MY DREAM • percy jackson

chapter 25

ALORA HAD NOT STOPPED THINKING ABOUT HER BED THE WHOLE QUEST, but when she arrived back at camp she couldn't bring herself to sleep. Percy was gone to Olympus, where Zeus could easily fry him like a pancake in an instant. That thought kept her awake.

When they arrived back at camp, they received cheers and congratulations from other campers for even making it back alive. It didn't slip Alora's eye the hug Annabeth received from Evangeline Thomas, an aphrodite kid, that caused the girl to blush. But everything soon died down since Percy was yet to return and it had put everyone, especially Alora, on edge.

She was with Luke, in the midst of trying to convince Chiron to let her get a dog.

"Please, just a little tiny puppy!" She begged, but the man wasn't seeming to budge. "I'll do anything Chiron!"

"When I see you can take care of a pet, you can have one." The older man said and Alora pouted before storming off and mimicking the man bitterly, Luke following behind her.

She was about to return the picture he had gave her before the quest, but that completely left her mind when she heard that Percy had returned to camp. She rushed away, muttering a quick apology to Luke, and headed straight to the pavilion where everyone was clapping for Percy.

As soon as his eyes met hers, he headed towards her. They met in the middle and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, his instantly fitting perfectly around her waist. The moment was perfect, until Percy caught sight of Clarisse.

"Why is she..?" He started and Alora instantly knew what he was talking about.

"Don't say anything." She muttered quietly. "I'll explain after."

After the celebrations for Percy's return and everyone stopped focusing on his every move, alora, annabeth and luke pulled him away to the hermes cabin.

"Clarisse stole the master bolt." Percy stated, making sure everyone was thinking the same thing and he wasn't crazy.

"It's complicated." Annabeth told him for the millionth time.

"How is it complicated?" He asked frustrated.

"Everyone was ready to join the war here." Luke told him about what happened when they were gone. "To start fighting with each other. An accusation against Clarisse.."

"Without proof." Annabeth added.

"Exactly." He agreed as Percy looked between the two. "Without proof, it would have lit this whole place on fire. But now you're back. You've stopped the war. You've saved the world. Now it's safe to tell Chiron and finish cleaning up this mess. I told him we need to meet him away from the celebration so we can talk without any of Clarisse's supporters noticing."

Alora didn't know what it was but her stomach was churning and the voice in her head was yelling at her that something was wrong, but she didn't know what it was. The way Annabeth agreed and nodded along sent off alarm bells in her head and she didn't know why.

"I'll keep an eye on Clarisse while you're gone." Annabeth offered, "me and lora can."

"Yeah, sure." Alora muttered as she bit at her nail in thought. This caught Percys attention and he raised an eyebrow at her but she just shook it off.

It was probably nothing, right?

"Great." Luke nodded along. "And we'll meet back here. Ready?"

Percy nodded yes and the four left the cabin, heading to the celebratory campfire with the special addition of a firework show.

Everything was perfect. They were back at camp, safe and sound, with Luke, her brother figure who she missed and now Percy was alive and back from Olympus. If everything was so perfect, why did Alora still feel that churning in her stomach? Why did it just get worse after Percy had left with Luke?