The Fallen Goddess...PJO

Chapter 5

Armani pov

The atmosphere in Artemis's camp was tense, the air thick with anticipation and unease. As Percy and Bianca were called in to speak with Artemis, I found myself staying behind with Nico, the two of us engrossed in a heated card game. We were in the middle of a particularly intense round when Percy suddenly burst into the tent, his expression stormy and his jaw clenched in anger.

"Armani," he said, his voice tight with emotion. "Artemis wants to talk to you...."

I could sense the urgency in his tone, the worry and fear that lingered beneath the surface. Setting aside the cards, I followed Percy out of the tent, my heart pounding with apprehension. What could Artemis want to talk to me about?

As we made our way towards Artemis's tent, Percy remained unusually quiet, his usually confident stride faltering slightly. I reached out and took his hand, offering what little comfort I could. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and concern.

"Armani... Don't," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. His grip on my hand tightened for a moment before he let go, his expression haunted.

I was confused by his whole demeanor and wondered what happened when he was called in before, but that curiosity was soon replaced with fear. With a deep breath, I steeled myself for whatever was to come and stepped into Artemis's tent.

Artemis was standing at the center of the tent, her tall and imposing figure casting a shadow over the room. Her eyes met mine as I entered, and I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine.

The tent seemed impossibly large from the inside, a stark contrast to its modest appearance from the outside. My eyes were drawn to the queen-sized bed at the back. In front of it, a table with four chairs stood, one of which was occupied by the goddess herself.

Artemis's presence filled the space, the air heavy with unspoken questions and tension. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, feeling exposed under her piercing gaze. I had known that continuing to be involved in the demigod world would increase the risk of my existence being exposed, but I never anticipated it happening so soon.

"You...," Artemis muttered, her voice a low growl. "What are you doing here? How did you escape?"

"Escape?" I echoed, confusion clouding my mind. I died. Does no one know I died? "What do you mean, escape?"

"Well, you were imprisoned for my brother's crime in a place it's impossible to escape from unless you..." Artemis's voice trailed off, her eyes narrowing as she studied me.

"Wait, you knew?" I asked, incredulous.

"Yes. It just didn't make sense for you to sacrifice everything to bring back someone who was your competition for my brother. I always wondered why you would foolishly do something like that for him," she said, her tone laced with skepticism.

"I wonder the same thing sometimes. I was stupidly in love and brainwashed to realize my actions," I admitted, the weight of my past decisions heavy on my shoulders.

"Yes, love tends to do that," Artemis said, her voice softening slightly. "But how did you escape?"

"I didn't," I replied, my heart pounding in my chest.

"What?" Artemis's eyes widened in surprise.

"I didn't escape," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Did you..." Artemis trailed off, her gaze searching mine.

I nodded slowly, confirming her unspoken question.

"How come we were not notified about this?" Artemis demanded, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I am wondering the same thing," I said, frustration creeping into my voice.