Princess McLean (Jasper)

Princess McLean Chapter 4

"So, you come here often?"

Percy hastily stuffed the goblet into his satchel (which Thalia refused to call it anything but his man purse). He clutched it to his chest and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in.

"Holy Hera, you gave me a heart attack."

The guard laughed and leaned back against the wall. "Sorry, I was bored and I was looking for an innocent soul to convert."

"If you're looking for an innocent soul you're looking in the wrong place." Percy nervously laughed. The goblet made his 'man purse' extremely bulky and part of it was sticking out.

The guard looked in the direction of Percy's satchel.

"What's that?"

Percy hid it in the folds of his robes. "Nothing important."

The guard narrowed his eyes and held out his hand.

"What's in your purse?"

"Correction, it's a man purse."

As soon and the guard took a step forward Percy stomped on his foot and ran.

"Fooloolooloo!"

***

"Can we take that, Nico?"

Nico sighed in frustration. "No, Leo."

"They have a hedgehog! Can we please take him, Nico?"

Nico sighed again, giving Leo a look.

"Leo, it's a hedgehog, what are we even going to to with it? Eat it?"

"No! You're sick!"

Nico looked at Leo and glared, stuffing jewelry into his robes.

All of a sudden Leo gasped, pointing at a large tank in the corner of the grand room.

"What is it, Leo?" Nico muttered, not bothering to look behind his shoulder as he shoved a golden candle holder into his 'man purse' as Thalia put it.

"They have a squid."

That caught Nico's attention. He glanced over at Leo who had his face pressed against the fish tank, staring wondrously at the large sea creature.

"Leo, no."

"But I haven't even asked yet!" Leo whined, glancing back at the dark haired boy.

"I knew you were going to ask, might as well get it over with."

"But Nicoooo!" Leo whined latching onto the older boy as he begged for the large sea creature.

"C'mon! Please?"

"Alright."

"Nico you're not being- Wait, really?"

"We can have calamari for dinner I guess."

Leo let out a girly shriek. "Nico! Fish are friends, not food!" He yelled, not seeing Nico's amusement at his discomfort.

"Squids aren't even fish, so technically they aren't our friends, thus enabling them to become food."

"Shut up! I don't need your logic!"

***

In another room, a grand marble sculpture of the Princess crashed to the ground with the elegance of a rabid rhino.

Frank flinched, glancing around wildly as if something or someone was watching him.

He sucked in a deep breath through his teeth before inching his way out of the room.