Cecilia Holmes, Daughter of Minerva (Sherlock/Percy Jackson crossover)

Chapter 66

"You want me to... what now?"

Claude stared at me, his eyes slowly growing wide.

"Isn't that something magicians can do?" I said, waving my hands in a whirling gesture.

"I'm not... I a-am only a Mist manipulator, Ceci- Sherlock, I don't think I could-"

"Have you ever tried?" I interrupted his nervous babbling, putting my hands on my hips. He was silent. "Come on, maybe you are just as powerful as Snorri and you just don't realize it yet! I mean, you said that you and Patricia were the most gifted of the gifted, right?"

"W-well, yes, but-"

"What's the harm in trying?"

"I don't... I don't think-"

"Didn't you promise you would help me?"

"Yes, but..." the fear in his eyes was unmatchable. "You don't understand. What you're asking me to do... it could put all of us in danger if I'm not strong enough to control... i-it. That includes you and me. It's too big of a risk, don't you see?"

"What if you are strong enough?" I countered. "And, if it wasn't already obvious, I'm willing to take risks, Claude." I looked him in the eyes.

"Why did you save them, then?" he whispered, staring right back.

I sighed and pushed him in the chest, sending him two steps away from me.

"I couldn't just let her die along with him," I whispered fiercely. "I couldn't have her blood on my hands as well as his!"

Claude glanced at the door to our cabin nervously, but no one was coming. And even if Jocelyn or Elisabeth or one of his siblings came in, what of it? They would probably be on my side, for Olympus's sake. I could probably trust them just as much as Snorri.

Anyway, at the moment, I didn't care.

"What about risks, then? Are you willing to die along with him?" Claude replied. "And me? Are you willing to sacrifice me, too?"

"Not you," I said, too quickly. I tried to gather my scattered thoughts before the silence became awkward. "I... I didn't want to drag you into this at all..." I sighed, tears welling up in my eyes all of a sudden. I rubbed them with my fingers.

I was tired. No, I was exhausted. I was running out of ideas. And my will was bending. I wasn't sure I could do it. I wasn't sure I even wanted to anymore.

"And... you do realize that if I do this... it will be my fault, not yours..." he said. I looked at him and he met my gaze boldly.

"The blood will be on your hands..." I whispered in realization. I hadn't thought of that.

"I don't care about that," he said, indignantly, taking a small step closer to me. "I would do anything for you. I would kill Armin and so much more..."

He was sincere. His determined eyes and longing voice told me so.

"I'm just not sure if she'll accept it..." he hesitated, looking away. "I mean, I guess as long as he's dead before Friday... does it matter who did it?"

"And looking at it like that, it will be neither you nor me doing it," I said. Claude nodded, solemnly.

"But... I don't know anymore..." I whispered. "The risk is probably too big... maybe I should just give up."

"No. The idea is good," Claude said with some force. "I'm just not sure if I can pull it off..."

"I believe in you," I stated. "I think you can."