chapter eleven
011. medusa's curse, part two!

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    THEY SAT in a tense silence back in the day carriages on the train, on constant watch by police and security officers as the woman who supposedly saw them trash their night compartment answered their questions. Wendy narrowed her eyes at her back, trying to figure all of this out▬and to come up with a plan to somehow get them out of here and back on track. The last thing they needed was to be stuck at the St. Louis police station when they needed to get to the Underworld by the solstice. 

    Beside her, Percy didn't look too happy. He leaned forward and scowled after the police officer who passed them▬keeping watch on them like some guard dog. "So, we're just killing time 'till we find out that guy's like a werewolf or something, right?" he muttered to them. 

    "He's not a werewolf," murmured Wendy, also glancing at the police officer with a scrutinising gaze. "Lycaon and his sons don't often leave the mountains."

    Percy glanced at her. "Wait, what?"

    "Lyacon," explained Wendy in a soft voice so none of the officers would overhear. "You know, the guy that fed Zeus human flesh and then got himself and his sons turned into wolves as punishment."

    The face Percy made was a mixture of disgust and confusion. 

    Annabeth glanced over her shoulder at the police officer, as well. She then shrugged and looked at Grover. "Does he smell like a monster?"

    "Hard to say," muttered the satyr, sniffing at the air. Satyrs could catch the scent of monsters like monsters could demigods▬it was one of the reasons why they were appointed the protectors of demigods. "I can smell ... something, but it could be anything▬trains are filled with bad smells."

    Percy pursed his lips and tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the table as he leaned in even closer, speaking in a hushed tone▬he was restless. "Well, if he's not a monster, what's going on here? Why would anyone tear our room apart?"

    "Maybe they were looking for something," whispered Grover. 

    "We don't have anything."

    Annabeth arched a brow at him. "The people who think you stole Zeus's master bolt might disagree."

    Percy slumped in his seat and sat back, his leg bouncing▬eager to get out of here. "Right, of course," he muttered, rolling his eyes. 

    Grover noticed the look on Percy's face and held out a hand to him, gently trying to soothe the tension and anxiety festering between them all. "Well, look, they're not gonna find something we don't have."

    Wendy sighed and slumped forward, resting her chin on the palm of her hand and meeting Percy's gaze. "Either way, we can't spend the day answering questions in the St. Louis police station. We have to find a way out of here..." 

    Her words fell away when someone walked up to them and tapped Annabeth on the shoulder. Wendy sat up straighter, confused and immediately on alert to see the same woman from before▬the woman who had accused them of destroying their compartment. She had a sickly sweet smile on her face, dressed in an obnoxious tweed jacket, blouse and jeans.

    "D▬Do you mind if I sit?" she asked, and Annabeth shared a dubious look with the rest of them. The woman didn't wait for an answer, setting aside her carry-on bag and taking a delicate seat across the aisle. Inside her bag, there was the sound of a small animal whimpering▬the short bark of a little dog. 

     The woman sighed, giving them all sympathetic looks that made Percy arch a brow. "You poor dears," she clasped her hands together. "Your parents aren't here, are they?" at the sound of her dog whining inside its bag, she glanced back. "Isn't that right, precious? Don't children get scared when they're all alone?"

    Wendy felt uncomfortable. She met Percy's glance and subtly shrugged at his silent question, not sure what was happening. 

    "It's okay," went on the woman, giving them another reassuring smile that didn't feel reassuring at all. "I'm a mom. I know how scared you must be." She glanced up at the police officer who was watching them. "Excuse me. Would you mind giving us a little space? I think ..." she held out a hand to them. "I think you're making them nervous."

    Surprisingly, the officer sighed but let them be. She moved down the aisle back to her partner, and Wendy, Percy, Annabeth and Grover were alone with the woman. 

    Once the officer was out of earshot, the woman sighed and tilted her head at them▬it was patronising. Wendy felt patronised, but she also felt something else; a chill down her spine. "I want you to know, I don't actually think you made that mess back there. I just wanted a moment alone with you."

    That sent alarm bells in Wendy's mind. Her frown deepened, and she nudged Annabeth's foot underneath the table. Her sister locked her gaze subtly and carefully reached her hand down to wrap around the hilt of her knife. 

    "There are some things," continued the woman, "that I need you to understand▬"

    "You have something on your jacket," said Grover suddenly. The woman's smile faltered, confused. The satyr glanced up to meet her gaze, and he looked very troubled. "It looks like ... it looks like glass."

    When he said that, Wendy realised immediately. Her gaze found the shards of glass caught by the threads of the woman's tweed jacket. Her heart twisted and her shoulders grew tense. 

    Grover swallowed harshly. "No one smashed out the windows from inside our cabin," he said, and that smile on the woman's face disappeared immediately. "Someone smashed them in from the outside."

    The intense, silent stare down between them was broken by the sudden growl from inside the woman's back. She jumped. "Oh▬!" she placed her hands around the bag, gently soothing the dog inside. Wendy frowned, not sure whether she was incredulous, or scared. "Yes, sweetheart. I know, I know," she leaned down and whispered through the mesh when the dog snarled. "You're impatient. Oh, but we're almost there."

    She turned back to the demigods and smiled. Wendy also kicked Percy's shin with her foot, her heart starting to race as she felt the tension grow inside the train▬a feeling that told her to run; the feeling of danger. "This isn't your fault," said the woman. "But sadly, you're going to have to bear the burden of your parents' mistakes today."

     Percy clenched his jaw, setting a very brave scowl onto the stranger. "Listen, lady. I don't know who you are, but I think I know what you are. We've run across a few monsters like you and we've sent them all packing."

    A slow scoff of disbelief escaped her lips. "Monsters like me?" she considered those words, chuckling softly to herself. "Well ... of course they're like me." A chilling, deadly look glinted in her eyes▬every sense of warmth and kindness had been frozen to ice. "They were my children."

    A horrible realisation hit Wendy. She wasn't the only one. Annabeth and Grover both sunk in their seats alongside the feeling of dread in the pit of their stomachs. 

    "Children?" frowned Percy, but even he was apprehensive. "What does that mean?"

    "The Mother of Monsters," whispered Grover, terrified.

    "Echidna," finished Annabeth.

    Echidna's next smile was devilish. Her bag started to shake▬the thing inside it trembling with fury and desperation to escape. She placed a hand on the top. "Shh, shh▬" she continued to soothe the creature. "Monster," she mused. "That's an odd word. Considering my grandmother is your great-grandmother, and this has always been a family story. But ... to my eye, the demigod is the more dangerous creature." She sighed and shook her head, disappointed. "Disruptive. Violent. If I exist for anything, it is to stand in the way of monsters like you."

    She glanced back down at her bag. Whatever was inside was getting angrier by the second. "My little one here. She's just a pup now. Bless her heart," she chuckled. "Today," she smiled at them, "you will be her prey."

    She stood up. Wendy watched her with her heart stuck in her throat. She glanced around the train compartment▬they were trapped with little means of escape. There was no way they could get their way out of here without Echidna stopping them. Echidna noticed the anxious dart of Wendy's gaze. "Are you afraid yet?" she asked and sounded like she was bated with excitement. "Oh, it's all right. Fear is natural. It's also essential to the hunt. Your fear. Your doubt. Your confusion. I needed you to understand what was happening, so that▬" she pointed to the bag beside her. They all watched in horror as the zipper started to move by itself, "▬she could track the scent. So that she could learn and grow, because ... well, that's what a good mother does for her children. Not that you would know."

    The zipper slowly continued to move backwards▬following the line all the way around to the opposite end. They held their breaths, anxious to see what monster would reveal itself▬frozen and unable to do anything but wait for the moment it would attack, and they'd have to try and fight their way out of this impossible situation. 

    Percy's hand fumbled for Riptide just as the flap opened▬something dark, spiny and long flung out of the bag so fast it was albeit a blur. Wendy cried out, she couldn't help it. "Percy▬!"

    She tried to pull him away, but the monster's tail snagged his flannel and ripped. Annabeth launched herself forward as the beast recoiled, wrapping an arm around its long, scaly tail and bringing her dagger down. It pierced through the armour and the beast screeched with fury.

    Echidna gasped. "NO!" she cried. "Sweetheart▬!"

    "Go▬!" shouted Annabeth.

     Wendy pushed Percy to move. They both dragged each other down the aisle with Grover right behind them. Wendy glanced over her shoulder as she ran, noticing Annabeth pull her dagger free and stumble to catch up. Behind her, the two police officers were on their tail. "YOU!" they shouted. "STOP!"

    "Go, go, go, go!" let out Wendy, urging Percy to run faster in front of them. He grasped the handle of the compartment door and forced it open. The group of them sprinted into the next carriage, their feet pounding on the carpet down the narrow hallway. 

    The whole train lurched around them like a pair of hands had grabbed the train and started shaking it. The lights flickered. Grover grabbed onto Wendy's arm before she could trip over. 

    They kept running▬forcing their way through each carriage in desperate search for an exit. When they reached the last carriage, Annabeth thought quickly on her feet and grabbed the chain by the door. She wrapped it around the handles and secured it, locking the two transit officers from getting through.

    "HEY!" they shouted, slamming their hands against the door. "Open this door, now!"

    Wendy took a few deep breaths, resting against the wall as she tried to gather her thoughts▬to come up with a plan. But she had no plan. Percy slumped nearby, clutching a stitch at his side. 

    That was when Grover noticed something. He frowned and reached over, picking something off of Percy's flannel. It was thin and sharp▬almost like the prick of a cactus needle. 

    "What is that?" let out Percy, trying to catch his breath. 

    Wendy and Annabeth huddled close, their hearts pounding. Annabeth stared at the sharp edge of the needle and saw the slight crimson stain of blood at its tip. "It's a stinger," she realised. "Wendy, do you know what kind of monster has one of those?"

    She was surprised to be asked that question▬especially from Annabeth who was never the one to admit she didn't know the answer to something, let alone ask Wendy to answer it instead. It caught her off guard. "Uh▬" she tried to think, but nothing was coming to mind. She wished she had her books. Her books would give her the answer. She hated not having the answer. "I▬I don't know," she admitted, frustrated with herself. "But it can't be good. Do you feel okay?" she spun to Percy who held his shoulder where the stinger had struck.

    He stammered. "I▬I think so. Why?" His eyes widened. "Do you think it's poisonous or something?"

    Wendy wished she could give him a definite answer▬preferably the answer no. But she had a bad feeling about this, and the fact that she couldn't be sure of it only made it worse. "I▬I don't know, but▬"

    She was cut off. A mighty thud echoed through the train, shaking the carriage almost right off the rails. The four demigods all clung onto each other, hitching back their alarmed cries. 

    When the lights flickered back on, Wendy wasn't sure if she wanted to see what awaited them. The low, groaning creaks of the train barely held up the weight with each step the monster took. Wendy and her friends all held their breaths, their gazes following the two transit officers as they slowly turned around. Through the windows of the carriage doors, at the very end, something large▬very large▬crept closer and closer. 

    It slammed its head into the first door and it flew right off its hinges.

    "We gotta move!" Grover forced them all out of their terrified trances. 

    As the carriage rocked and trembled, the four demigods raced for the exit▬their knees quivering and their breaths shaking. Grover found the emergency exit and they heaved it open, leaping out and stumbling across the tracks in downtown St. Louis. Behind them, the monster let out a terrifying, mighty roar.

    "Why isn't it still chasing us?" demanded Percy as they found a hole in the fence. One by one they crawled their way through to the other side.

    Annabeth pulled Wendy up to her feet after she made it through. "Echidna said whatever she was hiding in that carrier, it's young," she managed, taking deep breaths. "It won't venture too far from her mother. She's learning to hunt▬and this seems like the hunting part."

    "We have to get away from here," said Percy, glancing anxiously back at the train. "Somewhere they won't be able to find us."

    "Monsters can track our scent as demigods," Annabeth stressed as the group of them started to walk towards the city. Wendy's calves were burning. "We're sitting ducks no matter what."

    "Well, we aren't gonna be able to outrun them for very long," panted Grover, leading the way. 

    And just like that, Wendy had a plan. She glanced out to the view of St. Louis▬a mighty example of perfection and splendour. A monument better than all the rest▬the very image of architecture, mathematics and logic, designed with the purpose to last millennia. 

    Wendy grinned. Her heart swelled with relief. It was no coincidence they had been stopped at St. Louis. No▬there was never a coincidence. This was fate. This was exactly what the gods wanted▬what Athena wanted.

    "I know what to do," she grinned and surged forward with a fresh bout of energy. 

    Percy watched her rush onwards, incredulous. "Uh, okay?" he let out, dubious. 

    "Just follow me!" she glanced briefly over her shoulder and started to jog towards the road, expecting the others to catch up.

    Percy sighed and rolled his eyes, but did his best to keep up with Wendy's energised pace. They took a few twists and turns, following the road that continued to lead them further into the city towards the river. 

    "This isn't just any city," Wendy finally decided to elaborate when they were just a few blocks away, a sense of pride elevating her voice. "There is a reason the train stopped here▬a sign from the gods. From my mother."

    She glanced at her friends, very excited. "I knew getting a quest would make her see me. What we did to Medusa," Wendy nudged Percy, "it caught her attention. It showed my mom that we're capable, that I am capable. And now, she is rewarding us."

    "Okay," Percy held up his hands, and Wendy was so lost in her own pride and accomplishment that she didn't notice the way he winced▬or how he was still out of breath. "Care to explain or are you just going to talk in cryptic myth stuff for the rest of the walk? Because in case you haven't noticed, we have the mom of monsters and her temper-tantrum toddler monster out for blood▬our blood, so..."

    "There's a sanctuary dedicated to Athena," said Annabeth, "built by one of her demigod children a long time ago. We can hide out in there."

    Grover stared at the two children of Athena, taken aback. "There is an Athenian temple hidden somewhere in the middle of downtown St. Louis?"

    "Of course, there is," said Wendy matter-of-factly. She pointed up to the skyline where a tall, sleek arch stood taller than anything else around them. "And it's not exactly hidden."

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    EVERY CHILD of Athena wanted to build something that would outlive the gods. The art of designing and creating something so magnificent, something so amazing that it would be better than anything before was at the heart of all of Wendy's siblings. The desperation to prove the worthiness and greatness they knew they all were capable of, deep down but needed everyone else to know it▬needed the gods to know it. The desire to have the gods realise that they could create something even better than them? That was the greatest achievement of all. 

    Nothing could outlive the gods. The gods will always see their creations eventually turn to rubble and then dust. Wendy knew that. But it wasn't about creating something that would outlive the gods, it was rediscovering and preserving the memory found in the rubble so that memory once lost and forgotten, will become alive again. Wendy wanted to be remembered. She wanted to forever be in the memories of demigods and gods alike▬to have glory attached to her name like the heroes of the old stories. No one forgets Heracles or Perseus. They were so memorable and so amazing, that even mortals knew their stories as legends▬that was something more immortal than even the gods.

    That was something so intangible it became tangible, and it was truly indestructible. 

