Mortal Power: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter 30

I scurry along the grass under the twinkling stars, careful to avoid being seen by anyone or anything - I've heard something about flesh-eating harpies and do not want to test whether it is a joke or not. I'm close to the porch of the Big House when I hear a drawling voice say, "Finally back from our self-discovering adventure?"

I creep up onto the porch, heart pounding. A man is draped in shadow, leaning on the railing. Is that a leopard skin shirt I can make out? "You can't be so cryptic with me this time, Old Man. I know who and what I am."

He scowls at me with an irked expression. "I am no old man. Some, however, might consider you old."

I sigh and look at the ground. "Yeah. I guess I'll have fun trying to fit in with the others." I blush; I didn't mean to say that.

He shrugs. "They are at fault if they exclude you. You have true friends, and that's a special thing to find. Stay with them and the campers will adapt."

I smirk. "Look who's a wise old mentor? Careful, Mr D. You might actually start liking me."

I pats his shirt down. "I suppose I can't have that, my father might think it appropriate to keep me in this secluded Field of Punishment for longer. Run along now, you have fellow rats to make out- rather, up with." He stalks off into the night.

After staring after him for a few moments, a quizzical look on my face, I step through the door and pad down the hallway, hoping that Chiron isn't up for a late-night snack. Isn't the recovery room up here somewhere? The stairs creak slightly as I step on them.

I nearly yell out when I bump into Orca, who shakes herself awake. "What? Who-" She spots me. "Oh. Hi, Audin."

I sit against the wall next to her. "Is Drake okay?"

She nods. "The Apollo kids did good, but he's still missing an eye." We sit in silence. "That was a gutsy thing to do, you know. Just shooting him like that."

I nearly flinch. "I-I know. I'm sorry, I just-"

"You needed to. I understand and so does he. So does everyone."

Licking my lips, I think back to what Mr D said. "I'm... I'm sorry for abandoning you guys. It was wrong."

She smiles at me warmly. "I forgive you. You came back, so it's okay." She punches me lightly on the shoulder. "Just don't do it again!"

I chuckle. "Whatever. I'm keeping my options open."

She smiles and starts to get up. "I should get some sleep. You do guard duty for a while." I nod and she leaves, shoulders slouched as she wanders down the stairs to bed.

I gulp as I turn to the door of the recovery room. What if he's mad at me? What if he hates me? I slowly turn the knob and creep in, though I don't have to be so quiet since Drake is a deep sleeper. Peering in the darkness, I close the door behind me and shuffle to the bedside.

In a crack of moonlight that is fighting to be seen through a gap in the curtain, I can see a black eye patch covering his right eye. Wincing, I sit in the chair next to his bed. On the table is a bowl of water and a cloth. Was it really that bad?

"Hey, Mystery Girl." I start as Drake's eye flickers open. "Welcome to me' cabin, matey."

I lightly touch his shoulder. "Quit pretending you're a pirate. I wanted to tease you first."

He chuckles weakly. "Too bad." He gasps and puts a hand over his eye. "Sorry," he says. "It isn't really that bad-"

"Shut up. I hurt you." I grab the cloth and dab his forehead. "You gonna keep the patch?"