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𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓼
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊
As they trudged along the winding path, Grover's keen senses suddenly alerted him to a peculiar scent in the air.
"Do you guys smell that?" Grover's voice broke the silence, his nostrils twitching as he inhaled deeply.
Percy and Annabeth exchanged puzzled glances, their curiosity piqued by Grover's sudden focus.
"Grover, I'm not kidding..." Percy began, brow furrowing in confusion.
"No, neither am I. Just shush," Grover interrupted, his full attention on the mysterious scent that had captured him.
His nose twitched again, and he leaned forward, eyes widening.
"Hamburgers," Grover declared, disbelief tinging his voice.
Percy's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the unexpected revelation. "Somebody's making hamburgers in the middle of nowhere, on a satyr path? Whoever it is... they're from our world," he deduced, an uneasy sensation creeping over him.
Annabeth crossed her arms, skepticism evident. "Oh, come on. What? Aunty 'Em' has a garden full of petrified stone folks. Yeah, this is someone from our world, all right. Anyone wanna guess what 'Em' is short for?"
"Mommy Medusa," Inez smirked, glancing around
"Oh..." Grover realized, guilt flashing across his face as he exchanged worried looks with his friends.
The tension thickened as they contemplated their next move. "Let's get out of here, please, while we still can," Annabeth urged, her voice laced with apprehension.
But just as they turned to escape, a shadowy figure emerged from the trees, sending a chill down their spines.
Percy unsheathed Riptide, while Inez pulled out her blade, Heartbreaker.
"You should have accepted my offer when you had the chance," Alecto remarked cryptically, her voice dripping with malice.
Percy turned to Inez, confusion etched on his face. "What offer is she talking about?"
Before Annabeth could respond, another woman stepped forward, her presence exuding a chilling authority. "Not today, friends. Not on my doorstep."
Annabeth's apprehension deepened. "Oh, shoot."
Foreboding hung heavy in the air as the trio braced themselves for whatever was to come.
"If you have something to resolve, why not come inside? I'll help," the woman suggested, a disarmingly sweet smile on her lips, though danger lurked beneath her words.
Percy glanced around, sensing the threat lurking beneath the woman's friendly facade. Before he could respond, Inez grabbed his hand, her touch sending a jolt of electricity through him. With a silent nod, she led him behind a large plant, their proximity intensifying the moment.
As they hid, hearts pounding in unison, the tension thickened with anticipation.
The woman's attention shifted to the unseen presence of Alecto.
"Alecto? Will you be joining us?" she inquired, her tone a mix of curiosity and authority.
Alecto remained hidden, her presence palpable but unseen.
"No, well, I wouldn't think you would," the woman continued, addressing Percy and his companions. "She won't bother you as long as you're with me. But it isn't as though she'll leave either—not if it means reporting that she failed to retrieve the son of Poseidon."
