Life and death lie close together. The smallest things can push people towards one or the other. But sometimes those things aren't that small.
Percy Jackson has seen far too much in her short life. So it shouldn't be surprising when she takes the ro...
The plate vanished from my hands, and I thanked Hestia before getting up. Camp was beginning to come to life, kids filtering down from the dining pavilion and going about their mornings. Some went towards the showers, others towards wherever their first class was. Me? I went to the woods.
Who knows, maybe I'd get lucky and a monster would kill me.
That wouldn't be justice.
I grimaced and pushed the thought out of my mind. While it wasn't as bad as it could've been, I didn't wake up screaming for one, I'd rather not have those risks at all. Maybe if I'd fallen out of bed, maybe the pain would've woken me up. Landing on arrows was a possibility, and a welcome one at that. At least then they'd be able to--
A smile spread across my face. I doubted the cloak could stop actions that could be accidental, even if I meant to do it. I mean, if I trip and fall and just happen to land on a sword, what's the cloak going to do? Stop me mid-air? For as many things going on with this stupid piece of cloth, that probably wasn't something it could do. Once in the cover of the trees, I pulled out my sword and wedged it between a couple rocks. Okay, I breathed out, all I have to do is run myself onto it.
I clenched my fists, knuckles white and tendons straining under my skin. This is no different than asking Zeus to do it. No different than facing down my death every time they've held a vote over it.
Leaves shifted under my feet, and I closed my eyes, running at the sword before turning and letting my momentum carry me back. Nothing. No pain, no slide of a blade through flesh. I opened my eyes and looked down, and the sword was sticking through me. What? Why isn't--
I tried to press my finger on the blade's edge, only for my hand to pass through. The fucking sword is enchanted too. I groaned and walked myself off it before sheathing it. Bets are on the dagger being the same. No wonder Dad wanted my other weapons and gave me these ones. This meant I'd need to sneak into the armory. But when would the best time be?
As I made a plan, deciding to grab something bladed because guns were far too noisy, one of the many reasons we don't really use them, I wandered through the woods. But I wasn't even getting into the possibility of me even being able to grab a weapon in the first place. Would the cloak stop me? Is there a line between what is considered harmful to myself? Can I- I needed to stop thinking about it.
Loud panting came from behind me; I turned. Mrs O'Leary stood there, tail wagging. She plopped her butt on the ground and tilted her head. Her tongue lolloed out of her mouth, I laughed and reached up to pet her.
Bad move on my part.
I didn't think about how the cloak blocking out my scent would make her react. To her, I wasn't a demigod. I wasn't anything, except someone being where they shouldn't have been. Or maybe I just smelled like one of her chew toys. A loud growl rumbled out, she bared her teeth, and her hackles raised.
"Easy, girl." I slowly backed up, hands in front of me. When her large body began to shift, I took that as my cue. Darting off through the trees, I didn't care where I ended up. I wanted away from my dog because I wasn't going to hurt her. I broke free from the treeline, heart racing. Pausing for breath, that lasted only a second before I took off again. She can shadow travel. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
A hand wrapped around my arm, whipping me back, and I stared into the angry eyes of Artemis. "What are you doing?" she growled. "Are you trying to make us seem weak? You're supposed to guard us and yet you are running in terror from a tame hellhound."
"Would you rather have me kill someone's pet?" I wrenched my arm free. Hands in my pockets, I blew out air. Mrs O'Leary easily could've caught me, killed me.
Why didn't I let her do it?
I almost forgot today was the day to publish this
Welp here you go, I will now proceed to leave you with this
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