Calypso
Calypso had been to Tyson's before.
Nothing had really changed. On both sides of the winding pathways drains ran with clear rain water from probably last night. Stalls and camps of wine of all colours covered the aisles completely. And rebels and their families of all ages teemed the streets.
Now that's new. There were barely any people the last time I visited with Percy.
Tyson was Percy's half brother and the sweetest guy on earth. Well... speaking of sweet guys...
Calypso chanced a peek to her left.
Leo stood gape mouthed and stared at all the stalls and people actually laughing.
"The people came seeking refuge after the attack on your camp."
Calypso's eyes widened.
"There was an attack on the compound?"
Argus grunted and started walking,
"Nobody at the compound was hurt but those who were partying..."
He gave Calypso a pointed look.
Calypso blushed and quickly looked away. It hadn't been her idea at first but after Annabeth had pleaded just a couple of times... she had relented and had gone along with her plans instead of trying to knock some sense into her. After all... Annabeth had been new and she hadn't been... new.
She sighed. She looked at Leo again who had grown uncharacteristically quiet. He was spinning around and gawking at the photo booths and the masonry shops.
Leo wanted Annabeth.
Even Percy had wanted Annabeth.
No!
Calypso shook her head and swallowed the bitter taste that had bubbled up on her tongue.
She couldn't possibly be jealous of Annabeth.
Maybe Leo was in love with her but not Percy. It was all in her head. She had somehow convinced herself that the way Percy had looked at Annabeth back in the compound was anything more than general curiosity.
After all who wouldn't be curious? Annabeth looked the part but refused to be a noble... and to be honest didn't really behave like that rotten lot either.
Her mind wandered to Percy.
She wondered how he was doing. Was he still suffering from momentary shocks? Was he well? Was he thinking of her too? Was he with Annabeth...?
"This place is just wow!"
Leo's big excited eyes found Calypso's glassy ones.
"Hello! Cally? I think we are... here?"
Calypso snapped back to the present and scowled at trees and bushes around her.
What was that?
"Don't call me Cally! And-"
She swirled towards Argus.
"This isn't Tyson's house! This is the middle of nowhere!"
She wildly gestured at the scanty grass and dust on which they were, overlooking the cheap wine street. Calypso knew that street sold cheap wine as ladies in harsh cotton smocks haggled endlessly back and forth with the keepers with exceptional vigour and passion.
Leo whistled beside her. His wild black hair curled against his forehead and somehow increased the striking quality of his brown eyes.
Calypso's heart fluttered.
Her cheeks stained red. She glared at him and quirked her eyebrow.
"What?"
He gave her his madman grin and squatted down and stuck his ear to the ground.
Calypso rolled her eyes.
"Really? What are you looking for? Secret trap doors?"
Leo knocked the ground and a hollow sound echoed back. He looked at her and grinned cockily,
"Exactly."
Before Calypso could come up with any ground breaking retort Argus grabbed on to Leo's neck and squeezed... hard.
"Who are you?"
Leo's eyes watered.
"Leonidas Valdez!"
Calypso grabbed Argus's free hand.
"Let him go Argus!"
Argus gave her a fleeting glance.
"How did you know about the trap door?"
By that time Leo had turned an alarming shade of blue. Calypso's eyes widened in panic and she started to hit Argus's hand, shoulder... where ever her tight little fists could reach.
"He can't speak! Let him go!"
A murderous glint flashed in Argus's eyes.
Calypso paled.
Suddenly she was fifteen again. Her father had decided to doll her up and take her on an exotic island... he had been a noble, one with a crashing bank account... and she's been his only daughter, albeit, illegitimate.
"Don't be afraid little Cally."
He had gestured towards the pot bellied surly man. Another noble.
Calypso had been all alone on that island. Her daddy had brought only her and a couple of servants who had been ordered to stay out of sight.
"He is a good friend of daddy's. He is going to take very good care of you my beautiful doll."
Calypso had trusted her father like a dumb child and had accepted the man's arm.
That was the only time she had failed to see the gleeful glint in her father's eyes and the murderous one in her ravisher's eyes.
The same look those soldiers had worn in the forest while they had helped themselves to her body and had left her on the forest floor barely covered, and shivering to death.
She started shaking.
People say that they get used to things which happen to them a lot.
But even after three years of her Father's little business on that lonely island she had felt like killing herself after Leo had found her.
She hadn't trusted him at first. The only boy who had been any different had been Percy. He had burned her prison and swooped her off to the compound where everybody had known about her lack of integrity. He had given her a separate island... not a prison, but a safe house close to the shore and the closest thing to his own.
