The Fate of Olympus | Reynabeth [✓]

27. The Demigods Adrift

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2. We want the gods to help ensure their progeny survive to adulthood.

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The void was as cold and dark as deep space. Reyna was the only source of warmth. Annabeth clung to Reyna's waist, her lifeline.

"Nico has been adrift in spacetime longer than us," speculated Reyna. "Maybe he's harder to find because of it."

Reyna covered Annabeth's hands with her own. They were so soft. Annabeth must have felt cold and clammy compared to Reyna.

"I just saw Nico," said Annabeth.

The darkness made it impossible to tell distance. Upon her own realization, paranoia gripped Annabeth's mind until she believed that there were spiders, spiders everywhere. They were crawling over her; she couldn't see them but they were everywhere. Somebody had once told her that there were spiders every three feet. They were trying to comfort her, but like now, it only contributed to her fear. She felt panic rising in her chest, the way she'd felt when she was old enough to be horrified by the thought of a twelve year old dying on behalf of three thousand-year old gods.

No. Annabeth would not allow her fear to control her. She focused on the feeling of her breath. She focused on Reyna. Annabeth imagined that her panic was like storm clouds over a lake. There were no spiders here. She observed her fear. She observed her heart hammering in her chest. She observed the feeling of Reyna's hand in her own. She let the storm clouds pass. The lake remained tranquil. Her heartbeat slowed to normal. She was here. It was now. Reyna's arms were wrapped around Annabeth's shoulders.

She reached out with her mind, calling to Nico.

"This way," Annabeth said calmly. She imagined there was a floor. It was completely dark, but she imagined that they walked down a hall toward Nico. There was no floor, or hallway for that matter, but it gave something to occupy Annabeth's mind.

"Nico?" said Annabeth.

"Agh!" came Nico's startled cry.

Annabeth reached her hand into the void and found Nico's hand. He was ice cold. She felt him pull away, then he relaxed. He let her hold on.

"I can move the shadows," said Nico.

Nothing seemed to happen. Annabeth imagined that she could see the silhouettes of her friends.

"Hey, Nico," said Reyna. "Now what?"

Annabeth felt Nico slowly drifting upside down. As Nico flipped, Annabeth and Reyna turned upside down with him. Annabeth anticipated blood rushing toward her head, but it didn't happen. It was like they were still right side up and the dark void without any landmarks was the thing that was spinning. It made Annabeth dizzy.

"I did it!" exclaimed Nico. "I moved the shadows."

As if opening a curtain, the Athena cabin from Camp Half Blood revealed itself as if Nico had drawn back a curtain. It was upside down.

"The gods' curse was powerful," Annabeth said. "At Camp Half-Blood I asked Lou Ellen for a favor. I'm hoping that her magic will help us right now. Supposedly it will break through the gods' curse. Maybe it can anchor us to a point in space or time."

"We're anchored to the Athena Cabin," said Nico. "Can you feel it?"

"So we're in one spot in space, but time is still moving through us," Reyna said. "Look at the Athena cabin. It also looks like it's spring and winter at the same time. Do you see that?"

Nico said, "Yeah. It looks like it's daytime and nighttime at the same time."

Nico asked, "Is Lou Ellen's magic supposed to make us experience the present only?"