His Assassin and His Creator

Escaping my Boredom

Published August 28, 2022

10 Years Later
Percy's POV
I slip out the window in my room and trek through the dense, lush forest until I arrive in a small glen with a turquoise pool of water fed by a bubbling waterfall.

My shoulders relax as I peel off my shirt and toe off my shoes before slipping into the water.

I allow myself to drop to the bottom of the spring, smiling and making conversation when different sea creatures come up to me.

These conversations are good, though. I enjoy them and I can find out what everyone I left behind is up to; I may not be welcome there anymore, but they were my family for more than five years and I refuse to just turn my back on them. So if they really needed my help, I'd be there.

But until then...well, at the moment, I have no inclination to leave the spring.

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Pulling my hood up, I slip out of Athena's vast library, a couple books stowed away in a tote bag hanging from my shoulder.

I don't look at anyone as I walk towards Hestia's temple; a dirt brown colored building, small, with shutters and flower boxes beneath the windows. And when I walk inside, there is a hearth in the middle of the room, lit with orange flames, while a feeling of comfort washes over you as you walk across the smooth stone floor.

I take a deep breath, centering myself as I snap my fingers. Erupting in a column of flame, I fire travel back home.

When I get there, I wince upon seeing my mom sitting on the couch in the living room with a stern expression. "Percy, really?! Listen, I know you're bored, and I know you probably get a thrill by sneaking around Olympus, but can't you just be more careful?"

I push down my hood, drop my bag by the front door, and plop down in an armchair. "I'm sorry, mom. I just-"

"No! You don't get it, Percy! You're my child, and I can't let anything happen to you! Yet you continue to sneak around behind my back simply because you want a stupid adrenaline rush!"

I stare at my mother with wide eyes, her own fiery gaze burning back at me.

"I'm sorry...And you're right. I won't keep snooping around Olympus."

My mother sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly before gesturing towards my bag. "What did you grab this time?"

"A couple books."

"Where from?" my mom asks warily.

I shoot her a sheepish smile and head over to the door, where I scoop up my bag and bring it over to my mom.

"Athena's library," I say cautiously, sitting next to my mom and pulling out the four books I grabbed. "And I know what you're gonna say; I'll return them when I'm done. But these ones actually seem interesting!"

"Of course you got them from her. And I will be the one returning those books. But are you seriously telling me you didn't even read any of the other books you grabbed?!"

"No! I read, like, two of them or something!"

"Out of how many?" my mom drawls, shooting me a stern look as she shifts through the books. "Creatures from Down Under, The Art of Fire, A History of Magic, and A Guide to All Things Space. You know you could've just asked Hades, Hecate, and I about this stuff. And shouldn't you have learned about most of this stuff while training with us anyway?"

"Well yeah, probably, but it doesn't hurt to look. And I know, I know...but you guys are so busy all the time and I don't want to be a bother."

"Still gotta work on your confidence I see," my mother whispers, a frown pulling at her lips. "Well, go on and read these I guess and then I'll return them when you're done, okay?"