The Beast with Sea Green Eyes

Chapter 17

Percy pov

The whole day passed by in a blur. I was pacing the floor waiting to change back so I could see Annabeth. I don't know how, but in the few short weeks she's been with us, she's become such an important piece in my life. Not only because of the curse. She has no idea about that, so it isn't affecting her feelings towards me. It's the best feeling in the world when I'm with her. I forget all my troubles, doubts and worries. It's like time stops, so that I can savour every moment until I have to leave. I hate leaving though, I don't want to. Because then I must wait for a whole day in this cursed form until I can see her again.

To distract myself from staring at the clock, I decided to plan our night together. I want to get to know her, and I want her to get to know me. That's when I get a half decent idea. I'll ask her to pick a room in the castle, her favourite room. And we spend the night there.

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At midnight on the dot there was a knock on the door, punctual as always. I opened the door to find her beautiful grey eyes looking right back at me. Almost instantaneously I was entranced, I then remembered the greeting I'd rehearsed at least thirty times before she came.

" You look beautiful ". I said while keeping my eyes on hers. Just as I said I would. She was dressed so simply but she made it look effortless.

And just as I predicted in our conversation earlier, her face practically invented a new shade of red. She broke the gaze to look down at her feet in embarrassment.

I suggested my idea for the evening and she smiled very mischievously. Didn't even hesitate a single moment and grabbed me by the hand and started running.

" I'll take that you like my idea. " I say laughing as she twists her way through the corridors as if she's lived here her whole life. Of course her hand still has a firm hold on mine, so I'm following close behind. Once we reach our destination, she lets go of my hand. I immediately miss the warmth of her grasp. I take a moment to catch my breath, I hadn't expected to run tonight. After a few minutes or so to take in my surroundings, I almost laughed at myself for not guessing where she'd dragged me.

Of course she chose the library.

She opened one of the large wooden doors with seemingly little effort. It was impressive because I know for a fact that one of those doors alone probably weighed as much as her. If not more. She looked at me with a quizzical look. As if wondering what it was I was thinking about, or why I haven't followed her closer to the door. I also realized the dumbfounded expression I must have in my face.

" Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there? " She said with so much of a sarcasm in her voice.

" Yes, of course. I'm coming. I just haven't been here in a while. " I replied as if being broken from a trance.

I followed her inside and watched her as her eyes light up as she looked around for a book to choose. She eventually chose a thick book with a greyish blue cover. On the front was silver etching to form an image of a building. I didn't get a chance to read the title, due to the awkward angle I was seeing it at. Though to be fair I would've had trouble reading even if it was looking at me straight in the face.

It's not that I can't read, my mother had always made sure I kept up with my schooling. It's that I had a great deal of trouble when it came to reading or even writing. Sometimes my letters and numbers would switch. Or I'd mix up the order of the words on the page.

This was going to be interesting to say the least.

"Just to let you know, I'm not the most avid reader. " I warned. " You're probably going to have to help me quite a bit. "