²𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘. percy jackson

XVIII.

MΛЯK ӨF ΛƬΉΣПΛ

IF THIS SNAKE GUY CLAIMING HER COLOR wasn't enough to make her dislike him. The fact he forced his annoyingly noisy soldiers on her to steal her golden bow and arrows, made her want to scorch him even more.

Chrysaor walked back and forth, inspecting them like prized cattle.

A dozen of his dolphin-man warriors stayed in a ring around them, spears leveled at Percy's chest, while dozens more ransacked the ship, banging and crashing around belowdecks. One carried a box of ambrosia up the stairs. Another carried an armful of ballista bolts and a crate of Greek fire.

"Careful with that!" Annabeth warned. "It'll blow up both our ships."

"Ha!" Chrysaor said. "We know all about Greek fire, girl. Don't worry. We've been looting and pillaging ships on the Mare Nostrum for eons."

"Your accent sounds familiar," Percy said. "Have we met?"

"I haven't had the pleasure." Chrysaor's golden gorgon mask snarled at him, though it was impossible to tell what his real expression might be underneath."But I've heard all about you, Percy Jackson. Oh, yes, the young man who saved Olympus. And his faithful sidekick, Annabeth Chase. Along with you." He looked at Lucia with an inconclusive expression. "The delicate young daughter of Hyacinthus and Apollo."

Lucia started laughing. But she was not amused. "Delicate?" She hissed, "You're as dumb and tacky as you look! Come closer! So I can shove your dumbass comments down your throat!" Lucia's voice caused some dolphin soldiers to inch away at the volume. Chrysaor's face shifted in delight as he noticed the power in her voice, the golden aura around her also seemed to spark brighter.

"I'm nobody's sidekick," Annabeth growled. "And, Percy, his accent sounds familiar because he sounds like his mother. We killed her in New Jersey."

Percy frowned. "I'm pretty sure that accent isn't New Jersey. Who's his-? Oh." He sneered. "Medusa is your mom?" he asked. "Dude, that sucks for you."

Lucia recalled Percy telling her the story of meeting the Gorgon Medusa in New Jersey on his first quest. Right before Percy hacked her head off and sent it to Mount Olympus.

Judging from the sound in Chrysaor's throat, he was now snarling under the mask.

"You are as arrogant as the first Perseus," Chrysaor said. "But, yes, Percy Jackson. Poseidon was my father. Medusa was my mother. After Medusa was changed into a monster by that so-called goddess of wisdom.." The golden mask turned on Annabeth. "That would be your mother, I believe... Medusa's two children were trapped inside her, unable to be born. When the original Perseus cut off Medusa's head—"

"Two children sprang out," Annabeth remembered. "Pegasus and you."

Percy blinked. "So your brother is a winged horse. But you're also my half-brother, which means all the flying horses in the world are my...You know what? Let's forget it."

"Did they just spring out of the decapitated body or—Cause a horse is crazy—?" Lucia wondered, "You know what, Ignorance is bliss."

"But if you're Medusa's kid," he said, "why haven't I ever heard of you?"

Chrysaor sighed in exasperation. "When your brother is Pegasus, you get used to being forgotten. Oh, look, a winged horse! Does anyone care about me?"

"No!" He raised the tip of his blade to Percy's eyes. "But don't underestimate me. My name means the Golden Sword for a reason."

"Lame," Lucia grumbled

"Imperial gold?" Percy guessed.

"Bah! Enchanted gold, yes. Later on, the Romans called it Imperial gold, but I was the first to ever wield such a blade. I should have been the most famous hero of all time! Since the legend-tellers decided to ignore me, I became a villain instead. I resolved to put my heritage to use. As the son of Medusa, I would inspire terror. As the son of Poseidon, I would rule the seas!"