Sea Green Eyes

Chapter 70

(A/N: Thank you guys for 5000 reads! Here's a bonus chapter. Hope you enjoy. XxD)

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Cressida was barely breathing as they walked along Tartarus' heart, not daring to suck air as they walked past herds of hellhounds or swarms of arai.

At least until Percy stumbled, almost taking Cressida down with him had Castor not grabbed his arm.

"You good, Jackson?" he asked and Percy nodded before he crouched down and his hand touched a red artery.

"There's water in here," he said. "Actual water."

Bob grunted. "One of the five rivers. His blood."

"His blood?" Cressida stepped away from the nearest clump of veins, her revulsion growing. "I knew the Underworld rivers all emptied into Tartarus, but—"

"Yes," Bob agreed. "They all flow through his heart."

"Oh gods," she gagged as Castor rubbed her back, hugging her to him. "Can we get out of here? If we can't..."

Her voice trailed off as ahead of them jagged streaks of darkness tore through the air—like lightning, except pure black.

"The Doors," Bob said. "Must be a large group going through."

"A comforting thought," Castor said.

"Do all the monsters go through the House of Hades?" Percy asked. "How big is that place?"

Bob shrugged. "Perhaps they are sent elsewhere when they step through. The House of Hades is in the earth, yes? That is Gaia's realm. She could send her minions wherever she wishes."

"Of course, that earthy asshole is going to control where we end up," Cressida huffed.

Percy hated how flawless her instincts were right now. Why did she have to be so perfect?

Bob scratched his chin. "You are not monsters. It may be different for you."

Cressida nudged his shoulder, not even needing to look at him to know that fear was already creeping into his head and they didn't need any more of those particular emotions right now. "Positive thinking, remember?" she said. "Don't think negative."

And Percy just felt a little guilty because she was the one that normally needed reassurance and all she'd done this entire time was reassure him.

"And, let's deal with one problem at a time," Castor said. "We get you out of hell, then you can deal with Gaia."

Cressida took a deep breath as she turned to Percy. "Easy enough. Get out of hell and then send Gaia into hell."

"That might be the simplest yet stupidest plan we've ever come up with."

She gave him a tight smile. "But it's the only plan we've got."

The Doors were still too far away to make out much detail, but the Titans flanking either side were familiar enough. The one on the left wore shining golden armour that shimmered with heat.

"Hyperion," Percy muttered. "That asshat just won't stay dead."

The one on the right wore dark-blue armour, with ram's horns curling from the sides of his helmet. Percy had only seen him in dreams before, but it was definitely Krios, the Titan that Jason had killed in the battle for Mount Tam.

"Bob's other brothers," Cressida said. The Death Mist shimmered around her, temporarily turning her face into a grinning skull. "Bob, if you have to fight them, can you?"