The Titan's Curse [Book Three]

Losing Another Friend.

     As they flew, Reagan must have slipped into slumber without realizing it. Because she was woken up by Annabeth nudging her awake. The first thing she saw was Annabeth's face, grey orbs filled with worry.

"Reagan," she whispered again. "Wake up. Don't fall asleep on me now."

     They were in Crissy Field, having landed on the landing strip. Everyone had gotten out of the chariot, all except for Reagan with Annabeth shaking her awake. Past Annabeth's face was the nighttime sky, the stars unnaturally bright. When Annabeth noticed she was awake, she smiled briefly, a fleeting look that vanished as soon as the blonde stepped off the chariot. When the Sopwith Camel biplane landed, Annabeth ran over to her dad as he stepped off. She flung her arms around him in a huge hug, relief flooding her face.

"Dad!" she exclaimed. "You flew...you... Gods, you were awesome! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

He blushed with embarrassment but smiled. "Not bad for a middle-aged mortal, if I do say so myself," the older man said proudly.

Reagan wobbled over to them, a grin pulling at her lips weakly. "That was pretty cool for an old man."

He scoffed, however all of their attention was pulled to Zoe. "Annabeth, Reagan," Thalia called, voice urgent and distressed.

The two teenagers rushed over as Artemis and Thalia were binding Zoe's wounds.

"You're a goddess," Reagan said flatly. "Can't you just heal her and make her better?"

Artemis had a troubled expression. "If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do."

     When the goddess reached over to touch Zoe's side in an attempt to heal her, the Hunter lieutenant grabbed her wrist to stop her. Their eyes met, and some form of understanding passed between them.

"Have I served thee well?" Zoe murmured.

"With honor," Artemis answered. "The finest of my attendants."

"Rest. At last," Zoe whispered breathlessly, eyes shutting as she relaxed.

"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one," Artemis offered, fingertips stroking the side of Zoe's face.

     Reagan tried so hard not to cry during all of this. To think that she had actually grown attached to Zoe Nightshade during his whole disaster. A sob broke through, and the Italian Demigod was on her knees beside Zoe's body in seconds, shoulders shaking. She hadn't cried this hard since Bianca died.

"You can't die," Reagan cried out. "You-You're immortal!"

Zoe tried to smile weakly, eyes fluttering open. "I suppose nothing lasts forever."

"I'm so sorry," the half-blood continued, tears streaming down her dirt smudged face.

But when she looked up, daring to meet the Hunter's face, she saw that Zoe was smiling still.

"I am glad that you are here with me now, that you showed up for this quest."

"If only I could save your life, Zoe," Reagan whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"I am content," Zoe assured her.

     Reagan felt a nudge on her back and looked up with bleary eyes, Dr. Chase's blurry figure coming into view. He helped pick her up, an arm around her shoulders in a comforting way. Annabeth was quietly sobbing, her dad's other arm around her shoulders. She was gripping his side like a child, like his arm around her would shield her from the harm of reality. Without meaning to, Reagan leaned into Dr. Chase's side as well, fingers gripping at his jacket tightly as though it would anchor her into what was happening now. She wanted to crawl under a rock and die at that moment. Zoe was going to die. It was starting to sink in finally.

"Thalia," Zoe said quietly. "I am sorry that we argued. We could have been sisters."

Thalia was there beside her, grasping her hand tightly. "You were right," she confessed. "About Luke, about men- just everything."

Zoe smiled. "Perhaps not all men," she replied, gaze drifting to Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?" Percy stepped forward, digging into his pocket and pulling out Riptide. He set it in her hand. "You are....are nothing like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword."

There was a lump in Percy's throat, and he swallowed roughly to speak. "Zoe-"

A shudder ran through her body. "The stars," she murmured suddenly. "I can see them again, m'lady."

A single tear trickled down Artemis' face. "Yes, my brave one," she murmured. "They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoe repeated, eyes fixing on the starry night sky.

     Her body stilled, and she let out her last breath and moved no more. Reagan almost did the same thing. Her body nearly collapsed, pressing against Dr. Chase's side. She wanted to scream, but her throat was raw and found that all she could do was let out a ragged breath of air. She had lost yet another friend.