Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The rain wasn’t just falling. It was mean. It hit me so hard it felt like tiny knives poking my skin, like the sky was mad at me too. My clothes stuck to me, cold and heavy, and everything hurt. My ribs, my back, my heart. My hands, sticky with something I refused to acknowledge, were trembling with the cold, insistent tremor that had nothing to do with the wind. I am completely alone now. Mom was gone. Dead. Disgusting Gabe killed her. And I… I killed him. My mouth still tasted weird, like metal, like when you bite your lip and bleed but a hundred times stronger. I just kept walking, one step, then another, away from the apartment. Away from the smell of blood and death. But no matter how far I went, I knew my memories would never leave me.

---

Do you know how long it takes for someone to break? My mom never did. She was young when she had me, and we never had much, but she made sure I had food, blankets and uncondicional love. Her laugh was the best sound in the world. Like when you’re freezing and someone puts a warm blanket on you. Her hugs made all the scary stuff go away.

I never knew my dad. Mom said he was a good man, even though he left, she hoped someday I would meet him so we could get to know each other. I didn’t get it. If he was good, why wasn’t he here with us? I never understood that, but what I really didn't understand is why Mom married Gabe.

At first, Gabe just seemed… quiet. Cold, maybe. I didn’t think much of it. But then the yelling started. The drinking. The stinky smoke. He brought his gambling friends over, loud men with mean eyes, and they treated Mom like she was their maid. I hated when the house smelled like cheap whiskey and cigarettes. Mom would clean their mess and smile like everything was fine, but her smile never touched her eyes. He had been my stepfather ever since I was four, so I don't remember much how we used to live before him. It must have been peaceful.

I learned to stay quiet. Hide in my room. Press my ear to the door so I’d know when it was safe to come out. Sometimes Gabe stumbled into my room, his breath sour, his eyes red. I’d hold my breath and hope he wouldn’t notice me. Sometimes he didn’t. Sometimes he did. Then Mom would come after, hold me tight, rock me until the shaking stopped. She always whispered, “It’s okay. He doesn’t mean it.” But I hated those words. I hated that she made herself small for him. The abuse wasn't just physical, sometimes I saw bruises on her arm or the way she'd wince when she moved was really hard to ignore. He laughed at her dreams, mocked her intelligence. He’d take her money, that she worked hard for, from her purse, using it on poker or other gambling games, leaving us to fend for ourselves, struggling to cover the bills until her next paycheck. He called her names, ugly, harsh words that made my hands clench into fists beneath the dinner table. And through it all, she smiled, a silent suffering. Over the years, her vibrant laugh became rarer, replaced by a weary sigh. Her bright eyes, once full of a fierce, loving light, now held a haunted, distant look. She was still my mom, but the woman I knew was slowly being consumed by the monster she had married.

She often said that he wouldn't hurt me, that sometimes he was just angry. I never told her that when she wasn't around, he would push me to the ground, call me names, and once he even threw one of his stinky bottles at me, but the bruises were never really bad so I just ignored it.

Then came last night. The rain had started, soft at first, then harder. Gabe came home furious. He’d lost money gambling, again. I heard them fighting in the kitchen. His voice was different this time—scarier, like an animal ready to bite, demanding money my mom didn't have. I heard the escalating fight from my room, like always. But this time was different. There was a new edge to his voice, a frantic desperation that promised worse. I crept to my door, peeking through the crack.
He had Mom cornered by the counter. His face looked twisted, red and sweaty. “Where’s my money?!” he screamed.

“I told you, Gabe! I paid the bills. I bought food for—”

The slap was so loud I jumped. Mom’s head snapped to the side, and she almost fell.

I ran in front of her, shaking but standing anyway. “Get away from my mommy!” I shouted.

His eyes were fire. He grabbed my hair and threw me down. My ribs screamed when his foot hit me. Again. Again. I curled up like a ball, crying, trying to make it stop.

“Please, Gabe! She’s just a little girl!” Mom cried, pulling at his arm.

Then his hands went around her throat. He wasn’t pretending this time. His fingers pressed harder and harder. Mom clawed at him, but he wouldn’t let go.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to help. But my body wouldn’t move. My ribs hurt too much, and my throat was stuck. All I could do was watch her eyes. My mother’s eyes, wide with terror, met mine. They looked at me, wide, scared, and then… they didn’t. One punch and she went limp, the sound her neck made when it bent into a strange angle, will haunt me forever.

She was gone.

Gabe threw my mother's dead body on the floor, like she was nothing, a completely replaceble object who just finished her purpose. He started talking to himself, panicking, like a kid caught doing something bad. He didn’t care about her. Not really. He just didn’t want to get in trouble.

That’s when something inside me broke. Or maybe it woke up.

I don't remember moving. Maybe I didn't. I remember the look on his face. His body shook, like something inside him was tearing apart. And then—he exploded. Just like that. Blood everywhere. On the walls. On me. I felt disgusting.

Looking around I saw my mom, she was on the ground just laying there. It took a few tries but I finally managed to stand up, wobling I made my way to her. I knelt next to the woman who raised me my entire life, she was my world, the only person who ever cared about me, and now she was gone. In school I was always known as "the Freak", now I guess they were probably right, I killed someone, I am a monster, not only because somehow I made him explode, I am a monster because I would have done it again. The only difference is that if I could go back in time, I would have killed him the first time he stepped inside of my home.

I crawled to Mom. Her face was still, her body heavy in my arms. “Mommy?” I whispered. She didn’t answer. With my bloodied hands I hugged her anyway, even though she would never hug me back. I wept. Cried. Screamed. My throat felt dry, my ribs broken, my legs were not cooperating, and my hands, they didn't want to leave my mom's warmth, she still had it, even after passing away, her loving warmth was still there. I didn’t want to let go. But I had to.

If the police came, they’d think I was the monster. Maybe I am.

I stood up, wobbling, ribs aching, and left. It was dark outside, I opened the door, checked to see if someone was around and slowly to not make any sort of noise, went down the stairs. I felt the cold wind and the pouring rain right after I stepped off the building. It soaked through my clothes, but I just kept putting one foot infront of the other with no place to go, no one wanting for me.

My name is Percy Jackson. I’m eight years old. And I think I’m a monster.

Chapter Text

The rain had stopped a few days ago, but the streets still smelled like wet dirt and garbage. Puddles covered the sidewalks, shining like broken mirrors. I stared into one of them sometimes, trying to see if I still looked like me. My hair was a mess, sticking together in knots. My face looked dirty, streaked with dried blood and tears. Sometimes I didn’t even recognize myself.

But the monsters? They were always the same.

Ever since I was a kid, seeing monsters, creatures you could only hear about in myths, was normal to me. They would appear randomly, but not always. I saw them everywhere now. Not hiding. Not pretending. Just there.

There was a man on the corner with greasy hair and a huge jacket, but when I blinked, I didn’t see a man anymore. I saw a one-eyed giant, taller than any building, glaring at people who walked right past like he wasn’t even there. His one big eye followed me until I turned the corner.

There was a dog too, black and shaggy, the size of a car. Its teeth were so long they scraped the ground. It prowled near the trash cans, sniffing around, but nobody screamed or ran. They just walked by like it was invisible. I pressed myself against the wall until it padded away.

And then… the horse.

Not just a horse. It had wings. A pegasus. He was black, all shiny like midnight, his wings folded close to his sides but still huge, feathers twitching in the wind. His eyes were bright, too bright, like they could see inside me. He never came close. He just stood at the end of the street, watching me. Like he was waiting. Or guarding me. I didn’t know which. I tried waving once, but he only looked away and flicked his tail. Then, when I blinked, he was gone.

I thought I was getting crazier. Maybe I’d hit my head too hard when Gabe threw me. But the monsters didn’t go away. Every day, I saw more. They didn’t look weird to anyone else. Just me.

---

Living on the streets wasn’t like in the movies. Nobody handed me free food. Nobody cared that I was small and hurt and hungry. People looked at me like I was trash. Some covered their noses when I walked by, like I stank worse than the garbage. Maybe I did. My clothes were still stained red. Blood on my arms, blood in my hair. I tried scrubbing it off in a fountain once, but it only smeared.

I hadn’t eaten in two days. My ribs hurt so much I couldn’t even stand straight. Every step made me bite my lip so I wouldn’t cry out. If I cried, people would stare. If they stared, maybe they’d call the cops. I couldn’t go to the cops.

So I stole.

The first time, my hands shook so badly I dropped the food. A man grabbed it before I could pick it up. He shoved me away, calling me a filthy brat. I almost cried. The second time, I was faster. I grabbed a roll of bread from a bakery stand and ran before anyone could stop me. I ate the whole thing in three bites. My stomach hurt after, but I didn’t care.

