/ thálassa | pjo \

/ chapter fifteen | we resort to winging just about everything \

edited.

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 "I GOT NOBODY!" Polyphemus was gloating as we sprinted back into the main entrance of the cave.

His fist was closed around something, and when he gave it a good shake, Annabeth's hat flew from her head, revealing her hanging upside. Her arms were limply fighting against the grip of the monster–but her attacks were getting slower, with more and more time between each hit.

My throat clogged as the Cyclops laughed, sounding too proud of himself, "Ha! Nasty invisible girl! Already got feisty one for wife. Means you gotta be grilled with mango chutney!"

My best friend's face was pale, her eyes glassy as she struggled weakly–blood dripping from a large gash on her forehead.

All I could do was stare as my entire body trembled, begging me to run and attack the monster, save my friend, get out of that cave, and off this freaking island.

All my muscles were coiled like a spring as I listened to Percy whisper, "I'll rush him. Our ship is around the back of the island. You and Grover—"

"No way," All three of us snapped at him.

"We'll take him together," Clarisse growled at my brother–her eyes on Annabeth's dangling body.

"Yeah," Grover said–his hands shaking at his sides.

My brother looked at me–looking for help from me, but I gave him a stern look and said, "Attack plan Macedonia."

All four of us knew what that meant.

Even Grover knew despite being gone since last summer.

We had all trained for something like this. Chiron had prepared all of us if something like this were to happen. We all knew exactly what to do and how to enact the plan of attack.

Even though it wasn't all the logistics of the attack plan, the gist was that some of us would surround the Cyclops and attack him from the flanks while someone else distracted him. This would also allow someone to get the target–or in our case, Annabeth.

I glanced at Percy and saw that he had already decided on his role.

"You sure you wanna be the bait?"

"I've got this."

I hated him putting himself in harm's way, but from the animal-like look in his eyes, I knew he wasn't going to listen to me if I told him no. So I nodded and whispered, "Distract him."

"Done."

With one final nod, we dispersed.

I glanced at Grover and Clarisse as they snuck around the Cyclops, both holding weapons they had grabbed from earlier in the cave.

"Hey, Ugly!" Percy shouted as I tiptoed closer to the enormous Cyclops.

The giant whirled on him–his own eye squinting, "Another one? Who are you?!"

"Put down my friend. I'm the one who insulted you."

"You are Nobody?"

"That's right, you smelly bucket of nose drool!" I gave Percy an unimpressed look from my hidden position, to which he just rolled his eyes and continued his taunting, "I'm Nobody, and I'm proud of it! Now, put her down and get over here. I want to stab your eye out again."

Polyphemus didn't react for a second, but when he did, my heart clogged my throat.

The Cyclops dropped Annabeth like we wanted, but I wasn't close enough to catch her yet.