"You okay?" I heard Luke say from beside me. What the fuck did I do to deserve this caring man as my boyfriend.
"Yeah. Just a bit tired but fine." I said. It was a fact that I already knew. When I use blood manipulation I lose energy. I opend my mouth to ask Luke how's he holding up but was cut off by Grover.
"Somewhere up ahead, this turns into a satyr path." We were walking like in the beginning. Luke and I holding hands in the back, Grover and Percy in the middle and Annabeth and Missy in front. I opened my mouth to ask what the hell was that but Percy beat me in it.
"What’s a satyr path?" Percy asked.
"It's a road through the wilderness. Satyr explorers use them. Harder to track us." Grover explained.
"That’s great, but if we stay in the wilderness, how are we gonna find a phone?" Percy asked.
"What do we need a phone for?" Annabeth asked annoyed.
"So we can call camp. T...To get help." Percy said.
"We don’t need help. We’re fine." Annabeth said.
"Are we?" I asked. She gave me a sharp look. Percy nodded agreeing with me.
"We haven’t even gotten to Trenton, and we're wandering through a forest. I didn’t even know they had forests in New Jersey, but we've found one. I would say we're the opposite of fine." Percy said.
"We were sent on a quest by the Oracle, by the gods. What'd you think, it would be easy? It’s supposed to be hard. That’s why only certain people are chosen. If we call camp, we’re basically saying it was a mistake to choose us." Okay she's gotta a point. It would make as look bad.
"I’m completely comfortable with that. Everyone makes mistakes." Percy stated.
"I'm not. We can't go back there and be like. Uh it didn't go as planned so we didn't know what to do." I said. Annabeth nodded.
"The first smart thing I've heard from you." Annabeth pointed at me but then yurned to Percy. "And why are you so afraid of who you are?"
"What?" Percy asked offended.
"You know, what’s interesting about this particular satyr path is it’s actually the one my Uncle Ferdinand took when he set out on his own quest." Grover started trying to stop Percy and Annabeth from fighting.
"What was that supposed to mean, afraid of who I am? I’m not afraid." Percy said.
"Yes, you are. You aren't just a kid. "Just a kid" doesn’t do what you did to Clarisse back at camp. "Just a kid" doesn’t have Hades sending top lieutenants to retrieve them. You know, you are a part of something so much bigger than we can understand right now. We have to move forward, whether you like it or not, whether you want to or not." Annabeth explained.
"You don’t want to call camp, fine. Then, at least let’s call your mom. Or I don't know Luke's dad or whoever is Missy's parent." Percy said.
"Excuse me?"
"What?" Annabeth and Missy said at the same time.
"Athena? Your mother. Hermes? Luke's father. I’d call Jules and mine father, but we aren’t exactly on speaking terms. You know, because of the lifelong neglect and all, but you and your mother seem close. So, why don't we ask her for help?" Percy asked.
"Grover, will you explain to your friend that he needs to pull himself together?" Annabeth said. Missy was giving Percy an angry look.
"Percy-" Luke started. We were just standing there in a circle in the middle of the forest.
"You can’t ask her or any other parent, can you? When was the last time any of you talked to your godly parents?" They all stayed quite. Well Poseidon's not alone on my list anymore I guess.
"Grover." Annabeth and Missy said at the same time. Missy looked like she was holding back her tears.
"I don’t know why you keep pulling him into this. He’s on my side." Percy said.
"What makes you think that?" Missy snapped.
"He’s my Protector, it’s his job."
"He was our Protector first." Annabeth said.
"First?" I asked. Oh.
"What do you mean "first?"" Percy asked.
"Very exciting, getting to walk in Uncle Ferdinand’s footsteps. Next best thing to getting to talk to him again." Grover changed the subject.
"Thalia, Luke, Missy and Annabeth had a satyr Protector. That was you. Why didn't you tell us?" Percy asked disappointed. Then Grover started sniffing. What the fuck is happening?
"Do you guys smell that?" Grover asked.
"Grover, I’m not kidding-" Percy started but Grover cut him off.
"No, neither am I. Just shush." Then he sniffed again. "Hamburgers."
"Grover." Percy said.
"What are you doing?" I asked confused.
"Somebody's making hamburgers in the middle of nowhere, on a satyr path. Whoever it is...they’re from our world." Grover said as he went to the front. I looked at Luke and he just shugged. Then we followed after the kids. We made it to a house with interesting garden decorations.
"Oh, come on." Missy said.
"What?" Percy and I asked at the same time.
"Aunty "Em" has a garden full of petrified stone folks. Yeah, this is someone from our world, all right. Anyone wanna guess what "Em" is short for?" Annabeth said. Em. Em. M. Oh. Medusa. "Let’s get out of here, please, while we still can." The second Fury from the bus flew down near us. By now everybody had their weapons out. Annabeth and I had our daggers. Percy and Luke had their swords.
"You should have accepted my offer when you had the chance." The Fury said.
"Offer? What offer is she talking about?" Percy asked.
"Not today, friends. Not on my doorstep." We heard a woman's voice from behind us. Medusa.
"Oh, shoot." Annabeth said and all of us looked away. Percy a few seconds later but he catched up. I think.
"If you have something to resolve, why not come inside and I’ll help? Alecto? Will you be joining us?" Medusa asked. The Fury tightenedher wings. "No, well I wouldn’t think you would. She won’t bother you as long as you’re with me." She stopped for a bit and then continued. "But it isn’t as though she’ll leave either, not if it means reporting that she failed to retrieve the son of Poseidon."
"How did you-" Percy started. Oh I wouldn't want to be in his skin right now. I mean we are but not really.
"A forbidden child has been claimed. How long did you think that secret would keep? It’s a pleasure to meet you, son of Poseidon. I’m Medusa." Medusa introduced herself.
"Percy, don’t." Missy said looking towards Percy.
"She’s a monster." Annabeth said.
"We all choose who we make our monsters, but, right now, that one wants to tear you limb from limb...and I’m offering you lunch. The choice is yours." She said and turned around to walk back inside her house.
"I think we can trust her." Percy said.
"As your mentor I think you're wrong." Luke said to Percy.
"What?" Annabeth and Missy whispered yelled.
"Dude!" Grover said.
"We can trust her. At least right now." I agreed with Percy. Luke looked at me confused. Percy nodded his head
"I can’t explain it, I just...My mom used to tell me her story. And the point was always that she isn’t what people think. And I definitely trust my mom. So I’m going in. You guys do what you want." Percy explained. I nodded.
"Besides I can't believe how can you call her a monster? Do you even know her story?" She reminded me a bit of my mum. I followed Percy inside.
"What are you-" Annabeth started but didnt finish.