Now I was starving again.

I spotted a convenience store with its door wide open. I limped inside, trying to look normal, like I belonged there. My heart pounded so loud I thought everyone could hear it. I grabbed the first thing I saw—a pack of crackers—and shoved it under my shirt. Then I ran.

“Hey!” the man behind the counter yelled. He chased me out onto the street.

My legs burned, my ribs screamed, but I ran faster. People shouted as I pushed past them, but I didn’t stop. I looked behind me to see if the man was still chasing me—

And I crashed into someone.

I fell so hard it felt like knives stabbing my chest. My broken ribs lit up like fire, and tears sprang to my eyes. I wanted to cry, but I forced it down. Crying was weak. Crying wouldn’t help.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, trying to scramble up.

The woman I’d bumped into stared at me. Her eyes were sharp, too sharp. Her lips curled into a sneer. “Your kind really are filth,” she said.

I froze. “W-what?”

“Demigods,” she spat. “Always stealing. Always causing trouble.”

I blinked. My chest hurt. My head hurt. “I don’t know what that means,” I whispered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

She laughed. It wasn’t a nice laugh. It was dry and scratchy, like nails on glass.

And then she changed.

Her skin stretched and cracked, peeling back to show something horrible underneath. Her eyes burned yellow. Her teeth grew sharp, too sharp for a human mouth. Black wings sprouted from her back, leathery and flapping with a hiss. Her fingers stretched into claws that scraped the ground.

I fell backward, my hands scraping on the pavement. My chest screamed with pain. My heart hammered so hard it hurt.

This wasn’t an illusion. This wasn’t just me seeing things. She was real.

She leaned down, her wings blocking out the sun, her breath hot and rotten on my face. “Little half-blood,” she hissed. “You’re a danger to us all. You should never have been born. Better to snuff you out now.”

I shook my head so hard my vision blurred. “I—I’m not—please—I didn’t do anything!”

Her claws rose high, ready to strike. I couldn’t move. My arms felt like lead, my legs wouldn’t work. I was frozen, like when Gabe used to grab me and I couldn’t breathe. My mouth opened but no sound came out.

This was it. I was going to die.

 

---

But then—

A blur of gold and silver shot past me. A boy, maybe a teenager, swung a sword that glowed in the sunlight. The blade cut straight through the monster’s chest.

She screamed, a horrible, ear-splitting shriek, and then her body crumbled into dust. It swirled in the air, black and gray, and blew away like it had never been there.

The boy stood panting, his sword still in his hand. His blonde hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. His eyes—bright blue, sharp and kind at the same time—locked on me.

He walked over slowly, kneeling so he didn’t tower over me. “Are you alright?” he asked.

I just stared at him. My chest still hurt, my hands were shaking, and my brain felt like it had stopped working.

He smiled, not the creepy kind, but soft. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe now.” He held out his hand like he wanted to help me up. “My name’s Luke. What’s yours?”

My mouth felt dry. I swallowed hard. “P-Percy,” I whispered.

Luke’s smile widened just a little, like he was proud of me for saying it out loud. “Nice to meet you, Percy.”

For the first time in almost a week, I didn’t feel completely alone.

Chapter Text

Luke’s hand was warm in mine, and I didn’t want to let go. My ribs hurt, my legs felt like jelly, and everything inside me was heavy and sharp at the same time. But then… I heard voices.

“Luke!”

I flinched and squeezed his hand tighter. Luke turned his head, his eyes alert, like when someone hears footsteps behind them at night. To the right, I saw two girls coming toward us. They didn’t look like monsters, but… monsters didn’t always look like monsters, right? My stomach twisted.

The first girl was taller than me, not as tall as Luke, but older for sure. She had messy short black hair and stormy blue eyes that looked like they could burn holes through people. She wore a black jacket with spikes and black pants, like she was ready to fight anyone who looked at her wrong.

The other girl… she was smaller, closer to my size. Her hair was long and curly and golden like the sun. She had bright grey eyes. She clutched a dagger in her hand, and her face was scrunched in confusion, like she didn’t understand why Luke was standing here with… with me.

Both of them had weapons, sharp and scary like Luke’s sword. My breath caught. My first thought was: what if they’re here to finish me off?

“Luke,” the older girl said, slowing her steps, her weapon tight in her grip. “What happened?”

Luke smiled, a little tired, but proud too. “Alecto happened,” he said. “She won’t be bothering anyone anymore.”

I stiffened when he said her name. Alecto. The laughing woman with claws and wings. I could still hear the echo of her voice in my head, calling me filth. I hugged my arms around myself and tried to disappear.

The two girls blinked, staring at me. My face burned, and I pressed myself into Luke’s side like I could melt into him.

Luke’s voice softened. “It’s okay. This is Percy. Alecto went after her. She’s like us—a demigod.”

Their eyes softened, but they were still… sharp. Studying me. Measuring me. The older one—Luke called her Thalia later—tilted her head.

“Why’s she all bloody?”

My throat closed. My ribs ached under my shirt. I wanted to curl into a ball and never answer. But they were waiting, and Luke was looking at me with those calm, patient eyes.

“I… ran away,” I whispered, my voice breaking. That was the safe answer. The small one. Not the whole one.

The younger girl with the blonde curls spoke up quickly, her voice high but firm. “We can’t stay here. If Alecto found us, more will come.”

Luke nodded. Then he crouched down so his face was level with mine. His eyes were soft, serious. “Percy. Do you want to come with us? You’ll be safer.”

Safer. The word made my chest ache. Safe wasn’t something I remembered feeling. Safe was something other kids had when their mom hugged them, when their dad carried them on their shoulders. My safe had been broken and taken away.

I hesitated, but my head nodded before my mouth did.

Luke smiled gently and held out his hand. “Come on.”

I tried. I really did. But when I pushed against the ground to get up, pain stabbed through my chest, sharp and hot. A sound came out of my throat, a whimper I couldn’t swallow. My eyes watered.

Luke frowned. “Percy, are you hurt?”

I bit my lip. I wanted to lie. I wanted to be strong. But the words tumbled out in a shaky whisper. “I… I think some ribs are broken. When… when my stepdad…” My voice cracked. “When he hit me.”

The air froze.

I didn’t mean to say it. I didn’t! But it was too late. Thalia’s eyes widened, and Annabeth’s little hands tightened around her dagger.

Luke’s face went hard, sharper than his sword. His voice dropped low, heavy. “I’ll make sure he never hurts you again.”

Something cracked open in me. A piece of my chest I had sealed tight so no one could see. Tears spilled before I could stop them. I leaned forward and hugged him, my small arms wrapping around his neck. He felt steady, strong, like he could hold the whole world if he had to.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my face wet against his shoulder.

“Don’t be sorry,” he said softly, hugging me back carefully. “You’re safe now.”

I didn’t know if it was true. But I wanted to believe him. So badly.

When he pulled back, he picked me up like I weighed nothing. My ribs protested, but I didn’t fight it. Being carried felt… warm. Like maybe I wasn’t invisible anymore.

“Let’s move,” Luke said to the girls.

 

---

The walk blurred together. My head rested against Luke’s chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat. I clutched the edge of his shirt, afraid that if I let go, he’d vanish like everything else had.

The night air was cold, and every shadow looked like wings waiting to swoop. But the three of them walked steady, like they weren’t afraid at all. Maybe they were used to it. Maybe I could be, too.

Finally, we stopped at a small house, broken and abandoned. The windows were cracked, and the paint peeled, but it had walls and a roof, and that already felt like magic to me.

Inside, it smelled like dust and old wood. Luke set me gently down near a wall. I winced as I sat, clutching my side.

“Thalia,” Luke said, “help Percy with her injuries. Annabeth and I will secure the place.”

Thalia nodded, pulling a little box from her backpack. Luke gave me one last look—soft, promising—before walking off with Annabeth.

Now it was just me and Thalia.

She sat cross-legged next to me, the med kit open. “Alright, kid. Lift your shirt a little so I can see.”

My face burned, but I obeyed, lifting the hem just enough.

Her sharp eyes widened. Her jaw clenched. I knew what she saw—dark purple bruises spread across my ribs and stomach, ugly marks that screamed the truth I wanted to hide.

“Gods,” she whispered. “He really did this?”

I nodded, my throat too tight to talk.

She took a deep breath, grabbing bandages. Her hands were rough but careful as she wrapped them around my chest. “Did you run away from him?”

