world-ender || l. castellan

iv.

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iv. the blackest
of hearts

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"YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD."

Beckendorf has three seconds to react to Noemi's words before she's reaching a hand into the forge and taking a hot white poker, leveling it with his throat. She doesn't intend on using it, but he doesn't know that.

Noemi's biggest weapon, aside from world-ender, is fear. Instill enough of it in someone and it does half the work for you.

He raises his arms, goggles askew in his hair and face sweaty from the heat. "What are you talking about?"

"I was wet. You put two and two together and ratted on me about the lake." Noemi takes slow steps toward him. "I thought I could trust you of all people. I paid for it. You're one of the only likable demigods here, Charles."

He swallows when she steps into the light of the fire and it sends shadows dancing across her figure. She's been told she has a stare worthy of Hades. She thinks maybe it's true, because he actually looks terrified. "No! I didn't. What good is it to my reputation of keeping my word if I go around spilling everyones secrets? Even if you did attack the lake, what would I gain from narcing on you?"

Noemi glares, but there's a ring of truth to his words. "I don't know. But you're the only other person who saw me!"

"There are plenty of people who could've seen you!" Beckendorf rushes. "That Athena girl has an invisibility cap for fucks sake! And there are a lot of places to hide here. It wasn't me."

Maybe it's because he looks like a taller and far more muscular version of Carter that's made part of her heart soft for him, but she believes him. She sighs, tossing the poker into the fire. "I guess you're right. Sorry. I just— I take my shit seriously. I'm on really thin ice right now with Chiron and Mr. D. Next time I think they'll just chuck me out."

"Why'd you prank the naiads, then?"

Noemi rolls her eyes. "Selmi has it out for me. She hates that I like to drift over the lake in the canoes when no one else is around. She says my presence disturbs the fish and turtles. That they can sense when 'someone isn't right'."

"What?" Beckendorf looks more shocked than when she threatened his life. "Naiads are usually so nice."

"Selmi hates me." Noemi takes a seat beside the fire, not caring that it's so hot her skin starts to turn pink. "Luke and I... well, we're friends. I know it's an unlikely thing because he's all bright and cool and I..."

"Threaten people with hot pokers?"

She manages a kick to his leg. "Basically. Anyway, he insisted on joining me in the canoe when I first got here. And Mr. D hates me just as much as Selmi does, so when she caught us sleeping in the canoe together she ran off and told him we'd been making out."

Beckendorf has recovered enough to resume his work on a wicked looking dagger. He raises a brow at her. "Were you?"

"We're friends." Noemi emphasizes, but she wonders if he can hear the hesitation. She shrugs. "Like you and me."

"Does that mean I can hold a hot poker to your throat now so we're equal?" He laughs when she rolls her eyes. "Kidding. Hey, get away from the fire, psycho. You're like five seconds from becoming barbecue."