Anthízo, Percy Jackson

IX. she would fight for her family

KARINA DIDN'T sign up for this quest knowing she'd be exploring through a sewer. walking through underground athens with a metal brace attached to her leg wasn't the most pleasant thing she'd ever wanted to experience. her leg had been starting to feel better over the past few days, but running without her brace wasn't even an option yet— which set her back majorly when it came to these small-adventures she was having to go on. and without caelius to carry her, she was ultimately slowing down the whole group. but, she tried not to think about it.

from the port to the acropolis, she didn't see anything of athens except dark, putrid tunnels. the snake men led them through an iron storm grate at the docks, straight into their underground lair, which smelled of rotting fish, mold, and snakeskin.

despite the atmosphere being the complete opposite of summertime and cotton and easy living, piper managed to keep up her song. if she stopped for longer than a minute or two, kekrops and his guards started hissing and looking angry.

"i don't like this place," annabeth murmured. "reminds me of when i was underneath rome."

kekrops hissed with laughter. "our domain is much older. much, much older."

karina nodded, swallowing. "that's reassuring."

she slipped her hand into percy's, to which he immediately pulled her closer to him, squeezing her hand softly. having percy close to her made karina feel only slightly safer in this underground tunnel that they were currently residing in. but, something was better than nothing.

piper's voice echoed through the tunnels. as they traveled farther into the lair, more snake people gathered to hear her. soon they had a procession following behind them— dozen of gemini all swaying and slithering.

percy pushed karina in front of him, trying to keep her away from the snake people as best as he could. keeping her hand in his, he allowed her to lead him behind her so that she could be further away from the snakes. he could see the way her body stiffened as more gemini flooded behind them, making a crowd of snake people behind the group. percy felt unnerved as well, but he made sure that karina felt safer before he did anything for himself.

they passed through crude stone chambers littered with bones. they climbed slopes so steep and slippery it was nearly impossible to keep their footing. at one point, they passed a warm cave the size of a gymnasium filled with snake eggs, their tops covered with a layer of silver filaments like slimy christmas tinsel.

"ew, ew, ew," karina muttered, squeezing her eyes shut as she increased her pace, walking quickly by the cave. percy chuckled at her demise, and soon followed after her after she tugged him along.

more and more snake people joined their procession. slithering behind them, they sounded like an army of football players shuffling with sandpaper on their cleats.

karina thought she heard her own heartbeat echoing through the corridors, getting louder and louder the deeper they went. then she realized the persistent boom ba-boom was all around them, resonating through the stone and the air.

i wake. a woman's voice, as clear as piper's singing.

annabeth froze. "oh, that's not good."

percy gripped karina's hand. "it's like tartarus," percy said, his voice edgy. "you remember. . . his heartbeat. when he appeared— "

"don't," annabeth said. "just don't."

"sorry." in the light of his sword, percy's face was like a large firefly— a hovering, momentary smudge of brightness in the dark.

the voice of gaea spoke again, louder: at last.