I bit my lip. I didn’t want to tell her everything. Not the part where Mom screamed. Not the part where Gabe’s body exploded. Not the part where I was a monster.

“He… he beat me,” I whispered. My voice shook. “And he… he killed my mom.”

Thalia froze, her eyes wide with horror. “What? Where is he now?”

I swallowed. The lie came easier than the truth. “I… pushed him. Down the stairs. He’s dead.”

Her mouth opened, then closed. She stared at me for a long time, then nodded slowly. “Good. You’re stronger than I thought.”

Something inside me shivered. Strong? I didn’t feel strong. But the way she said it… made me want to believe.

I hesitated, then whispered, “What… what does it mean? Being a demigod?”

Thalia’s hands paused, then kept moving. Her voice was calm, steady, like explaining a secret. “It means one of your parents was mortal, and the other was a god. My dad is Zeus. Annabeth’s mom is Athena. Luke’s dad is Hermes.”

My eyes widened. Gods. Real gods. And… one of them was my parent?

“Do you know… who mine is?” I asked, my voice small, hopeful.

She shook her head. “Not yet. A god has to claim you before it’s official.”

The hope cracked into sadness. I stared at the floor. Of course no one would want me. Why would they?

Thalia noticed. Her hand rested on my shoulder gently. “Hey. Don’t worry. It’ll happen. You’ll see.”

Something warm spread in my chest, softening the ache.

Footsteps echoed, Luke and Annabeth came back. Luke stopped when he saw us, a smile tugging at his mouth. For the first time, I saw something like peace on his face.

And for the first time since my mom died, I wasn't alone anymore.

Chapter Text

It’s been weeks. Maybe months. I don’t know how many, because I lost count after the first ten days. The streets don’t really tell you what day it is. They just keep going, hot or cold, dark or bright.

But the one thing I do know? I’m not alone anymore.

That still feels weird to say. I wake up sometimes, curled up against the wall of some damp hideout, and for a second, I think I’m back in the old apartment, with Mom in the kitchen and Gabe’s angry footsteps behind me. And then I hear Annabeth snoring like a little kitten, or Thalia grumbling about how Luke stole her blanket, or Luke quietly sharpening his sword, and I remember—this is my life now.

I have people.

And I don’t want to lose them.

 

---

Luke has always made sure of that. He’s like… I don’t know. The big brother I never knew I wanted, but now I can’t imagine living without.

He always finds food, even when it seems impossible. Sometimes he steals it, sometimes he bargains with people using money he “found” (I don’t ask where), sometimes he just pulls things out of nowhere, like magic. He makes sure we eat before he does, and even when there’s not enough, he always says, “Don’t worry, I’m not that hungry.” But his stomach growls, and I know he’s lying.

He trains me too. Turns out—I’m not bad with a sword. Actually, I’m good. At least, Luke says so, and Thalia nods when he says it, which means it must be true. My hands used to shake when I held the blade. Now, they’re steadier. I still get scared, but not the same kind of scared. It’s more like the kind that makes me want to prove myself.

Luke teaches me where to step, how to dodge, when to strike. He even lets me use a smaller sword he found just for me. “See?” he says when I manage to land a hit on him during training. “You’re already better than I was at your age.”

I don’t know if that’s true, but it makes me warm inside.

One time, while we were sitting under the roof of an abandoned train station, waiting for the rain to pass, Luke told me about his mom.

“She lost her mind,” he said softly, staring at the dripping ceiling. “And my dad—Hermes—never lifted a finger to help her.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just sat next to him, close enough so he’d know I wasn’t going anywhere. Because I understood. I really did.

If my dad was so great, if he was a god, why didn’t he help Mom when she needed him? Why didn’t he stop Gabe? Why did he let me become a monster?

I didn’t say all that out loud. But I think Luke saw it in my eyes. Because he put his arm around me and pulled me close, and I let him.

 

---

Thalia… she didn’t like me at first. I could tell. She’d watch me with these sharp blue eyes, like she was waiting for me to mess up. She didn’t talk much to me unless she had to, and when she did, her voice was kind of rough, like she didn’t know how to be soft.

But after a while, she started to… warm up. She helped Luke teach me how to fight, showing me tricks with daggers and how to use my size against bigger enemies. She always had my back in battle. Literally. Once, when a dracaena tried to grab me from behind, Thalia shoved it back and snarled, “Don’t touch her.”

That was the moment I knew she cared.

She told me about her dad once too. Zeus. The sky god. The king of everything. I thought she’d be proud of that, but she wasn’t.

“He was never there for me,” she said bitterly. “I grew up with my mom, but she… wasn’t strong enough. So I left.”

I listened. I didn’t know how to comfort her, but when she finished talking, I whispered, “I think… maybe gods are just bad parents.”

She snorted, but she smiled. “Maybe you’re right, kid.”

 

---

Annabeth… well, Annabeth was harder.

At first, she looked at me like I was some stray dog following them around. Always frowning, always whispering to Thalia when she thought I couldn’t hear. I wanted her to like me so badly. I’d never had a friend before, not one my age. I tried everything—sharing food, talking about silly things, even letting her win sometimes in little games we played.

She still rolled her eyes a lot. But after a while, she stopped looking at me like I didn’t belong. She started… tolerating me.

She told me about her family too. How her dad and stepmom didn’t care about her, how she ran away because she felt invisible. My chest hurt when she said that, because I knew exactly what invisible felt like.

But when she talked about her mom, Athena, her face lit up. She was proud. Different from Luke and Thalia. Annabeth believed in her mom, believed in being smart and strong, like Athena.

I envied her for that. Because my dad still hadn’t claimed me. Not once in these months. Sometimes at night, when everyone else is asleep, I stare at the ceiling and wonder if he ever will. Or if he even cares.

Maybe gods only care about some of their kids. Not all of them.

 

---

Our life together wasn’t easy. It was running. Always running. Monsters showed up almost every week. Sometimes every few days.

We learned to change hideouts at least once a week, sometimes more. Old warehouses, empty train cars, basements, attics, even under bridges. Anywhere with walls, a roof, and enough space to swing a sword.

When monsters came, we fought together. Luke always led, Thalia fought like lightning, Annabeth darted around like a shadow, and me… I did my best. Sometimes I froze. Sometimes I cried after. But I fought. And they never left me behind.

That’s what mattered.

But lately… more monsters were showing up. Too many. It was like they knew where we were, no matter how far we ran.

And then… it happened.

 

---

We had just killed two hellhounds in a back alley, their black dust still swirling around us, stinging my eyes. My chest heaved, and my hands shook from holding my sword so tight. My ribs still hurt sometimes, even after healing, but I ignored it.

Then footsteps.

All of us spun around, weapons raised.

Out of the shadows stepped… a boy. He looked maybe nine, a little older than me and Annabeth. He had curly brown hair, scruffy like he’d just rolled out of bed, and his eyes were the color of grass. His legs looked… weird. Thick. He limped a little.

“Wait! Don’t attack!” he said, raising his hands quickly.

My grip tightened on my sword. Luke stood in front of me, his blade ready.

“Who are you?” Thalia demanded.

The boy gulped. “My name’s Grover. I’m a satyr. I’m here to help.”

I blinked. Satyr?

I peeked around Luke’s side, and that’s when I saw. His legs weren’t just weird. They were furry. Goat legs. With hooves.

My mouth fell open.

He was half-boy, half-goat.

And for some reason… he didn’t look like an enemy.

Chapter Text

“Wait! Don’t attack!” he said, raising his hands quickly.

My grip tightened on my sword. Luke stood in front of me, his blade ready.

“Who are you?” Thalia demanded.

The boy gulped. “My name’s Grover. I’m a satyr. I’m here to help.”

I blinked. Satyr?

I peeked around Luke’s side, and that’s when I saw. His legs weren’t just weird. They were furry. Goat legs. With hooves.

My mouth fell open.

He was half-boy, half-goat.

And for some reason… he didn’t look like an enemy.

---
Thalia raised her eyebrows. Luke shifted so he was a little in front of us, protective, the way he always got when strangers showed up. Annabeth leaned closer to me, her hand brushing mine, and I knew she was nervous too, even though she tried to hide it with her usual serious face.

Grover cleared his throat. “I… I’ve been sent to help you. To guide you to Camp Half-Blood.”

The words made my heart skip. Camp Half-Blood.

My brain got stuck on those two words, like they were puzzle pieces that didn’t want to click together. I tilted my head, staring at him. “Camp for… half-bloods?” I asked, slowly, like maybe I’d heard him wrong.

He nodded quickly, almost too quickly. “Yes! That’s right. It’s—it’s a safe place. For kids like you. For demigods. A place where monsters can’t reach you.

