CHAPTER X

PERCY

"WHAT ABOUT THE PROPHECY?" RACHEL ASKED IN THE CROWD.

Lucy went pale. "Ouch, yeah that could be a death sentence." She looked at the redheaded oracle. "Do you remember the prophecy?"

"Beloved Sweetheart Bastard.

Cruel fated curse by a single name,"

Lucy nodded. "That could very likely be Jason,"

"Hey!"

"Cruel fated curse by a single name is obviously because of fate and his father cursing him because of him trying to keep up his reputation; his good name. Next line?"

"The love you were plastered.

Ignoring her claim."

Again Lucy nodded. "Jason and Piper were meant to do the mating but, of course, Jason ignored that,"

"No I didn't!" He yelled. "I was tricked."

"And Reyna ignored Piper's claim to Jason."

Reyna looked to her feet, shuffling slightly.

"A single brush has ended his days,

a curse brought by what she saw."

"A brush of the lips perhaps?" Lucy asked innocently. "Piper definitely wants to kill you! And that curse was plagued upon her by what she saw?"

Rachel coughed through the awkward atmosphere and everyone was staring at Lucy and Jason as if waiting to see which one would explode first. Tentively, Rachel continued.

"The curse of Aphrodite will blaze,

Interlocking lovers cursed by a single flaw."

This time Annabeth answered to stop Lucy talking.

She coughed awkwardly and continued where Lucy had left off. "Umm, I'm guessing that the prophecy is saying that Piper's curse will affect us all in different ways. And, umm, 'Interlocking lovers cursed by a single flame' means that Jason and Piper were cursed by a small mistake."

"But how does that help us?" Percy asked. "It doesn't sound like a proper prophecy, there's nothing about what's going to happen it's all about what has happened."

Lucy had suddenly become uninterested in annoying Jason. She became extremely pale. "The seven of the Great Prophecy will meet, everyone else... find Rose Arnold and Ellie Leech."

Every single soldier froze. The names were obviously well known.

"My lady... are you sure?" Millie asked.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "Even the children of Hades find those two creepy!"

"Who are they?" Leo asked. "And who can be creepier than Nico? Please don't tell me this Ellie girl is a monster made of leeches!"

No one laughed. Obviously this was way more serious than any of us could have figured.

"You wish, Leo." Olivia said.

"These girls are the toughest, darkest, strongest, scariest, sneakiest girls you will ever meet." Ash said.

"So they're basically a copy of Thalia?" Leo asked innocently. Surprisingly, Thalia slapped him.

"Children," Lucy snapped. "This is no laughing matter, everyone leave and find them now!"

It wasn't even funny how quickly the soldiers left the throne room. There was an awkward silence as Lucy sighed and sired a golden throne for her and a silver one for Sophia. She looked exhausted as she collapsed in the throne. She drew her hand across her face as, for the briefest second, her features took on a look of pain and haunting before it looked fierce and protective again. Percy felt his throat grow sticky, and a knot twist around in his stomach. He knew how tiring that was, to keep up that act: an act a leader had to learn, to give the people looking up to them hope and reassurance. He remembered when it was him in that spot; the person everyone looked up to. He knew exactly what Lucy was going through. She was tired, probably a little bitter even, which was understandable. Anyone would agree Lucy deserved a rest. Just as everyone would have at Camp Half-Blood for him and Annabeth after the war. Sometimes it truly wasn't fair who was put on the throne.

Sometimes the best rulers were the ones who didn't want it.

Slowly, calculatingly, the doors opened. The sight that greeted Percy was not one he was expecting. One of the two girls who entered had long blond hair to her waist flipped forward in a fishtail plait, with eyes rimmed blue around the pupil, then a ferocious green expanding outwards. The other girl was just as pretty with hair so dark it could have been black and warm brown eyes that glittered with spirit. They both wore smiles and calm expressions. From how everyone was so scared Percy was expecting two girls with devil horns, hair and eyes as black as coal and snake-like tongues flickering out of their mouths and piercings covering every inch of their bodies. These girls seemed...normal. If Percy had seen them anywhere he would have pictured them as normal teenagers, maybe even cheerleaders with their athletic physique.

The only thing that seemed remotely odd about them was their cloths. The Blonde was dressed in a long, black, non-strap, dress that reached her toes, and around her neck was a necklace like a snake with bright green eyes – connected by the mouth clutching its own tail – and the same thing around her waist. The Brunette was wearing a long sleeved white dress that only reached her mid-thigh, with the sleeves flowing downward at a great length, around her waist was a bronze metal belt that had a owl crested in the centre and two on her shoulders like epaulettes. It definitely would have stood out in a place like this. When they came into the light their hair sparkled like freshly fallen snow in the bright sun.

"My Lady," The Blonde purred. "It surely has been a while."

"You have not called for us in a while." The Brunette added.

Sophia hissed and backed further into her throne.

"Sophia," Lucy said calmly and patiently. "Do not let the myths into your head, we both know they have been, and always will be, loyal soldiers."

The girls bowed, but Sophia still looked at them cautiously. Lucy stood from her throne with a smile on her face.

"It is good to see you both." Percy was surprised to find that Lucy's statement wasn't forced.

