Indigo Eyes

Chapter 27

Cressida had been so grateful for the clothes they found on board the ship, well some of them. She'd found a pair of leggings and some boots that seemed to fit well enough before she took out her switchblade and cut her dress into a top. After undoing her braids, she also used some of the extra fabric to tie her hair back and wipe the makeup from her face.

She also helped Annabeth do the same before Annabeth got a bit too seasick and went to lie down.

"You look more like yourself," Percy remarked as she came back onto the deck.

"I feel more like myself. I hate dresses, makes it so much harder to hurt people," she said as she stretched her arms.

"You mean monsters?"

Cressida froze. "Is there really any difference?"

Percy turned from where he stood against the side of the ship. "We have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Can I just start with, I'm sorry?" Percy began. "I'm sorry for how I treated Tyson, for not including you about Grover - which I swear to my father I was going to do - for realising that I screwed up too late, for everything. I'm sorry. And I don't care what your story is, whatever happened to you, because I know for a fact that you are the furthest thing from a monster. "

His words meant a lot, but she just didn't believe them. Even if he held the same tune after knowing the whole story, she still didn't know if she'd believe it.

"Percy, I -"

She cut herself off as Annabeth came up onto the deck, the daughter of Athena realising that she'd interrupted something.

"Uh, perhaps you guys should get some rest," she suggested.

"You go," Cressida said. "I don't really feel like dreaming right now."

"Grape Girl-"

"Go, Percy. I'll keep an eye on her," Annabeth said and Cressida rolled her eyes.

"I don't need a babysitter," she said before heading up to the helm, leaning on the rail as she stared out into the darkness they just sailed through.

Cressida and Annabeth didn't talk for the next few hours as Cressida took out her switchblade, holding it like a pencil as she etched words into the wooden rail. The first name was Tyson. Next was Grover. Then her brothers. Her father. Annabeth. But when she was etching Percy's name, her stomach filled with nerves at the thought of the story she would have to tell him. She never got to finish his name when she heard the sound of footsteps and then Annabeth's voice calling her.

She made her way down to the main deck where the other two demigods were gathered and Annabeth looked even more nervous than she was.

"I need you both to do me a favour," she said. "The Sirens...we'll be in the range of their singing soon."

"No problem," Percy assured them. "We can just stop up our ears. There's a big tug of candle wax below deck -"

Cressida seemed to figure it out before Percy did.

"No. No. No. Absolutely not! No way in Tartarus are you doing something so stupid!" she protested.

"Grapes, please," Annabeth begged. "I want to hear them."

"What? Why?" Percy asked.

"Sirens sing the truth of what you desire," Cressida answered and Annabeth turned to Percy.

"They tell you things about yourself you didn't even realize. That's what's so enchanting. If you survive ... you become wiser. I want to hear them. How often will I get that chance?"