Celestial - a Percy Jackson fanfic [BOOK ONE]

Chapter twelve

Not going to lie, we were free falling for a second. And sure, I screamed. But our descent suddenly slowed and I felt the air hold me tight, keeping me from falling to my death. We were floating, still around a hundred feet above the river below us.

"Oh my god, oh my god," I chanted, lowkey freaked out.

"The water," I heard Percy mumble. "To... the water."

This jolted me from my trance. "Oh, yeah."

I focused on the air underneath us, asking it to lower us into the river safely. Unfortunately, the air did not listen to me. It gave out from underneath us and I lost my hold on Percy.

We crashed into the water, and it knocked the air out of me. Suddenly, I was choking. It felt like I was wearing an anchor, and I was being dragged down deeper and deeper, being crushed by the weight. I grasped out at something, anything to help pull me up. But as much as I kicked and clawed, I couldn't find anything to hold onto.

It's the water, a voice told me. Get out of the water. It is your enemy's realm.

I hadn't even thought about that. Zeus and Poseidon are enemies right now, and since Zeus wouldn't let Percy out of the sky alive, I'm sure Poseidon would rather not let me out of the water alive, either.

I was losing my air. My lungs were burning. I didn't know what else to do. It felt like my bones were breaking, being crushed by the water around me.

My eyes were fluttering closed when frantic hands began yanking at my arms. But I was so heavy.

"Hold on, Cleo, I'm going to get you out."

Suddenly, a huge wave of water propelled me to the surface and slapped me down on the shore. I gasped for air, throwing up water. My entire body ached, my head pounded. I laid down on the ground, thankful to just be alive.

Percy appeared next to me. "What just happened?"

I coughed again, weakly lifting my head to look at him. The water had healed him well.

"Zeus won't let you go in the sky, Poseidon won't let me go in the water," I croaked out.

"But before that, when you pulled me out of the hole in the Arch," Percy said. "Did we float?"

I pushed myself up. "I think so. Just for a second, though."

That's when I noticed he wasn't wet. I guess he noticed the confused look on my face because he said, "Yeah, isn't it weird? I can breathe underwater, too."

"That is so cool," I said. "I'm jealous."

Percy rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Oh, hey, I had a vision in the water. We have to go to Santa Monica."

"Oh?" I said. "What for?"

Percy shook his head. "I don't know. And she told me not to trust the gifts."

"What gifts?" I asked. "Like your special abilities?"

Percy shrugged again. "I really don't know. At least I found Riptide again."

I nodded. "That is good. My blade is gone for good, though."

"We'll find you another one," Percy said. "Can you walk?"

"You might have to help me," I said.

He helped me up and put my arm over his shoulder to help support me.

Police cars began to swarm at the base of the Arch. That was our cue to get out of there.

As we walked away, I began to feel better. Less achy, less tired. I could hear a news lady talking loudly to a camera: