The Male Hunter | Olympus' Traitor #1

Chapter 17: Alive, but at a Price

"She's right," Gracey said once Thalia was gone. "You should rest. I'll be here if you need me. You shouldn't be in any pain for a while because of the nectar and painkillers, but let me know if it starts to hurt."

"Thank you," Hannah replied before lying back down. It didn't take long for her to fall back asleep.

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Leo was stalking back towards the Field of Mars where Festus was playing with Hannibal the elephant. "Leo, wait!" a voice called from behind him.

"I don't care what the Senate says Hazel, I'm going back for them. You can't convince me otherwise, they're my friends and I need to help them!" Leo shouted back.

"I know, that's why we're coming too."

We? Leo questioned in his head as he turned around. There stood Hazel and Frank, packs slung over their shoulders.

"Like you said back there," Frank started. "The Graecus will be after them, and those two will probably attract monsters. Time is not on their side, left alone they'll never make it here."

"You'll get in trouble," Leo warned.

"I think they'll understand. It's not like we haven't flown off with you before," Hazel said with a twinkle in her eye.

"The Senate just hates authorizing anything without a prophecy first," Frank shrugged.

"Well come on then!" Leo exclaimed as he went to them and threw his arms around their shoulders. "Cali is waiting for us in the field, then we can go find our friends!"

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Hannah had woken up again the next morning, and this time Percy was awake as well. She groaned as she sat up, causing Percy to whip his head towards her. "Oh thank the gods!" Percy exclaimed as he crushed her in a hug. "You're alright!"

"Ya, thanks to Leo," Hannah replied.

Percy broke the hug and put his hands on Hannah's shoulders, staring her straight in the eyes. "You know, I had a dream of the night you broke out."

She couldn't look him in the eyes. "You did?" Hannah said softly.

Percy nodded. "I'm so sorry," he said, tears welling in his eyes. "I had a dream months ago that showed you in that cell, but I didn't know it was you. I should have known, I should have come for you!" he cried in anguish.

"There's now way you could have known." Hannah reassured, kindness filling her eyes.

"But i wasn't even there to help you!" he argued. "I could have protected you, could have prevented that from happening!" he exclaimed, gesturing to the stump that was her wrist. "I couldn't even help Jake, I saw the Hellhound maul him right before my eyes!"

"Perseus Jackson!" Hannah scolded. "Stop this pity party right now! You did all that you could, and you saved our lives. Without you and the Hunt we would be lying dead in that forest right now, so don't you dare say that you should have done more!"

Percy was about to say something else, but then a voice spoke from behind him. "Could you two keep it down?" Jacob rasped. "My head feels like somebody took Radium and kept stabbing it."

With a sudden burst of energy Hannah jumped out of her cot and over to Jacob's. "Jake!" she exclaimed before launching herself into his arms. "I was so worried!" she sobbed into his chest. The two lay there for a few minutes, just enjoying being with each other again.

"I'm so sorry," Jacob whispered after a few minutes. "I should have stayed closer."

"I swear," she mumbled into his chest. "If either of you try to apologize again I'll take a page from Lou Ellen's book and turn you into a small animal. A hamster maybe." Percy paled at the mention of a hamster.

"You got it, Hannah Banana," Jacob laughed.

Hannah untangled herself from his arms so she could look at him. "Seriously?" she glared. "People haven't called me that since elementary school." Jacob just shrugged and grinned at her. Well, grinned as well as he could considering he could barely move his face because of the stitches and bandages. "You are such a Lightbrain!" she exclaimed, punching him in the arm.

"You know you love me," he replied.

"Ya, I guess I do," Hannah said before giving him a small kiss.

From the side of them, Percy pretended to gag at the sight. "Excuse me, male who has sworn off romance over here!" he exclaimed. They pulled apart and Hannah cuddled into Jacob's right side so that she would be on the side he could see her. In response, Jacob looped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. Percy sighed internally. He had always wanted to experience a deep love like that, and thought he had it at one point.

"So Percy, when did you become a Hunter?" Jacob asked.

"How did you know?" Percy questioned, very surprised.

"Well, the 'no romance' comment and the uniform kinda gave it away," Jacob teased,

"Oh. Well, not too long ago actually, it hasn't even been a week yet."

"That's great, we're so happy for you!" Hannah exclaimed. "How has it been?"

"I love it here. The Hunt is my home, and all the girls feel like sisters," Percy explained.

"And I don't know how we got by before our big brother came along," Gracey said as she walked through the flap into the tent. "It's good to see you're awake," she nodded at Jacob. "Let's change those bandages."

Hannah had Percy help her back to her cot where she sat down to watch. "Whatever you do, don't mention it," she whispered to Percy. He just gave her a confused look, but nodded to show agreement.

"Hold still," Gracey said. "I need to rinse the wounds."

Jacob got a confused look on his face as he seemed to be concentrating. "Hey, why can't I open my other eye, and where are my glasses?"

Gracey looked nervously back at Hannah. "I'll tell him," she said before shuffling over to sit by him on the edge of his cot. "Jake," she said softly as she took his hand with her remaining one. "I don't know how to sugarcoat this, so I guess I'll just say it."

"What, what is it?" Jacob asked frantically.

"Jake, the Hellhound, it- it took your eye out. You don't have one to open," she softly explained.

"What?" he whispered.

"I'm sorry," she whispered back

Jacob just stared in shock, tears welling in his remaining eye. He wouldn't ever be able to stare into both of Hannah's eyes again, wouldn't be able to shoot a bow as accurately, Hades, he could only see half the world.

A/N: Percy's friends are alive, but that came with a price. Hannah lost her dominant hand, while Jacob lost his left eye. Neither will be the same again, but they must find a way to overcome if they are to help Percy. This chapter was honestly more of a filler chapter, but I really wanted one to slow the story back down a bit. The story has been moving forward at breakneck speed, so I thought it would be nice to slow down and maybe experience some emotions while we were at it.

I hope that y'all have a great day, wherever you may be!

P.S. Thank you guys so much for 500 reads!