The Dissonant Notes Of Fate

Eighteen

A/N: Well, hello all and welcome to chapter 18 of the Dissonant Notes of Fate. You already know what to do lol. Also, the Mortal Instruments is *Chef's kiss*. Happy reading. Special thanks to Rezurex for beta-ing.

-TripleHomicide.

THALIA woke up with a jolt, feeling as though her skin was on fire. Her throat stung and her eyes burned, but she could see the blue sky through the high treetops above her. She heard the gurgling of a fountain, smelled blueberries, cedar and sweet-scented plants in the air and picked up waves crashing against rocks. She, for the fragment of a horrible second thought she was dead.

"Don't move," A familiar voice said. "I thought you would know better, Thalia." She looked up, glancing around. But her vision was too blurry and she was still aching all over. She felt a cool cloth on her forehead and then a spoon was being placed in her mouth, soft sweet liquid—nectar—going down her throat. Thalia's eyes cleared and she looked up, blinking in surprise.

She had been right, the voice was familiar. Percy was crouching above her, holding a bowl of water and a cloth in one hand. He was wearing his usual grey chiton with a brown belt and sandals. A quiver full of arrows was slung on his shoulder, alongside a bow. For a second, shock made a home on Thalia's face. She was astonished, and she faintly wondered if she was dreaming. How could she possibly be seeing Percy? Maybe this was one of those near-death induced illusions. Thalia drank in his visage then. His face was creased in worry, and deliriously, the black haired demigod thought that the small downward curve of his lips as he attended to her made him look cute. His earth green eyes were full of apprehension. He blotted out the sun and she found her eyes roaming his figure, lithe, chiselled and tan.

Percy smiled at her, the whites of his teeth almost blinding her and then began to speak, "I am not the best at healing magic but I'll be able to whip up some herbs to make you feel better and treat your wounds. I also have a couple of tricks up my sleeve, so...do not worry." He murmured the last part, voice going soft and his eyebrows scrunching up as he ran a hand through his hair in what seemed like anxiety. The Titan, after taking a deep breath, turned to her, smiling. "Don't fret, Thalia. You must rest. I'll take care of you." He paused.

"I promise."

XMX

THALIA woke up once again, but this time in a cave. She expected the common musty smell of one, but to her surprise a near heavenly aroma hit her straight in the face. Like wet earth after a light rain. It smelled like forests and leaves, something she had come to associate with Percy.

The ceiling glittered with crystals and she was lying on a mat, piled with pillows, the most comfortable feeling she'd ever had. The cave was divided by what seemed like silk curtains and against the wall were jars of fruit and vegetables. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling, many of which Thalia could not recognise as she had never bothered to learn them. A sword leaned on one wall, one which the daughter of Zeus recognised as the weapon Zoë had handed to Percy to help him fight her father.

There was a fireplace in another wall, with a pot bubbling over the low orange flames. It smelled heavenly, like the rest of the room. Thalia sat up and instantly cried out when she felt the stabbing pain in her head. She clenched her jaw, and examined her arms. They were, as expected, free from burns—which meant her father had answered her prayers to protect her when she had been airborne. She was still wearing her jeans, and her t-shirt, though her jacket had disappeared. Her clothes seemed fresh, clean even, and for a second she felt uneasy, but Thalia knew that Percy was too decent to have touched her while changing them. So she pushed the thought aside.

Her feet were bare but her bracelet was still strapped to her wrist and her mace canister took up space in her pocket. Thalia gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand. She hobbled towards the daylight and made her way out of the cave. The blue eyed girl gazed around her in wonder. The cave opened up into a green meadow. On the left stood trees, and on the right, a huge garden, full of plants of all sorts. Fountains gurgled in the meadow, each shooting water. Straight ahead, the grass faded into a rocky beach. The entire place was a forest of sorts. The waves lapped against the shore. The sun sparkled, and Thalia's eyes narrowed as she tried to get used to the light.