𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓
𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔

❛ remind her not of the
past but of her
damned future ❜

𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒, 𝕬urora was never one with the ocean. It's not to say she didn't like it, no, it was just never really her thing. She much preferred staying on land—preferably with her toes dug deep between the sand as she basked under the sunlight. Likely with her father next to her, probably boasting about how the view in their own skyscraper was far better than the one at the beach.

It wasn't until Percy came into her life that the ocean seemed all the more appealing. As if a realization hit her to take a step closer to the waves so they were lapping at her ankles beckoning her closer—into the depths of their sea blue.

Aurora couldn't take a step closer, despite her heart thumping in her chest. She dared herself not to, too logical in her head to let her heart win the battle for liberation.

. . . But the waves were so gentle on her caramel skin. So cool, she'd envisioned how cool the water would envelop her entire body if only she'd take those steps closer.

When she glanced up a figure was stood, back to her, looking out onto the glittering sea—contemplative, as if the wisdom of the world was gathered in the body of water.

For a moment, Aurora could only stare . . .

Before he turned to her, hand stretched out awaiting for her to join him.

Aurora's eyes briefly widened at the male and went to lunge into the depths of the ocean ( in looks for him ) only for her to shoot up from her sleep abyss coughing up gallons of sea water.

"Holy shit!"

"Rory, by the gods!"

The girl was still retching ocean water out the side of the rowboat, when a comforting hand appeared on her back and softly began patting it—easing her to remove all the water from her body.

"Keep going," Percy's voice said. "You still have water in your lungs."

Aurora turned her face briefly, strands of wet hair slapping her cheeks, "How do you—"

She turned once again and coughed up the remaining water from her lungs. The bitter taste of salt deeply engraved in both her mouth and tongue, making her grimace in disgust.

                         She placed her head on the side of the rowboat out of sheer exhaustion. She felt as though she was on the brink of taking a very long nap, one she doubted would only last a couple of days.

                         Percy's hand was still on her back, "It's all out."

                         Annabeth suddenly appeared on Aurora's right gripping her best friends hand as though she was moments away from fading, "You weren't breathing. Percy was able to get rid of the water in your lungs."

                         Aurora briefly looked up at Percy who was to her left, "How?"

                         He shrugged but relaxed when he knew she was alright, "Had a Hypothesis," he began trying to hide the smile on his face. "Thought this was the best occasion to try it out."

                         Aurora couldn't help the smile growing on her lips, "You're lucky your hypothesis worked, ocean eyes," she looked at him in her eyes, her head still leaning against the side of the wooden rowboat. "I do not want my endgame to be in the ocean."

                         Percy realized his hand was still on her back and with red ears retrieved it, "Even if it didn't work. At least, it answered a Hypothesis."

                         Aurora—knowing he was only teasing her— splashed him with sea water to which he only chuckled. "Well," she sat up looking him directly at eye level. "It looks like you finally got a hold of that being Poseidons' son manual, huh?"

                         Percy looked at her for a moment before turning back to the ocean, "Maybe," he nodded before turning back to her, "But I'm a bad study. I only read the stuff that matters."

                         That made Aurora's aura a pretty pink. She turned her head so her blush wouldn't be noticed, only for a sharp cough to interrupt them.

                         Annabeth.

The blonde girl showed them some things she'd salvaged after they separated. Hermes's thermos (now empty), a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia, a couple of sailors' shirts, and a bottle of Dr. Pepper.

                         She'd fished both Percy and Aurora out of the water. Sadly, Aurora lost her left bangle that transformed into her shield in the explosion. Annabeth searched the waters for it, to no avail. However, She did find Percy's knapsack, bitten in half by Scylla's teeth. Most of his stuff had floated away, but he still had Hermes's bottle of multivitamins, and of course, he had Riptide.

                         They sailed for hours. The three growing antsy, as they ventured in the Sea of Monsters, with the water glittering a more brilliant green, like Hydra acid. The wind smelled fresh and salty, but it carried a strange metallic scent, as if a magnetic storm was moments away from sending them to Hades.

