CHAPTER SEVEN

Technology, the answer to life's problems. After what seemed like three lifetimes, the page I had been waiting for finally unfolded on the tiny screen of my ancient Dell computer.

I muttered to myself as typed into the search bar. Hermes had set up a website that connected to the library up on Olympus. It's always best to look up information in the ancient scrolls of our cabin, or on Daedalus's laptop (which I had left at home in my haste), but Hermes' website was the next best thing. Truth be told, I haven't done any research yet. Very unlike me, I know. And I feel horrible about it, leaving so fast, and forgetting research. Sometimes I think I've lost myself, this whole thing was so rushed…

I shook my head to clear the thoughts. Get back on track, Annabeth. My mission here was to find the shell, and prove my stupid boyfriend wrong. No biggie. I was going to do this.

"Damia…conch shell…uhhh…" I squinted as I scrolled down, looking for any information that might be somewhat useful.

"Lost for many years…belonged to the minor goddess Damia…" I read aloud to myself, scanning the paragraph.

Nope, nothing that I don't already know. The curser lingered on the x-button, ready to give up on Hermes.

Ooh…wait…

"Rumor has it that the shell is to be found only around water…." I grinned. The image of Percy's face filled with disbelief entered my mind and my smile grew bigger.

There was a map at the bottom of the page highlighting all the major water bodies in New Hampshire. I printed it.

I couldn't stop from smiling. I hate to admit it, but for awhile I was worried that Seaweed Brain might have been right. Now I have a chance to prove him wrong.

The great possibility that the website was untrustworthy bubbled up in the back of my mind, but in the moment I was too proud to care. Winning was a must with all children of Athena. We were all a little too competitive…

"Percy!" Oh, I couldn't wait to rub this stupid map in his face, "Percy!"

No answer. I listened carefully; he was nearby a second ago.

"Percy?"

I got an answer this time, but not at all the answer I was hoping for.

A piercing scream from outside shot through the walls and almost knocked me over.

Monsters.

The voice was high-pitched and full of terror, defiantly not Percy, but I was still on my feet and armed in seconds.

Again and again the terrified cries sounded from in back. I was always taught to remain calm in these situations. If one of us knew what we were doing, we all had a chance to live. But the calls for help were just too much for me to bear.

I ran outside towards the screaming, keeping close to the bushes and out of sight. Not that that would do much good since most monsters have horrible eyesight and an excellent sense of smell.

"Holy Hades…"

The house my mom had rented for me was on the water. From the tree that guarded me from sight I could see out into the water. And I saw a little girl. Drowning.

"Oh Gods…"

This was not my forte. If only there was a monster, then maybe I could handle this. But water and I have a long history. I couldn't make myself jump into water. Although I hate to admit it, deep down I knew was that there was no way I could save that girl alone.

I couldn't just leave. I've seen it, now im part of it. If she dies then it's my fault. Oh, where was Percy when I needed him?

"PERCY!" I shouted. If I were a Seaweed Brain where would I be?

In the water. I craned my neck and searched the water surface.

Yessss. Relief flooded over me when I saw my boyfriend dive between the tiny waves. Pressure was off me and the prophecy child was going to save the day again. For the millionth time.

Feeling somewhat ashamed for depending on Percy too much, I walked down the stairs, ready to congratulate him when he pulled the girl out of the water.

Realization hit me before I finished down the steps. Suddenly I knew something was wrong. Like the sun had just disappeared behind a storm cloud.

Percy seemed to be struggling. Struggling? He could rescue somebody from the water with his eyes closed, standing on his head, sleeping!

I ran down the remaining stairs and onto the dock. "Percy!"

He lifted his head above the water noticed me for the first time, even though his hair fell down in front of his sea green eyes; I could see he was panicked.

His terrified face was like a dagger through my heart. I saw that face less and less as we got older. Battle never scared him anymore and he always approached danger with a straight face. Not like when I first met him.

Not much could make his face as scared as that, not after everything we've been through. If Percy was scared, there must be a very good reason.

"Get the girl! I'll take care of the monster!" He screamed to me.

Monster! My vision zoomed out from his face and I took in the scene.

Percy hadn't swam out to rescue the drowning girl like I had thought; he swam out to kill the demon that was pulling her under.

I've never seen a monster like this. She looked strangely human except for her skin was blue wrapped in seaweed. Her eyes were white and her mouth was lined with jagged fangs. Long black hair floated around her body and covered the girl from my view.

Percy didn't have a weapon. That stupid boy. He was doing his best to strangle the creature while she tried to strangle him.

"ANNABETH! Get the girl out of the water and back to the house! I'll take care of the monster!" He yelled when his head was above the water.

