we'll go down in history, remember me for centuries
***
In where Hester Sāto joins a quest to return a stolen lightning bolt while trying to learn her godly parentage and control her dangerous curse.
(pjo 1-5)
(part i of the "heroes" duology)
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Chapter Five: Nothing Breaks Like A Heart—Or A Horn
(I Accidentally Vaporise My Pre-Algebra Teacher, Pt. 5)
***
For the second time in as many days, Hester's head was throbbing with dull pain.
Feeling like a hammer was pounding against her skull, Hester's eyes cracked open, the pounding seeming to be louder now that she was conscious as she registered the aches and pains in her body. That she was still alive.
"Sa... Sakura?" she rasped, blindly grabbing for her aunt as the pounding got louder instead of quieter. Why isn't it getting quieter?
"I'm right here, Hester," her aunt's voice came, her hand finding Hester's shoulder. The dark-haired girl sagged in relief that her aunt was alive, that she was conscious as she tried to peer through the semi-darkness. As she saw Percy and Sally in the front, unmoving.
At the sight of them, the memories rushed in—the Minotaur, the truck. The car, swerving off the road, falling off the road and crashing... crashing into...
Panic lurched in Hester as she unclipped her seatbelt and lurched forward, shaking Percy's shoulder. "Percy? Percy!"
A groan came and Percy's head lifted. He squinted at her. "Hester?"
"Oh thank God. You're awake," Hester breathed, wilting from relief.
"You're... you're bleeding, Hes."
Pressing her hand to her forehead, Hester stared at the blood slicking her fingers.
Gulping down her panic, she said, "I'll be okay. Is your mom awake? We have to get out of here."
At the mention of his mom, Percy whirled to Sally, roughly shaking her. "Mom? Mom, are you awake? Mom!"
Sally groaned, lifting her head and seeing her son. "I'm okay, Percy. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but Hester's bleeding and—" Percy started, but Hester cut in, "I'm okay. My aunt's okay and Grover... Grover!"
Hester whirled, heart lurching in her throat at the idea that Grover was comatose—or worse—but instead she saw Grover twisted around in the seat and kicking at the back screen of the car, the true source for the pounding Hester had heard when she returned to consciousness.
Seeing Grover's plan, Hester held her bag in one hand and held out her other hand for Percy, intent clear in her face as Percy stared at her, not taking her hand. Knowing, just like Hester did, she had never let Percy or Grover or anyone take her hand or touch her.
But if they were to get out of here and to this camp alive, then Hester had to touch them, Percy had to take her hand, silently communicating it as she thrust her gloved hand out again to him.
