Ivy Pittaluga had always made a solemn vow to keep her distance from Percy Jackson, determined to keep her world separate from the camp hero.
However, she realizes that fate has a mischievous plan in store for her. Suddenly thrown together as unlik...
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I got little sleep that night. Then again, I think everyone on the ship did as well. The nerves made me restless and the little sleep I did get was filled with Gaea taunting me. The ship docked at the harbor in Piraeus, on the outskirts of Athens. We had finally arrived to our destination. Somewhere nearby- past those rows of cruise ships and hills crowded with buildings - would be Acropolis.
It was Piper's turn to keep watch as we geared up for combat. We checked our weapons and armor. We loaded the ballistae and catapults. I hesitated on bringing my drakon-bone sword. Something told me to keep it on the ship.
"Um...Annabeth? Ivy?" Piper called.
Annabeth and I exchanged confused looks. We walked over to Piper, Percy following after me. He refused to leave my side since last night. Every now and then I would catch him eyeing me as if to make sure I was still there beside him. On the docks were a few familiar looking snake people winding their way through the crowds of mortal tourists who paid them no attention.
"Oh, great." Percy said. "Dracanae."
"I don't think so." Annabeth narrowed her eyes. "At least not like any I've seen. Dracanae have two serpent trunks for legs. These guys just have one."
"Maybe they're cousins." I shrugged. "But they aren't dracanae."
"You're right." Percy agreed. "These look more human on top too. Not at all scaly and green and stuff. So do we talk or fight?"
"I vote fight." I raised my hand.
I eyed the leading snake person. He held his head high as if he were royalty. His face was chiseled and bronze, his eyes black as basalt, his curly dark hair glistening with oil. His upper body rippled with muscles, covered only by a Greek chlamys- a white wool cloak loosely wrapped and pinned at the shoulder. From the waist down, his body was one giant snake trunk- about eight feet of snake tail undulating behind him as he moved.
In one hand he carried a staff topped with a glowing green jewel. In the other he carried a platter covered with yellow a silver dome, like an entree for a fancy dinner. He had two guards behind him. They wore bronze breastplates and elaborate helmets topped with horsehair bristles. Their spears tipped with green stone points. Their oval shields emblazoned with large Greek letter K- kappa.
They stopped a few yards from the Argo II. The leader looked up and studied us. His expression was intense but inscrutable.
"Permission to come aboard." He spoke with a rasping voice.
"Who are you?" Piper asked.
"I am Kekrops, the first eternal king of Athens." He fixed his eyes on Piper. "I would welcome you to my city." He held up the covered platter. "Also, I brought Bundt cake."