Thalia crossed her arms. “And how do you know about us?”

Grover fiddled with his backpack strap. “It’s my job. I’m a… protector. I’ve been tracking you for a while now. Got lost a couple of times, sure, but I finally found you.” He gave a nervous laugh.

Luke narrowed his eyes. “Tracking us? You mean spying?”

Grover flinched. “No! No, not spying. Protecting. Watching. Making sure you’re… okay.”

I looked at him carefully. He seemed nervous, like a kid caught stealing cookies. But underneath that, I saw something else—something gentle. He didn’t feel like the scary kind of stranger. He felt… sad, almost.

Luke didn’t look convinced. His voice was sharp, protective. “Why would they send a child to guide us? You look like you’re barely ten.”

Grover froze, then his lips twitched into a smile that looked way too awkward. “Um. I—I’m not a child. I’m actually twenty-four.”

I blinked. “What?”

Thalia frowned. “You don’t look twenty-four.”

He shuffled his feet—well, hooves.

“Satyrs age differently,” he explained quickly. “Time doesn’t show on us the way it does for humans. I—I just look young, that’s all.”

The word satyr rang in my head. I didn’t know what it meant exactly, but it sounded like something from one of those stories Annabeth liked to whisper at night when we couldn’t sleep.

“Anyway,” Grover rushed on, “the point is—we don’t have much time. You need to get to Camp Half-Blood as soon as possible. Especially…” His eyes flickered to Thalia. “Especially you.”

Thalia’s frown deepened. “What do you mean, especially me?”

Grover hesitated, chewing his lip. His curly hair bobbed as he shook his head, like he hated saying it but had to anyway. “You’re being hunted.”

The air went heavy. Even the trees seemed quieter.

“Hunted?” Annabeth whispered.

Grover nodded, voice dropping low. “Because you’re a forbidden child.”

I felt Thalia stiffen beside me. Her fists clenched, and for a second, I thought she was going to punch him right in the nose. “What did you just call me?” she growled.

Grover gulped. “I’m not trying to insult you, I swear! It’s just… the truth. There was a pact, a long time ago. The Big Three—Zeus, Poseidon, Hades—they swore never to have kids again. Too powerful. Too dangerous. But…” His eyes darted toward her again. “Here you are. And creatures can smell that power. They’re drawn to it. That’s why monsters keep finding you.”

Silence.

Thalia’s jaw worked like she wanted to deny it, but her eyes… her eyes gave her away. She was remembering every fight we’d had, every time we barely escaped something huge and clawed and hungry.

Luke swore under his breath. He turned, waving us closer, pulling Thalia, Annabeth, and me into a small huddle like we were a little army. He kept one hand on Thalia’s shoulder.

“What do you girls think?” he asked, his voice low and serious. “Do we trust him?”

Thalia’s eyes narrowed. “That would explain the last few weeks,” she admitted, grudgingly.

Annabeth stayed quiet, her gray eyes studying Grover like she was trying to see through his skin.

I swallowed hard. My stomach felt weird again, like I was standing on the edge of a cliff. Grover looked so nervous, so desperate for us to believe him. I didn’t know why, but something about him felt… safe. Like the kind of person who would give you the last cookie even if he really wanted it.

“I think we should trust him,” I said softly.

Three heads turned toward me. My cheeks burned under their stares.

“I don’t know why,” I mumbled, kicking at the dirt. “He just… feels like he’s telling the truth.”

Luke studied me for a long moment, then sighed, rubbing his forehead. “I just want to keep you all safe,” he said quietly. “If this Camp Half-Blood place can do that, then… we should at least try.”

We all looked at Annabeth then, waiting. She crossed her arms, her tiny face serious. Finally, she nodded. “We go. But we stay alert. If he lies, if this is some kind of trap, we’ll know. And we’ll fight.”

Luke nodded once, like that sealed it.

We turned back to Grover. Thalia’s voice was sharp as a blade. “We’ll go with you. But if you try anything—anything at all—we won’t spare you.”

Grover gave a nervous laugh, his eyes wide. “I—I would never hurt you. Never.”

For a second, I almost felt bad for him. He looked like a kid caught between wanting to help and being terrified of messing up.

Luke crossed his arms. “Fine. Then tell us, Grover… where are we going first?”

Grover straightened, trying to look braver than he felt. “North. We need to head north.”

And just like that, it was decided.

But deep inside me, my heart was still pounding, and my head was buzzing with the words he’d said.

Camp Half-Blood. Demigods. Forbidden child.

The world felt bigger, scarier, and more confusing than ever. And I wasn’t sure if I was ready for any of it.

Chapter Text

When Grover told us stealing was wrong, Luke only gave him that calm, charming smile — the one that usually meant he was about to do something really bad and make it look like it was the right thing.

“We’ll starve if we don’t,” Luke said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “You got money hidden in those goat pants, Grover?”

Grover frowned. “They’re not goat pants. They’re—never mind. I’m just saying, we shouldn’t steal. It’s… wrong.”

“Wrong,” Luke echoed softly, eyes glinting. “What’s more wrong, Grover — stealing or starving?”

Grover didn’t answer.

We all stood in the cold shadow of a gas station on the edge of nowhere. The lights inside flickered, painting everything in yellow and gray. The air smelled like gasoline and rain, and my stomach hurt from how empty it was. I could almost hear it growling louder than Thalia’s thunder magic.

I didn’t like stealing either. But I didn’t like hunger more.

Luke crouched down in front of me, his expression softening. “Percy,” he said, like it was a secret. “You’re fast, right?”

I nodded.

“Good,” he said. “Then you’ll help me.”

He didn’t have to say more. My chest puffed up a little, proud that he trusted me enough to help. Annabeth crossed her arms and whispered that it was dangerous, but Luke only winked at her. “You’ll thank me when we’re eating real food again.”

Grover started pacing, muttering about bad omens and angry gods. But none of us listened.

When Luke gave the signal, we split up. Thalia pretended to browse magazines near the counter, tossing her hair like she didn’t care. Annabeth hung by the medicine aisle, whispering numbers to herself — counting seconds, Luke said. I went with Luke near the snacks.

He moved fast, like a shadow. Bags of chips disappeared into his jacket. Candy bars slid into my pockets. My hands were shaking at first, but when I looked up and saw Luke grinning, I stopped feeling scared.

“Good job, kiddo,” he murmured. “You’re a natural.”

The praise made me feel warm inside, like maybe the world wasn’t so terrible after all.

When we slipped out, Thalia had bandages under her jacket and Annabeth carried a small pack of medicine. Grover met us outside, hooves clacking on the pavement even though he tried to hide them under his fake shoes.

He looked horrified. “You actually did it.”

Luke shrugged, tearing open a bag of chips. “We’re alive, aren’t we?”

Grover sighed and muttered something about “bad karma” and “Council reports,” whatever that meant.

I just sat down on the curb and ate, the salty chips crackling in my mouth like tiny fireworks. For the first time in days, my stomach stopped aching.

 

---

The next morning, we started our journey north.

The world was made of endless roads and trees that all looked the same. Sometimes we’d hitch rides in the back of trucks. Sometimes we just walked. The days blurred together like melted crayons — gray skies, dirt paths, tired feet, and the same fear always sitting in my chest like a heavy stone.

Monsters didn’t come every day, but when they did, it was always sudden.

The first attack came from a thing that looked like it had crawled out of a nightmare. A giant lizard with huge claws. It jumped from the woods while we were crossing a bridge, its roar echoing infront of us.

I screamed before I could stop myself.

Thalia raised her hand and lightning flashed, blinding white. The monster stumbled back, hissing, and Luke’s knife was already in his hand. He moved like he’d done it a thousand times before.

Grover blew a strange reed pipe that made the monster hesitate — just long enough for Thalia to hit it again. Then, like smoke, it was gone.

“Percy, you okay?” Luke asked, turning to me.

I nodded, but my knees were shaking. My heart wouldn’t stop racing.

I wasn’t like them. They moved with purpose — Luke’s steady strength, Thalia’s electricity, Annabeth’s sharp mind. Even Grover knew what to do.

And me? I just froze. Every time.

That night, we found a small cave hidden under some rocks, surrounded by trees that looked like giants in the moonlight. Grover said it would keep us dry and hidden.

Inside, the air was cool and damp, smelling like earth and moss. Luke started a small fire with broken sticks, and Thalia used her jacket as a blanket for me and Annabeth.

“You can rest here,” Grover said gently. “I’ll watch out for any threats".

