"What is it?" Enid inquired as she and Percy descended into the basement, spotting Grover and Annabeth fixated on a statue.
"Uncle Ferdinand," he whispered softly, his gaze fixed on the now-stone figure. Enid and Percy stood close behind Annabeth as they approached.
"Oh, no," Percy murmured, his brow furrowing in concern.
"I'm so sorry, Grover," Enid offered sympathetically.
"This is as far as he got on his quest," Grover explained with a heavy heart. "We aren't even to Trenton, but look at him. He's not like the others. He... he doesn't look afraid."
Annabeth sighed, her eyes drifting downward as she felt a pang of sorrow. Grover cleared his throat and composed himself. "You used the, um, you used the head to get rid of Alecto?"
"Yeah," Percy said softly, looking at Grover with empathy.
Grover's sigh of relief was accompanied by a nod. "Good. That was the right move," After a moment of silence, Grover wiped away his tears. "Uh, we probably should get going. It'll be dark soon."
Percy gave a solemn nod, his gaze shifting to Medusa's severed head. "But what are we gonna do with the head?" he pondered aloud. "I just took down a fury with it, and I wasn't even trying. We can't just leave it for someone to find. Leave the hat on and bury it in the basement, that oughta keep it safe."
Enid and the boys glanced at Annabeth, seeking her approval of Percy's suggestion. With a nonchalant shrug, she responded, "Sure. Now, can we talk about the bigger issue here?"
"What bigger issue?" Percy inquired, his brows furrowing in confusion as he looked between Enid and Annabeth, wondering what else could be on their minds amidst the chaos of their current situation.
"You could have saved your mother. That's what she said to you like you discussed it already. Is your mother still alive?" Annabeth demanded, her voice betraying a hint of frustration, as she probed Percy for answers, clearly perturbed by his apparent omission of this crucial information.
"She's with Hades." Percy then quickly added, his words tinged with a hint of sarcasm, "But i appreciate your concern."
"Guys, just please stop." Grover attempted to intervene, his gaze still fixed sadly on the statue of his uncle. Enid, sensing his distress, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, silently offering him support in his moment of sorrow.
Annabeth's tone was laced with frustration as she confronted Percy, her eyebrows furrowed in disapproval. "Oh, I'm concerned. What are you even doing on this quest? And why did I have to hear about this from Medusa?"
Enid watched the tense exchange between Annabeth and Percy, feeling the atmosphere grow heavy with their unresolved tension. Sensing the need to diffuse the situation, she stepped forward and interjected, "Guys, let's focus on the quest."
"Okay, while we're at it. "You should have accepted my offer?" What's that about do you think? And why did we have to hear it from Alecto?" He couldn't help but feel frustrated by the sudden revelations and the way information seemed to be coming from unexpected sources.
"Enough!" Grover's voice rang out, cutting through the tension as he addressed Percy. "The hat was a gift from her mother. It's the only thing she's ever possessed that connectq them. That oughta matter to you."
"Okay, but how are we gonna make sure this thing is safe?" Percy asked, his expression a blend of caution and curiosity.
"I'm not up to that yet," Grover said, turning towards Annabeth. "And you, really? His mom's alive. Can you imagine how confusing that must be for him? Feeling like he may have to choose between the fate of the world and the fate of the only person who's ever cared about him?"
Grover paused, his expression softening as he glanced at Enid. "And let's not forget about Enid. She's been through a lot too, you know. She's a part of this too, whether we like it or not."
Enid blinked rapidly, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion as she processed Grover's words.
"Why are you talking like this?" Annabeth questioned, furrowing her brow in confusion.
"Because all day I've been trying to keep this quest on track without upsetting either of you. But maybe things need to get a little upsetting before they move forward," Grover exclaimed, his frustration evident in his tone as he voiced his pent-up concerns.
"She asked you a question back in the woods, and you never really answered," Grover pointed out to Percy, his voice carrying a hint of reproach as he brought up the unresolved issue from earlier. "What are you so afraid of?"
"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.
Grover's expression firm as he reiterated, "You heard me.
Percy's voice wavered slightly as he spoke the words, "I don't know." But Enid could sense the subtle undertone of deception in his tone. There was something he wasn't telling them.
"I think you do," Grover interjected, his tone serious as he locked eyes with Percy, silently urging him to confront whatever truth he was hiding. "You've been fighting with her, you've been fighting with me, and you even been fighting with Enid."
"Because the Oracle said one of you would betray me. Okay?" Percy confessed, his voice laced with a mixture of fear and resignation.
Enid exchanged a glance with Annabeth and Grover, her expression a mixture of disbelief and concern.
Percy recited the ominous prophecy, the weight of its words hanging heavy in the air. "You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend and you shall fail to save what matters most in the end," he repeated, each syllable infused with a sense of foreboding. "That's the rest of what she said to me."
Percy's gaze shifted to Enid, his expression a mix of sorrow and apprehension as he silently grappled with the implications of the prophecy. There was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes as he searched her face, silently questioning whether she could truly be the friend destined to betray him.
