Her siblings were missing out with their irrational distaste for the sea.
"If only every monster could be outsmarted that easily," Luke chuckled. "The world would be a much better place."
Audrey watched him idly as he set his empty plate aside and gazed toward the rolling waves.
"Outsmarting them has never been the problem," she muttered, finishing the last piece of her meal.
"What do you mean?" he asked, turning to her.
She hummed softly, considering her words.
"On their own, defeating them wasn't that difficult." A wry smile touched her lips as old memories surfaced. "Catching them in a trap is not much harder than hunting an animal."
She shook her head.
"It was their numbers. No matter how many we kill, it doesn't matter… There will always be more."
It was why she had to leave.
Refusing to play their game—that was how she would defy the gods.
Even if she came to detest Ladora along the way, she would never regret the deal she had made with him.
"Isn't that the truth," Luke murmured, his expression growing distant.
"Why are you doing this?" Audrey asked suddenly.
He raised a brow.
"Doing what?"
"Spending time with me. Teaching me."
Her eyes narrowed.
"It doesn't make sense."
"Why not?"
"Because you're one of the leaders here," she said. "And I'm a random half-blood you met a week ago."
"Is that what you think?"
"Am I wrong?"
He huffed.
"How about I tell you a secret?" He leaned forward. "Something most of us don't figure out until it's too late."
Audrey tilted her head.
It was hard to believe he knew something she did not.
Like everyone else at camp, he still believed the supernatural world started and ended with the Greeks.
"And what's that?" she asked.
He met her gaze with unusual intensity
"Not all demigods are made equally," he whispered.
What?
She blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"Have you ever wondered why you can't do everything your mother can?" he asked, leaning back. "Why not all members of House Hephaestus can control fire?"
She hesitated.
She had simply assumed it worked like genetics.
"Maybe once or twice."
"The gods decided which gift they share with their children," Luke explained as he scooped up a handful of sand. "And you've been given an unusual one."
The sand slipped through his fingers as he glanced at her.
"You're a warrior. Most of your siblings are scholars."
Audrey's brows slowly drew together as she considered his words.
That could not be it.
"I see," she said, her voice dry as she rolled her eyes, "and what's the real reason?"
"Smart girl," Luke chuckled. "You're right. There is more."
"How shocking."
"I did think I was being rather sneaky," he admitted, his lips curling upward. "I truly mean you no harm."
He sighed as she simpled stared at him in silence.
"Alright then… I'll be honest." His posture straightened as his voice lowered a fraction. "I'm interested in the company you've been keeping ever since you joined our little camp."
Audrey sighed as the full picture became clearer.
"So this is about Isabella?"
"I'm afraid so," he admitted, watching her closely. "You see, our young princess is very selective with the company she keeps."
Audrey stifled a scoff.
Anyone would be, after growing up surrounded by people vying for their attention every day.
"We're friends," she said, meeting Luke's gaze evenly. "If you want to know more." She shrugged. "Just ask her yourself when she gets back."
"Ah yes," he mused, a shallow crease cutting between his brows. "Back from the quest she infiltrated."
Audrey smiled, an unfamiliar feeling of pride stirring in her chest.
"Just so."
——————-
Percy's arms fell as a sharp pain tore through his abdomen.
The head-sized orb of water he had made rise collapsed back into the indoor pool.
He had been trying to make it hover steady in the air ever since they arrived in town and checked into the hotel.
A series of slow claps sounded beside him.
"Very impressive," Isabella called, sprawled across a lounger.
Her amethyst eyes gleamed with amusement.
This was her idea…
So why is she making fun of me now?
Percy turned his back on her and crossed his arms.
It wasn't his fault nobody bothered to tell him—
He flinched as a ball of water splashed against the side of his head.
He whirled around.
"Would you look at that?" Isabella laughed. "The son of the sea god, caught off guard by a bit of water."
Percy gaped.
"How did you do that?"
He could excuse the other elements—but water was his.
