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The Near Loss of Hope

Theo's POV

Clarisse: What were you thinking?

Silena tried to swallow, but her lips were dry and cracked.

Silena: Wouldn't...listen. Cabin would...only follow you.

Clarisse: So, you stole my armor. You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol; you stole my armor and pretended to be me.

She glared at her siblings.

Clarisse: And NONE of you noticed?

The Ares campers developed a sudden interest in their combat boots.

Silena: Don't blame them. They wanted to...to believe I was you.

Clarisse: You stupid Aphrodite girl. You charged a drakon? Why?

A tear went down Silena's cheek.

Silena: All my fault. The drakon, Charlie's death...camp endangered—

Clarisse: Stop it! That's not true.

Silena opened her hand. In her palm was a silver bracelet with a scythe charm, the mark of Kronos.

Theo: Fuck. It was you. You were the spy.

Silena: Before...before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me. He was so...charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised...he promised I was saving lives. Fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn't hurt...Charlie. He lied to me.

I met Annabeth's eyes. Her face was chalky. She looked like somebody had just yanked the world out from under her feet.

Behind us, the battle raged.

Clarisse scowled at her cabinmates.

Clarisse: Go, help the centaurs. Protect the doors. GO!

They scrambled off to join the fight.

Silena: Forgive me.

Clarisse: You're not dying.

Silena: Charlie...See Charlie...

She didn't speak again.

Clarisse held her and wept. Chris put a hand on her shoulder.

I knelt down to Silena's body and closed her eyes.

Theo: Pacem invienas in ulteriore cum dilecto tuo. Requiescat in pace. [May you find peace in the beyond with your beloved. Rest in peace.]

I wiped a stray tear from my cheek as I got up. Annabeth intertwined her fingers with mine and rubbed my knuckles with her thumb.

Annabeth: We have to fight. She gave her life to help us. We have to honor her.

Clarisse sniffled and wiped her nose.

Clarisse: She was a hero, understand? A hero.

Percy: (nods) Come on, Clarisse.

Clarisse picked up a sword from one of her fallen siblings.

Clarisse: Kronos is going to pay.

Honestly, the only reason the enemy even got pushed back was all because of Clarisse. Even without her armor or spear, she was a demon. She rode her chariot straight into the Titan's army and crushed everything in her path.

She was so inspiring, even the panicked centaurs started to rally. The Hunters scrounged arrows from the fallen and launched volley after volley into the enemy. The Ares cabin slashed and hacked, which was their favorite thing. The monsters retreated toward 35th Street.