There was a few seconds of stunned silence as everyone took in what I'd just said. Then Percy began to laugh. "Really Annabeth? Not this far north! And no way would they have survived without camp!" Rick's eyes flashed at Percy.
"Camp? Wait, what?" I shook my head.
"You first." But Lola stepped in front of Rick, arms folded.
"Uh-uh, sister. Look, I don't know who you are or where you come from, but you ain't getting any secrets out of this girl. I suggest you just back off if you know what's good for you." I had to admire her nerve. They had just shown blatant use of magic and magic weapons. If they were monsters, we probably would have already been dead. But what Percy said was true... How had they survived without Camp Half Blood?
"Look. We can help! We can protect you. We - " I was trying to make my tone reassuring and gentle, but Lola obviously wasn't buying it. She snorted and said:
"Do you honestly think we need protecting? Us? C'mon girl, - Ow!" She rubbed the back of her head. Rick stepped forward.
"No more talking." he said, glaring at Lola. This intrigued me. However, before I could ask why, Percy beat me to it. The only response was two scary looking glares from two scary looking kids. I sighed. We were getting nowhere. I turned to go, gesturing for Percy to follow. In an instant an arm was thrown out to stop me. I looked at Rick. His expression was quizzical.
"Leaving so soon?" he asked with a half smile. Then his eyes caught sight of my beaded necklace, and his whole demeanour changed. Ah. I backed away slowly, palms raised, but he didn't seem interested in hurting me. Instead he pulled Lola aside and they started to have a very rapid conversation. I only caught one phrase, enough to let me know what they were talking about, and also that they were speaking French;
"Ils sont grecs!"
It seemed we were busted.
Percy clearly did not understand what was going on. I pulled him aside for our own private talk, but didn't seem to find the fact that two possibly hostile armed teenagers knew we were Greek demigods disturbing, or indeed, cause for distress. "Relax!" he whispered "They're demigods too, so you said. We can just take them back to camp and..." I wanted to slap him for being so ignorant, but at that moment our two Canadian friends returned. Rick spoke first.
"Change of plan. You're not leaving until you have told us every little detail, every little thing about who you are, where you come from and what you're doing in Canada." Percy snorted.
"That last one's easy. We're here to see some family of mine."
"Mortal!" I interjected quickly. "Mortal family. As for who we are... I'm Annabeth, and this my boyfriend Percy." Lola rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, 'cause none of us had worked that one out." she muttered. This reminded me of something else.
"Where are the other two girls? I swear there were four of you up there." Lola nodded.
"Uh - huh. Laura and Chloe did a runner when Rick fell. They prefer orderly chaos."
"Cowards." muttered Rick. "When I get my hands on them, I swear I will hang them upside down over the fire."
"That's not something done in normal, every day society." I pointed out. I was hoping to lure them into some sort of verbal trap; to trick one or other of them into saying something that would tell me who they were.
"Neither is having a pen that turns into a sword, is it, Greek?" I winced. The way he used that last word, I could tell it was not a good thing. Rick rubbed his temples as though in pain.
"Can we just get back to the original problem here, please?" he asked. "Where do you come from?"
"I think you already know that." I answered. Percy stared at me as though I was crazy, but I knew it was true. The way he had reacted to my necklace, the fact he had known we were Greeks...
"The real problem," I continued "is that we don't know anything about you." Percy pulled out Riptide, but before he he could do anything, an invisible force knocked it out of his hands.
"What the..." he gasped. Lola stood, arms raised, focused on Percy.
"We just keep going in circles, don't we?" she asked, head on one side. "Now, tell us about your camp, or by Odin's beard - " She never got a chance to finish what she was saying because Rick leapt on her and the two of them started to roll around on the floor. Percy and I watched in amazement and confusion. Percy's face was pure comic genius.
"Shut up! Shut your gob, you little harpy!" Rick was saying angrily to Lola. Lola retaliated with equal vehemence.
"It was an accident, you idiot!"
"You're so thick! Stupid, stupid girl!"
"Not - my - fault!" grunted Lola, throwing Rick off her. Suddenly the tables were turned - Lola had the upper hand. I watched Lola pin Rick's skinny wrists to the ground. I felt a strange urge to laugh. They looked so much like my half-brothers squabbling over sweets, it was funny.
"Get off me Lola!" moaned Rick, squirming under Lola, who was sitting on his stomach. "You're making me feel sick." Lola leapt off him in panic. I could see exactly where she was coming from. Rick took a few deep breaths, rubbing his stomach. Then he stretched out a hand. Lola rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath. It didn't take much imagination to figure out what she was saying. She pulled him to his feet.
"Listen, whatever your name is, I am a massive Marvel fangirl. I mean, when - " I interrupted her.
"But judging by your brother's reaction, I would say that was a lie." I said with a sweet smile. Percy nodded vigorously from behind me. Lola glared at Rick.
"My brother," she said viciously "Is an idiot." Percy grabbed me by the collar and pulled me towards him. I was completely confused. My honest thoughts? 'Really, Percy, I love you and all, but I don't think now...' Percy's voice interrupted my mental speech.
"Annabeth. Did you ever study Norse mythology at school?"
"Not really." I replied, but a sinking feeling was already settling over me.
"Odin was a Norse God." Oh no. This was bad. Very, very bad. Without knowing it, Percy and I had found a new set of Gods - and, it seemed, their children.
Hey readers!
I would just like to thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you thought in the review section, and sorry for the kinda cliff hanger ending once again!
Carlakitten21
