𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣¹

025

(chapter xxv - midnight kisses)

SELENE WOKE UP to the feeling of cold, cleansing water being dropped on her face.

It wasn't just a quick splash of water, no — it was more...slow. She opened her eyes, and she watched in confusion as water mystically swirled around her — healing the scars from her previous battle. It cleansed the blood, and the dirt, and left with her being fresh — and drenched.

Suddenly, her heart started to race. With her nerves in a buzz from her..last interaction, she could barely even think. Without hesitation, she punched whoever was closest to her — their blurry silhouettes being the only thing her mind could process.

Annabeth (at least, she thought it was Annabeth — she didn't even fucking know), hissed in pain — reaching up to rub her cheek. "What the heck, Selene?"

She blinked profusely. Slowly, but surely — everything started to come back into view. Tyson, Grover, and Annabeth were at her side — Annabeth with a scowl, and Grover and Tyson with nervous, dreadful looks.

Briares was nowhere to be seen. Either he went off to the labyrinth on his own, or...

She shuddered at the thought. She didn't even want to think about it.

That's when everything slowly started to come back to her — Mal, Briares, Kampê. Percy, and what they said to each other before she went off to fight...

Gaea.

She didn't even want to say that bitch's name anymore. Gaea had taken the form of Kampê — possessed her, in a way. And then? She had enough power to command Kampê, her own daughter, to harm Selene until the point of near death.

Gaea's never done...any of that before. Sure, she corrupted Selene's mind back at junkyard, but it was more due to that spear. Plus, she couldn't even see or speak, not like Kampê had.

It was clear Gaea was getting stronger. And Selene had no fucking idea on how to stop it.

"Selene?" Grover questioned — stirring slightly.

She blinked again. Her mind was fuzzy, and her ears were ringing, causing a headache to start. "Ye — yeah?"

"I was asking you a question."

"Oh...I'm sorry. Could — could you repeat it? I just — I feel like I just lost half of my brain, holy Hades this is trippy."

Don't get her wrong....Selene has passed out before, but never to the point where she thinks she's high on drugs when she wakes up.

The background was still slightly blurred — and the only sound filling the room was a trickle of a fountain.

That's when the trickling started to get louder. Louder, and louder, and..louder. To the point she thought they were at a waterfall.

She grunted — holding a hand to her temple as she slowly, lifted her head up. She momentarily looked around, but didn't get much of a chance to — immediately getting pulled down by a pair of warm hands.

"No," a voice whispered, their soft tone cracking. "You need to rest, Sel. Keep laying on me, yeah?"

She could recognize that voice from anywhere.

Percy.

She tilted her head up slightly to look at him. Percy was looking down at her — his eyes cracking with concern and worry. His brows were furrowed, but, as she met his eyes, he smiled. That smile wasn't his normal one, though — it wasn't the one that made her heart flutter. It was quick — more dejected. As soon as she blinked, it was gone — as if it had never been there in the first place.