𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 ! [percy jackson]¹

𝐱𝐯𝐢. a little godly aid never hurt !

𝐋 𝐎 𝐕 𝐄   𝐒 𝐓 𝐎 𝐑 𝐘   !

𝙲 𝙷 𝙰 𝙿 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁   𝚂 𝙸 𝚇 𝚃 𝙴 𝙴 𝙽   !

( 𝔞 𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔩𝔢 𝔤𝔬𝔡𝔩𝔶 𝔞𝔦𝔡 𝔫𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔥𝔲𝔯𝔱 ! )

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

          "𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑-𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓." 

Toni felt sick to her stomach just looking at the man that started all of this again. He was wearing a ratty black trench coat over his Westover Hall uniform, which was torn and stained. His military haircut had grown out spiky and greasy. He hadn't shaved recently, so his face was covered in silver stubble. Basically, he didn't look much better than the guys down at the soup kitchen.

"Thorn." Toni swallowed down the lump in her throat, her heart racing.

"Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia," the manticore said. "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honor me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods!"

On either side of him stood two armed security guys, some of the mortal mercenaries Toni had seen in D.C. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case they tried to escape that way. There were tourists all around—walking down the waterfront, shopping at the pier above them—but Toni knew that wouldn't stop the manticore from acting.

"Where . . . where are the skeletons?" Percy asked the manticore. 

He sneered. "I do not need those foolish undead! The General thinks I am worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself!"

This was not how Toni imagined this part of the quest going. She did not want to run into her old vice principle, who had tried to sell her to an army. His eyes met hers and she felt as if she was frozen. This was the first time she'd ever seen him outside of school, and it was more terrifying than anything she'd ever experienced while seeing him in school.

"We beat you once before," Percy said.

"Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And, alas . . . that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now."

Zoë notched an arrow and aimed it straight at the manticore's head. The guards on either side of them raised their guns, one pointing the barrel at Toni.

"Wait!" Percy said. "Zoë, don't!"

The manticore smiled. "The boy is right, Zoë Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory."