I 01. I

𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔

❝ westover hall ❞

     IT WAS AN EIGHT HOUR DRIVE TO WESTOVER HALL. Eight hours too long. She hated car rides, wanting to move more than she was able to in the vehicle. It was the Friday before winter break, and Sally had helped her and Percy pack an overnight bag with weapons.

They had picked up Annabeth and Thalia on the way. The boarding school was in Bar Harbor, Maine. Sleet and snow pounded the highway, causing all the demigod's to give each other nervous looks, not talking much.

Sally couldn't stop talking. Percy and told her it was because she talked the more nervous she got, so Ariadne, Annabeth and Thalia were told about every embarrassing baby story there was to tell about Percy.

Thalia wipes the fog off the window and peered outside. "Oh, yeah. This'll be fun."

Westover Hall looked like the castle you would see housing a villain in a Disney movie. All black stone, towers and slit windows, paired with a set of large wooden double doors. It stood on a snowy cliff overlooking a frost forest with a grey ocean on the other side.

"Are you sure you don't want me you wait?" Sally asked.

"No, thanks, Mom," Percy said. "I don't know how long it will take. We'll be okay."

"But how will you get back? I'm worried, Percy."

"It's okay, Ms. Jackson," Annabeth gave her a reassuring smile. She was wearing a grey ski cap which matched her eyes. "We'll keep him out of trouble."

Sally relaxed slightly. Ariadne knew that Annabeth was the most level headed out of all of them. She keeps them from being killed, a fact Percy doesn't like admitting.

"All right, dears," Sally said. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, Sally," Ariadne gave her a smile. "Thanks for the ride."

"Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?"

"Mom—"

"Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy. And a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?"

"Mom, seriously!" Percy snapped. "We'll be fine. Come on, guys." Sally looked a little hurt, but the kids climbed out of the car. Ariadne was the last one out, she gave the women a grin before closing the door.

They waited until the car was out of sight, the wind blowing ice daggers through their coats. "Your mom is so cool, Percy," Thalia said.

"She's pretty okay," he admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?"

Thalia gave him an evil glare, never faulting once he asked the question. The boy looked ready to bury himself in the snow. "If that was any of your business, Percy—"

"We'd better get inside," Annabeth interrupted. "Grover will be waiting."

Ariadne looked up at the castle and shivered. "Yeah. I wonder what he found her that made him send the distress call."

Percy looked up with her. "Nothing good," he guessed.

When they stepped into the entry hall and through the oak doors, they stared around in awe. The place was huge. Walls lined with battle flags and weapon displayed: antique rifles, battle axes, and a lot of other weapons.

"Ares cabin would faint at the sight of this," Ariadne muttered. Her friends nodded and agreed with her statement, but they all could sense something wrong.

Thalia rubbed her silver bracelet. Percy's hand went to his pocket where the ballpoint pen was, and her hands went over her ring.

Annabeth started to say, "I wonder where—"

The doors slammed shut, creating an echo along the black walls.

"Oo-kay," Percy mumbled. "Guess we'll stay awhile."

Dance music echoed from the other end of the hall. They stashed their bags bring a pillar before walking down the hallway. A man and women marched from the shadows to intercept them as they walked a bit father.

Both had short grey hair and black military-style uniforms with red trim. The women had a wispy mustache and the man was clean shaven, her eyebrows furrowed. They both walk like they had a stick up their ass.

"Well?" the woman demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"Um..." they hadn't planned on this. "Ma'am," Percy said, "we're just—"

"Ha!" the man snapped. "Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be eee-jected!" He had a French-type accent. The man was tall, with a hawkish face. Nostrils flared when he spoke, his eyes were two different colors— one was blue and the other brown.

Thalia stepped forward and snapped her fingers. It was sharp and loud, the wind ripples around her hand and across the room, rustling the banners on the walls.

"Oh, but we're not visitors, sir," Thalia said. "We go to school here. You remember: I'm Thalia. And this is Annabeth, Ariadne and Percy. We're in the eight grade."

He narrowed his eyes and hesitated. The brunette knew what Thalia was doing, happy at least one of them knew how too. "Ms. Gottschalk," he asked his colleague, "do you know these students?"

The women blinked, waking from a trance. "I... yes. I believe I do, sir." She frowned at them. "Annabeth. Ariadne. Thalia. Percy. What are you doing away from the gymnasium?"

