Bewitched || P. Jackson

𝔾iant claw machines rock

You're probably thinking: Wait, you just charged in without a plan? But Nicki and Percy had been fighting together for two years. They knew each other's abilities. They could anticipate each other's moves.

Nicki veered to the giant's left to accommodate her only usable arm. Percy charged him head-on. He was still out of sword reach when Cacus unhinged his jaw and blew fire. Their next startling discovery: flaming breath is hot.

Percy managed to leap to one side, but he could feel his arms starting to warm up and his clothes igniting. He rolled through the mud to douse the flames and knocked over a rack of women's coats.

The giant roared. "Look what you've done! Those are genuine fake Prada!"

Nicki used the distraction to strike. She lunged at Cacus from behind and stabbed him in the back of the knee—usually a nice soft spot on monsters. She leapt away as Cacus swung the caduceus, barely missing her. The silver tip slammed into the bulldozer and the entire machine turned to stone.

"I'll kill you!" Cacus stumbled, golden ichor pouring from his wounded leg.

He blew fire at Nicki, but she dodged the blast. Percy lunged with Riptide and slashed his blade across the giant's other leg.

Cacus bellowed in pain. He turned with surprising speed, smacking Percy with the back of his hand. He went flying and crashed into a pile of broken stone cows. Percy's vision blurred.

Nicki yelled, "Percy!" but her voice sounded as though it were underwater.

Move! Martha's voice spoke in his mind. He's about to strike!

Roll left! George said, which was one of the more helpful suggestions he'd ever made. Percy rolled to the left as the caduceus smashed into the pile of stone where he'd been lying.

He heard a CLANG! And the giant screamed, "Gah!"

Percy staggered to his feet. Nicki had just smacked a random sheet of metal across the giant's backside.

Being an expert at school expulsion, Percy had gotten kicked out of several military academies where they still believed paddling was good for the soul. He had a fair idea of how it felt to get spanked with a large flat surface, and his rump clenched in sympathy.

Cacus staggered, but before Nicki could discipline him again, he turned and snatched the metal from her. He crumpled the sheet of shiny metal like paper and tossed it over his shoulder.

Nicki's sword returned to her hand without the girl even moving. Her eyes flickered a light purple as she increased her use of magic.

"Enough!" Cacus levelled the staff at Nicki. Percy was still dizzy. His spine felt like it had been treated to a night at Crusty's Water Bed Palace, but he stumbled forward, determined to help Nicki.

Before he could get there, the caduceus changed form. It became a cell phone and rang to the tune of Macarena.

George and Martha, now the size of earthworms, curled around the screen.

Good one, George said.

We danced to this at our wedding, Martha said. Remember, dear?

"Stupid snakes!" Cacus shook the cell phone violently.

Eek! Martha said.

Help—me! George's voice quivered. Must—obey—red—bathrobe! The phone grew back into a staff.

"Now, behave!" Cacus warned the snakes. "Or I'll turn you two into a fake Gucci handbag!"

Nicki ran to Percy's side. Together, they backed up until they were next to the ladder. "Our tag game strategy isn't working so well," she noted. She was breathing heavily. The left sleeve of her T-shirt was smouldering, but otherwise, she looked okay. "Any suggestions?"