                         They took turns sipping from the Dr. Pepper, shading themselves with the sail as best they could. And they talked about Percy's latest dream of Grover. Aurora's hands were trembling with worry and it wasn't helping that she had lost a friend a couple of hours beforehand. Continuously cursing herself for not pressuring Tyson into leaving faster.

                         By Annabeth's estimate, they had less than twenty-four hours to find Grover, assuming Percy's dream was accurate and assuming the Cyclops Polyphemus didn't change his mind and try to marry Grover earlier.

                         "Yeah," Percy said bitterly. "You can never trust a Cyclops."

                         Aurora deemed Annabeth's fear against Cyclops's rational. It's how they lost a girl they considered a sister—it was only logical to fear them, especially if their presence still lingered in your nightmares.

                         Annabeth stared across the water, "I'm sorry, Percy. I was wrong about Tyson, okay? I wish I could tell him that."

                         Percy looked down at their measly possessions-the empty wind thermos, the bottle of multivitamins.

                         "Guys," He looked between Aurora and Annabeth. "what's Chiron's prophecy?"

                         The girls glanced at each other nervously, knowing that they couldn't utter a word. Aurora only shook her head, prophecies were never her thing either. They only longed to destroy the mind of the receiver—especially if the receiver knew too much of their own prophecy to begin with.

Aurora sucked in a breath, "Ocean eyes, I don't think it's a go—"

"I know Chiron promised the gods he wouldn't tell me. But you didn't promise, did you?"

This time Annabeth shook her head, "Knowledge isn't always good for you."

"Your mom is the wisdom goddess!"

"I know! But every time heroes learn the future, they try to change it, and it never works."

Aurora pursed her lips as she looked out towards the ocean, "They try altering their prophecy only for catastrophe to hit them," she glanced at Percy hoping her eyes wouldn't deceive her. "We only hope we can keep it from hitting you. In hopes the gods would not interfer—"

"Rory," Annabeth warned.

"The gods are worried about something I'll do when I get older," Percy guessed. "Something when I turn sixteen."

"Ocean eyes, it's something bigger than that—"

Percy moved his body away from Aurora in agitation, "Why don't you want to tell me?"

Aurora sighed, "Because a prophecy as big as this one will only mess with your mind."

Percy only narrowed his eyes at the girl and turned to Annabeth, "Tell me, Annabeth."

Aurora frowned.

Annabeth twisted her Yankees cap in her hands as she glanced between the two, "Percy, I don't know the full prophecy, but it warns about a half-blood child of the Big Three-the next one who lives to the age of sixteen. That's the real reason Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore a pact after World War II not to have any more kids. The next child of the Big Three who reaches sixteen will be a dangerous weapon."

"Why?"

"Because that hero will decide the fate of Olympus. He or she will make a decision that either saves the Age of the Gods or destroys it."

"That's why Kronos didn't kill me last summer."

She nodded, "You could be very useful to him. If he can get you on his side, the gods will be in serious trouble."

Aurora could already see his gears turning. The thought of The Great Prophecy now weighing on his mind. Just like Aurora thought it was.

"But if it's me in the prophecy—"

"We'll only know that if you survive three more years. That can be a long time for a half-blood. When Chiron first learned about Thalia, he assumed she was the one in the prophecy. That's why he was so desperate to get her safely to camp. Then she went down fighting and got turned into a pine tree and none of us knew what to think. Until you came along." Aurora winced at the mention of Thalia. She missed her terribly.

On their port side, a spiky green dorsal fin about fifteen feet long curled out of the water and disappeared. Aurora hastily moved away from it.

"This kid in the prophecy . . . he or she couldn't be like, a Cyclops?" Percy asked. "The Big Three have lots of monster children."

Annabeth shook her head, "The Oracle said 'half-blood.' That always means half-human, halfgod. There's really nobody alive who it could be, except you."

