“Good! Thank you!” Crusty said happily. He grabbed me by the neck and made me drop my golden cuboid.
“Yes thank you so much Kelp Head!” I forced all the sarcasm I had into those words.
The giant looked at me, then turned toward Percy and grinned. "Almost, darn it. Just two more inches..." ‘Boy I don't care if you are Hera in male form you better not be complaining about my height’ I wanted to snap. Crusty reached for Percy, who tried to step away, but Crusty’s hand shot out and clamped around the back of his neck. "Whoa, kid. Don't worry. We'll find you both one in a sec."
"Let my friends go."
"Oh, sure I will. But I gotta make them fit, first."
"What do you mean?" I asked
"All the beds are exactly six feet, see? Your friends are too short.…show more content… "All my customers are. Never six feet exactly. So inconsiderate. And then they complain about the fitting."
“So sad now do me a solid and let me go. Please?” I forced myself to not yell.
“See complaining! No one is ever thankful!”
“Oh I know, girls tend to complain a lot. Picky about heights and such,”
I stared at him. The little sea scum would pay for that comment.
"Just ignore them both. I’m quite curious, what do you do if they're longer than six feet?"
"Oh, that happens all the time. It's a simple fix."
He let go of our necks to my surprise, but before I could locate Kataigida, he reached behind a nearby sales desk and brought out a huge double-bladed brass axe. He said, "I just center the subject as best I can and lop off whatever hangs over on either end."
"Ah," Percy said. "Sensible."
“Holy mother of Zeus…” I muttered.
"I'm so glad to come across an intelligent customer!"
Percy moved in front of me his eyes meeting mine for a second. In that second he gave the impression that he wanted me to move around. So I did, towards Grover and Annie.
The ropes were really stretching them now. Annabeth was turning pale. Grover made gurgling sounds, like a strangled…show more content… But would it work even for a big guy like you? No waves at all?"
"Guaranteed."
"No way."
"Way."
"Show me."
He sat down eagerly on the bed, patted the mattress. "No waves. See?"
As percy snapped my fingers calling out "Ergo." I found the golden cube and grabbed it eagerly.
I turned in time to see ropes lashed around Crusty and flattened him against the mattress.
"Hey!" he yelled.
"Center him just right," Percy said.
The ropes readjusted themselves at my command. Crusty's whole head stuck out the top. His feet stuck out the bottom.
"No!" he said. "Wait! This is just a demo."
Percy uncapped Riptide. "A few simple adjustments ..."
I had no qualms about what Percy was about to do. If Crusty were human, he couldn't hurt him anyway. If he was a monster, he deserved to turn into dust for a while. Like a year or two hundred or so.
"You drive a hard bargain," he told me. "I'll give you thirty percent off on selected floor models.'"
"I think I'll start with the top." I held my own sword in my hand and cut Grover free then Annabeth.
"No money down! No interest for six months!"
Percy swung the sword. Crusty stopped making offers.
"You look taller," Percy said staring Annabeth up and down.
"Very funny," Annabeth said. "Be faster next
