Down in Flames - Rewritten Entirely

Chapter 9

"Your Highness!" She dropped down into a curtsey, wobbling slightly at the suddenness of it. Evidently, he'd caught her off guard.

"There's no need for that," he muttered, pulling her back up. "And you can call me Percy."

"I'd rather stick with Your Highness," she admitted.

Percy glanced behind her and caught Rachel's eyes. Before Rachel could come to the door though, he reached behind Annabeth and pulled it shut.

"Would you walk with me?" he asked, offering her his arm. Hesitantly, she nodded and accepted his arm.

Percy didn't say another thing until they were out in the gardens. Annabeth didn't either, but as soon as they were hidden by a tall hedge and a rose bush, she pulled away from him.

"What's this about, Your Highness?" she asked. Unlike the other servants, she met his eye when she spoke to him and held her chin up. "I have work and training."

"I know and I'm sorry," Percy said hastily. "I just—I guess I just want to apologise again about your home."

"Apology accepted," Annabeth said. "Anything else?"

"I also wanted to be your friend."

Annabeth blinked and Percy felt his face heat up. While he hadn't intended to say that, he did mean it.

Scratching the back of his head, Percy glanced away and muttered, "That's not how I meant to say that."

"Do you think it would be wise to be friends with me?" Annabeth asked sharply. Percy looked back up at her, but she didn't look angry. "I am from Athens, Your Highness. The best thing for you to do is to ignore me."

"Why? Is it so bad that I want to be your friend?" Percy asked. He was a little offended that Annabeth didn't seem to like him, but he tried to understand. After all, he had destroyed her home and brought her to Atlantis without really giving her time to think about it.

"It's not a wise idea," Annabeth said, looking away from him in favour of looking at the rose bushes nearby.

"If you're such a wise girl," Percy said, "then tell me why we can't be friends."

Annabeth's eyes narrowed but she didn't rise to the bait. He waited, hoping that she would respond eventually, but she didn't. After several seconds of no response, he decided to try another angle.

"My father knows you."

This time, Annabeth reacted. Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. She whipped away from the rose bushes and turned to face him, surprising Percy with how worried she looked for a moment. He hadn't really thought she'd react in such a way. He hadn't even been sure that he'd interrupted his father's reaction correctly the evening before. Now, though, he was. Whatever his father knew about her, Annabeth was clearly worried about it.

In one quick move, she stepped forward and grabbed the lapels of his tunic, pulling him down to meet her eyes.

"What has he said?" she demanded.

Surprised by Annabeth's sudden change in demeanour, Percy's mind went blank. What had his father said? Had he said something about her at all? Maybe he'd forgotten. Maybe if he thought harder, he'd remember. It certainly wasn't easy to think with Annabeth's grey eyes piercing into him. Perhaps his father had said something about her eyes. They were certainly striking enough to merit conversation, but Percy doubted that was something his father would be interested in.

"Tell me," Annabeth demanded, pulling him down further.

"Nothing!" Percy blurted, his eyes widening. "He hasn't said anything!"

Annabeth let him go and Percy straightened up. Well, that had certainly been something.

"How does he know me?" Annabeth asked. Her eyes never left his face and while he'd admired her courage earlier, it was unsettling now.

"I don't know," Percy replied. He knew it was a poor answer, so he tried to explain. "But he does. I mentioned your name at dinner and he seemed to recognise you. Chiron, too. He recognised you, didn't he?"

"That's none of your concern," she told him sharply.

Percy was pretty sure it was, but she didn't look like she wanted to argue about it. In fact, the only thing it looked like she wanted to do was to pick his brain for answers and maybe hit him. Percy certainly hoped she did neither. She seemed like the type of person who could get the answer she wanted and with eyes like hers, Percy doubted he'd be able to lie. Based on the strength she'd demonstrated earlier when she had grabbed him, Percy also wasn't sure he wanted to be hit.

"What's your story?" Percy asked, frowning slightly.

"None of your concern," she repeated. "Stop asking."

And although she turned away with a scowl and returned to the palace, Percy didn't think he'd seen anyone more impressive in his life.