𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 (Annabeth X Malereader)

[19] I get a little 'boared'

We managed to finally make it to the shore, with Percy pulling us most of the way. His control over water seemed to drain almost all of his energy, leaving him with barely enough energy to stay awake.

After reaching dry land, we stumbled down the beach, watching the city burn against a beautiful sunrise. I felt as if I'd just come back from the dead, which I had.

"I don't believe it," Annabeth said. "We went all that way-"

"It was a trick," Percy said out of breath. "A strategy worthy of Athena."

"Hey," she warned.

"You get it, don't you?"

She dropped her eyes, her anger fading. "Yeah. I get it."

"Well, I don't!" Grover complained. "Would somebody—"

"Percy . . ." I said tentatively. "I'm sorry about your mother. I'm so sorry. . . ." I tried to say something, but the expression on his face told me more than enough

"The prophecy was right," Percy said. "'You shall go west and face the god who has turned.' But it wasn't Hades. Hades didn't want war among the Big Three. Someone else pulled off the theft. Someone stole Zeus's master bolt, and Hades's helm, and framed me because I'm Poseidon's kid. Poseidon will get blamed by both sides. By sundown today, there will be a three-way war. And I'll have caused it."

Grover shook his head, mystified. "But who would be that sneaky? Who would want war that bad?" I stopped in my tracks, looking down the beach.

"Gee, let me think." Percy muttered sarcastically.

There he was, waiting for us, in his black leather duster and his sunglasses, an aluminium baseball bat propped on his shoulder. His motorcycle rumbled beside him, its headlight turning the sand red.

"Hey, kid," Ares said, seeming genuinely pleased to see us. "You were supposed to die."

"You tricked me," Percy sneered, clutching his side. "You stole the helm and the master bolt."

Ares grinned. "Well, now, I didn't steal them personally. Gods taking each other's symbols of power —that's a big no-no. But you're not the only hero in the world who can run errands."

"Who did you use? Clarisse? She was there at the winter solstice." The idea seemed to amuse him.

"Doesn't matter." Ares slung the bat of his shoulder and began examining it, as if he was checking it was the right weight to pulverize Percy. "The point is, kid, you're impeding the war effort. See, you've got to die in the Underworld. Then Old Seaweed will be mad at Hades for killing you. Corpse Breath will have Zeus's master bolt, so Zeus'll be mad at him. And Hades is still looking for this . . ."

From his pocket he took out a ski cap, the kind bank robbers wear, and placed it between the handlebars of his bike. Immediately, the cap transformed into an elaborate bronze war helmet.

"The helm of darkness," Grover gasped.

"Exactly," Ares said, smirking. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, Hades will be mad at both Zeus and Poseidon, because he doesn't know who took this. Pretty soon, we got a nice little three-way slugfest going."

"But they're your family!" I protested.

Ares shrugged. "Best kind of war, bud. Always the bloodiest. Nothing like watching your relatives fight, I always say."

"You gave us the backpack in Denver," I said. "The master bolt was in there the whole time."

"Yes and no," Ares said. "It's probably too complicated for your little mortal brain to follow, but the backpack is the master bolt's sheath, just morphed a bit. The bolt is connected to it, sort of like that sword you got, kid. And that bracelet." I wasn't sure how Ares knew about that, but I guess a god of war had to make it his business to know about weapons.