Betrayed But Never Forgotten

Awkward

Bianca's POV

Zoe and I apparently missed a lot. We were hunting for fun in the woods near camp, tracking a particularly elusive deer when we almost got found by Artemis. Her silver aura was unmistakable through the trees, and we had to sprint back to the cabin, our boots barely making a sound on the forest floor. We arrived breathless, only to find absolute chaos had broken loose - Annabeth and Piper were possessed by eidolons. Those malevolent spirits had taken control of them, turning their eyes that sickly yellow color that still gives me chills.

The worst part? While possessed, "Annabeth" had stabbed Percy's step-sister Ophelia. Now she's in a fatal state, her life force fading by the hour. Percy won't even look at Annabeth or Piper, no matter how many times they try to apologize, their voices breaking as they plead for forgiveness. Luke keeps backing Percy up, standing like a sentinel beside him whenever the girls approach. The tension is suffocating - Annabeth and Percy seem like they're breaking up after everything they've been through together.

Meanwhile, Charles and Selina are somehow managing to be a cute, adorable couple in the midst of all this drama. They whisper to each other and hold hands, like they're in their own little bubble that all this chaos can't penetrate. And me and Zoe? We're just there, watching this all go down, exchanging glances that say more than words ever could.

"We were just told we have a meeting with the camp counselors and the Olympians on Mount Olympus," Luke announced, walking through the door of the cabin. His face was grim, the scar on his cheek more prominent in the cabin's dim light.

All of the warriors were scattered around the common area, except Luke and Ophelia, who remained in the infirmary. Annabeth and Piper were sitting on the counter, reading something - probably searching for any information about eidolon possession, hoping to prove their innocence. Charles and Selina were at the dining table, heads close together, talking in hushed tones. Percy was leaning on his door frame, his sea-green eyes stormy as he made shapes appear in shadows dancing across his palm - most of which were Ophelia's face, his worry manifesting in his powers.

Zoe was sitting cross-legged on the floor, methodically sharpening her throwing knives, the sound of metal against whetstone filling the room. I was beside her, meticulously crafting arrows from owl feathers I'd collected. The owl had circled our cabin for days, offering its feathers freely - a blessing from Athena, perhaps, though I'd never admit that to the others.

"Alright, we're coming," Selina said, dragging a fuming Charles out the door. His jaw was clenched tight, still angry about what happened to Ophelia. Annabeth and Piper followed, their shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Do you guys want a lift?" Percy asked us, his voice hollow, devoid of its usual warmth.

"Sure," Zoe said, strapping her throwing knives under her cloak, the leather harness crisscrossing her torso.

Percy sighed and shadow-traveled the cloaks to the four that had already left - they'd been so distracted they'd forgotten their gear! The rest of us slipped on our cloaks and masks. Mine felt heavy today, the enchanted fabric seeming to weigh more with each crisis we faced.We walked over to Percy, who had already made a portal to the Throne Room appear. It was black with swirling purple edges, like a tear in reality itself. The shadows seemed to whisper as they twisted around the opening.

"You guys go first so I can close it after," Percy stated, his hand still maintaining the portal's stability.

Luke nodded and, in typical Luke fashion, cannonballed in with a whoop that seemed inappropriate given the circumstances. Zoe and I walked in more sedately, sharing an eye roll at