²𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘✸ percy jackson

XII.

MΛЯK ӨF ΛƬΉΣПΛ

ANNABETH AND LUCIA SPENT A GOOD CHUNK OF THE EARLY AFTERNOON TOGETHER. But once the blonde left to eat in the mess hall, Lucia became engrossed with the subject of the Legend of Athena.

Annabeth had admitted to Lucia that she harbored feelings for Piper and she thought she did back. Granted Piper never hid her fascination with Annabeth, but it was news to Lucia that she had these other feelings for someone that wasn't her boyfriend. Annabeth however seemed hesitant. Almost fearful of saying what she felt out loud. But Lucia wasn't about to shame Annabeth for her feelings.

She could also tell that Piper wasn't the only one pulling at the blonde's heartstrings. When Lucia mentioned Reyna, Annabeth held a dreamy look in her eye. But she also talked about both girls like they were simply out of reach,  and she was just telling a friend about what could have been.

Lucia didn't like that at all. She had an inexplainable feeling that neither was truly out of Annabeth's reach. And that she had a real shot at something one day. Whichever that may be with.

But those thoughts caused Lucia to become haunted by the dream of Annabeth screaming out her name. The dreadful sound, feelings, and newly acquired information caused her to become frantic. She didn't want to wait around. The more she thought about the Mark of Athena, and the old Roman legend Reyna had mentioned, the more nervous she got.

So she started digging into the Legend. From her desk, she picked up the magic scroll gifted to her by her grandmother. When Lucia unwrapped it a blank white canvas stared back at her.

The brunette pursed her lips as she studied it. If she was honest she still hadn't gotten the hang of the thing just yet.

"Show me," She began, "The history of the mark of Athena."

Suddenly images flickered on like a TV screen. Except they flickered at super speed. Speeding so fast Lucia almost got a headache.

"Wait! Slower!" Lucia corrected she pressed down on the scroll slowing down the image.

The pacing slowed and Lucia saw the familiar silver drachma with an owl symbol. It was in the grip of a boy who looked similar to Annabeth with deep brown skin and stormy grey eyes. He had glasses on his face but the lenses were cracked. White string hung off from his limbs. There was a horrified look on his face.

Lucia let go of the image with a gasp. She scowled, "Show me something helpful."

The flashing went full speed until Lucia pressed down on the scroll once again. Another image appeared. At the bottom of some steps, there was an old wooden door with an iron pull ring. Above the ring was a metal plate with a keyhole. A blonde figure appeared and started considering ways to pick the lock, but as soon as she touched the pull ring, a fiery shape burned in the middle of the door: the silhouette of Athena's owl. Smoke plumed from the keyhole. The door swung inward.

The images became fast-paced despite Lucia's attempt to see through more of the scene.

The message of it was clear, however. It has to be a child of Athena.

The image stopped at something. Lucia felt the memory hit her as it played before her eyes.

She had been riding the subway back from the Upper East Side after visiting Percy's mom. During those long months when Percy was missing, Lucia made the trip at least twice a week—partly to give Sally Jackson and her husband Paul an update on the search, and partly because Lucia and Sally needed to lift each other's spirits and convince one another that Percy would be fine. The spring had been especially hard. By then, Lucia had reason to hope Percy was alive since Hera's plan seemed to involve sending him to the Roman side, but she couldn't be sure where he was.