𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲.

The final sprint

"Why are you doing this Ethan?" She said her anger faltering.

"When you left, I had no one Lili. Nobody had ever cared for me, it's time I do my own thing."

"I cared for you. Please just come back with us." She pleaded. He shook his head, trying to fight her words, she hadn't meant to use charm-speak, but her emotions got in the way.

"It's too late Lili. Things will never be the same as they were." He whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder for a split second before, taking off in the direction they came from.

➳

Lilia didn't talk much after Ethan left, and if she did say something, it was usually a sarcastic retort at one of them.

None of them were up for anymore walking, so they decided to make camp. Percy found some scrap wood and they started a fire.

"Something was wrong with Luke," Annabeth muttered, poking at the fire with her knife. "Did you notice the way he was acting?"

"He looked pretty pleased to me," Lilia said. "Like he'd spent a nice day torturing heroes."

"That's not true! There was something wrong with him. He looked.nervous. He told his monsters to spare us. He wanted to tell us something."

"Probably, 'Hi, guys! Sit here with me and watch while I tear your friends apart. It'll be fun!" Percy rolled his eyes.

Lilia didn't agree with Annabeth, but she did think it was strange he'd want to spare them

"You're impossible," Annabeth grumbled.

"So which way now, Sacagawea?" Lilia remarked at Rachel.

Rachel didn't respond right away. She'd become quieter since the arena.

Now, whenever Lilia made a sarcastic comment, Rachel hardly bothered to answer. She'd burned the tip of a stick in the fire and was using it to draw ash figures on the floor, images of the monsters they'd seen. With a few strokes, she caught the likeness of a dracaena perfectly.

"We'll follow the path," she said. "The brightness on the floor."

"The brightness that led us straight into a trap?" Lilia asked.

"Lay off her, Lili," Percy said. "She's doing the best she can."

Lilia stood. "The fire's getting low. I'll go look for some more scraps while you guys talk strategy." And she marched off into the shadows.

"Lili isn't usually this mean," Percy said apologetically. "I don't know why she's acting like it."

"Gods Percy, you are so oblivious." Annabeth muttered, turning on her side and going to sleep.

"What do you mean?" He asked but she didn't reply.

"Do you really not know?" Rachel asked. Percy shrugged, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Boys, totally blind." She muttered.

"Hey, don't you get on my case, too! Look, I'm sorry I got you involved in this."