Ch21

Percy watched his older brother pace back and forward with a tense look on his face. "So is this Circe lady that much trouble?"

Chrysaor frowned and looked at the sea in the distance. "She is a tricky opponent. I've had many dealings with her, we'll have to proceed with extreme caution."

He looked at Tyson who was looking through a telescope. "Well as much as I dislike her I would like to see if Clarisse landed somewhere. I wouldn't want to just let her rot here."

Chrysaor sighed. "Fine. To be honest I was thinking of a way to take out Polyphemus, Circe is one powerful sorceress she could have something that could be useful for us."

"Sounds good," he said looking at the resort in the distance. "Well just be careful and take what we need and leave if we can't find Clarisse."

"I'll take the cap," Chris said. "She'll immediately know we are here once the ship docks and may imprison us or try to kill us."

"Got it," he said handing his brother the cap.

"Don't drink anything she gives you unless you want to turn into a guinea pig," Chris said looking at him through his dark glasses. "Remember despite her appearance she is very dangerous."

He nodded. "Got it." Great now we have to deal with a witch. A part of him was curious about Ancient Greek magic but from what Chrysaor told him he didn't want to get that close to Circe.

"Circe has ears all over the place. Word of my punishment may have reached her," Chris said staring out into the ocean. The sight of an island with many ships on it came into the distance along with a sign that said CCC Spa and Resort. "Just pretend you are my crewmember and need a potion to recover my immortality."

"Got it," he said before turning to Tyson. "Tyson watch over the ship while we are gone ok?"

Tyson saluted him. "Ok Percy. Be safe brothers."

With that Chrysaor put on the hat and turned invisible. Alright it's now or never. Taking a deep breath his stomach turned as the ship pulled into the dock. I got this. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he slowly got off the boat.

"I'll be right back Tyson look after the boat for us ok?" He said.

Tyson smiled at him and nodded. "Be safe Percy."

He nodded. His hands began to sweat as he got onto the dock and was approached by a group of girls. "Hello are you with Sir Chrysaor's crew?" A Latina girl asked.

"She is a favorite be careful," Chrysaor whispered in his ear.

He nodded his heart pounding in his chest. "I have a message for Circe from him. Can you take me to her?" His voice was firm, almost commanding as he looked the girl in the eyes. Be strong. I have to be strong.

The girl exchanged a look with her coworkers. "I see. Well, I am Hylla please come with me. We'll treat any friend of Chrysaor with due diligence."

He nodded. Gripping Riptide in his pocket he walked next to Hylla noticing her colleagues forming a circle around him eyeing him cautiously. Ok great. Well if they had dealing with Chrysaor they would naturally be cautious. His mind was racing through various scenarios that could happen, none of the girls had weapons that he could see but he wasn't going to take any chances.

He was led to a woman with short dark hair and a nice tan. "Lady Circe Chrysaor has sent a messenger," Hylla said with a bow.

Circe turned to him and smiled. "Chrysaor? I heard that he got into some trouble. Come why don't we discuss it." Her voice was soft and feigned interest as if hearing some interesting gossip.

"Uh thank you," he said scratching his head.

Circe smiled at him, she was accompanied by another Latina girl around his age who Hylla gave a cautious look to as if warning her to be careful. The way the two girls stood close to each other he could tell they had a close relationship and were possibly family.

"So let me guess Chrysaor wants his immortality back and sent you to get it?" Circe said as he was led inside a room full of caged guinea pigs. Circe dismissed her maids with the exception of Hylla and the other girl.

His legs, he forced himself to look Circe in the eyes and nod. "Y-Yeah. He is facing various issues. If there is any way you could help that would be nice. He could really use the help."

He forced a smile as Circe looked him up and down. "I see," she said with a smile. "Well I think I have the perfect thing for him." She looked him over up and down. "But you know I bet you could be a hero too, how about I give you a present too?"

Swallowing a lump in his throat he nodded. "S-Sure. Whatever could help the boss if you know what I mean." He laughed nervously and Circe smiled. Great she is going to try and turn me into one of those guinea pigs.

"I'll be right back," Circe said. "My attendants here will watch over you."

Circe smiled at him and left the room. He noticed how Hylla and the other girl eyed him carefully and blocked the exit. They don't look like fighters. Looking at them from the corner of his eye he noticed Hylla whisper something to the other girl in Spanish.

He didn't know what they were saying but he could feel his brother's arm on his shoulder. "Don't worry they aren't trained," his brother whispered softly.

