¹𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 ━ 𝗽. 𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻

045

⋆ ˚｡⋆ʚ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 ɞ⋆ ˚｡⋆
─── ❛ mixed feelings ❜ ───

THE LEAST THE ORACLE COULD'VE done was walk back to the attic by herself.

instead, isabella and percy were elected to carry her. the silence and tension were killing her.

"watch her head!" she warned him as they went up the stairs. but it was too late.

bonk! he whacked her mummified face against the trapdoor frame, and dust flew.

still, percy was ignoring her, as if he wasn't the one who started their discussion.

they hauled her up and set her on her tripod stool, both of them huffing and sweating. who knew a mummy could weigh so much?

"i told travis." she finally broke the silence.

percy looked at her. "okay."

no one talked.

"percy, why are you so conflicted with this whole 'hunter' thing?" the girl dared to ask.

percy's throat was dry. "i don't want you to leave."

he finally looked at her. "it's just—you're my best friend, and i don't think i could handle you leaving... me."

that was something isabella didn't expect to hear, she thought that maybe he would end up screaming or saying hurtful things. but this, this was just sweet.

"oh,"

the girl looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"i didn't know you felt that way. but you must understand that if i accept, i won't be leaving anyone. percy, the hunters... they are an incredible group, they are so awesome, it's an honor that artemis approached me, given her and my mom's drama."

she didn't know whether that was the appropriate thing to say. but she needed to be honest.

"i'm sorry, i've been an asshole with you, you don't deserve it." the black-haired boy said.

"yeah." isabella said. "but i get it, i'm glad we could talk peacefully, i hate when we fight."

percy chuckled. "me too, you're so fucking scary when you're mad."

the girl rolled her eyes, but nudged him softly. there was a small silence, both of the demigods were glad that they had finally talked.

"what will chiron do?" percy's voice was heard.

"i wish i knew." she looked wistfully out the second-floor window at the rolling hills covered in snow. "i wish i could know where she is."

percy looked at her, doubting if he should comfort her. after some time he finally grabbed her hand, a small gesture that sent a million shocks through isabella's body.

"i just," she said, looking down, trying to hide her blushed face. "i've never been away from here for so long, i mean, without knowing where she's at. i'm so worried, i only want to see her face once again."

before percy could say anything, thalia tromped up the stairs. she was officially not talking to him now, but she looked at isabella and said, "tell percy to get his butt downstairs."

"why?" he asked.

"did he say something?" thalia asked isabella.

the brunette rolled her eyes. "thalia, grow up."

the punk girl rolled her eyes and looked at isabella with an angry look. her eyebrows quirked once she noticed isabella's and percy's hands. the aphrodite girl quickly pulled her hand away.

"dionysus is calling a council of cabin leaders to discuss the prophecy, unfortunately, that includes percy." she said, looking at isabella. "your presence is required."

the council was held around a ping-pong table in the rec room. dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: cheez whiz, crackers, and several bottles of red wine. then chiron reminded him that wine was against his restrictions and most of the campers were underage. mr. d sighed. with a snap of his fingers the wine turned to diet coke. nobody drank that either.