She smirked and gestured to the lounger beside her.
"Magic."
"That tells me absolutely nothing," he grumbled as he strode forward and sat down.
The corners of her mouth lifted.
"So I've been told."
She raised a hand, her eyes narrowing slightly as a bird made of water formed in her palm.
Percy watched the magical construct closely as it beat its translucent wings and flew toward him.
He wanted to do that.
The bird vanished as he tried to take control of it.
"Can you teach me?"
"I'm afraid not," she replied, shaking her head regretfully. "You lack the necessary organ."
Percy's brows furrowed as he peered down at his swimming trunks, then at her swimsuit.
Life sure was unfair.
"Not that organ, you silly boy," Isabella chuckled as she crossed her legs.
"Oh."
He blinked, a faint flush coloring his cheeks as a strange sensation churned behind his navel.
There was something different about her compared to the girls he usually talked to.
"What organ—"
"There you are!" Annabeth shouted as she burst into the pool area.
"Did you find something?" Isabella asked without missing a beat.
"I did!" Annabeth exclaimed as she strode toward them. "There really weren't any monsters in this town."
Something she had insisted was impossible.
She had been so certain of that fact that she had voluntarily spent the entire evening combing the town instead of joining them in the spa.
"What's that phrase again?" Percy asked, a sharply grin spreading across his face. "Ah yes… I told you so."
Annabeth clicked her tongue as she came to a stop in front of them.
She had refused the clothes Isabella conjured, so she was still wearing the same outfit from earlier.
"I found something else," she said, her voice growing more serious. "A building covered in a heavy layer of Mist. It looked like some sort of church."
"A church?" Percy echoed, tilting his head. "Like a Christian one?"
"That can't be it," Isabella said. "Not here."
What's that supposed to mean?
"It doesn't matter what kind of church it is!" Annabeth snapped, stomping her foot. "I'm certain there are monsters inside."
"You're certain about everything," Percy shot back. "That doesn't mean you're right."
The blonde girls eyes burned as she whirled toward him.
"You seaweed—"
"Stop."
She fell silent as Isabella raised her voice.
The older girl tapped her lips, her gaze directed out of the windows toward the darkening sky.
"We're faced with the possibility of an entire building filled with an unknown amount—and type
—of monsters."
Her eyes hardened as she looked at them.
"There is only one thing we can do now."
Percy nodded in agreement as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
Leaving now, after they had already found and settled in the best hotel in town, was a fool's errand
There was no need to tempt fate.
Isabella rose to her feet, a bright smile forming on her lips.
"We investigate!"
Annabeth gave a curt nod, her expression as unfazed as if Isabella had just stated the obvious.
"Of course we do."
Percy's jaw dropped as he stared between them.
What is wrong with these girls?
————————-
I could be fast asleep in a rich people bed right now.
Percy glowered as they passed another empty room.
They had not encountered a single enemy ever since they entered the building.
"Just admit it," he scoffed, sneering at Annabeth. "You were wrong."
Her stride did not falter as she marched through the well-furnished room.
"I wasn't wrong."
"Sure," he muttered. "And I'm a master thief who robs gods for sport."
"She's right," Isabella cut in, inspecting one of the overflowing bookshelves. "Someone was here before us."
Her eyes glowed faintly purple.
"There is magic in the air."
Magic again...
"Well, I don't see anything." He gestured at the empty room. "They probably saw us coming and fled hours ago."
Annabeth scoffed as she rolled her eyes.
"You don't say."
"Oh, I'm sorry, wise girl." He smiled thinly at her. "If it's so obvious to you, then where did they go?"
Her mouth opened—then closed.
He snorted. "There you—"
"Let's keep going," Isabella said. "We might still get lucky."
Percy sighed.
Her definition of luck was seriously messed up.
After an hour of fruitless searching, it had became clear that something was off.
The building was much larger on the inside than it was on the outside.
"Wait!" Isabella called.