Before he could respond the door opened and Circe came in with a bowl in her hands. "Now then before I give you Chrysaor's potion here is one for yourself," she said with a smile.

She placed a bowl in front of him, his brother's grip tighten around his shoulder as he looked down into the bowl. He saw an image of himself, more heroic and muscular grinning back at him. "I-It's me," he muttered slowly losing himself in the image.

Circe nodded. "It will be. Now then why don't you drink it so you can be as strong as Chrysaor."

He nodded looking at the confident gaze peering at him from the bowl. He slowly gripped it but felt Chrysaor's hand on his shoulder bringing him back to reality.

"What's wrong?" Circe asked. She opened her mouth but no words came out.

The bowl was quickly taken from his hands. "Restrain the attendants!" Chrysaor yelled appearing from behind him.

His mind quickly snapped back into reality. Chrysaor appeared in front of him his glasses off as he ran at Circe with the bowl of potion in his hands.

"My lady!" Hylla yelled running at his brother.

Can't freeze up now. He lunged at her, pushing her backward he grabbed her wrist and through her to the ground. Drawing Riptide he quickly pointed it at her throat as the other girl glared at him.

"Reyna no," Hylla said looking at the other girl whose fists were shaking.

He heard Circe choke. Turning around he saw his brother force the potion down her throat. Her form then changed, it got smaller and shrunk down to the size of a guinea pig.

"Mission accomplished," Chris said as he put his glasses on and gripped Circe tightly before putting her in a cage. "I'll get some more potion. Keep those girls occupied we can't be here for much longer."

"Got it," he said pointing his sword at Hylla's throat.

Hylla glared at him. He was about to say something when he noticed the other girl Reyna from the corner of his eyes gripping a rod.

"Oh no you don't!" He quickly blocked it and kicked her to the ground.

Hylla took the opportunity to bolt for where Circe was. "Damn it," he swore.

He lunged at her, tackling her to the ground he pulled her hair back and placed Riptide to her throat. "Don't move or else," He said threateningly. He really wasn't going to kill her but he put enough threat in it to make Reyna freeze. "I'll do it. Chrysaor trained me himself!" He could feel Hylla's body tense up against his blade while Reyna glared at him her fists clenched.

"Reyna no," Hylla said shaking her head. "Demigod please. Don't harm she didn't do anything wrong, it was all me."

"Hylla," Reyna said looking at the girl in shock.

He stared at Hylla in surprise. "You tried to turn me into a guinea pig and turned countless other people here." Looking around at all the cages of guinea pigs he wasn't that sympathetic knowing what would've happened to him.

"Please," Hylla begged. "It was me. Reyna she didn't do anything."

He was taken aback by the sincerity in her voice, he could tell she was a girl who had a hard life that he could easily end with Riptide at her throat but instead she was begging for this other girl.

"We are demigods too," Hylla said quickly. "You know what its like to survive. This was the only place we had. Please if you want to hurt fine but not Reyna she never did anything wrong. Please she is my sister, she is all I have." He could hear the emotion in her voice and felt the way her body shook underneath him. She is telling the truth

The words hit him, he knew that it wasn't easy being a demigod. Luke and Annabeth were on the run and ended up going against the gods. Looking at Reyna he could see a mixture of emotions, mainly fear and anger that came with knowing a loved one could die any moment. I won't let that happen again.

Before he could respond Chrysaor came in with a large flask of potion which he put in his bag. "Alright lets get going," his brother said as he gripped Circe cage in his hands.

"Hey um I was wondering if we could take them with us?" He said indicating to Hylla and Reyna.

Chrysaor frowned. "They were Circe's attendants, it wouldn't be wise."

"I know but they are demigods," he said feeling a lump in his throat. "This is all they knew. They could be safe at camp and make their own lives there."

Reyna and Hylla were silent as Chrysaor stepped forward and looked at them both. "If you insist fine. But only if you both swear on the Styx to not betray us, impede our efforts to get the fleece or free Circe here." His brother held up Circe who was protesting in her box. "Then I swear on the Styx that I'll give you safe passage to camp once this quest is done."

Hylla and Reyna exchanged a look. Hylla sighed. "Fine I Hylla Ramirez Arellano swear on those conditions to never betray you both, impede your quest or free Circe."

Reyna frowned but nodded and said a familiar oath. Thundered rumbled in the air as he and Chrysaor swore not to harm them and give them safe passage back to camp.

"Alright now funny business," Chrysaor said. "Percy lets set these men free with those gummies."

"Got it," he said as he removed Riptide from Hylla's throat.