Thalia straightened. “I’ll stay up too. Two eyes aren’t enough out here.”

Luke nodded. “Good idea. Wake me in the middle of the night, and I’ll switch with you.”

Annabeth opened her mouth. “I can take a shift too.”

Luke smiled. “You and Percy are the youngest. We’ll keep watch. You two get some rest.”

Annabeth pouted, muttering something about being perfectly capable, but she didn’t argue long.

When we finally lay down, I could feel the warmth of Annabeth’s shoulder next to mine. Luke layed down only a few inches away from us. The fire crackled softly. I wanted to stay awake and listen to Thalia and Grover talk in quiet voices near the entrance, but my eyelids grew heavy.

Before I knew it, I was asleep.

 

---

The dream came suddenly.

Mom was there again. Her hair was messy, her face red and tear-streaked. Gabe towered over her, his hands around her throat.

“Stop!” I screamed, running toward them.

But something was different this time. I wasn’t hurting. I wasn’t scared. I grabbed his arm, pulling with all my strength. “Don’t hurt my mommy!”

He turned, his eyes wide — and then he exploded.

There wasn’t blood, not really. Just dust, flying everywhere like ash in the wind.

I froze. My heart pounded in my ears.

Mom stared at me, trembling. “What did you do?” she whispered.

“I—” My throat closed. “I was just trying to help.”

Her voice rose into a scream. “Monster! What are you?!”

I stumbled back, shaking my head. “No, no, I didn’t—”

Then I heard another voice.

“I told you she was trouble,” Annabeth said coldly. She stepped out of the shadows, her gray eyes full of disgust. “I knew it.”

Thalia crossed her arms beside her. “She’s dangerous.”

Luke’s voice was quiet but sharp. “We can’t have a monster with us, Percy.”

My chest hurt so bad I couldn’t breathe. “I’m not—” My words broke into sobs. “I’m not a monster!”

They didn’t listen.

Then the world went dark.

A sound came from behind me — a deep rumble, like the growl of something enormous. Two golden eyes appeared in the blackness, glowing like fire.

When it spoke, its voice filled everything.

Perfect, it said. You’re perfect.

I couldn’t move. It was like time itself had stopped.

You did well, little one, the voice rumbled. You’ll be useful to me.

I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn’t move. The air around me felt thick, like invisible hands pressing down.

“Who are you?” I whispered.

The golden eyes blinked slowly. You’ll know soon enough.

Then, faintly, I heard other voices — small and desperate, far away.

“Percy!”
“Wake up!”
“Come on, kiddo, open your eyes!”

The darkness shattered like glass.

 

---

I woke up gasping. The cave spun around me.

Four faces hovered close — Annabeth clutching my hand, her eyes wide with worry; Luke beside me, brushing my hair from my face; Thalia gripping my other hand; and Grover, standing guard near the fire, his expression full of concern.

“Percy,” Annabeth said, voice shaking, “don’t scare us like that again!”

Before I could speak, she wrapped her arms around me. I froze, then blushed, the warmth of her hug grounding me back in reality.

“What happened?” I whispered. My voice felt small.

Thalia exchanged a glance with Luke. “You started crying in your sleep,” she said. “Loudly.”

I looked down, embarrassed. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled. “I just… had a bad dream.”

Luke smiled softly. “We all get those, kiddo.”

I nodded, though the image of the golden eyes still burned behind my eyelids.

Thalia yawned and stretched. “Okay, my turn to sleep.”

Luke stood, glancing at Grover. “We’ll keep watch.”

Annabeth snuggled closer to the fire. I stayed sitting up for a while, staring at nothing, feeling the echo of that voice still whispering somewhere in the back of my head.

Then Thalia’s voice broke the silence. “Percy,” she murmured, patting the spot next to her. “Come here.”

I hesitated.

“You can sleep on the same mattress,” she said, softer this time.

I crawled over, curling up beside her. The smell of rain and pine clung to her jacket. I hugged her arm like a pillow.

She chuckled. “You’re such a kid.”

But she didn’t pull away.

Her heartbeat was steady, and soon, mine matched it.

Sleep came easier this time.

 

---

The next morning, the sky was pale and cloudy. We shared what little food we had left — crackers, a few apples, and something Grover swore was edible grass (it wasn’t).

Then we walked.

Hours passed. The woods got thicker, the air colder. We fought off more monsters — smaller ones this time, all claws and bad breath. My hands shook every time I lifted a stick to fight, but Luke always noticed, always found a way to make me feel braver.

“You did good, Percy,” he said after I managed to distract one long enough for Thalia to finish it. “You’re getting stronger.”

The praise made me smile, even if my arms still ached.

We were just starting to think we’d gotten lucky — no attacks for hours — when the smell hit us. Rotten eggs and smoke.

Grover froze. “They’re close,” he whispered.

Before we could react, the trees rustled. Five monsters leapt out, snarling, claws raised.

“Stay behind me!” Luke shouted, drawing his knife.

Thalia’s lightning cracked. Annabeth threw rocks with deadly precision. Grover charged with a yell, swinging a branch.

I tried to stay low, to stay useful, but one of the monsters noticed me. It lunged, teeth bared. I screamed and stumbled back—

An arrow whizzed through the air and hit the monster right between the eyes. It dissolved before it could touch me.

More arrows followed, sharp and fast. One by one, the rest of the monsters turned to dust.

We barely had time to breathe before the sound of footsteps surrounded us.

Girls — at least twenty of them — stepped out from the trees. They all wore silver tunics and carried bows, their movements graceful and deadly.

Their leader stood at the front.

She couldn’t have been older than twelve or thirteen, with auburn hair pulled into a ponytail and silvery-yellow eyes that looked like moonlight trapped in glass.

She stared straight at us, calm and cold.

Luke moved in front of me, knife still raised. Thalia stood beside him, electricity crackling faintly at her fingertips. Grover put himself between all of us and the strange girls.

The leader tilted her head slightly. “You’re a long way from safety demigods” she said. Her voice was clear, confident — almost regal. Her beauty was immensurable and I felt safe.

Chapter Text

She stepped out of the trees like the moon had decided to take a walk on Earth. Her hair was the color of autumn leaves caught in silver light — auburn and gold, tied back in a perfect braid that shimmered when she moved. Her eyes weren’t normal either. They glowed softly, like starlight reflected on water.

Everyone went still.

Even Thalia lowered her hand, the sparks dying from her fingertips.

Luke tensed beside me, his knife still drawn, but even he didn’t move. Grover’s ears twitched, and he whispered something I barely heard — something that sounded like “Lady Artemis.”

The woman’s gaze swept over us, calm but piercing, like she already knew everything we’d done and everything we hadn’t.

“You fought bravely,” she said. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried through the trees like music. “Though unwisely.”

Her words made my stomach twist.

Luke stepped forward a little, trying to look confident even though I could tell his hands were trembling. “We didn’t mean to trespass,” he said. “We were just defending ourselves.”

A flicker of amusement passed over her face. “Mortals always defend themselves,” she murmured. “Even when they do not understand what hunts them.”

She turned her gaze to me. For a moment, I forgot to breathe. The air around her felt colder — sharper — like the forest itself was holding its breath too.

There was no anger in her eyes, only endless calm. Still, it felt like being seen by the moon — every fear and thought inside me reflected back.

Thalia cleared her throat, trying to sound brave. “You’re Artemis,” she said.

The woman nodded. “And you are Thalia, daughter of Zeus.”

Thalia blinked, caught off guard. “How do you—”

“I know more than you think,” Artemis said gently, though her tone left no room for argument. “Your scent carries far. As does your danger.”

Her eyes flicked briefly toward Grover. “You have done well, satyr. Though I wonder why the Council sent one so young.”

Grover bleated softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I, uh, have a lot of experience for my age?”

Artemis’s lips curved slightly — not quite a smile, but something close. “Perhaps.”

Behind her, the girls, all dressed in silver tunics, carrying bows, their hair was braided too, their faces calm and serious, moved in silence, like ghosts made of moonlight.

One of them stepped forward, her brown braid swinging behind her. Her skin was tan and her dark eyes sharp as arrows. She bowed to Artemis, then turned her gaze on us — especially Luke.

“My Lady,” she said. “Shall we dispose of them?”

Luke stiffened, his hand tightening on his knife.

Artemis shook her head. “No. They are not the enemy. Merely lost.”

The brown-haired girl frowned, clearly not happy about that.

“Zoë,” Artemis said, her voice firm but kind. “I leave them to you. I have other prey to hunt tonight.”

Zoë bowed her head. “As you wish, my Lady.”

