"This is just pairrr-fect," the manticore gloated.
I didn't care about Dr Thorn, to be honest. All I could stare at is Jay. Since when did he look so tired? He looked sick, he looked more than sick. His hair hung over his eyes, and the bags underneath were sunken and stood out like a sore thumb. He looked nothing like the Jay I used to know. He gave an annoyed glance at Dr Thorn—I knew that look. Jay had that I want to murder you you're so annoying look upon his face.
"What are you doing here, Jay?" I muttered. "Why?"
"You're back," he said. "Came back to life, huh?"
"No thanks to you."
He shrugged. "Every war has casualties."
I shook my head at him. That's not the Jay I knew. "You're not like this, Jay, come on."
"You don't know what I'm like," he sneered.
"I definitely know that you're better than this."
"Really?" Jay narrowed his eyes. "Well, tell that to Dad. You're his favourite, aren't you?"
I pursed my lips. I hadn't seen such hatred on Jay's face before. Jay had never given me that look before ... he despised me. That look made me want to cry. How could Jay hate me so much? We were so close ... he's my brother ...
Dr Thorn found the exchange amusing. "Long ago," he began, "the gods banished me to Persia. I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honour me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods!"
Jay just rolled his eyes. "We're here to get the cow, nothing else."
"Well, you're not getting him," I seethed. "Go back to where you came from, you cowards."
I sounded a lot braver than I felt. On either side of them stood two armed security guards. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case we tried to escape that way. There were tourists all around—walking down the waterfront, shopping at the pier above us—but that wouldn't stop the manticore from acting.
"Where ... where are the skeletons?" Percy asked.
He sneered. "I don't need those foolish undead! The General thinks I'm worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself!"