Grover ran up to them, breathless. "You made it! You—" He stopped short once he saw the teachers. "Oh, Mrs. Gottschalk. Dr. Thorn! I, uh—"

"What is it, Mr. Underwood?" Dr. thorn said. He didn't like Grover very much, judging from his tone. "What do you mean, they made it? These students live here."

Grover swallowed. "Yes, sir. Of course, Dr. Thorn. I just meant, I'm so glad they made... the punch for the dance! The lunch is great. And they made it!"

Dr. Thorn gave them a glare. One of his eyes had to be face. Mrs. Gottschalk spoke dreamily, "Yes, the lunch is excellent. Now run along, all of you. You are not to leave the gymnasium again!"

They left with a lot of 'Yes, ma'am's ' and 'Yes, sirs' and a couple of salutes. Grover led them towards a door with the word GYM written on the glass.

"That was close!" Grover said. "Thank the gods you got here!"

Annabeth, Ariadne and Thalia hugged Grover. Percy gave him a big high-five. He looked normal. With his red cap I've this brown curls and goat horns, baggy jeans and sneakers hiding his fake feet and furry legs. He wore a black t-shirt that said: WESTOVER HALL: GRUNT.

"So what's the emergency?" Percy asked.

Grover took a deep breath. "I found two."

"Two half-bloods?" Thalia asked, amazed. "Here?"

He nodded. It was rare to find one half-blood, nevertheless two. Chiron has sent the satyrs on an emergency overtime across the country. Scouting schools from fourth grade through high school for new demigods. They were losing campers, fast. There just weren't many demigods out there.

"A brother and a sister," he said. "They're ten and twelve. I don't know their parentage, but they're strong. We're running out of time, though. I need help."

"Monsters?"

"One." He looked nervous. "He suspects. I don't think he's positive yet, but this is the last day of term. I'm sure he won't let them leave campus without finding out. It may be our last chance! Every time I try to get close to them, he's always there, blocking me. I don't know why to do!"

Grover looked to Thalia in desperation. Annabeth and Ariadne shared a worried look, this wasn't good.

"Right," Thalia said. "These half-bloods are at the dance?" Grover nodded. "Then let's dance. Who's the monster?"

"Oh," he said while looking around. "You just met him. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn."

***

SHE REMEMBERED THEM. Her eyes set on the two di Angelo kids. Bianca, she remembered her. The girl wore a floppy green hat, trying to hide her face. The younger boy was Nick, both having dark silky hair and olive skin, used their hands a lot when they talked. They looked of Italian descent.

Bianca was scolding Nico about something as his hands shuffled through a pack of trading cards. Mythomagic. She remembered that she was supposed to meet them again, she promised. It didn't enter her mind until now. Nick may be forgiving, but Bianca didn't look like that type.

Annabeth said, "Do they... I mean, have you told them?"

Grover shook his head. "You know how it is. That could put them in more danger. Once they realize who they are, their scent becomes stronger."

"So let's grab them and get out of here," Percy said. He started forward but Ariadne places her hand on his shoulder. Dr. Thorn had slipped out of the doorway and near the bleachers where the di Angelo siblings stood. He gave them a cold nod.

He must've known who they were.

"Don't look at the kids," Thalia ordered. "We have to wait for a chance to get them. We need to pretend we're not interested in them. Throw him off the scent."

"How?"

"We're four powerful half-bloods. Our presence should confuse him. Mingle. Act natural. Do some dancing. But Keenan eye on those kids."

"Dancing?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia nodded. She cocked her ear and made a face at the music. "Ugh. Who chose Jesse McCartney?"

Grover gave her a hurt look. "I did."

"Oh my gods, Grover. That is so lame. Can't you play, like, Green Day or something?"

"Green who?"

"Never mind. Let's dance!"

"You can if I'm leading," Thalia said. "Come one, goat boy."

Annabeth smiled.

"What?" Percy asked.

"Nothing. It's just cool to have Thalia back." The blonde took off her ski cap before following behind her two friends, helping drag Grover onto the dance floor.

Percy looked over at Ariadne who was gazing a round at the decorations, watching as girls moved in huddles and left behind boys who were painted with lipstick and streamers.

"So..." he started, "What school is Aria thinking of sending you?"

She sighed, "The same school Annabeth and Thalia are going to." This dampened his mods.

"Oh," he looked at his feet. "Does that mean you'll be leaving the apartment?"

"I have no clue, I hope not. I like it there."

