A/N: So, been a LONG while. Ask my boyfriend (PercyJacksonFanDTS); life has been busy. I just graduated from high school (WHOO!), and everything's been kinda…ick. Anyway, despite the drama, I have finally returned! Enjoy this chapter. It was WAY overdue.

Chapter 11

A Den of Snakes

If it could be believed, Percy and his team walked away from the bus, which held…well, furious Furies. I marveled at their idiocy, and at their luck. It wasn't every day that a demigod defeated two of the Erinyes and kept the other angered enough to lament their bad fortune on a buss.

In fact, I'm rather sure this was the only case of it. Not for long, for the children of Ares would soon be attempting the same feat, just to say they'd done it. They were stupid like that all the time, I believed.

"Three Kindly Ones. All three at once," the shadows reported in Grover Underwood's voice. I questioned Father's judgment as well. Although Percy Jackson had managed a lucky swing or two with Anasklumos, a sword I was quite familiar with, sending all three of the Erinyes after one demigod made the lord of the Underworld appear quite desperate. He probably was, and rightfully so.

"Come on!" the shadows urged in Annabeth's voice, "The farther away we get, the better."

"All our money was back there. Our food and clothes. Everything." Percy's voice betrayed his shock.

"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight—"

"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?"

"You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would have been fine." Through this and other comments I had heard from her in the past, I came to the conclusion that the daughter of Athena held the fatal flaw of Hubris.

"Sliced like sandwich bread, but fine," the satyr replied. I agreed, pushing back my rain-soaked bangs. Walking in the rain led to a distinctly sullen mood in even my own group, and the one that stuck out the most was the quiet, reserved Jolt. His gaze was intense, roaming the forest.

"Shut up, goat boy."

"Tin cans," Grover brayed mournfully, "a perfectly good bag of tin cans."

You are using the shadows too much. Those bound to shadow may grow suspicious. A few are asking of your whereabouts already,a smooth, purring voice warned. As of yet, few in the Underworld, let alone those on Olympus, know of your presence in the mortal world. To get to me, they may attempt to harm you. I have many enemies, especially those above us, theoretically safe on the mountain. My father's voice paused, but his presence remained. It was a contemplative silence, as if he was making a decision, so I stopped. I believed I had been slow in stopping, but I may have been abrupt. Blaine walked right into my back and Jolt stopped directly next to me. A feeling of being surrounded by shadow created darkness in my vision, isolating me from the outside world. The voice of my father grew cold, and a shiver ran down my spine. A shiver of fear. My true father spoke.

Remain aware of your powers at all times, lest those not in favor of me or the Underworld hunt you down. I cannot help you if that would happen. This is your mission to decide the best course on. Stay away from attention and pick your battles.

With a nod from me, that presence disappeared. Listening to my surroundings, I heard movement up ahead and resumed my walking.

"Hey, what happened?" Blaine asked, trotting for a moment until he caught up with the pace that Jolt and I had taken.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned, not quite sure what the satyr meant. I stopped, pausing for him to explain himself.

"There was some really powerful aura around you, and I couldn't get near you! You zoned out, too!"

"Ah," I replied, trying not to care, but the last thing I wanted to do was admit my father's name. Jolt stopped, looking at me, and I was only slightly surprised that he was still silent. As I said, I tried not to care. Especially when it came to demigods. Mortal drama was far too difficult to keep up with, despite the things my father would watch when he got bored with little to do (quite a rare occurrence, you would think).

"What happened?" Blaine asked, and I sighed, stopping a few paces ahead of Jolt.

"I merely had a conversation with my father. That is all," she said, looking at Blaine. He blinked.

"Wait…you know your father? I assume he's a god…Why hasn't he claimed you if you two are so close?"

"It's…complicated," I offered in response. I resumed walking, and noted that Jolt's lips had twitched as if he was smirking now. This annoyed me, because he had a constant demeanor of being better somehow. It was how he came off with that smug smile.

I heard nothing up ahead and quickly used a flash of shadow power to be sure that I was still on the right path, and I was indeed. I walked quickly, and Jolt walked with me easily, thanks to his longer strides. Blaine was back to a slow trot to keep up and not lose me. I continued to walk until it got a little brighter, and I stopped at the tree line. I saw that Percy, Annabeth, and Grover had continued walking. There were some neon colors, and I tilted my head as I looked from the trees. Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium. Interesting. I glanced at Jolt and Blaine, and Jolt's brows were knit. I tilted my head, then realized that he must be a demigod, with dyslexia. "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium," I mused. "Sounds like a good cover story for…something."

