Indigo Eyes

Chapter 83

Eurytion sighed, but he hefted his spiked club. At his feet, Orthus growled. Nico hesitated. His black clothes were dusty from travelling in the Labyrinth, and his dark eyes were full of hate. Of course, Percy had told Cressida about the mysterious Iris messages he'd received, but knowing who Nico was when she met him and seeing what he'd become now, it broke her heart. All she wanted to do was hug him, maybe play another game of Mythomagic; anything to take away some of the hatred she saw in him.

Reluctantly, he sheathed his sword. "If you come near me, Percy, I'll summon help. You don't want to meet my helpers, I promise."

"I believe you," Percy said.

Geryon patted Nico's shoulder. "There, we've all made nice. Now come along, folks. I want to give you a tour of the ranch."

Geryon had a trolley thing – like one of those kiddie trains that take you around zoos. It was painted black and white in a cowhide pattern. The driver's car had a set of longhorns stuck to the hood, and the horn sounded like a cowbell.

Nico sat in the very back, probably so he could keep an eye on them. Eurytion crawled in next to him with his spiked club and pulled his cowboy hat over his eyes like he was going to take a nap. Orthus jumped in the front seat next to Geryon and began barking happily in two-part harmony.

Annabeth sat next to Grover in one of the middle carts, Tyson needing a whole cart to himself, which left Percy and Cressida to sit together.

Geryon was already boasting about his huge operation he ran as they lurched forward and Percy only turned to Cressida, a broken and saddened expression on his face.

"Do you...do you think he'll ever forgive me? I - I don't even know if I've forgiven myself and-"

When he was cut off, he'd half expected her to smack him, again, for even thinking that way, but she surprised him by simply lacing their fingers together and squeezing.

"I don't know if you'll ever forgive yourself, just like I don't think I'll ever forgive myself, but her death was not your fault. And as for Nico..." she trialled off. "I'll talk to him. If anyone can understand his hatred, it's me."

Percy looked as if he was about to say something before Cressida's eyes widened.

"Shut up!" she exclaimed.

"I didn't even say anything!" Percy exclaimed and she rolled her eyes.

"Not you shut up, that shut up," she said as she pointed at something. "Books! Look!"

Annabeth gasped. "Hippalek-tryons?! I thought they were extinct!"

"I know right?!"

"You're excited by those things?" Percy asked in confusion as he saw the half-horse- half rooster-like creatures that were downright the strangest animals he'd ever seen. Their rear feet were huge yellow claws. They had feathery tails and red wings.

"Rooster ponies," Tyson said in amazement. "Do they lay eggs?"

"Once a year!" Geryon grinned in the rearview mirror. "Very much in demand for omelettes!"

"That's horrible!" Annabeth said. "They must be an endangered species!"

Geryon waved his hand. "Gold is gold, darling. And you haven't tasted the omelettes."

"But that's like seafood. Just because you can eat it doesn't mean you should, especially if it's endangered," Cressida said and Percy gaped at her. Being the son of Poseidon, naturally, he didn't like seafood or agree with killing sea life, but he had no idea that Cressida was of the same opinion.