XIX

PANDA

She disappeared in a flash, leaving me standing alone in the small clearing. I felt better after yelling at her, but my heart was still tearing into pieces. I sat down on one of the piles of rocks and let my head fall into my hands. I started bawling, letting everything I had bottled up out. I gripped my hair as my throat tightened with every sob. Tears streamed down my cheeks and fell on my lips, tasting like acid. I don't know how long I cried, but when my body couldn't cry anymore, I fell into an uneven breathing, my body shuddering every now and again. I took a deep breath.

"Mom, wherever you are, I want you to know I'm going to fix this," I whispered. "I'll go through hell and back for you… I promise."

I touched my necklace, feeling the different charms hanging from the leather cord. I twisted Planaxis in my fingers. It was glowing dark blue with black swirls. I wanted revenge on Athena, but I knew that wouldn't get me anywhere. I had to fix this, not make it worse. I breathed softly, calming myself. I tried to release my demons; Ryder, Spyridon, Mom… I missed them and I hated myself for letting something happen to them, but I couldn't wallow in my past. Athena would play on my pain and if I let her… she wins.

"Spyridon, I'm so sorry I failed you. But I'm going- I'm going to make things right. Somehow," I said remembering the battle that took his life. I exhaled. Then I closed my eyes to face my biggest demon.

"Ryder, I don't know if you can hear me," I said, a lump forming in my throat. "But I'm sorry. I never told you how I felt and I shouldn't have waited. I hope you're happy where you are and I'll never forget you. And I'll never love someone as much as I loved you," I whispered. I kept my eyes closed for a little longer, remembering his angelic face, his messy hair, his beautiful black wings and crooked smile, the way he mumbled in his sleep and caught me when I fell, the way he always saw right through me and the warmness in his eyes. "I love you." As if in response, the strong smell of chocolate coasted on the wind. I felt something, as light as a feather, touch my shoulder and my heart lurched as a sound, so soft I could barely make it out, kissed my ear. I love you too. I opened my eyes, but when I looked around I couldn't see anything. I stood up. The smell of chocolates lingered and the leaves rustled around me. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I could run forever.

Maybe half the world was against me and maybe I'm some kind of mistake, but someone had still dared to love me. And had given up their life for me. If they could sacrifice their life for one person, I sure as hell can sacrifice myself if I have to for the entire world. I knew this wouldn't be the last time I cried over them, but it'll be the last time Athena will ever use them against me.

I walked back through the trees, back to where I had left Percy and Nico and Dad. I emerged from the small forest to see Percy and Nico sitting on the grass; my father nowhere to be seen.

They jumped up as I came out. Percy's eyes were slightly red, but he looked stronger than ever.

"Panda, what happened?" Percy asked first. I decided it was best to keep my encounter with Athena and my outburst a secret, at least for now.

"Nothing, I just needed some time," I said, hoping that was good enough for them.

"What do you want to do now?" Nico asked.

"Same as before. We're going to Hecate."

The sky was crowded with grey clouds, threatening to pour on us. We had evaded Laelaps once more and I decided the best way to escape him for a while was to take a train. I wanted to get to Pennsylvania as fast as I possibly could.

"Train number three, now boarding," the speaker echoed through the station. We shouldered our bags and waited for our turn to board.

"Hope we don't go through another snakes on a train again," Percy commented as we walked into the train and looked for a place to sit.

"Well don't jinx it," I said, as I chucked my bag onto a bench seat and slid in. Nico came in next to me and Percy sat across from us.

"How long is this ride?" Nico asked, as he peered around me and out the small window. I shuffled my feet.

"About 5 hours," I answered.

"Wow, shorter than most of our trips," Nico said cheerfully as he put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. I looked at Percy and he was spinning Riptide between his fingers.

"You all right?" I asked. He pursed his lips, as if thinking if he should spill.

"We almost died on a train. It's too confined, too small; we're cornered. This one is much more compact than Amtrack. I'm just worried we'll get attacked and not be able to protect ourselves right," he said. I shared his concern, but what else could we do? The train was a non-stop moving object. Laelaps would gain on us every time the bus stopped to pick up new passengers. I patted his knee.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." He studied me and it looked like he wanted to ask me something, but he stayed quiet and looked out the window. After about twenty minutes, the train took off and Nico was fast asleep. Percy had his head leaned against the window as he stared outside. We were silent for about three hours. And we could've gone longer but on of the soft turns of the railroad tracks, Nico slid, his head jerked and jumped up, screaming "unicycle". He shook his head and looked at me.

"Are we there yet?"

"Nope," I replied, throwing my thumb towards the window. He moaned, as if he wanted to have slept the entire way. I was about to ask Percy something with I heard the softest hiss. I did a 360 around the train, but I couldn't see anything. As soon as I turned my attention back out the window, I heard it again. I leaned into Nico.

"Do you hear that?" I asked quietly. He looked at me.

"Hear what?"

"Nothing, never mind," I said, as I sat up started playing with my necklace. A minute later, I heard the same sound again. I know I'm not making this up. I scanned the train and my blood stopped cold when my gaze landed on a woman who was probably in her fifties, wearing a black turban, a black dress and black sunglasses. Keeping my eyes locked on her, I kicked Percy in the shin.

