Wildflowers, Percy Jackson ₁

015, the seaweed brain's seaweed brain

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

₊˚࿐࿔ 𖥧‧₊⚘ ❀༉. 𓏲｡

Percy didn't know what kind of monster Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast.

Maybe Percy could defend himself if he could get his shield activated. All that it would take was a touch of his wristwatch. But defending the di Angelo kids was another matter. Percy needed help, and there was only one way he could think to get it.

He closed his eyes.

"What are you doing, Jackson?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"

Percy opened his eyes and kept shuffling forward. "It's my shoulder," he lied, trying to sound miserable, which wasn't hard. "It burns."

"Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!"

Thorn herded them outside, and Percy tried to concentrate. He pictured Grover's face. He focused on his feelings of fear and danger. Last summer, Grover had created an empathy link between them. He'd sent Percy visions in his dreams to let him know when Grover was in trouble. As far as Percy knew, they were still linked, but he'd never tried to contact Grover before. He didn't even know if it would work while Grover was awake.

Hey, Grover! Percy thought. Thorn's kidnapping us! He's a poisonous spike-throwing maniac! Help!

Thorn marched them into the woods. They took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. Percy's shoulder ached. The wind blowing through his ripped clothes was so cold that he felt like a Percysicle.

"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

"Don't talk to my sister that way!" Nico said. His voice quivered, but Percy was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.

Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Percy's neck, but he forced himself to keep walking and pretend he was being a good little captive. Meanwhile, he projected his thoughts like crazy—anything to get Grover's attention: Grover! Vegetarianism! Apples! Shit. Those were just things that Sylvie liked. Tin cans! Furniture! Get your furry goat behind out here and bring some heavily armed friends!

"Halt," Thorn said.

The woods had opened up. They'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, Percy sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. He could hear the waves churning and smell the cold salty froth, but all he could see was mist and darkness.

Dr. Thorn pushed them toward the edge. Percy stumbled, and Bianca caught him.

"Thanks," he murmured.

"What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?"

"I... I'm working on it."

"I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something—a little metal toy soldier of some kind.