Book 4 - The Battle of The Labyrinth
"Hey Connor have you seen Ayden?"
"Your girlfriend is by the water," He smirked. "Actually my brother is probably there with her. The two seem quick close." Percy stared at him confused.
"Ayden is with your brother?" Percy said once again. "Like hanging out?" Connor shrugged as he left Percy standing there alone. He rolled his eyes and started walking toward the water. He saw Annabeth coming back up wrapped in a towel. Her hair was wet and she couldn't stop laughing to herself.
"You better get down there, I think she's gonna kill him." Annabeth laughed as she scrunched up the ends of her hair. Percy contained his laughter as he picked up the pace. He jogged down the path hearing yells from both Ayden and Travis.
"Come on, please, it would be fun!" He saw Ayden in the water, up to her neck as she glared at the water's edge. "I mean Percy is great and all, but I mean. Ayden—." Percy stood just behind him.
"I think you should leave." Travis jumped. He turned seeing Percy behind him.
"Oh hey Percy, I was just talking to Ayden about you." He scratched the back of his neck. Ayden was floating on her back now, she didn't care as long as Percy was here now.
"You should leave," Percy patted his shoulder. Travis nodded and ran toward the path back to camp. when he looked back Ayden wasn't floating didn't he surface anymore? She'd sunk to the bottom letting the sounds echo.
Percy was drawn to the water, mostly because Ayden was there, but he walked toward her until he took her hand under the water. She reemerged and brushed her hair back. She gave him a smile.
"He was annoying me."
"He's probably never seen you swim during the day. What was he talking about?"
"How I would have more fun with him and his brother," She grimaced. "Who says stuff like that?" Ayden ran her hand over the water once more as Percy smiled at her. "Anyway, I thought you were training? What brought you down here."
"You," He watched her smile and she spun in a circle. There were so many scars on her arms from drawing on the markings. It made a knot form in Percy's stomach. "I was in training, but I decided to take a break."
"To come find me?" Ayden narrowed her eyes at him as he moved his hands. His magic pulled Ayden closer to him until he could touch her arm.
"You deserve a break. I need a break." He added. Ayden slid her hands around his shoulders resting them at the back of her neck. "So I went looking for you and ran into Connor missing his other half."
"Ah, I see," She pursed her lips. She was staring at him, but suddenly her vision blurred. Her grip loosened, but Percy didn't let her go.
"Ayden?" She blinked several times as her body went limp. Percy guided her as they both moved toward the shore. "Ayden, hey." He pulled her into his lap as they rested on shore. He held her face gently.
"It's—." She blacked out.
"Ayden." He pulled her closer to him. She was in her sports bra and shorts, her skin was cold to the touch. A horrifying thought crossed his mind. That maybe this was it, this was the last time he would speak with her, that he would get to hold her. Ayden took a deep breath and opened her eyes for a moment. She winced slightly as she tried to move. "Ayden, hey, hey, it's okay, I've got you."
"Percy," She whispered. Her body shuddered as she slowly wrapped her arms around him.
"Are you okay?" She didn't respond, but he could feel the slight shake of her shoulders as she fought the urge to cry. Percy had no idea what was going on with her, but he was scared for her. He hated not knowing, she liked to keep things from him. "Ayden?"
"I'm okay," She tightened her hold around his neck. "I'm okay, I'm sorry." Percy let out a long sigh as he held her closer.
"If there is something wrong, you would tell me right?" Ayden hesitated.
"Yeah. I'm fine just all this use of the markings is draining."
He knew she was lying and that pained him. It wasn't the fact that she wouldn't tell him, it was the fact that she wouldn't tell him because she knew he would worry. Which meant it was bad. There were only a few other things that she wouldn't tell him before this. Like her scars, when her father unclaimed her, and then the gods sent out a kill order for her.
"We'll be okay." They both leaned back. Ayden wiped away her tears quickly. She always hated crying, even around Percy. "You have to leave soon, don't you?" She sighed and rested her forehead against his.
"Yeah," She played with the 'A' necklace around his neck making him smile faintly. "I shouldn't be gone for long though, then I can come back and help out again."
"You've said that more than once," Percy added. She tilted her head to the side and then offered her pinky.
"I promise." He interlaced their pinkies and nodded.
"Good cause I hate when you're away from me. You make me worry."
"Possessive," Ayden joked. Percy smiled and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'll be back I promise. When do you leave to go back to your home?"
"Um, a week or two? Are you going to be staying away that long?" Ayden shook her head.
"I'm just preparing in case something happens and I get back too late to see you."
"Me being home shouldn't stop you, my mom loves you," he paused. "So, uh, you can come straight to our house after you get back if you want."
"Okay, but you know I wouldn't intrude. You deserve some time alone with your mom and Paul." Percy nodded. "I'll also be there for your birthday."
"Good Paul would think you're a horrible girlfriend if you missed it," Percy joked as he stood up. He helped her up as she squeezed the water from her hair. He moved his hand removing the water from her clothes and hair. She leaned forward kissing his cheek. He kept the lookout as she put on her shirt and shorts.
"What are you doing now?" He asked. Ayden put her hand on his shoulder as she slid her shoe back onto her food.
"What are you doing?"
"I like that answer," He took her hand and led her through the woods until they got to the strawberry fields.
"Percy?" She laughed as she looked around.
"I asked Silena for a favor," Percy moved to the side exposing the blanket. There were small platters of food, they had little nets over them to protect the food from bugs since they didn't know what Ayden was going to be up to.
"You lied," She lightly hit his arm. "You weren't training."
