But the most horrible part was her misshapen face. If the spider came any closer, her sweet stench alone would have been enough to make Annabeth faint. Her eight spindly legs were lined with curved barbs as big as AnnabethвЂ™s dagger. She was about to die.ДЄrachne had the body of a giant black widow, with a hairy red hourglass mark on the underside of her abdomen and a pair of oozing spinnerets. The creature appeared from the curtains of webbing, and Annabeth realized that her quest was hopeless. вЂњIвЂ™m afraid you would have to defeat me first, my sweet,вЂќ Arachne said. How could one girl in a Bubble Wrap ankle cast remove this huge statue from its underground chamber? IвЂ™m taking it back.вЂќД®ven Annabeth had to admit her threat sounded ridiculous. вЂњYouвЂ™ve been guarding this statue since the ancient times,вЂќ Annabeth guessed.

She wondered if her mother truly had lost-if sheвЂ™d hidden Arachne away and rewritten the truth. The tapestries were the best sheвЂ™d ever seen-better than the witch CirceвЂ™s work, and, yes, even better than some weavings sheвЂ™d seen on Mount Olympus. вЂњLook on my work! See for yourself!вЂќДЄnnabeth didnвЂ™t have to. вЂњThatвЂ™s the story written by the winner!вЂќ cried Arachne. вЂњBut you lost the contest,вЂќ Annabeth said. вЂњScorned by all and made into a hideous thingвЂ¦because I was the better weaver.вЂќ The figure descended, becoming clearer and more horrible. вЂњThe weaver who was turned into a spider.вЂќ The pain in AnnabethвЂ™s ankle was nothing compared to the icy acid now filling her veins. This will make your death so much more painful to my old enemy when you fail utterly.вЂќ вЂњI had to make sure you were worthy, the only child of Athena clever enough to pass my tests and reach this place alive. вЂњI have seen you in my dreams,вЂќ the voice said, sickly sweet and evil, like the smell in the corridors. In the webs above the statue, something moved-something dark and large. The voice sounded just as Percy had described: an angry buzz in multiple tones, female but not human.

Suddenly she was seven years old again, hiding under her covers, waiting for the spiders to attack her in the night. вЂњFor ages I have known that you would come, my sweet.вЂќДЄnnabeth shuddered.

The mark of athena free online