Lockdown II Chapter V

 Lockdown II Chapter V

Crystal POV

"Pretty much looking for you," Nico answered. "There's something you need to know."

"Someone's trying to kill you," I said. Aravis's eyes widened.

"You... you guys know about that?"

"Yeah," Percy said gravely. "You were on a list along with a bunch of people who were already killed.

But Aravis's words struck me. "You knew about this guy going after you? Why were you out in the open?"

A look of incredulity leaped onto her face. "I let you know that, didn't I? It's simple, really. I had to stay out here so -"

Then I heard a loud screech. Behind us, a large group of griffens soared quickly straight for us.

"Griffens!" I alerted the others.

"I thought we got rid of those," Annabeth said, drawing her knife.

"You killed the griffens?" Aravis asked. "You know what. Leave these guys to me."

"Do we have to?" Percy asked.

Aravis didn't listen. She jumped onto one of the griffens and steered its flight every which way. A different griffen slammed into my back. I fell over, and the whole world went black...

When I woke up, Aravis wasn't there. Neither were Nico or Annabeth. Or the griffens. Or the entire place we were before. Instead... it looked like we were back inside the house where we found the list to begin with. Percy was beside me, still and unconscious, and I wondered what the Tartarus happened while I was out.

Crysanthemum Venereal, a voice in my head said clearly. ''Give up now. Aravis does not have a chance of being saved. You are already too late.''