Lunar's Plight

To Trust or Not to Trust

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson, nor Heroes of Olympus, Rick Riordan does.

Zoë Nightshade's POV: (A few hours after they first met)

I followed Percy as he led the way toward the Hunters of Artemis. I kept thinking to myself that maybe I was too trusting of this 'Percy Jackson'. But anywhere is better than the garden, I had been trapped there for my entire life and when Heracles came around I was excited for some excitement in my life. However, I trusted the 'hero' to fast as I thought he would allow me to accompany him to at least the next town. But he just said that I would slow him down and took the sword that I had imbued my immortal essence into. So, when I saw Percy appear and beat the 7 shades of Hades out of Heracles I got my hopes up that he was someone I could trust. But now I'm starting to doubt myself again.

"What if he is just tricking me... what if he is going to use me like Heracles?" I whisper to myself but I notice Percy stop walking and look at me

"You don't trust me? I guess that is to be expected..." Percy sighs and starts walking again

'Damn it... Why did I have to speak aloud... he probably won't take me anywhere now...' I think to myself as I look down and stop walking

I spend a few minutes looking down before a hand is gently placed under my chin and makes me look up. I stare into the sea green eyes that belong to Percy Jackson as he smiles.

"You alright Zoë?" Percy asks me softly and I shake my head a bit

"No... I probably hurt your feelings... and now you might not take me to the Hunters..." I say sadly expecting Percy to agree but to my surprise he just smiles and puts a hand on my shoulder

"Zoë, when I say I'm going to do something, I do it. And don't worry, you didn't hurt my feelings, I just had to realize that you may not be as trusting as you once were due to the fact that you were just betrayed not too long ago." Percy says calmly

I look at Percy for a moment before I take a hair clip out of my hair and hand it to him.

"I-I trust you..." I say hesitantly as I expect Percy to just take the hair pin and run off

Yet, he surprises me by just taking the hair clip and putting it back into my hair. I look at him with a confused look on my face.

"Thank you for putting your trust in me Zoë, but I know how much that sword means to you, and it wouldn't be right for me to take your sword. Besides I have a weapon already." Percy says with a small smile as he gestures to the spear that's on his back

I smile back knowing that I could trust Percy.

"We should get going. We still have a ways to go." Percy said as we started walking again

After a while I noticed Percy tense up as we neared what looked like a small camp in the distance. I look at him and I see him debating whether or not to continue walking. Eventually he relents and continues toward the camp. When we get closer I notice a group of about 3-4 girls in silver holding bows as they aimed at Percy. Percy stepped in front of me as he pulled his shield off his back as the girls fired volley after volley at us. Percy stood his ground as he protected me from the onslaught of arrows.

Percy's POV:

'I just can't catch a break!' I thought to myself as I blocked each of the volleys of arrows the hunters fired

After a minute or two I felt my eye start twitching as a sea green aura surrounded me, I heard Zoe gasp slightly as my aura increased. In a motion, quicker than humanly possible I jump into the incoming volley of arrows, I knew that my action stunned the hunters as I didn't hear them firing another volley at me. When I hit the ground, I sprint forward causing a streak of silver to be left in my wake, as I close in on the offending hunters I notice they pull out their hunting knives after they put away their bows.