    One day, Wendy would create something better than the St. Louis Arch. She would give her mother the greatest monument of all▬A hero's legend.

    But in comparison, the Gateway Arch was very impressive still. It stood out▬a view of incredible symmetry and engineering▬over the Mississippi River as if it were an arch into the city itself. A gateway into a city protected by Athena; something made with the purpose to be worthy of the gods, and it was. 

    Wendy, Percy, Annabeth and Grover hurried down a small flight of stairs in the arch's shadow. At the foot of the Gateway Arch was a national park▬and there was little to no fault. Trees lined parallel from each other down the main stone pathway towards the Old Courthouse. Even-toned grey concrete encased the stairwells and vegetation▬a very sensible but sleek design. Right outside the arch was a simple fountain▬but there was beauty in its simplicity. There was no need to outmatch the Gateway Arch, and no mortal was standing around taking pictures of anything else. They were memorised by all they could not reach, not what was underneath their noses. 

     "It's six-hundred-and-thirty feet wide," Annabeth was saying, gazing up at the St. Louis arch mesmerised. "Six-hundred-and-thirty feet tall, both to within an inch. It's got no internal support. Each side is balanced perfectly against the other. The arch is held up by symmetry▬by math!"

    Percy frowned up at the monument. "It looks like a gigantic shopping bag handle stuck onto the city."

    Annabeth and Wendy both sent him unamused scowls. 

     "It's also earthquake-proof," added Annabeth with a slight edge to her tone, "so Poseidon can't ruin it."

    Percy shot her a look as well. "Nice."

    "I want to do that," went on Annabeth as they descended into the shadows of the base of the arch where a long line of tourists and school trips crowded the museum. 

    "What?" 

    "Build something like this," she stressed, rolling her eyes at Percy. "You ever seen the Parthenon?"

    "Only in pictures."

    Annabeth led them through the crowd unapologetically. "Someday," she said, "I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."

    Percy chuckled, disbelieving. "You? An architect?"

    Instead of glowering, Annabeth's cheeks flushed. "Yes, an architect. This is how you show Athena your love. She expects her children to create things▬monuments to the power of perfection▬not just tear them down."

     They passed through the exhibit▬plaques dedicated to moments in history that weren't something to be proud of. Wendy's gaze lingered on the wall art depicting Colonial St. Louis and Native American history, and there was a hard lump in her throat to swallow to know the terrible things that followed.

    Grover hesitated by the fractured skull of a buffalo, staring down at the old shotgun. "It's a monument to some other stuff, too."

    Annabeth frowned at him. "You're talking about what some humans want this place to be about. I'm talking about what it actually is."

    Grover pursed his lips and seemed to bite back a few words. He didn't glance at Annabeth. "Whatever," he muttered. "We're safe here, right?"

    "No monsters can enter," said Wendy as they stepped into the nineteenth century. "Not even Echidna. We're safe."

    "Great," said Grover. He took a deep breath. "Well, since our train exploded, I'm gonna see if there's another one we can get tickets on. We can't stay here forever▬" his gaze wandered to the Manifest Destiny exhibit. "Just because we're prey, doesn't mean we need to be helpless."

    He left them after that and Annabeth realised a little too late. She pursed her lips and hung her gaze, but she didn't go after him▬allowing Grover some space. 

    Percy shuffled his feet in the awkward silence. "He doesn't like it when people mess with animals," he told Annabeth.

    She glanced at him. "Yeah," she murmured eventually, but still quite guarded. "I know. I shouldn't have snapped at him, I just..." she sighed. "I know."

    The son of Poseidon slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans, noticing the way Annabeth was still so tense. "Look, I know your mom doesn't like my dad, but can't we work together a little? Didn't Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?"

    She considered his words, looking a little less annoyed. "I guess ... the chariot," she said tentatively. "My mom invented it, but Poseidon created the horses out of the crests of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."

    "Then ... we can cooperate, too. Right?"

    Annabeth watched him intently before she looked down at her feet. "I suppose," she said at last before wandering off to one of the exhibit cases. Percy could tell she wanted to be alone, too.

    Percy sighed as well, but he guessed since Annabeth wasn't glaring at him, he was making some progress. Eventually, his gaze searched for the one person who had been mostly quiet since they made it to the arch. Wendy was keeping to herself, listening to the conversations, but not throwing herself directly into them. She fiddled with her fingers, pretending to be reading the information at the base of an old quilt. 

     He still felt bad about Medusa's lair▬about what he said to her, about what he had accused her of. Even if he apologised, and they talked through it, that didn't make Percy feel any better. 

    He walked up to her, a little awkward for once. When he first arrived at Camp and he felt like he was so alone, Wendy had made him feel a little less so. He had looked forward to their little chats by the water between activities and classes▬even if Wendy was blunt, and some things flew right over her head, Percy liked hanging out with her. He believed he had made a friend. And then he went ahead and ruined it.

    "So," he started, his mouth feeling pretty dry, "this is your mom's place?" Wendy glanced up at him and nodded. Percy noticed the way she continued to fiddle with her fingers▬she was anxious and unsure. Even despite her confidence in this place▬in all of this▬being at last a sign from her mother, there was still a huge part of her that was scared to believe it; that was scared she was going to be disappointed again. 

