riptide chapter 9
Katie sits between Grover and Percy on the couch while Annabeth stands at her mystery board, filling in some blanks.
“What do you mean you don’t know who you’re working for?” Annabeth asks, her brow furrowed. “How is that possible?”
Katie has her arms propped on her knees with her head in her hands. “I don’t know what to tell you. He’s very good about hiding his identity. All I know is he goes by Mercury and has super speed which is how he keeps tabs on all of us. It’s pretty hard to keep an eye out for someone you can’t see.”
Grover looks around the room like a prey animal who senses a predator. “Do you think he’s here right now?”
“No, he took Boar and Gemini on a mission to retrieve whatever it is he’s looking for. They’re not supposed to be back for a week or so. He just told me to keep you busy, and technically, I am doing exactly that.”
“You don’t even know who he’s the Champion of?” Percy asks.
Katie shakes her head as she leans back on the couch. “The only Houses I know of that could have super speed haven’t been active for at least three generations.”
“Well can you tell us more about Gemini?” Annabeth asks. “He’s the one in purple, right?”
“Yeah,” Katie confirms. “He’s kind of grumpy, to be honest. Not really a small talk guy.”
“What about his powers?” Percy asks.
“It’s kind of a mixed bag. Wild animals listen to him, and if he touches your forehead, he can make you lose it.”
“What do you mean lose it?”
“I mean the security guard at the first jewelry store we broke into spent a month in Bellevue before Mercury made him sneak in and return him to normal.”
“Jesus,” Percy says with disgust. “How the hell did that help anyone beat monsters however long ago?”
Katie shrugs. “My keeper said some powers have evolved over time, so that may not even be what that Champion started with. It can do different things to different people.”
“That’s so cool,” Grover says. “Bad but… pretty cool.”
continue on ao3