Calypso had had to all her chores by herself... and she had never been happier. She had fallen in love with Percy.
But the one who had carried her all the way to the hospital and bunked his head against a door frame after hearing what had happened to her, who had tried to engage her in silly conversations... that boy was special to her and she was not going to fail him.
"I SAID STOP!"
Nobody else heard her over the wine bustle but Argus had. He dropped Leo who fell on the ground, clutching to his chest and coughing wildly.
She crouched beside him and put her arm around him.
"Are you alright?!"
Leo heaved and stuttered incoherently.
Calypso glared at Argus. Before she could snap at him he raised his hand defensively.
"You sweet on him Cal but he knows a secret."
He eyed Leo,
"Which he should not have known."
Leo sat up and took a deep breath.
"The streets... the wine, the people... are all a distraction."
Argus lifted his chin,
"And you know this because...?"
Leo shrugged, "I just did. I can make things... bunkers, couple of machines... this one made me feel bunkerish."
Calypso gaped at him. She's written him off as a silly love sick boy. Could there be more to him? More to his insistent search of the beautiful blonde girl that Calypso secretly and come to envy.
Argus gave Leo another long look then sighed,
"Are you sure we can trust him Cally?"
Calypso could tell Argus was a bit nervous. He thought that she was mad at him.
Only Argus had ever called her Cally. Actually he was the only one who she could bare calling her that. He had been her first friend and she couldn't stand to be angry with him.
She would have let Percy call her that too but he had never tried.
He had never tried to make you laugh like Leo constantly does.
No!
She pulled away from Leo.
My heart belongs to only Percy. He's the only one who had been able to light my soul, who made me feel clean and good about myself. I'll never love another.
Before she could smile at Argus to reassure him about Leo and ask him to lead the way to Tyson's a shrill cry pierced through the chatter.
Annabeth
Annabeth seemed to have the worst luck. The moment she turned the corner a wide eyed Kate stared at her.
"There you are! I thought I los-"
Annabeth turned around and ran.
"Wait! Why are you running?!"
Because I hate you, duh!
After looking for Amphitrite's tent and Amphitrite herself with no success she stopped and clutched her waist. Her breath came out in puffs. She coughed and looked around.
People stared at her as they passed by.
Tentatively she patted her head and checked for the shawl. It was on her head but slipping.
Annabeth pulled it down and covered her face... but she hadn't been fast enough.
"There she is!"
Before Annabeth could choose a direction to run sharp finger nails dug into her cheek. She startled back and stared at the raven haired beauty in front of her.
The girl was taller than her, with black pants and a loose purple men's stringed shirt.
Annabeth touched her cheek. She had been slapped.
She glanced towards her right and understood why.
Kate hung on to the raven haired girl's arm and sobbed.
Annabeth rolled her eyes.
Oh please...
"What's your problem?"
A thick and long braid swished past the girl's shoulder as she lifted her chin to look down on Annabeth.
"You filthy whore!"
Annabeth blinked, "Excuse me?"
The girl lifted her hand for another slap but this time Annabeth saw it coming. She caught the other girl's hand and gave her a hard look.
"Knock it off!"
She pointed at Kate,
"This girl is none of my business. She's been following me around against my will."
Reyna raised her eyebrow.
"And I should just... believe you?"
She eyed Annabeth's battered shawl draped all over her face
Annabeth cringed at the slow mocking words thrown at her. She looked around. People had started to gather around her. A woman was clutching on to her son and whispering to another one beside her.
Annabeth clutched her shawl and sidesteped Kate's new bodyguard.
"I don't have time for this"
The girl blocked her way with a single arm.
"You're going nowhere till you pay for how you seduced this poor woman's lover!"
Annabeth's eyes widened.
What the f-hell?
Her eyes strayed to Kate who was doing a good job of looking genuinely distraught.
But a small sly grin caught Annabeth's eyes.
That conniving little pi-
"Show your face!"
Annabeth hurriedly stumbled back.
The crowd was starting to agitate. Some of the hard washed white clothed women were giving her the evil eye.
And then her shawl was gone.
She gaped at the raven haired she devil. The other girl started at her with her piercing eyes. She ripped the poor delicate shawl and threw it at her feet.
Annabeth gulped and straightened to her full height. She just concentrated on Kate's smug look. That was at least not as bad as the hostility oozing off the crowd.
And then it happened.
"Noble witch!"
And then several stones came flying at her. Annabeth didn't even realize she'd started screaming till the skin at the back of her throat tore. Sharp agony blossomed all over her body. She didn't dare lift her face.