"Then why do the gods even let me live? It would be safer to kill me."

"You're right."

"Thanks a lot."

"See," Aurora crossed her arms over her chest in attitude. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you. Because you were going to react like this!"

"Oh great," Percy began. "And how exactly would you react to this?"

Aurora thought about it . . . Actually thought about it. In all honesty, she would have taken this information far worse than Percy had as it was incredibly overwhelming.

But she wasn't about to tell Percy that.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "A lot smoother, I guess."

"Smoother?" Percy asked incredulously. "Cool. Maybe I'll thank the gods for keeping me alive."

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows, "It's not like you're some kind of liability—"

"That's exactly what I am!" He whirled to Annabeth who only watched the bickering in front of her with risen eyebrows. "What do you think?"

"Percy, I don't know. I guess some of the gods would like to kill you, but they're probably afraid of offending Poseidon. Other gods . . . maybe they're still watching you, trying to decide what kind of hero you're going to be. You could be a weapon for their survival, after all. The real question is . . . what will you do in three years? What decision will you make?"

"Did the prophecy give any hints?"Annabeth hesitated as she locked eyes with Aurora who only shook her head and shrugged.

"Look Percy, there are three long years before then. Try to survive until then and then ponder on it."

Percy looked at Aurora and thought about it, "What do you think I'd do?"

Aurora shrugged, "Whatever you do. I would follow you"

Percy rose an eyebrow, "Why?"

Aurora pushed her wet hair behind her ear trying to look as nonchalant as possible, "Someone has to keep you alive. Besides," she turned her head away from him to hide her smile, "You're life would be incredibly dull without me."

"I'm sure it would."

Suddenly Annabeth jumped from her right and looked startled as the bird dropped a small cluster of leaves into her lap. "Leaves," she said. "That means there's land nearby!"

Sure enough, there was a line of blue and brown in the distance. Another minute and Aurora could make out an island with a small mountain in the center, a dazzling white collection of buildings, a beach dotted with palm trees, and a harbor filled with a strange assortment of boats. The current was pulling their rowboat toward what looked like a tropical paradise.

"Welcome!" said the lady with the clipboard.

She looked like a flight attendant-blue business suit, perfect makeup, hair pulled back in a ponytail. She shook their hands as they stepped onto the dock. With the dazzling smile, she gave them, you would've thought they'd just gotten off the Princess Andromeda rather than a banged-up rowboat. Then again, their rowboat wasn't the weirdest ship in port. Along with a bunch of pleasure yachts, there was a U.S. Navy submarine, several dugout canoes, and an old-fashioned three-masted sailing ship. There was a helipad with a "Channel Five Fort Lauderdale" helicopter on it, and a short runway with a Learjet and a propeller plane that looked like a World War II fighter. Maybe they're replicas for tourists to look at or something.

"Is this your first time with us?" the clipboard lady inquired.

The three demigods glanced at each other.

Annabeth said, "Umm . . ."

"First—time—at—spa," the lady said as she wrote on her clipboard. "Let's see . . ." She looked them up and down critically. "Mmm. An herbal wrap to start for this young lady. Ohhh," she turned to Aurora with a glint in her eye, "And a Water renewal wrap for this beautiful young lady," Aurora's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "And of course, a complete makeover for the young gentleman."

"A what?" Percy asked.

She was too busy jotting down notes to answer.

"Right!" She said with a breezy smile. "Well, I'm sure C.C. will want to speak with you personally before the luau. Come, please."

Now here's the thing. Aurora, Annabeth, and Percy were used to traps, and usually, those traps looked good at first. So they expected the clipboard lady to turn into a snake or a demon, or something, any minute. But on the other hand, they'd been floating in a rowboat for most of the day. They were hungry, tired, and ready to rest.

And Aurora loved the sound of the Water wrap.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," Annabeth muttered.

Yet, something was nagging at her.

Aurora shook her head, "No, remember what happened with Medusa? I honestly do not want to almost turn into a statue again! So let's just go!"

