Last Shadow || Deception Book III

Chapter 17 Pt.1

A/N: I'm back. With a near death experience, but hey, its all good. (There was a flood.) Anyways, updates will be starting again on Saturdays. :)). Also, lmk what you guys think about me switching to third person for the second part of this book (aka the camp battle and the events in the Last Olympian). There really isn't a "why," other than the fact that I feel like 3rd POV might be better for what's gonna happen in part II, but honestly that's just my own opinion and if y'all like first person then I'll keep it first POV. But let me know what you prefer or not :)). Anyways, enjoy.

Clarianna

We ran for what seemed both like an eternity yet only a mere moment, through the tunnels and away from the mountain, with no destination in mind and only the thought of putting as much distance as possible between us and Othrys. The maze responded to my magic like putty, bending and changing to my will, and I led them through the tunnels which opened up with ease, making sure to close the paths behind us so there was no chance anyone would be able to catch up.

"I can't go any further," the red-haired girl finally gasped. "Can we stop?"

I nodded. We were in a tunnel of white rock, which resembled a limestone cave, and I knew immediately that we'd made it far away from San Francisco. This was fine. Everyone instantly stopped in exhaustion.

"Who are you?" the mortal girl asked once she'd recovered her breath.

"I'm...." I hesitated. What, and who, on earth, was I?

"That's Rianna," Nico cut in. "She's a daughter of Hecate. Don't worry, she's with us," he added as the girl eyed me warily. "Rianna, this is Rachel. She's Percy's friend, and our guide. Well, before you, anyway."

I smiled at her. "Nice to meet you."

"Is Hecate the reason why you can navigate the maze?" Rachel asked me curiously.
I nodded. "Yeah. My mother controls the Mist." 

"What happened?" Annabeth interrupted. I turned around to see her lying on the ground, her head in her hands. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "Rianna, what happened to Luke?"
I sat down beside her as pain lanced through me again. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop him. He gave himself over to Kronos." 

"What?" she breathed, shock and devastation flashing across her face. 

Quietly, I explained what had happened, struggling to keep my voice even and not break down and cry as Annabeth's eyes shone with tears. When I finished, I impulsively reached out and wrapped her in a hug, and she finally let herself go and sobbed into my shirt. "I'm sorry," I whispered in her ears, making sure she was the only one who could hear me. "I swear on the Styx, I will find a way to get him back. I promise you." 

Annabeth shook her head, her hands fisting into my shirt. "Rianna, no. I can't lose you too. It's okay," she smiled weakly. "You did your best. I know you did." 

I pulled away from her and looked at my hands. "If I was stronger, I would have killed him when I had the chance. And I had so many chances." 

Annabeth shook her head and wrapped her hands around mine. "No, and you know better than anyone that doing so would have done nothing. He would just use someone else. And you can't tell me that you didn't have fun while it lasted." She looked at me with a small smile. "So, really, I'll be okay." 

I squeezed her hands in silent support and gratitude and she smiled slightly. "We have to keep moving," I said, standing up and looking at everyone else. Nico was watching me in silent support, something like sympathy in his eyes, Percy still looked a little shell shocked from his ordeal, Rachel tired and worried, and Annabeth...I knew she looked like how I did. Exhausted, devastated, but still determined. "I closed the tunnels behind us, but it's just a matter of time before they catch up."