A web of fates | Percy Jackson and the Olympians

IX| percy saves the day?

By the time Percy returned the deck was set up for a party. Streamers and balloons decorated the railing. Geryon was flipping burgers on a huge barbecue cooker made from an oil drum.

Eurytion lounged at a picnic table, picking his fingernails with a knife. The two-headed dog sniffed the ribs and burgers that were frying on the grill.

Tyson, Grover and the five demigods were all tossed in a corner, tied up like rodeo animals, with their ankles and wrists roped together and their mouths gagged.

Daphne didn't appreciate the gesture one bit and was tempted to call Luke just so he could get her out of the situation. She didn't doubt that her brother wouldn't come and rescue it. From what she had been told, Daphne was vital to their plans. They couldn't have her tampered with.

But she didn't call him; the daughter of Hermes had some faith in Percy - even if he did make the stupidest decisions.

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

Geryon turned. He wore an apron on each chest, with one word on each, so together they spelled out: KISS-THE-CHEF. "Did you, now? How'd you manage it?"

Daphne could tell Percy was pretty impatient, but he told him.

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. Daphne didn't like Percy's odds against him and that huge club. Percy was good with a sword, she would give him that, but she wasn't certain how well he would do against a guy like that. 

"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-Areslike thing Daphne had ever heard son of Ares say. Daphne doubted Oliver would even decline a fight and he was the most likely to out of all the Ares Cabin. It was a universal thing for the children of Ares, they loved to have a fight. No matter what the reason was. 

It was mainly why majority of the cabins were wary of them - especially Clarisse - if you gave them an inch of a bad look, you may want to watch your back for a few weeks.

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. The son of Poseidon deflected one with his sword. The other impaled itself in the picnic table an inch from Eurytion's hand.