Annabeth glanced at her best friend. "Look, if we see something dangerous we'll go. But let's enjoy it for the moment. We need this"

Aurora narrowed her eyes. "Fine! If we get killed, I'll resurrect the both of you and kill you again!"

Aurora bit her lips and followed the beautiful clip board lady further into the resort. Yet, the further they ventured the quickly the negative thoughts left her mind.

Aurora herself had to admit that this was probably the finest resort she'd ever walked in and that was saying something being the daughter of a billionaire. Seeing as her father practically had the world at his lap, she'd been given the pleasure to see the finer things in life . . . But this resort easily tops any others she'd been to.

There was white marble and blue water everywhere she looked. Terraces climbed up the side of the mountain, with swimming pools on every level, connected by watersides and waterfalls and underwater tubes you could swim through. Fountains sprayed water into the air, forming impossible shapes, like flying eagles and galloping horses.

Aurora glanced at her friends but frowned at the queasy look on Percy's face. She took a hold of his wrist, "Are you alright? You look like you're about to puke."

Percy locked eyes with her and nodded. "I'm okay," he said. "Just . . . let's keep walking."

Aurora nodded and planted a squeeze on his wrist before letting him go.

They passed all kinds of tame animals. A sea turtle napped in a stack of beach towels. A leopard stretched out asleep on the diving board. The resort guests-only young women, as far as Aurora could see lounged in deck chairs, drinking fruit smoothies or reading magazines while herbal face masks dried on their faces and manicurists in white uniforms did their nails.

Aurora was in Aphrodite heaven.

As they headed up a staircase toward what looked like the main building, they all heard a woman singing. Her voice drifted through the air like a lullaby. Her words were in some language other than Ancient Greek, but just as old-Minoan, maybe, or something similar.

Her voice seemed to lift them off the steps and carry them toward her. Beckoning them closer to her presence.

They came into a big room where the whole front wall was windows. The back wall was covered in mirrors, so the room seemed to go on forever. There was a bunch of expensive-looking white furniture, and on a table in one corner was a large wire pet cage. Aurora tilted her head in confusion when she saw the cage but chose not to say anything because just then she saw the lady who'd been singing and she looked breathtaking.

She sat at a loom the size of a big-screen TV, her hands weaving colored thread back and forth with amazing skill. The tapestry shimmered like it was three-dimensional a waterfall scene so real you could see the water moving and clouds drifting across a fabric sky.

Annabeth caught her breath, "It's beautiful."

Aurora blew out a breath, "It's actually pretty remarkable."

The woman turned, and Auroras eyes could only widen in bewilderment. Her long dark hair was braided with threads of gold. She had piercing green eyes—the kind that reminded her of emeralds— and she wore a silky black dress with shapes that seemed to move in the fabric: animal shadows, black upon black, like deer running through a forest at night.

"You appreciate weaving, my dears?" the woman asked.

"Oh, yes, ma'am!" Annabeth said. "My mother is—" Aurora nudged her best friend causing her to clamp her mouth shut.

"Our grandma has a remarkable talent with weaving, it could be said that she invented the loom" Aurora falsely chuckled.

Their hostess just smiled, "You have good taste, my dears. So does your grandmother. I'm so glad you've come. My name is C.C."

The animals in the corner cage started squealing. They must've been guinea pigs, from the sound of them. They introduced themselves to C.C.

"Oh, dear," she sighed. "You do need my help."

"Ma'am?" Percy asked.

C.C. called to the lady in the business suit. "Hylla, take Annabeth and Aurora on a tour, will you? Show them what we have available. The clothing will need to change. And the hair on this one," She gestured to Annabeth. "my goodness. Do not get me started on this drenched young lady," she gestured to Aurora whose hair was still dripping wet along with her clothes. Out of sheer insecurity, she brushed back her wet hair to the best of her ability. "We will do a full image consultation after I've spoken with this young gentleman."

