𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄
𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒚𝒓𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒕.2

❛ my heart was beating so fast,
i was ready to give it all to you. ❜

                        𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐘𝐑𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒: 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎, 𝕮ompared to Mount Olympus, Manhattan was quiet. It was early in the morning, and hardly anyone was on Fifth Avenue. Argus, the many-eyed security chief, picked up Nate, Aurora, Annabeth, Grover, and Percy at the Empire State Building and ferried them back to camp through a light snowstorm.

                         While looking out the window, Aurora allowed her head to rest against Nate's arm, the exhaustion completely overwhelming her. Her body was moments from shutting down whether it be due to her time in captivity, the fight with her sister, or the talk with her mother—it was crashing down on her all too much.

Nate didn't seem to mind that much, he didn't seem to mind when Annabeth unexpectedly did the same thing either. Her blonde hair knotted likely due to their quest.

"I don't get it," she began as she watched the snowfall, catching her reflection from the window. "How could she be so unaffected? Her daughter died?"

She didn't have to turn to know she also caught Percy's attention—Grover was far too busy snoring to pay any mind to their conversation.

She felt Nate shift from next to her, "The gods . . . Feel differently than we do."

Aurora shook her head, "More like they view us as expendable. Why worry about one child when you can always make another?"

A moment of silence was her response before Percy spoke up, "You're starting to sound a lot like—"

Aurora frowned ignoring her quivering lip, "Luke? Natalie? Listen, I might understand where they're coming from but that doesn't mean I'm on their side."

Percy nodded, "I know. I just liked that you clarified it."

Aurora did her best to hide her smile.

The Long Island Express way was almost deserted. As they trudged back up Half-Blood Hill to the pine tree where the Golden Fleece glittered, Aurora smiled happy that her friend was no longer trapped in such a state and was being the badass she was always meant to be.

Chiron greeted them at the Big House with hot chocolate and toasted cheese sandwiches. Grover went off with his satyr friends to spread the word about their strange encounter with the magic of Pan. Within an hour, the satyrs were all running around agitated, asking where the nearest espresso bar was.

Aurora, Annabeth, and Percy sat with Chiron and some of the other senior campers—Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard ( who began fussing over her sister the moment she saw her ), and the Stoll brothers. Even Clarisse from the Ares cabin was there, back from her mission. She had a new scar on her chin, and her dirty blond hair had been cut short and ragged, like someone had attacked it with a pair of safety scissors.

"I got news," she mumbled uneasily. "Bad news."

"I'll fill you in later," Chiron said with forced cheerfulness. "The important thing is you have prevailed. And you saved Aurora!"

Aurora grinned and smiled at Percy. It was a smile that he couldn't help but return.

"Luke is alive," Percy said.

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"

Annabeth sat up. "How do you know?"

He told them about his conversation with his father.

"Well." Annabeth shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "If the final battle does come when Percy is sixteen, at least we have two more years to figure something out."

Aurora leaned her head against her palm, "I don't like the sound of that. Feels a lot like we're on a time crunch."

Chiron's expression was gloomy. Sitting by the fire in his wheelchair, he looked really old. Especially when he nodded in agreement to Aurora's words.

"Two years may seem like a long time," he said. "But it is the blink of an eye. I still hope you are not the child of the prophecy, Percy. But if you are, then the second Titan war is almost upon us. Kronos's first strike will be here."

"How do you know?" Percy asked. "Why would he care about camp?"

"Because the gods use heroes as their tools," Chiron said simply. "Destroy the tools, and the gods will be crippled. Luke's forces will come here. Mortal, demigod, monstrous . . .We must be prepared. Clarisse's news may give us a clue as to how they will attack, but—"

There was a knock on the door, and Nico di Angelo came huffing into the parlor, his cheeks bright red from the cold. He was smiling, but he looked around anxiously.

"Hey! Where's . . .where's my sister?"

Aurora pursed her lips and glanced at Chiron. Dead silence. They'd obviously been waiting for them to appear, to tell Nico in person. Aurora frowned, the poor boy didn't deserve it. She had only recently been informed of what happened to Bianca Di Angelo and she knew what was likely to come of it.

