Percabeth (completed): Book 1 - Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter Seventeen ~ ANNABETH

• Chapter Seventeen • 

• ANNABETH •

"Hey."

A cold hand cupped Annabeth's cheek. Soft thin fingers stroked her forehead, then another hand eased off her heavy fleece-lined jacket. Annabeth groaned as her body hit the ground, the removal of her jacket exposing her aching back.

"Hello."

Annabeth couldn't reply. She hurt too much.

"Come on. Da least ya could do is say hi!"

The same gentle and delicate hand, that took away her jacket, brushed Annabeth's messy curls from her forehead.

Two voices whispered, then suddenly Annabeth was being lifted into the air. Her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping, and this were a dream.

"She got attacked by a telkhine," one said. It was female, with a quiet angelic voice like sugar. She laughed nervously. "I was watching her from the rocks. She was hopeless!"

"Lay off 'er, Mika." The second voice was gruffer, but with an unexpected warmth to it. Again, it was female, but it lacked that softness of the first, yet it seemed more realistic and kinder.

Mika, the first, giggled again. "Don't be grouchy, Korna. I'm sure you'll get your pay."

Korna grunted. "Like last time, ya mean? I got nothin' good to say, even fer such a 'efty wager. Though, it's business, s'ppose."

Annabeth groaned. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mika!" Mika exclaimed. "This is my twin sister, Korna. Open your eyes, child. Let you see us!"

Pushed into a sitting-up position, Annabeth unscrewed her eyes. She immediately saw blackness. She looked down and saw two heads beneath her - one blonde, one brunette. The blonde had a smooth tanned scalp, whereas the brunette was paler.

The blonde's head snapped backwards. Her face was heart-shaped, with blue eyes and a cute-button nose. Even her mouth was glossed and sparkling in a perfect pout.

As for the brunette, she wouldn't let herself get distracted. She kept looking away.

"Where am I?" Annabeth asked.

"You're close to Guardian's Gate," the blonde said. Annabeth recognised her voice as Mika.

"What's Guardian's Gate?"

"The path through to da most dangerous part o' Tartarus," the other, Korna, said. She kept staring ahead, not looking up. "We 'ave to pass through da Gate, then dat leads to da Doors."

Annabeth blinked. "You what?"

"The Doors," Korna said. "O' Death. Some lad 'as been taken there, Jackson or somethin'. Earth Lady grabbed da Doors months ago, got forces on ev'ry entrance. We gotta get through da Guardian's Gate - quickest way there."

"Can I come down, please?" Annabeth asked.

Grunting, Korna slipped out from beneath Annabeth. Mika followed suit. Landing on her back, Annabeth groaned inwardly, but pulled herself up.

She looked at the two creatures in front of her. Their faces were exquisitely beautiful; Mika with her perfect features. Korna was more of a natural beauty, her honey-brown locks framing her thin cheekbones. She had the greenest eyes, like glittering emeralds, and her lips were light and slightly plump.

However, they're bodies were monstrous. Mika had a pair of hideous purple wings, a grungy yellow at the tip. Her body was shrivelled and bony, with paper-thin limbs that hung like they were loose. She wore a fluffy pink dress that would be fashionably cute if it wasn't five sizes too big, like an overhung curtain.