Silver Water (Percy Jackson and Red Queen crossover)

Evangeline tries to cut me to pieces. Key word; *TRIES*

The last chapter:

"I beg your pardon, Lady Samos?"

She turns her black eyes on me, and her gaze is sharp as any knife.

"I challenge Perseus Osanos." Apparently, she did hear me.

Percy's POV:

"Absolutely not," Annabeth protests. "He's been training for only half of a week; you'll cut him apart."

In response, Evangeline just shrugs, letting a lazy smirk rise to her features. Her fingers dance against her leg, and I can almost feel them like claws across my skin.

"So what if she does?" Istvan breaks in. "The healers are here. There'll be no harm done. Besides, if he's going to train with us, he might as well do it properly, right?"

No harm done, I scoff in my head. No harm but my blood exposed for all to see. My heartbeat thumps in my head, quickening with every passing second. Overhead, the lights shine brightly, illuminating the ring; my blood will be hard to hide, and they'll see me for what I am, a Red.

"I'd like some more time observing before I get in the ring, if you don't mind," I reply, trying my best to sound Silver. Instead, my voice quavers slightly. Evangeline catches it.

"Too scared to fight?" she goads, lazily flicking a hand. One of her knives, a little thing like a tooth of silver, circles her wrist slowly in open threat.

"No, I've faced far worse and more terrifying enemies. But, when I fight, I intend to win," I say, throwing her words back in her face. "I'm not a fool, Evangeline, and I cannot win yet."

"Training outside the ring can only get you so far, Perseus," Sonya says with glee. "Don't you agree, Instructor? How can he ever expect to win if he doesn't try?"

Arven knows there's something different about me, a reason for my abilities and my strength. But what that is, he cannot fathom, and there's a glint of curiosity in his eyes. He wants to see me in the ring as well. My only allies, Annabeth (who didn't think they'd put me in training so soon), Cal, and Maven, exchange worried glances, wondering how to proceed across such shaky ground.

"Perseus is the son of a dead war hero and you can do nothing but tease him," Cal growls, throwing daggered glances at the girls and Istvan. They barely seem to notice, almost laughing at his poor defense. He might be a born fighter, but he's at a loss when it comes to words.

Sonya is even more incensed, her sly nature taking hold. Whereas Cal is a warrior in the ring, she is a soldier of speech, and she twists his words with frightening ease. "A general's son should do well in the ring. If anything, Evangeline should be afraid."

"He wasn't raised by a general, don't be foolish -," Annabeth sneers. She's much better at this sort of thing, but I cannot let her win my battles. Not with these people.

"I will not fight," I say again. "Challenge someone else who is more your level."

When Evangeline smiles, her teeth white and sharp, my old instincts ring in my head like a bell. I barely have time to drop as her knife burns through the air, cutting through the spot where my neck was seconds before.

"I challenge you," she snaps, and another blade flies at my face. More rise from her belt, ready to cut me to ribbons.

"Evangeline, stop -," Maven shouts, and Annabeth pulls me to my feet, her eyes alive with worry. My blood sings, coursing with adrenaline, my pulse so loud I almost miss her whispered words.

"Keep her head surrounded in water, she'll still be able to throw knives at you, but eventually she'll start to lose focus due to lack of oxygen. Until that happens, find ways to distract her. You're faster. Keep her on the run. Create an earthquake to throw her off balance, stuff like that." Another knife blazes by, this time digging into the ground at my feet. "Keep water around you. If she cuts you, surround the wound with water. Don't let her see you bleed."