This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―xxi. new oracles, burning shrouds, and underwater kisses

NAOMI, ANNABETH, AND PERCY WERE ON THEIR WAY OUT when Percy stopped. He was looking at Hermes, the god staring at an Iris-message in the mist of a fountain.

Percy looked at Naomi and Annabeth. "I'll meet you at the elevator."

"You sure?" Annabeth asked. Then she studied his face. "Yeah, you're sure."

They watched him walk away, then started walking toward the elevator.

Annabeth reached for Naomi's hand, tangling their fingers together. The butterflies that lived in Naomi's stomach raged. 

"We need to talk when we get back to camp," Annabeth said softly. "You, me, and Percy."

Naomi feigned a wince. "Are we in trouble?"

Annabeth smiled. "Only for making it take this long."

She looked exhausted, and Naomi had a feeling the circles under her eyes would be sticking around for a while. But she was still beautiful. Naomi never wanted to look away.

"We made a mess of things, didn't we?" Annabeth whispered.

Naomi smiled. She leaned her head on Annabeth's shoulder, and Annabeth leaned her head on top of Naomi's. "You say that like you expected us to do it any differently."

Annabeth laughed. Naomi had heard the Muses singing and Apollo playing his lyre, but that laugh was more beautiful than either of them. She could listen to it forever.

"Besides," Naomi said lightly, "when is love ever not messy?"

"You make an excellent point, dear."

Naomi and Annabeth jumped, startled at the sudden presence of the goddess of love before them. Aphrodite smiled, but there was a diminished quality to it—as if the light of her smile had dimmed a few notches.

The goddess's appearance rarely stayed the same for long, but for a moment, Naomi saw Silena's eyes. Her heart ached.

"Lady Aphrodite," Annabeth said nervously.

"I just wanted to come and congratulate you two personally," the goddess said.

Naomi's face felt warm. "It was a... group effort."

Aphrodite waved a hand dismissively. "No, no, not on the battle—though, of course, you did very well in that, too, I suppose. But I came to congratulate you on you. I do so love a good love triangle, but there's something about all the sides connecting that just... well, it's a rare beauty, don't you think?"

Naomi's cheeks were officially on fire. "Um... thanks."

"And," Aphrodite continued, her voice growing softer. "I wanted to... You know gods can only do so much for their children, and I..." She took a deep breath. Her blue eyes were glassy. "I wanted to ask that you make sure my children are alright. With Silena..." She faltered.

Naomi swallowed against the tightness in her throat. "She died a hero in the end," she whispered. "That's all that matters."

Aphrodite nodded gently. "Yes," she whispered. "That is... all that matters."

She gave the pair a final smile, then turned, heading back toward the throne room with a flourish of her skirts.

Naomi's eyes stung.

Annabeth squeezed her hand. For a moment, it was the only thing anchoring her to the world.

Naomi knew her pillow would be soaked with tears when she went to bed that night—probably for several nights after it. There was a lifetime of healing in store for her, and a lifetime of grief.