The Winged Warrior

Chapter 15

I nodded and began to turn away, but Percy grabbed my wrist.

"Just make sure you stay safe, Ok? Once you do this, you'll make yourself look more human, more vulnerable. People may lose some faith in you. Right now, the campers see us as scary, powerful beings. That can be a good thing."

"When did you get so wise?" I asked, grinning at Percy. "I'll be fine, don't worry. And if anyone underestimates my chances and tries to fight me, well... let's just say that the roof of the big house is a pretty high place to be teleported to."

Percy grinned back at me and released my wrist. "Just tell me when you're going to do it, Ok?"

"Sure." I said, and I turned to leave.

***

Percy's POV

As soon as Nico closed the door behind him, I felt my face fall. Nico was giving up the secrecy and security of his identity just to be with Will that much more often. Will meant that much to him.

"Gah!" I yelled, banging my head on the wall in frustration. Love was so confusing. 

I spent the next hour or so nursing my head and continuing with my painting. As my brush made the final stroke against the canvas, I felt a sense of calm satisfaction pass through me. Another completed work.

I snapped my fingers, drying the paint, and walked over to my closet. Pulling the door open, I tapped the back panel of it behind my clothes, which slid open.

Inside was a large room, full of dozens and dozens of paintings. I pushed my clothes aside and entered, lifting my new work onto an empty peg near the back of the room. I was already running out of space.

Just as I was about to leave, a small door caught my eye. I hadn't been in that particular section of my gallery for a while, and I pushed it open.

Inside this part was a slightly smaller room, this one filled with portraits. I always kept my portraits further away from possible prying eyes, as they seemed more... personal to me. Painting people was something I did rarely, and when I did I always used a subject that meant a lot to me, not just a random person.

On the walls were pictures of the seven from the Argo II, Luke, Nico, Annabeth and Adalind. I looked at them fondly, remembering the moments that had inspired me to document them in paint form. 

I felt a pang in my chest as my eyes fell on Lexi's portrait. She was facing the side, her hair whipping around her shoulders and her eyes gazing at the sky above.

I had painted this after me and Lexi had gone stargazing in Ariem, and she had showed me all of their constellations and what they were called. I remembered the look on her face as she had gazed at the balls of light in the sky, talking to me about how the Arishe called them Sunspheres, and how they believed that each one held the spirit of a fallen monarch of Ariem.

I turned away and stumbled out of the room, determined not to look at the painting for longer than I should, for I knew that if I did, I might never leave that room again.

****

Feeling the buzz of confusion that was now a familiar presence in my head, I decided to take a walk outside. Flicking up my hood, I strode into the weak sunlight filtering through the autumn gold leaves of the forest as summer faded away. 

I paused to admire the canopy above, framing it in my fingers, trying to imagine it on a canvas. I continued walking, still looking up and oblivious to the legs propped up in my path.

"Oof!"

I fell with a crash, and the person who I'd tripped over jumped up, muttering apologies. He looked down at me and I saw the curly brown hair and elfish ears of the supersized mcshizzle Leo Valdez looking down at me.