Wildflowers, Percy Jackson ₁

059, nothing funny about this shit

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

₊˚࿐࿔ 𖥧‧₊⚘ ❀༉. 𓏲｡

"What were you two thinking?" Clarisse cradled Silena's head in her lap, but she stared at Mickey.

Phoenix had frantically run over to Mickey, desperate to comfort her and miserable to see her in so much pain. Now it was Phoenix who held Mickey while Sylvie just grasped her hand.

"They w-wouldn't listen otherwise—Your—The cabin would only follow you," Mickey cried. Then, "Silena, please. You're fine. S-stop."

"It's... okay. I had... to."

"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 and got Mickey to follow you so the rest of my siblings would." She glared at the other Ares campers. "And NONE of you noticed?"

The Ares campers developed a sudden interest in their combat boots. Phoenix just wrapped Mickey in his arms.

"Don't blame them," Silena said. "They wanted to... to believe I was you."

"You stupid Aphrodite girl," Clarisse sobbed. "You charged a drakon? Why?"

"All my fault," Silena said, a tear streaking the side of her face. "The drakon, Charlie's death... camp endangered—"

"Stop it!" Mickey sobbed. "Silena, stop! Don't leave me like this!"

"You're... okay," Silena whispered. "You're gonna be. You've got... Phoenix, and... the cabin has... you."

Mickey shook her head adamantly. "I—I can't! I can't take care of them. I need you. You're my big sister, you're... You're the best person I know."

"I'm bad, Mick," she choked out on a sob.

"That's not t-true!" Mickey cried. Sylvie squeezed her hand tighter and Phoenix's hands rubbed up and down and up and down.

Silena opened her hand. In her palm was a silver bracelet with a scythe charm, the mark of Kronos.

A cold fist closed around Sylvie's heart. Suddenly the slice down her face felt deeper, her blood more real. "You were the spy."

Silena tried to nod. "You know, Sylvie... I hated Eurydice first. Before... before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me. I know he had... her, but 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."

Sylvie met Annabeth's eyes. Her face was chalky. She looked like somebody had just yanked the world out from under her feet.

Behind them, the battle raged.