* Percy Jackson: Son of Chaos and Order

~ Chapter 17 ~

Luke's POV

I sat at the dining pavilion trying to get the twins to eat. It's been two days since Neander was taken. It feels like it's been two weeks.

"Come on Astra, just eat a little. Then you go back to sleep or play. Just eat something," I pleaded.

"I'm not hungry," she mumbled.

I sighed and nodded, "Come on. Let's go back to the cabin."

While headed back to the cabins, there was a bright flash and a body fell to the ground. I froze looking at all the wounds on the body. I quickly sat the twins down to turn the body over hoping it was Neander and that it wasn't. I rolled the body over and saw Neander. My heart dropped.

"No, no, no. Wake up! Why won't he wake up?" Aaron panicked.

"Go back and get Zoe. Tell her and everyone else to hurry back to Chaos cabin. Okay?" I asked.

They nodded and ran back toward the pavilion. I grabbed Neander carefully and brought him to his bathroom. I sat him in his tub and turned the shower on. Most of his wounds started to close except for a few that were leaking some kind of ooze.

"Poison," I thought.

Zoe and Silena ran into the bathroom and looked him over.

"The water isn't healing the rest of those wounds," Zoe mumbled.

"APOLLO," Silena screamed.

Apollo appeared slightly confused. He then saw Neander and got right to work.

~ An agonizing time skip ~

Apollo ate a square of ambrosia and force-fed Neander some.

"How is he?" I asked.

"He'll be fine. He needs to rest."

I nodded and took him to his room. After making sure he was comfortable, the other left to tell everyone the news. The door opened again and I heard two tiny sets of feet running towards here.

The twins, completely ignoring me, ran into the room and climbed onto the bed. They laid down next to Neander being careful of the wraps on his wounds.

"Is he okay?" Astra asked sniffling.

I smiled sadly and nodded my head," He'll be okay. He just needs a bit of rest.''

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"No. I don't want him to die. He's the only person that really cares about us," she cried.

I moved to the bed and picked her up to lay in her spot, laying her on top of me.

"I care. And the rest of the Elites do too. And nothing is happening to Neander. We'll always be here for you. Both of you. Okay?"

They nodded and drifted off to sleep. I followed soon after.

Neander's POV
I woke up feeling cocooned around something. I looked around to see Luke and the twins on either side of me in my bed in Chaos cabin. I sighed and waited for them to wake up.

A couple of hours later Astra woke up and looked around. She looked at me and froze.

"You're awake," she screamed, waking the other two up. Aaron joined the hug and soon after Luke did too. I smiled slightly then frowned when I felt myself getting wet.

"Why are you crying?" I asked.

"Because it was scary. And you were hurt and bleeding. And you wouldn't wake up," Aaron cried.

"I'm sorry. I'll do better." I sighed, hugging them closer.

"Aww!" we heard someone squeal.

We looked up to see mom and dad at the door with smiles on their faces. We all blushed and pulled away from the hug.

"Mom. Dad. How are you?" I asked. They looked at me crazily and muttered something under their breath.

"How are you feeling?" dad asked, looking me over.

"I'm fine dad. Honestly. No pain," I comforted him.

He nodded and smiled slightly.

"What happened?" mom asked.

"It wasn't that bad. Just a little bit of torture," I said in their heads to Aaron and Astra wouldn't hear.

"We have to call a meeting though. The final attack is in three days. We have to be ready."