Forgotten memories

Power Nap

"What were you thinking?" Clarisse's voice cracked as she cradled Silena's head in her lap, her hands trembling despite her usual strength.

Silena tried to swallow, but her lips were dry and cracked. "Wouldn't... listen. Cabin would... only follow you."

Clarisse shook her head in disbelief. "So you stole my armour? You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol... you stole my armour and pretended to be me?" She turned on her siblings, her glare like fire. "And NONE of you noticed?"

The Ares campers suddenly found their combat boots very, very interesting.

"Don't blame them," Silena rasped. Her voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of guilt. "They wanted to... to believe I was you."

"You stupid Aphrodite girl," Clarisse sobbed, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You charged a drakon? Why? Why would you do that?"

"All my fault," Silena murmured, a tear sliding down her burned face. "The drakon... Charlie's death... camp endangered—"

"Stop it!" Clarisse cut her off sharply, shaking her head. "That's not true. Don't you dare say that."

But Silena opened her hand. In her palm lay a silver bracelet with a scythe charm—the mark of Kronos.

A cold weight slammed into my chest, stealing my breath. "You were the spy," I said, my voice thick with disbelief.

Silena tried to nod, though even that small movement looked painful. "Before... before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me. He was so... charming. Handsome." Her eyes glistened with tears as her voice broke again. "Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised... he promised I was saving lives. That fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn't hurt... Charlie." She let out a shaky breath. "He lied to me."

I glanced at Annabeth. Her face had gone pale, like the ground had just fallen out from under her. Behind us, the battle still raged, but in that moment, the world felt so small—just us, Silena, and the weight of her confession.

Clarisse's voice was low and dangerous as she turned to her siblings. "Go. Help the centaurs. Protect the doors. NOW."

They didn't argue. They scrambled off like their lives depended on it—because, honestly, they probably did.

Silena's breaths came slower, heavier. "Forgive me," she whispered.

"You're not dying," Clarisse insisted, clutching her tighter.

"Charlie..." Silena's eyes seemed to look past us, far beyond this battlefield. "See Charlie..."

And then... nothing. She didn't speak again.

Clarisse held her and sobbed, rocking back and forth like she could somehow keep Silena anchored to the world. Chris put a hand on her shoulder, but she barely seemed to feel it. Finally, with shaking fingers, Annabeth closed Silena's eyes.

"We have to fight," Annabeth said. Her voice was brittle, sharp as broken glass. "She gave her life to help us. We have to honour her."

Clarisse sniffled and wiped her nose, her grief twisting into raw fury. "She was a hero. Understand? A hero."

Percy nodded. His voice was steady, but his jaw was tight. "Come on, Clarisse."

Clarisse rose like a storm, her face streaked with tears, and picked up a sword from one of her fallen siblings. Her hands clenched the hilt like it was the only thing keeping her upright. "Kronos is going to pay."

I'd like to say we all fought like heroes and drove the enemy back from the Empire State Building. But the truth? Clarisse did all the work. Even without her armour or spear, she was a demon unleashed. She stormed through the Titans' army like a wildfire, her chariot tearing up the pavement as she crushed everything in her path.