Perseus Castellan

Chapter 28

"Hey,um,Percy?"

The irritated demigod turned around from the microscope he was busy glaring at to find Atlanta standing three feet away from him,looking absolutely on guard.

"Yeah,what's up?" He asked.

"Uh,Zoe's awake" she said,clearly trying to avoid eye contact.

"Okay,what's that got to do with me?" He asked.

"She asked a lot of questions about what happened after she passed out and i filled her in as best as i could. Now,she wants to see you"

"Why?" He asked.

"I don't know" she replied.

"Well,then go ask her" he said turning back to the microscope.

"Hey,I'm not your messenger!" She growled.

"If you're not going to do it then leave me the fuck alone!" He roared at her" i have poison spreading through my hand,slowly and painfully eating me alive and I'm still to find an antitoxin."

She was taken back by his outburst,before looking down at his hands. Her eyes widened and she rushed to his side,taking his hand into her own,catching him completely off guard.

"Hey,what are you doing?" He asked,completely weirded out.

"Having a look at it" she replied. His hand,from the elbow going down was completely purple and cold. Her hands glowed yellow for a moment as she did and even further analysis of the matter at hand(haha) "Can you feel that?" She asked.

"Feel what?"

"Me pinching you?"

Percy looked down from her blonde hair,which had him captivated for a few seconds..although when asked her would deny it...to find that she was actually pinching him. Hard by the look of things.

"No" he replied frowning.

"After the incident with Artemis,have you moved your hand frequently?" She asked.

Since it was barely an hour ago" No. In fact i just balled up my fist and went looking for a microscope"

"Can you open it?" She asked looking at him pointedly.

The demigod had to strain,really hard to make his thumb twitch before he collapsed into a heaving mess" Apparently i can't"

"Then that means..."

"Total nerve damage" he finished for her. Atlanta looked at him surprised" What I'm not stupid" he said.

"I never said you were" she replied.

"Then what's up with the look?" He asked.

"Nothing,just that,most people wouldn't know what was happening to their own bodies" she said,looking at him. For some reason,she found herself focusing on his eyes,the very thing she was trying hard not to.

And she was completely lost.

Damn him.

"I like to read,a lot" he said,then looked down at his purple hand,freeing her from the prison she had been in. Atlanta didn't know whether to be relieved or mad" Guess this means im carrying dead weight around,huh?"

"Have you tried bleeding the poison out?" She asked.

"That procedure ended up with victims dying of anaemia,so no. I'm a speedster,i need blood." He replied.

They sat there for a while,Percy angrily staring at his hand while Atlanta did her best to discreetly gaze at his eyes.

"Sorry" she said.