Forbidden Quests

Chapter 59

Annabeth

"Annabeth? Are you gonna answer or not?" Thalia's words penetrated my deep thoughts, allowing my concentration to actually shift to her.

"I'm sorry, Thalia," I said, shaking my head a little. "I'm just-"

"Why do you keep staring at Percy?" she interrupted. "Well, more than normal."

Normally I would scowl at her, but I couldn't work up enough energy to do that. I was exhausted, and I wanted nothing more than to curl up and go to sleep on my comfy bed at Athena's temple. But we weren't done yet. We still had to get to Mount Olympus and see what the gods will do, and who knows how long that will take.

Plus, I thought as my eyes were drawn back to Percy who was riding on Blackjack about twenty feet ahead me and my friend, I don't think I could sleep right now. There were so many thoughts flooding my mind, and it took all I had to keep them at bay for a little and let them in, one drop at a time. But it was hard, and I feared I would soon drown if I didn't clear some things up.

Not suprisingly, most of those things had to do with Percy.

"I'm just..." I trailed of thoughtfully. "Worried about him. That's all."

I couldn't see Thalia's expression when she replied. "Yeah, I know what you mean. He's kind of... well, I don't really want to admit, but he's getting kind of scary. Just look at when Luke was taunting him. He started an freaking earthquake without even knowing it. That's a lot of power right there. And if he can't really, you know, control it..." her voice trailed off, but I caught her meaning.

It was true- what he did earlier today had been crazy. I mean, starting an earthquake took an amazing amount of power already, but when he did it almost involuntarily, it was even more unbelievable. We had all known that Percy was a powerful demigod, but this was almost impossible.

But it didn't make him invincible. This weight was pushing hard down on Percy. He hated hurting people, even people like Luke. He hated having others scared of him, he wanted to help. So this power that some would call a gift, he called a curse. The bags under his eyes and the slight depression he showed proved it. I wanted to help him, but at the same time, I didn't.

Well, I mean I wanted to, but lately Percy kind of has retreated into himself. I knew he blamed himself for the deaths of the Questers during the war, and on top of that, Luke's presence was a constant irritation, and... I just didn't know if he wanted me to help. He looked helpless and miserable, but did he want me to help him?

My mind for the hundredth time traveled back to what I had told him before, about the possibilities after the war. My first thought was about my mother. When I saw her again, I would have a lifetime of scolding for running off (I had been kidnapped, first) and staying away from her (despite the small fact that we couldn't communicate with them in anyway) and especially doing it with a son of Poseidon (even though he was my best friend, and even more than that to me). I doubt she'd approve of even a friendship between me. She'll probably just want the Forbiddance Law to be put up again.

But if that happened, then I wouldn't be able to see Percy.

Gods, I loved him so much. If that stupid law happened once more, I would never forgive my mother, and I would never be the same. But watching Percy, his broad back as he led us all on Blackjack, the wind ruffling his black hair, what does he think?

He hadn't even really said anything about... well, anything since after the war. I wanted to try to help so badly, but I wasn't going to push him. If he needed space, then space I would give him, no matter how hard it would be for me. But how long would he need his space?