"Are you crazy? You can't kill that thing with your hands! I have my dagger let me do it!" I shouted back at him.

He opened his mouth to answer but the monster pushed him under. I didn't know what to do. I hate not knowing what to do. I couldn't survive in the water. If Percy was struggling then I was good as dead. I was stuck on land and completely useless.

Think, think, think!

For once I couldn't think. My mind was wiped clean of every thought I've ever had. All I could register was my boyfriend trashing around in the water. I couldn't think, I could just act.

I felt like I was in a daze. Like I was very dehydrated and this was all a big mirage. My vision became blurry and the only sound I could hear was the loud buzz of silence as my empty thoughts floated around in my head like clouds. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, yet under the water I make out the form of the creature, impulsively I threw my dagger at it.

The blob of bodies fighting underwater momentarily froze and slowly started sinking.

"Oh my gods…" What the Hades was happening down there? What did I just do? Suddenly the world around me snapped into full motion once again and I ran and jumped of the dock.

Also another impulsive move.

When I surfaced I saw Percy swimming toward me and dragging the unconscious girl behind him.

"Get back on land!" He shouted.

"What?"

"Annabeth get on the dock! NOW! I don't know if there's more of them!"

He didn't have to tell me twice. I hauled myself back onto the tiny wooden dock and then helped Percy up. He collapsed as soon as his feet touched dry land.

Being the son of Poseidon every inch of him was bone dry. The girl on the other hand was sopping wet. Although she was unconscious, her heart was beating so she could wait.

I went over and pulled Percy upright so he was learning against the foot of the stairs. Exhausted, his head fell on my shoulder and I rubbed his back until his breathing became steady.

I looked out into the water. Yesterday when we had gotten here Percy had been so shocked. I knew he was expecting a cabin, and this was no cabin. What really caught his attention was the Great Bay. The house made no impression on him compared the bay.

He had started to pick a fight with me on how the house and the bay were just part of Athena's plan to get me away from him, how she's using them to bribe me. But he gave up quickly with the distraction of the water.

Part of Athena's "plan" or not, the bay was really beautiful; green blue water that seemed to go on forever, lined by a thick green forest, and the open sky over head. Except for the boats on the far end making ripples in the water, we were totally alone.

This would have been so perfect if the frightened, drained face of my boyfriend wasn't ripping my heart apart and there wasn't an unconscious little girl lying next to me.

"What happened out there?" I asked. Percy groaned and tucked his head between his knees. My hand traced patterns on his back, trying to comfort him.

"That thing…" He started.

"The blue thing?"

"Uh huh," He was so in shock, he seemed so out of it. His voice sounded a thousand mills away.

"Like Avatar?" My horrid attempt to lighten the mood. He turned his head and gave me a weak smile as if to say thanks for trying.

"No, it was a water nymph…"

"Aren't they usually—

"Peaceful?" He cut me off, guessing the rest of my sentence. "Yeah." Percy sat up and looked me. I was startled by his intense gaze. "I have no idea what happened to them."

"Are you sure it was a water nymph?"

"Positive," The betrayal of the nymphs seemed to really depress him.

Without warning he stood up and shouted, "CAN'T THE WORLD JUST STAY SAVED!" Then fell down into my lap and I gave out a startled shriek.

I grasped his hand. "Calm down, okay? You don't know, that could just be one possessed nymph gone crazy, maybe…" There was no use trying to convince him. The chance that only one or a few nymphs betrayed us was small. It was either all nymphs or none.

Percy sat beside me again. "You have no idea what that was like. She had so much power. I couldn't even control the water. She made it like a whirl pool, pulling everything in the water towards her. I couldn't stop it."

"Percy—

He cut me off again, "And we just freakin' saved the world! Did we, or did we not just finish saving the world!"

"We did…"

"We did! I just really want some time to relax. To know that everyone's going to be safe for just a little while," He explained.

"You—

I was interrupted by a coughing noise beside me.

We both turned and stared into the wide eyes of the formerly unconscious girl.

"Who…who the heck are you guys?"

Sorry for the (really) long wait! My writing might have changed a little considering it's been five or six months since I've updated...sorry...My life and fanfiction dont work well together...at all...

Soo...I added a new character, like it? Hate it? Dont care? Question for my readers: where do you want things to go from here (in terms of the new character)? Tell me your ideas and I'll work something out. 'Cause I really don't know what to do with this new person!

Sorry again for taking so long to update! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and reminded me to continue! Extra thanks to AIFarisi who threatned to send a bunch of hellhounds after me if I didn't update :DD Thank you also to lexi10a and my friend Grace who helped me a lot with my writing

xx

miheadisfullofkelp