Camp Half Blood: One "Salty" Adventure

Chapter Twenty-Three

Myra's POV:

It had been the longest week of my life. Seven awful days of leading Rose and Ben to Lake Superior. Khione's Castle rested on the other side of the water. Her training was getting increasingly crueler and I tried to avoid sleeping the best I could. Unfortunately, Rose and Ben had no idea what was going on and continued forcing me to sleep. Khione had revealed her identity to me two nights ago, as if I hadn't already known. I wasn't sure how much more of this stress my body could take until it just gave out. I was fighting when I was awake and training in my sleep.

Reaching Lake Superior had awakened a new kind of dread in me. The waters were dark and I could imagine the Sirens underneath the waves. Ben and I had never had to face them before, but as soon as Khione informed me of the new colony of Sirens she placed in there, I immediately packed wax earplugs into my bag. I almost made everyone put them on once we reached the lake, but I figured I'd wait until I could either see one or faintly hear their call. Ben's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Ready?" He asked worriedly. Ben had seen me overuse my powers before. I could be unconscious for days at a time. I wanted to yell "No!" or just turn the other way and run as fast as I could.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I said flatly. I walked stiffly to the water's edge. I cringed as the water lapped at my boots, imagining the monsters that lurked beneath the surface. The water frozen over where I directed it to, forming a bridge of sorts that stretched out around thirty feet.

"Is it stable?" Rose had come up next to me and tested it a little with her foot.

"I don't know. Maybe you should try it." I replied. Rose glared at me, but I wasn't sure what the problem was. She controlled water. "What? Got a bad fin, Nemo? I thought you were Poseidon's kid?"

"Well obviously I can swim, I just don't want to fall in." Rose snapped back in reply.

"Well, somebody's gotta test it." I replied. In sync we both looked over at Ben. "You should go first, lead the way Lover Boy." I teased. He hadn't been much help to be honest. Ben had rarely spoken through the week. I was kind of hoping he would fall in so we could rest some more, but I knew my bridge wouldn't falter. Rose followed him and I went after her. To my satisfaction, I was able to push both of them aside and take the lead. It felt good to have control over the situation, but of course that didn't last long.

The Siren's song was not just a pretty tune. I learned that when I started seeing things at the edges of my vision. I unslung my bag over my shoulder in an attempt to get out the wax before it was too late. Ben and Rose were far enough behind me that they probably wouldn't have heard it yet. If I could get it to them in time-

I froze and looked up to see Camp ahead of me. The campfire to be exact. The night sky was bright with stars, but my attention was focused on the people. Will and Nico were laughing about something and sitting peacefully. Percy and Annabeth were talking near the flames. I saw Leo, Connor, and Travis having an animated conversation that was probably about pranks. But then I saw Cole who looked like he was waving to me. 

"Nope! Nope! Nope!" I dropped my bag and started swearing. I had to get to those wax earplugs. Ben and Rose caught up to me. I gave them each a set and practically screamed at them to put it in their ears as I did the same.

Before anyone could say anything, a slimy, webbed talon reached out of the water and wrapped around my ankle. I screeched and pulled away, scrambling for my sword. Ben was faster and stabbed at it until it disappeared into the murky waves. Rose shouted something at me and pointed ahead to my unfinished bridge. I nodded and quickly went back to building it, even though I was far more tired than before. Everything felt numb to me. My body, my emotions, and my thoughts. I wasn't sure how to react to what had just happened. I felt as though I had shut down.