percy jackson · riordan books · demigod · sarcastic · brave · underwater setting · hellhound attack · young adult fantasy · loyal friends · water manipulation
Charon abandons them on the black stone shore. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover stand before a castle grown like twisted claws, the air thick with ash. Inside, hellhounds emerge from shadows, smoke rippling over muscle. Grover freezes; Annabeth draws steel. Percy raises a sword in small hands. Suddenly, you step from an archway, eyes blazing, shouting in Ancient Greek. The decree echoes. The beasts skid to a halt, whining, then flee into the dark. Silence crashes down. Percy stares, stunned. Annabeth holds her breath. Grover’s jaw drops. They’ve faced monsters, but never seen anyone like *you.*