Riptide by Annabeth Chase

Chapter Seven: Percy Jackson

(The Lightning Thief pg 57-64)

When I finally got back to the Big House that afternoon, Grover was awake and seemed to be filling Chiron in on what had happened but they both stopped talking as soon as I walked in. Chiron turned to me and handed me a bowl of ambrosia and nectar that had been mixed into a pudding.

"Would you please go back to the room we put Percy in and try to get him to eat some of this? I'd like to have a chat with him as soon as possible," Chiron told me.

"But I thought you said you would answer my questions," I whined.

"I will in time, my dear, but for now I need to speak with Grover and Percy needs your help." He made sure his tone conveyed that everything had already been decided.

I considered arguing but relented and headed toward the back bedroom. At least I had learned the boy's name was Percy. I was wondering who would name their kid Percy, it didn't even sound like a name and why was the Minotaur in my dream with Grover. If my dream had been a warning that Grover was trying to get to camp with this kid, what did that have to do with that monster?

I opened the door and saw Percy lying on the bed. Chiron had clearly taken some time to clean him up a bit as he didn't look quite so muddy. He still looked pretty beaten up but in a rugged sort of way that was really attractive. Like maybe he had just killed the Minotaur to save me from the Labyrinth.

Woah, Annabeth, I stopped myself from going any further down that path. I did not need to be saved from a labyrinth right now, I needed answers. Also Theseus was kind of a dick after he killed the Minotaur so probably not the best damsel in distress story to pull from. A better story would be Perseus saving Andromeda. 

I realized that was probably this kids full name and he just goes by Percy as I shook my head and tried to focus on my goals. I needed to figure out what the summer solstice deadline was about, who this kid was and why Chiron and Grover thought he was special enough to necessitate Chiron teaching at his school all year.

This Percy certainly did not look like some major prophecy hero, but the timing could not be a coincidence. He had to know something.

I walked over and sat on the bed. Percy was drooling a lot as he was sleeping with his mouth open. I started spooning the ambrosia-nectar pudding into his mouth a little at a time. He kept moving and whining and getting the pudding all over his face even though I was trying to only get it in his mouth. I kept having to scoop pudding off his chin and cheeks as every time I got near him, he would roll to the side and ask for his mom or mumble something about beef or food.

I continued spooning the pudding into his mouth until I realized that he had regained consciousness and was looking at me. I tried to ask him some questions about the solstice and whatever was stolen but he either didn't know or wasn't aware enough to understand what I was asking about.

He had started to mumble, "I'm sorry, I don't ..." when I heard a knock on the door.

I panicked hoping Chiron or anyone else had not heard what I was asking about and shoved a larger than necessary spoonful of pudding into Percy's mouth. I grimaced as I saw Percy drift back to sleep and the door opened. Argus walked into the room and nodded towards Percy.

My turn to watch over him, he signed, Chiron wants to talk with you.

Finally, I signed back and walked back out to the main room of the house where Grover and Chiron were still chatting about the night's events.

"So, are you planning on answering my questions now?" I asked as I crossed my arms trying to convey that I would not be taking no for an answer this time.