Aurora frowned at the mention of her appearance, it's not to say she was ever insecure—no absolutely not ( she was rather confident in her looks just ask those around her ) but the thought of C.C not liking it, made a wave of sadness engulf her little body.

Annabeth seemed to feel the same because she asked, "What's wrong with my hair?"

Aurora grabbed her hair and sent the wet strands a pitiful look.

C.C. smiled benevolently, "My dears, you are lovely. Really! But you're not showing off yourselves or your talents at all. So much wasted potential!"

"Wasted?" Aurora's lip jutted out in a pout.

"Well, surely you're not happy the way you are! My goodness, there's not a single person who is. But don't worry. We can improve anyone here at the spa. Hylla will show you what I mean. You, my dears, need to unlock your trueselfs!"

Something in Aurora was battling her newfound emotions. "But . . . what about Percy?"

"Oh, definitely," C.C. said, giving Percy a sad look. "Percy requires my personal attention. He needs much more work than you."

Aurora shook her head in denial, "But Percy's okay. He doesn't need to change."

She didn't notice the admiration on Percy's face when he heard Aurora's words. Something in her head almost like a nagging voice kept telling her to grab Percy and Annabeth and run out of the island, but the daze she was in made it hard for her to restrain herself.

Annabeth grabbed Aurora's hand, "Come on, Rory. Percy's going to be okay, right?"

C.C falsely smiled, "Of course, my dear. Nothing will happen to your precious Percy."

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows but nonetheless sent a last look directed towards Percy, and allowed Annabeth and Hylla to pull her along.

"Right this way, dears," Hylla said. And they allowed themselves to be led away into the waterfall-laced gardens of the spa.

The more Aurora was led around the more her head was battling with her heart. Something's wrong, her head was telling her but it sounded like a very familiar male voice. While her heart on the other was telling her, Maybe it'll be okay.

However, her heart was winning the grapple for control when unfamiliar girl about her age who looked equally as beautiful as the last began to do her hair and paint her nails. Throughout the entire time here, she hadn't noticed anyone her age besides both Annabeth and Percy—so curiosity won when she began examining her closer.

Her eyes were obsidian black as they painted Aurora's nails a gold color. Her equally dark hair was pulled away from her face in braids and threads of gold, like the other women.

"Ah," Hylla came from Aurora's left and nodded to the younger girl. "Reyna, would you be kind enough to give Aurora the drink we have prepared for her?"

The girl sent Aurora a fleeting glance before nodding and turning away.

Hylla smiled and patted Aurora on her now bare shoulder. They had made her change from her wet clothes to now a white one shoulder strapped dress with a knot on her side right below her heart. Her right arm—which was free from fabric— had a gold arm bracelet over her caramel skin. Yet, that was not the only piece of jewelry she now had adorned.

She also had her ( now ) lonesome right bangle on her wrist, alongside an assortment of equally gorgeous rings on her now painted fingers.

Aurora hadn't looked at herself in the mirror yet, but when she noticed Annabeth's awestruck look on her face when she'd come out of the bathroom, she assumed she looked good.

"Drink?" Aurora questioned as she tried to send a glance to Annabeth whom was too preoccupied fiddling with her own silver jewelry. "Why would I need a drink?"

Hylla merely waved her off, "It's only to perpetuate your looks now, my girl. Wouldn't you like to stay as beautiful as you can forever?"

Aurora squinted her eyes a bit. She was the daughter of Aphrodite, beauty was something she'd always find even if she never longed for it. Beauty was a part of who she was, forevermore.

"Here you go, darling." A sudden drink was forced into her hand. It looked like a chocolate milkshake with the foam and straw poking out.

Her heart began pounding, and her gut began to plead. Pleads that sent a shiver down her spine, telling her not to take even the smallest of sip.

She placed a careful smile on her face, "I shouldn't," she shook her head. "I don't quite like milkshakes."

Hylla scarily smiled, "Oh, dear. I insist."

Annabeth perked up from her spot next to her friend, "If Aurora doesn't want it then, I can take it."

