𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐄𝐍𝐃! percy jackson ²

xv . The Stars Are Brighter From Afar

      But I knew—we all knew—that it wasn't the poison that was killing Zoë. It was Atlas's final blow. One shall perish by a parents hand. Zoë had known all along, and yet she still went on this quest. She was a hero, the truest and bravest hero out of all of us.

      She saw Thalia, and took her hand. "I am sorry we argued," she said. "We could have been sisters."

     "It's my fault," said Thalia, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men—everything."

     "Perhaps not all men," Zoë sent Percy a small smile. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

     He pulled out Riptide, unable to speak. He placed the blue capped ben in her hand. She held it tight. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like ... like Hercules. I am honoured that you carry this sword."

      "Claire," she finally turned to me. Zoë held out her hand, and I took it. I tried to push away the tears in my eyes, for Zoë's sake. "You are brave," she told me. "You are brave, and you will get through this. I wish we could've been sisters, but ... I understand now why we can't."

      The tears fell, and I tried to say something, but it was too hard. My throat closed up. "I ..." I squeezed her hand harder. "I wish that too ..." I took a deep breath. "Zoë—"

      "Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."

     A tear dropped down from Artemis's chin. It hit Zoë's forehead. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful."

      "Stars," Zoë repeated. Her eyes were fixed on the night sky above us.

     She didn't move again.

     I let go of her hand, letting it fall limp onto her stomach. I fell back onto my backside, staring at her still body and thought: too much death...

     Thalia hung her head. Annabeth gulped down a sob and her father put his hand on her shoulders. I felt Percy sit beside me, and I leaned my head on his shoulder, watching as Artemis cupped her hand above Zoë's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke came from Zoë's lips and was caught in her hand. Zoë's body shimmered and disappeared.

       I glanced up at the sky, following the goddesses gaze. The stars were brighter now. Zoë was right, they were beautiful. And amongst the magic, was a figure made up by bright stars—a gleaming constellation that looked like a girl's figure, a girl with a bow, running across the sky.

     "Let the world honour you, my huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."

° ° °

      We said our goodbyes. Artemis had to return to Olympus, and Annabeth's father had to go back to his family. I'm not sure whether Annabeth will see him again after this, but I hope she did. Things seemed to have changed since the last time she saw them. She had a home to go to, she should take the chance.

     We flew back with the help of Blackjack's friends. Thalia had fallen asleep on hers, while Annabeth was quiet, in deep thought. Her grey eyes stared at the sky before her, and I had a feeling she was thinking about what her father had said: "But please remember you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe."