𝑥𝑖

                                    

                                          
Despite being bound around the wrists, ankles, and torso, Ash wouldn't have minded continental lunch if she actually got to eat some. Instead her friends were dumped in a corner and forced to watch as Geryon cooked up burgers and chicken wings. And Ash? She had to sit directly beside him in the bright circle of unshaded light created by the barbeque, which was making not only her mouth water but like her skin water in general, ew. Hey, she may not eat meat, but that didn't mean it couldn't smell good. Like come on she could've at least helped put up the balloons or something.
	Percy had very graciously offered to clean Geryon's stables in exchange for their freedom, so that's what they were waiting for him to do while being mildly tortured. Ash trusted him, yes, yes, but she was also making backup plans to at least get Nico out of there, because have you seen Percy's room?
	But she shouldn't have underestimated the son of Poseidon when it came to saving her butt, because just as the sun was melting over the hills, he came charging onto the patio, disheveled and a little dirty, but clearly successful.
	"Let them go!" He panted. "I cleaned the stables!" Ash cheered unintelligibly behind her gag.
	Geryon turned. He wore an apron on each chest, spelling out word-by-word KISS THE CHEF. "Did you, now? How'd you manage it?"
	Percy told him impatiently, eyes flicking over to his friends every now and again.
	Geryon nodded appreciatively. "Very ingenious. Would've been better if you poisoned that pesky niaid, but no matter."
	"Let my friends go," Percy reasserted. "We had a deal."
	"Ah, I've been thinking about that. The problem is, if I let them go, I don't get paid."
	"You promised!"
	Geryon tsk-ed. "But did you make me swear on the River Styx? No. So it's not binding. When you're conducting business, sonny, you should always get a binding oath."
	Percy drew Riptide. Orthus growled, one head baring its fangs by Grover's ear.
	"Eurytion," Geryon said, "the boy is starting to annoy me. Kill him."
	Eurytion studied him. "Kill him yourself," Eurytion declared.
	Geryon raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
	"You heard me," Eurytion grumbled. "You keep making me do your dirty work, picking fights for no reason. I'm getting tired of dying for you. You want to fight the kid, do it yourself."
	Huh, one of Ares' special ones, then?
	Geryon threw down his spatula. "I should fire you right now!"
	"And who'd take care of your cattle then? Orthus, heel."
	The dog immediately stopped growling at Grover, making Ash breathe a sigh of relief. "Fine!" Geryon snarled. "I'll deal with you after the boy is dead!"
	He grabbed two carving knives and threw them. Percy deflected one and the other impaled itself an inch from Eurytion's hand. Well that certainly wasn't helping his employer's case. Percy went on the attack and Geryon parried his initial strikes with a pair of red-hot tongs. The demigod got inside his next thrust and stabbed him in the middle chest.
	"Aghhh!" Geryon crumpled to his knees, but began to stand soon after, wound already healing. "Nice try, sonny. Thing is, I have three hearts. The perfect backup system."
	He tipped over the barbecue, and coals spilled everywhere. Ash was surrounded, and she let out a muffled scream through the cloth tied around her mouth, scooting around and trying to avoid the burning pieces.