Chapter Text
“You must be Piper McLean.”
Robin’s exclamation pulls me from my scheming. Looking up, I spy a brown haired girl with braids and multi-coloured eyes. This is The Piper McLean? I thought she’d be taller.
“Wh-who are you?” Piper asks with a slight stutter of terror, gripping her left forearm with a white knuckled grip. “Mellie!”
Her eyes appear clouded. instead of the bright, jewel-like tones I had heard rumors of, her eyes appear simulant of them. They appear to have almost a flat, pastelish shade to them. But, then again, this isn’t the famous Piper McLean of legend. This is what war has left.
Robin steps forward, hands raised to show he means no harm. “I’m Robin and this is my team. Mellie let us in. We’re here to pick something up for safe keeping.”
Piper mirrors Robin, stepping back as he steps forward. “I don’t know you.” She accused. “You’re not in any of the pictures, so you’re not to be trusted.” She gestured to the picture frames scattered around the room.
My eyes dart back to the picture Wally had picked up. It was a picture of Percy’s Seven and Nico. All of them look a little worse for wear, though resilience shines in their eyes and reflects off the weapons they hold. Most of those eyes are now clouded with confusion. Of those in the picture, only Nico and Percy remember. Everyone else was washed between the ears with the Lethe. Well, except Leo. He died with Gaea in a blaze of glory. If we had fallen in line with the House of Life… If the Egyptians relied on Prophecies just a little more… As much as I fight with the big lug, I’m glad Carter’s alive.
Mellie runs around the corner with the dagger in a sheath and quickly takes in the situation. “Piper,” she coos, “These are friends. They’re here to make sure Katropis stays safe. They’re taking the dagger for safekeeping.” Yeah right.
At the reassurances, Piper ducks behind Mellie and relaxes slightly, some of the confusion clears from her eyes. “Right.”
Robin steps forward to take the dagger but I cut in front of him and take it from Mellie before it falls through Robin’s non-mythical hands. “Thank you, this will be returned to where it belongs.” I say carefully. The metal of the handle is a burning cold. It very much doesn’t like me; probably because of either my differing roots or Aphrodite. Hopefully it's the differing roots, not something personal.
Robin narrows his eyes. “Right, thank you. We’ll make sure this is somewhere where no can use it ever again.”
Mellie meets my eyes. “Thank you. Both for what you do today and what you’ve done for her.”
“I didn’t do it for her, just needed some back up. If it happened to drive ‘Pharaoh’ up a wall too? The more’s the merrier.” I grunted back, self consciously.
Mellie ruffles my hair as I swat at her hand. “You’re a good kid, Sadie Kane.”
My eyes narrow as Robin giggles behind me. Turd. “If you tell anyone I’ll cut your tongue out with this dagger.” I snarl at the room. The laughter cuts off abruptly.
Piper lets out a small hiccupping laugh. She’ll be alright. Eventually. Probably.