"No!" Hylla hastily pulled the milkshake away from Annabeth's reaching hand and forcefully placed it back into Aurora's hand, "You need to drink it! Don't you want to be beautiful for your future lover? Whomever it shall be?"

My future lover? Aurora questioned on her own mind with furrowed brows. She glanced back up into Hylla's eyes and saw a look of knowing behind the wall of sickening obsidian. Did she have an idea that Aurora was the Daughter of Aphrodite? Did she know who her mother was?

Aurora knit her eyebrows together and the internal debate like earlier returned. Does she really want to drink the milkshake in order to remain beautiful or does she truly want to remain fully insecure of herself?

"NO!" A voice from within her head yelled on anguish. It invaded her senses as if wanting to overtake them as well, but the murky look in Auroras eyes proved it unfruitful.

The closer she examined the milkshake the more the voice grew with distress, sending her own mind wild with curiosity. What was this voice? Why did it sound like peril was straight around the corner?

Before she could question it anymore, Hylla patted her once again, "Take a sip, dear."

Aurora's heart won this time, as she glanced from her chocolate milkshake to the two females in front of her. Seeing the reassurance in her eyes, she brought the straw to her lips and took a sip even as the voice grew louder.

The moment she swallowed the sweet substance . . . The voice subsided like it ran right back to where it came from, yet not a minute later a searing pain shot through her skull so much, she dropped the glass cup from her hands sending the shards and liquid scattering onto the floor.

She glanced up her face scrunched with utter pain, "What did you do?"

Hylla only glanced another woman, not Reyna who only watched the interaction with solemn eyes, "Will you please escort Annabeth back to C.C?" She gave Aurora a piercing stare. "Aurora and I have much to discuss"

Without glancing up Aurora knew that they took Annabeth back towards the room they were previously in. Due to the pain, Aurora fell out of the chair and landed on her hands and knees.

"Your protector is nowhere in sight is he?" Aurora groaned in pain. "Now, that is precisely why men are useless. He was meant to protect you, yet he made it so much easier for us to take him from you."

Aurora panted through the pain, "Who the hell are you?"

Hylla leaned down and took a strand from Aurora's hair and smirked, "For a Stark, you aren't quite as smart as your father or grandfather. When do you think you'll outlive their shadow?"

Aurora's hands and elbows trembled in pain, "You don't know me"

Hylla smirked, "I know quite a lot, my dear. I know all about your dependency on the men around you," her eyes suddenly softened when Aurora released a cry of pain from her glossy lips. "Stay here, Aurora."

Aurora groaned, "Yeah, I don't think so. My dad would kill me."

Pepper would too, but that's besides the point.

Hylla caressed her face and Aurora was too much in pain to actually push her away, "You crave knowledge just like us. You don't need the men before you to prove how powerful you can be."

Aurora couldn't keep herself upright anymore and fell full to the floor. She fell right on her face, which didn't help the pain in her skull.

Aurora groaned out, "N—Nate. Where are y—you?"

Hylla scoffed, "This is precisely what I mean. You rely on a man who does not know how to protect you."

Aurora panted, "The drink. W—What did you d—do to him?"

"You won't be needed him anytime soon, dear."

Something inside Aurora snapped in utter anger. The pain in her body subsided and from the look on Hylla's face, the older woman was not expecting it. This was not Nathaniel controlling her, no, she was in full control of her actions and could practically feel the white energy coursing through her veins.

She will not have another person kidnapped from under her. It happened to her father, and she'll be damned if it happened to anyone else.

"Daggers!" Her thick bangle slowly but surely transformed into Aurora's favorite weapon choice, two daggers that looked incredibly menacing—bathed in a white light all the similar to Nate's.

Hylla snapped out of her shock and tried to throw a ball of energy towards her, but it didn't hurt Aurora. It looked as though the white energy surrounding her daggers merely consumed it, in relation.

