Chapter Text
The number one thing Silena has learned in her time at Camp Half-Blood is how to not let the stress show—a skill that has proven incredibly useful since beginning her work as a Kronos informant.
The best way to do this, she finds, is to keep herself busy, keep herself smiling, reminding herself that if she seems okay, her siblings and friends will feel okay too.
It’s not so easy, though. Every now and then, her thoughts wander. Regret washes over her at the strangest times—watching two of her siblings playing together, during a quiet moment at the lake, sitting with her friends around the campfire and listening to them laughing at some age-old inside joke. Moments like these make her hesitate, second-guess everything she’s doing. But then she thinks of the promises made, of what she’s really working for, and she remains steadfast.
The current day is no different. Despite Percy and Annabeth vanishing into the labyrinth for the second time and whispers of what is to come, for Silena, camp life trudges on. She refuses to let her world stop for whatever godly business is happening in the background. And for a while, it works. She almost feels normal.
That’s why it catches her off guard when Lee approaches her after lunch.
“Hey-hey,” he starts, falling into step beside her. “D’ya have a minute?”
She slows her stride, turning to him with a quick pair of finger guns. “For you, babes? Of course.”
His lips twitch into a faint smile, but otherwise, the vibe is lost. If anything, he looks anxious. “Nice, okay. Can we chat, then? Maybe by Zeus’s Fist?”
She raises an eyebrow, trying to understand where the sudden nerves are coming from. When she gets no further context, she drops her hands and gives him a small smile. “Lead the way.”
They walk to the clearing near Zeus’s Fist in silence, both taking a seat at the base of the rocks. As she leans back against the warm stone, she catches Lee fidgeting from the corner of her eye. His knee bounces, and his hands are twisting together, the same way it does when he’s rehearsing something in his head.
“Okay, what’s up with you?” she asks finally, turning.
Lee just purses his lips, shrugging. “Nothing, really. Just feel like we haven’t hung out in a while. One on one.”
Her chest tightens, but she forces herself to relax. Admittedly, her guilt had spiraled enough in the past week that she’d been avoiding him, but with everything else going on, she’d hoped it would fly under the radar. “Well,” she says, bumping his shoulder lightly, “here we are now.”
“Right.”
She clears her throat, eager to steer the conversation into something more productive. “Are you excited to start college?”
Lee perks up slightly at that, the corners of his mouth lifting. “Yeah, I’ve got some cool classes coming up. And, well, Castor and I just signed the lease for our apartment.”
“Wait—actually? Lee, that’s awesome!” Her smile becomes genuine as she surges forward to hug him tightly. “That’s so… wow. No sneaking around Mr. D anymore, huh?”
Lee makes a face. “Oh, gods, I hope not. If that man swings by during move-in, I’m hightailing it back to Tennessee.”
She laughs at the thought, leaning back to get a better look at him. Despite his complaining, she sees the way he glows as he talks about the future. “I’m so excited for you both, really. I expect so many photos once you finish decorating.”
“Oh, forget photos, Lena. You’re so coming to visit,” he says with a snort. “In fact, I’m pretty sure every weekend in September, at least three people are already planning to crash at our place.”
She laughs again, but as the sound fades, silence settles between them. Lee shifts slightly, glancing at her with a thoughtful expression.
“And how are you feeling?” he asks, breaking the quiet. “Excited for senior year?”
Silena hesitates, brushing her hair back. “I am. It’ll be busy, though, with applications and getting everything set up for Arthur to take over.”
It’s a half-truth, she reasons. Because, yes, for the next year she will be focused on making sure Arthur has everything he needs to succeed as head counselor. But if everything goes right, there won’t be any need for the preparation. If everything goes right, her siblings will be out there in the real world, living normal lives, free of all the stupid responsibilities that living at Camp brings.
She doesn’t voice any of that, but Lee watches her closely, a faint frown tugging at his brows. “I know transitions can be hard,” he says after a moment. “If you ever need to talk… you have my number. And I’ll set up a way for us to IM too. Just—you can talk to me. About anything.”
She forces a smile, trying to meet his eyes. “I know, I’m good, Lee. Thanks.”
There's a moment of silence between them. Then, Lee sighs. “Why are you lying to me, Lena?”
Silena's blood runs cold. “What?”
She glances to him properly, just in time to catch the fading gold encircling his pupils. Immediately, things click into place and she stands abruptly, taking a step away. “Are you—did you use just your powers on me?”
