The Silver Archer 2️⃣ (Percy Jackson)

28. A Fallen Soldier

Adira

"What were you thinking?" Clarisse cradled Silena's head in her lap.

I knelt down to Silena. Silena tried to swallow, but her lips were dry and cracked. "Wouldn't . . . listen. Cabin would . . . only follow you."

"So you stole my armor," Clarisse said in disbelief. "You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol;
you stole my armor and pretended to be me." She glared at her siblings. "And NONE of you noticed?"

The Ares campers developed a sudden interest in their combat boots. Cassie stepped forward, looking at Silena.

"Don't blame them," Silena said. "They wanted to . . . to believe I was you."

"You stupid Aphrodite girl," Clarisse sobbed. "You charged a drakon? Why?"

"All my fault," Silena said, a tear streaking the side of her face. "The drakon, Charlie's death . . . camp
endangered—"

"Stop it!" Clarisse said. "That's not true."

Silena opened her hand. In her palm was a silver bracelet with a scythe charm, the mark of Kronos.

A cold fist closed around my heart. "You were the spy."

Silena tried to nod. "Before . . . before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me. He was so . . . charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised . . . he promised I was saving lives. Fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn't hurt . . . Charlie. He lied to me."

I met Annabeth's eyes. Her face was chalky. She looked like somebody had just yanked the world out from under her feet.

Behind us, the battle raged.

Clarisse scowled at her cabinmates. "Go, help the centaurs. Protect the doors. GO!"

They scrambled off to join the fight.

Silena took a heavy, painful breath. "Forgive me."

"You're not dying," Clarisse insisted. Mariana slowly took Silena's hands, and placed them on her stomach. She began to sing softly the song my mom taught me, that I sang to her.

So keep your head up, princess, before your crown falls
Know these voices in your head will be your downfall
I know it gets so hard but you don't got far to go
Yeah, keep your head up, princess, it's a long road
And the path leads right to where they won't go
I know it hurts right now but I know you'll make it home
So keep your head up

I joined in, continuing the next verse.

So keep your head up, princess, before your crown falls
Know these voices in your head will be your downfall
I know it gets so hard but you don't got far to go
Yeah, keep your head up, princess, it's a long road
And the path leads right to where they won't go
I know it hurts right now but I know you'll make it home
So keep your head up

Silena smiled. "Charlie . . ." Silena's eyes were a million miles away. "See Charlie . . ."

She didn't speak again.

Clarisse held her and wept. Chris put a hand on her shoulder.

Finally, Mariana closed Silena's eyes.

"We have to fight." I said. My voice was brittle. "She gave her life to help us. We have to honor her."

Clarisse sniffled and wiped her nose. "She was a hero, understand? A hero."

I nodded. "Come on, Clarisse."

She picked up a sword from one of her fallen siblings. "Kronos is going to pay."

Then, Corey and Noah ran towards us. They must've been running awhile, cause they were out of breath. "Adiraleise..."

"The army..."

"It's led by Phillip."

I sighed, shutting my eyes. "It's about time that I ended this. All these years... and I have to kill him."

"You have to," Mariana said. I looked down at her, surprised. "Adi, don't act like I don't know what you went through."

She grabbed my forearm, tracing all the scars I earned through him. "End this. I know you'll make the right choice."

I stood up from my knelt position. "Get the rest of the Artemis cabin. Get Asher and Brenna. Carlos. I want them to be there. I need them to be there. Through my life– and his death."

Noah nodded. "We trust you, Adiraleise. You're the best fighter."

"But while you do that, we have to drive this enemy away."

I concentrated, and my eyes began glowing. I gripped my sword with both hands, and ran towards the battlefield, raising my sword. I lept off of the ground, forcing the wind to pick me up. I put my blade up by my ear, my elbows extended backwards. I sliced through a enemy or two with ease.

⚔️

Together, we sent the monsters back. The monsters retreated toward 35th Street.

Clarisse drove to the drakon's carcass and looped a grappling line through its eye sockets. She lashed her horses and took off, dragging the drakon behind the chariot like a Chinese New Year dragon. She charged after the enemy, yelling insults and daring them to cross her. As she rode, I realized she was literally glowing. An aura of red fire flickered around her.

"The blessing of Ares," Thalia said. "I've never seen it in person before."

For the moment, Clarisse was as invincible as Percy was. The enemy threw spears and arrows, but nothing hit her.

"I AM CLARISSE, DRAKON-SLAYER!" she yelled. "I will kill you ALL! Where is Kronos? Bring him out! Is he a coward?"

"Clarisse!" I yelled. "Stop it. Withdraw!"

"What's the matter, Titan lord?" she yelled. "BRING IT ON!"

There was no answer from the enemy. Slowly, they began to fall back behind a dracaenae shield wall, while Clarisse drove in circles around Fifth Avenue, daring anyone to cross her path. The two- hundred-foot-long drakon carcass made a hollow scraping noise against the pavement, like a thousand knives.