The Demigod King; Book 2

"Whenever You're Ready"

Percy
Everything hurt. His body ached down to his very bones, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of wrongness. This was so, so wrong.

He remembered dying. Percy had been tied down to that cell when Bellatrix has brought in Ouranos. He remembered the feeling of possession. Percy's soul was pushed down, thrust aside so far he didn't even remember anything since. It had been darkness and terror and confusion, until suddenly he was on his knees outside of Camp Jupiter. Percy remembered realizing what was happening—that Ouranos had been using his body to attack his friends. And when he noticed that Nico had made the tough choice and the Stygian iron sword was implanted in his chest, he was relieved.

It was over.

Percy went to rest. He remembered crossing the River Styx. He'd had no drachma but Charon had let him through. He'd waited in the lines fidgeting—even in death, he had ADHD. And then Percy had faced Judgement and been offered a choice: Elysium or rebirth, to try for the Isle of the Blest.

It wasn't a question for Percy. He chose Elysium. He would wait there for Annabeth, his mother and Paul, and his friends.

He entered the gates, gazing with amazement and benevolence at the afterlife he'd been waiting for his entire life. Finally, peace. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he spotted Beckendorf smiling at him. And there was Silena behind him. Castor, too. Zoë. Lee Fletcher. Michael Yew. Bob. Damasen. Even Frank's grandmother.

"Hey, Percy," Beckendorf grinned, a hand around Silena's waist.

Percy cried in joy. His friends, his friends. He had lost them, but now he was found.

And then he had felt a terrible pain in his chest. He fell to his knees, eyes wide in fear. And then Percy had been pulled from peace and woken on his pyre. He had woken to darkness and death and destruction. No mortal was meant to come back. No one should ever go from the peaceful benevolence of Elysium back to the human world. It was a cruelty beyond anything.

Percy bent over on his bed in the infirmary and sobbed. His body shook with his misery.

The door opened quietly and a figure slipped inside silently. Percy felt the bed dip next to him as arms wrapped around his shoulders and held him as he cried. He responded naturally, leaning into the small body as his body was wracked with sobs.

"Shh," Piper soothed, running her hands through his hair. She lowered Percy's head to rest against her stomach as she rocked him. "I've got you."

Percy cried for a while more. Piper stayed with him the entire time. He had no idea why she was doing it for him, but he appreciated it more than he could see. When he was ready, he slowly sat up.

Piper have him a small smile. "Whenever you're ready," she told him quietly.

And Percy told her everything. He spoke of his death, the peace he felt. He told her about the Underworld and Elysium. Everything about the paradise he knew.

Once he was done, Piper watched him thoughtfully. "It sounds wonderful," she said.

"I want to go back," Percy told her.

"I know," Piper murmured. "But you can't. Not yet. The Fates allowed you to come back for a reason."

Percy shook his head. "I can't do this, Pipes. I can't live the rest of my life in this torture, knowing what I'm missing every second."

She paused for a few moments, hesitating. "Percy," Piper spoke slowly. "I can help you. I can make your forget."

He understood her meaning instantly. He closed his eyes. "Please."