•as the world caves in•

•a final party•

The Nine Muses played all the music, like, all.

I ate and drank so much nectar and ambrosia to numb all my pain until we could get it healed, but I was hoping some minor god would fix it if they felt kind enough.

Thankfully, I did. Son of Apollo, Asclepius tended to wounds, even ones I didn't know I had. I felt like I just got a brand new body.

I met Anteros, who was like my brother. He was the son of my mom and also brother of Eros, which was really weird, but he was nice enough.

Finally, I got to see my mom.

"Coriane!" She grinned. "I'm so happy to see you."

I smiled up at her. "Hi mom."

"You look so beautiful, my darling. You're sure to capture the heart of any boy you meet." Mom said softly, brushing hair from my face. "How is the sword treating you?"

"It's really good. It's the best gift anyone has ever given me."

She nodded. "That's good, that's wonderful. Although, I'm sure one day someone will give you something better."

I frowned. "Like what, what could top a ring that's also a sword?"

She smiled as if she knew something, something that I didn't know and it was almost comical I didn't. "All in due time, my dear, all in due time."

"Coriane!" Someone shouted, and I saw Percy running up to me. "Oh, hi Aphrodite."

"Hello, Percy." She looked between the two of us. "I'll let you two talk."

I waved bye, not knowing when I'd see her again, and looked to him. "What's up?"

He smiled at me, his stupid smile that I could never say no to. "I was thinking, we got interrupted at Westover Hall. I think I owe you a dance."

I smiled down at my feet before looking back up. "Sure, alright Seaweed Brain."

The music I heard went from my favorite pop songs to what I imagined any slow dance song would sound like, something that would play at a high school prom.

Percy took my hand and we spent the rest of the night dancing with each other and I don't think the smile left my face once.

•.•.•.•

It was the night before Christmas and all through Manhattan, nobody was up.

Half-Blood Hill was another story. Satyrs were running around and in the Big House, a meeting was happening.

I sat next to Silena, who's hand was locked in mine as she kept asking if I was okay. Percy was on the other side of me and he kept fidgeting around.

Chiron looked around. "If Percy is the child of the prophecy, the second Titan war is almost upon us. Kronos will strike here first."

"How do you know?" Percy asked.

"The gods use heroes as tools. Destroy the tools, the gods are crippled. We must prepare."

There was a knock at the door and Nico came bursting in. "Hey! Where's my sister?"

My heart broke as I realized nobody had told him. Percy stood up. "Nico, let's take a walk, okay?"

•.•.•.•

"The gods will not find out Nico is a son of Hades. The prophecy is mine."

We'd been searching the woods for Nico. He ran off after Percy told him about Bianca.

I whipped my head at him. "You can't say that! You aren't responsible for the whole world!"

"I can't let Nico be in anymore danger, I won't allow it."

I stormed back to my cabin, Percy following.

"Coriane, please! Wait up!"

My smile I had when dancing with him was long gone. "Percy, you can't just say stuff like that! I don't want to think about that."

"Cor, we have to be realistic."

I grabbed his shoulders. "We have two years. Two years. We can pretend we're normal kids and still train and protect the world, and ignore the prophecy. Each day I get reminded more and more you might be the child in the prophecy and it hurts."

Percy slowly held me closer to him, a half hug, not all the way engulfed in him but enough for his defined smell to be all I could sense.

"Percy, I can't lose you."

He looked down at me, an almost broken look on his features. "I can't lose you either, Cor. I know is hard for you, I won't talk about the prophecy, I swear."

I stared up at him, slowly edging closer with each passing second. My hands moved to cup his face and my thumb swept back and forth on his cheek and I don't think I'd ever been this close to him. This close to anybody.

He was looking down at me, his eyes on my face, but not exactly my eyes, his hands were firm on my waist and I was so glad it was pitch black because if anyone saw us I might just burn up and die.

I felt myself burning up, was this really about to happen? I was so excited and nervous for what was about to happen and—

"Coriane, it's lights out!" Silena yelled. "Get in this cabin and get to bed!"

We jumped apart from each other and didn't even look away as I shouted back, "coming, Silena!"

We stared at each other. Percy looked at the ground. "We should probably go to our cabins."

I nodded. "Mhm! Goodnight, Percy."

He smiled slightly. "Goodnight, Lover Girl."