Aurora sneered and approached the older. She pressed the tip of one of her daggers to her neck and aimed the other at Reyna who looked about ready to interfere, "I don't need anyone to protect me! Nor do I rely on them to do so. Next time you try to bargain with me, make sure you don't piss me off!" she whirled around so her dagger was against Hylla's neck and she was behind her. Yet from the corner of her eyes noticed movement from where Reyna stood, causing her to whirl around and press the dagger much closer to Hylla's neck. "Try me, sister," Aurora dared.

"Let her go," Reyna stated her obsidian eyes now looking fierce.

"Reyna," Hylla shakily nodded. "It's okay, go back to your duties."

Aurora was still angry, not to mentioned worried. What happened to Nate? What did they do to him? For the love of all the gods, she hopes he's all right.

Aurora was a hothead, yes, but this anger flowing through her body as her loved ones lives seemed foggy was something entirely different altogether.

She's going to survive, and not only that she'll survive with all of her friends just so she could see her father again as she terribly missed him.

Aurora gritted her teeth, "Where are Annabeth and Percy?

"With C.C"

Everything came clicking to Aurora. The smell of magic in the air, the hate for men, and the appraisal for women all came together to form a puzzle.

She growled, "With Circe, you mean."

"Y—Yes"

"Let's go. You try anything and I won't hesitate to slit your throat, with or without a man present."

They walked towards the room that C.C was previously in. Aurora kicked down the door and walked in with a very terrified Hylla in front of her, her  dagger pressed nicely against her throat.

When they walked in they saw Annabeth and Circe—by the looks of it—in a very heated discussion, with no Percy insight. Her anger frailed up some more.

Her knuckles turned white, "Where.is. he?!"

Annabeth turned and her eyes were wide when she saw her best friend, "Aurora! She turned him into a guinea pig! She's Circe!"

Aurora pushed Hylla away from her and turned to the cage. A specific guinea pig was scratching the bars and other guinea pigs were surrounding it. It's beady eyes looking directly at her.

Now, Aurora was beyond pissed. They'd done, gods know what to Nate, and now turned Percy into a Guinea pig. Yeah, she was beyond angry.

"Turn him back!" Aurora yelled. She pointed her white charged daggers towards Circe with fire practically dancing in her eyes.

"Forget him," Circe said. "Join me and learn the ways of sorcery. Your friend will be well cared for. He'll be shipped to a wonderful new home on the mainland. The kindergartners will adore him. Meanwhile, you both will be wise and powerful. You will have all you ever wanted."

Aurora turned to Annabeth, "The multivitamins get them," She slowly turned her head back towards Circe her jaw clenched. "I'll handle her."

Circe smirked, "You might be immune to our magic but your friend is not."

She went to attack Annabeth before Aurora could charge . . . only to be sent flying right against a wall by an invisible source. Shattering glass paintings and sending wood splinters everywhere.

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

She glanced up and caught sight of a familiar image. That of a flickering man with ( now ) wild brown hair, panting as if he had just ran a marathon.

She noticed the minute he appeared, the white energy on her daggers disappeared and reappeared on his fists.

Aurora's eyes softened, "Nate!" Out of pure relief she ran towards the man—who too looked relieved when he saw her unharmed. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around his waist, almost sending the older man tumbling back. "I—I thought they did something to you. I—I thought they t—took you—"

Nate wrapped his arms around the girl and gave her a comforting smile, "I'm okay, kid," he soothed and flattened her hair. "I'm okay."

Suddenly a loud explosion caused her to turn around in fright. Yet, there in the middle of the floor was Percy—sitting on the floor completely human, but he was with six other guys who all looked disoriented, blinking and shaking wood shavings out of their hair. Nathaniel walked in front of both Aurora and Annabeth to shield the girls from them.

"No!" Circe screamed. "You don't understand! Those are the worst!"

Nathaniel sneered, "You should have thought about that when you harmed the child under my protection."

One of the men stood up-a huge guy with a long tangled pitch-black beard and teeth the same color. He wore mismatched clothes of wool and leather, knee-length boots, and a floppy felt hat. The other men were dressed more simply-in breeches and stained white shirts. All of them were barefoot.