Guilt flickers across Lee's face as he also stands, raising his hands placatingly. “I didn’t mean to! I’ve just—with all the campers defecting, I guess it’s been getting triggered unconsciously? And I didn’t try to use it on you specifically, but you were in my line of sight when it was on yesterday, and I realized that something has been up with you so…”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she interrupts. Her head is spinning, and air refuses to enter her lungs no matter how deep she breathes. “I thought you trusted me.”
“I do, Lena, gods.” Lee looks stricken, like she might as well have slapped him across the face. “I’m so sorry, and I swear on the Styx I wouldn’t have brought this up if I wasn’t worried that—”
“No. Listen to me right now, Fletcher.” She steps forward, ignoring the way he flinches as she jabs a finger into his chest. “You are going to quit using your stupid lie-detecting on me, and you are going to tell no one else about whatever you figured. I don’t care what holier-than-thou reasons you have. You will put this out of your mind.”
“I—I wasn’t going to tell anyone. I just needed to make sure you—”
“You’re also gonna leave me the fuck alone and stop with the wannabe interventions.” Her voice cracks on the swear, but she refuses to acknowledge it. “And until—until you apologize, I don’t see any reason for you to talk to me again.”
Lee’s expression crumples almost instantly, a distraught look passing through his eyes. “You can’t be serious.”
“Deadly.” She shoves him once more for good measure before turning and storming away.
The next few hours crawl by in a haze of anger. Dinner is especially painful, seeing as her appetite vanishes every time she accidentally catches Lee's worried gaze across the pavilion. By the time she steps into the woods for her check-in, she’s no closer to quashing the rage swirling in her chest.
Almost robotically, she unhooks the silver dagger from her belt, twirling it in her hand absently a few times before using it to cut the air. Colors swirl in the rift for a few moments until Luke’s smiling face comes into focus. “Hey, Silena.”
“Hi.” She tries for a smile in return, but the concern in Luke’s expression is telling of the poor job she does.
“Tough day?”
She closes her eyes, exhales slowly, and tries to center her thoughts. “Fighting with Lee. He just… gods, I’m so fucking annoyed with him right now.”
Luke’s lips twitch into a faint smile. “Figures. Never met anyone else who could tick you off so fast.”
That pulls a small laugh from her. “He gives me good reason most of the time.” Her smile fades as lingering frustration boils back up, and the words begin to tumble out. “I get it. Camp’s been on edge recently with… everything. But that doesn’t give him the right to mother-hen me about my feelings with his stupid lie-detecting. I mean, it’s hard enough to do anything when everyone’s constantly turning on each other. And my siblings, I love them, but it’s like I can’t even breathe without someone needing me, because everyone’s scared all the time. And now I’ve got my—my best fucking friend on my case too? I just… I just wish things would get better already.”
When she’s all talked out, there’s a moment of peace. The relief of finally being able to speak her mind eases some of the negativity that’s been swirling through her since the afternoon.
But then, she sees it. Dark brown eyes giving way to molten gold, the friendly expression hardening .
“Lie-detecting?”
Her heart drops in an instant. Shit. “No—sorry, that was an exaggeration. He’s just… he’s always been sensitive about this stuff. Emotions and—you know this, Luke.”
She tacks the name on as a last-ditch effort, hoping to appeal to his lingering humanity, to her friend somewhere in there. But her efforts are in vain.
“I don’t need any of those powers to know when I’m being lied to,” Kronos says, tilting his head. “I’m giving you another chance. Explain.”
Her throat tightens. She wishes she could rewind the last few seconds, stop herself from slipping up. But she’s stuck with the consequences of letting her guard down, so all she can do is try for damage control.
“He doesn’t use it at all, really,” she tries. “If he uses it too long, it hurts him. He...he promised Castor he wouldn't intentionally use it again after last time, and he really would never break a promise to—”
“But he used it on you?”
“By accident.”
Kronos scoffs. “How could such a power be used on accident?”
“Because he just wouldn’t!” The words burst out of her louder than intended, and anger flashes behind Kronos’ eyes at her raised voice. But she persists. “He would never use it on me, or his siblings, or anyone he trusts. He promised.”
“And yet,” Kronos starts slowly, in a tone that one would use when talking to a small child, “he just happened to use it on you ‘on accident’? And now he’s suspicious?” He shakes his head. “You tell me that he is smart, loyal. Do you honestly expect that he will let that go, then? That you are still someone he trusts now?”
Her heart pounds in her ears. She hates herself for it, but the words makes sense. Because as much as Lee is her best friend, his loyalty to Camp has always been blinding.