    Percy rocked on the balls of his feet slightly. "I wonder if she's around," he continued, watching her glancing down at her fingers. Taking a breath, Percy put on his best high-pitched posh voice: "Be right down! Just going to the potty!" 

     He quickly glanced around, acting as if he had heard those words from elsewhere as Wendy slowly looked up at him, a dubious frown etched onto her brows. 

    When he eventually looked at her again, Percy was a little proud to see the smallest of amused smiles had tugged at the corners of Wendy's lips. "Why is she British?"

    He just shrugged. "I don't know," his voice cracked by accident and her smile brightened. Wendy chuckled. "She's your mom."

    She shook her head at him, but she stopped fiddling with her fingers. Percy took that as a win. 

    "Um," he then said and she tilted her head at him. "I just wanted to say, nice plan. We needed a safe place, and your mom had one waiting. Pretty lucky we happened to be in the right city for it."

    The lights in the museum made Wendy's eyes look like silver. "Luck or fate?" she countered. At the way Percy pursed his lips and didn't answer, she turned to face him. "You think it's all in my head, that▬that I tell myself my mother cares because it's easier that way."

    Percy frowned. "I didn't say that."

    Wendy just gave him a gentle, disbelieving look. 

     He shrugged. "Look, I've only been a demigod for a little over a week. You shouldn't listen to me."

    Her gaze softened▬a look of relief, almost, settled. Percy had trouble understanding Wendy; she was an enigma, and it was seriously intimidating. But slowly, Percy realised that was changing. In fact, underneath it all, the truth about Wendy was very simple: She was just a lonely kid wanting to know her mother loved her. She couldn't hear it from her, so, she needed to find proof in everything else.

    "You know," she began softly, "this is my mother's place, but a temple is a temple. Maybe you could talk to your dad while we're here?"

    His hesitation made her frown. "What?" 

    Percy sighed. "The thing with your mom ... I get it. It's different. It works for you. But my father..." he shook his head, and Wendy noticed how exhausted he looked. "I don't want anything from him. He's had his chances. Honestly▬" he shrugged and gestured at her, "▬you've done more for me in the past few days than my father has done my entire life. If I have to stick with someone, I▬"

    He caught himself. 

    Wendy noticed. 

    She pursed her lips and nodded▬not sure whether what she felt was hurt, or a touching sense of warmth she didn't know how to explain, but either way, it turned the stale air between them into something bittersweet. "Careful," she murmured. "I think you were about to say you'd trust me to have your back."

     Percy didn't say anything. Wendy tilted her head, a little confused when she didn't hear him talk back with something stupid or sarcastic. "Percy?" she watched him, and her eyes widened to see something about him shift. He wasn't looking at her▬he looked like he wasn't really there at all. "Are you▬?"

    His knees buckled. He collapsed.

    "Percy▬!" Wendy barely caught him. She hauled him up by his arms, her breath hitched with worry. She crouched down with him, and at the commotion, Grover and Annabeth raced over. 

    "Hey!" Grover skidded to a stop next to her. "What happened?"

    Percy swayed a little. Wendy hadn't realised how pale he looked. He was burning with a fever. "I think ... I think those stinger things were poisonous."

    Wendy's heart pounded as she tried to think about what to do. A frantic plan came into mind. "I have an idea. Come on▬" she pulled Percy back up onto his feet with the help of Annabeth. 

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    HER PLAN wasn't working, but she didn't want to admit that. Wendy had dragged them outside to the fountain where she told Percy to sit in the water. She hoped▬as she, Annabeth and Grover kept splashing him▬that the water would heal him, just like it had healed him back at Camp with the hellhound. But no matter how drenched Percy got until he was completely soaked in fountain water, the colour still hadn't returned to his cheeks. 

    Around them, mortals passed with incredulous, estranged looks. Wendy didn't care. Right now, all that mattered to her was Percy, and he wasn't getting better. If he wasn't getting better, she was going to be out of ideas. 

    "Come on," she whispered, chucking a handful of water at Percy's face. He squinted, clenching his eyes shut and wincing away from the feeling. "The water cured him back at camp," she told Annabeth and Grover. "So, it should work for poison, too, right?"

    Annabeth hesitated, not sure what to say. She didn't want to tell Wendy she was wrong, but the longer they stayed out here, the more vulnerable they would be getting▬and Percy's condition wasn't improving. But Annabeth didn't have an answer to their problems either. 

    "Y▬You know," Percy managed, "I think it's▬I think it's working." 

    They all stopped, staring at him with hitched breaths. Percy spluttered some dirty fountain water out of his mouth. "This▬this was a great call▬" he tried to get up, only to fall right back down. "Or not."

    "Are you seriously being sarcastic right now?" let out Annabeth, splashing another handful of water at him. 

    "Well, I can't think of anything better to do."

    Annabeth shook her head at him, unable to believe he could act like this when his life was in danger. She pursed her lips▬and despite their differences, even she looked desperate; no, scared for him. "Maybe it needs to be naturally running water for Poseidon to be able to heal him," she offered. "Maybe we can get him to the river▬?"

