A Forgotten Maiden

Chapter 18

The rain hammered down on the roof of Percy's apartment, creating a dull, constant drumming that seeped into his half-conscious mind. Outside, the wind howled through the streets, rattling the windows, and every few seconds, a flash of lightning lit up the room, followed by the booming crack of thunder.

Percy lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, the soft glow from the streetlights outside barely illuminating his room. He wasn't used to being awake this late anymore—not after everything they'd been through lately. But the storm was relentless, and every time he started to drift off, the thunder shook him awake.

Just as his eyes began to flutter shut again, there was a soft knock on his bedroom door.

He blinked, confused. The sound of the storm had drowned it out, but there it was again—a quiet, hesitant knock. Before he could respond, the door creaked open slightly, and in the dim light, he could make out Calypso's silhouette standing in the doorway.

"Percy?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the storm.

He propped himself up on his elbows, squinting at her through the darkness. "Calypso? What's wrong?"

Without answering, she stepped into the room, her bare feet padding softly across the floor. Percy could see her hugging her arms to her chest, her long hair slightly mussed from sleep, but her face was tense, worried. She hesitated for a moment by the side of his bed, her eyes flickering toward the window where the lightning flashed in the distance.

"Do you mind if I...?" She didn't finish the sentence, but she didn't need to. There was a soft plea in her voice, something vulnerable that Percy wasn't used to seeing from her.

"Uh... yeah, sure," Percy replied, sitting up fully and scooting over to make room for her. "Of course. Come in."

Calypso climbed into bed beside him, moving carefully as if she didn't want to disturb him too much. She settled under the blankets, lying on her side with her back to him at first, but her shoulders were tense, and Percy could feel the weight of something hanging in the air between them.

He was confused, sure, but he didn't say anything at first. The warmth of her body next to his was unfamiliar but not unwelcome. The storm outside roared again, a loud crack of thunder that shook the walls, and Percy felt Calypso flinch slightly beside him.

"Are you okay?" he asked after a beat, his voice soft as he leaned toward her, trying to catch a glimpse of her face.

Calypso turned her head slowly, her eyes meeting his in the darkness. For a moment, she didn't say anything, her expression unreadable. Then, finally, she let out a shaky breath, her voice quieter than he'd ever heard it.

"I hate storms," she admitted, her gaze dropping to the bed. "They remind me of... my time on Ogygia."

Percy frowned, his brow furrowing as he shifted to face her. "The island? But why...?"

Calypso hesitated again, biting her lip as if unsure whether to tell him the truth. Her hand nervously tugged at the edge of the blanket, and Percy could see a flicker of something like shame in her eyes.

"It's because of Zeus," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "When I was on the island, he would—he would torment me with storms like this. Sometimes they'd last for days. And sometimes, if he was... feeling particularly cruel, he'd strike me with lightning."

Percy's eyes widened in shock, his heart dropping into his stomach. "What?" He sat up a little straighter, suddenly much more awake. "He did *what*?"

Calypso's gaze dropped again, as if she couldn't bear to look at him while saying it. "He thought it was funny," she said softly, her voice trembling just slightly. "I wasn't supposed to leave the island, and when I tried—well, you know how gods can be. They don't like it when you break the rules."