𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲.

An old dead friend comes to visit

When they reached Geryon's ranch, he ordered them to step onto the porch.

"Eurytion," he said lazily. "Tie the hostages up."

Eurytion sighed boredly, a look of sympathy crossed him as his eyes met Lilia's.

Their wrists and ankles were bound and they were left to sit on the porch.

"Well this is turning out to be a brilliant day." Lilia quipped to the others, who didn't seem to appreciate her comment at that moment.

Annabeth gave her an annoyed look, Nico rolled his eyes and Grover looked around anxiously. Tyson seemed to be in his own work watching a butterfly.

"Silence demigods, I'm trying to cook." He said gesturing to the barbecue. He was wearing a KISS THE CHEF apron, which he must of put on while they were being kidnapped.

"Percy better have a good plan." She grumbled to herself, trying to swing her legs, but finding very difficult.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Geryon said with a look of annoyance.

"Well maybe I'd be a bit nicer if you weren't holding us hostage?" Lilia said glaring him down.

He waved his hands in a shushhh motion, "Eurytion, gag them, she is getting on my nerves!" He said pointing a spatula at her accusingly.

Eurytion, who looked as though he was trying to nap, rolled his eyes. He got up and gagged them all. Annabeth grumbled something at Lilia, she wasn't quite sure what she said, but it sounded insulting.

➳

After what felt like hours, Lilia saw Percy running toward them.

"Let them go!" Percy  yelled, out of breath from running up the steps. "I cleaned the stables!"

Geryon turned. "Did you, now? How'd you manage it?"

Percy told him the entire story of how the naiad had assisted him. He spoke quickly and sounded quite impatient.

He nodded appreciatively. "Very ingenious. It would've been better if you'd poisoned that pesky naiad, but no matter."

"Let my friends go," Percy said. "We had a deal."

"Ah, I've been thinking about that. The problem is, if I let them go, I don't get paid."

"You promised!"

Geryon made a tsk-tsk noise. "But did you make me swear on the River Styx? No you didn't. So it's not binding. When you're conducting business, sonny, you should always get a binding oath."

Percy drew his sword. Orthus growled. One head leaned down next to Grover's ear and bared its fangs.

"Eurytion," Geryon said, "the boy is starting to annoy me. Kill him." Eurytion studied him. Lilia trusted Percy, but she didn't like his odds against him and that huge club.

"Kill him yourself," Eurytion said.

Geryon raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Eurytion grumbled. "You keep sending me out to do your dirty work. You pick fights for no good reason, and I'm getting tired of dying for you. You want to fight the kid, do it yourself."

It was the most un-Ares like thing Lilia had ever heard a son of Ares say.

Geryon threw down his spatula. "You dare defy me? I should fire you right now!"

"And who'd take care of your cattle? Orthus, heel."
The dog immediately stopped growling at Grover and came to sit by the cowherd's feet.

"Fine!" Geryon snarled. "I'll deal with you later, after the boy is dead!" He picked up two carving knives and threw them at Percy. He deflected one with his sword. The other impaled itself in the picnic table an inch from Eurytion's hand.