    Wheels skidded down the road behind them. Wendy glanced over her shoulder just as a pickup truck slammed front-on into a flag pole. Multiple cars slammed the breaks, screeching to a halt as they tried to avoid something stampeding their way. There were screams. One car was shoved so hard that it tipped forward▬it rolled over. 

    "Too late," Grover whimpered.

    "We need to get back inside," Wendy grabbed Percy's arm, ready to pull him up.

    "No," said Grover, stopping her. "We need to keep trying."

    "This isn't working!" Annabeth grabbed Percy's other arm. "And she's coming."

    They looked back at the commotion on the street. Wendy's heart squeezed with terror to see Echinda walking towards them in the smoke and fire; calm in the face of destruction. They needed to get out of here.

    Her eyes wandered back up to the top of the arch. She pursed her lips▬she had no other choice.

    "I have another plan, okay?" said Wendy in a rush. "We'll take Percy inside, and we'll go to the temple's altar."

    Grover frowned. "Altar? Where is there an altar?"

    "At the top," she answered, her heart racing. "The highest point with the best view▬"

    "Okay, but what good is that even gonna do us?"

    Wendy glanced at her sister, feeling something inside her tighten. A feeling that made her want to keep to her stubbornness and her pride▬a fear of failure that battled against her desire to prove herself. If she were to do this, she would be considered a failure in the eyes of Athena. And if this was not considered a failure, this would surely be one of the greatest insults Wendy could offer. 

    She swallowed back all of those tight feelings in her chest. "I'm going to ask my mom for help."

    Grover faltered. He blinked, stunned into silence. Beside him, Annabeth looked very similar▬she understood what this meant, understood what this could do; the implications and the risks Wendy was facing ... the humility. 

    Percy frowned to himself. He glanced up at her. "I thought we don't ask for help?"

    Wendy met his gaze, and she wasn't sure what to say▬she wasn't sure why it was suddenly so easy to disregard everything she wanted just because he was in danger. 

    No, she did know why. It was because Percy was her friend.

    "Come on," she pushed onwards and helped Percy up to his feet with Annabeth. "We gotta go."

    Grover threw Percy's arm over his shoulders and Annabeth hooked underneath his other. Together, the two of them hauled Percy back towards the Arch entrance with Wendy following.

    Until something made her stop. She spun around, her eyes widening when the wind around her seem to shift. She locked eyes with Echidna across the park. "Oh, you poor, ignorant child," crooned the Mother of Monsters, her words like a distant howl of through the tree leaves. "You think you can get away? Your impertinence has wounded your mother's pride. Such pride will be your doom."

    Wendy stammered, feeling her throat close in for a moment. She stared at Echnida as she slowly stalked closer. "Guys, d▬did you hear that?"

    Her friends stopped and glanced at her. 

    "Hear what?" asked Grover.

    Wendy felt a little dizzy▬her mind racing over those words spoken to her; whispered to her and to no one else. It made her stomach churn and her heart skip a fearful beat. She hesitated. "I▬" at their questioning looks, she shook her head. "Nothing. Let's go▬" she jogged to catch up with them and together they raced back inside. 

    They struggled to push through the crowd and the lines towards the elevators. Wendy kept glancing over her shoulder, that horrible feeling not leaving her. They should be safe. Echidna and her child would not be able to come inside Athena's sanctuary▬and yet, Wendy didn't feel like she was safe.

    She couldn't stop thinking about the words Echidna said. It didn't settle right with her. Her impertinence▬that had wounded her mother's pride, and that would be her doom. She could just be messing with her as all monsters liked to do. 

    And yet, Wendy didn't feel like she was. That scared her.

    They made it to a pod, gently pushing Percy in first. Wendy was the last to climb in, sitting on the edge of her seat with her mind reeling.

    Percy looked a lot worse▬in just a few minutes he seemed to get paler, his hair stuck to his forehead from not only water, but sweat. He was trying to hide how he was shivering. But he set his gaze on Wendy and demanded: "What was that back there? What did you hear?"

    She met his gaze briefly. She couldn't look at him. She shook her head and stared down at her feet. Wendy ignored her sister's frown.

    Percy narrowed his eyes. "She spoke to you," he realised. "Alecto did that with me back in the museum in New York. What did she say?"

    "Nothing," Wendy managed, feeling a little sick herself.

    Annabeth tiltled her head. "What did she say?" she asked, too.

    "Nothing, I▬" a shadow loomed in the corner of Wendy's eye. She looked up and her breath hitched in shock▬a soft gasp that got stuck in the back of her throat to see Echidna staring back at her at the top of the stairwell. Another shadow loomed over her shoulder▬a large, terrifying shadow of the head of a lion and the horns of a goat, and a long, vicious serpent tail.

    The last thing Wendy saw was Echidna's smirk before the elevator doors closed.

    A cold feeling ran down Wendy's spine when she understood what the Mother of Monsters had meant. She realised what she had done▬how all of this was now her fault. 

    She refused to look at her friends' shocked, horrified stares and fixed her gaze onto the floor. She gripped the edge of her seat with a grip so tight her knuckles were white.

