𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀 | No way out, nothingness, or the impenetrable. A puzzle or something puzzling.
Esmerelda spent the school year dog-hunting after discovering the truth about the mortal side of her family during a 'visit' to the Underworld. Her summer v...
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▬▬▬ CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE ▬▬▬
ESMERELDA WOKE UP TO FIGHTING. At first she thought it was Nico and Ethan having a go at each other for the millionth time, but when she opened her eyes, she realized it was much worse than she thought.
She was dreaming. She had to be.
The grand room with the broken fountains that she had previously been in was gone now, replaced by a different room with that accursed glowing coffin at the other end. In between her and the coffin were Annabeth and Ethan.
And they were trying to kill each other.
No, she thought, but she wanted to scream. Why couldn't she move? She was stuck sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. Her whole body was tense and stiff. Suddenly, something brushed against her shoulder.
She was only able to turn her head to look.
Sitting beside her was Luke, wearing an equally as horrified face. Neither of them could move. They couldn't do a thing, but watch as Annabeth and Ethan fought each other.
Suddenly there was a deep chuckle and the whole room darkened. A large, dark, and spectral hand rose from the coffin. Annabeth and Ethan's figures dispersed, and the hand reached out for her and Luke.
Luke was shaking, tears were streaming down his white face and Esmerelda was in a similar state. A shadow crossed over them as the large hand drew closer and closer. It was going to grab one of them, but who would it be? Would it get her or Luke?
She clenched her eyes shut just as it grasped out for—
"You little shit, you did that on purpose!"
"Did not, you're lying!"
"No, you are!"
Esmerelda let out a breath of relief when she heard the familiar voices of Nico and Ethan. They were arguing again, but at least they weren't trying to kill each other.
She thought of her dream and suppressed the urge to shudder. Why were Annabeth and Ethan fighting, and why couldn't she and Luke do anything about it? What did all of that mean?
"—drooled all over me!" Nico shouted.
"That's your own drool!" Ethan glared.
"What," she finally interrupted, pushing herself up into a sitting position. "Are you two fighting about this time?"
Ethan jabbed a finger at the younger boy's direction. "He kicked me and then had the audacity to accuse me of drooling on him!"
"I kicked you in my sleep, it was an accident! And you did drool on me! Look, Essie!" To prove it, he showed him the drool marks on the shoulder of his pure black tee-shirt.
