TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< THE WATER IS FINE >

THE WATER IS FINE
"Blood runs thicker than water."

LUKE's POV

Luke stormed into the infirmary finding empty beds. Disappeared in the early morning hours, he was told. Readying herself for the sparring tournament. He didn't get far before he was dragged back to his own cabin.

"They said she was fine Luke, what's the problem dude." Chris complained across the room, dressing in armour for the competition. "They said the twins asked her themselves, she said she was fine, just like a panic attack or something." Luke was hardly convinced, distracting himself shining his sword.

"Panic attack." He scoffed standing to his feet, "Hardly looked like it." He left again, he was going to find her before the tournament. Something was wrong.

PANDORA's POV

Pandora's fingers braided her hair intricately as she tightened them exhaling unevenly. She didn't have a choice, she was running out of time and she was getting weaker. Today was the day. She had been putting it off for weeks and she was facing the consequences.

The nose bleeds, the nightmares, the visions, Hades would murder her the next day if she hadn't done it by then. After her stunt yesterday she was sure everyone would find out what she was up to. What was happening.

After giving one final pat to Reaper she exited the cabin joining the masses of teens heading to the lake. Thick mascara coated her lashes hoping to deter from the dark circles around her eyes. The dark matter that had crawled her skin the night before had disappeared mostly.

Conveniently the sparring would be held over the lake, seperated from the others. The rules were simply first person to knock the other in the water won. Without maiming or killing the opponent.

Clarisse had already agreed to be paired with Pandora. To practice Pandora's skills she stated. Pandora sword skills were just fine having training in the underworld for months.

Her feet hit the platform as she circled the girl opposite, Pandora's sword clutched tightly in her fingertips. Her expression was stern, small flickers of blue within her pupils.

"No maiming or murdering death, remember." Clarisse didn't think the threat was real, a smirk on her face as she extended her spear circling around Pandora. When Pandora didn't reply, Clarisse narrowed her eyes slightly. "Heard you were injured yesterday, take it easy hey?" She tried to be sincere, still coming across furious.

"Take it easy death." Pandora didn't wait for the bell, swinging first, Clarisse meeting her swing. Clarisse lunged forward Pandora ducking just in time so she wasn't impaled the spear missing her by a hair.

Pandora didn't allowed Clarisse to catch her breath slicing along her leg, a sword at her throat before Clarisse hit it away. "You've gotten better death, call me impressed." Pandora didn't reply she couldn't, she had to focus.

"Start replying or I'm going to think there's something wrong." Clarisse ordered earning a cut at Pandora's cheek. Pandora clashed her sword across the spear again and again pushing her further towards the edge.

"Walker." She snapped, Pandora's skin growing hotter, Clarisse kicking her back a step. "Answer me." Pandora heaved a shaky breath aiming for the kill again almost meeting Clarisse's chest which she was deflected.

"I have to do this." Pandora struggled against Clarisse's block, swinging again cutting Clarisse's wrist. "I have to kill you— or he's going to kill me." She heard someone scream her name from the banks.

Clarisse paled unsure of Pandora's words.
"Stop the match." Chiron beckoned in the distance, Clarisse defended herself with a swing that Pandora met, her eyes lighting up as well as her sword anger filling her blood. Pandora dropped a knee sliding her sword just missing Clarisse's ankles however the scorch from her blade blistering on Clarisse's skin.

"Pandora stop! PANDORA!"

"Seriously Walker what are you on about." Clarisse grew closer to the edge of the deck, Pandora's aggression never ceasing, "Walker stop!" A gasp left Pandora's lips as she hunched over slightly. Silence filled the lake for a second as blood seeped from Pandora's fingertips down her body and onto the platform.

"Pandora." Clarisse pulled the spear from its place in Pandora's side, the girl falling back a fraction. Opposite to her Pandora brows knitted together tightly. "Fuck." She cursed watching more blood pool in her fingers.

"It's okay, I failed." She exhaled shakily more blood coating the platform, "I'm already dead." Her knee buckled as she fell back the last thing Clarisse's wide eyes as she hit the water.