Always The Prey (PART 3)

Chapter 5: Home Is Not What It Was

Annabeth Chase POV

After camp borders fell, Percy immediately ordered for there to be constant patrolling across the perimeter of camp to watch out for monsters and to update everyone if anything comes our way. I knew that, now that we were all out in the open, it was just about time that something came to hit us.

We just didn't know when.

We had demigods lined up all day and all night, taking shifts.

The next few days were uneventful, except for a few monsters here and there, and it was getting harder and harder trying to explain to the little kids why wasting their whole day standing outside like a statue in a line was worth it.

I wish that the monsters that came to fight us were coherent enough to talk. Some of them can, like empousa, but most of them can't. I just need to get some information.

Percy said that he could literally see my wheels turning as I'm constantly thinking about the issue. Tartarus kidnaped Hecate and now all of the mist borders are down.

Tartarus said that he was coming.

Now all of our attention is focused on fixing the repairs of the people seeing clearly without the mist covering their eyes.

Monsters are attacking more mortals than demigods even though they can differentiate between the smell of their blood (according to Bob, we are like nice, fresh out of the oven, garlic bread and pizza).

Oh my gods.

My eyes widened comically as his plan finally hit me. I called out for another demigod to take my place at the border when I realized that I had to go talk to Chiron immediately. Percy caught my eye when I was rushing back to the Big House and I just motioned for him to come follow me as well.

"Chiron!" I shouted, breaking into the Big House without even knocking. I was slightly out of breath and needed a second to gulp in some air. "Chiron, I think I know what's happening. Ta–Tar—ugh, the pit is starting to rise. Just like Gaea."

"What do you mean my dear?" Chiron asked, his eyes furrowed as worry lines laced his forehead.

"Think about it, all of this is a distraction. Tartarus took Hecate and the mist is down right? Now we're too focused on spending all of our resources on repairing that. We have all of our kids out on patrol. Some of them are out in cities trying to kill monsters before they attack humans. And these monsters, they know how to detect between mortals and demigods and now, we're hardly getting any attacks but the humans are being eaten multiple times a day. Why is that, Chiron? It's a distraction."

"Oh my gods, Wise Girl, that makes so much sense," Percy exclaimed, agreeing with what I had thought of. "We're redirecting all of our people and supplies to fixing the mist damage that the physical form of the pit is going to rise and hit us with surprise."

"The physical form? Percy, Tartarus doesn—"

"Yes he does, Chiron. We have seen him in his physical form. I don't have words to describe how horrible it was, Chiron, but I swear it on the Styx that he does. He's the one that gave us this," Percy said, yanking down his t-shirt so that his left shoulder was exposed and the brand of Tartarus lay visible. When all of our wounds healed and made scars, this was the only one that hadn't. I talked to Will about it and he said that cursed brands made by the abuser, especially the abuser being a primordial, cannot be healed by simple ambrosia and nectar.

I stared at the crude T that was burnt into his shoulder, the same scar on my own. The skin around it was prickling red, sheared from the brute force of the symbol being pressed into his shoulder after heating it with the fire of the Phlegethon. As much as I hated to say it, I was terrified to have to meet Tartarus again. I knew it was inevitable, but it terrified me. This was the thing that held us hostage for years. Tortured us. Tried to break us.

I almost did.

The only thing holding me together was the fact that I knew Percy was there with me. I couldn't break when he needed me.

I knew Percy had the exact same mindset.

I knew it was my fault. Percy didn't deserve any of this. He fell into the pits of hell because of me. It was my fault. Had I just been smarter and cut the web or had I just let go of his hand, he wouldn't have had to suffer as much as he had.

Percy held onto my hand and gave me a soft kiss.

"Together forever right? I'm never leaving you alone."

"Never again."