Book 2 - The Sea Of Monsters
"Hey," Percy's voice was soft as he tried to wake her up. She looked out seeing that they were coming up onto a coast.
"We are near Miami!" Annabeth called from the other hippocampi. Ayden rubbed behind her animal ears hearing it neigh to her. Percy watched her interact with the creature.
"Stare a little longer Percy," Grover laughed. Percy's face burned as he glanced over his shoulder.
"You may be my best friend, but I can through you under the bus too." Grover just laughed, but Percy wasn't joking. Ayden slid off the hippocampi grimacing as her side erupted with a stabbing pain.
"Hey," Cameron moved through the water closer to her.
"The hippocampi are acting up," Annabeth added as she tried to calm hers.
"This is the farthest they are willing to go," Percy slid off. "It's the pollution too close to the land." He patted the horse's gills.
"Great, swimming," Ayden grumbled as she struggled to treat the water with one arm, the other held her side.
"Are you alright?" Cameron asked. She too struggled to keep her head above the water. Ayden shook her head as she grimaced each time she moved her arms through the water. "Are you hurt?"
"No." She fought through the pain until she could finally touch. She moved out from the water with her hand on her side.
"I need the Fleece!" Cameron yelled as she looked back at Clarisse.
"We need to figure out what day it is?" Annabeth added as she moved closer to the streets. Clarisse hesitantly gave Cameron the fleece as she wrapped it around Ayden's shoulders.
"What's wrong?" Tyson asked. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Ayden gave him a tight smile. Annabeth, Grover, and Clarisse went to look for a newspaper.
"Are you hurt?" Percy asked. "You didn't say anything." Ayden gasped suddenly as a warmth spread through her. Her bone seemed to crack back into place.
"Ow," She coughed a little and then looked at Cameron. "I'm good. I'm fine."
"You're lucky you didn't make it worse," Cameron snapped as she tugged the Fleece from her shoulders.
"We've been gone from camp for ten days," Annabeth heaved as she ran back toward the group.
"What?" Ayden looked at Percy. "Thalia's tree might be dead soon."
"How are we going to get back in time?"
"This is all your fault," Clarisse grumbled.
"Our fault?!" Ayden yelled at her.
"Yeah, the oracle said you would ruin my quest!" She threw her hands in the air.
"This is unbelievable," Annabeth shook her head. "You are seriously trying to blame this on us?"
"Hey!" Percy interrupted everyone. "Clarisse what exactly did the oracle say?" So she explained it. In Ayden's mind at first, she thought that maybe it was just Clarisse's luck that screwed them over, but she realized that maybe they all weren't supposed to make it back to camp at once.
"You have to take the fleece," Percy muttered. He grabbed the golden cloth from Cameron and handed it to her.
"What?" Annabeth scrunched her face. "No."
"How would I even get back?" She sassed. Tyson pulled his back from his shoulders and ruffled through it. He pulled out a bag of money. "Never mind."
"Tyson, you are brilliant!" Cameron cheered as she threw her arms in the air.
"We aren't seriously letting her go back alone, right?" Annabeth asked. She stared at each of them with wide eyes. "She's going to take all the credit."
"It was my quest," Clarisse snapped. She grabbed the money from Tyson's hands. "I will get it there in time. I won't fail." Percy moved closer to the road getting her a taxi.
"Not failing would be nice!" Cameron yelled after her. She was slightly joking.
"We are never welcome back to camp," Annabeth muttered to herself.
"We will be," Ayden tried to assure her as they watched the taxi leave.
"Now we just have to find a way back to camp," Grover put his hands on his hips. Ayden turned to see a sword pointed at her.
"That's not—." Grover turned as well. Behind them was Luke and his monster army.
"Fancy meeting you here," Luke tilted his head as he looked over to Percy. "Try to teleport or anything Ayden and I won't hesitate to hurt any of the others." He threatened.
"Luke," Cameron muttered. Ayden could hear the pain in her voice. Luke didn't look at her. He knew not to make the same mistake twice.
"Move," One of the bear twins came forward grabbing Ayden by the back of the neck.
"Hey—."
"Don't even think about it Jackson," Luke moved his sword toward Percy. Annabeth was grabbed as well. The other bear twin going after Cameron and Grover. Tyson was forced to stand down while they were moved back onto Princess Andromeda.
"Well now that we are all a happy little family once more, hand it over," Luke demanded. The others were set down, but the bear still had its hands on Ayden keeping her held tightly.
"We don't have it," Percy shot back. Luke lifted his sword as he moved closer to him.
"You do," He nodded. "Give it to me."
"We don't have it," Cameron spoke. Luke turned slowly. Ayden could see the way he tried to keep the rage in his eyes, but he just couldn't. Not when he looked at her.
"You–Clarisse," He snapped. "Get me a ride!" His monsters ran to get him what he needed.
"I don't think that's wise, Luke," Annabeth added. "The sky is Zeus's domain. He will strike you down for what you've done."
"Shut up!" Luke snapped. He was standing in front of a fountain on the ship. A mist was spraying up behind him. Percy threw something forward. The coin disappeared into the mist.
"She'll get to Camp Half-Blood," Percy spoke as the mist turned into a familiar rainbow. "Probably even find Mr. D too."
"No, she won't," Luke snapped. "I've worked too hard. The plan has to work."
