The Vines of Fate (Percy Jackson fanfic)

We Learn To Make Better Promises

"Just animals!"

"Yes, and if Apollo cared, I'm sure he would tell us."

"If he knew." Percy muttered.

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this guy." I uttered under my breath, my stomach was starting to turn and I know it wasn't due to motion sickness.

"I don't care about any of this, Geryon." Nico sat forward. "We had business to discuss, and this wasn't it!"

"All in good time, Mr. di Angelo. Look over here; some of my exotic game."

The next field was ringed in barbed wire. The whole area was crawling with giant scorpions. I swear one stared right at me as we drove by. The tall insects reminded me of the camp game we played a few days ago. It sent shivers down my spine as I remembered how Percy and I first entered the labyrinth.

"Triple G Ranch. Your mark was on the crates at camp." Percy realized. "Quintus got his scorpions from you."

"Quintus..." Geryon mused. "Short gray hair, muscular, swordsman?"

"Yeah."

"Never heard of him." Geryon said. I scoffed and crossed my arms. Percy sent me an irritated look and rolled his eyes from what Geryon stated. "Now, over here are my prize stables! You must see them."

Before we even got to the "prized stables", the smell hit us like a train. I almost gagged at the smell. The horse coral was near a green river. The poor horses were wading around in their own waste.

"This is how you treat your prize?" I lifted the top of my shirt to cover my nose. It still didn't help with the stench.

"What is that?" Nico gagged.

"My stables!" Geryon said. "Well, actually they belong to Aegeas, but we watch over them for a small monthly fee. Aren't they lovely?"

"They're disgusting!" Annabeth stated.

"Lots of poop." Tyson observed.

"How can you keep animals like that?" Grover cried

"Y'all gettin' on my nerves." Geryon said. "These are flesh-eating horses, see? They like these conditions."

"I doubt it." I mumbled, earning myself a glare from the driver.

"Plus, you're too cheap to have them cleaned." Eurytion mumbled from under his hat.

"Quiet!" Geryon snapped. "All right, perhaps the stables are a bit challenging to clean. Perhaps they do make me nauseous when the wind blows the wrong way. But do what? My clients still pay me well."

"What clients?" Percy demanded.

"Oh, you'd be surprised how many people will pay for a flesh-eating horse. They make great garbage disposals. Wonderful way to terrify your enemies. Great at birthday parties! We rent them out all the time."

"You're a monster." Annabeth decided.

"What gave it away?" Geryon stopped the trolly and turned to look at her. "Was it the three bodies?"

"You have to let these animals go." Grover said. "It's not right!"

"And the clients you keep talking about. You work for Kronos, don't you?" Annabeth put together. "You're supplying his army with horses, food, whatever they need."

"I work for anyone with gold, young lady." Geryon shrugged. "I'm a businessman. And I'll sell them anything I have to offer."

He climbed out of the mobile and strolled toward the stables. Nico got out of the back car and stormed over to him. Eurytion hefted his club and walked after Nico.