This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―x. an ill-timed family reunion at sea

[tw: mention of child abuse]

THEY SAILED THROUGH THE NIGHT. 

Annabeth tried to help keep lookout, but sailing didn't agree with her, so after a few hours, she went below to lie in a hammock, leaving Naomi and Percy abovedeck to keep watch. 

Naomi was lost in thought, twisting her ring around her finger as she stared at the horizon. Ever since she'd gotten it last summer, it had become her go-to for expelling a bit of nervous energy. It was definitely less annoying to others than tapping on tabletops or bouncing her leg up and down. 

But clearly, people still took notice. 

"What are you thinking about?" 

Naomi looked up to find Percy already watching her. The sun made his eyes glisten like the surface of the ocean, which did funny things to her stomach, so she looked away after a moment.

She shrugged. "Not much." 

Percy scoffed quietly. "'Not much,'" he said. "Right." 

Naomi glared at him, but there was no heat in it. "If you really want to know, I was thinking about how much less annoying you'd be as a guinea pig." 

Percy rolled his eyes. "Sure you were," he said. "Seriously, what is it?" 

Naomi fidgeted with her fingers. Quietly, she asked, "Why do you think Circe thought I was a daughter of Hades?" 

"I don't know," Percy said. "She's not the first person to think that, though." 

"But it's not like she had any reason to," Naomi said. "Everyone thought I was a child of Hades before because of the hellhound, but Circe didn't know anything about that. So why would she make that mistake?" 

Percy was quiet for a moment. "I... don't know," he repeated.

"She said she could feel my power," Naomi whispered. "That I could bring the world to its knees. And now I can't help but wonder if... if Kronos thinks the same thing." 

"You think he wants to use you as a weapon." It wasn't a question, but part of Naomi wished it was. The uncertainty might have been able to quell the anxiety stirring inside of her. 

"Luke said we'd be his champions. He didn't try to kill me, he tried to take me—on Kronos's orders." Naomi dug her nails into her palm. "I just don't understand why. Persephone isn't some big and powerful goddess—she's not even an Olympian. How could I be a weapon if all I can do is summon flowers?" 

"Persephone's still the Queen of the Underworld," Percy reminded. "Maybe she has some of the same powers as Hades—like, control of the dead, or something. I mean, those zombies on Clarisse's ship kept bowing to you. Maybe that's why Kronos wants you on his side." 

"So I can lead an undead army in his name?" Naomi asked with a scoff. "Like that'll happen."

Percy cracked a smile. "Yeah, that guy doesn't seem like the brightest crayon in the box." 

"Definitely not." 

❊

Sometime after midnight, Annabeth came back up on the deck, looking slightly less seasick. They were just passing a smoking volcano island, the sea bubbling and steaming around the shore.

"One of the forges of Hephaestus," Annabeth said. "Where he makes his metal monsters."

"Like the bronze bulls?" Percy asked.

Annabeth nodded. "Go around. Far around."

They steered clear of the island, and soon it was just a red patch of haze behind them.