✔︎ PERFECT WORLD ━━━━━ p. jackson¹

009.

"My Hunters will help you stand guard," Thalia said. "You should all go to Olympus. I have a feeling they'll need you up there ─ to set up the final defense." 

The doorman had disappeared from the lobby. His book was facedown on the desk and his chair was empty. The rest of the lobby, however, was jam-packed with wounded campers, Hunters, and satyrs. Violeta, Connor and Travis met them by the elevators. Vivi threw her arms around her brothers, bringing them down to her height as she hugged them.

"Thank gods you're alright," Travis said, patting Vivi's head affectionately.

"Thank gods you're alright." Vivi said as she went to hug her grandmother next, "Nǐ hái hǎo ma? ( Are you okay? )"

"Wǒ yīnggāi wèn nǐ. ( I should be asking you that. )."

"I'm fine," Vivi muttered, "Hope these two or any other of our siblings didn't bother you that much."

Violeta laughed slightly, "Oh no. They're good company, maybe not as slick as they think, but alright."

Vivi saw Connor and Travis going red in the face, but the embarrassment quickly vanished and was replaced with confusion and grief.

"Is it true? About Silena?" Connor asked.

Percy nodded. "She died a hero."

Travis shifted uncomfortably. "Um, I also heard ─ "

"That's it," Percy insisted. "End of story."

"Right," Travis mumbled. "Listen, we figure the Titan's army will have trouble getting up the elevator. They'll have to go up a few at a time. And the giants won't be able to fit at all."

"That's our biggest advantage," Percy said. "Any way to disable the elevator?"

"It's magic," Travis said. "Usually you need a key card, but the doorman vanished. That means the defenses are crumbling. Anyone can walk into the elevator now and head straight up."

"Then we have to keep them away from the doors. We'll bottle them up in the lobby."

"We need reinforcements," Travis said. "They'll just keep coming. Eventually they'll overwhelm us."

"There are no reinforcements," Connor complained.

Percy looked outside at Mrs. O'Leary, who was breathing against the glass doors and smearing them with hellhound drool. "Maybe that's not true," he said and went outside.

"Granny," Vivi said, "Can I talk to you about something?"

Violeta raised an eyebrow, "Of course, let's go where it's a bit quiet."

The two women moved away from the rest and stood near the elevator, but not close enough for people to hear them.

"So, what did you want to ask?"

Vivi looked down. There was the thread again. Red thread between their bodies. The girl followed it and noticed it was connected from her to Violeta's shoulder. Her grandma must have seen the look on Vivi's face as her expression softened from the serious one she held before.

"Ah," she said softly, "You can finally see it."

The girl looked at her grandma, "You can too? I wasn't hallucinating."

"No, of course you were not." Violeta waved her hand, "It's a rare gift from my mother, Psyche. I have it too. I can see the red thread between bodies of people. You inherited the gift."