Don't be Lured by Discount Pancakes

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"What were those things?!"

"Nereids. I think."

"English, please!"

"Sea nymphs."

"We're in Indiana! Last time I checked, there wasn't any type of sea here!"

"That's not the weird part, Bianca! Nereids are extremely friendly..."

"So?"

"If you said they were trying to capture you... that doesn't add up."

I stopped walking, spinning on my heel to face Blake. He stopped too.

"'Doesn't add up'?!" I mocked. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Blake seemed hurt by my tone of voice. His facial expression changed from worried to upset. "I don't know," he said. "Nereids shouldn't be kidnapping anyone. They're too nice."

I raised my eyebrows. "You don't believe me?"

Blake scoffed. He looked disappointed. "I didn't say that! I just find it weird, okay?" He turned away from my face, then continued walking back towards the willow tree. I'd been dragged farther than I'd initially thought.

"One of them called me a project," I said, struggling to catch up with his large strides. "She knew I was a project. They knew I was a project."

"That's not a surprise," Blake said. "I mean, pretty much all the gods know who and who isn't a project. Like I said, it's never been a problem until Ganymede."

I grunted angrily. "Why did they want me?"

"They probably thought you were dangerous! They were probably sent by someone. To... capture you, I guess."

"But who sent them?"

"I mean... the Nereids are typically associated with Poseidon. It could've been him. Not to start rumors or anything, but I don't really know what side of this argument Percy Jackson is on."

I stopped again. It took Blake a second to realize. Once he did, he turned around to look at me.

"What?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" I said quietly.

"Look, I don't know anything, okay? But the demigods in the prophecy of the seven; the ones who were friends with your parents... I don't know what side they're on."

I thought about Aunt Piper. I thought about Reyna. They were clearly on different sides when it came to me. Maybe they were on different sides when it came to my life, too.

"You think Percy Jackson doesn't want me alive and sent those Nereids to capture me and kill me?"

"Gods, no! Why are you so morbid? Percy doesn't even have control over Nereids and stuff like that. Not that I know of, at least. Besides, I have no idea if he's okay with the defective projects—"

"Stop it."

"What?"

"Stop calling me that. I'm a person, not a project." I shrugged past him, continuing on towards the willow.


Everyone was awake by the time we made it back. Essie was sitting on her luggage, her eyes wide. Charlie paced in frantic circles around her, and Luke sat at the base of the tree, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"There you are!" Charlie exclaimed as we approached. "I was so worried. I thought you'd been taken!"

"Yeah." I snatched up my duffel bag, which sat on the ground next to Luke. "That would've happened if Blake didn't wake up."

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