ARCANE

019

            There is a knock at the door. Percy stands up from the island. Hades has already run up to the door, pawing at the bottom. Slowly, Percy stalks along the floor. She peers out the peephole and rolls her eyes.

The door opens. Erik stares back at Percy. His lip is bloody, but there is no cut. The bright red flash is smeared across his temple as well, all the way down to his ear. Without a word, he passes by Percy and enters her house.

Hades runs around Erik's ankles. The pale boy nearly trips over the dog, looking over his shoulder and hoping that Percy did not catch a glance of his stumble.

The girl is too busy peering into the hallway to notice. Hopefully, no one has seen Erik come here. Although, what would she do about it anyway? A bloodied teen walking into an apartment building isn't exactly usual for Hamilton, but not uncommon either. Especially since they are so close to Barnaby.

Erik sits on the couch and begins to rub behind Hades' ears. His white fur is so thick and so soft. Hades' tail shakes wildly, his light pink tongue sticking out. A smile begins to creep onto Erik's face, one he doesn't notice, and therefore doesn't hide.

"What are you doing here?" Percy asks. She wonders how Erik found her, but then again, she doesn't exactly want to know the answer.

Erik shrugs. "I like your dog."

The girl's cheeks tinge pink. Her hands, which have lost the calluses from burns, tuck a loose strand of curly hair behind her ear. The sound of her steps feels too loud, but Erik can barely hear their echo over the heavy panting of Hades.

"He's decent," Percy doesn't like to gush, not even about her dog. It's better than staring at the flash of colour brightening what otherwise looks like Erik's corpse. Has he always looked this pale and this cold? "Is he the only reason why you came?"

Erik looks up. His blue eyes are sharp. They pierce Percy, as if cutting her into pieces.

Her whole life, Percy has always felt like the queen of the Underworld. Her name isn't Persephone, but it might as well be. Hell has always been her home. The boy before her looks more demon than human, and the feeling doesn't sit well inside her.

Percy kneels down next to Erik. His lips are parted slightly.

The boy's eyes don't leave Percy. There is something in her eyes, something he can't gage. Erik watches, waits, ignoring the nagging in the back of Thea's mind.

Percy leans forward, planting a kiss slowly on Erik's lips.

The younger of the two tips backwards, landing on the ground. His heart feels like it is going to rush out of his chest. Quickly, he collects himself off the ground.

"I've got to go," he tells Percy.

Without a word, he leaves the room.

~~~

The candles flicker in front of her. Hope wishes that she could be so lively, so bright. She wishes that she too could dance without caring who is watching. Apparently, Lee plays an instrument. Perhaps one day, Hope could find herself free enough to enjoy its sweet tune.

"How were classes?" Hope's father asks.

Hope swallows. How were classes? She would have to ask her classmates, because she did not go. Instead, she ran to tell Percy about the secret the police know, and she did so behind her father's back. The worst thing is that Hope actually misses class, because she loves what she is studying. No, the worst thing is that Percy left abruptly.

No. Hope doesn't feel guilty for lying to her father anymore. That is the worst thing.

"What was Mom like?" Hope asks, looking at her father.