She hunched into a small ball with her face buried between her arms and knees and gritted her teeth.
I'm so sorry Percy. I couldn't help you... save you like you always saved me.
Blood started to trickle down her head. A huge stone hit the left side of her head and sent her sprawling to the ground. Hot angry tears mixed with salty blood as she fought to keep her eyes shut.
Annabeth wondered what a bloody sight she would become in couple of moments... all blood and bone and flesh.
The crowd was chanting for more blood and vengeance.
More stones hit Annabeth's back, knees, feet... and the back of her neck.
Slowly the blackness behind her eyelids began to envelop her. The fiery agony coursing through her body started to hum and fade.
Is this death?
Before she could finish her though she noticed that everything had grown too quiet.
With great effort she pried her eyes open and looked at the sweeping waves of caramel hair blowing in the light breeze.
She looked higher and was met with a pair of scared almond eyes.
"Annabeth baby!"
That was the last thing she heard before her vision tunnelled. She was strangely suspicious that Calypso had not uttered them.
But she knew the speaker.
I must be going to hell to hear that awful goddamned voice.
Piper
Piper looked at Leo hovering above Annabeth's head and sighed.
He had been at it for the last three hours.
Everyone had found the new albino guy strange.
Piper had found him funny and refreshing.
But she had not expected for Calypso to have a change of heart towards Annabeth.
Right then she was standing fifteen feet below ground in a maze of secret bunkers of the rebels. It was a tiny room and with dim lighting and grimy walls with no other source of light.
Argus had broken through the crowd of the angry mob. Calypso had quickly recognized Annabeth's ring and had asked Reyna to back off.
Reyna had seen red at the sight of Percy's actual wife and had nearly ripped Annabeth's head off... thankfully she had been unconscious.
But Leo hadn't been glad at all. He hadn't even noticed when Calypso, Argus and Will had slipped away from the room to lead a very moody Calypso to Tyson.
"At least her face looks fine."
Leo glared at Piper and then went back to hovering above Annabeth's head.
Piper sighed again,
"Will said she'll wake up soon. You can go."
Leo gave her another one of his deadly glares.
"You creeps don't even have a mattress!"
They had gathered some old sheets and rugs from the boarders and made Annabeth a bed.
Piper scoffed at her new friend,
"What were you expecting? Queen beds with rose petals?"
Leo muttered angrily and flopped down beside Annabeth and took her hands. Annabeth's hands were very pale.
Piper couldn't help but look back at the poor girl. She'd been lucky that Argus and Calypso had spotted her before the crowd had managed to break any bone. Her back had been hit the worst.
Will had had to strip her naked.
Piper had been there while he had inspected her entire body. Her back had been a complete mayhem of blue and black around her spine. A large part of her head had swollen but after Will had injected some of his magical vaccines, the swelling of her head had come down.
"It's all my fault."
Piper looked at Leo with pity.
"Leonidas-"
Leo made a disgusted face and coughed up Leo.
"Leo. She'll be fine."
"Oh I don't know- but oh wait! She had never been stoned before! That's why I don't know her immunity against being pelted!"
Piper rolled her eyes.
"Percy... her husband, was once blown over by dynamite. He lost most of his stomach and still has scars but he still..."
Piper had almost said lives.
Kate, that girl who had disturbingly looked like Rachel, a girl Piper hated with passion, had wailed the whole time but in the end she had been able to deliver that the Emperor had captured Percy.
Kate had tried to blame it all on Annabeth and Reyna had been her fiercest supporter.
Chiron had taken one look at Kate and had asked to lock her up.
"She's lying. It was probably something she did."
Kate had screamed and called Chiron names while Argus had dragged her away.
Leo huffed, "That's depraved. She already had a boyfriend."
Piper clucked her tongue, "A beau and a husband... they are very different."
Leo gave her an exasperated look,
"Well, duh! I know that!"
He gave Annabeth a worried look,
"It's just that I heard she'd been really serious about this... Castellan guy."
Piper nodded grimly.
"Hearts change."
Leo stood up and tore his gaze off the floor.
"I'll go find a bathroom."
Piper grinned at him.
"Best of luck."
Leo furrowed his brows, "What do you mean?"
"Just go."
Piper leaned against the door frame and stared at Annabeth's sleeping face. She looked so peaceful.
Leo finally decided to take his chances and went down the narrow halls.
Piper mulled over her own words.
Hearts change.
Annabeth's had. Even Percy's in a way but...
