Anthízo, Percy Jackson

XVII. just the two of us (and a harpy)

BEFORE THE GROUP went off the discuss what the plan was, they decided that they needed to eat first, because, of course— food comes before anything.

"we'll need some of your food." percy shouldered his way around the old man and snatched stuff off the picnic table— a covered bowl of thai noodles in mac-and-cheese sauce, and a tubular pastry that looked like a combination burrito and cinnamon roll.

karina could tell how tense percy was, as she could see him almost strangling the burrito in order to refrain himself from smashing it in phineas's face. so she walked over and placed her hand over his, grabbing the squished burrito from him and began to drag him away from the picnic table.

"come on guys," karina said, and she let percy lead them out of the parking lot.

they stopped across the street. she saw percy take a deep breath, obviously trying to calm down, and she squeezed his hand lightly, to which he squeezed back. the rain had slowed to a halfhearted drizzle. the cold mist felt good on her face.

"that man . . . " hazel smacked the side of a bus-stop bench. "he needs to die. again."

it was hard to tell in the rain, but she seemed to be blinking back tears. her long curly hair was plastered down the sides of her face. in the gray light, her gold eyes looked more like tin.

karina wanted to knock phineas senseless because of the things he said about her and hazel. she knew how sensitive of a topic being brought back from the dead was to hazel, and that's why she made karina swear not to tell anyone. and she didn't. she never told a soul after she found out from nico. but hearing those words come out of the old man's mouth felt like a punch to the gut for karina, and she felt horrible that she couldn't do anything to help hazel.

also, hearing phineas say karina 'cheated death' was horrible to hear too. she usually blocked out of memory of her almost dying— well, dying— from her mind. and she made her sure everyone else did too. when the camp found out about it, that was what everyone talked about for next month, but reyna and jason immediately shut them up by threatening them on the eternal chore of cleaning up the cow manure in the field. and karina hadn't been more grateful in her life. she hated being the center of attention, and she hated being the only thing people talked about. they'd stare at her as she walked through the pavilion, or when she was sparring, or even when she was showering! it was so out of control that she despised getting out of bed everyday, not wanting the stares and to hear the whispers everyone said around her.

it seemed that karina had zoned out, because it had taken her a minute to realize that percy has shaking her arm, trying to get her attention.

she blinked a few times, and looked to percy apologetically, smiling at him in slight embarrassment. "sorry, i got kind of lost in thought."

percy chuckled. "it's okay, just making sure you were still alive."

karina nodded bashfully. "well— i am."

he smiled at her and then turned back to hazel. "we'll get him," he promised. "he's nothing like you, hazel. i don't care what he says."

hazel shook her head. "you don't know the whole story. i should have been sent to punishment. i— i'm just as bad— "

"no, you're not!" frank balled his fists. he looked around like he was searching for anybody who might disagree with him— enemies he could hit for hazel's sake. "she's a good person!" he yelled across the street. a few harpies squawked in the trees, but no one else paid them any attention.

karina looked at percy in surprise at frank's actions, and he turned to her with the same expression, his eyebrows raised in shock.

hazel stared at frank. she reached out tentatively, as if she wanted to take his hand but was afraid he might evaporate.