The Hero Gone Wrong

Chapter 13

The third year into my demigodishness is when things got really strange.

Luke had always been my best friend, someone I could trust and rely on. He was the one who introduced me to the world, and I felt like I owed him somehow.

The events of that year started when a few cyclops brought in a girl. She looked to be about 12 with reddish hair. I would've felt bad, but I noticed the glare in her eyes and the quiver on her back.

The girl was ready to kill.

"Hello, Artemis." Luke sneered.

Artemis. I mentally ran through the list of gods and goddesses. Artemis. Goddess of the moon. Apparently she also led a "kick-as-, uh kick-butt group of girls" (in the words of Luke).

Speaking of Luke, earlier that year he had a private meeting with Kronos. Something had gone wrong, but he refused to tell me what.

He had become pale, the scar on his face standing out even more than usual.

As much as I hated to say it, I was worried.

He acted different too, as if something was bothering him. He was more careful, yet more reckless at the same time. He tried to act normal around me, but after knowing him for three years, I could see the change.

"No vicious words back? I heard you were known for your snark towards males like me?" Luke's words brought me back to the present.

He was kneeling in front of Artemis. Her hands were chained behind her, but her face showed anger.

I expected that if Artemis weren't restrained and if Luke wasn't protected by Kronos, then he would be getting a taste of godly power.

Artemis continued to glare, and Luke opened his mouth to speak again, but his words were cut off.

A monster I recognized as the manticore burst into the room. "I'm sorry I'm late, sir." He said, addressing Luke. "But I had an extra problem."

Before Luke could ask, he stepped aside to reveal a girl behind him. The girl had curly blond hair, and looked to be about my age. She was bound with what looked like pieces of her own jacket, which left her bare arms exposed to the cold.

"Annabeth?" Luke asked. Shock was evident on his face.

"Luke." She stated. Her gray eyes swept around the room before landing on me.

Her face held an angry expression, one that if I saw in a fight, I would turn and run away.

She kept her gaze locked on me and I found myself thinking about how pretty her eyes were.

"Percy," Luke said, "Why don't you show our new guest where she can stay?"

I broke the stare and nodded. This was our code for "tie her up, making sure she can't escape, but gets to watch what's going on. I'll talk to her later."

Hesitantly, the manticore shoved Annabeth over to me. He looked annoyed to lose his prey, especially to some 13 year old like me

"Percy." She whispered when we were pretty much alone. "That's your name right?"

Now it was my turn to hesitate. I nodded, undoing her jacket and letting her put it back on.

She was free for a moment. Her eyes scanned the mountaintop. She seemed to decide that escape was impossible and held out her hands.

I began tying them when she leaned closer, "I've heard Grover talk about you."

My heart clenched at the thought of Grover. He was once my best friend, the only best friend I'd ever had. Then, I'd been taken and he was now my enemy.