Mars glowered down at me. I'm only kneeling because he's a god- and a Roman one at that. He's more... vicious than Ares. Some of the Roman kids from Camp Jupiter had been sent by him to kidnap me. I'd only had my memory two months and was still settling in at Camp Half-Blood. Chrion, Grover and Annabeth were keeping a close eye on me. Tyson had gotten into the habit of following me around like a lsot puppy, keeping me company.
I glared up at the Roman god of war. Gods don't like to change what they wear, do they? He was wearing exactly the same attire to what his wearing when I first saw him and when he claimed Frank.
"What can I do for you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. The god's aura was ticking me off. The god frowned angrily.
"You owe me, punk."
"I do? What, I owe you a facelift or something?" I felt a sharp jab in the small of my back, even through my Capture-the-Flag armour. Seems like I was gonna have another fight. Terrific. And I was so close to getting the Hermes flag.
"Those wisecracks will cost you your life, worm. Now listen up. Your father has a large stash of my weapons that he never delivered to me- or his Cyclops who created them. He's been ignoring me and my demands for those weapons and they could change the future of violence." This guy's insane, I found myself thinking. "And, you, Percy Jackson, are going to get them for me."
"So, you want me to go down to Dad's palace, find the Cyclops forges and get the weapons."
"Yes, and your father musn't know. If he so much as detects you in his kingdom, I'll have your head." I stayed quiet. Why was I supposed to hide from my own dad? Mars drew his sword, which was at least two and a half metres long, Imperial gold and wickedly sharp. "Do I make myself clear, punk?"
"As clear as you possibly can." I muttered. Mars growled at me and I mimicked him, gaining a smack around the head from one of his kids. Spots danced in my eyes as I looked up, dazed. The tip of his sword was an inch from my nose. "Gonna run me through if I refuse to do this?" I was trying to keep him distracted while I twisted my hands to loosen the ropes on my wrists.
"I'll run you through now if ya don't show some respect." Mars grumbled. "This quest is an opportunity to get in my good books."
"They have to be real short then." I said, as if we were discussing the weather and not his crazy plan to make me break into my father's palace. I know I don't know my dad that well, but he's... well... my dad. It's not something I'd do, let alone think of. Mars didn't like that and raised his sword. I tensed and closed my eyes, waiting for the sword to hit my head. There was this yell, a clang of metal, a whish as something flew through the air. There was a thwack as something hit the ground.
I looked up. Standing in front of me, facing the Roman god, was a girl about my age. She held a celestial bronze sword in one hand, her other hand resting on the handle of dagger in her belt. Her sword was weirdly simialr to Riptide. She had dark hair, like mine and stood with a warrior poise, even when she's on the verge of a fight with the most vicious Roman god.
"Back away. Real slow. Now." Her tone was ordering, and she started walking towards Mars steadily, sword at the ready. Mars took one step back and then seemed to pull himself together.
"I'll be back, Percy Jackson." He growled threateningly and he was gone in a burst of flame. The girl rounded on his kids, tightening her grip on her sword. It reflected the light of the sun, glinting in my eyes, making me squint. The kids backed off sharpish. It seemed to me that they knew this girl. I examined her. She was just a normal kid- well, for a demigod- baggy jeans, short-sleeved basketball shirt and muddy, scruffy sneakers. She had some wicked green eyes that had to be epic for giving eath stare.
"Err... I guess this is where I say 'thanks'." I said as she walked behind me and sliced through the ropes.
"Ya could if ya wanted." She pulled me to my feet. "Percy Jackson, huh?" I nodded. "How in the gods' name ya got kidnapped from ya Camp, I'll never know. Pleasure ta meet ya, anyhoo."
"No offense, but who are you? You seem to know me."
"I've heard alot about ya, Jackson." She sheathed her sword in her belt, next to her dagger. "And I'm Thálassa." For some reason, I knew that her name was Greek but whatever for, no idea. "I gotta get ya home, c'mon." She started to walk to the stables. I followed her, trying to get more about.
"You're obviously a demigod, but is your godly parent Roman or Greek? Have you been to one of the camps, as in stayed there? And trained there? Where do you live?"
"Do ya always ask so many questions? Is this some wacko job inte'view? What the heck are ya on about?" Thálassa was looking at me as if I was some weird guy that should be locked up for his own good. "Look, ma personal life is ma personal life, ya got that?" I nodded. "Right, now, get a horse. Saddle up and c'mon. I ain't got all day." I decided to do as she told me, because she was definitely not someone you'd want to mess with.
We got a unicorn each and just rode out. Thálassa seemed to have a bit of an aura that repelled people that she knew or that knew her from attacking her. Our unicorns moved so fast, we were back at Camp-Half Blood within in minutes. I didn't even get to talk to Thálassa about anything and she still hadn't answered my questions. If she doesn't, I seriously doubt she'll do OK in that job interview she mentioned.
"Chiron! It's Percy! And he's got a friend!" Someone shouted. Chiron appeared on the hilltop and he smiled kindly. Annabeth, Tyson and Grover stood next to him. I squeezed the unicorn's sides with my legs and she broke into a canter. Thálassa's unicorn followed. As soon as we crossed the magical boundary and dismounted, I was surrounded by my three friends. Thálassa moved next to Chiron as Annabeth literally crushed the life outta me. Tyson strangled me and Grover was hopping about on his hooves, bleating happily.
I looked up, resting my chin on Annabeth's head. Thálassa stood with her poise next to Chiron, her back to us, studying Camp. Chiron trotted up and rested a hand on my shouder.
"Percy. We need to talk." He said seriously. Annabeth glanced up at me, chin on my chest. She had those warning eyes, so I had to be good. How unfair...
Annabeth came with me to the Big House. Mr.D was there too, sipping a Diet Coke can. He rolled his eyes lazily in my direction and sighed, but he didn't say anything. His purple eyes slid to behind me. I looked too- Thálassa had come along too. Mr.D raised his eyebrows in a questioning way at Chiron. "Yes, Mr.D, it appears we may have a new camper. Be nice to her; I sense a horrible past." Chiron smiled kindly at Thálassa, but her face remained an expressionless blank. "You three may take a seat." Annabeth sat next to me; Thálassa leant on the railings. Chiron didn't say anything and sank into his wheelchair. "Right, Percy, what did Lord Ares require?"
"That was Mars, Chiron. Err... not being rude or nothing, heh heh..." Chiron waited patiently for me to answer. I sighed and told them all about Mars and his weapons hoard in my father's kingdom. When I finished, Chiron was deep in thought. Mr.D swirled the last of his Diet Coke in the bottom of his can.
"I agree with Percy. Why should he go and break into his father's palace? It's betrayl and decietful. He shouldn't do it." Annabeth said, as if she was reading my mind. Behind us, Thálassa chuckled, sounding way too optimistic about this.
"So, ya'd rather have Percy killed in the most painful and horrific way by God-Chocolate-Bar? Or hope and pray that his dad goes easy on him?" We were all looking at her. She was right... in her own twisted way. Her accent made her sound even more twisted.
"Are you always this happy when it comes to other people's pain?" Thálassa shrugged, smiling ever so slightly. She glanced over her shoulder to where the unicorns were pawing at the ground nervously. A group of young and curious demigods were edging forward to get a closer look- probably wary of the unicorns' wickedly sharp horns. "Are you gonna take them back?" I asked, nodding in the unicorns' direction.
"I thought 'bout it. But I remembered that the Roman kids liked ta use the shavings from their horns for medical reasons, so I thought 'bout keeping 'em 'ere. As long as that's alright?" She looked at Chiron, waiting for an answer.