Dear Reader [1]

06 - I Break My Promise

A car horn honking caught Annabeth's attention, looking back as Echidna walked slowly towards them and allowing her monster to leave destruction in its wake. "Come on, let's get moving" Annabeth put one of Percy's arms around her shoulders and Grover did the same. Corey walked behind them as they tried to run into the building the best they could.

An eerie feeling hit Corey, her body feeling like it was being submerged into a whirlpool. "Guys, d-- did you hear that?" Annabeth asked them. "Hear what?" Grover asked, somehow Annabeth and Corey had stopped as the satyr dragged Percy towards the temple. "Never mind. Come on" Annabeth shrugged off. Corey caught her shoulder as she attempted to run to the boys.

"Whatever you heard...I felt it" She told her in a whisper before they both ran into the temple.

~Ψ~

The group pushed through the crowds, Annabeth and Grover holding Percy up as Corey kept an eye out for Echidna. "Please take your seats. The trams are about to depart" the PA spoke as the group entered one of the trams. If they weren't in a life or death situation, Corey would have been freaking out about the tram.

"What was that back there? What did you hear?" Percy panted as Corey sat next to him. "You're getting worse" Corey choked, checking his pulse with her fingers. It wasn't as strong as it should be in a situation. "She spoke to you. Alecto did that with me back in the museum in New York" Percy ignored Corey unintentionally as he stared down Annabeth. "What did she say?" He asked her. Before Annabeth could respond a loud growl echoed from outside the tram.

Corey looked out while shielding the kids. Her heart raced at the sight of Echidna sanding on a platform nearby with a familiar shadow growing in size. "Chimera" She gasped as the doors closed. "Chimera! Was that the Chimera? I think... I think that was the Chimera" Grover panicked as he overheard Corey. She fell back in her seat, holding her head in her hands, "Not again, please Gods not again" She muttered lowly enough for Percy to catch.

"How did the Chimera even get inside here? How did any monster get inside here?" Grover continued to rant in fear looking at Annabeth. "Annabeth?" Percy called out, only for Annabeth to look at Corey like she had spontaneously turned to stone. "We're in a sanctuary. Athena would have had to let her in, but why would she do that?" Grover was on the edge of freaking out when Percy shouted, "Annabeth!". The girl jumped as her attention was taken from her thoughts. "What did Echidna say to you?" Percy's tone was sharp, even with the poison coursing in his veins.

Annabeth let out a sigh, "She said my impertinence wounded my mother's pride. And that that will be my doom" Annabeth told them. Percy was confused, "Impertinence? What kind of- Medusa's head" He realised with wide eyes. Corey bit the inside of her lip, her hands shaking as she clasped them into one fist. "I embarrassed my mother" Annabeth stated strongly. "But I'm the one who sent the head to Olympus. I signed the note" Percy spoke out, why would Athena punish Annabeth for something he did? It was stupid and childish. "And I went along with it" Annabeth snapped at him, "It embarrassed her. Now, she's angry" She slumped in her seat.

"How did you know it was the Chimera?" Percy turned to Corey. Ever since the train, she had been shaking in terror trying not to cry especially when he collapsed. The fear he saw in her eyes mirrored his mother's the night he fought the Minotaur. "I've faced it before" Corey answered, rubbing her temples. "And lived! But it's-"

Corey cut off Grover, "The Demigod Killer, I survived because it wasn't after me" She snapped at him as tears stained her face. "Echidna was the reason Elise died, isn't she?" Percy asked Corey. "Who is Elise!" Grover yelled in frustration. "She was my daughter...look we don't have time for this" Corey shook her head as she wiped her tears.

"Right now we have the mother of all monsters, her most powerful one and Sea Pup is dying" She reminded them all. Corey couldn't handle talking about Elise when Percy was dying next to her, She wouldn't let him die. She couldn't let Echidna take him too.
"Corey's right, what are we gonna do about Echidna and Chimera? They're gonna be right behind us" Grover agreed as the tram opened. Annabeth was the first to go out, Corey right behind her gently pushing her up the stairs. Percy stumbled out with Grover running to support him. Percy couldn't tell if his sight had worsened as he watched Corey stuff something into her pocket.