Artemis turned her gaze back to us — or maybe just to me. For a second, I thought I saw something soften in her eyes, something that felt like sadness.

“Stay on the path,” she said quietly. “And do not linger where the shadows grow deep.”

Then, before anyone could say another word, she was gone.

No flash of light, no dramatic wind — just gone. One heartbeat she was there, and the next she wasn’t, only the faint glow of moonlight left behind.

 

---

We stood in silence for a long time.

The forest felt emptier without her, though the air still hummed faintly, like the trees remembered her passing.

Zoë stepped closer, her expression unreadable. Her brown eyes landed on Luke first — and instantly narrowed.

“So,” she said, crossing her arms. “You are the leader.”

Luke hesitated. “We… work together.”

Her mouth twisted like she’d just tasted something sour. “Typical of men to claim leadership when they barely survive a monster ambush.”

Luke opened his mouth, but Thalia put a hand on his arm, silently telling him not to.

Zoë’s attention shifted to Thalia next. “Daughter of Zeus,” she said. “Your presence explains the monsters’ hunger. You should not wander freely. You bring ruin wherever you go.”

Thalia bristled. “It’s not like I asked to be hunted.”

Zoë gave a small shrug. “The world does not care what you ask.”

Then her gaze moved to me. I froze.

“You are strange,” she said softly. “Your scent is not what it should be.”

I didn’t know what that meant, but it made my heart beat faster.

“She’s just a kid,” Luke said quickly, stepping in front of me.

Zoë’s lips curled slightly. “So are we all, once. Until the gods ruin us.”

Her tone made me shiver.

Annabeth, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke. “You’re Hunters of Artemis, right?”

Zoë’s expression softened a little — not much, but enough. “Indeed. We serve the Lady and the moon. We hunt the monsters that stalk the night. We live apart from the evils of men.”

Luke muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, “You’re welcome for killing a few monsters ourselves.”

Zoë’s eyes flashed. “We did not need your help.” “Monsters pass through these woods often. You should thank us for saving your lives.”

Luke’s jaw tightened. “We can handle ourselves.”

Zoë’s lips twitched, almost like she was trying not to laugh. “Oh? The satyr was outnumbered, the boy had no plan, and the little one—” her eyes landed on me, “—was about to be devoured.”

Grover cleared his throat nervously. “Um, excuse me, Miss Hunter? We’re just trying to reach Camp Half-Blood. We don’t mean any trouble.”

Zoë tilted her head. “Camp Half-Blood.” The way she said it made it sound small. “That place still stands?”

“Yes,” Grover said quickly. “I was sent to guide them there. They’re under protection.”

Zoë turned her attention back to Luke. “You are the leader of this little band?”

Luke hesitated. “I guess so.”

“Then take my advice,” she said, “and hurry. You are being tracked. Monsters move faster than you realize.”

Grover nodded quickly. “That’s what I’ve been saying!”

Thalia frowned. “Tracked by what?”

Zoë’s eyes gleamed faintly. “Hades’s beasts. Perhaps worse.”

The words sent a chill crawling up my spine.

Before anyone could reply, one of the other Hunters stepped forward — a tall girl with black braids and sharp eyes. “Zoë,” she said quietly, “we should move on. The Lady waits.”

Zoë nodded once, then looked back at us. “We are heading east, toward Artemis’s camp. If you travel that way, your path will cross ours again soon.”

Luke glanced at the forest ahead, then at her. “And if we follow you?”

Zoë’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Then you might live long enough to see Camp Half-Blood.”

 

---
We followed them.

Not because Luke trusted her — he didn’t. But because she was right. The monsters were closing in again. You could feel it, in the way the air turned colder, the way the forest went too quiet.

The Hunters moved through the woods like ghosts. They didn’t speak much, and when they did, it was in soft whispers that melted into the wind. Their footsteps made no sound. Their silver clothes shimmered faintly in the sunlight that broke through the trees.

I stayed close to Luke. Every time Zoë looked back at us, I felt my heart jump.

Luke walked beside me, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder as if to remind me he was there. “You okay, Percy?”

“Yeah,” I said quickly, though I wasn’t sure I was.

I kept thinking about the dream — about my mom screaming, about those golden eyes whispering that I was perfect.

What did that mean? Why did it sound both scary and… nice?

The thought made me feel sick.

---
By sunset, Zoë allowed us to stop by a small stream. The Hunters set up camp swiftly and silently, moving like they’d done it a thousand times.

They didn’t use tents. They just sat by the fire, sharpening arrows or cleaning their bows, talking in low voices. Every so often, one of them would glance at us — not unkindly, but curiously, like we were strange animals they didn’t quite understand.

Thalia sat near the fire, rubbing her arms. “They’re weird,” she muttered.

Luke chuckled softly. “They’re soldiers.”

Grover was trying (and failing) to make conversation with one of them. “So… you’re immortal? Like, forever?”

The Hunter only gave him a flat look. “Yes. And no, you cannot join.”

He sighed. “Didn’t even ask.”

Annabeth was sitting beside me, her eyes darting from one Hunter to another. “They’re amazing,” she whispered. “Did you see how fast they moved? How quiet?”

I nodded, hugging my knees.

Across the fire, Zoë sat alone, staring into the flames. She looked older than the others somehow, like the weight of the stars rested on her shoulders.

After a while, Luke went over to her. “Thanks,” he said quietly. “For helping us earlier.”

Zoë didn’t look up. “You should not thank me. I did not do it for you.”

Luke smiled faintly. “Still. You saved Percy.”

At that, her gaze flicked toward me for half a second — unreadable, piercing — then back to the fire.

“She has power,” Zoë said softly. “Power that is… unusual.”

My heart jumped. “What do you mean?”

Zoë’s eyes met mine, glowing faintly in the firelight. “You will know soon enough, little one.”

I didn’t like that answer.

Luke frowned. “She’s just a kid.”

Zoë gave him a long, knowing look. “So were we all, once.”

Then she stood, brushing dirt from her tunic, and walked away into the shadows.

 

---

Later, when everyone had fallen asleep — or pretended to — I sat by the stream, watching the moon shimmer on the water.

The forest felt different under moonlight. Softer, almost alive. I could hear the distant laughter of the Hunters somewhere beyond the trees, light and free, like the sound of bells.

I should’ve felt safe. But I didn’t.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those golden eyes again. Perfect, they whispered. Mine.

“Can’t sleep?”

Luke’s voice made me jump. He sat down beside me, his knife glinting faintly at his belt.

“Sorry,” I said quickly. “Did I wake you?”

He shook his head. “I don’t really sleep much anymore.”

I stared at the water. “Do you think she was right? About me… having power?”

Luke hesitated. “I think everyone has something special, Percy. Maybe yours just hasn’t shown up yet.”

His words made me smile, a little. “You think so?”

“Yeah.” He looked up at the stars. “And whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together. Okay?”

“Okay.”

We sat there for a while, the silence between us comfortable. The moonlight danced on the water, and for a moment, I forgot about monsters and dreams and gods.

I was just a kid sitting beside someone who made the world feel a little less scary.

But deep down, I could still feel it — that faint, invisible pull inside me. Like something dark was waiting, patient and hungry, just beneath my skin.

The image of those golden eyes still lingered in the back of my mind, whispering things I didn’t understand. But when I closed my eyes, I tried to remember the silver instead — the calm, cool light of Artemis’s gaze.

If monsters were darkness, maybe she was what kept it away.

I hoped so.

Because as the wind blew through the trees and the fire crackled low, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the real nightmare — the one from my dream — wasn’t over. It was just waiting.

And somewhere far away, beneath the same moon, something with golden eyes was smiling.

Watching.

Waiting.

 

---

When dawn came, Zoë called the Hunters together.

“The road ahead will not be safe,” she said. “A pack of hellhounds crossed our path last night. They are close.”

Grover squeaked. “Hellhounds? As in—”

“Yes,” Zoë interrupted. “As in the kind that can rip through trees.”

Luke tightened his grip on his knife. “Then we better move fast.”

Zoë nodded once. “We travel east. Do not fall behind.”

As we started walking again, I glanced back once more at the forest we were leaving behind.

The wind shifted, carrying with it the faintest whisper — too soft to be real.

Perfect.

I shivered.

And then I kept walking.

Chapter Text

The forest didn’t feel the same anymore.

It used to sound like wind and leaves and little cracks of branches under our feet, but now… it was all whispers.
Whispers of silver bows, of footsteps that weren’t ours. Whispers of girls who never smiled.

We’d been following the Hunters for three days, and every hour felt heavier than the last.