The name was familiar to me, and I didn't know why.

Because you don't remember your studies that Father wishes you would work hard at, twit. I ignored this comment from my other half. She had a tendency to chime in quite rudely.

At the moment, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover were crossing a deserted two-lane road, heading for the Emporium. I noted an abandoned gas station and wondered how there could still be open business. My nose picked up a greasy smell, as though something was cooking, and I felt ill immediately. Meat. I hated meat. If you saw those things in the Underworld after they had been killed for their flesh, you wouldn't want that either!

The other three had stopped at the door, and it was opening. There was a tall woman who dressed in a style rather reminiscent of the Arabs. I stayed to the trees, watching and waiting. Finally, they walked inside, and the door was shut. I snorted and walked forward, crossing the street quickly.

Jolt followed, along with Blaine. "Chrysanthe," Jolt said to get my attention, and I looked at him. "Are we really going to sneak in there?"

"Likely," I replied. He peeked at me over his sunglasses, and I glared in return. "If you don't want to, stay behind." I looked around as my feet touched the grass on the other side, tilting my head slightly at the statues. They were all very well crafted, and almost looked…real. Looking at a satyr, I saw Blaine shiver as he passed it. "Let's go around to the back," I said, trying to grasp why this entire location made my stomach form a cold, hard knot.

Jolt pulled down his sunglasses to look at the statues over them. He seemed just as unsettled as I. Going into the back, I saw nymphs, and what seemed to be a collection of horror-based statues, as they all had such a fearful expression. The realization hit me quickly, and my other side made some rude comment that I didn't pay attention to.

There was a creak from the front door, and I spun around, going to the edge of the building warily and looking at a park bench. Ducking behind one of the statues, I concealed myself as Percy, Annabeth, and Grover sat on the bench. Jolt was behind another statue, and Blaine was in a bush right now. The demigod looked at me, and I returned his gaze before I resumed focus on the three I was tailing.

"Now," the woman was saying, "I'll just position you correctly. The young girl in the middle, I think, and the two young gentlemen on either side."

"Not much light for a photo," Percy said, and I noted that he sounded laced, as if with a drug of some type.

"Oh, enough. Enough for us to see each other, yes?"

Jolt looked at me, and I mouthed the name that I was rather concerned this may be. Medusa. The gorgon was dangerous, even in Tartarus, let alone up here around mortals.

"Where's your camera?" Grover asked. Had she offered to take a picture? Well, if Annabeth wasn't arguing this, I was tempted to argue just how much she takes after her mother.

Medusa—I was sure of it!—stepped back from them, chastising them for not paying attention. As it was, I turned my back, and so did Jolt. From my pocket, I produced a looking glass that I sometimes used to channel my powers as an exercise. In the reflection, I could see Medusa reaching to take off the things covering her head. Jolt pulled his sunglasses off, using those to see.

In the mirror, I could see Medusa step back. "Now, the face is the most difficult. Can you smile for me please, everyone? A large smile?"

"That sure does look like Uncle Ferdinand," Grover put in, looking at a statue. Blaine bleated nervously, kicking his legs that were sticking out from the bush. He went unnoticed, thankfully.

"Grover, look this way, dear," Medusa chastised.

"Percy," Annabeth said to get his attention in warning.

"I will just be a moment," Medusa said. "You know, I can't see you very well in this cursed veil…" Her hands reached up to undo the wrap.

"Percy, something's wrong," Annabeth insisted.

"Wrong?" Medusa questioned. "Not at all, dear. I have such noble company tonight. What could be wrong?"

"That is Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover exclaimed.

"Look away from her!" Annabeth yelled, and she pulled on her hat, which seemed to make her invisible. Grover and Percy dove to the ground, Grover immediately scrambling away. Percy stayed still, and I rolled my eyes. Percy's head picked up, as if to look up at Medusa. The wrap fell away, and grotesque green snakes were hissing and spitting at the demigod. They grew from her head, as she was the gorgon cursed by Athena for having an affair with Poseidon in one of her temples. "No! Don't!" Annabeth yelled at Percy, and he stopped moving to look higher.

"Run!" Grover yelled. I wasn't sure what he yelled next, but he took off flying. I noticed that his shoes had wings and remembered something that Luke had mentioned about giving his flying shoes to Percy. Well…that must not have worked properly.

