End of the Line

#18 - The Woman in Gold

Chapter 18 - The Woman in Gold
published: Wednesday, 27 March 2019

Snores reverberated around the dimness of the room. Percy hung from the stick, slowly roasting over the low flickering flames.

His gaze darted from corner to corner, ensuring that every one of the Cyclopes were asleep. If he was going to escape, Percy knew that now was the time to do it.

Tilting his head at an awkward angle, Percy tried to catch Annabeth's attention.

She was fiddling with her hands, her brow furrowed with absolute concentration.

Percy wanted to call out to her, but he was afraid of waking the Cyclopes.

Instead, he watched as Annabeth, as if by a miracle, wriggled out of the ropes tying her wrists together.

"Eurgh..." Dawlfino snorted in his slumber.

Percy froze up, his heart nearly skipping a beat with fear. Annabeth halted in the middle of her escape, glancing up at the Cyclopes king.

Fortunately, Dawlfino merely rolled over and continued to snore.

Annabeth met Percy's gaze and gestured to the ropes tying her feet together. Too tight, she mouthed. She reached out a hand and beckoned for him.

Riptide, she mouthed.

Percy jerked his head in the direction of his bound hands.

Annabeth seemed to groan inwardly.

Percy struggled to loosen his bonds even further, and he managed to create a little wriggle space. Percy slowly slid his hand into his pocket, and he felt the tips of his fingers brush against the cold metal of Riptide in pen form.

Percy gritted his teeth as he desperately grasped Riptide and drew it out of his pocket. With his hand tied to his back, Percy had to angle his wrist at an angle that sent a pang through his arm.

He flicked his wrist, and Riptide soared across the room, where Annabeth promptly caught it with her natural reflexes.

She shot him a thumbs-up sign and swiftly uncapped Ritpide. The bronze sword shot up as the lid fell off, emitting a faint glow.

The Cyclopes lying nearest to Annabeth stirred slightly but remained asleep.

Percy watched as Annabeth sliced her bonds open and struggled to her feet with a wobbly step forward.

She tip-toed past the sleeping Cyclopes with Riptide held at shoulder height. Annabeth stood to the side of the bonfire and cut open the ropes tying Percy to the spit.

He carefully lowered himself to the ground, where Annabeth sliced through the thick rope encircling his wrists.

"We have to get out of here," Percy whispered.

"Oh, really?" Annabeth hissed sarcastically. "I don't know what I've been doing this whole time them."

She handed Percy Riptide and scanned the cave. "Where's my dagger?" she said in a low voice.

Percy pointed to Dawlfino's daughter — Delia, he recalled — who had Annabeth's dagger clutched tightly in her hand.

"She'll wake up once we try to get it," Perry whispered.

Annabeth glared at him. "I don't care. Leo made that for me. I'm not losing another dagger down this hellhole."

Percy held out a hand. "I meant, we should get our packs before we grab the dagger and make a run for it."