Book 3 - The Titans Curse
Cameron and Ayden were placed in front of one another. Neither moved. Neither spoke. They just stared at one another. They'd been together for a while, both were unconscious and in a limbo state.
"Do you hate me now?" Cameron asked. Ayden didn't know where she was, but she wasn't angry. She was sad.
"No," Ayden shook her head. "I'm confused and hurt, but I don't hate you. I could never hate you Cameron, you helped yourself and I won't make you a monster for that." Cameron wiped at her cheeks as tears started to fall.
"I thought I was doing right," Cameron added. "I'm truly sorry and I want you to know I don't blame you."
"For what?" Ayden moved closer to her.
"Do you forgive me?" Tears streamed down her chips and dripped off her chin.
"Cameron," Ayden hesitated. "I forgive you." she gripped Ayden's hand, but there wasn't any pressure. It was like she wasn't really there.
"I wish you would have been my little sister for a little longer."
"I can be." Ayden smiled. "Just come home, we can help. Let's just go about this a different way. I'm making a change."
"No you're trying to get yourself killed and it's too late for me." Cameron reached her cheeks. "Save yourself." She wiped the bloody tears from Ayden's cheeks.
"It's not too late, Cameron. I'll protect."
"You can't protect me anymore, Ayden." Tears fell. Ayden didn't understand. They wanted to same thing, just different ways of achieving it.
"Don't blame yourself." Cameron gave her a tight smile as her hands moved to Ayden's shoulders. "I'm proud of you. I'm so proud of you and how far you've come. You seem happy or as happy as can be." Cameron pulled her close for a hug. When she leaned back she saw that Cameron wasn't crying anymore. Color had returned to her face.
"What's going on?"
"I get to say goodbye," Cameron told her as she took a step back. Ayden moved closer to her, she feared that if she got too far she would lose her. "We're in your mind."
"Why? What is this?"
"A dream," Cameron's eyes started to tear up. "You can't save them."
"Who? Ki? Luke?" Cameron nodded. "Yes, we can. We can do it, I just need-."
"I can't save them. You have to, if you can."
"I don't understand what you mean by that. The war has barely begun, we can save them. Together. Luke will follow you anywhere, if the gods have a problem with it I can protect you." Ayden moved closer to Cameron, but she started to fade.
"I love you. Malaki was right, we are like a little family." Cameron moved her hands behind her back as she tilted her head. Ayden realized it looked like the smile she saw when she first met Cameron.
"I'm confused." Ayden pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I'm sorry I can't stay with you like you wanted."
"Cameron." Ayden reached for her redhead, but she disappeared. It was like she was never really there.
***
She'd been out for a day.
Ayden woke up chained to the floor. Her body didn't feel immobile like before. She stared at her arms seeing the second cut on Achlys's mark. She tried to teleport but realized the metal was celestial steel.
The next thing that got her attention was red hair. Cameron's body was on the floor in front of her. She wasn't moving, a white streak interrupted her auburn hair. Ayden looked toward the sky seeing Annabeth struggling under the sky as she sobbed. She didn't understand how they switched out or when.
"Oh good," Ki moved closer to Ayden. "You aren't dead too."
"Too?" Ayden shook her head. Ki glanced over his shoulder at the redhead on the ground. She wasn't moving. Her chest wasn't rising or falling. Nothing. "She's not-."
"Dead, yeah she is," Ki kicked her leg, hard. Cameron's body shook, but she didn't wake up or cry out. Her head rolled back toward Ayden showing that her eyes were open. She was staring off into the distance, but they were dull, faded. "You killed her. Well, you and Artemis killed her." Ayden looked over to Artemis who stared at the ground.
"She's not dead." Ayden narrowed her eyes. She thought she had only been out for a few minutes.
"Mmm, well she is. Artemis wouldn't take the sky from her, so she eventually just wore out since you put her there. Annabeth luckily being the brave demigod she is took the sky in hopes of saving what was left, but," Ki crossed his arms and stared at her body. He seemed disappointed. Ayden didn't want to believe it. His reaction wasn't one to a close friend dying. It was more like someone failed to complete a quest. The Ki she remembered would've been devastated. "Luke is going to be pissed when he finds out." Ayden wanted to laugh.
"She's not dead."
"Ayden," Annabeth grumbled as she moved under the sky. Her hair was streaked with white as well. The three girls matched one another in their misery. Once their eyes met she knew that it was true.
