Pertemis: Timeless

Chapter 16

Percy's POV

The sound of magpies croaking outside woke me up from a dreamless sleep.

I twisted around the bed, unable to open my eyes. My head throb, as if someone was banging at the temples with a hammer. Everything in me was aching, especially at the side of my neck which pained me every time I put pressure on it.

Did someone hit me last night?

The bed I was on was strange. The room was strange. It was white and grand of marbles. This wasn't my room in Hestia place. I had no chandeliers of white crystals in the middle of the ceiling in my room. Nor did I have a small hot tub placed at the far end of the wall, sitting on a bed of white pebbles and surrounded by bamboos.

The bed was particularly soft and had a scent I felt familiar yet wasn't belong to what I normally called mine. That was when I felt someone laying beside me and my body froze.

No.

The figure was clearly indicating a girl even when she was covered by the blanket up to her head. She laid on her side facing me.

I slapped my forehead hard, still spinning from the hang over. Clearly, I could not remember what had happened after my arguments with the Imperial guards. I remembered Artemis took me somewhere and after that, it was just a blur. Then, who is did person and did we...

Oh Chaos. I didn't expect it to go this bad. If I had assaulted someone randomly on the street and did something despicable to her. Zeus would find all kind of punishment for me. Worst, if Artemis found out about it, she would skin me alive. I just hoped the girl was consent about the whole thing or I would be in deep trouble.

Her ashen hair, almost Snow White covered her entire face, so I could not decide who that was. She had the same scent as the room itself, so I only guessed it was her room. But somehow, it was a strange smell and I knew she didn't spend much time in this place. Slowly, I moved closer and brushed her hair aside to reveal her face.

Artemis silver globe opened and stared back at mine.

Blood must have drained away from my body, as I couldn't know my name or my past. All I knew was....shit.

"Artemis-" I stammered her name.

She must have been disoriented as I was. But she quickly recovered the moment her name was mention. She flipped over and out of the bed fast, the blanket wrapped tightly around her like a dress as she held it at her chest.

"Artemis....I...." I felt terrible. I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself in. What did I do?

I tried to remember, tearing and ripping whatever that dense blankness in my memory. All I feared was not for myself but for her. Did I harm her in my drunken state? Or worst, did I....

I didn't want to think of it. The thought of it made me want to go to the end of the world and hide from everything forever. But I knew I couldn't do that even if it was the case. I had to take responsibility for what I did. If Artemis was to kill me right now, I would be glad to accept it. I just prayed to Chaos that she could forgive me. I feared that she would hate me for eternity. It was not easy to become a friend of Artemis, and yet I had ruined that bond forever.

Her back was facing me. She still stared at the floor.

"Artemis, whatever that I did, I'm sorry. You can punish me. Do whatever you wish. But please give me a chance."

She turned her head to face me. Her eyes were red. No, she was not angry. She was in pain. And it killed me slowly, like a sword drilling through my heart. It ached. The guilt.