Zoë walked ahead, straight-backed and perfect, never turning around unless it was to tell us to move faster. The Hunters behind her moved like shadows, never tripping, never sweating, never missing a step.

I tried to copy how quiet they were once, but Luke whispered, “Don’t worry, Percy. You don’t have to walk like a ghost.”
He said it with a grin, but even that didn’t help much. It was like laughter didn’t belong here.

Grover tried to keep the mood up too, humming sometimes, but the looks Zoë gave him made him shut up quickly.

We hadn’t seen Artemis again since that night.
Sometimes I thought maybe she was watching from the trees — the air felt different when the moon was high — but she never showed herself.

The Hunters barely talked to us. When they did, it was short, sharp words. “Stay close.” “Don’t wander.” “Don’t touch that.”

Even Annabeth, who had been all excited at first, now kept quiet most of the time, her shoulders tight and her eyes down.

Thalia didn’t seem scared, but she was frustrated. She hated walking behind anyone, and I could tell she wanted to argue every time Zoë gave an order.

Luke was the only one who ever dared to talk back — and that’s how everything started to go wrong.

 

---

It was around noon when the path started sloping upward. The trees thinned, and sunlight broke through the leaves.

Zoë lifted a hand, and everyone stopped immediately, like her fingers had strings tied to all of them.

“Lunch,” one of the Hunters said softly.

We sat down by a stream. The Hunters unpacked dried fruit and something that looked like jerky but smelled like metal.
Grover offered to share his apples. Nobody accepted.

Luke handed me a piece of bread from the last convenience store we’d raided. It was kind of hard and stale, but I was too hungry to care.

While I chewed, I saw Zoë talking quietly to one of the older Hunters. They both glanced our way. Then Zoë’s lips pressed tight like she’d tasted something bad.

Luke noticed too. “You see that?” he whispered.

Thalia nodded, frowning. “They’ve been staring at us since morning.”

Annabeth shrugged. “Maybe they just don’t like company.”

“Maybe,” Luke said, his voice low. “Or maybe they’re deciding whether to ditch us.”

My stomach twisted. “They wouldn’t do that,” I said. “Right?”

No one answered.

 

---

That night, they didn’t let us share the fire.

Zoë said something about “mortal warmth spoiling the air,” whatever that meant.

So we sat a little apart, our small fire flickering weakly while theirs burned steady and silver a few feet away.

Grover tried to start a song, but Thalia threw him a look, and he went quiet.

Luke sat sharpening his knife, his face orange in the firelight.
I hugged my knees, watching the sparks drift up into the trees.

Annabeth was tracing something in the dirt — a map, I think — muttering to herself.

I could hear the Hunters laughing softly on the other side, the sound floating like wind chimes.

Luke’s jaw clenched. “What’s so funny?” he muttered.

Thalia sighed. “They’re immortals, Luke. They think we’re kids.”

He gave a short, humorless laugh. “They’re acting like we’re a problem. Like we don’t belong.”

Annabeth didn’t look up. “Maybe they just… don’t trust anyone. Artemis’s Hunters are supposed to avoid men completely.”

Luke’s hand stilled on his knife. “Yeah, I noticed.”

His voice was sharp — sharper than the blade.

 

---

Later, when everyone started to drift off, I heard it.

Whispers.

Not from the trees — from them.

Luke’s voice, low and angry. Zoë’s voice, calm and colder than river water.

I lifted my head slowly. They were a few feet away, near the edge of the camp, talking — arguing, really.

“You don’t get to decide what happens to us,” Luke said.

Zoë’s tone didn’t change. “You endanger my Hunters with your presence. Your scent alone attracts danger.”

Luke snorted. “Oh, right. Sorry we’re not made of moonlight.”

“You are made of arrogance,” Zoë said flatly. “And that child—” her voice softened slightly, but not kindly “—the dark-haired one. She draws something worse.”

My heart stuttered.

Luke stepped forward. “Percy? She’s just a kid!”

Zoë’s brown eyes caught the firelight. “She is not just anything. You do not sense it because you are still blind. But I feel it in her. Power—chaotic and old. She will bring destruction.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Luke hissed. “She’s scared half the time.”

Zoë didn’t blink. “Even the smallest storms begin as whispers of wind.”

I didn’t mean to gasp — but I did. The sound was tiny, but Zoë’s head turned slightly. I ducked down, heart pounding.

Thalia stirred beside me, mumbling in her sleep, but didn’t wake.

I pressed my hands to my ears. I didn’t want to hear more.

But I couldn’t stop.

Luke said, “You talk like she’s a threat. She’s family.”

“Family does not always mean safety,” Zoë said. “But perhaps it isn't you who will learn that lesson, boy.”

"Make your choice wisely aswell". She said, while her footsteps moved away. I heard Luke curse under his breath. Then silence.

But I couldn’t breathe right. My chest hurt, and my throat burned.

A threat.
Chaos.
Destruction.

That’s what she thought of me.

And what if she was right?

The golden eyes from my dreams flickered in my mind. Perfect, they had said. Mine.

I didn’t even realize I was crying until the tears hit my hands.

 

---

I ran.

Not loudly. Not with purpose. I just… stood up and walked into the trees.

The forest swallowed me instantly. The moonlight barely reached through the leaves, and every step felt wrong.

My feet hit roots and rocks, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to go far enough that I couldn’t hear their voices anymore.

When I finally stopped, my chest hurt from breathing too hard. I sat down on the cold ground and hugged my knees, pressing my face into them.

I wasn’t a storm. I wasn’t destruction. I was just me.

I wanted Mom.
I wanted her to tell me that monsters and gods weren’t real, that none of this was.

But deep down, I knew it was real — too real.

The night was quiet for a long time.

Then I heard it.

A growl.

Low. Deep. Too close.

I froze.

Something moved in the darkness — two glowing red eyes between the trees.

Another growl, louder this time, closer.

My body wanted to move, to scream, to run — but I couldn’t. I was stuck.

Then the thing stepped into the moonlight.

It looked like a wolf, but bigger — its fur shadow-black, teeth glinting like knives. And behind it, I saw shapes — more of them, slinking forward, tails low.

Hellhounds.

My heart nearly stopped.

 

---

I took a step back, tripped over a root, and fell hard. The closest hound lunged.

I screamed.

Before it reached me, lightning exploded in front of my face.

The flash blinded me. When I opened my eyes, Thalia was standing there, her spear crackling, her face furious.

“Percy! Are you insane?” she shouted.

Luke burst out of the trees next, knife drawn, followed by Grover and Annabeth, panting.

“Behind you!” Grover yelled.

Luke spun and slashed just as a second hellhound leapt — his blade caught it across the snout. It yelped, black mist spraying.

Thalia jabbed her spear again, sending a shockwave through the clearing. Two hounds fell in ashes.

Annabeth grabbed my arm, dragging me backward. “Stay down!”

The smell of burnt fur filled the air.

I couldn’t stop shaking. There were so many — at least six of them, circling.

Zoë’s voice cut through the chaos like an arrow. “Down!”

Silver flashed through the night. Arrows rained from the trees, each one hitting dead center. The last two hellhounds dissolved before they even hit the ground.

Then silence. Only the smell of smoke and ozone left behind.

 

---

I was still clutching Annabeth’s arm when Zoë stepped out of the shadows, lowering her bow. Her face looked carved from stone.

Luke rounded on her. “You followed us?”

“You are welcome,” Zoë said calmly. “Had we not, the girl would be dead.”

Thalia glared at her. “She wouldn’t have been in danger if you hadn’t scared her off!”

Zoë didn’t flinch. “If she is frightened by words, how will she face prophecy?”

“Prophecy?” Luke snapped. “What prophecy?”

Zoë’s lips pressed tight. “Nothing you need to know.”

Luke took a step forward, furious. Thalia grabbed his arm. “Luke—stop.”

He was shaking — from anger, or fear, I couldn’t tell.

Zoë turned to me. Her brown eyes were colder than the night. “You should not wander, child. The forest does not forgive the foolish.”

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.

“I—I didn’t mean to,” I whispered.

For a second, I thought I saw something flicker in her expression — guilt, maybe — but it vanished fast.

Artemis didn’t appear this time. Only the stars above us, far and silent.

 

---

When the Hunters disappeared back into the trees, Luke dropped to one knee beside me.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Look at me.”

I did. His eyes were tired but warm.

“You okay?”

I nodded, even though it wasn’t true. My throat hurt. My chest felt heavy. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” he asked.

“For running off. For being stupid. For making trouble. For—” My voice cracked. “For being dangerous.”

Luke’s brows knit together. “Who told you that?”