"She must have been holding it for a few minutes, it was only a few minutes, she wouldn't have-." Ayden stared at the body. A little blood was crusted under her nose. "She's not, but the dream. She's-." Atlas walked out from the darkness.
"Oh," He stared at the body. "Well, I mean maybe it's for the best." He turned and Ayden saw who he was staring at. Luke was standing behind him. His eyes landed on the girl's body.
"Cam," Luke rushed forward kneeling beside her. "Cam." He touched her cheek. "Cam, hey." He looked at Ki. "What did you do?" Ki lifted his hands with a smirk.
"I didn't do anything to your girl, that was her," Ki pointed at Ayden. Luke looked over at Ayden. His eyes were a blur of emotions. A fear struck her body as she watched his eyes water.
"Cameron, please. Cam," He pressed his hand to her neck. When he pulled them away they shook. Ayden realized she saw a ring. It was a black ring on Cameron's finger. Her ring finger. "Please, please." Ki grimaced as he watched Luke slowly fall apart in front of them. "I'm gonna-I'll-let me just," Luke gently cradled Cameron's limp body against his chest. He stared at her head as it rolled to the side her eyes still open and staring off in the distance. He moved toward the mountain's edge dissapearing from Ayden's view.
"Wasn't she your best friend?" Atlas asked. He stood in front of Ayden with a smirk on his face. "I mean I thought out of everyone you wouldn't have gone after her first."
"Atlas," Artemis warned. "I wouldn't."
"Oh, I'm fully aware of her capabilities and alliances. I will not underestimate her as others have," Atlas tilted his head to the side as he chuckled. "She was supposed to be your family or at least I thought she was. I guess you really do live up to the prophecies."
"What would you know," Ayden muttered. She didn't sound as strong as she wanted to. She couldn't shove her emotions away to focus. Her eyes kept going back to where Luke disappeared with Cameron's body. She hated how helpless she felt.
"Well I mean, I thought she was, but I guess family doesn't really mean anything for you does it," Ki spoke. "Look what happened to your mother." Ayden couldn't even look up at him. She knew it wasn't the same Ki she was close with. It was Kronos. Ki was being used, he was under Kronos's magic and influence. Ayden felt like everything was turning upside down and she had no time to get her footing before things changed again. She was tired. She was in pain. She just wanted to disappear. She wanted to cry.
"What did you do?" Luke came back and he came back angry. He moved around Atals and grabbed Ayden's shirt yanking her to her feet. "She loved you! What is wrong with you!"
"They need some privacy," Ki walked over to Annabeth muttering something to her as he touched her cheek. He then followed after Atlas as they walked away from the group.
"How could you," Luke's entire body shook with anger. He seemed ill, but he still had the strength to hit. He held onto her shirt as he punched her over and over. Her vision blurred and her face felt puffy as she collapsed to her knees. "She was your family. She was doing this all for you. She was sacrificing everything to get you justice. Do you understand that? She was your sister."
"Yeah," Ayden muttered as she spit blood. "I thought so too." Luke scoffed and let go of her as he paced back and forth.
"You took her from me. You took her from me." His voice broke. "She was just trying to help you see the truth. She wasn't going to hurt you and now-she's, she's dead. She gone." His eyes were puffy and red as if he was fighting back sobs. Ayden understood the need to channel your grief into anger.
"Luke!" Annabeth tried to catch his attention, but his rage gave him tunnel vision.
"She only joined your side because she loved you," Ayden's voice was light. Her forehead was resting against the hard ground as she took a deep breath.
"Don't turn this around on me. She was protected by me, I protected her. She trusted you," Luke shook his head. "She cared for you. We all did. Ayden, we're doing what you are too cowardly to do." Ayden could see the tears threatening to fall as he came to terms with her death.
"I'm doing more than you."
"No!" He grabbed her again. "No, you're not. We are the only ones making the gods scared. Why can't you see that? I just-you killed her." He let go of her and ran his hands through his hair.
"It wasn't intentional, Luke. Trust me, I didn't mean to hurt her."
"So that makes it so much better! He was right, he was right. He's always right." Luke clenched his jaw and walked past her. When he came back he had his sword with him. She could see the double blade, one a slight gold the other silver. Backbitter.
"How about you undo these chains before you try to fight me?" Ayden asked as she slowly sat up. Her nose was bleeding from him hitting her. It was hard for her to take a deep breath.
"Luke, don't," Annabeth grimaced as the sky lowered.
"No, shut up! Both of you," Luke glared at Ayden. His grip tightened on the handle as she waited.
"Undo these chains."
"You don't deserve a fair death, you didn't give Cameron one."
"She wasn't in pain," Artemis lied.
"She's dead." Luke breathed. "She's gone. It doesn't matter anymore, what matters is that I get justice for her." He raised his sword, the edge pressing into her neck. "And it's your fault." Ayden couldn't push away the image of how broken Luyke seemed. "Do you understand what you took from me? Who you took from me?" His face broke for a moment. The sword shook in his hand.
"Do it," Ayden whispered. To anyone else it just seemed like she was antagonizing him, but in reality. Ayden didn't know if she would be able to live with herself. From Luke's reaction, she truly was dead and she couldn't bring her back.
"No!" Annabeth cried out. "Luke, please! Please." Ayden leaned forward pressing the blade into her neck. Her face pinched as it broke the skin.
"Do it then."
An arrow struck Luke's hand making him cry out as he dropped his sword. He held his hand to his chest and looked around. A person slid between Ayden and Luke. She recognized the hair and posture.
"Percy."
"Touch her again and I won't hesitate to kill you." A slight sob escaped Ayden as she heard Percy's voice. He looked over his shoulder to make sure she was okay and then turned his attention back to Luke.
"You don't understand." Luke shook his head.
"My lady," A girl came forward kneeling beside Artemis. Thalia moved forward with her spear distracting Luke as Percy freed Ayden.
"I'm sorry." Percy apologized as he saw the blood on her face.
"You're here," Ayden breathed. Percy struck the chains with Riptide freeing her. "How did you find this place?" She stood up hugging him. She couldn't help it. She hadn't seen him in a while and to be honest she missed him. It was her first instinct.
"I'll always find you," She held her close.
"Well isn't this cute," Atlas added as he appeared. Ayden looked back and then over to Annabeth. Artemis was free too.
"Get Annabeth out," Artemis told Percy. He looked at Ayden again, he noticed the little white streak of hair she had and then moved toward Annabeth releasing her. She collapsed to the floor as Percy now struggled with the sky.
"You gonna shoot me in the back again?" Ayden asked as stood next to the goddess.
"Nope," The goddess handed Ayden a blade. "I would rather use you."
"Very wise." Ayden nodded as the goddess pulled out her bow.
"Are you seriously going to challenge me?" Atlas laughed. He stood there with his arms crossed. The girl with the silver crown on her head moved diagonally from them with her bow raised.
"Zoe, stand down," Artemis demanded.
"I really thought you would have killed her by now Luke," Atlas smiled as he looked down on Ayden. "I guess I'll do it myself after I deal with the others."
"I need to stretch my legs," She muttered and then disappeared. Artemis smiled as Ayden reappeared behind Atals. She swung Backbitter, but Atlas quickly blocked it.
"I knew I should've killed you sooner." He threw his hand back making her stumble, but she teleported away once more.
"Get in line." She spun the sword in her hand. Percy was struggling to keep his vision clear, but he could see the way Artemis and Ayden worked together to battle Atlas. They made it seem like they'd been doing it the entire time. Both work in tantum with one another.
Thalia was occupied as she fought with Luke. The pair were moving closer and closer to the cliff. Atlas was able to throw Artemis a good distance so Zoe stepped up to help with her arrows, but she only angered Atlas. Ayden couldn't distract him from the girl anymore. Ki had merged from the shadows. Her attention was turned to him as she cut Chaos's mark allowing her to access her magic for a time.
"You know I've always wanted to fight you with magic," He smiled.
"We have, remember?" Ayden smiled as blood dripped from her fingers. Ki was the first to throw his hand out trying to catch her with the darkness, but she teleported behind him releasing a cloud of black chaos. She was caught off guard when a body was thrown against the wall beside her. She saw Zoe crumble to the ground.
"No!" Artemis yelled. Ayden slashed Atlas' leg making him cry out in pain. She moved back seeing him come for her.
"Now," Percy grumbled. Artemis tripped Atlas making him roll toward Percy. The young demigod was knocked out of the way. Atlas let out an angered yell as the weight of the sky fell upon him. Once the realization hit where he was and what he had to endure once more Atlas let out another rageful yell shaking the entire mountain. Ayden turned back to Ki to fight him, but he had disappeared. Thalia and Luke were fighting one another, but she knew Thalia had it handled. She had some anger to unleash on him. Instead, Ayden moved toward Annabeth helping her stand.
