✧˖° "what? afraid I'll steal your heart?" ✧˖°
↳ Percy Jackson liked to think he was over the idea that all children of Hermes were the same. They wouldn't all turn out like Luke Castellan.
Turns out he definitely wasn't over it.
What happens whe...
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THE TUNNEL RAN ALONG THE FLOOR of a gymnasium-sized tank. Except for water and some cheap decorations, it seemed majestically empty. Rio guessed there were about fifty thousand gallons of water over their heads. If the tunnel were to shatter for some reason... He didn't even want to think about it.
Fun fact about Rio. He can't swim to save his life. So the thought of having to swim out of an aquarium with sharks and monsters, did not sound pleasant to him.
He fiddled with his deck of cards. They were made of pure celestial bronze and could pierce through a brick wall if Rio wanted them too. He's gotten pretty good with them, practicing tricks and sleight of hand. They were a gift from his father.
Phorcys stopped in the middle of the tunnel and spread his arms proudly. "Beautiful exhibit, isn't it?"
"Uh," Rio started. "Yeah, sure."
Rio tried to distract himself by concentrating on details. In one corner of the tank, snuggled in a forest of fake kelp, was a life-sized plastic gingerbread cottage with bubbles coming out of the chimney. In the opposite corner, a plastic sculpture of a guy in an old-fashioned diving suit knelt beside a treasure chest, which popped open every few seconds, spewed bubbles, and closed again. Littered across the white sand floor were glass marbles the size of bowling balls, and a strange assortment of weapons like tridents and spearguns. Outside the tank's display wall was an amphitheater with seating for several hundred.
"What do you keep in here?" Frank asked. "Giant killer goldfish?"
Frank really wasn't helping with Rio's condition.
Phorcys raised his eyebrows. "Oh, that would be good! But, no, Frank Zhang, descendant of Poseidon. This tank is not for goldfish." At descendant of Poseidon, Frank flinched. He stepped back, gripping his backpack like a mace he was prepared to swing.
A sense of dread trickled down Rio's throat like cough syrup. Unfortunately, it was a feeling he was used to.
"How do you know Frank's last name?" he asked.
"And how do you know he's descended from Poseidon?" Percy demanded.
"Well..." Phorcys shrugged, trying to look modest. "It was probably in the descriptions Gaea provided. You know, for the bounty, Percy Jackson, Rio Ladrón."
Percy'a hand fled form his pocket. Instantly, Riptide appeared in his hand. "Don't double-cross me, Phorcys. You promised me answers."
"After the VIP treatment, yes," Phor-cys agreed. "I promised to tell you everything you need to know. The thing is, however, you don't really need to know anything." His grotesque smile stretched wide. "You see, even if you made it to Rome, which is quite unlikely, you'd never defeat my giant brothers without a god fighting at your side. And what god would help you? So I have a better plan. You're not leaving. You're VIPs—Very Important Prisoners!"
