[1] 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 ― p.jackson ✓

017.

"yeah," smiled percy, "yeah we are, songbird."

"hmmmm, 'm not a bird," she slurred, "put me down, fishy. i wanna stand."

"i don't think you're gonna be doing that without any help," lilly said as percy lowered her so her feet where on the ground. she tried to walk, but stumbled greatly. percy caught her quickly and slung one of her arms around his. she was coming back to her senses more now, and was starting to be more aware of what exactly was happening.

"do you think you have any injuries?" asked percy gently, "i gave you the rest of the unicorn elixir... i'm sorry..."

"hey," she said, smiling slightly, "it's okay. you were just doing what thought needed to be done... besides, i think there's a plane coming towards us."

"that's annabeth's dad," percy smiled weakly. something in his eyes told cadie that he wasn't telling her everything. "lets go meet him."

as soon as dr chase stepped out his sopwith camel, annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug. "dad! you flew... you shot... oh my gods! what was amazing! literally the most amazing thing i've ever seen!"

her father blushed. "well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, i suppose."

"but the celestial bronze bullets! how did you get those?"

"ah, well. you did leave quite a few half-blood weapons in your room in virginia, the last time you...left." annabeth looked down, embarrassed. cadie noticed dr. chase was very careful not to say ran away.

"i decided to try melting some down to make bullet casings," he continued. "just a little experiment." he said it like it was no big deal, but he had a gleam in his eye. cadie could understand all of a sudden why athena, goddess of crafts and wisdom, had taken a liking to him. he was an excellent mad scientist at heart.

"dad..." annabeth faltered.

"guys," thalia said, her voice urgent. "come over here."

"what's wrong?" cadie called, turning around only to find herself in shock. "is that... zoë?"

cadie didn't know where she found the strength, but she ran over. her legs gave out quickly, and she crumpled into kneeling next to lilly who was staring sadly at lilly. she hadn't even seen zoë when she awoke. she'd thought it was strange, but now she knew why.

"what... what happened to her?" she asked shakily, "what happened when i wasn't..."

awake?

alive?

"the dragon from before," lilly admitted sadly, "she got scratched. i wasn't fast enough.. not quick enough to help her. the poison..."

"we have ambrosia, don't we?" cadie insisted, "you fed me some!"

"i used the last on you." lilly whispered guiltily, "it was only a small piece. i wasn't even sure it was going to help you."

"so what do we do?" cadie asked the others, "are we just letting her die?" the others fell silent. zoë didn't look good. she was shivering, and the faint flow that usually hung around her was fading. "do something!" begged cadie to artemis, "can't you heal her with your magic? i mean... you're a goddess."

artemis looked troubled. "life is a fragile thing, cadie. if the fates will the string to be cut, there is little i can do. but i can try." she tried to set her hand on zoë's side, but zoë gripped her wrist. she looked into the goddess's eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.

"have i...served thee well?" zoë whispered.

"with great honor," artemis said softly. "the finest of my attendants."