First Lie || Deception Book I ||

The Return Pt. 1

"It's my business when you disappear for three days!" Luke shot back.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Can we just let it drop?" Ally interrupted before Luke could ask again. "She'll tell us when she's ready."

I shot a grateful glance at Ally, who nodded back at me.

"Do you know where she went?" Luke demanded.

"No, and I don't care. She's here now. That's what matters," Ally replied.

I stayed silent, slipping seamlessly into the persona of a person who'd just been plunged through ten years of grief that could only be caused by losing a younger sibling.

"It may not matter to you, but it does to me. Ri, you almost died! And then you just up and left again! Do you know how horrible the past three days have been for me?!"

"Yes!" I shot back, making my voice crack. "I know!"

"Guys," Ally started.

"How? You were the one that left!"

"Because I feel horrible for not being able to save William every day!" I said, my voice breaking flawlessly, a tear slipping from my eyes.

"I couldn't do anything nine years ago when he was killed! Do you know what it feels like to stand there and see your five-year-old brother killed by a cyclops, helpless, knowing that everything was your fault? Not a day passes when I wish that it'd been me instead of him."

I was full-on crying now, tears streaming down my face. I glared at Luke. "I went to visit his grave. Are you happy now?"

Luke was staring at me in shock, his blue eyes wide.

"I told you to drop it," Ally said quietly. She hugged me, conveying that she understood what I'd gone through and didn't care that I'd been gone for three days without a word. She'd stick with me through everything.

Tears threatened to spill again, but this time, it wasn't fake. Ally was so pure, and knowing that everything I'd do would poison her was too much to bear. I hated this burden.

"I'm sorry," Luke finally said, his blue eyes shimmering. "I didn't mean to-"

"I know you were just worried about me," I sniffled. "'It's okay."

"Ten years is a long time to bottle up that grief," Luke said, sitting on my other side. "You could have told us. You know you can tell us anything. We've all experienced horrible things."

Haha, no, I can't, I thought.

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered quietly. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"It's not your fault," Ally finally said, releasing me from the hug and instead leaned her head against my shoulder.

I didn't answer, my silence enough to say, as plain as day, that it was.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you guys in," Will said, walking through the door again. "Out, both of you. She needs rest. By the way, Annabeth and Grover just returned from their quest."

"What?" I said, sitting up abruptly, quickly wiping away my tears. "Where's Percy?"

Luke tensed behind me, almost imperceptible.

"Annabeth said he went to return the bolt alone so they could tell Chiron the truth in case anything happened," Will replied.

"So in case Zeus blasted him," I said deadpanned, my voice still wobbly from my outburst earlier.

"There's no need to put it so bluntly," Ally said nervously, her eyes darting towards the sky.

I nudged her and she stood up.

I threw the blankets off and swung my legs around to the floor.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked, standing up as well.

"To talk to Annabeth and Grover," I replied, slipping my shoes on.

Will sighed. "I thought that would happen. Just please make sure Dionysus doesn't kill me when he sees you."

"You can't seriously expect that I'd stay here after hearing that they returned," I said, ruffling his blond hair on the way out. "You shouldn't have said anything. And don't worry. That won't happen. There's no way that Dionysus will turn the best medic in camp into a dolphin."

Will blushed and busied himself by checking the medicine cabinet again for the fiftieth time today.

"Don't say stuff like that," Ally warned me. "It might get to his head."

"Nah, that won't happen. He's too good for that. Unlike the person behind me."

Ally glanced back to see Luke and grinned. "I agree."

"Hey," he complained, but smirked.

"Seriously, no magicky stuff for the next week," Will called.

"Okay," I replied. "Don't worry. I know that if anything happens, I'll be stuck here for the next month. I have no intention of that happening."

"I never thought that you'd listen to a ten-year-old," Ally commented as we walked towards the gathering commotion around the cabins.

"Doctor's orders, anyone has to listen," I replied. "Especially if it comes from Mr. D."

"It's strange, though," Luke mused. "It's very unlike Dionysus to care so much about a camper."

"He did it for Ally," I replied smoothly. "She's his daughter and I'm her best friend. Of course, he would care."

Luke scoffed. "Like the gods care about their children."

"Mmm, can't argue with that," I said. "But it could be true. After all, Ally's very lovable."

"I'm right here, you know," Ally said, nudging me. "Talking behind someone's back is bad enough, but talking about someone like that when they're right next to you is even worse."

"How is being lovable a bad thing?" I questioned.

Ally sighed. "Whatever."

"Enough dawdling. Let's go meet the heroes," I said. "Race you!"

I ran through towards the cabins, my feet flying over the green grass.

It was over. The bolt was returned to Zeus and justice to the heavens. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover were safe. I, and my secret, was safe. The hard part of this year was over, and camp would return to normal.

I knew, of course, that today was only the start of the war, but the skies were blue, the sun shone brightly, the air was fresh, and the world was beautiful today. It was a day for celebration, not for worrying about the future. 

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