"Hey, Nico." Percy stood. "Let's take a walk, okay? We need to talk."

It soon ended in catastrophe, poor Nico was distraught when he learned the news and almost made the ground swalllow Percy. Aurora couldn't imagine the pain he was going through, gods forbide anything happen to Her father, Silena, Percy, Annabeth or anyone she cared about.

                         She'd go ballistic.

                         Aurora, Annabeth, and Grover helped Percy search the woods for hours, but there was no sign of Nico di Angelo. Instead mosquito bites and bruises were now littered on her skin.

                         "We have to tell Chiron," Annabeth said, out of breath.

                         "No," Percy said.

                         The three stared at him.

                         "Um," Grover said nervously, "what do you mean . . . no?"

                         "We can't let anyone know. I don't think anyone realizes that Nico is a—"

                         "A son of Hades," Annabeth said. "Percy, do you have any idea how serious this is?"

                         Aurora nodded in agreement, "Ocean eyes, this is really bad. The consequences are irreparable, especially now since Hades broke the oath as well."

                         "I don't think so," Percy said. "I don't think Hades broke the oath."

                         "What?" Annabeth questioned.

                         "He's their dad," Percy said, "but Bianca and Nico have been out of commission for a longtime, since even before World War II."

                         Aurora and Annabeth looked utterly confused.

                         "The Lotus Casino!" Grover said, and he told both girls about the conversations they'd had with Bianca on the quest. "She and Nico were stuck there for decades. They were born before the oath was made."

                         Percy nodded.

                         "But how did they get out?" Annabeth protested.

                         "I don't know," Percy admitted. "Bianca said a lawyer came and got them and drove them to Westover Hall. I don't know who that could've been, or why. Maybe it's part of this Great Stirring thing. I don't think Nico understands who he is. But we can't go telling anyone. Not even Chiron. If the Olympians find out—"

                         "It might start them fighting among each other again," Aurora nodded with a finger on her chin. "That's the last thing we need."

                         Grover looked worried. "But you can't hide things from the gods. Not forever."

                         "I don't need forever," Percy said. "Just two years. Until I'm sixteen."

                         Aurora shook her head not entirely liking the idea, "But, Percy, this means the prophecy might not be about you. It might be about Nico. We have to—"

                         "No," Percy said. "I choose the prophecy. It will be about me."

                         "Why are you saying that?" Annabeth cried. "You want to be responsible for the whole world?"

                         "I can't let Nico be in any more danger," Percy said. "I owe that much to his sister. I . . . let them both down. I'm not going to let that poor kid suffer any more."

                         Aurora looked at the floor with sad eyes. He was right, Nico was just a kid and because of his heritage monsters would be after him but adding gods to that list? It'd be too much for a kid his age. Aurora understood being in that position far too much seeing as she was in it not too long ago.

                         "The poor kid who hates you and wants to see you dead," Grover reminded Percy.

                         "Maybe we can find him," Percy said. "We can convince him it's okay, hide him someplace safe."

                         Aurora shifted as she weighed their options. "If Luke gets hold of him—"

                         "Luke won't," Percy said. "I'll make sure he's got other things to worry about. Namely, me."

                         From the looks on Chiron's face he probably believed that the story they fed him was utter crap, but in the end, he accepted it.

                         Unfortunately, Nico wasn't the first half-blood to disappear.

                         "So young," Chiron sighed, his hands on the rail of the front porch. "Alas, I hope he was eaten by monsters. Much better than being recruited into the Titans' army."

                         Aurora shook her head, "He's just a kid. He doesn't deserve this."

                         "You really think the first attack will be here?" Percy asked.

                         Chiron stared at the snow falling on the hills. Aurora could see smoke from the dragón guardian at the pine tree, the glitter of the distant Fleece.

                         "It will not be until summer, at least," Chiron said. This winter will be hard . . . the hardest for many centuries. It's best that you go home to the city, Percy; try to keep your mind on school. And rest. You will need rest."

