Walk With the Shadows [ Percy Jackson OC ]

FIVE | Ophelia

OPHELIA MUST'VE BEEN HALLUCINATING when she woke up because she opened her eyes to see a blonde, grey-eyed girl come into focus. Shifting where she'd settled down next to Alex along the wall, Ophelia yawned. Annabeth Chase.

She eased herself away from Alex, careful not to compress the squeaky toy he clutched against his chest. In the fading red and purple glow of the sunset through the windows, his messy golden hair and bloody clothes looked even worse. Ophelia stifled the urge to fix his hair away from his eyes. Turning away from him, she moved with Annabeth a few feet away.

"What do you need?" Ophelia said.

"There's an army heading south into Central Park," Annabeth said. She kept her voice low, which Ophelia appreciated even if she knew they'd need to wake Alex for battle. Annabeth moved her arm around, massaging it. "I want you to stay with Will. Help him and the healers however you can."

Expected. Ophelia pointed to Annabeth's right arm. "How's that?"

"It's fine."

The pain written all over her face told a different story. But Ophelia saw no reason to bring it up. She just nodded, assuring Annabeth she'd send Alex to Connor and Travis.

"Is that a dolphin dog toy?" Annabeth said, pausing as she turned to leave. "When did he get that?"

Ophelia half snorted, half laughed. "This afternoon. Don't ask me why. He went out with Connor and Travis to find Will supplies and came back covered in blood and holding that thing."

Alex groaned, shifting against the wall. "It's for Mrs. O'Leary. Courtesy of the sons of Hermes." He pushed himself off the floor, hissing in pain at the movement. The dolphin let out an airy squeak. "Here."

Annabeth caught the dolphin toy with her left. "Lose a bet?"

"Won a dare," Alex said. He smirked at her. "Couldn't let the Stoll brothers get one over on me."

"No, you never could," Annabeth said.

Ophelia watched the back and forth quietly. She knew they had history. History tied to Luke. But Alex didn't like to talk about it, said he wanted to focus on the here and now. All she knew was that he'd joined camp at eleven and stayed year round for the next three until Percy Jackson had thrown Camp Half Blood into chaos.

Annabeth gestured towards the door. "Go organize Cabin 11. Connor and Travis will be back in a bit."

He waited a moment before flashing her a tiny smile and a quick, "Whatever you say."

"Hey." Ophelia grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers through his before he could leave. She held him there a moment, forcing herself to smile. Shadows began to lick up his left arm like black flames and smoke. "Don't die."

Alex squeezed her hand tighter. "Don’t worry about me."

“I’d worry less if you had Kitty to watch your back,” Ophelia said.