Hunter of The Moon

"Why now?"

My brain stutters for a moment and my eyes take in more light than I expected, every part of me goes on pause while my thoughts catch up.
"Elena?"
I turn, but too slowly to be normal. When I speak my voice trails slowly, like my words are unwilling to take flight.
"Yeh?" I ask dazed.
"Did you hear what I said?" Chiron questions, his brow is furrowed with concern.
"Yeh." I repeat, tears falling out of my eyes. "Why now?"
Grover moves over to me and pulls my shaking body into his arms.
"This is good. Surely it means he's getting better." The Satyr smiles.
"Remember last time?" I growl, trying to force down the bad memories I have suppressed over the years.
"You are older now and he has requested to see you, not the other way round." Chiron voices.
I place my head in my hands.
"I was seven years old." The tears start to flow faster. "That was traumatic, seeing my father like that."
Mr D sighs. "So, don't go."
Chiron turns to the god and glares coldly at him. Mr D shrugs, turning back to a can of Coke.
"You will be prepared this time. He clearly feels ready to see you. I think it will be good for the both of you."
I turn to Grover who smiles encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, I start pacing the porch as I weigh out the pros and cons.

"I'll go." I finally decide after five minutes of pacing. "I'll see what he wants. I'm doing this for me, not him."
Chiron grins. "I can grant you two days leave, but I want you to take two other campers. Preferably Grover and Annabeth."
"No." I exclaim. "No one else can be involved in this. This is my private life."
"Elena, be reasonable." Chiron insists. "I can't let you go alone. You haven't left camp in years, it is simply too dangerous."
I chew on my lip, glaring at the Centaur. I know that he won't let me go alone and I completely get how dangerous it is to step outside the camp's borders. I just don't want my private life mixing with my life here at camp.
"Fine." I huff. "But they wait outside."
Chiron smiles gently, and he places a hand on my shoulder in a reassuring manner.
"Grab your things. Be at Thalia's tree first thing in the morning. Argus will drive you to the centre."
The corners of my lips curl upwards in a small smile as I walk out of the Big House and towards my cabin. A single tear slides down from my electric blue eyes, followed by another one, and another one, until soon, a steady stream of salty tears flows down my pale cheeks, releasing the sadness and sorrow that has been held inside me for all this time, but still I don't make a sound.

Finally, the moment I've been dreading is here and I can't halt the dawn ebbing its gradual way into daylight. Everything hinges on what I do at noon, and once done, it can never be undone. I can't think straight this morning, I put my dagger in the wrong pocket and then panicked when I couldn't find it.
"Pull yourself together, Elena." I mumble to myself as I exit my cabin.
I sit on the steps of my cabin in the warm breeze of a summer's morning, yet I'm shaking. If I'd stayed up all night, it would have made no difference to my exhaustion. By the morning the bed sheets were in a knot and aside from a few fit-full half hours of vivid dreams I didn't sleep a wink.
"Hey." Annabeth grins, walking up to my cabin.
She's wearing a black jacket over her usual Camp Half-Blood t-shirt.
"Did you sleep last night?" She questions, shortening the straps on her backpack.
"Nope." I sigh. "I was too busy thinking about today."
She shuffles closer to me and pulls me in for a hug.
"Its gonna be ok. You've got me, Grover and Percy, this time."
"Percy?" I exclaim. "Why is he coming?"
Annabeth shrugs. "Chiron told him this morning. Said it would be good practise for him."
I scoff. "I don't plan on fighting any monsters."
"None of us do."
She stands up and outstretches her hand to pull me up.
"Come on. Argus is waiting for us."

We head over to the camp border where Percy, Grover, Luke and Chiron are waiting for us. I feel my face flush as Luke gazes at me. He watches from the slide line as Chiron briefs us on what is happening, and once the Centaur has finished he ambles over to me.
"You going to be ok?" He asks as his hand cups my cheek.
"I think so."
He kisses my forehead.
"I'll see you when you get back to camp, Elena."
"Bye, Luke."
I watch as he heads towards the dining pavilion, before climbing into the minibus and sitting next to Annabeth. Grover and Percy are sat behind us, having a hushed conversation. Annabeth squeezes my hand.
"You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."