                         Percy looked at Aurora, "What about you?"

                         They'll call. But I wouldn't be too worried about it.

The conversation she had with her father at the beginning of the quest rang deep in her mind. It felt so long ago but the heavy weight of her decision continued to rest on her shoulders. On one hand, she'd be able to attend the school of her dreams, while chasing her own dream to make the world a better place. MIT was the way to go if she wanted to make an impact. However, with the stakes rising in their own world and what feels like the climax approaching—all hands were needed on deck.

But what if attending MIT helped her help their side? It'd be a win situation.

But then she remembered a familiar color: Red.

Percy noticed her hesitation, "Pretty girl, I—" he went to put his hand on her shoulder only for him to remember Chiron watching them with amusement flitting in his eyes.

"I'll leave you two to it," he sent them a nod before leaving them on the porch with the stars glittering in the night sky. The moon acted as their friend as she casted her light down to illuminate each other's faces. And they both couldn't help but mentally thank her.

"Hey," he looked at her. His ocean eyes brighter than the moon. "What's wrong?"

                         Seeing him stood before her, so close that she could hear every breath he took and every fidget he made—forced Aurora to take a deep breath, unintentionally catching her reflection through his eyes and still that color red that was stood strong around her, pulsating with what she could think was energy.

                         "I'm not coming back next summer,"

                         She placed a hand over her mouth in shock as she watched Percy blink in surprise—almost like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

                         "What?"

                         Aurora took another breath and turned to watch the moon, her heart doing all kinds of gymnastics move in her chest the longer she looked at him, "W—When I got accepted into MIT they gave me my schedule. Some of the classes I'd be taking would overlap in the summer meaning I wouldn't be able to do both. I'd have to choose."

                         "So you chose school."

                         Aurora turned to him again, "MIT is my dream, Percy, it's been my dream since I was a little girl. And I know it's selfish to leave you guys here while everything is going on, but I think this could help me. Maybe I could learn something new or . . . Or improve my engineering skills while I'm there so I could help camp when I get back?" She blew out a breath. "This could help us, but mostly me improve."

                         She looked to him again only to be met with Red.

                        "You deserve to go, Aurora," he didn't break their eye contact only intensified it and in doing so intensified the red aura around him. "We'll be fine," he tilted his head to catch her eyes when she glanced away. "We'll be fine. It's like you said, this could help us. Though," his lips quirked up into a sly smile. "Camp won't be the same without you around."

                         Aurora's face broke out into a smile, "And summer won't be the same without you or camp around."

                         His own smile grew into the one that had her heart beating, but suddenly he reached into his sweater pocket, "I almost forgot," suddenly he pulled out a beautiful white Myrtle—her favorite flower, before handing it to her. "Here."

                         Her heart continued, "Ocean eyes, you remembered! B—But where'd you get it! It's hard—"

                         His cheeks turned rosy as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "I had some help," he looked at her expectantly. "So, do you like it?"

                         But all she could see was red.

                         Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "Percy, what do you feel for me?"

                         His eyes turned big, like that of a sea dolphin as he tried to look at everything but her, "W—What?"

                         "What do you feel for me?"

                         Percy stuttered obviously caught off guard. "I—Well—"

                         Aurora took a step back and admired the flower in her hands, "You know what, don't answer that now," she turned to look at him again, the moonlight hitting her at just the right angle to make her gray streak look ethereal. "Promise me you'll tell me when I get back."

                         Percy too mesmerized at the girl in front of him could only nod, "Yeah. I promise."

                         All Aurora could do was embrace him and with a smile landed a kiss right on his cheek. Before she turned and made her trek to her cabin.

                         "Take care of yourself, ocean eyes."

                         "You too, pretty girl."

                         And he watched her walk away, feeling his own heart fall at the thought of not seeing her for an entire year.

— NAT TALKS!

hehehehehehe

Thoughts? Theories? Headcanons?

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❪ the prodigy, 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 book. ❫
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