When Two Worlds Collide | pjo & fhdw ✔︎

Chapter 17

chapter seventeen - b r a c k e n

In an instant flash of light, all of our comrades were back with us. Percy was coughing, Annabeth was hugging her stomach, and Warren was leaned up against a tree while he threw up. Kendra was glowing a bit unhealthily and her expression was contorted in pain.

I rushed to her side as her eyelashes flitted restlessly. "Bracken?"

I watched as she fell in and out of consciousness until finally settling in the sleeping realm. I picked her up bridal-style just as a shriek split the sound barrier. Only one creature can be that shrill. A hamadryad.

"You left me!" I looked up to see a hamadryad with a long black braid down her back and pointed features. "You left me all alone! How could you people!"

"We're sorry, T..." Percy looked back at his dazed friends then back to her. "Was it Tiffany?"

"No!" she screamed. "And I never even told you my name! It's Evelyn!" She turned to me, love softening her expression. "They left me, Bracken! Can you believe it?"

I looked at her dead in the eye. "You? Absolutely."

"And I'm pretty sure you left us," Percy cut off her wail, handing Annabeth of square of.. is that caramel?

"Details, details, " she waved her hand. "Do they really matter?"

"Um, yes?" Annabeth asked, still chewing the caramel square.

"Annabeth, oh the great designer of Olympus or whatever, I'm disappointed in you!" Evelyn shrieked.

"I'm not, " Percy said as he kissed her nose.

"Mmm, " she purred.

"I think I'm getting food poisoning from the lemonade, " Warren declared.

"Wouldn't it technically be drink poisoning?" Seth pointed out.

"We can sort that out later, " I tucked Kendra's hair behind her ear. "Kendra needs help."

"So do I!"

"No, you don't, " everyone responded in unison to the hamadryad.

"Raxtus is coming, " a large thump hit the ground behind me. "Raxtus is here."

The moon was shining enough to allow me to see Kendra's feverish skin.

"Climb aboard, everyone, " Raxtus said, lowering himself. "No questions."

"I'm too tired to even ask, " Percy muttered.

When we landed, Kendra's breathing had slowed considerably. My hands had started shaking a little bit from that lack of knowledge surrounding her condition. The others looked worse for wear, too.

I laid her down on the couch and left to go get a blanket. When I came back, Percy was sprawled across the couch with Annabeth's head in the crook of his neck as she laid on top of him. Their hands were intertwined and his thumb was rubbing mindless circles on the back of her hand. I couldn't blame them. It was approaching midnight and I would also like to pass out from the day's work.

"Bracken?"

I turn my head towards her as I lay the blanket on top of her. "Hmm?"

"Wa..ter, " Kendra whispered, her dry throat catching in the middle of the word.

I nodded and returned with a glass of water, handing it to the now up-right Kendra.

"Thanks, " Kendra chimed.