FLOWER POWER ─ percy jackson

xviii. haunted

The steep hill was difficult for Annabeth and Aster's small legs, and they couldn't be quick enough. As Luke hurried them along, Aster tripped on a small rock, feeling a pop in her ankle. She fell and cried out in pain, and Annabeth pulled at her arm.

"Come on Aster, we have to go!"

More tears flowed down Aster's cheeks. "I can't! It hurts, oh it hurts!" she sobbed.

Luke didn't hesitate, helping Aster to her feet and practically carrying her up the hill. Aster could hear him grunting with the effort of carrying her, but she was in too much pain to tell him to put her down.

"Annabeth!" he yelled. "Go with Grover! Get ahead!"

Annabeth hesitated, tears brimming her fierce gray eyes. "But–"

"Go Annabeth!"

Annabeth obeyed, running to catch up with Grover. He kept shouting that they were almost there, as if it would make them go faster. His eyes turned into slits as he looked over Luke and Aster, to Thalia. Aster risked a glance back, where Thalia's dark brows creased. The monsters had all come into view: the three Furies, the large hellhounds, and one casting a shadow over them all—a large cyclops, its giant green eye blinking at them.

"Thalia!" Aster cried out, causing the girl to turn to her. "Come on!"

"Come on!" Grover repeated. "We can make it!"

"We're not going to make it," Thalia said grimly.

"Yes, we will!" Luke countered. Annabeth and Grover stopped briefly, waiting for them to catch up.

A new fire ignited in Thalia's eyes, like a lightning spark. It was different from the usual flame that smoldered in her gaze. She sighed and looked back at the monsters, which were dangerously close now. Her eyebrows knit together, like she had made a decision. She turned around and readied her spear, her back to her friends.

"You guys go! I'll hold them off!"

"Thalia, no! " Luke said. "You can't be serious!"

Thalia didn't answer him. She looked seriously at each one of them from over her shoulder, her electric blue eyes seeming to glow brighter. "Just go!"

Grover continued up the hill as Luke carried a sobbing Aster, dragging Annabeth with him, who was screaming for Thalia.

The daughter of Zeus stood tall behind them, her eyes narrowed in determination. She wouldn't let her friends—her family—fall to these monsters. She readied herself, then charged.

They were nearly to the top of the hill when Aster glanced back. Thalia had just turned a Fury into dust, a second one coming to take a swing at her. Aster shouted a warning, and Thalia avoided the monster. Three hellhounds pounced on her, but she jumped out of the way at the last second. The hairs on the back of Aster's neck stood up, and she knew what was coming next.

Thalia raised her spear to the sky, a bolt of lightning meeting her there. She directed the blast from her weapon at the army of monsters, and Aster watched in awe as they all disintegrated to dust. But there was one monster that she had missed.

Thalia slouched, slowly turning back to her family. Her electric blue eyes had lost a certain spark as her chest heaved. Aster was more concerned with the claw marks down her arms.

"Thalia!" Grover shouted, "Come on!"

Thalia ran towards them, but she had forgotten the blinking green eye. The cyclops who had held them captive had followed them all the way here—he apparently had a particular disdain for losing his dinner. Aster watched in horror as a giant, wandering hand grabbed Thalia by the neck and lifted her in the air.