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The room was dark. It was the kind of darkness that made everything seem to be made out of gas, like objects weren’t solid but wavering and alive. But it wasn’t oppressive.
Percy lay awake staring at the ceiling above his bed; Jenna had gone to sleep hours ago. He knew that he should get some rest but wasn’t tired enough. Sleeping on the bus had been a bad idea.
He had opened the window a while back; the smell of the citrus air freshener was beginning to make him gag. It was like the cleaners had tried to cover up a bad smell with it.
As he lay there he thought about Annabeth, and his promise to himself that he would tell her how he felt. Travelling close quarters with a Satyr and your true love’s new sister didn’t exactly provide a lot of opportune moments for confessions of undying love, though. If he could just get a moment alone with her – preferably when they weren’t being attacked by monsters… the real question was, if he had the chance to tell her, would he have the guts to? And would she care?
An almost imperceptible thud came to his ears and he rolled over to face the door, his half-blood senses going into hyper drive. Were his ears playing tricks on him, or was that a footfall? He waited and listened, not even breathing. There. A slight jingling of metal against metal outside the door. Like a key chain. Percy swung his legs to the floor and tiptoed silently to the door, uncapping Riptide as he went. There was no time to wake the others; he would have to deal with the intruder himself. His heart rate sped up as he took up position next to the door, his back against the wall. He had the element of surprise – attack first, ask questions later.
Percy heard the lock click over quietly. The door swung open gradually on silent hinges, until it was perpendicular to the wall, hiding Percy behind it. Then it stopped. The intruder, whoever or whatever it was, seemed to be hesitating.
Too late, Percy noticed the glow from Riptides blade was shining on the floor, giving away his position. Shit, he thought stupidly, and then a huge black figure swung around the door and clobbered him over the head before he had time to even raise his blade. It was like being hit by a sledgehammer; his vision went black and he slid to the floor, unconscious.
He swallowed painfully to try and moisten his parched throat. Apparently being the Son of the Sea God meant that you should keep well hydrated. He blinked at his surroundings, the piercing light stabbing into his retinas like hot needles. There was hay covering the floor, wooden stalls lining one wall. Thanks to Mr D., Percy knew a stable when he saw one. A random irrational part of his mind couldn’t help but notice and admire how well maintained it was. This stable would be a delight to clean…
“Percy!” A hiss from his right pulled his attention from admiring the paint job; it was Grover, looking at him with a worried expression from where he was lashed to another pole like Percy was. He had a bruise forming under one eye and a swollen bottom lip. Past him Percy could see Jenna and Annabeth, who were both suffering similar circumstances, both awake. His eyes raked over them quickly, looking for injuries; Annabeth was wincing slightly with each breath and Jenna had a cut on her neck.
“What happened? There was someone…” Percy tried to remember what had happened but it was all a blur. He gave up. Thinking too hard made his head pound.
“It’s Di,” Grover told him, his voice grim. “He jumped us while we were asleep, brought us down here and tied us up. I think he’s a monster, Percy. I don’t know where he is now.”
“He’s right behind you.” The voice was cold and menacing, nothing at all like the Di Percy was used to hearing. A cold shiver ran down his spine – he suddenly realised that the smell of citrus was gone. Another stench chocked the air. The odour of rotting meat.
Di walked into his line of sight, his eyes glowing with a feral light. All pretence of the charming host was gone, replaced by an ancient savagery. Percy saw Annabeth’s knife tucked into his belt. He leered at them. “A Satyr, a mortal and two demigods – one of them no less than a child of Poseidon. My beauties will be well pleased with their meal tonight.” As if in response to his words, snorting and whinnying came from the stalls.
Horses! Percy thought triumphantly. If he could just reach them with his thoughts… Concentrating hard, he reached his mind towards the noises. My name is Percy, Son of Poseidon. I need your help!
Fresh meat… the thoughts grated in his mind and he recoiled in horror as images of mutilated flash and split bone sprung into his thoughts unbidden. His stomach lurched and he felt sick; those weren’t normal horses. They had to get out of there, and fast.