After a moment, Kronos sighs, leaning back with a disinterested expression. “I suppose it is good that you have brought this to my attention. I’m sure we can easily… deal with this situation.”
No. “You can let me handle it. I—I’ll talk to him. Get him to see our side. He’ll be an asset.”
Kronos studies her, his gaze piercing. She holds her breath until finally, he nods. “Very well. I will allow you to handle it for now.” His voice lowers, almost indulgent. “And as a reward for your efforts—when the time comes, it would be wise to keep your siblings away from the woods south of the entrance.”
Relief floods her, but it’s shallow. “Of course, thank you, my lord. It’ll be sorted.”
The golden fades back to brown, and Luke’s voice is softer when he speaks again. “Well, I think that’s more than enough for this week. Any other updates?”
She shakes her head. Even if she did, she wouldn’t want to share anything further. Not after her previous misstep.
Thankfully, there are no more questions and the goodbyes are brief. As she watches the rift close, she stayed seated in the darkness of the woods, heart still racing. Convincing Lee to have anything to do with Kronos would be a monumental, if not impossible, task. But at least she’s bought him time. She’ll figure it out. She has to.
The worst part of being head counselor, Silena thinks, is the whole preparing your siblings to fight for their lives and home deal.
She becomes acutely aware of how much the job sucks as she tightens the last strap on Drew’s chest plate, stepping back to assess her work. The armor fits perfectly, every piece adjusted with precision. But there’s no pride in that—not when the armor is custom-made for a fourteen-year-old.
She swallows the bitter lump in her throat and glances at Drew, whose gaze stays firmly on the ground. Normally, Silena would see the lack of biting comments or dramatic eye rolls as progress in the whole behavioral issues department. Right now, though, it just unsettles her.
Gently, she places two fingers under Drew’s chin, tilting her sister’s face up. “It’ll be okay. Just remember what I told you, hm?”
Drew sighs, diverting her gaze from Silena’s. “I know, yeah. Stay away from the southern edge of the entrance. Superstitions or whatever—got it.”
The hint of snark pulls a small smile from Silena. She boops Drew lightly on the nose, grinning when her sister immediately pulls a face. “There’s my fighter.” Leaning down, she presses a quick kiss to the top of Drew’s head. Before she can start groaning, Silena steps back with a stifled laugh. “Now go check on the others. Last I heard, Elijah was still tearing the cabin apart for his knife.”
Drew finally rolls her eyes. “I told him to check under his bed. If it’s actually there, I’m putting superglue in his shoes again.”
Silena shoots her a look, swatting her arm lightly. “No you won’t, missy. Go help him out, hm? I’ll catch up.”
Drew lets out a loud sigh but jogs off to join the rest of their siblings. Silena exhales, her gaze wandering over the camp. When her eyes land on the Big House, she spots Lee sitting alone on the porch steps. His elbows rest on his knees, his empty stare fixed on the bustling activity around him.
She hasn’t spoken to Lee since their fight, and so far, he’s respected her demand to be left alone. The excuse she gives herself has been that there’s simply been no good moment—not with Percy and Annabeth returning with news of an impending attack. But she knows that’s bullshit. Truthfully, she’s been tormenting herself ever since her last conversation with Kronos, awake into the odd hours of the night trying to figure out what she could even say..
Now, with the battle looming, her gut tells her she can’t keep putting it off. Before she can overthink it, she squares her shoulders and heads toward him, stopping a few feet from where he sits.
“Hey.”
Lee doesn’t look over, but his lips twitch into a faint smile in acknowledgment. She hesitates only a moment longer before lowering herself onto the step beside him, wood creaking under her weight as she gets comfortable. “I’m sorry.”
When he doesn’t reply, she clasps her hands in her lap, pressing on. “I’m sorry for pushing you away. I know you were just worried about me, and I… I shouldn’t have lashed out. It wasn’t fair of me not to hear you out, especially because I know you’d never use, um, that on purpose. So, yeah. Sorry, again.”
Lee’s gaze finally shifts to her, studying her in silence for a few seconds. Then he shakes his head, the corners of his mouth lifting faintly. “It’s okay.”
She blinks. “What?”
“It’s okay,” he repeats, his voice steady. “I forgive you, really.”
If it were anyone else, she might not believe them. But Lee’s eyes are warm, sincere in a way that only he can be, that makes her lingering doubts dissolve. So she lets it go, exhales softly as she prepares herself for the next difficult task. “Thank you. I, uh, actually wanted to talk to you about something. About… everything that’s been going on?”
