Percy Jackson: New Friends

Chapter 26: Derek's POV

Chapter 26: Derek's POV

We then went down to dinner. The amazing aroma seemed as if I was floating in the air towards the smell. Just like the cartoons did. Oddly, the table was set for six. Six wasn't the equivalent if you added me, Darci, Megan, Kat, and Jeffrey. That was five. A maid pulled out the chair so I could sit down. Awkwardly, I sat down. I usually wasn't treated this way.

"So, kids. What brings you here?" Jeffrey asked politely as he sat down and put his napkin on his lap. Then, a knock on the door made us jump. I watched Francis as he opened the door.

"This way, Miss Parkington," Francis said in his usual British accent. A woman appeared in the doorway. She was very beautiful but not my type. Jeffrey immediately stood and welcomed her. Darci eyed her suspiciously. I smiled at her and waved. All of us did except Darci. I wondered why she wasn't smiling or waving.

"Hello, Darci and--" she looked at us, "Friends."

"Hi, I'm Kat," Kat welcomed.

"Derek," I said.

"I'm Megan."

"And as you know, I'm Miss Parkington," Miss Parkington warmly smiled, "And since you're older, you can call me Amelia." Amelia sat down right beside Jeffrey.

When we got our drinks, I sipped and kept studying Darci. She seemed uncomfortable. I wanted to talk to her.

A chef soon appeared in the room. He had that kind of Italian mustache you would recognize. He carried platters of food on his hands. My stomach grumbled very rudely, and Amelia gave a light and soft laugh. I blushed.

The chef put the amazing platters in the middle of the table. There was turkey, mashed potatoes (which my mother named after Himi after she mashed him), gravy, salad, and escargot. All the foods sounded wonderful. After a short thanks, we dug in, and I filled my plate. I tasted it. It was so good, but then I collapsed. Something had gone terribly wrong. I couldn't feel my legs, and my vision was blurred. From what my eyes could see, Megan and Kat all had collapsed too. Jeffrey looked startled. He hadn't taken a bite yet. He had no clue it was from the food and took a bite. I wanted to yell, "No stupid!" But it was too late. He collapsed also. The only people still sitting down was Amelia and Darci. My arms started to tingle. I forced my body system to stay awake and to not pass out.

"Are you happy, Amelia?" Darci shouted angrily.

"Yes, indeed," Amelia smiled evilly.

"You poisoned my friends and my dad! I thought I defeated you once and for all when I was eleven. Apparently, you're stupid to come back."

Amelia seemed to have not liked the comment that much. She stood up. Then, I noticed the legs. They were very weird, let's just say. One was longer than the other. Amelia stared at me, noticing that I was looking at her legs. She bared her fangs. She wasn't pretty anymore.

"Derek, sweetie. Go to sleep, and dream happy dreams," Amelia charmspoke. She was an empousa. Curse my stupid demigod brain for not remembering it sooner.

"I don't have happy dreams," I garbled. I was hard to understand, but the empousa got the message. She snapped her fingers. The snap was very loud and sharp. My head started to spin. I urged myself to make her stop. I then heard a yodel. My vision started to get a little better. I looked at the empousa who was doing the jig and yodeling some more. All of us looked stunned.

"So she poisoned the food," I muttered to myself.

I didn't know anyone heard me until Megan sarcastically said, "Noooo. It was that nail over there." I wanted to fire back at her, but I was too tired. And, Amelia was still cookoo crazy. Darci grabbed her weapon and stabbed Amelia. Nothing happened. Amelia just kept on yodeling and doing the jig. Darci stabbed her once, then twice. Soon, Darci was stabbing multiple times in a few seconds. Megan and Kat sat down bored.

"Why won't it work?" Darci asked confused.

"I don't know. Maybe your weapon is a dud?" I answered.

"I don't think so."

"Let me try," I offered.

"No thanks." I ignored her answer and got up. I grabbed my knife (the new one). Darci glared at me. "I can do it myself," she said defiantly.

"I don't think stabbing it a million times with your weapon is going to help it if it isn't already working," Megan put in.

I tried to help Darci, but she blocked me from Amelia. "Let me help," I gritted my teeth. My face was starting to get red.

"No!" Darci yelled. She flung me back with dark energy. I hit the wall with a bang. I slid down to the ground. I was half to my senses when I stood up and with all my might, cursed her:

"You are the one who brings bad luck,

The people around you will make your life suck,

Until the curse be broken, you will listen to me,

So if you don't obey me, I won't set your free."

Darci looked shocked. It seemed to work because a piece of tile from the ceiling fell off and knocked her out. A yodel came from Amelia. I dusted off my hands and got my Stygian Iron sword. I walked up to her and stabbed her. A piercing scream shattered the glass cups. The scream seemed to have said, "You will pay." Then, Jeffrey rose from the floor. He rubbed his head and moaned from the pain.

"What happened?" he moaned.

"Let's just say Miss Parkington isn't coming back," I replied. Jeffrey shrugged.

"She was my girlfriend, but I guess she wasn't for me," he said.

"Good thing you were knocked out," I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Your girlfriend showed her true self today. Be glad you broke up with her. I mean, seriously, be really happy." Kat and Megan walked up to me.

"Darci just woke up. She really isn't happy. She told me to tell you to watch out," Kat warned. Whatever. I didn't care. Apparently, Darci heard me because a plate flew across the room and hit me in the head. It was my turn to collapse.

I woke up on a white couch. Francis was oddly sitting next to me. "Hey. How long was I exactly passed out?" I asked.

"Two, maybe three hours," he answered. Then, Darci walked up to me and slapped me pretty hard for a girl.

"Why did you curse me?" she demanded.

"Well, why did you fling me to the wall? And let's not forget about that plate!" I yelled back at her. She huffed and puffed.

"Undo the curse!" she commanded.

"With that attitude, I think I will extend it," I nodded, satisfied. She growled.

"Just do it," she said more calm.

"I don't think so. The damage has been done," I replied. She tried to walked away, but she tripped. She screamed in frusteration. She wasn't a happy shining rainbow today. Neither was I. I had no idea what the other demigods were doing back on the ship.

"Listen. I'm sorry. It would be awesome if you could undo the curse. I'm pretty much your only chance to getting back to the other demigods on the ship like Destania and Maika. Just please take the curse back. I'm sorry about the plate," Darci said.

"And?"

Darci cracked a smile. "And flinging you to the wall." I recited Ancient Greek to undo the curse. When it was finished, she sighed from relief.

"Feel so much better," she said, "Thanks!" She hurried off to the other kitchen that the chefs didn't use. I followed. Jeffrey was there along with Kat and Megan.

"You guys cool?" Megan asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," I replied.

Darci turned to Jeffrey. "Dad, it's my duty and honor to go on this quest. We have to leave. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

Jeffrey nodded in understandment. "You can go. You all have my permission." Darci grabbed everyone's hands and recited in Ancient Greek. This time, the Greek was different than last time. We then vanished into mist, looking at the last image of Jeffery and Francis.