❝In a fight, they're lethal. Around each other, they melt❞
"I'm fine." I said, trying to hide the frown and tears that threatened to spill.
Percy looked at me once.
"I'm not going anywhere, unless you tell me what's wrong," he declared and I would h...
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"What were you thinking?" Clarisse cradled Maddie's head in her lap.
Maddie tried to swallow, but her lips were dry and cracked. "Wouldn't... listen. Cabin would... only follow you."
"So you stole my armor," Clarisse said in disbelief. "You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol; you stole my armor and pretended to be me." She glared at her siblings. "And NONE of you noticed?"
Tears flowed down my face as I watched one of the only girls who actually talked to me at camp was dying in the arms of her girlfriend.
The Ares campers developed a sudden interest in their combat boots.
"Don't blame them," Maddie said. "They wanted to... to believe I was you."
"You stupid Apollo girl," Clarisse sobbed. "You charged a drakon? Why?"
"All my fault," Maddie said, a tear streaking the side of her face. "The drakon, Charlie's death.. camp endangered—"
"Stop it!" Clarisse said. "That's not true."
Maddie opened her hand. In her palm was a silver bracelet with a scythe charm, the mark of Kronos.
Percy said dumly: "You were the spy."
Maddie tried to nod. "One of them. Before.. before I liked Clarrise, Luke was nice to me. He was so.. charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised.. he promised I was saving lives. Fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn't hurt... Charlie. He lied to me."
Percy met my eyes. My face was probably pale. I felt like somebody had just yanked the world out from under my feet.
Behind us, the battle raged.
Clarisse scowled at her cabinmates. "Go, help the centaurs. Protect the doors. GO!"
They scrambled off to join the fight.
Maddie took a heavy, painful breath. "Forgive me."
"You're not dying," Clarisse insisted.
"Charlie.." Maddie's eyes were a million miles away. "See Charlie.."
She didn't speak again.
"I'll make sure of it." I muttered, both to myself, Clarrise and Maddie. "She'll see her brother again."
Clarisse held her and wept. Chris put a hand on her shoulder.
Finally I closed Maddie's eyes.
"We have to fight." My voice was brittle. "She gave her life to help us. We have to honor her."
Clarisse sniffled and wiped her nose. "She was a hero, understand? A hero."
