American Royalty III

Part 25: Please be okay

Percy sat cross-legged on the forest floor, the soft crunch of leaves beneath him barely registering. The air was cool and damp, the scent of pine sharp in his nose. Annabeth sat beside him, her blonde hair pulled back in a messy braid, flipping through an old book with symbols that made Percy's brain hurt just looking at them. Connor lounged nearby on a fallen log, lazily tossing a knife in the air and catching it without looking.

"Do you even know what you're reading?" Percy asked, glancing at Annabeth.

She shot him a look, the kind that could cut through a brick wall. "Of course I know what I'm reading. It's strategy notes for—"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Percy interrupted, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Just trying to make conversation."

Connor snorted. "Don't poke the owl, Jackson."

Percy rolled his eyes, leaning back on his hands. For a moment, it felt peaceful. The quiet before the storm. He could almost forget about the war, the monsters, and the looming sense of doom that seemed to follow them everywhere. Almost.

The air in front of them wavered, forming the edges of a rainbow. Percy's stomach immediately dropped.

"Annabeth," he said sharply, nodding toward the growing iris message.

Her head snapped up, her book forgotten as the rainbow solidified. The shimmering image cleared, revealing Thalia and Reyna on the other side.

Percy's heart clenched. Both of them were in their Hogwarts robes, but the fabric was smeared with blood. Thalia's hands were shaking, streaks of crimson staining her palms. Reyna's usually composed expression was tight with worry, her sleeves rolled up, exposing more blood.

"Thalia? Reyna?" Percy said, alarmed. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"We're okay," Reyna said quickly, though her tone was anything but reassuring. "But it's Kit. She's back. And... it's bad."

Connor was instantly on his feet, the knife forgotten as it fell to the ground. "What do you mean bad?" he demanded, his voice shaking.

Thalia's voice cut in, her usual edge dulled by raw emotion. "She's unconscious. Will's with her in the med bay. He... he kicked us all out so he could work without distractions. But—" She paused, swallowing hard. "She was tortured, Percy. She's alive, but we don't know what kind of damage was done."

Percy's hands curled into fists, his knuckles white. He could feel the familiar surge of rage bubbling up, mixing with helplessness. "We'll be there as soon as we can," he said, his voice tight. "We just need to tell the others, but we'll leave right after."

Reyna nodded, her expression heavy with relief. "We'll keep you updated," she promised.

Thalia's blue eyes locked on Percy's. "Be quick. She's strong, but she needs you."

Percy's jaw clenched, his resolve hardening. "We'll be there soon."

With a sharp flick of his hand, he ended the connection, the rainbow light fading into the forest air. He looked at Annabeth and Connor, his face set in determination.

"We go now," he said firmly. "We tell the others, and then we get to her. Fast."

Neither Annabeth nor Connor hesitated. Annabeth closed her book with a snap, rising to her feet. Connor bent down to retrieve his knife, his face pale but resolute.

The weight of the situation pressed down on them, but they all knew one thing: Kit needed them, and there was no time to waste.

Connor's mind was spinning, his hands trembling as he gathered his things. His thoughts weren't on the conversation happening between Percy, Annabeth, and the others—he couldn't focus on any of that right now. All he could think about, all that echoed in his mind, was please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay.

His fingers fumbled over the straps of his pack, shoving it over his shoulder without a second thought. His heart raced, each beat a painful reminder of the fear gnawing at him. He barely registered Annabeth's voice, or Percy's, or Reyna's. The only thing that mattered was Kit. She was back, but how bad was it? How bad had it been? The blood, the damage—he couldn't shake the image of it, of her.

His chest tightened. Please be okay. Please be okay.

He was on autopilot now, his movements sharp and quick as he strapped his sword to his back, adjusted his gear. His thoughts kept spiraling. What if she isn't? What if—

"Let's go!" Percy's voice cut through his thoughts, a sharp command that jolted him back to the present. His eyes snapped to Percy, who was already bracing himself.

Before he could think twice, the world around him seemed to explode into mist.

Please be okay, Connor thought once more, as the air shimmered around them, and they were hurtled through the space between.