Something flickers in Lee’s eyes. He’s always been an open book to her, but the emotion that passes over is unfamiliar, gone too quick for her to name. His smile tightens almost imperceptibly, but it doesn’t falter as he checks her shoulder lightly. “We’ll talk after, Lena. I think we’ll have a lot to catch up next time we see each other.”
Silena presses her lips together. She doesn’t like the idea of waiting, but she already figured that the persuasion game will be a long-term effort. Content that they are at least speaking again, she nods, wordlessly leaning her head on his shoulder and settling close.
They sit in silence, watching the campers around them running to and fro. She clings to the quiet between them, savoring the moment for as long as she can.
Eventually, reality calls in the form of one of Lee’s sisters, shouting for him to join the archers as they do final preparations. Lee sighs, shifting slightly, and she lifts her head. “Guess that’s my cue.”
He stands, brushing off his jeans, and turns back to her. That same funny look crosses his face again, lingering in his eyes. For a moment, they just look at each other. Then, leaning down, he presses a soft kiss to her cheek.
“Your heart is good, Lena. Don’t forget that,” he says quietly, straightening back up.
Her brow furrows slightly at the words, but Lee’s always been a bit of a sap. “Okay, dorkasaurus,” she declares with a scoff, though a smile tugs at her lips. “Go on, they’re waiting for you.”
Lee’s face relaxes into a warm smile, any remnants of strangeness melting away. He waves before jogging off to join his siblings, leaving her alone on the steps.
The battle itself is a blur. Silena does her best to keep an eye on her siblings, only jumping into the fray when she spots one of them in trouble. Still, by the end, her sword is coated in a thin sheen of monster dust, and a small gash across her forehead throbs faintly. She doesn’t notice the latter until the adrenaline begins to fade.
The next painstaking hour is spent rounding up her siblings, checking on each of them from oldest to youngest. Relief floods her when she confirms they’re all accounted for, albeit shaken and sporting a few scrapes and bruises.
She puts Arthur in charge of the older campers, sending them off to assist in the infirmary. The younger campers are herded away by Miranda, who has taken up the painstaking task of keeping the little ones occupied near the mess hall. Only when everyone is settled does Silena allow herself a moment to breathe, slowly making her way to the infirmary.
She doesn’t make it far before she collides with someone, stumbling back.
“Woah!” she exclaims, steadying herself. “Charlie?”
Charlie doesn’t look extraordinarily beat, though there is a frantic look in his eyes as they lock onto hers. Before she can say another word, his hands grip her shoulders tightly.
“You’re okay?” he asks urgently, gaze scanning her face.
“I’m fine,” she reassures him, though she’s already cataloging the state he’s in. His arms are wrapped in bandages from wrist to shoulder and his eyes are red-rimmed, a sight that makes her heart flip. Charlie crying is a rare sight. She’s seen it once and only once before, years ago, when he got the news that his aunt had passed away while he was at Camp. And even then, he didn’t let it show, not until it was the two of them alone at the docks.
Panic twists in her stomach, but she does her best to keep calm. Gently, she takes his wrist, her fingers brushing over the bandages. “What happened to you?”
For a moment, he just stares at her, expression still caught somewhere between shock and exhaustion. Then, his gaze drops to the ground, and he finally mutters, “Will.”
Her heart skips a beat. “Will? As in—our Will?”
He nods, his grimace deepening as he glances down at his arms. “It wasn’t on purpose. Kid was so focused on healing him… I was the only one who could hold him long enough to get him back to the infirmary.”
Silena’s breath catches. “Is he okay?”
“Physically, yeah,” he mumbles. “Michael pulled him from rotation so he can rest, but…”
She winces. Will is one of their best medics, despite being one of the younger campers, so that is certainly a loss. She gestures vaguely to the gash on her forehead. “Well, I was heading to the infirmary anyway. Once this is patched up, we’ll figure out how to help. Has anyone told Lee yet? You’re the first person I’ve seen since—”
“Silena.”
Her stomach knots at his tone. She tries to meet his gaze, but his eyes stay stubbornly fixed on his arms.
“Who was Will trying to heal?”
Charlie’s lips press into a thin line. She grips his arm tighter because, yes, she knows, but she needs to hear it from him. “Please, Charlie.”
Exhaling shakily, he finally looks to her with glassy eyes. “He was trying to heal Lee. Lee is dead.”