"Argggh!" bellowed the big man. "What's the witch done t'me!"

"No!" Circe moaned.

Annabeth gasped, "I recognize you! Edward Teach, son of Ares?"

"Aye, lass," the big man growled. "Though most call me Blackbeard! And there's the sorceress what captured us, lads. Run her through, and then I mean to find me a big bowl of celery! Arggggh!"

Circe screamed. She and her attendants ran from the room, chased by the pirates. Nathaniel turned to Aurora and placed a hand on the side of her face. "Get your friends and get out of here. I have business to deal with."

Aurora nodded and before she knew it Nathaniel left.

She turned back to Percy and a smile overtook her face when she saw him. She ran towards him and threw her hands around his neck.Percy wrapped his arms around her waist, tightly.

She pulled away, "I was so worried, ocean eyes."

Percy looked at her. She means really looked at her, and for a moment she could see her own reflection in his eyes. She was beautiful—beyond comprehension. Her eyelashes were coated with mascara making them longer and making her eyes bigger. Her gold eyeshadow brought out small tiny specks of gold in her iris' she never even realized were there, much like in her hair. It was a full voluminous blowout that framed her face perfectly.

When Aurora separated from him she said, "Gods! The amount of times you have me worried!" She frowned.

Percy's aura turned a pretty magenta, "I could say the same for you."

Aurora gave him a dimpled smile, "It comes with the package, huh?"

"You could say that."

Annabeth's sharp cough filled the air, causing the demigods to blush and take a step away from the other. "Come on," she urged, "We have to go."

They ran down the hillside through the terraces, past screaming spa workers and pirates ransacking the resort. Blackbeard's men broke the tiki torches for the luau, threw herbal wraps into the swimming pool, and kicked over tables of sauna towels.

"Which ship?" Annabeth said as they reached the docks. They looked around desperately. They couldn't very well take their rowboat. They had to get off the island fast, but what else could they use? A sub? A fighter jet? they couldn't pilot any of those things.

Aurora cursed, "I'll make sure to read a book on how to pilot all of those things. Watch"

"There," Percy said as he pointed to a specific location.

Annabeth and Aurora blinked, "But—"

"I can make it work."

"How?" Aurora knit her eyebrows.

Percy only shook his head and intertwined his fingers with Aurora as he pulled her towards the three-mast ship. Painted on its prow was the name: Queen Anne's Revenge.

"Argggh!" Blackbeard yelled somewhere behind them. "Those scalawags are a-boarding me vessel! Get 'em, lads!"

"We'll never get going in time!" Annabeth yelled as she climbed aboard after Percy and Aurora who were still holding hands. They looked around at the hopeless maze of sail and ropes. The ship was in great condition for a three-hundred-year-old vessel, but it would still take a crew of fifty several hours to get underway.

"Ocean eyes, what are you planning?"

He squeezed her hand, closed his eyes, and concentrated on the waves lapping against the hull, the ocean currents, the winds all around his.

"Mizzenmast!" He yelled.

Aurora's eyes widen as she looked at the boy next to her. Annabeth looked at Percy like he was nuts, but in the next second, the air was filled with whistling sounds of ropes being snapped taut, canvases unfurling, and wooden pulleys creaking.

"What about Nate?!"

"I'm here right here, little dove"

She turned to see the man sat down looking out of breath. Annabeth's eyes widen, "Are you okay?"

Nathaniel waved her off, "I'll be fine. Just . . .need to go" and with that, he disappeared.

Percy willed the sails to rise as easily as if he were flexing his arm. He willed the rudder to turn. The Queen Anne's Revenge lurched away from the dock, and by the time the pirates arrived at the water's edge, they were already underway, sailing into the Sea of Monsters.

— NAT TALKS !

how was the chapter?
a very long one ik, don't mind me

also, auroras altercation with teyna
is going to bite her back in the ass
in the future.

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