𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐀, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

07 - a stranger kills mabel somehow

˖*࿐ •*⁀➷

WHEN HAZEL DIDN'T WAKE UP TO FRANK SHAKING HER SHOULDER GENTLY, it was one thing. When she didn't wake up to Percy calling her name, it was slightly more worrying. But when she didn't wake up after a sleepy Mabel smacked her (with love) across the face, the three remaining teens decided to be pretty terrified.

Percy got them ashore quickly, their boat stuttering to a stop on a rocky beach as Frank hoisted the youngest girl in his arms and quickly stumbled onto the shore. Mabel rubbed the last of the sleep from her bleary eyes, following the worried boy up a ridge to the top of a stout cliff, the misty sea air pulling strands of her hair to flutter in front of her face. Something about the scent of salt in the cool air gave the daughter of Trivia a strong sense of deja vu, yet it was unsettling. She felt like something— someone— was there, wanting to yank her into the shadows of the boulders.

By the time Frank had Hazel laid down on the grass, the younger girl's amber eyes were fluttering open, blearily blinking at the other three. Mabel let out a soft breath, her shoulders relaxing from the tense stance she wasn't even aware they were in. Her eyes flickered away from the groggy daughter of Pluto, trailing up to the stars twinkling in the night sky.

The constellations traced across the dark sky, like dust scattered across the smooth surface of a lake; Andromeda, Orion, Hercules, Ursa Major, and the faint figure of a girl with a bow, graceful limbs stretched across the expanse of the atmosphere. The sight caused a strange twinge of pain in the back of Mabel's head, her heart twisting for a moment before she averted her eyes.

"I haven't been honest with you guys," Hazel was admitting, her gaze cast to her hands fiddling in her lap. Her voice was soft and guilty, her eyes avoiding theirs like she was afraid of what she would see. "What happened was a blackout. I have them once in a while."

Mabel's brows pulled down, lips pursing in thought. She hadn't noticed such a thing before, and she liked to think that she was fairly observant; how had the younger girl hidden it so well? The brunette watched Frank's hand reach for Hazel's, causing the daughter of Pluto's cheeks to flush.

"A blackout?" Frank asked, looking worried. "Is it medical? Why haven't I noticed it before?"

Hazel shrugged softly, her face slightly sheepish. "I try to hide it. I've been lucky so far, but they're getting worse. It's not medical... not really." Mabel tilted her head to the side, shifting to stand behind the girl, her fingertips carefully brushing the daughter of Pluto's wild curls from her face. "Nico says it's a side effect from my past," Hazel continued. "From where he found me."

Mabel's eyes strayed to Percy's, meeting his stormy green gaze. He looked both concerned and wary, an undertone of guilt sitting on his shoulders like a heavy weight; like he'd trusted and been betrayed before. Mabel knew it wasn't rare— betrayal commonly adorned the trials of humanity. Loyalty always came sparse, only lingering trust built before it collapsed beneath a mistake.

"Where did he find you?" the son of Neptune asked, dark brows set heavily over his eyes.

Hazel's face paled, turning near a sickly shade of green in the ghostly moonlight. Mabel was worried for a moment that the younger girl would pass out again. "I'll explain," she croaked, reaching for her bag to rummage through it and coming up empty handed. "Do we have anything to drink?"

"Yes—" Percy went to reach behind him, faltering when he realized he didn't have his pack. "Shit," he cursed, running a hand through his windswept hair. "No, I left my stuff at the boat."