    "Was that the Chimera?" whispered Grover, his voice quivering. "I think ... I think that was the Chimera."

    Annabeth cursed something in Greek under her breath. "How did the Chimera get inside? This is a sanctuary."

    Percy narrowed his eyes onto Wendy once more. "Wendy?" 

    He expected her to answer. She didn't know what to say. She didn't think she could say anything, her throat was so tight▬that lump inside it was so painful. Her heart pounded. She couldn't meet his gaze. 

    "Athena would have had to let her in," continued Grover, breathless with fear, "but why would she do that▬?"

    "Wendy!" Percy cut him off, his voice sharp and urgent. 

    Wendy finally looked up. She didn't want to admit it. She didn't want to say it. She couldn't understand why this happened▬why it was her fault. She didn't understand it. After all she has done to please her mother, to make her feel proud▬to be the perfect daughter she could ask to finally be worth her attention ... and at last it felt like she had given her a sign. 

    Percy locked her gaze. "What did Echidna say to you?"

    She had said all that Wendy had feared, and proved those fears right. 

    Wendy remembered Medusa's story▬the tale of love and devotion for a goddess who turned her into a monster out of her pure wrath for an insult that Wendy always believed had been Medusa's fault ... because Athena was always just. Why would her mother punish anyone if they didn't deserve it?

    Wendy had prayed to her mother. She had given her half of her meal at every dinner back at Camp. She had dedicated every win at Capture the Flag and every success she had in her training to Athena. She had devoted every dream and desire she had to give Athena glory so one day, she'd show herself▬she'd give her a magical item as a gift, send her a dream, anything to let a desperate child know her mother loved her. 

    After years and years and years, the first time Athena had acknowledged Wendy after she claimed her was to punish her for embarassing her▬and that punishment was sending her and her friends to their deaths. 

    It was unfair. Wendy thought it was unfair. How could any of this be just? 

    "She said my impertinence wounded my mother's pride," murmured Wendy, upset. "I embarassed her, and now I'm facing the consequences."

    Percy shook his head. He couldn't understand why a mother would do this▬why any of this would have happened. "Impertinece? What kind of▬"

    "Medusa's head," Wendy answered for him, hating how she was tearing up. "Sending it back▬it was an insult to her."

     "But▬" the son of Poseidon was so caught up in his disbelief he was almost angry. "But I'm the one who sent the head to Olympus," he said, leaning forward. "I signed the note▬"

    "And I went along with it," stressed Wendy. "It embarassed her. Now, she's angry."

    Annabeth was uncharacteristically silent during their conversation. She looked troubled▬more troubled than usual; like she didn't want to believe their mother would do something like this▬not to her own children, and not to a child more devoted than most. But that was how the gods worked. Their pride and their immortality was held above all else, even their own demigod children. And that realisation hurt.

    "It's unfair," argued Percy, though he wasn't sure what help that would do any of them. Being angry at the gods▬at Athena and how she treated Wendy▬wasn't going to get them out of this, but that didn't stop him. "You didn't do anything."

    "I should've known," she replied, frustrated. "I▬I should have been more wise▬"

    "Guys," Grover interrupted, sounding a little frantic. "What are we gonna do?"

    "I don't know," let out Wendy, slumping in her seat. Her plan had turned to ashes. There was no way to salvage it. She was nothing more than a joke to Athena▬a disappointment. "Athena isn't gonna help us when we get to the top to save Percy."

    "No, I meant, what are we gonna do about Echidna and Chimera?" cried Grover. "They're gonna be right behind us!"

    Without realising, Wendy, Percy and Grover slowly turned to look at Annabeth. She pursed her lips, but instead of admitting defeat in the face of inevitible death, the daughter of Athena set her jaw with stubborn determination. 

    When they made it to the top of the Gateway Arch, Annabeth marched out of the elevator with a new sense of purpose. Wendy and Grover helped Percy, keeping him steady as they followed behind. "Okay, we're not gonna have much time. They'll be up here any minute. And if my mother isn't going to protect us, then we'll just have to fight it out up here."

    "Against the Chimera?" Grover whimpered.

    "Yes," said Annabeth confidently as they climbed their way up to the viewing point. 

    When they saw what they had to deal with, her confidence wavered.

    The viewing platform was narrow▬very narrow. A single sloped grey hallway with small, square viewing windows with no room to manouver and no tactical advantage. And even worse, the corridor was packed with mortals.  

    "Oh, no," murmured Grover. Wendy felt something drop into the pit of her stomach. "We gotta get everybody outta here."

    Wendy frowned to herself▬and she couldn't help but feel angry, too. All of her hurt had turned into a bitter fustration and anger against her mother. After everything she had done for her, Athena's care for her was as meaningless as the monuments she watched crumble▬the rubble underneath her feet. And now, she wasn't just sending Wendy to her death, but her friends as well. For what reason? Her pride? Because she couldn't handle facing the truth of her past? That was more important than the war they were trying to prevent? Than her own children?

    Athena was a practicle goddess, she searched for perfection, and when she didn't receieve it, it no longer mattered to her anymore.

    Wendy set her jaw. 

    She wasn't going to let her last moments be a product of failure and disappointment. She wasn't going to let her friends die because of her mistakes. 

    She pushed forwards and ran for the fire alarm. Gripping the handle, she pulled it down. Above her, red lights flashed and sirens echoed▬everyone jumped, but soon, filed into one line and started to follow the tour guide's instructions to evacuate.

    Wendy turned back to her friends and rushed over, her heart pounding. She gripped the hilt of her sword. "You guys follow them down."

    "What?" they let out.

    Grover shook his head. "No, no, no. W▬We're not splitting up."

    "Grover," Wendy nudged her friends towards the staircase, "come on▬"

    "No," let out Annabeth, her moment of shock turning into anger. She planted her feet on the ground and refused to move, fixing a fiery gaze onto her sister. "No, we are not leaving you▬are you insane?"

    "Yes, you are," Wendy pushed them along, terrified but determined. "You have to get to the Underworld in time."

    "Hey, no," Percy stopped her, shaking his head. He was confused▬he didn't know why she was prepared to do this; to just sacrifice herself. "No, no, no▬we're all getting out of here together."

    "We won't make it!" she managed to pull them along a few steps. "The Chimera is the demigod-killer. Someone has to stay back to slow her down and buy everyone some time."

     Annabeth shook her head. "No," she tried to persuade her, gripping her arm and stopping her sister from leaving them. "Wendy, you can't▬" she sounded desperate and it made Wendy hesitate, surprised. "I'm not leaving you."

    "You have to," she pulled her arm away gently, and Annabeth let her▬because she knew she was right. "It's okay," she reassured her sister who she had never seen so frightened. "It's me my Mom is angry at," she guided them to the fire escape door. She was scared▬she was terrified, but she wasn't going to let her fear stop her from making one last stand in spite of Athena's disappointment. This was her moment of glory. "I have to do this. I have to stay. You lead the quest, okay? Help Percy down the stairs and get him to the river. And don't stop. Not until you get to Hades, not until you have the bolt. You can do this," she told her sister who was tearful. "You're the best warrior at camp, Annabeth▬the best at everything. You can lead the way to the Underworld, I know you can."

    When she didn't stop her▬when Annabeth didn't say anything else, Wendy swallowed back her tears and nodded. "Okay," she whispered, taking a deep breath and moving to close the door. "Go, get out of here▬"

    But then Percy shoved himself forward. He swayed and stumbled, but caught his balance. "Wait▬"

    Wendy faltered. She frowned, facing him. Percy was struggling▬he was out of breath and light-headed, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out his pen. He uncapped it and before Wendy's eyes, Riptide materialised▬a sharp, bronze glow in the dark red lights of the hallway. He spun it around, hilt up, and held it out for her.

    "Take this," he told her, breathless. 

    She stared at him, taken aback. She had her own weapon, but nothing like Riptide▬nothing that meant the same as this gesture did. Wendy glanced down at the blade, and felt compelled by its sharp glint and celestial shine.

    Wendy hesitated, but reached out and grabbed the hilt.

    Except Percy didn't let go.

    With his remaining strength, he pulled. 

     Wendy couldn't stop him. She had no time to react. One second she was standing outside the firescape, the next she was tugged forwards. She cried out, but Percy shoved her towards Annabeth who clung onto her sister tightly. "NO!" she yelled, struggling out of her grip and launching towards Percy. But was met with the fire door slammed right in her face. "PERCY!"

    Annabeth and Grover were at her side in seconds, slamming their hands on the metal. Wendy pulled at the handle, but it was locked. "HEY!" shouted Grover, still pounding his fists on the door▬even though it was no use. "Percy▬!"

    "You can't do this!" cried Annabeth, frantic. "They'll kill you!"

    "Percy, no!" Wendy sobbed, desperately tugging at the handle. "Stop!"

    Through the metal door, they heard his weak voice. He slumped against the handles on the other side. "Poseidon's never helped me before," he sighed. He sounded like he could barely stand. "He wasn't gonna start now."

    "Percy▬!" 

    "I would've never made it to Hades," at his words, Wendy slammed her hands as hard as she could against the door, even if it hurt. "And now you will."

    "Percy!" she tried, shouting his name as she heard the vicious growl of the Chimera. "Percy, do you hear me?! Stop! Don't do this▬please!"

    But there was nothing they could do. Percy was going to face the Chimera, and he was going to die doing it.

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    a/n: i should be working on my assignments but the behind the scenes of season 2 gave me some fresh motivation to get this chapter out. 

    off topic from this book, but percy pulling annabeth away and taking her place in this episode made me immediately think of claire and percy in the botl act of deep end and i started crying. it's weird like i'm simoultaneously seeing my childhood come alive, but also feel nostalgic for the first percy jackson series i wrote on this site, and realised the mark that series left - so much that i was thinking of claire and percy when i was watching the series and feeling like their story was also coming alive on screen, too. is that weird?

    anyway, i wanted wendy to have this development and scene because it works so well with her relationship and insecurities surrounding Athena. and it also paralells with so much i have planned. 

    also the thalia ptsd annabeth would be feeling rn *sobs*

    (minimal editing).