Chapter 8: Next!

The man gapsed. "Y-yes ma'am, right away ma'am!" he then ran into the store's back room and Percy could hear him rushing through his storage space.

"Well that was scary," Percy said as he looked around, "although this place might just have you beat."

"Yes, there are many a cursed item here," Hecate smiled as she saw a small torch, much like the one she was often depicted having, "I remember this. Some poor idiot tried to make a weapon like mine. Ended up cursing himself and his family from the dark magic backlash."

Percy shivered, "so what exactly are we looking for anyway?"

"Something to help you learn faster," Hecate said as she looked across the glass cases and found a set of spectacles she liked.

It's lens were round with one being red and the other blue, "perfect."

The man then came rushing in with two boxes stacked in hand. "Here you go ma'am, the rod and cloak."

Hecate nodded and quickly opened the box revealing a golden rod at least 20 inches long in one and a black cloak with red runes inscribed on it in another.

She snapped her fingers and the boxes started to float in mid air revealing the man of their weight.

"I also want that," Hecate pointed at the bi coloured spectacle.

The man now more fearful of the goddess nodded, "yes ma'am of course ma'am," he quickly put the glasses in a box and handed it Hecate. "Will there be anything else?"

"Sealing cloth, if you have it."

"I'm sorry my lady, but we don't. I sold my last sent to a man from India quite long ago."

Hecate growled, "fine," the goddess hummed to herself for a while, "do you have a pair of quick read glasses?"

"Yes, I do, but they aren't the normal kind. They are very taxing my lady and-"

"-I don't care. Get them," Hecate snapped sending the old man running back in.

Percy rolled her eyes, she could be mean when she wanted, personally he found it normal, Gods were almost always like this.

Slowly the son of Poseidon's eyes started to wander off as he looked at everything around him. And then something caught his eye.

It was a silver band with a owl on the front, it looked very familiar as it reminded him of the owl ear rings Annabeth used to where.

Percy sighed as he smiled in nostalgia, he won't be able to see them again for some time now.

"What you got there Percy?" Hecate asked as she looked over his shoulder

Percy flinched in surprise, "don't do that!"

"Oh, a blood band, nice," she exclaimed ignoring his complaining.

Percy sighed, "anyway, yeah, I thought it looked cool. What is it?"

"It's a blood band. Basically it sucks you blood and magic and in exchange it gives a bonus of some kind," Hecate waved her hand above it and hummed, "it looks like this one in particular gives you a boost in thinking power. Not bad Percy, you've got a good eye there."

"Thanks, but I didn't really do anything."

"Sure," Hecate turned to the man who had just returned with another spectacle case, "and the blood band."

The man's eyebrow's shoot up in horror, "my lady that is most dangerous! If one isn't careful-"

"-I know! Now shut up and give me what I asked for! I'm not incompetent boy! I know what I am doing! Now the band, please!"

The old man shivered again as he nodded quickly. He opened the case and pulled out a long wooden stick.

The wood was made out of a sick looking wood as he waved and muttered something under his breath.

The band then slowly lifted into the air and was deposited into a wooden box the man had on hand.

He pushed the box to Hecate, "please my lady, be careful. I can guess what you wish to do with these items, they are very dangerous if used all at once."

Hecate snapped her fingers making the box fly, "I understand your concern, but I remind you, I know what it is I'm doing. Now, how much for this all?"

"Well let's see, the cloak and rod come at a total of 300 galleons, the bi coloured glasses are 50 and the quick read will be another 50. And finally the blood band….let's say 400. So a total of 800 galleons."

Hecate raised an eyebrow, "really? 800? For this set?"

"My lady I assure that is the best I can do."

"No, I don't think it is. The bicoloured glasses are broken, worth nothing to you, I'm taking them off your hands. So that will be 10 galleons, yes? And then the rod and cloak, one useless without the other. So Let's say 100, each. And I'll admit the blood band is expensive, but since I'm probably the only one who will buy it, let's say….150. So, 310."

"700."

"350."

"650."

"400, if you throw in a pair of glass wipes."

"500, and the glass wipes."

"450, last offer, or else I walk."

The man and the goddess glared, Percy had to admit, the old man had balls for standing up to a Goddess, or maybe it was because he had no idea who she was.

"Deal," the old man finally gave in causing the goddess to smirk.

Hecate turned to Percy, "pay the man Percy."

Percy nodded as he took out the mokeskin bag and started the long process of gathering ten coins in each hand and depositing the growing pile of gold onto the man's counter.

At exactly 450 Percy stopped, his bag took a big hit, but luckily it looked like the Fates gave him more than enough.

Considering they knew the future, they probably gave him exactly how much money he would need.

Hecate then shark the items they had bought and placed it inside. Without a goodbye the goddess left the shop telling Percy to follow.

"So where next?" Percy asked.