𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐒 | percy jackson

newton's third law

Ciarda gazed at him, her brown eyes expressionless. He assumed she was shocked by his outburst accusation. A second of raw silence. And then another. One. Two. Three. 

And then she chuckled, shaking her head while coining a lazy smile. Percy hadn't before noticed the crow's feet by her eyes which creased when she grinned. "You're a crackhead," She smothered her laughter, shaking her hair softly. 

"No," Percy stuttered in bewilderment, "It's true." "Gods, you really are thick." She laughed to herself. Ciarda patted his shoulder with bruising force and continued trading through plush carpet. "No, I'm serious. Grover got it out of Ares at the diner." 

His serious words made Ciarda freeze in her place. Percy could feel his shattered confidence naturally build up after his stare-off with the daughter of Ares. "What?" She looked up to Percy. There was a simmering curiosity; or denial, perhaps.

"You're lying." She decided. Something about her appearance dulled lifelessly. Percy could only assume it was one of the walls she was rebuilding around her heart. She'd gotten too comfortable. 

Her head shook again, a caramel fringe bobbing against her forehead. Percy nodded self-consciously. "Annabeth and Grover wouldn't lie to me, Fishcake. They wouldn't keep that from me. Even if it is complete bullshit." 

"We didn't want to upset you... after what you've been through-" Percy realised why Annabeth was so persistent on not telling Ciarda. Said girl paced in a broken circle, her eyes turning on him like an arsonist watching a house burn out. 

"My entire family is in smithers. My father nearly killed me, my mother never claimed me, my stepfather turned you to gold, I haven't seen the only person who could make me feel calm in weeks and you're telling me the reason I've nearly died thousands of times is because of my own SISTER?" 

People started to look at the vibrant scene she was creating. Although Ciarda, as always, wasn't socially adept to care. Men in dark security clothing and glasses started to edge toward them. Malaise coated her tongue and suddenly the room felt awfully stuffy. She turned to leave and then walked back, her finger pointed at Percy's chest.

"I know this is your quest Percy, and we're just the questmates. But I have never met someone so self-absorbed and selfish," She spat words she didn't mean, twisting and storming off. Percy could only stand there, dazzled by her words. 

...

Grover trotted along singularly, through velvet lampshades and blue strobe lights. Frostbitten glasses drenched with lime juice and salt were passed around the sea of gamblers. He glanced around, watching out for Hermes. "Excuse me, Sir? Can I interest you in a drink?" A waiter with a crisp, navy bow tie offered a crystal glass. The rim was covered in lotus-pink petals. 

Grover picked it up with a hungered thank you, paused, and set it back down. The group would be mad if he ate something. "I'm on a... no liquids diet!" He chuckled, striding off after the strange look the waiter gave him. 

He stopped, his fool eyes squinting, when he noticed another Satyr, lingered in his path and gaping right at him. He held a crumbled, brown paper bag, and long shorts covered most of his goat legs. Impressive and thick horns curled at the side by his tufting blonde hair and pinkish ears. 

Grover sent him a wave with a toothy smile. The Satyr, surprised by this act, shuffled back before making his way aparting from the crowd. Grover, unsettled by the Satyr, decided to follow. "Wait!"

"Augustus!" Grover rushed past a bartender shaking up a fixed cocktail. He pushed between people, blocking Augustus from missing him. "It's me! Grover! Do you remember me?" Grover expanded on how he knew the man. The Satyr looked down at his box, pulled out a dried flower and chewed on it. 

"Oh. No, you don't remember me. You ate the Lotus Flowers." Grover figured, his heart sinking. "Listen, can I just say a couple of things? You were really important to my family, and I know you were a big influence on my Uncle Ferdinand. When he was preparing for his search he talked about you. All the time." 

"Ferdinand," Augustus' voice was heavy and grovelled. "Yeah. I just wanted to let you know I found him," Grover's eyes sparkled with a teary gleam. He waited for a spark of recognition in Augustus' eyes but none came. Instead, his mind flashed back to the firelit statue in Medusa's lair. The only person who could comfort him that day was Ciarda when they got on the train to St Louis. 

She'd sent Percy to shower and Annabeth to get snacks from the front of the train. In the meantime, she coddled a half-sleeping Grover in sleeping bags and pillows, and asked him to talk freely about his uncle. The sad feelings and the good memories. Ciarda La Rue had been claimed as the least forgiving child of Ares; a girl nobody should mess with; the demigod with no heart. But Grover knew, through every guard she put up, she wanted him to be okay. 

 "Back in New Jersey. That was as far as he got on his search for Pan." Grover blinked and his daydreams returned to the background noise of the hotel.

Augustus' face turned serious. "I found him." Grover blinked. "No, I found Ferdinand. It's okay. I shouldn't be bothering you-" He stopped when Augustus grabbed his wrist sharply. Grover was mildly unsettled by the wild gleam of his eyes and the dark eyebags of years stuck in the Lotus Casino. 

"No. Not Ferdinand. I found Pan." 

Grover's eyes lit up in hysterical disbelief. "What?" "Almost. He's- He's here." Augustus explained dearly, "I've almost... got him. Grover, I've just been waiting for someone to help me break through to him. And here you are. Will you help me?" 

Grover watched him with careful eyes, his gut yanking him away with the news that he should stay on his path to find Hermes. Subconsciously, he started nodding. 

...

"Percy?" Annabeth rolled her eyes with crossed arms. Her denim jacket creased. "You know you're supposed to be looking for Hermes with Ciarda on the other side of the room, right? I know she likes to call you Fishcakes but you are just going to have to get over it!" She stopped her next condescending sentence when she detected Percy's guilty face. "What did you do?" 

"I? Me? Nothing!" He stammered. A loud bang and the familiar irritated shout of the youngest Ares child could be heard in the distance. Heated arguments followed. 

"Okay, what did you do?" Annabeth turned fully. Her expression made Percy nervous - so he told the truth. "It may have slipped out that Clarisse was the Lightning Thief." Annabeth looked to the Heavens, hoping the God of Peace could bless her with patience. "Do you understand how stupid you are, perchance?" She huffed, starting in the direction of bickering. 

"I don't think we should be keeping secrets from each other! Plus, I didn't think she'd have this much of a reaction," Percy shouted but it didn't help. Annabeth paused her long steps, her face turning into an expression of unbelieving shock. "Newton's third law, Jackson. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I know you're still in demi-god training, but I thought you would have picked up that Ciarda reactions measure off the scale."

"I'm sorry?" Percy tried but it was no use, Annabeth rushed off to find a tortured Ciarda kicking an arcade gaming box and screaming at the screen.