Charmolypi

Chapter 103

"Don't be mad at Annabeth," Thea told him. "She's having trouble processing all her emotions."

Percy nodded before they lapsed into silence again. "Hey, I'm sorry about, you know, seeing Luke."

Marlene had a wicked grin on her face, one that James didn't like one bit. She turned to him and raised a suggestive eyebrow at him, which made his face drop instantly when he realised what she was suggesting.

"That's why Minnie is her Godmother, not you," he told her in disgust, which made the girl laugh loudly.

"It's not your fault. If anything, we should be checking up on Annabeth," Thea chuckled as she turned away from the engraving. Percy was finally able to see the two letters etched onto the wood.

"'T+T'? As in you and Thalia?"

"Oh! That's the flashback scene they showed us in the beginning," James said in realization, processing the parallels of the movies.

"Yes," she said before a beat of silence. "He let us go too easily."

Percy nodded. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"I think he was talking about us when we overheard him saying about a gamble and 'taking the bait'..."

"Bait for what? The Fleece? Or Grover?"

Thea thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, but I would say the Fleece. Maybe he's hoping we'll do the hard work and then he can steal it from us. I just can't believe he would poison the tree."

"What did he mean," Percy asked, "that Thalia would've been on his side?"

"He's wrong."

"You don't sound sure."

Thea chuckled before throwing her head back. "Percy, you know who you remind me of most? Thalia. You guys are so much alike it's scary. I mean, either you would've been best friends or you would've strangled each other."

Marlene deflated slightly. The boy reminded her of her sister, so there were no romantic feelings there.

James beamed at the statement, feeling a sense of joy when he knew that Percy and his daughter didn't have a romantic future.

"Let's go with 'best friends.'"

"Thalia got angry with dad sometimes, rightfully so. So do you. Would you turn against Olympus because of that? Would you turn your back against your family because of that?"

Percy stared at the quiver of arrows in the corner. "No."

"Exactly. Neither would she. Luke's wrong."

"So what did Luke mean about Cyclopes?" Percy finally asked. "He said you of all people-"

"Finally!" someone screamed, obviously happy that they were finally going to understand why they had a problem with Tyson.

"I'm aware of what he said. He ... he was talking about the real reason Thalia died." Percy waited patiently for Thea to open up to him. "Annabeth would say 'you can never trust a cyclops'" she chuckled slightly. "Six years ago, when Grover was escorting us to Half-Blood Hill-" her words were interrupted when the door of their hideout flew open and a beaming Tyson walked in, followed a few seconds later by a panting Annabeth.

"Oh come on!"

"Powdered donuts!" Tyson said proudly holding up the box of pastry. Thea quickly got to her feet and walked over to Annabeth, who was slightly hunched over and panting.