Forbidden Quests

Chapter 41

Percy

I barely got any sleep that night, and when I did doze off, my dreams were filled with blond curls, gray eyes, and a happy laugh, waking me up.

I shared a room with Jason, Nico, Frank, Leo, and Harley. I could hear their deep and rhythmic breathing, the occasional snore disturbing the silence. I laid on the tavern bed, my head propped up by my elbow. From the window placed beside my bed, I could see the millions of stars outside, twinkling in the dark. I watched them in the stillness.

The night brings a certain peace and tranquility upon the earth. Many people fear the night, and several people don't even see the night as the result of them being asleep. Others just ignore the placid time that night provides. However, I think they are all at fault.

Night gave me a time to think, without the busy noises of the town, without the stresses of the activities that take place during the day. Night was a symbol, saying tomorrow is coming, a new day, just hold on a little more. It seems to clear your brain, leaving an open and patient mind ready to think things through, one at a time, with the serene stars keeping you company.

I could only see a slit of the moon, the rest of the sky was filled with stars. I thought about tomorrow, and the worries that it held. The meeting with Annabeth was enough to make me anxious, but when you throw the weight of the upcoming Test and Game, it made me sink below the floor, carrying all that pressure on my shoulders. I did my best to assess one worry at a time. I was making decent speed on solving some problems. That is, until I came upon a daughter of Athena.

That worry was filling most of my time and thoughts. Not that I didn't mind. I liked thinking about Annabeth. But it also made me think. And everybody knows when you think, your brain just has to send you things to get in the way. In this case, doubts piled into my mind, each weighing a brick, forcing me to tremble under the burden.

Does she like me, or care for me anymore? I know Thalia had said that Annabeth does, but Annabeth didn't tell her friends everything. It could be a lie. But then what about that... kiss?

Gods, that kiss. Don't get me started on it. It would've been awesome and exciting if not for the dire circumstances that it had taken place at. I'm not saying it wasn't awesome, it was.

But it was also desperate, striving for more. We were both so shocked and pained by the law. The feelings we had developed for each other were overflowing, but also mixing with sorrow and hurt. The kiss was made of caring thoughts, but sadness had been present at the making. We were wanting each other, wanting a tiny feeling of happiness only provided by the other.

I know, I was becoming a sappy mess. But I couldn't help it. If she wanted to be just friends now, would that kiss make things awkward between us?

I was even more worried at the fact that this won't change the law. We could try to change the gods' mind, but it most likely wouldn't work. I could attempt to come back and visit Annabeth again, but with Athena here... Athena was a powerful goddess, and she was smart and cunning as well. We wouldn't be able to meet secretly without Athena thwarting our plans. For starters, if we even could get the planning of a meeting past the goddess of wisdom, where could we meet? Athena knew her city, every little detail. There is really not a place in Athens that Athena doesn't know about, and if rumors reach her ears about me coming (if I was planning on coming, there was bound to be some rumor about it) I bet Athena would take every precaution possible to make certain that I couldn't be with Annabeth. Athena could have a lot of precautions made. So that option is almost a definite no.

Another option would be Annabeth leaving to join the Questers, or more importantly, me. But Annabeth couldn't exactly leave. A god could easily track her down and bring her back. Even Annabeth couldn't resist a god's power. Also, I couldn't expect her to just get up and go, leaving the temple behind. It was where she had lived all her life. Despite all the bad times she has had there, it was her home. It would be hard to leave.