Half-Blood Means Two Things || Marauders Era | Percy Jackson ||

|| 5 - The Pictures Freaking MOVE ||

Has anyone ever divulged a secret to you before? Like, an earth-shattering secret? Like, OMG Johnny likes Maddie? And you just stand there, shocked to the core as if you don't really believe what you heard? You just stand there, and nothing else matters except for what you just heard?

Well, that's exactly how I felt.

I stood there, and I heard my name being called a few dozen times, but it didn't register. My clothes smoked, and my fingers coursed with bright blue electricity.

Around me, the thunder was so loud that if the blast hadn't deafened me, the thunder did. The rain came down in unforgiving sheets. The oceans rammed against the beach and the ground seemed to rumble. And I was aware of all of this even though it shouldn't have been possible.

D'you know what else shouldn't have been possible? Being the daughter of Zeus.

"Aurelia!" My gaze snapped up when I heard that.

"Charlie," I corrected on pure reflex, but my voice was more of a croak.

I looked around as my senses came back. It was hard to see with all the rain, and the thunder made it nearly impossible to hear, but it was like my mother's name -- my name -- would come to my ears no matter what I did to stop it.

Chiron was standing by Ayla, who was limping, her blonde hair plastered to her face by the rain.

Asher was leaned over Sawyer who wasn't moving.

"Oh, gods. I've killed her," I muttered. All the blood drained from my face.

Maeve was helping up Jaelyn, who had a cut along her cheek from where she'd hit a rock when she'd been blasted back from the lightning. From my lightning.

All around me, the pavilion was in smoking crumbles, a large, burning hole through the middle of the ceiling right above my head. There was a charred black circle on the ground around me, and all the picnic tables had been blasted back, charred black.

I did this. People were hurt because of me.

"Charlize!" Chiron called.

I wouldn't hear it.

I turned on my heel and bolted.

Never -- in my entire life -- had I run from my problems. Ever. When I'd accidentally burned half the forest down, I'd walked to the Big House, ready to face the consequences. When I'd blown up the Ares cabin, I accepted my punishment. And even when I'd broken into Hera's cabin and broke her statue, I faced the goddess and took her anger. But people had been hurt because of me. I knocked Sawyer out -- maybe even killed her, but I couldn't think about that. I hurt Jaelyn and Ayla -- my best friends.

I barely thought of anything as I streaked down through the barrier, passing the bronze dragon. He snorted at me, looking annoyed with the pouring rain.

I didn't say anything as I sprinted past.

I heard people running after me, calling my name, but I knew they wouldn't follow. Not with the monster problems we'd been having. It was too dangerous, and even if they wanted to, Chiron would never let them. A demigod on their own in New York City... that was like throwing a piece of steak in a den of lions. There was no way they'd survive.

Guess who was on her own in New York City?

I found the road that passed Camp and, with no better option, I ran. And ran. And ran. And when I didn't think I could run anymore, I ran some more. I ran until my body ached with exhaustion so bad that my body burned. I ran until my eyes threatened to close. I ran until I was deep within the streets of New York City.