𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐚; percy jackson

𝟏𝟖 | mother of monsters

Percy tapped a restless beat on his knee while Grover's ears twitched nervously. Annabeth sat unusually quiet, her gaze fixed on the mysterious woman before them. Meara, lounged by the window, twirled one of her daggers with a casual precision under the table.

Suddenly, the woman stood, her movement so abrupt that they flinched. She turned to a bag on the floor, from which a low, restless growl emanated. Her eyes darkened as she cooed to the bag, as if soothing a child.

"Oh, sweetie, you're so impatient," she purred, her voice sickly sweet. "But we're almost there." Straightening, her lips curled into a smile that felt anything but warm.

"This isn't your fault," she continued, casting a glance at the group. "But sadly, you'll have to bear the burden of your parents' mistakes."

"Listen, lady," Percy interjected, trying to keep his voice steady. The rest of the group shot him warning looks, but he pushed through. "I don't know what you are, but I'm pretty sure I can guess. We've dealt with monsters like you before, and we sent them all packing." He forced a confident look, but it faltered when Meara kicked his leg under the table, her expression urging him to stop.

The woman's smile widened, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Monsters like me?" she echoed, pointing to herself. "Of course, they were 'like me'—they were my children." Her smile vanished, replaced by a cold glare.

"Children?" Percy asked, confusion knitting his brow.

"The mother of monsters," Grover whispered, the words barely making it past his lips.

"Echidna," Annabeth finished, her voice tense.

Echidna nodded, satisfaction creeping across her features as the bag rattled ominously. "And today, you will be her prey," she declared.

Meara, still perched by the window, slid her dagger discreetly to Annabeth. She knew that she couldn't act now, chaos would only escalate things, and Annabeth was closer to Echidna.

The bag shuddered, and the creature inside pushed its way out, growling low and menacingly. "You should run now," Echidna said, her voice dripping with mock kindness. The bag burst open, and a monster struck Percy with a swift swipe.

Percy yelped, stumbling back, but Annabeth lunged, grabbing the creature's tail with Meara's dagger and stabbing it deep. The monster recoiled with a howl. "Go!" Annabeth shouted, urgency lacing her voice.

They bolted, their footsteps pounding against the metal floor as they fled down the narrow passage. Annabeth rushed right behind them as the creature retreated back into the bag, nursing its unexpected wound.

Through the chaos, they caught sight of police officers chasing after them. To the officers, it only looked like a group of kids escaping from a crime scene.

"Block the door!" Annabeth shouted a couple compartments away. Together, they pushed a heavy cart against it, buying them some time as muffled shouts echoed from the other side.

"Percy!" Grover pointed at a stinger embedded in Percy's skin, glowing ominously. Meara rushed over, yanking it out with a grimace. "Oh no," she whispered, her face paling as she inspected the tip.

"What is it?" Percy asked, scanning her expression for reassurance but finding only worry.

"Meara, do you know what kind of monster has stingers like this? Grover, do you?" Annabeth's voice was urgent, laced with dread.

Grover shook his head. "Nothing good, that's for sure," Meara replied, her gaze locking with Percy's. Fear flickered in her eyes, raw and unfiltered. It was a rare glimpse behind her usual bravado, and it caught Percy off guard. She actually cared.

"Percy, you might be in serious danger," Meara said, her expression concerned, though her voice held a hint of defiance. "Why are you smiling like that? Are you okay?" She stepped closer, instinctively checking his forehead for a fever.

"Uh, yeah, I'm okay. I'm so okay," Percy replied, a lazy grin creeping onto his face, despite the circumstances.

Meara's brows furrowed, confusion mixing with frustration. "Your forehead seems fine, but we'll check you again later. If anything changes, you need to tell us right away," she instructed, her tone firm despite the urgency. Percy nodded, the dazed grin still lingering. She really cared.

The train shuddered violently, lights flickering overhead. The monster was close.

Through the glass, they caught a glimpse of it—just a few compartments away, slithering closer, its eyes glowing with hunger. Their eyes widened in shock, and without a word, they took off running again, breaths ragged and desperate.

The creature, cloaked by a mist, appeared as nothing more than a tiny, harmless dog to mortal eyes. To onlookers, it seemed like a group of kids fleeing from police and a tiny chihuahua.

Each door the creature passed buckled under its weight, the metal groaning and screeching, announcing its approach. The train's intercom crackled, a distorted voice declaring an unexpected stop. For once, luck was on their side.

The train ground to a halt, and they scrambled to the nearest exit, leaping down onto the tracks.

They paused, glancing back to see if the monster was still following. "Why isn't it chasing us?" Percy asked, his eyes searching for answers.

"It's young," Meara said, breath coming in short gasps. "Still in training, maybe. It won't stray too far from its mother." Her voice wavered.

"Still, the monster's learning to hunt," Annabeth added, her voice grim. "And right now, we're the prey."

•

They fell into a quick but steady pace, with Annabeth leading the way. "We can't keep running like this," Percy noted, panting slightly.

"We don't have to," Annabeth replied, confidence surging. "We just need to find a safe spot. I have one in mind—a temple dedicated to Athena."

"A temple dedicated to Athena in the middle of downtown St. Louis?" Grover asked, incredulity spilling from his voice.

"Yes," Annabeth confirmed, nodding.

"Just let her do her thing," Meara chimed in, backing Annabeth up.

"Wait, what kind of alliance is this?" Grover asked, glancing between the two as they exchanged smiles.

•

As they stepped inside, Annabeth couldn't help but share her knowledge about the temple. "This place has a rich history and—"

"Are we safe here?" Grover interrupted, his eyes wide as he searched for reassurance.

"No monsters can enter. Not even Echidna," Annabeth assured him.

"Great. Now that our train has exploded, I need to see if there's another one we can get tickets for," Grover said, glancing around. "We can't stay here forever."

"I'm going with you," Annabeth replied, sensing a shift in his demeanor as he fixated on a painting depicting an injured animal. She knew how much he hated to see creatures in pain.

This left Meara and Percy alone, their unspoken tension crackling in the air.