"Ow, what is it?" he complained. I softly tipped my head in her direction and after a few seconds of confusion, he followed my gaze and his hand instantly tightened on his backpack. The woman turned to look at us and she smiled. She reached up for her glasses. No way I'm going out this way. A woman was walking by and I jumped up, almost flying over Nico and grabbed her arm.

"I'm sorry, but I was wondering if you could show me where there's a bathroom," I said sweetly, refusing to look at the woman in her turban. The woman looked startled.

"Why, ye-yes. It's this way," she said, pointing at the next railcar. I smiled and gestured for Percy and Nico to follow me as we made our way to the next car.

"Do you have a mirror? I lost mine and I think I'm a little shiny," I said, as nonchalantly and honest as I could.

"Yes," the woman said skeptically as she reached into her purse. She handed me a round cream-colored powder box.

"Thanks!" I said, as I pulled it up and pretended to fix my non-existent make-up. In the corner of the mirror, I could see the woman slowly making her way to our cart. She was following us. But instead of pretending she was an innocent bystander, she burst the door open, clueing us in that we were on to her. The door flew over our heads as we ducked, but the woman I'd spoken to was not as lucky. She was thrown across the room a thin line of blood flowing down her temple.

"I'M BACK!" the woman sang evilly.

"Don't look!" Percy yelled as he covered Nico's eyes. They tumbled to the floor as she walked in.

"Don't you want to see me?" the woman pouted.

"Not in a million years!" Percy yelled, as he shooed Nico up and we broke for the next cart.

"Who is that?" Nico yelled.

"MEDUSA!" Percy and I yelled at the same time. Nico's eyes opened wide.

"Is there any monster not out for you?!" Nico yelled as we jumped into another cart.

"Very funny!" I yelled back.

"Come here my pretties. I want to take a photo of you! So I can always remember you!" Medusa's voice said as she lumbered after us. I checked the mirror again. She had taken off her small turban and now her head was a writhing mass of snakes.

"Up!" I yelled, as I burst through one of the doors and swung onto the ladder next to it. You're probably thinking I'm crazy, because last time that happened, I was thrown into a 500 foot chasm of death, but what else could I do? I heard Nico and Percy scrambling after me as I flopped onto the top of the train. The train was passing through fields of farms as it made its way to Pennsylvania.

We huddled in the center of the railcar and prepared our weapons. Percy was looking through Riptide's reflection and Nico was using his watch.

"I have a new and improved camera!" Medusa's voice yelled proudly. "Oh Percy Jackson, let me photograph you! You're so handsome!"

I felt Percy shudder next to me. I heard Medusa jump onto the top and walk towards us. Percy gave a battle cry and swung, giving a nasty cut on Medusa's arm. She hissed.

"That wasn't very nice!" she said, as she kicked him in the chest and he skidded across the floor. Closing my eyes, I swung Planaxis, hoping my calculations were correct and struck her on the side of the head while Nico slashed at her shin. She let out a piercing scream and I felt her hand tighten around my arm.

"You can fight better when you can see," she hissed in my ear before she threw me to the floor, my ankle spraining as I fell. I looked in the mirror to see Nico slashing blindly at her with blood rolling down his cheek. Percy was already up. I stared in relief and horror as Percy swung at her head. But an instant before it struck, Medusa caught his arm and twisted. Percy cried out in pain as I heard the terrifying crunch of his bone snapping.

"Percy!" I yelled, as I painfully jumped to catch him before his head slammed against the floor. Medusa laughed, but it suddenly turned into a terrible gurgling sound. I heard something hit the ground and I knew what had happened. With a gasp, I covered Percy's face as Medusa's decapitated head rolled by and off the train.

"It's all right," Nico panted. "She's dead." I sat up and Percy winced as I accidentally touched his arm.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, as I softly touched his arm. I glanced at Nico. Without needing to ask, he nodded and left to find something to be used as a splint.

"Does anything else hurt?" I asked, as I tried to feel for the break in his forearm.

"Nope," he moaned, as he stared at the sky. "I'm fine."

"Uh-huh," I said as I found the break.

"On three," I said. "One –" CRACK!

"O-oo-o-o-ooo-OW!" Percy complained. "What happened to two?!"

"Hurts less when you don't expect it," I explained and not even Medusa's glare could defeat the one Percy was giving me right now. I shrugged. Nico came back with a butter knife and one of those fancy red napkins.

"Thanks," I said, as Nico held the knife and I tied the napkin around it.

"Come on big boy," I said, as I helped him get up. After five minutes of Percy awkwardly climbing down and checking on the unconscious woman (and placing the mirror back in her purse) we made our way back to our old seats.

"I would've preferred any other monster," Percy complained as we sat down. I nodded my agreement. I looked out the window and saw buildings, we must've hit town now.

I inwardly sighed. I was itching of reaching Hecate already. Why was it taking so long? I was tired of keeping Percy and Nico in the crosshairs in the war the gods have against me. I would've kicked them out a long time ago, but they were too stubborn to leave. It killed me a little more inside every time they got hurt because of me. One of us is going to come out of this alive, Athena. I'm prepared for whatever you have in store for me.

We'll see, Pandora.

Okay, so tell me what you guys think about this chapter! I tried to keep her in character but have a sudden breakthrough, so hopefully I achieved that :P Hope you guys had/having a nice weekend!