Amaurosis

XIII: Easy there, Dragon

The first thing I did was note how delicate and gorgeous the gardens were. An aura of natural beauty surrounded the endless layers of brilliantly colored flora, making it appear like a forest from a tourist attraction.

Perfectly paved pathways of dirt weaved around bunches of neon green bushes and through sunken willow trees hanging on to their last root. The knee-high blades of grass so green they were glowing glistened against the bright light emanating from the dazzling crescent moon.

I was hypnotized by its luminescent gaze, and I felt as though I was being whisked into a different world entirely, a world so serene and angelic. Vibrant colors stole my attention, forcing my eyes to lock on everything at once, but what really caught my attention was the giant looming tree in the center.

Thick bark as dark as coal curled and peeled around every inch of it, and leaves as wide and long as human hands draped over the top, casting shadows across yards of smooth terrain.

And hanging on the edge of each branch, golden apples glittered in the scarce light. I could taste them on the tip of my tongue, my taste buds begging for a bite. They smelled sweeter than anything I have ever smelled before, so alluring and intoxicating.

If it wasn't for Percy, I would have been too enchanted and mesmerized by the charm to ignore something so significant.

"What the-," Percy shouted as he stumbled backward. Hissing sounds erupted from all around us like a neverending echo. "I swear, I just saw a snake. It was just... It was just here! I promise!"

"It's the Hesperides," the boy in black muttered as he crept up beside me. "They must know we're here."

"The Hesperides?" Leo's heart began to beat so loudly that it shook the earth where we stood. "Don't they have a summer break or something?"

Nico's eyebrows came together and he stopped moving, grabbed me by the wrist, and whispered, "Stop."

Absent-minded, I did, but I didn't think anything of it. My eyes were still breathing in the rocky walls covered from top to bottom in vines spiked with blood red thorns.

Like the goof he is, Percy went on, turning his head from left to right as if he was looking for a specific mayonnaise brand in the isles of a supermarket. Shaking her head, Annabeth trailed behind, her fingers laced with his.

"This place is awesome," Percy muttered.

He was right. The sight was absolutely breathtaking, but a single thing was off. A pair of amber cat-like eyes glared back at me from within the abysmal darkness, and they flickered with drooling hunger.

I gulped, tugging on Nico's jacket sleeve. "Dragon."

Its beady eyes were staring right at us, and something told me it hadn't had anything to eat in a couple days. But it was sitting in the darkest part of the garden, using that veil of darkness to grab a quick snack.

"Oh! Where!" Leo's head perked up like dog ears at dinner time. "Festus is going to be so excited!"

Nico wrapped his fingers around his shirt collar and tugged. "Do you have a death wish?" He slumped his shoulders and muttered an apology, trying to muffle his coughing. I threw my elbow into Nico's gut and glared, but he rolled his eyes.

At least five hundred feet of pink and blue and yellow flowers separated us from the glowing eyes in the darkness, but three of the five of us were completely unaware of what it was. What was watching, waiting to take the first bite.

Once again, my eyes made contact with those glistening golden apples, the sweetness teasing my taste buds, making them jump out for a bite. I felt like a vampire suffering from a shortage of blood. I craved them. I needed them. Just a tiny bite would suffice for now. I could feel the drool seeping out of the corner of my mouth.