"Well I stopped because I realized I only have a few more days with you before you leave for a quest, which you're going on alone aren't you?" He glared at her. Ayden shrugged as she smiled at the blanket.
"It's for everyone's safety and I'm used to breaking the ancient rules anyway."
"I get it, I just wish you would let me help you," Percy put his hands on his hips as he stared down at the blanket. His brows furrowed. Ayden smiled and took his hand.
"I will ask for it when I need it." She moved closer. "Did you really get Silena to do this?"
"And Berkendorf, Tyson helped too," Percy smiled. "Sit." She did and looked at the small snacks they had. It wasn't much, but they really weren't supposed to take the food from the kitchen if it wasn't mealtime, but Silena made them cute, a few of the pieces of fruit were cut into hearts.
"Percy, this is sweet," Ayden blushed as she looked over at him. He was just watching her, a stupid grin on his face. Ayden picked up a piece of fruit taking a bit. "How long until Mr. D finds out food was stolen." She took a bite from the chocolate-covered strawberries.
"I've got that covered." He picked up one of the grapes.
"Oh?" Ayden smirked.
"Grover and Juniper." She leaned back onto one of her hands as she let the sun soak into her skin. It was always good weather in camp.
"Ah, they're the best," She grabbed another strawberry and held it up to him. "They're sweet, try one." Percy took a bite of the strawberry as she fed it to him. "Does this mean it's an official date?"
"We can make it an official one, although I could argue we've had many over the years," Percy teased as he picked through the food options they had displayed.
At first, Aydent thought it was a little awkward, but then she calmed herself because it was Percy. The Percy she's known for years. The one she likes, the one she's kissed, the one she has fought for.
"How many would you say?"
"Well," He paused his chewing. "You've met Paul, My mother and my father. Who you aren't afraid to talk back to," They both laughed. "Which I find hilarious—."
"Well, we've all got issues with each other. I'm one of the only ones that aren't afraid to be smitted by any of them," Ayden looked up at the sky.
"Are you waiting for lighting to strike?" Percy looked up as well. He had to raise his hand to block the sun from his eyes.
"I was," Ayden laughed again. "Usually he knows, but he could be preoccupied."
"Hasn't he tried to attack you before?"
"Yeah, but Aion and Chaos appeared to help me," Ayden stared down at the chocolate-covered strawberries. "Percy, none of this is blue."
"Not all of my food has to be blue," He chuckled as he grabbed another grape.
"I know, but—wait here." She disappeared from the spot.
"And I'm alone on my date," Percy crossed his ankles and looked at the plate of cookies. They were regular with bits of chocolate chips. Ayden reappeared with something in her hands.
"Guess?" She smiled as she hid it from him.
"Did you get it from camp?" She shook her head. "Did you pay for it at least?" She pursed her lips. "Ayden, you can't steal anymore."
"I'll make sure to pay extra when I stop by there again," She showed him a small back of blue candies."
"Oh Ayden," He smiled and held the bag in his hands. "You got these from the candy shop?" She nodded.
"Now there is something blue for you too," She grabbed another chocolate-covered strawberry and looked around. "You know for us living in a strawberry field, we don't get strawberries often." Percy opened the bag setting them between the two of them.
"I know I thought about that a lot when I first got here. I was confused." He ate a piece of the candy. It made him homesick even though he was going back in a few weeks. He missed his mom.
"Will you have to see Thalassa and Chaos again?" Ayden looked back over at him.
"Probably," She gave him a sad smile. "But I won't trust them like I did. They were using me. I was an experiment." Percy knew not to argue with her. He didn't like the idea of people taking advantage of Ayden either, but he knew that the primes did care for her. "I'll have to speak to them about the other conduits anyway. That's probably where I'm going to start first."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Percy smirked. She rolled her eyes at him.
"Real smooth Jackson," She picked up a piece of the blue candy and held it into the light. "Does it taste like blueberries?"
"No, more like just sweet candy. A jellybean maybe."
"I stole a pack of jellybeans from a gas station once," Ayden popped it into her mouth. "They kept me in there for a night, until I accidentally teleported out in my sleep."
"How much have you stolen?" Percy smiled at her. Ayden pressed her lips into a flat line so she didn't smile.
"What didn't I steal?"
"Anyway, do you want me to come on the quest with you?" Percy redirected the conversation. Ayden leaned back on her palms as she let out a long sigh.
"Not yet," She shook her head. "I want to see what these other conduits are like, I can't risk putting you in any danger if they're going to attack me."
"Well I want to be there to help you if they do," Percy stared at her. She shook her head.
"No, I don't want you to see how I act around them." She let out a long breath. "Are you afraid of who you might become?" Percy watched the light from her eyes fade. She looked so exhausted.
"Sometimes, but I know that if I have you and my friends. I'll always be able to know who I really am even during the darkest times." His pinky grazed the back of her hand until she interlaced their fingers.
"Sounds biblical," She breathed.
"So that's a no on me coming with you," Percy tilted his head to the side. Ayden let out a scoff as she leaned onto her back.
"Yeah, you're not coming."
"Dang, really thought I got to you that time." He laid down with her. They both laughed at each other. There were barely any clouds in the sky above them. It was bright blue with white puffs.
"Maybe next time, Jackson. One day you'll get to meet them once I figure out if I can trust them not to hurt you."
"I can protect myself," Percy reasoned as he turned his head to her. She was already staring at him.
"I can't lose you," She looked back up at the sky. "I won't. So you will have to wait until you can meet the others." Percy leaned over and kissed her briefly.
"I'll do whatever you ask." He wrapped his arm around her as they lay in the sunlight together.