"I chose her because I couldn't imagine we'd ever be friends," Percy confessed, his voice tinged with vulnerability as he spoke about Annabeth. "I chose you because I thought if I can count on anyone to be on my side, no matter what, it was you."
Percy's gaze shifted to Enid, a faint hint of regret in his eyes. "And I chose Enid because... well, let's be honest, she's never been afraid to speak her mind, even if it means ruffling a few feathers," he admitted with a wry smile. "with her no-nonsense attitude, i never would have imagined us being friends."
Enid's smile faltered at Percy's words, a pang of hurt flickering in her eyes despite her attempts to hide it. Deep down, Enid couldn't help but feel stung by Percy's admission, realizing that perhaps her outspoken nature had distanced her from forming deeper connections.
"And now, I'm feeling so alone. I don't know what to think or who to trust," Percy admitted, his voice heavy, unaware of the hurt his words had caused Enid. Percy's gaze shifted to her, his eyes widening in realization as he noticed the hurt flickering in her expression. "I didn't mean it that way."
Enid's eyes briefly met Percy's, but then she turned away, her expression guarded as she pretended not to hear his apology. She busied herself with adjusting her backpack, avoiding Percy's gaze as she silently processed the sting of his words.
"Alecto offered to help our quest if I gave you up to her," Annabeth admitted as she was trying to make Percy to leave Enid alone.
"What did you tell her?" Percy felt a knot form in his stomach, fearing the worst but desperately hoping for reassurance.
"I killed her sister."
"Medusa offered to help me save my mom if I turned on the three of you," Percy confessed.
"What'd you say?" Enid's voice quivered with a mix of concern and disbelief.
Percy's gesture to the severed head of Medusa. "I cut off her head."
Grover's words resonated in the tense silence, his voice carrying a mixture of determination and desperation. "You didn't choose to be demigods. We didn't choose this quest. But we can decide that as long as the four of us are together, none of us are gonna be alone. And if we can't do that, we might as well just head back to camp right now. 'Cause we won't make it."
Annabeth, Percy, and Enid exchanged glances, each feeling the weight of his words settle over them like a heavy blanket. It was a sobering reminder of the challenges they faced and the importance of their bond as a team.
He stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the head of Medusa, a spark of defiance flickering in his eyes. "I think I've got a better idea of what to do with this," he declared, his tone resolute as he began to outline his plan.
Percy grabbed a book and placed it on the table, urging his friends to gather around with curiosity evident in their expressions. "Hermes Express, she ships these things all over. Some of it goes to Olympus."
Annabeth's voice cut through the excitement, her tone tinged with concern as she addressed Percy's plan. "Percy, you can't ship Medusa's head to Olympus."
Percy's brows furrowed in confusion as he sought clarification. "Why not?" he pressed, his tone tinged with curiosity.
Annabeth exchanged a glance with Grover before responding. "Uh, because the gods won't like it," she explained cautiously, her voice carrying a hint of apprehension.
Grover nodded in agreement, his expression grave. "At all," he added solemnly, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "At all, at all."
Enid interjected, her voice laced with a hint of skepticism. "Yeah, and besides, I'm pretty sure shipping a severed head is against some kind of postal regulation," she added, trying to
a touch of humor into the tense situation.
Percy's determination flickered as he processed their concerns. "Why? That's what you do with dangerous stuff," he countered, his tone reflecting his frustration at the seemingly contradictory nature of their warnings. "Like batteries, you just send them back where they came from."
"Okay, look, this is a bad idea. They will see this as impertinent," Annabeth insisted, her voice firm as she tried to dissuade Percy from his plan.
Percy's voice dripped with sass as he delivered his response. "I am impertinent."
Enid rolled her eyes playfully at Percy's remark. "Oh, well, that's comforting," she quipped, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Because ticking off the gods is definitely on my bucket list."
Percy set a cardboard box down on the table, his expression serious as he addressed his companions. "Look. Medusa tried to derail our quest. She's got serious beef with your mom. When you look at it that way, this seems kinda like tribute or something, doesn't it? And besides..." Percy reached for Annabeth's hat and extended it towards her. "...this way, a part of your mom's still with us."
"Thank you," Annabeth responded softly, her voice filled with gratitude as she took the hat from Percy's outstretched hand.
As Percy securely shut the cardboard box containing Medusa's head, Grover watched intently, a mixture of apprehension and relief evident in his expression. "So this isn't what i meant. By choosing each other. There are actual dangers involved here that cannot be..."
Grover's words were cut off as Percy began to clap his hands in rhythm, effectively interrupting him. "You're gonna sing the song, aren't you?"
As Percy playfully continued his rhythmic clapping, he glanced over at Enid with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, secretly hoping to elicit a laugh from her. Enid couldn't help but chuckle at Percy's playful interruption, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she exchanged a knowing look with him.
Percy tapped faster and faster, creating a lively rhythm to accompany his words. "Oh, golly. The road's gettin' bumpy. Consensus"