~Playlist: "Bloodstream" by Ed Sheeran~
"This is how it ends"
Annabeth's POV
I fall back from the impact of the bullet, hitting the floor hard. The wind is knocked out of me, and I gasp for air.
But I'm not wounded. The bullet bounced off me, just as Daphne said it would when I asked why I had to wear the jumpsuit. I catch my breath, and my breathing slows to normal. To Willow's surprise, I jump back to my feet. Her beautiful green eyes widen before narrowing. She scowls at me, but I'm not focused on her face: I'm staring at the small silver pin clipped to her collar on her shirt.
"You were always difficult to kill," Willow snarls. "But I think I like it better this way. Now, I can make it slow."
My stomach turns, but I refuse to show any fear.
"You've tried so many times to trap me, to kill me," she continues. "And every time, something has gone wrong. Why won't you just give up?"
With each word, Willow advances a step. I don't move: I allow her to approach me. I stay still, even when the gun is placed against my temple.
"Luke's told me all about you, Annabeth," she whispers, a smile forming on her face. "And my spies have told me things that only Daphne knows--things she hasn't told you yet."
What does she mean by that? What has Daphne been keeping from me?
As if she can read my mind, her grin grows. "Would you like to know? Do you want to hear why Esmerelda gave you that flower, and not the nonsense she told you? I'll tell you everything, Annabeth, if you come with me."
"Why do you want me?" I'm surprised at how even my voice is.
"I don't. Luke, however, is a different story. He made me promise on the River Styx not to lay a finger on you. What he doesn't know is that I don't need to touch you to kill you."
Fear ricochets from nerve to nerve until my body is humming. I give her a look of pure loathing, which she accepts with a mocking smile.
"What do you say, Chase? You can either die, or you can be reunited with your oldest friend. It's all your choice."
Darkness explodes behind her. Her eyes widen with fear.
That's the last thing I see of Willow before the darkness surrounds her, encasing her in a large shadow. I scramble to unclip the small cylinder from my belt. I press the button and aim it at the far wall. The small light emitted from the cylinder triggers a series of ropes to fly from small holes in the wall. They spring towards Willow and the shadow.
Across the room, Umbra smirks at me, twisting her hand to make the shadow wrap more tightly around Willow. The ropes bind around the shadow. With a flick of her wrist, Umbra causes the shadow to disappear. Willow struggles against the binds, the ropes forcing her onto her knees.
She glares at me, hatred gleaming in her green eyes.
"Hurry!" Umbra instructs, and I dart forwards. Willow snarls at me as I approach, but I ignore her. Carefully, I detach the pin from her collar. As she realizes what I'm doing, she bucks and struggles. Gritting my teeth, I rip it off the shirt.
"You don't know what you're doing!" Willow screams, startling me enough that I almost drop the pin. "You don't know what you've just caused!"
Umbra appears in front of her, holding a knife to her throat. "Then please explain, demigod. I'm sure we'd both be enthralled to hear what you have to say."
Willow glares, and stays silent.
"I thought that might be what you'd do," says Umbra with a smile.
"Umbra, what are you doing--" I start to ask, but I get my answer before I even finished my question.
Hundreds of Willows fill the room, ranging in age. The youngest looks to be around four, and the oldest doesn't look much older than she is now.
The real Willow, the one tied up, gasps, and I see fear in her eyes. I step away from her.
"Do you know who they are, Willow Elyse Livingston?" If Willow is surprised that Umbra knows her full name, she doesn't show it. "These lovely ladies are everyone that you've been, and everyone that you will be. And look," she continues, gesturing to the oldest Willow. "The oldest looks about your age. Curious, isn't it?"
Willow starts to shudder, and she shuts her eyes. From the frighteningly focused look on Umbra's face, I know that she's getting her mind invaded.
"Umbra, leave her alone. We have her, that's enough. We should find Daphne. . ."
Umbra whirls to face me, malice and fury written across her youthful features. "Do you know who Willow is, Annabeth Chase? She's the daughter of Nyx, the goddess of night herself. She can do things no other demigod can; she's closer to a monster than a god. She can be mine, and I can finally leave."
I clench the pin in my fingers tightly until it pierces through skin. The pain is a sharp distraction from whatever is chaotically unfolding before me.