Her heart never had.
Jason's had.
He had been so miserable those first days after marrying Khione.
Piper remembered him screaming and waking up in the middle of the night every time he had came back. He had once almost begged her to come with him but she never could have.
She had her own squadron, her own responsibilities. Jason and she had fought constantly and he had become a completely different person.
And then one day he's come back to himself. He had laughed around with her and had been the perfect sweet and tender lover.
But then she'd found out why.
The red headed maid Rachel.
Forcing himself to be with Khione every night had almost destroyed him. She'd understood that and had grieved for him but then he'd started sleeping with the maids... worst of all he had brought one along with him to the camp... Rachel.
"How could you?"
Jason's blue eyes had been calm that day while her's had been raging,
"I'll die if I don't rid myself of her touches somehow Piper. I'm sorry- I really am. I'll understand if you would not want me anymore."
Piper had slapped him and thrown him out of her compound but that night her heart had almost threatened to break out of her chest. She had decided that she couldn't take it anymore and had crept into Jason's house in the first squadron with a little help from Thalia.
"Do you love me?"
That was the only time she'd ever cried before anyone... but then... he's cried too. The calmness had been blown away by blue storms and he had pulled her in.
That night before Piper had drifted to sleep he'd whispered in her ear,
"Love is too small a word to hold my heart for you."
But she had felt it... his hear had somehow changed... had become jaded.
Someone tapped her shoulder.
Piper blinked and stared at Annabeth's sleeping face. Her face turned red. It was as if she'd conjured him out of her thoughts.
She turned around and grabbed his face between her gloved hands.
Jason's face was flushed and looked murky in the low gas light. His short blond hair was a mess and his blue eyes were wild and wide.
He smiled.
His lips crashed against hers and before she knew he had entered the adjacent room and had shut the rickety door behind him. His mouth devoured her and her hands strayed to down to clutch his expensive silky white shirt.
He backed her up against the wall kissed her throat. A low moan escaped her lips. Her whole body tingled and came alive. She kissed the tip of his ear and felt his stomach shake beneath her fingers.
After about forever she shivered and snuggled closer into Jason and buried her face into the warm flesh of his chest.
They'd used all their clothes as a make shift mattress and now were both starting to give in to the chill.
Jason blew on top of her head.
She looked up at him and kissed his jaw.
Jason tightened his arms around her.
"I've yet to meet Chiron."
Piper craned her neck and gave him a puzzled look.
"You haven't reported to him yet? Why?"
Jason's eyes glazed over. His thumb began to rub soothing circles on her thigh. Piper sucked in a throaty breath. She was feeling hot and cold at the same time.
"I've only brought bad news this time."
Piper nudged him, "Tell me?"
Jason tilted his head down and his forehead bumped her shoulder. Goosebumps travelled down her spine.
"The ball has been postponed. This new confidante of the Emperor... this guy who is always with her."
Piper's mind burned with the mere thought of Khione.
"He has a name?"
Jason nodded.
"Luke Castellan. He's trouble. Percy told me about those experiments?"
Piper nodded,
"He might be after those."
Piper's stomach threatened to roll over and empty whatever she had managed to put down the day before. Jason had informed them about those experiments. Piper shuddered. She would never want even her dead body to be violated like that. To be cut open and to have parts of your brain removed... but that name...
Castellan...
"Speaking about... Percy."
"What about him?"
Piper whispered absentmindedly.
Jason gripped her shoulder. Piper returned her gaze to his and was startled. Jason's eyes shone with barely suppressed moisture.
She was almost afraid to ask and just like that all warmth left her body.
"He's gone."
Hey guys! Please tell me what you think about this chapter! I'm coming closer to the ending and am very excited! Is Percy really dead? Well what do you guys think? xD
Guest: Thanks a lot! I'm so lucky to have readers like you and I totally agree that Percy is just smoking xD! But you sure he's alive?
GoldenShadow401: Um... Thanks for reading and to answer your why... well you'll just have to stick till the very end.
Perseaj21: I want to master the art awesome cliffhangers! Thanks a lot for reading! I don't know about the wrong guy thing though!
Guest: Thanks a lot! You're awesome! And I'm sorry about your heart! You'll just have to see about Percy!
Idk xD: No one wants Percy Jackson dead! But can't he be dead? Thanks for reading!
Guest: ¡Oye! No sé español así que estoy usando google translate hehe! Estoy tan feliz de tenerte como lector. ¡Por favor continúe leyendo y dejándome saber sobre lo que piensa de mis capítulos! ¡Te amo!