Heir of a Titan - Book 2 PJO

Chapter 11: I Lived and I See Things.

My eyes shot open and I scrambled to my feet my hands already blazing. I felt the panic and anxiety, it pumped through my body in blinding hot waves. I looked for the danger, expecting to be ambushed.

"My Lady! You are safe!"

I spun in a circle, breathing hard, I slowly let myself calm down and let myself see my surroundings.

"Glitter!"

"Yes Lady. We are all here. You are safe."

I exhaled slowly. I was standing in a small grove of trees. The sun was out and it trickled through the leaves of the trees. Glitter and Blackjack stood nearby, both looking anxious, tossing their mains and stomping the ground. My panic spiked and I twisted around and I saw Beckendorf laying on the ground. And what I saw made a silent sob escape. My attempt at shielding him did nothing.

Raph looked up and looked over his shoulder, his dark eyes full of sadness. He gave me a small sad smile and then waved me over. I slowly walked over. My legs felt wobbly and my muscles and joints felt like they had been microwaved, my head was pounding. I slowly sunk to the ground beside Raph. I felt his hand rest on my back. He leaned over and kissed my temple. I leaned into him. Feeling the weight of what actually happened to me over the last week.

I blinked back the tears, and looked down at Beckendorf. His breathing was ragged and shallow. I could try and heal him, I laid a hand on his chest and sucked in a sharp breath. I wasn't sure if I could heal him, I could help take some of his pain. I would need Will here to help. I could feel all his organs shutting down, his heart was struggling, I could feel his pain and I flinched.

I took a slow steadying breath, and harnessed my powers I felt a hand grab my wrist. My eyes snapped open. Beckendorf was looking at me through his one good eye. It was full and full of pain. He moved his head, but he was clearly telling me no.

"It's good to see you." He signed.

His hands were so badly burned, he was so red raw and blistered, he had patches where the skin looked mostly gone. I swallowed down another sob.

"I'm sorry!" I signed.

"Don't do that to yourself. My choice. And you did everything. Tell Selina I love her and I'll wait for her."

I clamped a hand over my mouth and nodded, silent tears slid down my cheeks. I watched as he took his last breath. I laid a hand back on his chest. I felt his life still. Everything internal stilled.

"Be at peace Hero." I signed and closed his eyes. Raph pulled out a drachma and placed it in Beckendorf's hand and closed his eyes.

"We don't have a burial shroud." I signed.

Raph got up and started gathering wood for a pyre. It was hastily built, but it worked. I lit it on fire. And together Raph and I watched it burn with Glitter and Blackjack. I hadn't said anything. Just letting the tears fall. Raph finally turned towards me and pulled me into a tight hug. He didn't ask questions or demand answers, at least right now. He just held me tight for now. It took me a long time to get myself under control. And when I did I just sunk to the ground.

I looked up at Raph. I could see he was trying to hold back, his jaw was clenched, I could see the anger now. I sighed and waved it on, knowing it would happen.

"What happened?" He signed. "I get another phone call that you're missing from camp! Come to camp and no one knows what happened to you! You were missing a week! A week Nora!"

"I didn't sneak away."

"Ya Clarisse said it was a raid. But you sent everyone ahead! That was the stupidest thing you've ever done!"