Percy let out a chuckle, "You like eating my mom's cookies."

Ariadne smiled. "You got me there."

But the truth was, Ariadne liked seeing Percy everyday. They would walk down the street together before they separated. She enjoyed working in her homework at his place, eating blue cookies and joking with him. She had no clue what she would do if she had to move out of the building, probably mope.

"Hey!" Thalia called out to them. She was slow dancing with Grover, who was tripping over himself. Annabeth was slow dancing with a brunette boy, both talking and laughing, the sight made the brunette girl smile. "Dance, you guys!" Thalia ordered. "You look stupid just standing there."

Percy looked over at Ariadne nervously, then to the group of girls roaming the gym.

"Well?" Ariadne said.

"Um, who should I ask?"

She punched him in the shoulder. "Me, Kelp Head."

"Oh. Oh, right."

They made their way onto the dance floor. He glanced over at Thalia and Grover to see how they were dancing before placing his hand on the brunette's hip. She gripped his other hand like she was about to judo flip him.

"I'm not going to bite," she told him. "Honestly, Percy. Don't you guys have dances at your school?"

Ariadne gave him a smile, he asked her, "Would you be happier back in Miami?"

She sighed, "I thought so. But now that I'm here and closer to you guys, I like it better."

"So, anywhere we are, you're happy?"

"No," she rolled her eyes. "Anywhere your mom's blue cookies are is where I like best."

Percy gave her a grin before Annabeth ran up to them. "They're gone."

"What?" Percy asked.

They both looked over at the now empty bleachers, Nico and Bianca weren't there any longer. Dr. Thorn was no where in sight but the door next to the bleachers was wide open.

"We have to get Thalia and Grover!" Annabeth said frantically. "Oh, where'd they dance off to? Come on!"

Both of them followed the blonde, but they were caught in the mass flurry of girls. Well, Percy was. But by the time the brunette maneuvered around them, she found a floppy green hat and scattered cards on the gym floor. Percy caught up with her and they saw Dr. Thorn hurrying the di Angelo kids out of the gym door by the scruff of their necks.

They followed the vice principal into a dark hallway. Scuffling was heard ahead, then a painful grunt. Percy uncapped riptide as Ariadne twisted Lunacy.

Percy held his three foot long bronze Greek sword. Ariadne held her three foot long Imperial Gold Greek sword. Both of their blades casting a light on the rows of lockers.

When they jogged to the other end, there was no one there. Percy opened a door and they were back in the main entry hall. Dr. Thorn wasn't there, but on the opposite side of the room stood the di Angelo kids. Both frozen as they stared at the two demigods.

Ariadne lowered her sword to let them see her face. Nico's eyes widened. She softly smiled before nodding. The girl inched forwards but stopped at the sight of Bianca'a fearful eyes, she could hear Percy behind her.

"It's okay. We're not going to hurt you." But neither answered, frozen with fear. She watched the kids carefully. "My name's Percy," Percy said, trying to keep his voice leveled as he stood next to Ariadne. "This is Ariadne," although, the kids already knew her. "We're going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe."

Bianca's eyes widened even more—if that was even possible—and clenched her fists. She was trying to warn them, but it was too late.

Percy whirled around only to be hit in the shoulder and slammed against the wall. Ariadne quickly ran towards the kids and guarded them, hopelessly watching as a spike of some sort grazed the side of his shoulder and passed through his shirt. She knew immediately that is was poisoned.

"Yes, Perseus Jackson, Ariadne Phoenix," Dr. Thorn said. His accent mangled the 'J' in Percy's last name. "I know who you two are."

A dark silhouette moved forward and into the dim light. Dr. Thorn somehow still looked human, but his face turned ghoulish quickly. "Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said. "I hate middle school dances."

Percy tried swinging his sword but the man was out of his reach.

WHIIISH!

A second thorn shot out from somewhere behind Dr. Thorn. He didn't move, like something invisible was throwing it for him. Bianca yelped from next to the brunette, the projectile has landed half an inch from her face in the stone wall.

Ariadne made a small move forward, but a third thorn shot like a bulletproof towards her. She blocked it with her gold sword and growled slightly.

"All four of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said. "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you how accurately I can throw.

Ariadne held her sword defensively, her eyes glancing towards Percy who was trying not to pass out. If she had to, she would listen to the monster. But at any chance she got, she like turn him to dust.

Because she was Ariadne god damn Phoenix, monsters were afraid of her, and for good reason too.