The Brunette floated a hand forward so that her sleeve gracefully reached the ground, she then tipped a leg further behind her, her wedged foot tipped diagonally, and leaned forward creating the most graceful curtsy Percy had ever seen. "It is an honour to be called back, my Lady."

The Blonde nodded and curved her hand below her waist and leant forward with the opposite leg to the Brunette's popped back. "May I be as bold to pray that your Ladyship is finally to be named Empress?"

Lucy shifted uncomfortably in her throne. "I'm afraid that will have to wait my friends."

The Brunette tipped her head up slightly. "Perhaps we would have a word with the Noble King," She sneered.

"It would be a delight to meet him after that predicament with our mother." The Blonde continued.

Lucy didn't waste time to shake her head. "There is no need for that." She assured.

The Blonde sighed.

"Pity." The Brunette snapped.

Lucy waved her hand. "I would like you to meet the Seven of the prophecy."

The girls' heads twirled toward us. The Blonde gasped. The Brunette hurried to fix her invisible creases and faults in her appearance.

"I never thought I would live to see this." The Blonde gracefully bowed again.

The Brunette looked over each of Percy and his crew and became flustered. When she saw Annabeth she gasped.

"How amazing!" She cried. "I haven't seen a demigod daughter of Athena for aeons," She took a step forward and extended her hand as if to touch Annabeth then snatched her hand away, cradling it to her chest as if she'd been burned. "I-I'm dreadfully sorry." She stuttered.

Lucy chuckled softly. "Rose, no need to be bashful."

Rose looked cautiously at Annabeth and walked towards her slowly as if afraid Annabeth was a terrified kitten, ready to bolt. Annabeth friendlily held out her hand and Rose grasped it gently with one hand then cupped it with the other and held it to her heart. When she saw Annabeth's creeped out expression she hastily let go and backed up a few steps.

Percy looked at Annabeth as if to ask: What is this crazy girl doing?

Annabeth just shrugged.

"M-my apologize," Stuttered the Blonde who Percy assumed was Ellie. "We have not seen a daughter of Athena for... a while..."

"What were you talking about earlier about your mother?" Annabeth asked. She gripped Percy's hand as if frightened these girls were going to do even crazier things like start pinching her cheeks. Percy tried not to laugh at that image and Annabeth stamped on his foot, obviously picking up on his thoughts.

Ellie looked down. "Our mother was Métis."

"Matches?"Percy asked. "Was she the goddess of fire?"

Annabeth kicked him in the shin.

That does hurt you know? He thought sarcastically in his mind.

Percy, this is a touchy subject, Métis was Athena's mother.

"The one who Athena popped out of her head?" Percy asked.

"No that was Zeus, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth rolled her eyes. She looked back at the girls. "Why have you never seen Athena children before?"

Ellie played with her plait. "When Zeus found out Métis had children before Athena he was afraid we would be more powerful demigods then his demigod children, so... he killed all our siblings then when he saw how peaceful we were he cursed us by never being able to see our nephews and nieces," Ellie gestured to Annabeth.

"And," Rose continued. "We could never conceive, we were cursed with a life without children, no little children to raise and protect like everyone dreams, no real life."

Lucy continued. "This is why a few of the soldiers are afraid of the girls, they hear myths, or better yet rumours, of how the girls wails of agony pierce the night and send people into madness."

The girls nodded sadly.

"We joined Lucy when we met her." Rose said.

"We have been with her longer than we can remember, we've swore revenge on Zeus,"

"And we will help Lucy till our last breath; there is no one who hates Zeus more than us."

Percy stared at them. He couldn't understand how these two girls had been so unlucky. What had they ever done to Zeus? These were loyal companion's not bloodthirsty killers.

Sophia coughed, looking at her lap, obviously ashamed for looking at the girls with distaste earlier. "Perhaps we should tell them why we're here."

Lucy nodded. She informed Rose and Ellie on the events and Percy didn't miss how their eyes went hollow and their lips transformed into snarls. Like Lucy, they instantly formed a hatred to Jason. But Percy also saw how their expressions went mournful and something else. There was a reason Lucy had asked them for help.

Had something like this happened before?

"We will help." Rose said finally. She looked at Ellie and they seemed to share a look of utter fear.

"But," Ellie continued. "It may not be as easy as... before."

Lucy seemed to expect this. She nodded and leaned forward in her chair, calculatingly.

"You know why I picked you." It was more of a statement than a question.

The girls exchanged mournful smiles, and then nodded.

Lucy looked to us. "As you may have guessed, this has happened before. These two were once in my best ever Sector. The Foxy Sector. They are still my best soldiers. They are just never actually here they are always working."

The two girls grinned.

Annabeth lifted an eyebrow. "What about the third member?" She asked. "You said you always arrange Sectors is threes. Who's the third?"

Lucy looked at the two girls and shared a grin then looked at Sophia and lifted a suggestive eyebrow.

Sophia went very pale.

"Oh no!" She said. "NO!" She Protested. "No, no, no, did I mention... NO! Not her, anyone but her!"

"Who?" Leo asked.

Lucy grinned. "Oh just an old friend. I think it's time you met the Commander of the Foxy Sector."

She stood from her throne grinning wickedly.

"Come my lovelies, it's time for you to meet Eliza Hodgson."

If you like Lucy, you'll LOVE Kalika Valdez in

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