𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐋¹ || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕

✦ 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐃 ✦

"YOU'D THINK HE'D RUN OUT OF ROCKS," PERCY MUTTERED.

"You'd think he'd be fully blind by now," Aurora added as she watched the cyclops in amazement.

"Swim for it!" Grover said. He and Clarisse plunged into the surf. Annabeth hung on to Clarisse's neck and tried to paddle with one hand, the wet Fleece weighing her down. But the monster's attention wasn't on the Fleece.

Percy glared at the silver-haired girl who refused to leave his side, the very same silver-haired girl who was ignoring that very glare.

"You, young cyclops!" Polyphemus roared. "Traitor to your kind!"

Tyson froze.

"Don't listen to him!" Percy pleaded. "Come on."

Percy pulled Tyson's arm, but he might as well have been pulling a mountain.

Tyson turned and faced the older cyclops, "I am not a traitor."

"You serve mortals!" Polyphemus shouted. "Thieving humans!"

"Don't listen to him, Ty!" Aurora tried.

Polyphemus threw his first boulder. Tyson swatted it aside with his fist. "Not a traitor," Tyson said, "And you are not my kind."

"Death or victory!" Polyphemus charged into the surf, but his foot was still wounded. He immediately stumbled and fell on his face. That would've been funny, except he started to get up again, spitting salt water and growling.

"Percy! Aurora!" Clarisse yelled. "Come on!"

They were almost to the ship with the Fleece. If Percy could just keep the monster distracted a little longer...

"Go," Tyson told the two. "I will hold Big Ugly."

"No! He'll kill you." Percy had already lost Tyson once. He wasn't going to lose him again. "We'll fight him together."

"Together," Tyson agreed.

Percy then turned to Aurora, his sea-green eyes narrowed on her face, "And you, since you are in no shape to swim. Stay here."

As Percy turned to her, his gaze intense with concern, Aurora felt a surge of frustration and determination battling within her. She couldn't deny the pain coursing through her body, nor could she ignore the weakness threatening to overwhelm her... she still wasn't fully healed. But she refused to sit idly by while her friends faced danger.

"I can fight, Percy," Aurora insisted, her voice strained but resolute. "I'm not leaving you and Tyson to face that cyclops alone. You said it yourself, I can't go to the others because I'm in no shape to swim. So I might as well be useful and help you."

Percy shook his head, his expression unwavering. "Yes, I said it myself, you're in no shape, Aurora. You need to stay here where it's safe. I'll come and get you after."