The Hunt for Life (Fem Percy Guardian of the Hunt)

Chapter Two

"You look ready to claim my brother as your father," he said. A single step brought him to be in front of me. Gentle hands, slow and always in my field of vision, reached for the cloak. I let him take it. Dad flicked his wrists sending the navy blue fabric rolling and billowing in the air. It draped over my shoulders. The sea scent that surrounded Dad was more noticeable than ever as he leaned close to fix the clasp. I wasn't sure why it was, maybe his emotions had something to do with it, maybe it was the way my throat closed up when he kissed my forehead.

Staring down at me, he reached forward and took my hand. "No matter what you might think," he said tenderly. "I'm not doing this to hurt you." The scoff that fell from my lips gave all of my feelings on that statement. Dad's hand tightened around mine. "I'm not." The tenderness in his voice was replaced with exasperation. "I'm not trying to hurt you." His hand fell away, and he ran it through his hair.

Words lingered on the tip of my tongue, along with a want to blurt them out. The clawed hand around my heart kept them back, a painful reminder. It was my fault. My fault that all of my friends are dead. Trying not to hurt me was just going to hurt me because I keep getting the people around me killed.

How couldn't he see that?

"Here." A scabbard was held loose in Dad's hand. Intricate patterns of moons, arrows, and stags were pressed into the dark leather, highlighted with silver. A smaller one was in Dad's other hand. From both stuck leather wrapped hilts. Even without seeing the blade, one thing was clear, the sword wasn't Riptide.

When I said as much, Dad pressed the sword and dagger into my arms.

"They're enchanted. Just as useful against most monsters, but also good against mortal animals."

"And you just happened to have these lying around?"

"Yes."

I raised an eyebrow, but buckled the scabbard belts around my waist. Metal rasped as I pulled the sword free. Silver but still a xiphos, it was similar enough to Riptide that it wouldn't be hard to adjust. I slid it back into the scabbard. Next came the dagger. It was the same story as the sword: silver and close to what I've trained with.

"Is there anything else I should know about?" I asked as I put the dagger away.

Dad tugged the hood of the cloak up. "The shadow covers your face, the hood distorts your voice, and the cloak should mask your scent enough to keep monsters away."

I scowled. "Isn't that convenient?"

"Excuse me for wanting to keep my suicidal--" The word made me nauseous. "--daughter safe."

The door creaked open, and Zeus walked in. His suit was rumpled and leaves were tangled in his hair and beard. Artemis followed behind him, a scowl on her face, mumbling about missing the fun part of a hunt, and she kicked the door closed with her heel. Silver-yellow eyes flicked to me, and she froze.

"No," she said. Her scowl deepened and her form seemed to flicker. Dad moved a half step, putting himself between me and her, blocking my view if she went supernova. "I don't need some guy to protect my girls. We can-"

"I'm a girl." Poking my head around Dad, I caught her glaring at Zeus. No attention was paid to my statement or my distorted voice, aside from Dad pushing me back behind him. I puffed out my cheeks and pressed my forehead against Dad's back. The argument between Artemis and Zeus grew louder, and I couldn't work out what was happening. One minute I'm asking to die, the next I'm decked out in some weird outfit. The parrots on the back of Dad's shirt mocked me. He knew what was going on. He wouldn't tell me.

He wouldn't tell me because then I'd try to get out of it. Like I'd ever tried to get out of other things. Like I didn't run head first into the prophecy thinking I was going to end up dying. Like I wasn't ready to throw my life down to protect people.

It's not trying to get out of something if I'm trying to keep people safe.

"--assign a guardian if I wanted to." Zeus's voice, assured and controlled and all so much what I'd expect from the king of the gods, broke through my stupor. "That's exactly what I'm doing."

I moved out from behind Dad. He didn't push me back behind him, letting me stand beside him. Everything was a balancing act now. Playing a part, a role and then never breaking character. Even with vague confirmation of the role I'd been cast in, I couldn't afford to break from it. Not two minutes into it. Stand here, say nothing. Silence washed over us, like the flickering light of torches.

"And why is Poseidon here?" Artemis asked with a roll of her eyes.

"I was asking if I could take Percy fishing and I got roped into babysitting." Under the shadow of my hood, my eyes widened. Was that- Was that really why he was up here?

Artemis huffed. Boots hit the tiles, and she peered at me. Strands of auburn fell from her braid. "What's your name?"

Zeus spoke before I could, giving my name simply as Guardian. Nothing special or out of the ordinary. A title instead of a name, no different than Blackjack calling me Boss. I could work with that. I could.

"Tacky, but I guess it's better than nothing." Artemis waved a hand. "If she puts my girls in danger, Father, well, better trust in the person you've chosen."

"She's supposed to do the opposite, so I don't think she will," said Dad. "I want to talk to her for a moment, so if you would continue this outside, that would be wonderful." He stretched. Zeus nodded and walked out with Artemis trailing him. When the door closed, Dad moved to lean against the wood. His eyes focused on me; he offered me a small smile. "Live with them, hunt with them. That's all. No oath. No immortality."

My canine dug into my cheek. I stared at the floor. "You do realize if this is a ploy to make me realize Thalia would miss me, it's not going to work." The claw around my heart tightened and another around my throat made every attempt to swallow painful. Voices echoed in my head, screams and pleas all on repeat.

"Something gives me the impression you already know how this would affect the people around you." Dad crossed his arms, more of his weight resting on the door. "It's not that. I just want you safe, Percy."

I stared at him. For a full minute, a full minute of awkward silence, I stared. I rushed forward and hugged him. Dad grunted as I hit him, but he uncrossed his arms and pulled me close to his chest. He brushed my hood off and pressed his head against my hair.

"I love you," he said. He kissed my head, and the simple gesture had me pushing further into his arms. "If you need me, try to get a hold of me."

"You know I won't."

"Doesn't mean that the offer isn't there."

I pressed my face against his chest. "Why?" I swallowed. The pressure in my chest and behind my eyes only grew as Dad's arms tightened. "Why do you care so much? I'm going to die eventually, why do you care when it happens?"

"Perseus." Dad breathed out. He pushed me away from him and bent so we were eye to eye. "You are my child." Whatever else he was going to say was cut short by a knock on the door and Artemis barking at me to get out there. Dad pressed his lips together and tugged up my hood. "Keep that up."

I nodded and reached past him for the handle. He moved out of the way, but still, I hesitated. Dad rested his calloused and scarred hand over mine. I looked up at him.

"One year," he said.

Swallowing back everything, every emotion and regret I had, I nodded. "One year."

Enjoy the chapter! I'm going to type more

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