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I 02. I
𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔
❝ cliff ❞
THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD FIGHT DR. THORN. Not without help or without going outside, in the freezing weather and she could grow vines. But he seemed smart, and he most likely wasn't going to let her.
Percy closed his eyes. She knew what he was doing, and let him. She needed to watch out for the kids, Nico had his hand clutching the hem of her shirt while Bianca stuck close to the girl.
"What are you doing, Jackson?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"
The boy opened his eyes and shuffled forward. "It's my shoulder," he lied. "It burns."
"Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!"
Apparently, Dr. Thorn wasn't as smart as she thought. He herded them outside, leading them down a snowy path in the woods which was dimly lit by lamplights. It was freezing, and Percy had part of his shirt ripped, so he was close to becoming a Percysicle.
"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."
"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"
"Silence, you insufferable girl!"
"Don't talk to my sister that way," Nico said. His voice and lip quivered causing her to pull him closer. Dr. Thorn made a growling noise which definitely wasn't human, but he ended it with a glare battle between Ariadne.
"Halt," Thorn said.
She noticed the woods opened up. They were on a cliff overlooking the sea, but she couldn't see anything but mist and darkness. Thorn pushed them closer towards the edge.
Percy stumbled, Bianca caught him before sending a nod towards Ariadne who was taking care of her brother. They trusted one another. And despite the brunette leaving the di Angelo kids back at the Lotus Casino, they didn't seem to harbor a grudge.
"I'm scared," Nico mumbled to her. She gulped before placing her arm over his shoulder, letting him share some of her warmth. He fiddled with a small figurine, she couldn't tell what it was.
"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!"
They all turned.
He pulled out what she thought was a switchblade at first, but instead, it was a phone. His two-tone eyes glittered with greed and hunger before he pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."
A garbled reply and Dr. Thorn listened in. Percy glanced behind him and the man laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself. Although," he glanced over at the brunette girl, "I doubt you'd leave the Daughter of the Vines behind."
