The Mark of Athena,Heroes of Olympus, Book 3

Annabeth XXXIII


This freaking sucked.

For five minutes, she tried to tell Percy that he needed to get his hearing checked, because Annabeth was practically screaming. But then, Percy had helped her up, and he could actually hear what she was saying! What was going on? But no one could hear him... Annabeth was confused.

Then she figured it out.

Trivia-the Roman goddess of magic. Whoever that guy was, he cursed Annabeth. Now, she wouldn't be able to talk to anyone unless they were touching her, and even then, no one else could hear them.

Again, suckish.

"I think that Percy killed him before he could give me the complete curse," Annabeth said once they had gotten back on the boat. Victoria had given back Annabeth's invisibility hat, and all Annabeth wanted to do was hide.

"Annabeth, we can't hear you, could you speak up?" Leo asked innocently. Annabeth glared at him. She stomped over to where Leo was, and jabbed him in the chest with her finger.

"Would-you-shut-up?" she shouted. Leo flinched.

"Alright, alright. Bad and insensitive joke. Now stop touching me. I like it better when you don't talk." Annabeth huffed and shook her head. She ran to her room, thinking that if she couldn't talk to everyone at once, she might as well just write. She grabbed a notebook and a pen. She sat down between Percy and Piper. She scrawled in Ancient Greek, I think that Percy killed whoever that guy was before the curse could completely set in. If he hadn't, I might not be able to talk at all. Annabeth handed the notebook to Percy, who read it out loud.

"Well, could you explain your theory thing about this?" Victoria asked. Annabeth took the notebook back. It's like one-way glass. I can hear everybody-myself included, but no one can hear me unless they're touching me. The person who is touching me can't be heard by anyone else. How's that for an explanation? Sarcasm intended.

After Percy read it, Luke shook his head.

"Annabeth, now's not the time to be sarcastic."

"Well, I'm mad. I have a right to be mad, don't you think?" Annabeth shouted before realizing that they couldn't hear her. She slapped her forehead before slumping into Percy's shoulder. Leo wolf-whistled and Victoria elbowed him. Annabeth glared at him.

"Yeah, I get it now," Victoria said. She gave Annabeth a small, sympathetic smile.

"So... who wants lunch?" Leo asked suddenly.

"I'm hungry. Can we have, like, pancakes or something?" Frank asked.

"Pancakes?" Percy repeated. Frank subtly nodded to Annabeth.

Dang curse! Annabeth thought.