The Winds Of Heaven (Annabeth Chase x Male Reader)

10. Monocle Motors

A/N: Yeah, it's the Eye of Sauron. I needed a red eye, that's what I found XD

Annabeth didn't relax until the glow of Quebec City faded behind them.

"Very strange, don't you think?" Y/N said in an undertone, looking above her shoulder at Jason.

She nodded. Until now, she had been able to rationalize Jason's being at Camp Half-Blood. Obviously he was a demigod. Of course he belonged. But now she wondered . . . what if he was something else? What if he really was an enemy, as his tattoos suggested? She didn't like this idea.

Ethan passed them some sandwiches from his pack.

"I still can't believe Khione," Leo said. "She looked so nice."

"Trust me, man," Jason said. "Snow may be pretty, but up close it's cold and nasty. We'll find you a better prom date."

They ate their sandwiches as they flew. Annabeth had no idea how Ethan had stocked up on supplies. Anyway, the cheese and avocado sandwich was awesome.

Nobody talked. Whatever they might find in Chicago, they all knew Boreas had only let them go because he figured they were already on a suicide mission.

The moon rose and stars turned overhead. Annabeth's eyes started to feel heavy. The encounter with Boreas and his children had been more exhausting than she wanted to admit. Now that she had a full stomach, her adrenaline was fading.

She looked up at the stars and thought about a night long ago when she, Y/N, Ethan, Percy and Grover had camped out in the middle of woods, in New Jersey. She leaned back against Y/N's warm chest. As soon she closed her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.

When Annabeth woke up, she yelled louder than ever in her whole life. She was falling into the void.

Annabeth tumbled through the sky. Far below she saw city lights glimmering in the early dawn, and several hundred yards away the body of the bronze dragon spinning out of control, its wings limp, fire flickering in its mouth like a badly wired lightbulb.

A body shot past her—Ethan, screaming and frantically grabbing his spear and his banana sunhat. "AAAAAAAGGGHHHH!"

Next instant he was too far below to hear him above the blowing wind.

Somewhere above her, Y/N yelled, "Level out! Extend your arms and legs!"

Because she'd just come out of sleep, it was hard to control her fear, but she did what he said and regained some balance. She fell spread-eagle like a skydiver, the wind underneath her like a solid block of ice. Then Y/N was there, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Relief waved over her, but she made an effort to stay focused on the situation.

"We have to get the others!" she shouted.

"Jason's taking care of Leo and Piper!" Y/N said. "Gonna get Ethan!"

Annabeth had no idea what Y/N was doing, but he managed to slow their fall, though they still lurched up and down as if the winds didn't want to cooperate.

"Hold on!" Y/N warned.

Annabeth locked her arms around him, and Y/N shot toward the ground. Annabeth probably screamed, but the sound was ripped from her mouth. Her vision blurred.

And then, thump! They slammed into another warm body—Ethan, still wriggling and cursing.

"Stop fighting!" Y/N said. "It's me!"

"Get me out of this!" Ethan yelled.

Y/N was struggling to slow their fall. Annabeth knew he had never done something like this; he preferred to transform into an eagle to fly, and if he probably could raise himself into the air, it was a whole other thing to keep the three of them aloft.