The Third Camp Trilogy: The Final War?

Chapter fifty four: Carrie

War.

How dare she talk about that place. How dare she bring it up in front of me. It doesn't matter if she's been there. That gives her no right to speak about it. And she revealed my dark past to Neptuna? The girl who, even though she has seen my scars, doesn't believe I'm a monster? I would bet my praetorship that Neptuna thought I was a monster now.

I had one of the archers fire a distraction shot at her and, while she was busy with that, I shot her in the side with a stunning arrow.

"What was that all about?" Neptuna asked quietly, almost fearful of what my next actions might be.

"I wanted her to think she had succeeded."

"Not about that, what about the fear in your eyes when she mentioned—"

"Don't speak about that place." I tried not to explode with anger at her mentioning that place.

"Tell me, I've never seen fear in your eyes that was that intense."

"There's nothing in my eyes, not even a soul." I looked her in the eyes just to prove it, but I almost couldn't look away, I wanted her comfort, memories flashed in my eyes.

Me at death's doorstep, ready to go to Hades.

Me dying of curses, of hunger, of thirst.

The pain.

When Neptuna's with me the memories seem more distant, less painful, not gone, but they could never be gone.

Instead of terror, or fear, or disgust, or hatred in Neptuna's eyes, I saw worry and care. She might have been worried that I would hurt her, and she cared that I might be so scared that I could do something like that.

I couldn't get that place out of my mind. My lungs hurt just thinking about it.

Virtus and Angita saw me and grinned, of course Virtus didn't, he was kind of in battle mode, so I knew better than to do anything too rash. Wouldn't want to annoy a god of military, he wasn't scared to injury me, badly. Angita was grinning at Neptuna, and glancing between her and I. Did Angita somehow know about us?

"Where's the healer tent set up?" Angita questioned.

"They're still sleeping." I nodded.

She nodded, whispered something to Virtus, then started walking away.

"They have an advantage." I spoke to Virtus.

"What is it? Maybe I can help form a plan."

"Fred... and Chris." I sighed.

"Chris is in prison." He murmured, I could feel his rage building.

"He was in prison."

"And you didn't tell me? I could've been searching for him!" His rage was still building, he hated Chris because he would always try to make me unfocus, not to mention what Chris did.

"Of course I didn't tell you!" I hissed. "Look at how you're reacting!"

"Are you kidding me?" He growled.

Next to me, I could feel Neptuna panicking and I knew she was thinking I was going to get hurt.

"No. Now calm down! If you attack me in front of the lookouts then they will attack you, god or not."

He snarled then stormed away. He grabbed Neptuna by the upper arm and snarled, "You have some explaining to do." Then he pulled her away with her.

"Virtus!" I called after him, glad the panic of him harming Neptuna wasn't heard in my voice. "If you hurt her then I hurt you! I'm stronger than the last time we trained." I growled so that no one else could hear.

What the heck was that?

My life in a bubble.

Fun

Yeah.

I went back to camp and started to help the children of Hephaestus and Vulcan get the war machines to the battle site.