Annabeth Chase and the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 27 - I lose myself

The best part of the spa was the library. I never wanted to leave it.

All four of its walls were stocked with books, some that looked ancient while others had modern covers. Bookcases formed up the rest of the room, moving in a spiral inwards so that as you entered the middle, there was a space filled with plush lounges and table and chairs. Best of all, the rolling ladders I loved so much were attached to the shelves so I could swing around the room.

I so badly wanted to just stay in the library and bury my nose in a book, but Hylla wouldn't let me. She continued the tour too soon, showing me other places like a spa as big as an Olympic pool, a room filled with women luxurious weaving on looms and another of more women having manicures. But nothing held as much attraction as the library.

As we kept walking around, the complete absence of men really started to bother me. Women were everyone, but not once did I see a male. I started to worry about Percy and what C.C. had planned for him.

Before I could go back and check on him though, Hylla steered me into a beauty parlor. A few girls my age were waiting there, all dressed in plain white dresses with their hair plaited over one shoulder. Despite their simple outfits, all of them were seriously pretty and made me feel really self conscious in my rags and filth.

"I think we'll start with a shower," Hylla declared, steering me to a door.

I found that shower actually meant bath. I was forced to strip off my clothes and hop into a giant bubbling warm tub. That I had no problem with, except that the girls in the white dresses came in as I was relaxing. I tried to cover my body with bubbles, but they didn't seem to care about my nakedness as they grabbed my arms and started to scrub.

As first it hurt as days worth of blood and dirt was torn off, but as pink started to appear through the brown and the warm water took affect, it started to feel pleasant. I still wasn't comfortable, but at least I felt better than I did before.

Once I was completely clean, all the way from the top of my head to my toenails, I hopped out of the bath, hurriedly wrapping myself in a fluffy white robe as I did so. As I was plopped down in a chair, a mirror in front of me, I had to admit that I was looking better. My face was scrubbed to a pinky sheen and my blonde hair shone as it curled naturally over my shoulder.

The girls barely allowed me a moment to rest before they got to work. There were girls working on my pedicure, others on my manicure and more on my hair. I felt like I was being tugged everywhere as Hylla paraded in front of me, studying the work being done like I was a construction site.

"Reyna, get the dress," she ordered once my nails were done and my hair combed to somewhat manageable curls.

A girl with dark hair hurried away and returned with white silk slung over her arm. She tried to help me into it, but I brushed her away and took shelter behind a screen before taking off my robe.

I was somewhat surprised to find that the dress fitted me perfectly. It was a white sleeveless dress that was somewhat low cut, but not too revealing. It made my tanned body shine and the material glow as well as matched my blonde hair. I was surprised to find myself liking it, although normally I wouldn't be caught dead in a dress.

My makeover wasn't done yet, unfortunately. The girls went back to work on my hair, plaiting it with gold and slanting it over my left shoulder. Gold bangles were pushed up my arms, as well as other bits of jewelry put on such as necklaces, rings and earrings.

Finally, it was makeup time. For this part, they took away the mirror so I couldn't watch as they set to work on my face. I had no idea what they were doing seeing as I never put on makeup myself, but every part of my face was worked upon. Some bits hurt while others were irritating and I was relieved when they were finished.

The mirror was brought back and I nearly had a heart attack. I no longer looked like the scared thirteen year old that I was at the start of the quest. I looked at least twenty, but the new age seemed to suit me. I looked mature, independent, beautiful.

As much as I liked the new look, something about it unsettled me. It wasn't just the dress or the jewelry or the makeup, none of which I usually felt comfortable wearing. It was more the sense that this wasn't me. I wasn't that girl looking back at me in the mirror. It was some one else.

But there was nothing I could do. To tell them to get rid of it would be rude. I just had to put up with it.

I looked up to see the dark hair girl, the one called Reyna, watching me. Her dark eyes were unfathomable as she stared, her face expressionless. For some reason, she unsettled me. I had a feeling that someday, we'd meet again, under very different conditions.

"Come, Lady C.C. will be waiting for you," Hylla told me, standing by the door.

I followed obediently, only to remember my old clothes. Before Hylla could stop me, I ran back to where I'd left them by the floor of the bath and rummaged in the pockets. Using my body to shield what I was doing, I pulled my cap and knife out and slipped them under my dress, tucking them into my underwear. Honestly, dresses were the worse. No storage space.

I don't even know why I bothered to conceal what I was doing, but some sixth sense told me too. Besides, I didn't want to leave behind my two most precious items.

Hylla led me on a more direct route back to C.C.'s room without the tour this time. I remembered my earlier worries about the lack of men and my fear for Percy returned. I was probably being silly, but the closer I got to him, the more nervous I got. I hoped he was okay.