HIRAETH

Chapter 23

Percy's POV

Chiron was standing by the curtain separating the infirmary beds.

His face was unreadable as stone, which definately didn't mean well. He sighed and moved slightly to let me in, and I pushed through the curtain. Caleb sat up, moving awkwardly. He smiled slightly, and I could see the bruises climbing up from his neck.

"Hi."

I sat down. "Where were you?"

".... on that ship."

"Why?"

His smile faltered. "I can't go around telling you everything, can't I?"

"... look. Lucia and Carl both betrayed us. They're both associated with you. We can't help but be suspicious of you."

He nodded slowly. "Alright. I understand."

"So."

"I thought Annabeth was more of the interrogative type." He mused.

"She can't get her mind straight in front of you."

He regarded me. "You don't like me."

"Of course. Traitor."

"What?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry." He ripped off the tubes connected to his hand. "I didn't hear you." His eyes glinted.

I stared at him, dumbstruck.

"You thought I wouldn't know if you tried to drug me."

"How-"

"I know how it feels. And I got pretty resistant over the years. Father sometimes gets a little too bossy."

"Father?"

"This is strong. Feels-" he shuddered. "Horrible."

"What are you?"

Fear flashed through his eyes, but his expression remained calm.

"I don't know." He said simply.

"We don't want to doubt you."

"We excluding you?"

I gritted my teeth. "We. Camp. All of us."

"It doesn't-"

I grabbed the necklace around his neck.

Scythe.

Carl was right.

His eyes widened, staring at the necklace.

"Traitor."

I pushed him down and shoved the needle into the back of his neck. He struggled, punching me in the face hard. I lost grip up of him, and he started to run away, but face planted after he took a few steps- probably because of his foot that was in a cast.

Chiron came in with a few other campers and they grabbed him, pulling him off. He was fighting off sleep- and it somehow made him look pitiful, but when the necklace glinted in the light, I couldn't help feel angry.

He was the reason Beckendorf died.

"What are you doing?"

Annabeth stared at them in horror. An Ares kid grabbed him by he scruff and he went limp.

"Stop it!" She grabbed Caleb and glared at Chiron watching all this. "How-"

"He's a traitor."

I knelt down by him and showed her the scythe pendant. Tears dripped out of her eyes.