¹ON THIS SPRING DAY. p. jackson

017.

ON THIS SPRING DAY
━━━━━ chapter seventeen

━━━━━ THE RINGING IN Violet's ears became louder and louder the longer they flew. She clutched her ears, her face curled with pain.

Percy looked at her worriedly; still, she noticed some deliriousness still lingering from holding up the sky. "Are you okay?" he asked, grabbing her arm.

"I'm fine," she insisted, her voice wavering.

She flinched as a cool hand grabbed hers. Looking down, she could see Zoë struggling to stare back up at her. Violet's heart wrenched; the ringing in her ears grew louder; the hammering in her chest was painful. Despite never wanting to admit it, she knew what was coming.

They landed at Crissy Field after nightfall.

As soon as Dr. Chase stepped out of his Sopwith Camel, Annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug. "Dad! You flew ... you shot ... oh my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

Her father blushed. "Well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, I suppose."

"But the Celestial bronze bullets! How did you get those?"

"Ah, well." Dr. Chase rubbed the back of his neck, looking off. "You did leave quite a few half-blood weapons in your room in Virginia, the last time you ... left."

Annabeth looked down, embarrassed. Violet noticed Dr. Chase was very careful not to say ran away. Despite knowing the troubles Annabeth and her father shared, Violet couldn't help but feel jealous at the scene. She knew they struggled, but Dr. Chase seemed so much more ... He didn't seem to want to lock Annabeth down the way Dahlia seemed to want to do with Violet.

She frowned at them before turning to Zoë. The Hunter shivered despite the blanket wrapped around her tightly. Sweat was beading on her forehead, tracing its way down as her eyes fluttered. If Violet didn't know any better, it would look like Zoë was just suffering from a bad round of the common flu.

"Vi, you've got to have some ambrosia or nectar on you," Thalia said, almost pleading.

The daughter of Eros shook her head, her eyes turning glassy with tears. "I don't. I—I never thought of taking any with me."

And it wasn't like she had the time, either. She snuck on this quest, impulsively wanting to prove herself, make Nico feel better, and try and save Annabeth. All selfish reasons.

The daughter of Eros looked to Artemis. "Do you have any on your chariot?"

The goddess shook her head, her pale face grim. "I don't. I have never made the habit of keeping any with me." She pursed her lips as she looked down at Zoë. "Besides, I'm not sure what good it would do her now."

She whispered the last part; a hollow and hoarse sound Violet never expected to hear from a goddess.

Violet's ear rang as she crouched by Zoë. She hated to sit by and watch as a friend withered away, but there wasn't anything she could do. She was no healer, and Apollo would never think of hearing a request from her to take pity.

Thalia closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath before turning to Annabeth and Percy, both of whom were still talking to Dr. Chase.

"Annabeth, Percy," she called to them, her voice urgent.