The Gift of the Lethe

Night Terrors and Inquiries

Nadia jolts awake with a start, pulling herself into a sitting position as the scream echoes around her. She instinctually moves for a weapon of some kind, to defend the person in danger. But when Annabeth bursts through the door of her bedroom, Percy in tow with a sword in his hand, Nadia realises that the scream came from her.

The memory comes rushing back with the realisation, her dream of a sharp pain and blood pouring down her chest far too fast. Her breath hitches in her throat as a wave of panic washes over her. Annabeth stops at the edge of Nadia's fold-out bed, her dagger lowering a degree before rising back up in confusion.

"Nadia? What happened?"

Nadia touches her chest. Her shirt is damp with blood- she shakes her head. No, it isn't blood. It's sweat, but she feels the ghost of what it could have been. She inhales through her nose, slow and steady. Then she nods, flushing slightly in embarassment.

"I think- I think it was a nightmare."

Percy perches on the edge of the bed. "We get nightmares too." He reaches back for Annabeth, squeezing her hand once she takes it. "If it's alright for me to ask, what was yours about?"

Nadia looks down at her hands, twisting them together. "Pain. Blood pouring down my chest. Creeping darkness. It's not quite solid."

Annabeth steps closer. "How much blood?"

Nadia flinches. "Why?" Annabeth doesn't say anything, she just stands there with patience. Nadia sighs. "Enough that it should mean death."

"Nadia, do you have memories, or knowledge that you don't believe you should have?"

"Flashes and snippets. The number of them keeps growing, and I don't know where they are coming from. Like when I woke up, I was reaching for a weapon. I've never held a weapon before. Annabeth, what does it mean?"

Annabeth shakes her head. "If we're doing a conversation like this, I'd really like to rely on something more than basic night vision. I can barely see."

Nadia stretches for the lamp to the side and switches it on after a moment of fumbling, the brush of her hair against her skin drawing an involuntary flinch of shock. All three of them squeeze their eyes shut at the sudden increase in brightness. When Nadia opens her eyes again, both Percy and Annabeth are watching her. Nadia frowns at them.

"What?"

"Look at your hands, Nadia."

Floating above Nadia's palm is a moving image, a battle playing out in water. The lack of sweat on her tells her where the water has come from. She somehow managed to pull the sweat from her clothes without even trying. The fighting figures draw close, then apart, and then closer still, spinning around and around each other. As she stares in transfixed awe, terror begins to crawl up Nadia's spine. Its pressure begins to grow until it finally overwhelms her and Nadia jerks back, the water collapsing into her palm. Percy reaches toward Nadia, touching his hand to her shoulder.

"What was that?"

"I don't know. A story? Does it have anything to do with the knowledge I shouldn't have?"

Annabeth frowns. "It could. But . . . Nadia, what did Percy tell you of the River Lethe?"

"Not much, but it washes away memory, right?"

"That's right. Before spirits trying for rebirth can be reborn, they have to drink from the river to wash away their past life. Is it possible that you were one of them, and your past life is bleeding through?"

"I don't know, you tell me!"

Annabeth chuckles. "I can't. Shall we wait to conduct our research until the morning, because sleep is important."

Percy mutters something under his breath, earning him a sharp look from Annabeth, but she doesn't comment. Nadia smiles at them.

"Go ahead. I want to see this water scene all the way through."

That earns a frown from Annabeth. "Nadia, you should sleep."

"I don't think I'll be able to fall back asleep tonight. Besides, I was sleeping for seventy years, I'm sure I'll be fine."

"At least try, Nadia."

Nadia sticks her tongue out at Annabeth, but smiles. "Fine. But I still want to figure out this scene."

"You get one hour. Then sleep."

"Alright, alright. Relax."

Annabeth snorts and turns back towards her room, swiping the dagger from where she had placed it on the low table that had been pushed against the wall to make space for Nadia's bed. Once Percy follows, Nadia grabs a glass of water from the kitchen and sits at the small dining table, starting the scene once again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you think of Nadia's dream? What about the story in the water? What does it mean? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out