𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 ― p. jackson ¹ ✓

neuf

Explosion. Marooned on an island. Hephaestus found him. A magic raft. The words swirled around Belle's head. She suddenly knew where he had gone. Like Odysseus, he had landed on the magical island of Ogygia with the Sorceress Calypso. For some reason, that made her really, really angry. All of the relief she had felt when Percy first showed up now faded to rage.

Annabeth still looked shaken up. "You've been gone two weeks. When Belle I heard the explosion, we thought—"

"I know," Percy stated. "I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth. I talked to Hephaestus."

"He told you the answer?"

"Well, he sort of told me that I already knew. And I do. I understand now."

He told them his idea. As if Belle wasn't already angry enough, this was just the icing on the cake. She had literally never felt so much rage in her life and didn't know what to do with it. Scream? Cry? Throw things? Belle didn't know. She wasn't usually angry.

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Percy, that's crazy!"

Chiron sat back in his wheelchair and stroked his beard in thought. "There is a precedent, however. Theseus had the help of Ariadne. Harriet Tubman, daughter of Hermes, used many mortals on her Underground Railroad for just this reason."

"But this is my quest," Annabeth said. "I need to lead it."

"My dear, it is your quest. But you need help."

"And this is supposed to help? Please! It's wrong. It's cowardly. It's—"

"Hard to admit we need a mortal's help," Percy finished. "But it's true."

Belle stood up from her chair, and his eyes widened. Percy Jackson had never seen Belle Adair angry. She was usually quite levelheaded. But now that he did, he felt afraid. Her eyes were as cold as ice and her fists were clenched. Belle's face slowly turned a shade of red from the anger that was boiling inside of her.

Belle gritted her teeth. "You have been gone for two weeks, and now you suddenly show up all healthy like nothing ever happened? We're just supposed to ignore all of the worry that I've felt in the past two weeks, thinking you were dead? And now you're introducing this completely outrageous idea on Annabeth's quest?"

Percy blinked at her in shock. "Beauty . . ."

"Do you think you can just call me that like everything's fine?" Tears involuntarily sprung to Belle's eyes. "No, Percy. That's not how it works."

"Belle—" Chiron began.

She ignored him. "You, Percy Jackson, are the most insufferable person I have ever met!"

Belle went to charge at him, but Annabeth grabbed her by the waist and restrained her from doing so. She tried to fight against it while Percy backed himself as far as he could go in his chair. Belle finally stopped thrashing and ripped Annabeth's arms off of her.

"Belle," Chiron said calmly. "Why don't you go take a walk? I will continue this conversation with Percy and Annabeth."

She gave Percy one last murderous glare before storming out of the Big House. Belle found Katie, Travis, and Connor standing by the dining pavilion. Their conversation stopped once she arrived. She looked irritated, but they couldn't help but notice the tears that threatened to fall.