Lykos of Shadows 𖦹 Percy Jackson and the Olympians

𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟

  Penelope was finally able to free Percy from the blade piercing his shoulder, Dr. Thorn then quickly ushered the children outside where they were met with blinding white snow.

"I have no idea what you're doing here, Percy, but I'm so glad you are," Penelope whispered to him.

Percy glanced at her and gave her an awkward smile. "I was kinda hoping our reunion would be a bit different."

She would've responded but Dr. Thorn must've gotten annoyed because he gave her a harsh shove forward, nearly making her collide with the Di Angelo siblings. Penelope shot him a glare.

  Percy faltered for a moment, and shut his eyes.

Penelope looked at him with unease, she could smell the blood coming out from his wound. If Percy was deeply wounded, not only would it make it difficult to escape, but she also had to think about Di Angelo kids as well. Penelope was freaking out that this was the way she was gonna go. By a ghoulish-looking French man.

"What are doing, Jackson?" Dr. Thorn hissed. "Keep moving!"

He opened his eyes and kept shuffling forward. "It's my shoulder." He said, he sounded miserable. "It burns."

"Bah! My poison causes pain. I will not kill you. Walk!"

Thorn marched them into familiar woods. They took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. The wind blowing through Penelope's dress made her realize that the others were shivering and she wasn't. Considering that she was wearing less than them, she feigned her shivering.

"There is a clearing ahead. We will summon your ride." Thorn said.

  "What ride?" The girl demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

"Don't talk to my sister that way!" The boy said. He had enough courage to defend his sister but Penelope could hear the quiver in his voice.

Penelope held her hands up in surrender with a look of desperation. "Look, sir, if this is about money, I may or may not have a twenty-dollar bill in my bag."

"Silence!"

His voice had a growl to it that made the hair at the back of her neck stand on its end. She immediately dropped her hands and kept walking obediently.

"Halt," Thorn said.

The woods had opened up. They'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. Penelope scanned the area for anything that could help. Nothing.

Dr. Thorn pushed them toward the edge, causing Percy to stumble into Penelope. She caught him immediately before he could fall face flat on the snow.

"Thanks." Percy mumbled.

The girl leaned over to them. "What is he?" She whispered. "What do we do?"

"I. . . I'm working on it." He replied.

"I'm scared." The boy mumbled. He nervously fiddled with something— a little metal soldier of some kind.

"Stop talking." Dr. Thorn snapped. "Face me."

They turned.

Dr. Thorn's mismatched eyes looked at them with what she can easily interpret as hunger. He reached into his coat and pulled out a phone. Damn, she wanted one just like it. "The package— it is ready to deliver."

Penelope's breath started to quicken. This was it, she was being trafficked. Percy had looked behind them as he tried to see below the cliff.

  Dr. Thorn's cold laugh made her jump and shift closer to Percy. "By all means, son of Poseidon, jump. There is the sea. Save yourself."