Olivia Smith and the Titan's Curse

Arrogant Angels

This chapter is dedicated to words_collide07 for the adorable banner she put together for OS&TC - it even has a quote from the letter :') It's beautiful, thank you.

Song For This Chapter: King And Lionheart - Of Monsters And Men

Ch. 21: Arrogant Angels

    "I don't hear anything," I paused, raising a brow at the two boys. "Are you alright, Percy?" I asked, watching as his face scrunched up in confusion. 

    Percy cocked his head to the side, tilting his ear towards the left as if to pick up some sound. "Yea, yea. I - I just need a minute to think." He smiled slightly, maneuvering towards the ledge of the dam, leaning slightly over the rail.

    We all spared each other a small glance of confusion, but back away, letting him have the space he wanted. "I'll see you in a bit, then." Sighing, I motioned for everyone to go inside the visitor center. For some reason, Percy seemed upset. Perhaps Bianca was on his mind. The thought of the poor girl made my heart sink.

    Walking into the large cafeteria, we realized that this was probably the biggest attraction of the whole place. The dam food. "Ugh, the line is so long." Grover whined, rubbing a hand over his stomach with a childish pout. "I'm hungry."

    "Then thy will have to wait for thoust turn." Zoë stuck her nose up at him, but she was smiling slightly, thinking his antics were a small bit humorous.

    As we debated for a little while, we all agreed that cheap and questionable Mexican food seemed the most appetizing thing that they were offering. We were not the only ones, however, since the line was rather long.

    "I'm starting to think this whole crazy thing has been leading us off course." Thalia frowned, speaking softly and with a small yawn tacked onto the end. "What if we do find Annabeth and Artemis? How are we supposed to free them?"

    The line moved a couple of feet before Zoë had decided upon an answer that Grover and I were waiting for. "We fight." She straightened out her shoulders, flinging her thick, dark braid behind her shoulders and giving each of us the look of a leader. "We fight and keep fighting until there is no more fight left. It's the only way to win these things, understand?" 

    I let her words sink in to my brain. She was most likely right. There was really only one way to win in this situation. If they had some how subdued Annabeth, the smartest girl I know, and Artemis, my own mother, then it was going to be extremely difficult. 

    "I'm worried." My words slipped out of my mouth, tumbling out despite how badly I wanted them to be hidden. We walked forward some more, becoming second in line after a small family of three. 

    Zoë bowed her head and laid a sturdy, reassuring hand on my shoulder, eyes flickering deep into my soul. "Thou is wise, then."

    "I don't feel wise." I bit out, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. I clutched the bag in my hands tighter, feeling the weight of the golden fruit sag the bag downwards. "I feel weak." 

    There was an awkward silence as the clerk at the counter lightly cleared her throat, chuckling even more so awkwardly. "Uh, welcome, how can I take your order?" She rose a brow, rubbing her arm as our depressive spirits attacked her own, fake, cheerful ones. 

    "Why would thou take our order? Why not just serve?" Zoë rose a brow, adjusting her silver tiara while the clerk stuttered about, not sure how to respond to her question.

    Thalia chuckled a little, smacking Zoë's arm, playfully. "Excuse my friend, she's cosplaying. She gets really into it, you know?" Acknowledgement filled the clerk's eyes and she nodded, smile slipping back onto her face. "We will take four carne asada burritos and one Guacamole Grande." Thalia jutted her thumb towards Grover in explanation for the bean and cheese.