cacoethes |PERCY JACKSON| [book 2]

II

WHEN SELENA WOKE UP the next morning, there was screaming. She quickly left the cabin and grabbed her dagger from her nightstand along with a shield before finding Clarisse and her crew by the border, "What the-"

There were two, large metal bulls. The Colchis bulls.

"Stay back, loner girl. Leave this to the real warriors." Clarisse growled at the brunette.

Selena glared but stayed back to watch as the border patrol attacked the bulls. Clarisse stabbed it in the shoulder, but it got stuck. The spearhead broke off and the daughter of Ares was left with a broken stick. 

The other bull let out a breath of fire over four of the campers, setting the plume on their helmets instantly caught fire. As they ran around, Selena stepped up to help the other six.

She instantly turned invisible and began jabbing the bull with her sword. It swung around, confused, while the other one charged towards Clarisse, "Hold the line!"

The bull lost interest in Selena and turned towards Clarisse, "Look out!" Selena stepped in front and held out her shield, knocking her out of the way before the bull could get to them. Selena lost focus, once again becoming visible, and was slammed against a tree.

Percy, who just magically appeared or something, lunged forward and grabbed Selena by her shirt and dragged her out of the way just as Bull Number Two freight-trained past. He gave it a good swipe with Riptide and cut a huge gash in its flank, but the monster just creaked and groaned and kept on going.

"Percy." Selena sighed in relief, "You're okay!"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Percy asked before turning towards the bulls once again.

Annabeth shouted orders to the other heroes, telling them to spread out and keep the bulls distracted. Bull Number One ran a wide arc, making its way back towards Percy. As it passed the middle of the hill, where the invisible boundary line should've kept it out, it slowed down a little, as if it were struggling against a strong wind; but then it broke through and kept coming. 

Bull Number Two turned to face Percy, fire sputtering from the gash he had cut on its side. Selena realized Percy couldn't take on two bulls at once and stood, raising her own knife.

Percy lunged but Bull Number Two blew flames at him. He rolled aside as the air turned to pure heat. He managed to slash with his sword and lop off part of the monster's snout. It galloped away, wild and disoriented. 

Percy tried to stand but his left leg buckled underneath him. Selena looked over in concern as  Bull Number One charged straight towards them. She quickly helped Percy stand. There was no way the two could jump out of its path in time.

"Tyson, help him!" Selena heard Annabeth yell,

Tyson? Who's Tyson?

Somewhere near, toward the crest of the hill, a voice wailed, "Can't get through!"