“No no no, little half-blood; my beauties will not answer to you. They obey only one master.”
As she worked Annabeth’s mind was running a million miles an hour: Di, four horses – suddenly it clicked; it was Diomedes, the giant King of Thrace! One of the Labours of Heracles was to steal The Mares of Diomedes, his four man-eating horses… Annabeth swallowed nervously and eyed the stables. That’s not good. She winced as she breathed in too deeply – she had not gone down to Diomedes without a fight, and she suspected she had some bruised ribs to show for it.
Diomedes was still speaking.
“I usually cut my guests throats before I let my beauties have their meal, but for hero’s… well, it’s entertaining, to say the least. But alas, I am already disappointed; I expected much more of a challenge from a child of one of the three elder God’s…” He swung around, and for a terrifying second Annabeth was sure he had discovered her. But he was frowning evilly at Jenna instead. “Too bad your mortal flesh will spoil the taste!”
Mortal? Why did he keep saying that – Jenna’s a half-blood…no time for that now, though – Yes! Annabeth thought triumphantly, pulling her left hand free. Her other hand quickly followed, but she kept her hands together behind the pole. They would only have one chance for her plan…
The noises coming from the horse stall’s increased in volume and a slow cruel smile spread over Diomedes face. How she had ever found a man with such twisted features likable Annabeth couldn’t understand. “Ah, well, it seems it is time for me to bid you adieu. Alas, I have enjoyed your company.” He laughed pitilessly at his own joke, then turned his back to his captives and walked towards the stables to unleash his monstrous mounts.
That was what Annabeth had been waiting for. She ignored the pain in her chest and sprung into action. As quickly and silently as a thought she stepped away from the pole, grabbed up a metal pitchfork that was leaning against the stable wall and stabbed it with all her might into Diomedes thigh. She was rewarded by the feeling of metal grating on bone. Diomedes howled in pain.
“Scare the horses, Percy!” Annabeth screamed as she dived backwards to avoid the giants huge fists. The farming tool was still sticking awkwardly from his leg, the wound beginning to spurt blood at an alarming rate; the femoral artery, Annabeth guessed with triumph. But Diomedes was not a happy camper. He ripped the makeshift weapon from his leg viciously (never remove a protruding object from the wound, said Annabeth’s little first aid voice), and growled as he stalked towards her.
Then the stall gates boomed open with an almighty crash! and four extremely wild and vicious looking horses jumped out. They were black, like Blackjack only a more sinister red-tinged shade, had crazy red eyes and were frothing at the mouth. Annabeth saw Diomedes eyes widen as he forgot her and turned to his carnivorous pets.
“My beauties-” he began weakly, but never finished his sentence because the horses attacked. Annabeth’s plan had worked; they had smelled Diomedes blood and were too crazed to realise it was their faithful owner. She scrambled to her feet and tried to ignore his screams of agony (“NOOOOO!!!! NOT AGAIN!!!!!!”) as she ran to Percy and pulled Riptide out of his pocket. She quickly slashed through her friends bonds and ran to the stable door – they had to get out before the horses noticed them.
As Jenna lurched through the wooden door Annabeth slammed it closed and replaced the flimsy looking latch. They ran through the darkness of the backyard towards the backdoor that Diomedes had brought them down through, and stumbled over the threshold. Grover locked it.
Suddenly, the screaming stopped. Heavy breathing was all that cut the quiet of the thin hallway they stood in.
“That was a close one,’ Percy said shakily. “Those horses…” He shuddered in memory; Annabeth wondered what it must have been like in their minds. She was glad she would never find out.
The group started down the hallway, making their way back to their room.
“Who was he? If he was a monster, why couldn’t Grover smell him?” Jenna was pale but seemed to be holding out well, Annabeth observed appreciatively. Something jumped into her mind, something Diomedes had said.
