𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓮 - 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎 𝒿𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈𝑜𝓃

1.14

The four teens were walking down an empty road in silence. There was an empty train line running parallel to them and bushes on either side of the road. The sun was still shining down on the group as they walked. There were no cars for miles, they had seen absolutely nothing living other than each other.

Amaya found herself more drawn to Percy since the Arch. She had been so close to losing him and there was no point trying to push him out now. Not after the state she had been in after 'losing' him. The two walked side by side their hands brushing every few steps they took.

"Hey guys." Percy started, interrupting the nice silence that had settled between the group. "I think this quest might be harder than we thought."

The other three turned to look at Percy, all with slightly blank looks on their faces.

"I've been thinking." The boy continued. "I didn't steal the master bolt. You guys didn't steal the master bolt. We're pretty sure Hades has the master bolt, but he couldn't have stolen it himself. I mean, we don't know who actually stole the thing, or why, or how deep this goes." He finished looking between his friends.

Amaya and Annabeth shared a glance rolling their eyes at the boy. Percy turned to Amaya waiting for her to agree with him or something but all he got was a blank look in response.

"I'm the last person to realize this, aren't I?" The blonde said, his eyes still on Amaya, who nodded her head in agreement a soft smile gracing her lips.

"Yeah." Annabeth stated.

"Okay so, maybe when we started, my head wasn't fully in this, but since the river... it all feels different somehow." Percy explained, Amaya cocked an eyebrow as he spoke. "He saved me. My dad. I guess I just really never thought that's something he'd do for me. So maybe I gotta take things more seriously now."

The group stopped; Amaya could hear the distant sound of an engine approaching.

"Car." Grover stated.

"That's not a car, it's a bike. Just let it pass. Come on." Annabeth spoke hitting Amaya on the arm to get her attention before leading the group over to the concrete thing near the side of the road. The four sat down with their backs resting against the concrete thing.

"I'm saying, we're not just trying to retrieve a thing. I think we might have to be detectives here too." Percy said looking between his three friends.

"Yeah." Annabeth stated, once again.

"Why are you being weird with me? I thought we weren't doing that anymore." Percy asked looking at the girl.

"I'm not being weird." Annabeth retaliated avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"Yes, you are." Percy snapped back. "You've been weird since we left the Arch."

Annabeth sighed turning her head away from the others.

"Annabeth?" Amaya stepped in placing a hand on her friend's arm. "Are you okay?"

"I saw the fates." Annabeth gave in throwing one of her hands up in the air. Amaya's face dropped completely, and her eyebrows raised as she looked at Annabeth.

"What?" Amaya said, her voice barely above a whisper and her eyes wide.

"Back at the Arch, I saw the Three Fates, and I saw Atropos cut a piece of thread." Annabeth repeated now looking at the others. Amaya sighed, her head falling into her hands as she took in the information. Percy watched the daughter of Hades with furrowed eyebrows.

"And that's bad or...?" He asked, now turning to Grover.

"The Fates weave the life strand of every living thing. When you see a string cut- "Grover tried to explain before Amaya lifted her head and interrupted him.