Percy and I entered the house. It was quite pretty. I walked in front of Percy just to keep him safe. We came to the dinning room. I sat down closest to Medusa on her left. Percy sat to my left and after a few seconds Grover came as well and sat next to Percy. I looked towards the door waiting for Luke to come. Hoping he will come. He was the next to come through the door with Missy holding his hand. I let out a breath I was holding in. Then Annabeth came as well.
"You must be hungry. I left snacks on the table while I get something proper going." Medusa said kindly.
"You think it's safe to eat?" Percy asked Grover.
"Percy, I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm really hungry, and I'm ready to take that chance." Grover said honestly.
"Thanks for coming." I said looking towards Annabeth.
"This isn't the same for me as it is for you." Annabeth said looking the other direction.
"You're concerned I would hold a grudge against you simply because you are a daughter of Athena? You shouldn't be. We're not our parents after all. And you and I might have more in common than you think. Please, sit and eat." Medusa assured Annabeth.
"So you're not a monster, what are you then?" Percy asked.
"A survivor." "She's a survivor." Medusa and I said at the same time.
"You must be a little more than that. There's a Fury out there that seems terrified of you." Percy stated.
"Because she knows what I think of her. I don't like bullies. When one shows up on my doorstep, they end up spending a lot more time there than they planned for. The gift the gods gave me is that I cannot be bullied anymore." Medusa explained. I looked away from the table to look at the trio who was standing near the table. Luke was looking at pictures at the walls, Missy was looking at the floor and Annabeth opened her mouth.
"What my mother did to you wasn't a gift, it was a curse." Annabeth fired.
"Annabeth!" I said.
"I'm just being honest. Isn't that what you always do?" Annabeth said. I opened my mouth to say something.
"You are loyal to your mother." Medusa said slowly.
"Yes." Annabeth agreed.
"You stand by her?" Medusa asked her.
"Always." Annabeth said like it was a stupid question.
"You love her?" Medusa finally asked.
"Of course, I do."
"And so did I. So did I. Do you know the story of how I came to be this way?
"I do." Grover and I said at the same time.
"Do you?" Medusa asked.
"Do I?" Grover asked himself with his mouth full.
"I know the story." I said.
"Tell it to your friends then."
"Athena was everything to you. You worshipped her, you prayed to her. You made offerings...but she never answered. Not even an omen to suggest she appreciated your love." I started. Medusa nodded with a small smile. I could feel Luke's eyes on me. "Annabeth, she is way similar to you then you think."
"She's right I wasn't like you, sweetheart. I was you. I would have worshipped her that way for a lifetime...in silence." The she stopped and sweetly said. "Can you continue?" I nodded.
"But then one day, another god came, and he broke that silence. Poseidon. The Sea God told you that he loved you. And you felt as though he saw you in a way you had never felt seen before." I said slowly. "But then Athena declared that you had embarrassed her and that you needed to be punished. Not Poseidon. She decided that you would never be seen again by anyone who would live to tell the tale." I finished.