“His name wasn’t Di, but Diomedes, the giant King of Thrace. He fed his horses the bodies of his enemies during war and guests during peace. In the end, Heracles fed him to his own pets. He thought you were mortal.” Annabeth directed the last at Jenna. “Why? You’ve been claimed; he should have smelled you…” Everyone was looking at Jenna now. She squirmed under the attention.
“Come to think of it, how did you make it to sixteen without being found?” Percy frowned in confusion. “Half-bloods usually only make it to eleven or twelve without help…” Annabeth nodded in agreement; something weird was going on.
“I- I don’t know…” Jenna stammered. Annabeth studied her intently but only saw uncertainty in her features – she wasn’t lying to them.
“Maybe you have some kind of protection; a talisman, maybe. Or a charm?” Jenna shrugged and shook her head, but then her eyes widened and her hand flew to her neck. She tugged out a necklace – it was a thin metal chain with a simple silver pendant of what looked like a lady bug.
“Maybe this? My Dad gave it to me when I started school. He said not to take it off, that it would protect me against bullies…” She trailed off, her cheeks glowing in embarrassment. Annabeth stepped closer to examine the pendant. It was a beautiful piece, intricate in its tiny detail. It wasn’t a lady bug…
“It’s a scarab beetle,” she announced to everyone. “People used to wear them for protection against evil. Maybe it cloaks you – that’s handy… but how did Chiron find you if you were wearing this?”
Jenna’s confusion cleared in realisation and she nodded. “The week before Grover found me, someone pinched it from me while I was asleep – it was a stupid practical joke by some of the other girls at my boarding school. I got it back just before I left – I felt weird not wearing it.”
Annabeth couldn’t help but feel slightly envious – Jenna had had a chance that many half-bloods would kill for. A chance to have a normal life, without being in constant danger from monsters attacking. What’s more, the necklace must have been a gift from Athena. Why had she chosen to give a gift that precious to Jenna? She threw off her jealousy (it seemed like she spent alot of time feeling jealous of Jenna) and concentrated on finding the first aid kit in her bag. She needed antiseptic, bandaids and ambrosia; the chafing on her wrists stung in the cold night air and there was a stabbing pain in her chest whenever she moved.
“That smell!” Percy groaned as he flopped down on the bed next to where Grover was repacking his bag; he must be talking about the citrus air freshener. “It’s so strong its singeing my nostril hairs!”
“That’s why I couldn’t smell him!” Grover smacked his head stupidly. “The citrus was masking his scent!”
“Sneaky,” Annabeth agreed grudgingly – she liked monsters much better when they had trouble with their left and right. Which, happily, most monsters did.
As she dabbed antiseptic cream on her wrists, Annabeth had the growing suspicion she was forgetting something, missing something. She ran through a mental checklist; Percy, Jenna, Grover, bag, invisibility cap, knife- KNIFE! “Shit,” she swore out loud and stood up, making for the door. “Diomedes had my knife – it’s still in the stables.”
“Whoa.” Percy infuriatingly blocked her path. “You can’t go back in there, it’s too dangerous. You have to leave it.” He said it gently but firmly.
“Hell no,” Annabeth argued; who the hell does he think he is? “I’ve had that knife since I started at camp. I’m not leaving it.”
“Annabeth-”
“Move, Percy!”
“No!” Annabeth stomped angrily and tried to sidestep around him but he caught her arm and pulled her back. Pain shot through her side and she cried out involuntarily, clutching her ribs. Percy instantly looked concerned and guided her to the nearest bed, forcing her to sit down.
“You’re hurt!” He accused, his hand hovering at her side. “You can’t fight four evil man-eating horses like this. Just let it go – I’ll ask Tyson to make you a new knife, just like the other one. Please?” His eyes pleaded with her. Annabeth hated to admit it, but Percy was right. It was too dangerous to go back for it. Butits seen me through so much, through so many battles… She sighed unhappily and nodded, her flaring anger dissipating. She would definitely miss its comforting weight in her hand, though.
Annabeth stared mournfully over at the open window, saying her last farewells to an old friend.
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