Percy paused, his hand hovering before the next door as he glanced back at her.
"What is it?"
"They're here," she whispered, shuddering quietly as her crimson lips curled into a smile. "That room is overflowing with magic."
Annabeth released a relieved breath as she raised her dagger.
"Finally."
Percy inhaled deeply and kicked open the door, Riptide in hand.
There were no monsters.
The throne room that unfolded before them held only a single cloaked figure, their back turned to them.
"I have been waiting for you, half-bloods."
Percy blinked as a gravelly male voice echoed across the chamber.
"What is he doing?" he asked quietly, casting Annabeth a sidelong glance. "Who is he speaking to?"
The throne before him stood empty.
"Are you serious?" she whispered back, meeting Percy's gaze with incredulous grey eyes. "How did you ever function in mortal society?"
"Funny you'd ask that," he chuckled as Isabella brushed past them. "I didn't."
"Somehow that—"
"We are the church of the Ascended Princess," the cloaked figure continued. "As her chosen people, we have risen above the common rabble to…"
Percy did not hesitate to tune out the man's rambling, choosing to watch Isabella instead.
The older girl was trailing the engravings along the wall with her fingers as she walked past them.
He leaned toward Annabeth as the cloaked man droned on in the background.
"You still think this was worth leaving the hotel for?"
"Yes."
She answered without missing a beat.
Percy clicked his tongue and followed her gaze toward the the lunatic as he spread his arms and turned to face them.
He was middle-aged, his face cleanly shaved.
Aside from the madness in his eyes, he could almost me mistaken for a normal person.
Some would probably even call him handsome—certainly more so than the usual old guys Percy was used to seeing.
The existence of Smelly Gabe had lowered his standards all the way down to Hades.
"… with the gift of magic at my fingertips, I will—"
Percy frowned, following the man's line of sight as he suddenly fell silent.
He was staring straight at Isabella, his eyes wide and disbelieving.
What's his deal?
The cloaked man dropped to his knees and slammed his forehead against the stone floor, screaming like an injured animal.
"What did you do?" Annabeth asked as she turned toward their third quest member.
"Nothing," Isabella huffed, "believe it or not."
She tilted her head as she regarded the ghastly spectacle with the curiosity of a scientist observing a strangely behaving lab rat.
"This is a first for me too."
She stepped away from the wall and strolled back toward them.
"It's a bit much, if you asked me."
"Forgive me, mistress!" the man wailed. "I have sinned—grievously sinned!"
He kept slamming his head against the floor.
"My faith has wavered!"
Percy grimaced as he glanced at Isabella.
"Are you sure you're not the one doing this?"
An annoyed expression flashed across the girls face as she folded her arms.
"Since when has my name become synonymous with mistress?"
"If the shoe—"
"Temptress!" the man screamed, pointing at Isabella. "Begone from this place!"
A sudden laugh escaped Annabeth as she gestured toward the raving man.
"There you go."
Isabella's lips parted. For the first time since Percy met her, she was at a loss for words.
"Oh dear," she chuckled, the sound as bright as tinkling bells. "This is just ridiculous… I love it!"
A sharp grin spread across her face as she turned to the cloaked man.
"Aren't you giving me too much credit?" she asked. "I don't even know who you are."
"I am the priest of the church you have defiled with your presence, seductress," he accused. "The one who was chosen to remain behind and punish you for your crimes."
Here we go again.
Percy glanced down at Riptide.
Should I put it away?
"We didn't defile anything," Annabeth retorted, shaking her head. "And who is that mistress you mentioned anyway?"
She shot Isabella a suspicious look.
The other girl just winked in response.
The priest paused.
Slowly, he rose to his feet and wiped the blood from his forehead.
"Finally..." A bloody tear streaked down his cheek as he pressed his hands together in prayer. "I can properly honor your name."
Percy raised his sword as goosebumps spread across his arms.
"All hail Medea. Princess of Colchis. Lady of magic, and god—"
The priest's head exploded.