•as the world caves in•

•pain•

Rachel had apparently seen a Lydian drakon being killed by a child of Ares, but I was so skeptical. However, I couldn't question her too much when the drakon came up to us.

I had taken our drakon fighting classes at camp, but nothing could've prepared me for this. I was getting ready to put my helmet on when Percy asked: "Will you help me?"

"Of course," I said.

"A kiss for good luck?"

"Why do I always have to kiss you?"

"Fair enough," and he quickly kissed my cheek.

I smiled as I put my helmet on, gaining an eye roll from Annabeth.

As we charged, Mrs. O'Leary jumped at the beast and knocked it down, but poison sprayed everywhere and monsters and centaurs were turned to dust.

Percy leapt forwards real quick to stab the drakon in the eye before turning on him, creating room for me. I leapt onto its back and stabbed between two scales erupting a roar and knocking me down.

Percy dragged me before I got whacked by its tail. "I said to be careful!"

"Yeah, okay, well duck!" I pulled him down onto me as teeth snapped above us. "You're welcome!"

I realized we had little options as we tried to retreat back to our forces, but something stopped me, chariot wheels.

"Ares!" A girl screamed. I looked to see Clarisse leading the Ares cabin towards us, and I had never been as happy to see her. Her riders veered away, but she screamed again. "Ares, to me!"

She sounded a little more high pitched, but I would too if I was charging a drakon. The monster army was thrown off at our new help. We watched in amazement as Clarisse stabbed at its face, but everything went wrong very quickly.

Mrs. O'Leary had gotten injured, so Percy and I charged in. I looked to Clarisse. "You can do it, a child of Ares must!"

But her blue eyes shone with fear.

Clarisse didn't have blue eye.

The drakon spit poison in her face, and I ran to help.

The other Ares campers ran over with me as Percy distracted the drakon when a flying chariot came overhead and Clarisse was next to me.

I panicked as I tried to take off the helmet of fake Clarisse, hoping and begging it wasn't who I thought it was.

I ignored Clarisse fighting the drakon as I fumbled to take the helmet off, tears blocking any progress. Chris leaned down and helped and once it was gone, and the drakon was gone, the world went silent.

I couldn't make a noise as I looked down at my sister, at my Silena.

And then I made sounds, I wailed. "How could you?"

"We... needed... Ares." Silena said. "It's all my fault. Drakon, Charlie, camp..."

"No!" I screamed. "You're lying!"

Silena opened her first to reveal the mark of Kronos. She was the spy.

I held my sister, I cradled her as she explained. "Before I like Charlie, Luke was nice. So charming. Handsome. I wanted to stop helping, but he threatened to tell, threatened to hurt you, Cor. He promised me not to hurt you or Charlie. He lied."

"You're not dying." I said.

"Please, forgive me, Cor?"

"You're not dying!" I insisted. "I forgive you, but you're staying here!"

Silena smiled. "I can see Charlie..."

She was gone.

And I sobbed. I sobbed harder than when I thought Percy was gone, I sobbed so loud I'm sure everyone heard me. The whole world must've.

Percy had knelt down next to me, holding me as I held Silena, as Clarisse held her, and as Chris did to Clarisse, and eventually Annabeth joined from out of nowhere.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, but eventually I wiped away some tears. "We will get her to the tent, and then Kronos will pay."

Clarisse nodded, starting to glow red with the blessing of Ares.

•.•.•.•

I carried Silena all the way to our base as Clarisse cleared the way, as Percy and Annabeth held me upright as I continued to cry. I stumbled, I think I fell at one point, but they were next to me, holding me, making sure I did what I had to do.

The poison had scared her face, but she was still beautiful, so beautiful. I knew she and Charlie would be happy together, even if they weren't in Elysium, although I like to believe she would make it there.

When we reached the lobby, I laid a piece of fabric over her, then sat by that fabric.

The Stolls came in. "Is it true about Silena?"

"Yeah, she's gone." Percy said, holding onto me. "Died a hero."

"No, the other-"

I glared up at them. "If you have nothing else to say, politely go-"

"Sorry." Connor said.

Then they talked strategy, and I looked back at the fabric, hoping suddenly she would gasp and wake up, we would cry and then we would all be okay.

"Percy." I said, once we were somewhat alone, Grover and Annabeth with us, waiting for the elevator. "You were right about Luke."

"I'm sorry that I was." Percy said.

I leaned into him as we got on the elevator, watching the floors go up. His hand combed through my hair as I started to cry again.

"Um..." Grover said. "Leenus died, I'm gonna plant his laurel."

"Can you plant anything?" I asked. "Like with your satyr stuff?"

He nodded. "Why?"

"Plant orchids, for Silena."