"Thank you," Hylla said with a curtsy. "We'll do our best to not get in your way."

"Alright vamanos," Chrysaor said motioning for the girls to leave.

He nodded and quickly grabbed a bunch of gummies and poured them into the cages. As his brother told him they all quickly turned into men. Damn that could've been me. Shaking his head he quickly ran out of his room as he heard the confused men get angry and start to throw things around and trash the place.

Running outside he ran into Chrysaor and the two girls. "Come on lets go," Chrysaor said as they ran to his ship. "Those men want to destroy this place but they may also want my head."

"Good to know," he said as he heard screaming all around him.

They quickly made it back to his brother's ship. "Brothers it's safe!" Tyson said waving at them.

"CHRYSAOR!" Yelled a man from the crowd. Turning around he saw a pirate glaring at them.

"Get on board now!" Chrysaor yelled. "Sorry Blackbeard next time we can play." His brother quickly summoned a stream of water that hit the pirate do the ground as they quickly got on the ship. "Set sail immediately!"

His heart pounded in his chest as he rested on the side of the ship. Hylla and Reyna were resting on the floor of the deck. "Who are your parents?" Chrysaor asked as the ship sailed in the waters.

The two girls exchanged a look. "Bellona," Hylla said.

"Who?" He asked scratching his head. He hadn't heard of a goddess with that name, was it a minor goddess?

"I see," Chris said his face tense. "Well we are going to get the golden fleece. Soon we'll be going into the waters of the sirens, I suggest we all be careful."

The two girls nodded. "We will," Hylla said. "Thank you Chrysaor."

His brother nodded. He felt like there was something his brother wasn't telling him but he didn't say anything as his brother want below deck to put Circe's cage in a secure place.

"So where are you guys from?" He asked.

"Puerto Rico," Reyna said. "You?"

"New York," He said. "It's near Camp Half Blood. Don't worry I know you both will be safe there."

"I see," Reyna said. "So what is this camp like?"

"Oh its great I'm sure you'll both love it," he said. "You'll both be safe there." He smiled at them, they seemed alright.

The two girls exchanged a look just as his brother came up. "Alright you all of you listen up. We'll be entering the territory of the sirens, I suggest you all go down deck and cover your ears well unless you wish to swim with the fishes."

Hyllo nodded. "Alright we'll do as you say."

"Percy show them to one of the rooms downstairs. Take Tyson and make sure everyone is safe," Chris said.

"Alright. But what about you?" He asked.

"I've dealt with these waters before I can handle them," Chris said. "Now go!"

He looked at his brother nodded. "Alright be safe. Follow me," he said to Tyson and the girls. His brother's ship had various rooms, he gave the girls one room next to his and across from Tyson. "Alright just be careful."

"We will," Reyna said. "Don't worry we won't fall for any tricks."

He sighed and Turned to Tyson. "Be safe big guy. Don't do anything foolish ok?"

Tyson smiled at him and nodded. "I'll listen to you. Don't worry I won't listen to bad music."

He nodded and with that went to his room. Sitting on his bed he put his face in his hands. That was an adventure. He didn't know what to think of Hylla and Reyna but they seemed trustworthy and they swore on the Styx to not betray them. But still deep down he couldn't help but feel that they were different.

Bellona. Who is she? Resting his head on his pillow he wracked his mind on where he could've heard the name. I guess she is a minor deity after all. I'll ask Chiron when I can.

With a yawn he slowly drifted to sleep and found himself having another dream. He was back aboard the Princess Andromeda. Annabeth Chase was kneeling before the coffin, she looked so different from when he last saw her. For one she no longer had a tan and two her face looked irritated as if she hadn't slept in a while.

"Do not forget your mission," said a voice that sent shivers down his spine. "You are to slay Percy Jackson, any hesitation will be met with punishment."

Annabeth bowed. "I will not disappoint you Lord Kronos." Her voice was soft yet firm as she looked at the coffin with determination "I will do all things that you require of me."

He heard laughter from the coffin. A cold heartless laughter that caused him to wake up. Taking a few deep breaths he looked around the room. Annabeth Chase wants to kill me. Clenching his fists he felt Riptide in his pocket. I won't let her or Luke win. I'll defeat them this time.

AN: I believe the books mentioned that Chrysaor sold things to Circe. I decided to add Hylla and Reyna since I haven't seen a story where they join percy at the spa and thought it would be cool to add them.

If Hylla appeared weak it was because she knew that Percy and Chrysaor could kill her and Reyna if they wanted to.