A/N: sorry for the late update and for some reason I keep reading this in a bad southern drawl because I don't what New Yorkers sound like.

Chapter ten

Percy's POV

I woke up a minute later, feeling slightly embarrassed about being unconscious for the second time in as many minutes. Unfortunately, Magnus had recovered too; he was now slumped on his sofa. Alec sat beside him, his hands fluttering around Magnus like a doctor, trying to examine him for bruises.

"Alec, I said I was okay."

Alec's expression was resolute and he continued to examine Magnus. "You just fell down a minute ago."

"Ah, but the miracle is I got right back up."

"And even if there was anything wrong with him he'd have healed by now," added Isabelle as she casually inspected her nails.

They were yet to take notice of me; this would have been a brilliant time to attack, if I wasn't so exhausted. Today's strenuous activities had taken their toll on me and I believed Magnus when he said there was no way out. The best plan would be to recover my strength and wait for an opportunity. Once again I was in a bind, although I'd have to say I preferred being chased by unkillable Gorgons instead.

"Hey, Seagreen is awake," Jace commented. He still towered over me with his weapon drawn. The others looked up in surprise, Alec's expression was slightly furious. I glared at him back. I wasn't to blame for what had just happened.

I looked directly at Magnus, not even flinching at the aura of power that surrounded him. I had taken on Ares, admittedly he wasn't using his powers to fight me at the time, and I could take him too. "Don't ever try to get inside my head again."

"I can't anyway," Magnus responded, sounding annoyed. "There's a wall and I ran smack into it."

I should have been glad but all could think about was how that wall could have gotten there. More evidence that the gods could not, would not, let me be. Hera had erased my memory without my permission, leaving me to wander around in confusion for seven months!

Jace looked at me suspiciously. "Why would a mundane have a mind block?"

I shrugged with feigned indifference. "The reason is probably behind the wall that's blocking me from accessing it. So, yeah, I don't know."

The silence that followed was eventually broken by the sound of a doorbell. Wow, popular place, I thought. Once again Magnus stumped downstairs looking even more irritated than before, his progress slightly hindered by the fact that he hadn't fully recovered.

I listened intently, curious about whom it might be. My guess was another shadowhunter. I was fairly certain that now the door was open I could go through it. But I wasn't so certain I could make it with three shadowhunters after me and an immortal blocking the exit.

Isabelle chuckled as she read something on her phone, her face becoming even prettier now that she wasn't scowling.

"So you and Simon are sexting now?" Jace's trademark smirk was ever present.

Alec looked up in alarm; he stared at his sister in horror. Isabelle rolled her eyes, clearly used to Jace's antics. "No, we're not sexting. Although I won't smirk so much Jace, if I were you, I can easily get the down low on your relationship from Clary. And Alec, what Simon and I do is none of your business."

Alec scowled back. "I know but I'd also not like to hear about my sister's sex life."

"Good because I'm not planning to discuss it with you anytime soon."

"Alec. Alec!" Magnus shouted loudly enough to startle us. Alec left to answer, looking a little bewildered. Another unexpected and possibly unwanted guest on the way, I thought. One down, two to go. Not surprisingly Jace hadn't let up; his sword was still pointed at my chest, almost dead centre.

"Mum wants to know when we're coming back," said Isabelle without looking up from her phone. "Ever since it cooled down and there's been no threat of war she won't stop texting. It doesn't help that dad is in Idris."

"Where's Idris?" I asked curiously.

"England," Isabelle said quickly, almost too quickly. Jace stopped pointing his weapon at me and moved restlessly towards the stairs. "Do you think they're in trouble?"

Jace cocked his head, as if he was listening intently to something. "Don't know. Someone is coming." Isabelle stood up, carefully unwinding the gold bracelet on her wrist. She too went over to the stairway, they both watched and waited. I was impressed by their stillness, when they moved it hardly made a sound and again I wondered at what they were. It seemed to me that they had the skills of demigods but I knew for sure they weren't Greek or Roman. Maybe they were another branch of mythology? They could be anything from Norse to Egyptian. Hey, if Zeus was real why can't Loki be?

Curious, I joined them. It was only a second later when a familiar blonde girl appeared, her walk was determined and I could tell from the stiffness of her posture that she was angry. Very angry.

"Percy!" Annabeth shouted, Nico and Grover following in her wake. I was stunned. What were they doing here? I narrowed my eyes at Grover though he couldn't see me. He must have told her and it looks like she brought the cavalry. Without much thought I pushed my way through Jace and Isabelle, about to descend the stairs, when I was viciously pulled back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jace hissed. His golden eyes were now as hard as flint. My answer was to take his hand off mine, my movements equally as vicious.

Jace grinned at me like a maniac, clearly spoiling for a fight. And although I wanted to, I wanted my girlfriend even more.