"You okay?" She asked. Annabeth threw her arms around Ayden's body as they both let out a long sigh of relief. They'd lived through this.
"Ayden!" Luke yelled. He'd knocked Thalia back a foot and forced his attention on her. "You will pay for what you've done." His gaze was so intense Ayden could feel the goosebumps on her skin. If he was a child of Hecate he would have hexed her in that moment.
"Enough!" Thalia moved forward shoving her shield into Luke. His hand bent as he dropped his sword and stumbled back. He misstepped and fell off the edge of the mountain. Ayden teleported next to Thalia. She didn't see his body falling. She didn't even see him on the rocky shore below. "Where is he?" Near the rock shore under them, more of Kronos's army were emerging. They were coming to aid the others.
"Ki," Ayden looked around. She knew he was around here somewhere, but she didn't know why he didn't come to help Luke. He just disappeared. She saw the golden sarcophagus behind them. The lid was off. She moved closer and saw Cameron's body lying inside. Her eyes were closed, to her she looked at peace.
"Ayden." She turned to see Annabeth. "I'm sorry." Ayden didn't have any words. She shook her head as she moved away from the dead girl. They both saw Artemis kneeling next to Zoe.
"We need to go," Thalia added as she moved over kneeling next to the pair. Percy was on the other side. They each hid grim looks on their faces. Ayden didn't know how much more death she could deal with at one time.
"I'm sorry," He muttered to Artemis. The goddess took Zeo's hand in hers. Ayden didn't know who the girl truly was, but she knew they were close. She was a great and loyal higher. She didn't deserve to die like this. Artemis picked the girl up moving her farther out from the mountain until she could see the night sky.
"I can-I can see them, my lady. The stars. I can see them again." The girl smiled. She reached a bloody hand up like she wanted to touch the stars with her bare hands. "They're beautiful."
"You fought bravely," Artemis let a tear fall as she watched a silvery mist come from Zoe. Her final breath. She caught it in her hands kissed her fingers and released it into the air. "Join the stars now, my huntress." Zoe's body sparkled until she disappeared from the ground. Ayden saw an outline of a girl with a bow in the dark sky. They sat there for a moment of silence in remembrance.
"I have to go warn the others at Olympus, but I will send someone to get you," Artemis added as she wiped her eyes. Ayden turned away from them. Her eyes were on the sarcophagus where she knew Cameron was. "Ayden you have to come with."
"Are you going to try and kill me again?" Ayden asked. She didn't turn away from the sarcophagus. She would rather bury her friend.
"No, I will stand with you, But you have to show up with the others or they will see that as a shift of alliance," Artemis spoke before she disappeared.
"We have to save him," Annabeth stood beside her. "We have to save Ki."
"I don't know if we can."
"You have to," Annabeth whispered. A tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. "We have to."
"I don't know if I can, Annabeth. I don't know how." Ayden admitted. "I don't want to lose anyone else either."
"You didn't know, Ayden," Annabeth hugged her. "You didn't know. It wasn't your fault."
"I should have." Ayden gently hugged her back. Percy watched the pair hold one another. Each of them had the same white streak in their hair. When the two let go of each other. Percy watched her as she looked back up at the sky.
"How are you not dead?" Percy asked. "I saw you get shot. I saw you fall." Ayden's hand went to her chest where there was a hole in her shirt from the arrow. Percy stepped forward as he turned her around seeing the hole in the back of her shirt as well.
"Achlys healed me," She muttered.
"Like Achlys, Achlys?" Thalia asked. She nodded. "That would explain the bloody tears." Ayden touched her face and shook her head.
"I guess I should go." Ayden looked back at the ground where Zoe had laid.
"Artemis said you had to go to Olympus," Annabeth reasoned. Ayden nodded.
"I can teleport there," She explained. "It would also give them time to yell at me before you arrive."
"You mean try to kill you, no way," Percy shook his head. "I just got you back and I'm not letting you go again. We arrive together." He gently took her hand in his interlacing their fingers.
"Percy-."
"We aren't splitting up anymore. I'm not doing that again, we aren't. You are staying with me, with us. We are heading up there together." Percy left no room for discussion as the pegasus' came from the sky. That was their ride to Olympus. Ayden climbed onto one with Percy. Thalia and Annabeth were on another pegasus, as they flew up toward Olympus together.