𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, l. castellan

𝟎𝟎𝟔. nectar of the gods

DOOMSDAY

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THE SOUNDS OF echoing yells and commands causes Valeria to sit up in her bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Through blurred vision, she sees a group of her siblings gathered around the entrance to their cabin.

Many children in the other cabins are seemingly awake as well, leading Valeria to crease her brows in confusion. The sky is pitch black, the only light being from the lanterns and torches scattered throughout the campgrounds. Everyone is usually still asleep at this time.

"What's going on?" she mumbles, gently throwing her blanket off of her legs and swinging them over the edge of the mattress.

Silena plops down beside her older sister, bringing her knees to her chest and curling into Valeria's side. "Grover came back with a new kid almost an hour ago. Everyone's saying he killed the Minotaur."

Valeria's eyes widen, her previous exhaustion fading instantly. "Seriously?"

Silena nods, pursing her lips together and humming. "He's in the infirmary right now— they said he has some serious head injuries."

"Are they giving him Nectar?"

"Maybe? I don't know."

Valeria lets out a quiet sigh, removing her arm from around Silena's shoulders and draping the blanket across them instead. Then she swiftly slips on her shoes and pulls a sweatshirt over her torso, standing from her bunk.

"Where are you going?" Silena asks.

"To see if they need any help," Valeria replies. "Go back to sleep, okay? You can stay in my bed until I get back if you want."

The young girl flops down instantly, fully settling into the fabric of Valeria's comforter. Silena quips, "You don't need to tell me twice."

Valeria shakes her head and laughs at her sister before turning to the doorframe, moving past the rest of her siblings and walking down the short staircase. She follows the slight crowd that surrounds the path to the infirmary, pursing her lips in wonder as to why Mr. D hasn't chased everyone away yet.

She somehow notices a familiar head of dark curls ahead of her, and she calls out, "Cam!" The girl turns around with knitted brows, then she sees Valeria and her features relax as she waits for the brunette to meet her side. "Are you here for the new guy?"

"Obviously," Camryn says, dragging a hand down the right side of her face. "Chiron came to our cabin earlier and told us that he needed healers in the infirmary. And since my siblings are lazy shits, here I am."

Valeria grins at her. "Somebody didn't get enough sleep, huh?"

"You try teaching a bunch of little gremlins how to aim a bow and arrow for almost a week straight, and then come talk to me, alright?" The Apollo girl ignores the giggle from her friend and averts her attention to the people blocking the entrance, clasping her hand over Valeria's wrist. "Okay, move it. Move— I said move, dumbass. You're taking up the whole doorway."

Camryn eventually manages to push them past the crowd and into the infirmary. They enter a small, private room, where Chiron and Annabeth are already waiting.