Willow cries out in pain, folding into a fetal position. Agony disfigures her beautiful face.
"Stop! I didn't want to hurt them!" she screams. "He made me, you don't know the things he's done!"
Whoever she's screaming about is unknown to me, but it pleases Umbra: her smile grows.
"Stop!" Willow screams, her voice raw.
I hate her, I have to remind myself. She's done much worse to others; she deserves it.
But the words don't stop my heart panging for her.
"I couldn't stop them!" she shrieks, clawing at her face. Her nails scrape her skin, and she begins to bleed. "It was before I could control them!"
Umbra cackles, and Willow screams louder.
"Stop!" I shout. "Umbra, stop it!"
Her black eyes face me, and fear rolls through my stomach. But I don't back down. I face her defiantly, and return her glare.
"You need to learn when you aren't wanted, Annabeth Chase," she growls, no longer entertained by Willow's screams. "I've tried to kill you before, but I've always failed. This time, however, I won't. No one here can stop me. Not Daphne, not Percy, not you."
She advances towards me, and I wonder how I could have ever found her pretty: there's far too much darkness in her.
"Even in Tartarus, I failed. But then, you had a Titan on your side. Now, you have no one."
I take a step back, and then another. My dagger is in my hand, and pointed at her. "What do you mean? I've never been in Tartarus."
She giggles. "That's where Willow and I agree. Daphne hasn't told you everything, Annabeth, and I doubt that she ever will. Not unless you demand it from her, but you won't do that, will you?"
"Then you tell me, if you know."
"That takes all the fun out of it," Umbra says, her tone matter-of-fact.
Before either of us can say another word, absolute darkness descends upon us, harmonized with a triumphant shout. I curse under my breath. With both of us distracted, Willow set herself free. And made me blind.
"I am the daughter of darkness and shadows!" her voice exclaims proudly. "You cannot hold me!"
"I am shadow, you idiot," Umbra says, her voice surprisingly far from me. I carefully inch backwards, feeling the wall as I go. "This is my domain. I am a monster of shadows and reflections, and you're just a demigod."
Though I can't see anything, I hear the metallic clang. I wince at the loud noise that can only mean that a fight has commenced.
My fingers glide over something different than the smooth wall. A small switch. I flick it upwards. Though the light does little to penetrate the thick darkness, it provides me with a view of what's happening.
Umbra and Willow are fighting, silver weapons flashing through the air. I finger the ball Daphne gave me, telling me not to use it unless I was completely desperate.
It doesn't get much more desperate than this. I detach it from my belt, and throw it towards Umbra and Willow.
It works immediately. Their weapons are thrown to the side, and both girls fall to the floor, their limbs heavy with the smoke that was inside the ball. Their coughing replaces the metallic clangs.
Without hesitating, I shoot a dart from my gun at Umbra. She collapses, and lies motionless on the ground. I'm about to do the same to Willow when she speaks.
"It doesn't matter what you do to me," she says, her voice rough and slightly crazed. "Because you're already too late."
"For what?" I ask, not able to help myself.
Willow grins. "I know all about the mission taking place right now, the one Percy's on. He's attempting to blow up one of my bases." My stomach turns with terror, but my finger doesn't stray from the trigger. "It's a trap, Annabeth. They know he's coming. They're ready, and your boyfriend won't be."
I touch my leather necklace, dread filling up my body.
"Undo my pin, if you want proof. You know what it does."
And I do. With one hand, I undo the clasp, and throw it to the ground. A hologram is emitted from it, displaying a large warehouse. A faded sign reads: Princess Andromeda.
I'm about to zoom in when the ground beneath my feet trembles. Just as the warehouse shakes.
Fire erupts inside it, explosions erupting. Tears pour down my face as I desperately scan the hologram for any sign of Percy.
Where are the survivors?
The pin, as if reading my mind, zooms in closer to the door. I watch it breathlessly. Then, the door flies open.
I expect to see Percy with Beckendorf. Both of them banged up, but alive.
The tears make the vision blurry, but the survivors run away from the collapsing Princess Andromeda. They reach the edge of the woods, where Esmerelda stands with Sam.
I wipe my tears away, and focus on the survivors, searching for the recognizable features of Percy and Beckendorf.
But there's only one of them.