Honestly, I was kind of asking for it. I was bored, and like an idiot I wanted something exciting to happen. I thought the dance was boring, the food tasted about as good as the lunches did (aside from the punch, which actually had flavour), and none of the kids around me had any interest in Mythomagic. At least Bianca kept me company, she never left my side, really. Even back at the Hotel she was always there, smiling at me under her big, floppy hat… helping me win games so I could get more Mythomagic cards. She really was the most awesome big sister any ten year old could ask for.
Bianca was scolding me for sneaking my Mythomagic cards into the dance when Dr. Thorn dragged us off. Dr. Thorn was kind of like slenderman, except with a face. Tall, terrifying, and liked to sneak up on you when you really weren't expecting it. The face in question was always stern and watching, like a bird of prey. And you always got the sense that you were the prey. His eyes were two different colours, brown and blue, and he when he spoke it sent shivers down your spine. I will never understand how he managed to make a French accent sound utterly terrifying, but he did on a daily basis.
He grabbed me so hard by the wrist that I dropped my cards, and tugged us both away as quick as possible. Bianca's hat fell to the floor, and she struggled to try and grab it, but that only received her a glare more powerful than Hades's attack damage (assuming the opponent strikes first, of course). That stopped her struggling, and kept me from starting to struggle as well.
He dragged us down the now dark corridor, past the dormitory, all the way to the very end. "Now, Halfbloods, be good bait for your kin," he said, right before Bianca grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to her. Something whizzed right past my cheek, and my heart stopped beating for a second. Bianca, somehow keeping her head, kicked him straight in the groin before running into the main hall. She never once let go of my hand.
We had just enough time to catch our breaths, huddled together in a corner when we heard the door open. It was a boy – I think I saw him at the dance – he had dark hair and eyes like the sea. Oh, and a sword. A very large and shiny sword. And it was glowing just enough to illuminate Dr. Thorn's approaching form. My blood turned to ice, I wanted to open my mouth to warn him, but the fear had wrapped around me like chains closing in on my throat, choking any words that dared try escape.
He came closer, slowly, the tip of his sword lowering. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," he said, "My name's Percy. I'm going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe." Next to me, Bianca's fist clenched, and her eyes went even wider as Dr. Thorn readied his attack. The boy – Percy – realized too late what was going on.
As he turned, the spike that Dr. Thorn had been readying flew into his shoulder, and he was forced backwards into the wall. He swung wildly, but there wasn't anything there. Dr. Thorn had already moved. I didn't see where he'd gone, but I could hear his cold, dark laughter echoing through the halls like nails on a chalkboard.
"Yes, Perseus Jackson," the way he said Jackson sounded so utterly French that if I wasn't so terrified I might have laughed, "I know who you are." Percy struggled against the foot-long spike that had pinned him to the wall, and I could see that his shoulder was only grazed. I let out a very soft breath.
I didn't know what was going on, but I could tell that Percy was actually trying to save us, even if he did have a three foot long sword that glowed like the lunch here did if you let it sour too long. Dr. Thorn approached us, his face hidden in shadows, only the light of Percy's sword reflected off of his cold eyes and his straight white teeth.
"Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said, "I hate middle school dances." Percy swung his sword, and it came short by an inch at most. There was a whoosh, and Bianca yelped. Right next to my sister's face was another one of those horrible, awful thorns.
"All three of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said, as casually as one might talk about the weather before his voice got dark and his eyes sharp, "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw."