I slashed a wide arc with my sword to keep the hags away. My mind reeled as I tried to think of who they were. Their name sounded familiar. Has Annabeth mentioned them before? Or maybe back at camp?

"Back off." Percy jabbed his sword at the nearest arai.

We are the arai, the voice said. You cannot kill us.

Oh. Oh gods we're in some deep trouble. Cursed. Why didn't I connect it before? I pressed against Percy's shoulder, twirling my sword anxiously.

"Don't touch them." I warned Percy. "They're the spirit of curses."

"Bob doesn't like curses." Bob decided and the kitten disappeared inside his overalls.

Bob swept his broom in a wide arc, forcing the spirits back, but they came back again like a tide.

We serve the bitter and the defeated, said the arai. We serve the slain who prayed for vengeance with their final breath. We have many curses to share with you.

"Uh, no thanks." I quickly told them.

"I appreciate the offer." Percy said. "But my mom told me not to accept curses from strangers."

The nearest demon lunged. Her claws extended like bony switchblades. Percy cut her in two and she vaporized. He grimaced and stumbled backwards, his hand clamping to his rib cage. Percy pulled his hand away stained red.

"Percy!" I stared at him with worry and horror. I noticed on the other side of his ribs, he was bleeding as well. "Oh, gods, on both sides."

"Geryon." Percy said. "This is how I killed him..."

The spirits bared their fangs. More arai leaped from the black trees, flapping their leathery wings.

Yes, they agreed. Feel the pain you inflicted upon Geryon. So many curses have been leveled on you, Percy Jackson. Which will you die from? Choose, or we will rip you apart!

"I don't understand." Percy muttered.

"If you kill one, it gives you a curse." Bob said.

"But if we don't kill them..." I trailed off.

"They'll kill is anyway." Percy guessed.

Choose! The arai cried. Will you be crushed like Kampê? Or disintegrated like the young telekhines you slaughtered under Mount St. Helens? You have spread so much death and suffering, Percy Jackson. Let us repay you!

The winged hags pressed in, their breath sour, their eyes full of hatred. One of them lunged at me. I sidestepped and instinctively swiped my sword. The arai turned to dust. Burning white hot pain erupted from my chest and back. I stumbled back, staring at my sternum in shock. It looked like I was stabbed by a sword. Blood seeped from the wounds. I could feel blood trailing down my spine.

Kelli cursed you when you stabbed her in the back at Daedalus's workshop.

Percy drew closer to me. I raised my sword with shaky arms. My chest and back felt like someone stabbed me with a fire poker that was burning hot. It hurt to breathe. The arai advanced. They leaped from every direction and I didn't know what to do.

"SWEEP!" Bob yelled, his broom whooshing over our heads.

The entire offensive line of arai toppled backwards. More surged forward. Bob whacked one over the head and speared another, blasting them to dust. The others backed away. I watched Bob carefully, noting he wasn't reacting to any curses.

"Bob, you okay?" Percy asked. "No curses?"

"No curses for Bob!" Bob agreed.

The arai snarled and circled, eyeing the broom. The Titan is already cursed. Why should we torture him further? You, Percy Jackson, have already destroyed his memory.

Bob's spearhead dipped. My heart beat erratically in my chest, making the pain grow.

"Bob, don't listen to them, okay?" I pleaded.

"My memory..." Bob turned to face Percy. "It was you?"

"Bob, it's a long story." Percy said. "I didn't want you to be my enemy. I tried to make you a friend."

By stealing your life, the arai said. Leaving you in the palace of Hades to scrub floors!

"Bob, listen." Percy tried again. He gripped my hand. His hands were slightly shaking. There was a guilty expression on his face. "The arai want you to get angry. They spawn from bitter thoughts. Don't give them what they want. We are your friends."

You see his face? The arai growled. The boy cannot even convince himself. Did he visit you, after he stole your memory?

"No." Bob muttered. His lower lip quivered. "The other one did."

"The other one?" Percy uttered.

"Nico." Bob scowled, his eyes full of hurt. My grip tightened on Percy's hand and slightly pulled him behind me. "Nico visited. Told me about Percy. Said Percy was good. Said he was a friend. That is why Bob helped."

"But..." Percy trailed off, looking guilty and convicted.

The arai attacked, and Bob did not help us stop them. Percy grabbed my hand and ran. I followed after him. The both of us sliced through the air, clearing a path. Every step made my wounds flare with pain. I tried to control my heavy breathing.

Leathery wings flapped above us. Angry hissing and the scuttling of clawed feet were behind us. I glanced behind my shoulder to seeing a majority of them at our feet. My throat tightened from fear. Percy slashed a tree, toppling behind us. There was a crunch as several dozen arai smashed flat.

Percy didn't get any new curses. Trees don't get curses. Vines grew from the ground with withered leaves. They stabbed through the arai. I helped Percy cut trees down to crush some more arai. It bought us a little bit of time. I wasn't paying attention to where we were going, getting caught up in slicing down trees. Percy stopped me, his arm around my waist.

"What?" I turned to see what it was and my eyes widened. We were at the edge of a big cliff. I cursed under my breath. "Now what?"

"I'm thinking." Percy rushed out, panic in his voice.

I peered over the edge and only saw pitch black darkness. There was no sign of a bottom. Percy glanced to the left and right, trying to decide which way we should go. Suddenly, a winged demon descended in front of us. It hovered over the void.

Did you have a nice walk? Asked the collective voice.

I scowled. Percy and I turned to see the arai pour out of the woods. Dread pooled in my stomach. There was too many of them. We were severely outnumbered. They formed a crescent around us. One reached for me, grabbing my arm.

I shoved the hag away with a yell of frustration and stabbed it in the stomach with my sword in one swift movement. The demon dissolved. I didn't feel any pain. I glanced over my shoulder to check on Percy and my heart felt like it was being yanked out of my chest.

He wasn't there.

"Percy?" I breathed out in panic, fear rushing over me.

I frantically looked around to see that the majority of the arai had suddenly disappeared. All that stood further ahead of me was one arai. My heart beat wildly in my chest. I felt like I was having trouble breathing. Where was he?

He left. The voice spoke up, staring at me. Her dead eyes bore into mine and shivers ran down my spine. I frantically shook my head. Percy Jackson left you. He abandoned you.

"No, no. No." I shook my head, tears welling in my eyes. "Percy!"

Look around, Ivy Pittaluga. The arai told me. Hesitantly, I glanced all around me. There was nothing but the bare trees, the arai, and I. He was gone. My heart crawled into my throat. Your soulmate has abandoned you. He left. It's just you and I.

"No-he wouldn't." I stumbled over my words as betrayal and abandonment washed over me. The wounds on my back and sternum burned and ached more than before. My legs were shaking. I started to walk around, looking for him frantically. "Percy!"

The more I looked the more the pit grew in my stomach. Tears fell down my cheeks. Percy left me. I was all alone in Tartarus. He would never leave me...would he?

"Percy?" My voice cracked, speaking into the empty air. "Why did you leave me?"

I felt my body grow numb. I started to roam around, looking for Percy. Desperation ran through my veins. He had to be here. Somewhere, right? I started to call out his name.

An arai flew at me, her claws scratching the air as she neared. She snarled and gnashed her teeth at me. I swung my sword and sliced her in half. Pain erupted in between my ribs and my arm. I cried out in pain, glancing at my wounds. Another stab wound and a large dog bite.

A slew of curses escaped from me as I grasped my ribs. I felt like I was struggling to breathe even more now. More arai started to pop up around me. Swallowing back the pain, I fought them. With each kill came more curses. Gashes appeared on my arms, legs, and torso.

Anger swirled in my chest. I clenched my teeth and tightened my grip on my sword. I pushed back any fear I had about receiving curses and killed any arai in sight. Vines burst through the ground and wrapped around them. The vines squeezed them until they turned to dust. Madness struck the arai nearest to me. They cried and shrieked, grasping their heads as they collapsed to the ground. A withered vine glided through the air like a snake, stabbing each of them in the chest.

An arai was diving from the sky toward me. Her clawed hands scratched my cheek. I sliced her head off and she turned to dust. Suddenly, I choked on something rushing down my throat. Water spewed from my lips as I tried to breath. The taste of salt water lingered in my mouth. I gagged. Water started to well in my lungs as if I were drowning.

Chrysaor's curse. The arai grinned as they started to appear around me. He did not like the way you spoiled his plans and made his men flee. He cursed you to drown when your vines drug him into the waters.

I coughed, stumbling back as I tried to force the water out of my system. A puddle of water pooled at my feet. Panic overwhelmed me as I struggled to breathe. Each inhale filled my lungs with water. I choked and spluttered, my head getting lightheaded. My knees buckled as I hunched over.

A swarm of arai started to surge toward me. My arms trembled a I grew weaker. Vines grew around me protectively, killing any arai that drew close to me. My chest felt heavy. Every wound felt like it was on fire and being prodded at as I drowned.

My vision started to darken. I collapsed onto the ground, my eyes fluttering shut as the lack of oxygen got to me. My lungs felt heavy and cold. Vines fell to the floor. Something picked me up. I weakly fought against it, but it only took more energy away from me. I went into a coughing fit, water pouring out of my mouth.

They placed me on the ground. Someone's warm gentle hand touched my forehead and everything stopped. I could breathe normally again. I flipped over and threw up the rest of the water in my lungs. My wounds healed. The pain was gone. I gasped, breathing in the toxic air that felt cleaner than the salt water.

Bob stood above me with furrowed brows. I gave him a weak smile and muttered a thank you. Glancing around, I looked for Percy. My heart stopped when I saw him beside me. He was covered with gashes and blood. His face was extremely pale. Percy was struggling the breathe.

"Percy." I breathed out, crawling to him. His face was scrunched in pain. Percy weakly grasped my hand. Tears welled in my eyes. My hand went out to cup his face. His skin was more feverish than it was before. "Hey, hey, it's going to be alright. Okay? Just hold on."

Bob placed his hand in Percy's chest. Percy relaxed, relief washing over his features. When Bob drew away his hand, Percy's hold on my hand tightened. Agony was clear on his face. My heart clenched.

"Tartarus kills demigods." Bob said. "It heals monsters, but you do not belong. Tartarus will not heal Percy. The pit hates your kind."

"There has to be something!" I glanced at Bob with despair. "There has to be someplace he can rest, some sort of cure he can take. Maybe we can take him back to Hermes' altar-"

"I SMELL HIM!" Somewhere in the distance a giant roared. I frantically looked around, making sure he wasn't in eye sight. "BEWARE, SON OF POSEIDON! I COME FOR YOU!"

"Polybotes." Bob said. "He hates Poseidon and his children. He is very close now."

"How close is close?" I glanced at him worriedly. Judging his grim expression, Polybotes must be too close to his likening. I turned my attention back to Percy. His eyes were starting to droop. "Okay..."

I struggled to get Percy to his feet. Percy tried his best to help, but I could tell he didn't have the strength nor the energy. I placed his arm around my shoulder and I wrapped an arm around his waist. He could barely stand, forcing me to hold most of his body weight. I held back a grimace when I felt his warm blood coat my hand. The worry deepened in my chest.

"Bob, I'm going." I made eye contact with the Titan. Percy's head started to lean toward mine. His chest rattled as he breathed. I swallowed back a cry. Tears stung my eyes. I hated seeing him like this. I felt useless. "If you want to come along and help, you are more than welcome to."

Small Bob mewed and began to purr, rubbing against Bob's chin. The Titan looked at Percy with an unreadable expression. He didn't say anything. I clenched my jaw and started to walk.

"There is one place." Bob said, stopping me in my tracks. "There is a giant that might know what to do."

"A giant?" I hesitated. "Bob...they're bad."

"One is good." Bob stated. "Trust me, and I will take you...unless Polybotes and the others catch us first.

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So much went on for Ivy and Percy this chapter 💔💔💔