Percy couldn't contain the sudden fear that rose out of him as soon as he returned to the safety of his chambers and the reality of what happened crashed into him.
A sea demon hybrid.
Percy didn't know what to think. If the sea demons were capable of breeding something so horrifying, something that could literally suck the life out of a person in seconds... What else had they bred over the years? What else have they plotted?
Percy shuddered, a chill snaking down his spine. The effects of the sweet substance Sylvia fed him had begun to wear off, his body immediately felt exhausted and a headache formed in his head.
"It'll be like this for a while, but it'll go away with time," Noa said, entering. She held a tray in her hands and on top of the tray was a silver bowl with a brown liquid inside. "This makes it go away quicker," she added, handing the bowl to Percy.
He frowned at the brown stuff, feeling disgusted. Gingerly, he took a sip and almost gagged at the revolting taste. It tasted exactly like the sickly sweet substance Noa fed him earlier. Sighing, he lifted the bowl to his lips and downed everything in a single gulp.
Noa laughed when Percy was done. "You should have seen the look on your face," she smiled, taking the bowl from him and putting it down onto the tray.
"It's disgusting," Percy complained, wiping his mouth. "What is it?"
"Psychoweed."
"It sounds as horrible as it tastes," Percy said, the taste still lingering in his mouth.
Noa laughed again. "It is said to clear hallucinations, calm someone, and give someone a boost of energy."
"Still tastes horrible," Percy said, making a face.
Noa grew serious. "What were you thinking, Percy?" she asked. "Were you trying to get yourself killed?"
"I got curious."
"You're the future king, Percy!" she cried, voice rising. "You don't just get to be curious anymore. You don't get to go on quests anymore. You don't go looking for danger! What do you think would happen if Sylvia wasn't there in time? I leave you on your own for a while and every single time something happens."
"I know!" Percy snapped, anger rising in him. "You think I don't know that my freedom has been robbed from me? That my every step right now has to be exactly calculated? I hate to tell you this, but I'm a demigod and I have ADHD and I can never sit still on a throne and act a good little king."
"You were a demigod," Noa said as calmly as possible but Percy could tell she wanted to snap back. "You are an immortal. You are just making excuses for your actions and you know it. You wanted to be King, if you want to convince the Council you can be a good one, you might as well act like one."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Percy said sarcastically. "I hate to disappoint you but I didn't strut up the throne and volunteer to be King or a god. I was forced to be King," Percy spat. "I don't have or want to prove anything. Especially not to Naguel."
"Naguel has done more for the Council than anyone has."
"So you're taking his side now?!"
"I'm saying you need to start acting responsibly!" Noa cried, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Not run around and putting yourself in danger while we have to save you every single time. You know you have a target on your back and yet you take ridiculous risks!"
"If you want to talk about responsibility then what were you doing the first time the sea demon hybrid almost entered my chambers?" Percy yelled.
Silence fell between them. Noa opened her mouth and closed it again, struggling for words. "I didn't see it enter, Percy. Are you sure—"
"Don't lie to me, Noa!" Percy snapped. "I know you saw it. How could you not? It was right there."
"You were tired—"
Percy let out a bitter laugh. "Maybe you just don't want to admit you make mistakes too."
Noa's cheeks flushed red and without a word, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Percy immediately felt bad, he was in a bad mood since he woke up and unfortunately he vented it all out on Noa. His headache just made things worse, the liquid Noa gave him didn't seem to cure it.
Not knowing what to do, he got out of bed. He wasn't tired anymore and he certainly didn't have time to laze around. But where should he go? Where should he even start? Sylvia had gone off to bed and he didn't know anyone who could help him at this time of the night. He thought about running to apologize to Noa but he doubted she would help him now. A thought formed in his head and without thinking, he left his chambers and went to look for the only person he could think of.
Triton.
Percy didn't know what to expect, but he certainly wasn't expecting this. Triton's chamber was buzzing with noise and entertainment as mermaids and mermen alike drank and danced inside. Some were visibly drunk and tried to pull Percy in to join them but he pushed them away.
He quickly spotted Triton in the middle of a crowd, talking loudly. Two pretty mermaids sat on either side of him, giggling at what he just said.
Percy blinked, not sure if he should interrupt. Looking at the commotion around, suddenly consulting Triton didn't seem like the brightest of ideas.
Percy made to leave but Triton had spotted him. "I hope you don't get offended because I didn't give you an invitation, Percy," he said, smirking and pulling the giggling mermaids closer to him. "I thought you might be too busy."
Percy flushed. "I'll come back another day."
"No, no," Triton said, getting up, making the mermaids beside him glare at Percy for losing Triton's attention. "Join the party, eat something, drink, dance, whatever you want," he said and stumbled slightly. "You're already here, might as well enjoy the party."
Percy sighed. Triton looked a little tipsy but he couldn't leave now. "I want to talk."
Triton frowned. "Now that's no fun."
"Please."
Triton fell silent for a second and he waved a servant over, murmuring something into his ear. The servant bowed and scurried away, eyeing Percy before he left. Triton gestured and Percy followed him into a small room filled with books and swords.
"My old playroom," Triton said taking a seat in a large throne-like chair. Percy sat down in front of him in a less grand chair. "What is it?" he asked, his voice completely sober.
"You aren't drunk?" Percy asked, surprised.
