Indigo Eyes

Chapter 44

Meanwhile, the twins had gotten Cressida to their cabin and into her bunk as she calmed down, Castor pulling out the plushie from under her bed and Cressida giving a sad smile when she saw the look of absolute betrayal on Pollux's face. They gave her some water, giving her a chance to calm down as she squeezed both their hands before telling them the story of what happened, making sure to get to the part about her leg injury as quickly as possible, knowing that it was making them anxious.

She took her time explaining what happened to Annabeth and then what Artemis offered her.

"It was like Circe all over again, except this time, it was genuine. I'd get to travel the world with people that aren't scared of me even though they claim otherwise. I'd get to master my powers, slay monsters, save demigods and mortals. It would be everything I'd ever dreamed of," she said, hugging Lightning McQueen like she was a little kid again and not almost 14. "But I would hardly see you two. I would be immortal, but I'd have to watch you die. You two have been my only family for half my life, I could never abandon you. I needed to talk to you first before even considering this. And more importantly, I need you to know that it isn't your fault. You guys have done so much for me, trying to make my life better and I- I don't want that to be a burden anymore.... So? What do you think? Be brutally honest."

Castor pulled her into a hug.

"You were never and will never be a burden," he promised.

"Cressie," Pollux cooed, a name he hadn't used since she was ten years old and she insisted she was too old for. "If all you needed was reassurance, you should've just asked," he said. "We know your fatal flaw, baby sis, and we're not doing all this out of duty or because Papa told us."

"You know excited we were to find out that we had a little sister?" Castor said when Cressida pulled away from him, the tears still leaking down her face. "To find out that we had someone to play games with and let ride around on our shoulders and take care of."

"As excited as Papa would be to drink wine again. That's what you used to say," she answered with a small smile.

"As excited as Papa would be to drink wine again," Castor repeated. "And we all know that the only thing that comes close to taking that title -"

"Is us and Ariadne," Pollux finished. "But listen," he said as he brushed away her tears. "We just want you to be happy."

"Absolutely. And if joining the Hunters is what makes you happy, then you have to do it," Castor said.

"And if that means that you become immortal and outlive us, then we'll have done our job right. Because if there is one thing that we refuse to see, it's our baby sister dying before we do," Pollux said.

"Or to see her upset," Castor added. "Which is why Percy Jackson will be getting a little visit from us after this."

"Oh, Cas, I have never loved you more," Pollux exclaimed and Cressida gave a broken laugh.

"I don't understand why he was so angry with me about all this. I only agreed to think about it, and he was...I don't understand. He said friends fight but, I don't even understand what we're fighting about."

"Who cares what he thinks? He -"

"I care," she interrupted Pollux. "I know you both don't like him, but he's still my friend."

"Then," Castor said pointedly with a look to his twin. "I'm sorry, Cress, but we can't tell you why he was angry. Only Percy can tell you that. And if he doesn't want to be your friend anymore, then that's his loss."

"He can't," she said, and they were confused.

"Can't what?" Pollux questioned.

"He can't stop being my friend. He swore an oath on the River Styx last year to always be my friend," she answered, playing with one of McQueen's tires as she awaited their reaction and wondered why she never told them this earlier.