I looked away. “I heard her. Zoë. She said I’d bring destruction.”

For a long moment, Luke didn’t say anything.

Then he reached out and pulled me into a hug.

It surprised me so much that I just froze. But he didn’t let go.

“Listen, Percy,” he said quietly. “You are not dangerous. You’re brave. You’re kind. You make all this —” he gestured around, “—a little less awful.”

“But—”

“No ‘buts.’ His voice was firm. “Zoë’s wrong. The gods are wrong half the time anyway. You’re one of us. And I’m not letting anyone say otherwise.”

Something broke loose in my chest, and before I could stop myself, I hugged him back.

He laughed softly, ruffling my hair. “You’re supposed to be asleep, you know.”

“Can’t,” I mumbled.

“Yeah,” he said. “Me neither.”

 

---

When Thalia called us over, the sky was already turning pale.
Grover had set up camp again, and Annabeth was watching me with worried eyes.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I lied.

Thalia handed me some water. “Next time, yell if you’re upset. We’ll listen.”

Her voice was rough, but her eyes weren’t angry. That made it worse somehow.

I nodded.

We started walking again after sunrise. No one said much.

Zoë led the Hunters ahead, never looking back. But once — just once — she glanced over her shoulder at me.

It wasn’t anger this time. Not exactly.
More like… understanding. Or pity.

Then she turned away again, silver braid swaying.

 

---

By the time the sun rose high, the path split into two.

Zoë stopped. “Our Lady’s camp lies north,” she said. “Your road lies east. From here, we part.”

Luke looked ready to argue, but she raised a hand. “The monsters will follow you, not us. We draw enough attention as it is.”

And then she was gone, the Hunters melting into the forest like mist.

 

---

The silence they left behind was thick.

We stood there for a long time, not sure what to say.

Finally, Grover muttered, “I liked them better when they were saving us.”

Thalia snorted. “Same.”

Annabeth looked at me and smiled faintly. “Ready, Seaweed Brain?”

I blinked. “What?”

She chuckled. “Nothing. Just… felt right.”

And for the first time in a long while, I almost smiled back.

We started walking again, east toward the sun, the world quiet except for the crunch of our steps.

But in my chest, the words still echoed.
She will bring destruction.

I didn’t know what that meant.
I didn’t want to know.

All I knew was that whatever waited ahead — monsters, gods, or worse — I didn’t want to face it alone.

And as long as Luke, Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover were beside me, maybe… maybe I didn’t have to.

Chapter Text

The forest felt emptier without the Hunters.
Quieter. Colder.

We had split from Zoë’s group at dawn — her silver-clad sisters heading east while we took the path south, toward the road that Grover promised would lead us closer to Camp Half-Blood.

But without their silent strength around us, the woods didn’t feel the same. The air seemed heavier, the light dimmer, and every sound — snapping branches, distant rustles — felt like something watching.

Luke walked ahead, scanning the trees. Thalia followed close behind him, her spear crackling faintly whenever the wind picked up. Grover’s hooves barely made a sound, but his ears twitched constantly.

Annabeth tried to stay calm, muttering things like “We just have to keep moving,” but her voice sounded thinner than usual.

And me?
I just felt… wrong.

Like something was following me that wasn’t footsteps or shadows — something inside me that wouldn’t stay quiet.

 

---

After a while, Thalia slowed down until she was walking beside me. She didn’t say anything at first. Just walked.

Finally, she glanced at me. “You’re awfully quiet, kid.”

“I’m just thinking,” I said.

She kicked at a rock, sending it tumbling down the path. “About Zoë?”

I nodded. “What she said. About me being strange.”

Thalia sighed. “Don’t let her get to you. She acts like everyone’s beneath her. She said some weird things to me too."

I looked up at her. "What did she say?"

Thalia hesitated. For a long time, the only sound was the wind rustling the trees. "She said men are not trustworthy, and that I would regret trusting Luke."

"She said he would disappoint me in the future." Thalia sighted.

I tried to comfort her. "Maybe you guys get into a fight in the future? But I'm sure you will work it out!"

Thalia gave me a soft smile. "Perhaps. Either way, she is wrong about you and Luke."

She tried to remain confident, but I felt the doubt that crept into her expression.

I stared at the ground. “Maybe I’m broken.”

Her tone softened immediately. “You’re not broken, Percy. Whatever’s happening — we’ll figure it out. Together.”

For a second, she sounded just like Luke. And for a second, I actually believed her.

 

---

We didn’t notice how dark it had gotten until Grover stopped suddenly and whispered, “We need to camp soon. The forest’s too quiet.”

He was right. Even the bugs had gone silent.

Luke looked around. “We’ll stop by that ridge up ahead. Higher ground.”

We climbed a rocky slope and found a clearing surrounded by old trees. It wasn’t much, but it was safer than open ground. Annabeth helped Grover start a small fire, while Luke walked the perimeter with his knife drawn.

I sat near the flames, hugging my knees. My stomach felt strange — tight and cold — like the air itself didn’t want us there.

Then the forest exhaled.

Branches creaked. A low growl rippled through the air.

Grover froze mid-step. “Th-that wasn’t wind,” he stammered.

Luke spun, knife ready. “Form up!”

Something slithered out from between the trees — tall, hulking, and wrong. Its skin shimmered like oil, its eyes two pits of dull red fire. It smelled like smoke and decay.

It stepped into the firelight, and I realized what it was — a Manticore.

Half lion, half scorpion, all nightmare.

“Well,” it purred, voice low and smooth. “What luck. Four little half-bloods.”

Annabeth stood beside Thalia, knife trembling slightly. “Stay back.”

The Manticore smiled — or maybe it was just baring its fangs. “Stay back? Oh, little daughter of wisdom, you wound me.” Its eyes flicked to Luke, and something cold passed between them. “And you… oh, you burn with impatience. With purpose. I know that scent.”

Luke frowned. “What are you talking about?”

The creature’s grin widened. “The sand slides both ways in the glass. The hunter becomes the hand. The thief becomes the key.”

Thalia took a step forward, electricity sparking. “Speak plainly, beast!”

But the Manticore only laughed — a deep, guttural sound. Then its gaze slid toward me. And suddenly, the fire dimmed.

It inhaled, slowly. “Ah… and you.”

My pulse thudded in my ears.

“You reek of something far worse,” it whispered. “Something that whispers in the cracks of time.”

I took a step back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, but you do. You’ve heard him, haven’t you? In your dreams.” Its voice turned almost gentle, like a teacher praising a child. “He watches you. The one who gnaws the edges of the world.”

Luke grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him. “Leave her alone!”

The Manticore’s gaze sharpened, but instead of attacking, it hesitated. Its tail twitched. “He would not like it if I harmed his… prospect.”

“What prospect?” Thalia snapped.

The monster smirked. “The vessel must remain unbroken. Until the hourglass turns.”

And before anyone could move, it lunged — but not at me or Luke.

Thalia charged, lightning cracking against its flank. Grover blew his reed pipes, vines bursting from the soil, wrapping around the Manticore’s legs.

“Now, Annabeth!” Thalia shouted.

Annabeth darted forward, slicing through the creature’s side. It roared in fury and swung its tail — sending Grover sprawling

For a second, its gaze met mine again.
Something in its eyes flickered — fear.

Then, in a flash of blue light, Thalia’s spear struck its chest. The Manticore shrieked, stumbling back into the firelight, its body dissolving into black dust that scattered on the wind.

 

---

Silence.

The smell of burnt fur and ozone hung heavy in the air.

Grover’s breathing came in sharp bursts. “I—I thought we were dead.”

Thalia lowered her spear, her face pale. “What was it talking about?”

Luke looked even more confused than me. “Just trying to mess with us.”

Annabeth frowned. “That didn’t sound like nonsense. It felt like it knew something.”

I stared into the ashes where the Manticore had vanished.
Its words echoed in my mind.

He watches you.
The vessel must remain unbroken.

I didn’t know what they meant. But I could feel something — like invisible threads tugging at my chest, pulling me toward something ancient and hungry.

Luke came to sit beside me. “Hey,” he said quietly. “You okay?”

I nodded, though I didn’t feel okay. “It didn’t attack us much.”

“I noticed,” he said. His eyes flickered with something like worry. “That’s not normal.”

I tried to laugh, but it came out shaky. “Guess we are just lucky.”

He smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah. Lucky.”

He walked off to check the perimeter again.

I stayed by the dying fire, watching the last of the embers fade to gray.

And somewhere deep in the woods, I could’ve sworn I heard it —
a whisper carried on the wind, soft and poisonous.

Perfect.