Chapter Text
I fell on my bunk, my legs giving out from under me; I wasn't sure if it was from exhaustion or pain. Probably both. I knew my face was hard as stone, but I couldn't bring myself to cry. I had already shed all my tears. I hadn't been the only one either. Half of us had practically had to be carried back to camp due to the utter hopelessness we felt in our chests and the sting of tears in our eyes.
I could have saved him. My hand flew out to grab my pillow before scrunching it up against my face, letting out a guttural scream. I didn't care about the sleeping sons and daughters of Athena around me in Cabin 6. Not tonight. Tonight, they'd have to live with my pain and heartbreak. With my anger, my guilt, my misery. My loss of someone closer to me than any of them could ever dream to become.
It was supposed to be a quick mission. Go to the underworld. Convince Hades to end his attempted tyranny. Come back for a campfire and s'mores for another job well done. Now... How was anyone supposed to celebrate when one of their friends was dead?
I could have saved him! I was right there. If only I had turned around just before the cold blade met his warm chest. I could have pushed him out of the way. I could have jumped in front of him. Sacrificed myself to save him. There wouldn't even be guilt or regret. I would have died, knowing I did everything in my power to help them all survive.
A hand touched my arm, and I knew it was one of my brothers or sisters. Comforting wasn't really our strong suit as children of Athena. We were built and trained for battle strategy. Give us blueprints or maps of a forest, we'll tell you the best attack plan. Give us a crying child, we'll point you straight to Cabins Seven or Ten. I knew how terribly awful they were when it came to sympathy, which is how I knew how hard it was to see me like this.
But it didn't help.
My entire body had shattered when I saw him on the ground. The sword was gone, and the monsters had vanished in a suffocating cloud of black smoke. As much as I wish I had been the one to find him, Nico was the first one to scream out at the sight before him. As quickly as I could, I had spun on my heel, searching through the dark fog that had filled up the large throne room.
His hair was covered in blood, but it hadn't dried yet. At the time I was too absorbed in trying to understand what had happened while my back was turned, but looking back on it, I wish I had noticed the large cut on Nico's chest, the red liquid pouring through his shirt and into the hair of the boy lying dead below him. I had been too shocked for words. I simply watched the scene pan out, unable to move.
The rest of them stood around, just the same as I did. Nico had been the only one to run to the boy's side. Not one of us had been the least bit concerned about the sudden disappearance of the God of the Underworld. We didn't care at all about the mission anymore.
Our attention was stuck on the boy on the ground in front of us.
The pain on Nico's face was more heartbreaking than any other expression in the room. He looked as if someone had personally ripped out his heart and torn it to pieces in front of him.
No one knew what to say. Jason could barely walk. Nico was bleeding out profusely. I could hardly see out of my left eye due to the amount of blood that had already dried on my eyelashes. Anyone not injured was busy trying to drag me and Nico away from the throne room. My eyes burned as the pure memory tried to bring tears to my eyes.
The hand on my arm shifted, reaching around to fully grab my arm and pull me to my feet. I was enveloped in a large hug, the arms around me stiff. My hands were curled in front of my chest. I couldn't bring myself to hug back.
I faintly heard the cabin door open, but not much thought was put into it. My eyes were screwed shut, and I couldn't see whoever it was that had walked in. Part of me simply assumed it was a newly recruited demigod. One that still had the ridiculous idea of staying up late to study attack strategies rather than rest to prepare. Soft whispering in the corner of the room broke me out of my thoughts as I opened my eyes to see who was talking. It didn't sound like any of Athena's children.
Reyna stood a couple feet away, eyeing me as she spoke to one of my bunk-mates. While I found a part of me wanted to know why she had showed up in my cabin, I realized, at the moment, I couldn't care less. She was probably visiting Camp Half-Blood for Chiron or Jason and simply heard the news. Reyna noticed me looking and for a split second, her eyes held sympathy.
She turned and made her way towards me. I felt myself recoil, only slightly, when she finally reached me, unsure of what she was going to do. Whoever had been hugging me had moved away. I wasn't sure when.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely making it to my ear. I didn't say anything. I couldn't. What was I supposed to say? 'It's fine. My friends die all the time. No biggie'?
"Where are the others?" I asked, my voice hoarse. I knew it came out like a croak from the worried glances shared between my bunk-mates, who were smart enough to back away from the two of us. Reyna searched my eyes, and I felt the need to look down.
"That's where we're going," she said, keeping her voice soft. I furrowed my brows, confused. Before I could say anything, Reyna surprised us all by wrapping me in a hug. She wasn't wearing her normal gear, and the soft material of her shirt easily soaked up the tears that finally started to fall again. "You need each other. Hunters are gathering the rest of them up." I nodded and sniffed, wiping my cheeks as we separated.
"Thank you," I mumbled out to her. I was worried she couldn't hear me due to how quiet I was, but she gave me a small, comforting smile and she reached down and grabbed my hand, leading me outside.