"You're plan," Ayden scoffed. "You mean how you started all of this by poisoning Thalia's tree."
"Yes, that was just the start, none of you have any idea what is coming. Who is rising?"
"You mean Kronos?" Annabeth corrected. The others had caught onto Percy's plan with the iris message. They wanted Luke to admit what his plans were and what he was doing to the entire camp.
"Yes because he will be the one to bring down Olympus! He will be the one that will make the gods suffer for what they've done to us!" Luke walked closer to Percy. "Even if you're able to get the Fleece back to camp, it won't matter." Luke looked over to Ayden. "He's stronger already."
"Let Ki go," Annabeth stepped forward but was restrained by one of the bear twins. "Luke, you know Ki doesn't deserve that."
"It's not up to me," Luke glared at her. "It's not too late to come to my side. You know this is right."
"It's not," Percy shook his head.
"Well this is an interesting turn of events," Mr. D spoke. Luke turned around surprised to see the Big House with the god standing with his arms crossed.
"You tricked me." He hissed and swiped his sword through the mist breaking the connection. "Kill them." Luke turned away as he started to pace. Percy pulled his sword free.
"Fight me yourself?" Percy stepped forward. "Or are you the coward?" Luke stared at Percy his sword limp at his side. He let out a small smile and then lunged for Percy. Ayden was pulled back by one of the bear twins making her grimace. Percy's attention moved to her for a second, but that was enough for Luke to kick him.
Percy fell back into the pool behind them. There was a lot of noise from the other side of the ship. Centaurs came around the corner. They looked like they had party wear on. A few had foam fingers, others had top hats or beads around their necks. Grover helped Percy from the pool as Luck watched them.
"Take another step and this arrow will find you boy," One of the centaurs smirked. A few others had already let the arrows go as the monsters moved to go after them.
"Nice shot!" Chiron stood with them.
"I think it's time we got you out of here," Chiron added. "Children, come with me." Annabeth moved toward him. Grover, Tyson, and Percy went toward him as well. Ayden wanted to go, but Cameron wouldn't look away from Luke.
"Cameron," She muttered. Cameron took a deep breath and moved forward going to Luke's side. He barely glanced at her as she stood just behind him. "Cameron?"
"Go." She told her. Ayden felt her chest become heavy. She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't. She'd lost Ki to Luke. She wouldn't lose Cameron too.
"Cameron," Tyson muttered. She knew that Cameron was doing it so she could keep an eye on Ki, but Ayden wouldn't be there to help her.
"Cameron," She whispered. Percy moved forward to grab her arm. He didn't move, he just wanted her to know he was there.
"Ayden, we need to go before their reinforcements get here," Chiron added. Cameron reached forward taking Luke's hand in her own as she looked away from Ayden.
"I'm sorry Ayden," She muttered. Ayden's body felt weak. She didn't want to lose both of them.
"Join us," Luke muttered. "You know it's the right thing to do." His voice was softer. It was like with Cameron he was a completely different person.
"Cameron no," Grover called. "No, come home where you belong."
"Cameron," She shook her head.
"Ayden," Percy muttered. "We have to go." She stepped back watching as Luke broke eye contact with her. He turned pulling Cameron to his chest. She knew Cameron wouldn't betray her. She knew better, but it still hurt. She couldn't protect her.
"Ayden, I'm sorry." Ayden turned she didn't look up at him as they moved off the Princess Andromeda. She and Percy rode on Chiron's back as they moved quickly over the land. They'd made it back to Camp Half-Blood in no time.
Ayden was silent the entire time. She hadn't said a word to Chiron or Percy when they asked her how she was. She didn't speak until they got back to the big house in Camp.
"I need permission for a quest," Ayden finally spoke.
"Ayden, I don't think—."
"Yes or no?" Ayden asked. She finally looked up at the centaur.
"I need some more information," He told her.
"I was told by Thalassa that I needed to find her," Ayden explained. "I think she wants to help me deal with Kronos. I think she can help me save Ki and Cameron from him."
"A primordial?" He shook his head. "Ayden, they have been in hiding, for almost a millennia."
"Yeah, well they aren't hiding anymore."
"It's true," Annabeth spoke up. "She survived because Thalassa came to get her."
"I think I'm supposed to find them," Ayden explained. "I have to find them."
"Ayden, I don't think it's safe," Chiron added. "Your fa—Ares still wants you dead for the ways you've offended him. It's not the right time. I know you're upset about Ki and Cameron—."
"This isn't about them yet," Ayden interrupted him, "I ended permission for a quest. Will you give it to me or not?" Chiron stared at the young Demigod, he knew she would go with or without his permission.
"Fine. After we get everything situated. Fine, you can go on a quest. You will need to consult the oracle."
"Thank you," Ayden nodded and moved away from the big house. They were waiting on Clarisse's return with the Fleece. Annabeth and Grover were reuniting with their friends. The Ares children made sure to glare at Ayden as she walked past.
"You get your friends killed?!"
"Where's your shadows!"
"Lost your only friends!"
Ayden had stopped near the edge of the woods. When she turned around to face them, the children scattered. She would have called out to them, but she knew if she opened her mouth she would hunt them each down.
Instead, she disappeared into the woods. She found the Demeter cabin. No other demigods were there. No one usually visited since this had become their hangout. The three of them. Ayden opened the door and sat alone in the silence.