Indigo Eyes

Chapter 123

When Percy was back in his body, the scene around him had changed but no one gave any indication that he'd been gone. Annabeth had disappeared somewhere, and now Cressida was making her way towards him as she tightened the straps of her breastplate.

"Again with the staring?" she teased. "Keep it up Captain Nemo, and I'm going to be convinced you're obsessed with me."

"What?"

She furrowed her brows. "Are you ok?"

"Uh, I have something to tell you. It's about your.... your father."

Her eyes widened as he trailed off, gazing at something in the distance behind her. "Percy? Percy, what about my father? Did Papa-"

Percy didn't mean to, but he ignored her as he went bolting down the street.

"Percy!" she called. "What are you doing?!"

And as she chased after him, she realised what happened. He was running towards a Prius with two very familiar people inside.

Paul was passed out in the driver's seat and Sally was unconscious beside him. And Cressida already knew how guilty Percy would feel not having noticed them before now.

"They – they must've seen those blue lights in the sky." He rattled the doors, but they were locked. "I need to get them out."

"Ok," Cressida said. "Ok, just take a deep breath."

"I can't leave them here!" He pounded on the windshield. "I have to move them. I have to-"

"Calm," Cressida ordered as she blew a plume of purple fire towards him and then took his hands. "Look at me. Eyes on me," she said as he reluctantly stared at her, fear and panic shining in his sea-green eyes. "Your parents are ok," she promised, her voice so very soft and gentle. "They're just sleeping, and I don't think Paul will like it if you damage his car trying to get him out. so, here's what we're going to do. I'm gonna grow some vines and we're going to move the car into a side street, away from all the fighting. And then I'm going to block the street. They're going to be perfectly safe. Do you understand?"

He nodded as he processed every individual word that seemed to calm the roaring fear inside his ear. "They'll be safe. We'll make them safe. They'll be ok," he muttered before she pulled him into a hug, letting him take all the comfort he needed as he trembled, the sight of his helpless parents making him want to break down and cry like he was a little boy again.

Chiron then galloped over. "What's - Oh, dear. I see."

"They were coming to find me," Percy cried. "My mom must've sensed something was wrong."

"Most likely," Chiron said. "But, Percy, they will be fine. The best thing we can do for them is stay focused on our job."

Cressida pressed a kiss to his neck before he stood up, his eyes catching the sight of something in the back seat of the Prius. "No way," he muttered.

"What is it?" Cressida asked as she saw the metre-tall black and white Greek jar sitting on the backseat.

"Pandora's Jar. Prometheus gave it to me, but I had Thalia lock it in the vault at the Place," Percy explained vaguely before going into detail for Chiron.

"Then the jar is yours," Chiron said grimly. "It will follow you and tempt you to open it, no matter where you leave it. It will appear when you are weakest."

All Percy could see was Prometheus smiling and telling Percy to give up hope and he drew his sword as he went for the car. Except Cressida got in the way.

She stood between the door and Percy who stood with his sword arched over his head, ready to bring it down.

"Get out of the way Cress," he said but she didn't move. She really was so goddamn stubborn.