{𝟑} 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 | 𝙻𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝙲.

23.

Ψ 𝐌𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝 Ψ

𝐈 𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, the waves in the currents made me grip onto my dragon tighter. We made our way and swam even if the waters were somewhat dangerous.

Feeling sick a few moments ago, now I felt refreshed and felt better. My energy was fixed and recharged, as we rode off in the water my dragon suddenly stopped and paused its movements. I was confused and looked at the dragon.

He rose up out of the waters as I stared at him, and he huffed and suddenly he ducked back in, and I saw dolphins swimming. I smiled looking at the beautiful creatures as my dragon stood in place letting them pass.

I could hear the dolphins gossiping about the recent switch from seaweed trenches. It was cool...and shocking to know I could speak dolphin. I mean that's something I had to take in but thought it was so cool!

My dragon was sweet, he let the dolphins go ahead first instead of us and we continued making our way. As we swam throughout the waters, I saw how the day began changing and while my dragon didn't have to rest...I may need to.

Suddenly my phone began going off. I was confused how it stayed dry while I'm literally in the ocean, but my dragon rose to the surface, still swimming ahead as I picked up my phone and answered.

"Hello?" I asked and heard Damien's voice "okay. I must leave camp, your mom found May Castellan."

I shouted "what!? How-" Then I realized I left my sweater with the note, but I wouldn't have thought she'd go there.

"Shit-Is she okay?" I asked quickly as Damien said "I think so...but she sounded upset over the phone, she asked me where you went but I had no clue. So where are you?" He pleaded to know as I looked around.

"Well...I'm somewhere in the ocean...maybe...I'm heading west. My dragon is taking me to Luke. I need to snap some sense into him before Kronos gets in his head fully.

I could've never regretted my choice of words, because soon enough they would come true...

Damien sighed over the phone "okay...please be safe. From what I heard Percy, Thalia, Zoe, Grover, and Bianca are heading to San Francisco. If you see them, they might think you're a traitor."

Those words hit me, but I told Damien "I'm never giving up on Luke. Not as easily as they have."

My dragon snorted to that comment and Damien said, "hold on- Nico wants to speak with you."

Just then I heard the kids voice say "Hayley? Are you coming back soon?" He asked me quickly and I smiled "I'm going to try, okay? Don't worry about me, I'm alright."

He replied "I know...Sebastian has been training me. But I really want to learn from you! Those cool moves you can do!" He shouted and I laughed at his voice rising higher and higher.

"Believe me Sebastian is just as cool, but you're right. I am cooler. I promise to finish this and come back and then I will personally train you." I assured him.

Nico sounded excited and I soon enough hung up the phone as my dragon swam back into the water and we sprinted off in the waters not looking back for a second.

We had made it closer to dry land, I had fallen asleep but the currents around me had woken me up. I had seen the sun begin to rise above the horizon into the deep dark waters. My dragon brought us up to the surface, being related to Poseidon had its perks. I never got wet.

Seeing land somewhat closer I looked at my dragon and began to think, I had taken out my phone to see it was Friday...in 4 days it would be my 19th birthday. I was scared I wouldn't make it home, but I had to so my mom could make her cake and we could celebrate it together.

My dragon move forward as the waves began to increase more, my stomach began to growl as I groaned softly rubbing my stomach.

"I need food..." I mentioned and my dragon quickly sped off with my thoughts and words.

We reached a beach and I had gotten off the dragon seeing him quickly retreat into the sea as I looked up and had seen a gas station. I sighed in relief running up the sandy beach yet cold beach to make my way to the place.

I had opened the door, hearing the bells jingle to notify my entrance. I found some chips and soda and went over and paid for it with some cash, the cashier looked almost dazed and exhausted. It was a 24-hour open convenience store; he was probably just tired and wouldn't have noticed if I stole the items.

But I wasn't going to be a bitch either and steal. Once he gave me my bag of food, I ate the chips outside leaning against the wall, scarfing down all of it. I had drunk my water quickly to clench the thirst I had from riding the entire night.

At that moment I had taken out the Reese's cups I had stolen, okay...maybe I did steal one little thing. I had munched down on the chocolate as I suddenly heard.

"Hayley?" The voice startled me, not because I didn't anticipate it...but because I knew who it was.

Again...he does this again, my head spun to his direction seeing him stand there looking more afraid than before as he stared at me.

"Luke..." I muttered, dropping my chocolate, and running over to him and grabbing his shoulders.

I swallowed the chocolate quickly as his hand immediately found my waist as I told him "No. This is enough; you are coming back. My mom's can help! We can fix your wounds, get you back 100% and we will go to Olympus, explain this. I will figure it out!" I argued and he chuckled at my words.

"What's funny? Nothing's funny Luke, especially not right now!" I argued and shouted letting go of him as he stared up at me.

He let out a small breath and spoke "there is no saving me...without Zeus finishing the job."

I told Luke, "I will give up anything, do anything...just for you to come home to me Luke. I promise you that...now come on, I traveled all this way. We can make it back to New York quicker than before with Backbiter."

But as I pulled him by his wrist, he pulled his arm away from me.

"Luke..." I said, almost in a begging tone.

He held Backbiter and frowned as he held up the handle of it towards me, "I need you to kill me."

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Oh no...yeah the next chapter will be very sad so I'm sorry for your puffy eyes by the end of it.

But I said more Layley content...just didn't say it would be happy...