"I won't let you go," Jace said cockily. "Not until you fight me, do you understand that Seagreen? Don't worry about your girlfriend, she's a little busy."

I looked down to see a very angry Isabelle facing off an even angrier Annabeth but they appeared to be arguing instead of actually fighting. Alec stormed in looking annoyed; he glared at both Annabeth and his sister, especially when Isabelle's hand itched towards her partly unwrapped bracelet. What she didn't realise was that Annabeth was probably clutching Drakon bone in the hand that was casually shoved into her jumper's pocket.

I examined the scene closer, although Nico had ample opportunity he hadn't drawn his sword and Grover was busy tossing cans at Isabelle. She deflected them easily; abandoning Annabeth she stormed towards Grover, fully unwinding her bracelet and holding it in her hands like a whip. Grover whimpered.

Both Annabeth and Alec dragged her back but she pushed them away in anger. "Don't you dare touch him," Annabeth shouted.

"He threw cans at my head, cans!"

"You're lucky I ran out of apples," Grover replied.

I turned back, only just quickly enough to dodge a punch to the stomach from Jace. Moving away from the stairwell, I quickly went into a defensive position. It was strange fighting without a weapon.

"Why did you follow us Percy?" Jace asked honestly.

I decided to be honest too. "Because I could sense that you weren't normal."

Jace shrugged, seeming to accept that. "I'll let you have first hit."

He was crazy, only kids of Ares were this obsessed with fighting. He saw my questioning look. "It's been pretty dull around here and I don't know why but you look like you'd be decent competition."

So I swiped at him, he grinned as he easily dodged it. In retaliation he swung his foot to kick me but I caught it and used it to flip him, he landed on the floor with a satisfying crash. I had to admit this was kind of fun.

A few seconds later Jace was up again. "Not bad Seagreen. I can tell you're strong, whatever you are..."

I gave a noncommittal shrug. "I do a lot of running." For my life, I completed silently.

I mirrored Jace's fighting stance. My legs were spread about shoulder's width apart and my knees were slightly bent, this way I was completely balanced. Jace and I circled each other, watching for tells. Finally, his feet twitched slightly, I anticipated the kick but not how low it was going to be, which made it difficult to dodge. His leg hooked around mine and soon I was flat back on the floor feeling slightly stunned. Adrenaline pumping, I got up. Hand swinging, thumb in, I punched the space beside Jace, because with catlike reflexes the irritating shadowhunter had dodged it.

With a simple maneuver he was behind me. Before I could turn around he grabbed me around my throat, lightly crushing my windpipe. With a simple shoulder thrust, he was sprawled on his back in front of me. He groaned slightly at the impact of his body hitting the hard ground. I grinned at him. Shaking my muscles loose, I prepared to go on the attack.

But when I tried to move I physically couldn't. And by the strained expression on Jace's face, neither could he. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see Magnus coming up the stairs, his cat-like eyes sparkling dangerously and his mouth moving rapidly.

"Magnus unfreeze me," Jace said tightly.

Magnus rolled his eyes. "And let you continue to your fight in my house. No, thank you."

"Alec, tell your boyfriend that I don't have time for this," Jace shouted. A second later I could hear someone coming up the stairs.

"No," Alec replied. "We can't go around beating up mundanes."

Jace levelled a look at someone behind me, I assumed it was Alec. "Do you really believe he's a mundane? Because my shadowhunter instincts are begging to get a weapon in my hand. No 'mundane' makes me feel like that. And you were the one who knocked him unconscious." Silence, it seems there was nothing Alec could say to defend himself.

Magnus walked fully into my viewpoint, his eyes a little too knowing for my liking as he stared at me. "I activated a ward and froze everyone downstairs too. I will unfreeze them, all your friends included, and I'll let you all go."

He didn't glow like a god, but he was powerful and at this point kind of scary. I tried to nod in understanding but I still couldn't move, so I mouthed okay. Magnus smiled and whispered something and suddenly I was free. It happened slowly, my toes were the first thing to move, and then the tingling sensation worked its way upwards. "Why?" I asked, stretching out my hands.

Magnus shrugged. "I don't know what you and your friends are but I have a pretty good idea. If the Clave finds out you exist and perceive you as a threat then we will have another war on our hands."

"What are you?" I asked, a little curious.

"I'm Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn, technically New York, but it doesn't sound quite as urbane." He gave me a flirty wink and shooed me down the stairs with a casual wave.

A/N: OMG, that was hard. Has Rick Riordan ever described a fight scene where Percy does not use his powers or any kind of weapon, just hand to hand combat? The answer is no. Next time anyone fights in this fanfic it'll be with weapons or powers. I'm so tired, this took hours.

Loved it? Hated it? Review.

"*-*". Willing writer