Born To Die

I ride a sea pony to see my boyfriend

The group stood by the edge of the beach, watching the waves roll in as we tried to figure out how to reach the ship—Luke's ship, the Princess Andromeda—hidden somewhere far out at sea. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, and the harpies would be hunting soon. We didn't have much time.

Percy looked more determined than ever, his brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to think of a plan. Annabeth was pacing back and forth, muttering to herself about navigation routes and sea currents. Tyson, towering over all of us, was watching the water with wide, curious eyes, probably wishing he could swim all the way there himself.

I stood a little to the side, my mind half on the conversation, half on my own hidden agenda—getting back to Luke. But I had to play my part in this. Percy and the others had to believe I was in this with them.

"We can't exactly swim to the ship," Percy said, frustration creeping into his voice. "And we don't have time to get a real boat."

"We'll never make it before the harpies get to us," Annabeth added, glancing up at the darkening sky.

Then Percy's eyes lit up like he'd had a sudden stroke of genius. "Wait... hippocampi."

"Hippocampi?" Annabeth echoed.

"Yeah. They're friendly sea creatures—half-horse, half-fish. I can call them," Percy explained, already moving towards the water. "They'll get us there fast enough."

He stepped to the water's edge, cupping his hands to his mouth and whistling softly. I watched in quiet fascination as the waves seemed to respond to him, rippling and shifting. A few moments later, the surface of the water broke, and three massive creatures—beautiful, shimmering hippocampi—rose from the ocean like something out of a dream. Their fish-like tails glistened in the twilight, and their horse-like heads turned towards us with gentle curiosity.

Annabeth's jaw dropped in awe, and even Tyson let out a delighted cheer. But I kept my expression calm, focused. This was it—the way to the ship, the way back to Luke.

Percy climbed onto one of the hippocampi's backs, motioning for the rest of us to follow. "Come on, we have to move fast before the harpies realize we're gone."

I took a deep breath and hopped onto the second hippocampus, feeling the slick scales beneath my hands. Annabeth and Tyson followed suit, and before long, we were racing across the water, the wind whipping through our hair as we sped toward the distant ship.

As the Princess Andromeda grew larger on the horizon, my heart began to race. Soon, I would see Luke again. Soon, I'd be back where I truly belonged.

Percy had no idea what was waiting for him.

We made it to the Princess Andromeda under the cover of night, the ship's silhouette looming like a ghost against the dark sky. Percy and the others seemed on edge, but they didn't realize what I knew. This wasn't just any ship—it was Luke's. My heart beat faster at the thought of seeing him again.

The deck was eerily quiet, almost too quiet, but it worked in our favor. We managed to sneak on board without raising any alarms. Percy kept whispering about it being a "ghost ship," and Annabeth looked uneasy, but I kept my cool, pretending to share their anxiety while keeping my real thoughts hidden.

"Looks deserted," Percy muttered, peering around the empty deck.

Annabeth nodded. "We should find somewhere to hide for the night. We'll figure things out in the morning."

We split into two groups—Annabeth and I in one cabin, Percy and Tyson in another. The room Annabeth and I ended up in was small and cramped, but it would do for the night. As we settled in, Annabeth sat on the edge of the narrow bed, her expression thoughtful.

"You seem... calm," she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "More than I expected."

I shrugged, forcing a half-hearted smile. "Guess I'm just good at keeping it together."

She gave me a small, tired smile in return, but I could see the wheels turning in her head. Annabeth wasn't easy to fool, but I'd been playing this part long enough to know how to keep up appearances.

We lay down to rest, but I couldn't sleep. My mind kept drifting to Luke, wondering where he was on this massive ship. How long had it been since I last saw him? Too long. And now, I was so close.

As Annabeth finally dozed off, I carefully slipped out of bed, making my way to the door. I had to find him.

I stood at the bow of the ship, the cold wind biting at my skin as I stared out at the dark waves. The moonlight glinted off the water, casting an eerie glow over the sea. My thoughts were racing, heart pounding with the anticipation of what I was about to do. I knew what I was risking—my cover, my friends, everything. But I also knew who I needed to see.

And then, I felt him before I saw him.

Luke.

His presence was unmistakable, a familiar warmth behind me in the cold night air. I didn't turn around immediately. My grip tightened on the railing, steadying myself as I prepared for what I knew was coming.

"You shouldn't be here," his voice was low, a mixture of surprise and something else I couldn't quite place.

I slowly turned to face him, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of him. He looked exactly the same—his golden hair tousled, that cocky smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, though his eyes were shadowed by the weight of everything he had done.

"I couldn't stay away," I said quietly, taking a step closer. "I had to see you."

Luke's smirk faded, and he stepped forward, his gaze softening. "It's dangerous here, Isla. You know that."

"I don't care," I whispered. "I need to be with you."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The tension hung thick in the air between us. Then, without warning, Luke closed the distance between us, pulling me into his arms. His touch was familiar, comforting, and for a brief moment, everything felt right again. All the lies, the betrayals—they didn't matter. Not here, not with him.

"I've missed you," he murmured against my hair.

"I've missed you too," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Luke pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. "Are you sure about this? About coming back?"

I nodded, my decision firm. "I'm with you, Luke. Always."

He leaned down, his lips brushing mine in a soft, lingering kiss, the kind that made my head spin. In that moment, all my doubts vanished. I was his, and nothing was going to change that.

The kiss lingered, deeper this time, as if neither of us wanted to pull away. The familiar taste of him, the warmth of his touch, made everything feel right, even though I knew how wrong it was. My heart pounded in my chest, and the world around us seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us in this moment.

Luke pulled back for a breath, his eyes searching mine with that familiar intensity. "Isla..." he whispered, his voice low, almost like a warning. But I could see the need in his eyes, the same fire I felt burning inside of me.

Without another word, he gently took my hand, guiding me toward his quarters on the ship. The door closed behind us with a soft thud, and in the dim light, I could see the way Luke was watching me, like he was about to devour me whole. My breath caught in my throat as I realized how close we were.

Everything had always been intense between us, but this time, it felt different—more dangerous, more urgent. Luke stepped closer, his hands brushing against the sides of my face, the back of my neck, pulling me closer. His lips found mine again, and it was as if every part of me that had been held back broke free. I melted into him, the weight of everything else slipping away. All I cared about was being here with him.

He guided me toward the bed, his movements swift but careful. I could feel his heartbeat, rapid and steady, against mine, as if we were two halves of the same whole. My body responded to his touch before my mind could catch up, the line between right and wrong completely blurring.