Veronica Sawyer was an iconic name. And so that was what she called herself.
She would've liked to be simple, with the basic life of demigods for a backstory-mortal parent didn't want her, she ended up a year-rounder. But the Fates didn't like Veron...
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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝟏: 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
May 29, 2008
VERONICA SAWYER WAS NOT A VERY PATIENT PERSON.
She already knew that. Veronica could be stubborn at times and she wasn't ashamed or apologetic about it. It was a flaw of hers that she was keen on accepting no matter what.
But for Nico di Angelo, her patience was unlimited.
Her six months of searching for Nico had done nothing to help her, only leading her to dead ends and endless frustration. But she refused to give in, choosing to devote her time this summer to continuing her search until she'd looked everywhere on Earth. School was out, she was free for almost the entirety of the summer, and camp wasn't even an option Veronica would consider unless it was her only option.
"Veronica?"
She jumped as she turned to face Jane once again. Jane, the therapist Tina had gotten for her as a suggestion from her "social worker" (Chiron, who'd also rigged the situation to specifically get Veronica a half-blood therapist, which she didn't think was a real thing). Soft hazel eyes peered at Veronica, a knowing look on Jane's face.
"I was thinking..." Veronica trailed off. "Just thinking..."
"Nico?" Jane asked. Veronica glared at her from where she sat, twirling a gum wrapper in her hands. Jane pushed a loose curl into place. "Veronica, it's okay to still be worried. It's okay to hope you find him. But maybe—"
"No buts," Veronica said firmly. "I'm not gonna stop looking for Nico until I've checked every single inch of the Earth."
Jane sighed. "Veronica, that's not healthy. Your mentality is already in shambles as it is because of how much you've put aside on Nico's behalf."
"Who cares if it's healthy?" Veronica demanded. "Nico is out there somewhere, and he's alone or in the wrong company. I promised that kid that I'd always be there when he needed me and I have been nowhere!"
Jane sighed and removed her glasses, wiping them with a cloth. "Veronica, wouldn't your mother's book be helpful if that were the case? It'd lead you straight to Nico with just one spell."
"I'm not using anything that belonged to Marjorie Westcourt," the daughter of Dionysus huffed. "She's dead to me."
"Try as you might, Veronica," Jane replied, putting her glasses back on. "You're still a legacy of Hecate. You still have magic. And unless you find another source for learning, that spellbook is all you have."
Veronica rolled her eyes and looked up at Jane. "I'll use it when the universe tells me to use it."
Jane pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I suppose there's nothing else I can do to convince you, at least not now," she said, turning her gaze to the small clock on her desk. "Our time is up today."