"Such a pity to destroy a handsome young face," Medusa said. "Stay with me, Percy. All you have to do is look up." Well, the gorgons were stupid, in my opinion. Would someone fall for such a simple hoax? But Percy seemed to be thinking. "The Gray-Eyed One did this to me, Percy," Medusa finally said, and I continued to watch in the looking glass, shifting to be facing the monster, but still not looking. Jolt didn't mimic my movement this time. "Annabeth's mother, the cursed Athena, turned me from a beautiful woman into this."

"Don't listen to her! Run, Percy!" Quite a hypocrite, if you ask me.

"Silence!" Medusa exclaimed, her voice monstrous and snake-like. It returned to the calm purr it had been before. "You see why I must destroy the girl, Percy. She is my enemy's daughter. I shall crush her statue to dust. But you, dear Percy, you need not suffer." Percy muttered something that I couldn't pick up.

"Do you really want to help the gods?" Medusa asked, and I paused from my crouch that was ready to pounce into action. "Do you understand what awaits you on this foolish quest, Percy? What will happen if you reach the Underworld? Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue. Less pain. Less pain." A tremor ran through my body, and I lowered the looking glass, sitting back. The Olympians could have their hero. I wouldn't help. He would have to work alone.

"Percy!" Grover yelled, "Duck!" I watched the long shadows on the ground, seeing that Grover was flying with a large antler…no, a tree branch. "Duck! I'll get her!"

Thwack!

The branch must have connected.

"You miserable satyr!" Medusa snarled, "I'll add you to my collection!"

"That was for Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover yelled back.

Ker-whack!

"Arrgh!" Medusa yelled.

"Percy!" I heard Annabeth say, quietly, and a shadow showed Percy jump in reaction. I couldn't hear their conversation, though their voices were urgent, and Percy was very panicky.

"Hey, guys! I think she's unconscious!" Grover yelled from above.

"Roooaaarrr!"

"Maybe not," Grover replied. His shadow dived again. Percy's shadow uncapped Riptide and it became its true form. Grover went in for another hit, but Medusa grabbed the stick and pulled, moving him off balance. He crashed into a statue. "Ummphh!"

"Hey!" Percy yelled, and I saw his shadow advance on a snake-headed statue.

"You wouldn't harm an old woman, Percy. I know you wouldn't," Medusa crooned. His shadow hesitated, head slightly bowed.

"Percy, don't listen to her!" Grover put in.

"Too late!" Medusa cackled, lunging at Percy. Percy slashed with his sword.

Schlock!

The monster's shadow disintegrated, except for her head, and it fell to the ground. I waited for something to happen as it gurgled and steamed. "Oh, yuck," Grover said. "Mega-yuck." Annabeth approached and said something quietly. She was holding something fabric.

"Are you okay?" she asked Percy.

"Yeah," Percy said. "Why didn't…why didn't the head evaporate?"

"Once you sever it, it becomes a spoil of war. Same as your minotaur horn. But don't unwrap the head. It can still petrify you." Assuming they were done, I shifted, making my way behind a taller statue and looking at them. Grover had just approached, and I was close enough to hear. Jolt was staring at the sky, seemingly thinking, and Blaine had finally gotten out of the bush.

"So, we have Athena to thank for this monster?" Percy asked.

"Your dad, actually. Don't you remember? Medusa was Poseidon's girlfriend. They decided to meet in my mother's temple. That's why Athena turned her into a monster. Medusa and her two sisters who had helped her get into the temple, they became the three gorgons. That's why Medusa wanted to slice me up, but she wanted to preserve you as a nice statue. She's still sweet on your dad. You probably reminded her of him."

"Oh, so now it's my fault we met Medusa."

"'It's just a photo, Annabeth,'" the girl said in a bad mockery of his voice. "'What's the harm?'"

"Forget it. You're impossible."

"You're insufferable."

"You're—"

"Hey! You two are giving me a migraine, and satyrs don't even get migraines. What are we going to do with the head?

By this time, they had wandered inside, put the head in a bag, and were talking. I was the only one listening, using the shadows despite my father's warning.

"I'll be back," Percy said.

"Percy," Annabeth called, "What are you—?"

There was a push of shadow energy, and I backed away from the conversation, understanding the warning. I looked at Jolt and Blaine. "I am not sure what they will do tonight," I admitted. Jolt snapped out of whatever world he was in and looked at me. Blaine as well. "We will wait for them," I said, mind on the words that had come from Medusa's mouth. I knew the lie behind her words, but they stuck in my mind.

Nothing bothered me as much as those words, which repeated over and over for me to reflect on.