Gone Girl.¹

𝟬𝟮𝟴. (can't) let go

gone girl.
━━━ chapter twenty eight

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Demigods were talented creatures. It was hard to argue with that, considering the ichor running through their veins. Their blood was red, yes, but still divine on some level. Amaryllis had seen her fellow demigods but also herself do extraordinary things that almost made them look like gods as well.

And yet, she couldn't help but stand with her mouth wide open as she saw Annabeth fly a helicopter and land it safely.

Amaryllis ran forward as the rotors spun to a stop. Rachel opened the side door and dragged out the sleeping pilot. She was dressed like she was on vacation, in beach shorts, a T-shirt and sandals. Her hair was tangled and her face was green from the helicopter ride.

Annabeth climbed out last and scoffed upon seeing her friends stare at her in awe. "I didn't know you could fly a helicopter," Amaryllis said.

"Neither did I," she said. "My dad's crazy into aviation. Plus, Daedalus had some notes on flying machines. I just took my best guess on the controls."

"You saved my life," Rachel said.

Annabeth flexed her bad shoulder. "Let's not make a habit of it."

"What are you doing here?" Amaryllis took a step forward and Rachel seemed almost afraid of her. She hadn't thought of how she looked like - she had blood and monster slime all over her, she was beat-up and pale from exhaustion. She probably looked really scary to the girl and the thought immediately made her soften up. "Why did you fly into a war zone?"

"I-" Rachel glanced at Percy. "I had to be here. I knew Percy was in trouble."

Amaryllis couldn't help but scoff, even though she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She had once called Rachel Dare the bravest mortal she had ever met and unfortunately, the description was still accurate. If she risked her life like that just to make sure Percy was okay, she probably really liked him. There was no part of Amaryllis that could hate her for that. If anything, it was one of few things they had in common.

"Got that right," Annabeth sighed. "I'll be checking on the injured. Glad you could stop by, Rachel," she said, half sarcastically. Then she walked away like she hadn't just landed a helicopter.

Amaryllis stayed there as Rachel plopped down on the curb and put her head in her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I always mess things up."

"It's okay," Percy said, but his words sounded hollow. He didn't seem too excited to see her. "So what's the message you wanted to deliver?"

She frowned. "How did you know about that?"

"A dream."

Rachel didn't look surprised. She tugged at her beach shorts, which were covered in drawings and symbols Amaryllis recognized; Greek letters, pictures from camp beads, sketches of monsters and faces of gods. She couldn't understand how Rachel could have known about some of that. She'd never been to Olympus or Camp Half-Blood for obvious reasons.

"I've been seeing things too," the redhead muttered. "I mean, not just through the Mist. This is different. I've been drawing pictures, writing lines-"