Playlist:
"Goodbye Summer" - Danielle Bradbery feat. Thomas Rhett
"Someone You Loved" - Lewis Capaldi
"Youth" - Troye Sivan feat. Alessia Cara
"Summer" - Imagine Dragons
"The Night We Met" - Lord Huron
"Memories" - Maroon 5
"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" - Ella Eyre
"Cardigan" - Taylor Swift
"Lost in Japan" - Shawn Mendes
"Hold My Girl" - George Ezra
"Youngblood" - 5 Seconds of Summer
"Ruin My Life" - Zara Larsson
"Home" - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
"Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
"Perfect Places" - Lorde
Aria's POV
"See you next summer," I said to Cass as I hugged her tightly. "I'll miss you."
It was the last day of camp, and the air was filled with the bittersweet sadness of goodbyes. Cass had to leave earlier than the rest because she needed to enroll in her new school.
"Write to us during the year," Cleo reminded her, standing next to me.
"Of course," Cass said with a smile. "And you should send postcards from Italy. I want a letter for every cute Italian guy you see."
We all laughed, the sound ringing out over the campgrounds, mingling with the sounds of nature. Cass adjusted her backpack and looked at us one last time.
"See you soon. Bye!" she called out, continuing her walk down the hill towards the waiting car.
"Ari," I heard Luke's voice behind me, pulling me from my thoughts. "One last training session in the arena? For the end of the summer?"
"Yes, I'm coming now," I replied, eager to take my mind off the goodbyes and focus on something active.
"Okay. I'll be waiting for you there," Luke said, then turned and disappeared down the path towards the camp.
I turned to Cleo, not wanting to leave her alone in this moment of transition. "Do you want to come too?" I asked, though I knew Luke wouldn’t be thrilled with the idea.
Cleo shook her head, giving me a small, reassuring smile. "No, no need. I have to pack. You should go."
"Are you sure?" I asked, wanting to be certain she was okay.
"Yes, really," she insisted. "I'll be fine. Go have fun."
***
I reached the arena. Luke was already there, pacing back and forth with a restlessness I recognized well. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and a mischievous grin spread across his face.
“Real swords or wooden ones?” I called out as I approached, my voice echoing slightly in the open space.
“Real,” he replied, with a glint of excitement in his eyes. “A little more thrilling for the end of summer.”
“You say it as if we won't see each other tomorrow,” I laughed, closing the distance between us. Luke was a constant in my life; he never left my side for long, always finding a reason to stay with me rather than return to his mother.
“I know,” he said with a shrug. “It'll just be more fun.” He bent down and picked up a longsword from the ground, the blade gleaming in the light. I had never seen this particular sword before.
“Wow. New sword, huh? It’s great.” I admired the craftsmanship, the way the metal caught the light.
“Yes. Thanks! Backbiter. That’s the name"" He held it out for me to inspect.
"Divine Bronze and Tempered Steel" I ran my fingers along the blade, feeling the cool metal beneath my touch. “I thought they didn’t make swords like this anymore.”
“One of a kind,” he said proudly. “Let’s get started, shall we?” He handed me a sword, hilt first.
We squared off, and the familiar rush of adrenaline surged through me. I parried his blows one after another, the clang of metal against metal resonating in the evening air. Luke’s movements were swift and precise, but I matched him, blow for blow, until he swung the blunt side of his sword at my wrist. My sword flew meters away, clattering on the ground.
Without hesitation, I swung my leg at Luke’s hand, the one holding the sword. The impact made him drop his weapon and fall to his knees, clutching his hand in pain. I seized the opportunity, grabbed his sword, and rested the tip of the blade against his throat.
“The leg trick, huh?” Luke laughed, his voice tinged with both pain and admiration.
“Gods! How I hate this!” He exclaimed, shaking his head.
“It always works, though,” I said with a smile, removing the blade from his throat.
“Yes, and it always hurts,” he grumbled, rubbing his hand.
“Sorry. But that’s really the point.” I stepped closer, extending my hand to help him up. As I pulled him to his feet, the distance between us narrowed sharply. All I could see were his eyes, staring directly into mine, intense and filled with unspoken emotions. He gently put his hand on my cheek, his touch soft and warm.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still. The world around us faded into the background, leaving just the two of us in a shared bubble of intimacy. Luke's gaze flickered down to my lips and back up to my eyes, as if seeking permission.
I nodded ever so slightly, my heart pounding in my chest. Slowly, he leaned in, closing the gap between us. His lips brushed against mine, tentative at first, then more assured as he felt me respond.
When we finally pulled away, breathless and slightly dazed, Luke's forehead rested against mine. “I've wanted to do that for a long time,” he admitted softly.
“Me too,” I whispered back, a smile playing on my lips.
As we stood there, still caught in the lingering afterglow of our kiss, I heard clapping coming from behind us. The sound was distinct and deliberate, breaking the spell of the moment. I turned around to find my brother Ethan grinning widely, his expression a mixture of amusement and mockery.
“Gods! You brought tears to the only eye I have,” Ethan remarked loudly, his voice carrying a playful edge. His one eye was twinkling with mischief.
“Ethan—” I started, but he waved his hand dismissively.
“Okay, okay! Sorry for the interruption,” he said, still chuckling. “But if you want to say goodbye to your beloved brother, you’ll have to hurry. "
Author's note:
Wow. This is probably the longest chapter I've released so far and I don't know if it's better that way or not. Anyway, there's still a little bit left until the end of part 1. I'm not sure exactly, but it will be either one or two chapters. I promise I'll try to start part two right after this because I have some ideas. I will be happy to hear yours as well. 😊
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Castles Crumbling | The story of Luke Castellan and Ariadne Davis
Fanfiction"Never wanted you to hate me" Ariadne Davis is a demigod residing in the Half-Blood Camp for two years. Before she arrived at the camp she was stripped of everything and now she relies on Luke for support. However, the dynamic of her relationship wi...
