Vines and Thorns

𝟘𝟙𝟚-𝔽𝕝𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℂ𝕙𝕠𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔹𝕒𝕣𝕤

"I'm so tired of people saying that I don't have a choice. I do, you do, we all do. You're just too scared of the repercussions." I stand up, dusting off my clothes. "I don't need a reminder of what lies in wait for me."

Artemis tenses, and for a moment, I remember that she's a goddess, but at the moment, I didn't care. "If you need nothing else, I'll be going." I turn towards the door, stopping to look back at the girl that was still seated in the corner. "Your brother will be safe at camp if you...If you choose to join them."

The girl's eyes widen, and I can see the relief in her eyes before I turn back around and leave the tent. I wasn't surprised to see Zoë standing outside of the entrance, and I ignore her entirely, walking past her and away from the tent.

Thalia stood off to the side, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at anyone who came close. She eased up when she saw me, and I sighed before collapsing onto the ground next to her. "Fun talk?" She asks, settling down beside me.

I shake my head. "Just another goddess telling me what I can and can't do." I pick up a rock that was next to my foot, throwing it at a nearby tree.

I tell her what Artemis said—about her telling me that if I wanted to, I wouldn't be allowed to join in the Hunt. Thalia's nose scrunched up in distaste. "Did you want to join?"

I can tell that she was trying to hold back her disdain for my sake, but I shake my head. "No. I don't think I could walk away from camp, from my brothers. But I'm so tired of being told what I can and cannot do." I grumble, and I see Thalia nod her head.

"I get it." She doesn't say anything else, and I appreciate her for it. We had talked a lot during the remainder of summer before I left, and in that time we had grown an understanding for each other.

She knew that all I needed in that moment was for someone to understand—that I didn't need empty apologies or sympathetic words. I think between the two of us, we had heard the words 'I'm sorry' to last us a lifetime.

So we sat there in silence, both of us chewing over our own thoughts as the rest of the people in camp went on with their work, ignoring us. I watched quietly as Jackson entered Artemis's tent, and I know that Thalia noticed as well when she tensed beside me.

"What do you think she has to say to him?" She wonders out loud, and I shrug.

"I don't know. Maybe she has questions about the Manticore." My eyes rested on the small tent for a moment before I looked away.

Thalia narrowed her eyes. "Maybe."

I could tell that she didn't trust the hunters as far as she could throw them, Zoë especially. As soon as we get back to camp, I can't wait to hear about that story.

I adjusted myself on the ground as Grover slowly walked towards us, a lop-sided grin on his face. The small boy, Nico, hung next to him. Guilt wound through me when I remembered Bianca—how she was considering leaving her brother behind.

"Do you think I can get Artemis's autograph?" Nico asks unabashed, and I snort.

"You can try, kid." I muse, the idea filling me with more amusement than it should.

Thalia elbows me in the side, and I shrug my shoulders. "You should try to get Mr. D to sign something too. You'll love him." I muse, earning me a glare from both Thalia and Grover. "What? It would be funny."

Thalia rolls her eyes, and my grin widens when I look at Nico again. "Mr. D is the camp director. And I was being serious about the autograph thing, you should definitely ask him." Grover sighs, shaking his head as Nico enthusiastically nods his head.