Alternatively

A Lake of Tears (v.)

She kept her back to the door, bracing it shut as the creature bellowed again. The windows rattled in their panes and another round of vials shattered to the ground. Bianca hissed at nothing from her perch on top of the table and those under the table fluttered their wings.

There were only five swans in the cottage.

Annabeth's chest heaved and not for the first time, she wondered how she could have possibly missed it. How long had Silena been working for Kronos, what was the leverage held over her, what did she tell him? She briefly entertained the thought that she might have played a role in the death of the enchantresses, but she refused to think on it for too long.

They had left just before sundown and she could only watch from inside as the copy of herself rode off to meet her prince.

She slammed her fist on the wooden floor, startling Katie and Thalia as they scoured the book shelves. As long as that thing was out there, she couldn't do anything to warn Percy. Sure, she didn't know exactly they had planned, but she could at least warn him to watch his back.

"They haven't touched him, but that doesn't mean they can't," she ran a hand through her hair. "Luke said it was because of the oracle they're moving forward, but since when do I trust what Luke says?"

Juniper poked her head out from under the table, chattering at her.

"If Kronos is out to get my land, why is he going after the human realm artifacts?"

She hissed, wings fluttering.

"What?" she flung her arms out. "What do you want me to do, I don't know what to do!"

Thalia, appearing from no where, nipped her hand.

"Uncalled for and painful," she snapped, rubbing the offended skin.

She chattered back, feathers ruffled. She was scolding her and urged her to do something. Little did she know, Annabeth would have loved to do something. She was simply at a loss as to what.

The monster bellowed, prowling around the cottage with writhing energy. Being of magic, it could do no real harm to her and as long as the guardians remained in the house, it couldn't hurt them. Still, it's purpose was to keep them in, prevent them from flying off to stop Silena. Elaine near lost a wing trying to charge towards the castle, spikes trying to nail her to the sky.

"Spikes," she mused, sitting up. "What else could have spikes?"

She hadn't gotten a good look at the beast before racing for cover, but there were only a few things of its size and attributes. Frowning, she shuffled over to the book case, yanking down one of Demeter's catalogues. A manticore was rare enough, but nonetheless notorious for its ferocity and destruction.

"Not to mention poison," she skimmed the curling handwriting.

Another roar shook the foundation and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the monster prowl past the window. It glinted in the darkness, the last light of twilight gone from the forest. The ball would have already started and Silena would have definitely made it to the castle.

Weaknesses, Annabeth flipped a couple pages. Why aren't there any weaknesses?

Everyone knew manticores were most vulnerable as young, but clearly, the one hunting her was no baby. It was hulking and it taunted her. Despite how much it wanted to tear her apart, it's only objective was to keep her away from the boarder. She could feel a growl growing in her chest in tandem with the manticore's rumbling;  the night was young but wearing on, closing the window to help Percy with increasing speed. If only she could know what was happening with him, if he met the imposter yet, and if he knew it was an imposter. If only the sheer force of will could-