Triton waved a hand. "It was an act, Percy. Someday you'll learn that acting is one of the most important tricks in a royal life. You need to know when to put on a different mask and play a part."
"I didn't come here for a life lesson," Percy said but he couldn't help but feel amazed at Triton's experience and how easily Triton changed his act. But then again, Triton did have centuries of practice. A wave of unease washed over Percy as he contemplated why Poseidon hasn't chosen Triton.
At least he could clear Triton's name. Because if Triton was behind this, he would be sitting on the throne right now with a crown on his head.
Triton shrugged. "You asked first. What did you want to talk about?"
Percy then realized he didn't know what he wanted to talk about. Embarrassment flared in his cheeks as he discovered he had no idea what to say and that he might just be wasting Triton's time.
"I don't know," he admitted finally. "I want to give up. I'm nowhere close to solving dad's murder and if I don't, maybe it's for the best too."
Triton's eyes shone with sympathy. "You're lost," he said. "Don't doubt yourself, Percy. I've heard great things from you."
"I didn't do those things myself. I had a lot of help," he said as realization hit him. "I'm completely alone this time and I don't know what to do."
"I'd say you're on the right track," Triton said. "Some self-doubt is healthy, it prevents you from getting too arrogant," Triton said and sighed. Percy couldn't help but wonder if Triton was somehow referring to himself. "You can't rely on people all the time. Someday, one day, today, you need to rely on yourself and not others. We can't wait for someone to solve our problems."
"I have no clue how to continue," Percy said. "I'm in a dead end."
"Tell me something, maybe I can help," Triton offered.
Percy didn't know why, but he began telling Triton everything. The sea demons, his suspicions, the history book. Everything just poured out but he left out the spy. The fewer people knew about the spy in the Atlantis, and most probably the Council, the better. After he was done, Triton looked thoughtful.
"I can't blame your suspicions," he said. "But Naguel has served this Council for centuries and I've watched him do great things for Atlantis."
"And I'm tired of everyone saying he does great things," Percy grumbled.
Triton smiled. "He hates me too, Percy. Actually, I think he hates everyone," he added after a thought. Triton fell silent for a moment. "I'm going to tell you a story, Percy," he said. "A story no one else knows except Poseidon and me."
Percy waited and Triton continued. "There once was a brilliant mermaid, beautiful, smart, and powerful. Her name was Phyllis."
"I know her," Percy murmured, remembering Lady Serena's class. "She's the mermaid who created the first Council."
"Good, you've paid attention to class," Triton said. "What do you know about her?"
"I know the rest of the Council were male, so they shunned her. And then she fought and alongside everyone else when the sea demons attacked."
"You were right about the first part but the second you got wrong," Triton said. "She did not fight alongside them, she fought against them."
Percy gaped at Triton. Why had he never heard of this?
When Percy said nothing, Triton continued, "You wonder why the Council was destroyed so easily. It was because Phyllis opened the gates for them, told them the Council's plans, and gave the demons the element of surprise. The Council was not ready and so they perished. But she aided one demon prince in particular, Vormver."
Percy shot to his feet, his mind racing. Vormver, that name screamed in his head often enough and haunted his mind.
"Let's just say, Phyllis allowed Vormver to take over her body to get into the Council and slaughter them all before opening the gates to let the rest of the demons enter."
Percy gasped. "They can do that?"
Triton shrugged. "The host had to be willing for it to happen."
Percy fell silent. "And where is Phyllis now?" he asked quietly.
"She vanished the day we won," Triton said. "And no one has heard of her since."
"Did... did Phyllis have shapeshifting abilities after Vormver took over her body?" Percy asked but he had a feeling he already knew.
Triton nodded.
A roaring filled in Percy's head as he processed the information. Suddenly, he was glad he didn't mention the spy to Triton because he was certain if Triton knew, he wouldn't have told Percy this.
"How do you know this?" Percy demanded. "No one else does, not even Lady Serena."
"Because no one is alive to tell it," Triton said calmly. "Phyllis spent her days hunting down those who knew and silenced them forever. Maybe a few others still have the knowledge but I doubt anyone would be revealing it anytime soon. The only other person with this knowledge that I know of is Poseidon."
"Why didn't he do anything about it?" Percy asked.
Triton shrugged. "She can shapeshift, maybe the demon left her and she's now dead, or maybe she was a banished along with the other demons? No one knows and she hasn't caused trouble for centuries so Poseidon didn't give it much thought."
Not yet, Percy thought bitterly. She hasn't acted yet. The demons said as much when Percy infiltrated their cave. And Vormver was now inside Atlantis, ready to strike when the time was right. And it could be any member of the Council. Phyllis could shapeshift so it complicated matters.
Percy stood up suddenly. A thought forming in his head as a few puzzle pieces clicked into place. There were two things now that had to be solved.
"Thanks for telling me this," Percy said. What Triton said had changed everything. He suddenly had a clear feeling of what Vormver was planning. He was willing to bet all the money in Atlantis that history was about to repeat itself. "It's late, I think I should go."
Triton gestured to the party still blasting outside. "You could still join the party, take your mind off things for a while."
Percy shook his head. "I'm tired," he lied. "But thanks for the time, Triton."
Triton shrugged. "Well I hope it helped," he said and left, leaving Percy to find his own way back.
Yes, Percy thought silently. It did.