𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 • 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

Panic

Trigger Warning: 

Mentions of character death, panic attacks (I'll put a warning before it happens)

Y/n's Pov:

Don't you love feeling insecure if your crush likes you or not?

Because that's what I was feeling when we rode in the Taxi.

"Mount Tam is still overrun with monsters," I said. "I didn't dare go close, but I don't think Luke is up there. I think I would know if he was." 

That didn't seem to make Percy feel much better. "What about Grover?" 

"He's at camp," I said. "We'll see him today." 

"Did he have any luck? I mean, with the search for Pan?" 

I leaned into Grayson's shoulder. "You'll see," I said. 

As we headed through Brooklyn, Percy used Grayson's phone to call his mom. Half-bloods try not to use cell phones if we can avoid it because broadcasting our voices is like sending up a flare to the monsters: Here I am! Please eat me now! But I figured this call was important. He left a message on their home voicemail, trying to explain what had happened at Goode. He didn't do a very good job. He told Sally he was fine, she shouldn't worry, but that he was going to stay at camp until things cooled down.

We rode in silence after that. The city melted away until we were off the expressway and rolling through the countryside of northern Long Island, past orchards and wineries and fresh produce stand.

The taxi exited on Route 25A. We headed through the woods along the North Shore until a low ridge of hills appeared on our left. I told the driver to pull over on Farm Road 3.141, at the base ofHalf-Blood Hill. 

 The driver frowned. "There ain't nothing here, miss. You sure you want out?" 

 "Yes, please," I handed him a roll of mortal cash, and the driver decided not to argue.

We hiked to the crest of the hill. The young guardian dragon was dozing, coiling around the pine tree, but he lifted his coppery head as we approached and let me scratch under his chin. Steam hissed out his nostrils like from a teakettle, and he went cross-eyed with pleasure. 

"Hey, Peleus," I said. "Keeping everything safe?"

The last time I'd seen the dragon he'd been six feet long. Now he was at least twice that, and as thick around as the tree itself. Above his head, on the lowest branch of the pine tree, the Golden Fleeceshimmered, its magic protecting the camp's borders from invasion. The dragon seemed relaxed like everything was okay. Below us, Camp Half-Blood looked peaceful— green fields, forest, shiny white Greek buildings. The four-story farmhouse we called the Big House sat proudly amid the strawberry fields. To the north, past the beach, the Long Island Sound glittered in the sunlight. 

Still...something felt wrong. There was tension in the air as if the hill itself were holding its breath, waiting for something bad to happen.

"Y/n!" Annabeth called from behind me. "I thought I recognized you."

"Annie!" I ran over to her, engulfing her in a hug. "How was San Frisco?"

"Meh," she said. "I'll tell you later. How was your date?"

My face heated up. I caught a glimpse of Percy's blushing.

Cute.

"Meh," I mirrored. "I'll tell you later."

We walked down into the valley and found the summer session in full swing. Most of the campers had arrived last Friday, so I already felt out of it. The satyrs were playing their pipes in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow with woodland magic. Campers were having flying horseback lessons, swooping over the woods on their pegasi. Smoke rose from the forges, and hammers rang as kids made their own weapons for Arts & Crafts. The Athena and Demeter teams were having a chariot race around the track, and over at the canoe lake, some kids in a Greek trireme were fighting a large orange sea serpent. Atypical day at camp.