𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐄

𝐕𝐈

Fuck Thalia, Annabeth and Percy.

They had a solid eight hours to discuss monsters, yet not a single mention of the kind that slashes your back and moves as fast as Usain Bolt.

"Percy..." she murmured, still feeling dizzy.

Her vision was slightly blurred. She could only see what was like, five feet ahead, maximum. Selene summoned all the strength she had to pass Percy's arm around her shoulders and hold him still. Her arm wrapped around his torso and the strain on her back intensified with every step, a slight grimace crossing her face as they pressed forward.

"I have a plan." He mumbled back to her, shutting his eyes.

Well, you better have, Selene thought.

"You two! You're too slow!" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"

Percy opened his eyes, "It's my shoulder," his voice quivered. "It burns."

Selene glanced at him, noting the subtle winces and furrowed brows on his face. He avoided looking back at her, though it was clear he'd noticed her looking by the corner of his eyes. Percy was lying.

"Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!"

Thorn herded them outside, and she once again noticed how Percy was gazing away, trying to concentrate on something.

Thorn inarched them into the woods, taking a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. With her free hand, Selene passed her hand by the open wound on her back—to her surprise, there was no trace of blood coming out of it. The pain, though still present, seemed to be easing. Meanwhile, Percy, with tightly shut eyes, leaned a bit more on Selene, struggling to bear the weight of his own body.

"Maybe you should go on a diet if we get out of here alive," she whispered.

He chuckled, his voice trembling a little. "It's the weight of my big muscles..."

"Sure is, C-Bum."

The wind blowing from her ripped clothes on her back was so cold that Selene thought she was transforming into Olaf.

"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

"Don't talk to my sister that way.'" Nico said. She noticed how his voice quivered, but also found him surprisingly courageous.

Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of both Percy and Selene's neck, but she nudged her elbow on his arm to make sure they'd keep walking.

"Halt," Thorn said.

The woods had opened up. They'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea hundreds of feet below. Selene could hear the waves churning and smell the cold salty froth, yet all she could see was mist and darkness.