𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 (Annabeth X Malereader)

[16] Dared

CITY OF ANGELS - 24kGoldn
0:37 ━❍━━━━━ 3:01
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺

AT THE EDGE OF THE DUMP, they found a tow truck so old it might've been thrown away itself. But the engine started, and it had a full tank of gas, so they all decided to borrow it.

Thalia drove. She didn't seem as stunned as the rest of them. "The skeletons are still out there," she reminded. "We need to keep moving."

She navigated through the desert, under clear blue skies, the sand so bright it hurt to look at. Zoe sat up front with Thalia. Grover, Y/N and Percy sat in the pickup bed, leaning against the tow wench. The air was cool and dry, but the nice weather just seemed like an insult after losing Bianca.

Y/N's hand closed around the little figurine that had cost her life. He still couldn't even tell what god it was supposed to be. Nico would know.

Oh, gods... Nico... What was he supposed to say? He had even promised to keep Bianca as safe as possible.

Y/N wanted to believe that Bianca was still alive somewhere. But he had a bad feeling that she was gone for good.

"It should've been me," Y/N muttered. "I should've gone into the giant."

"Don't say that!" Percy swatted his shoulder in annoyance. "It's bad enough Annabeth is gone, and now Bianca. Don't you think I would care if I lost another friend?"

Grover just sniffled and wiped his face with an oily rag.

The tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. That was just as well, because the road dead-ended. Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew. "Great. What now?"

They scanned the horizon. There wasn't much to see. Desert in all directions, occasional clumps of barren mountains plopped here and there. The canyon was the only thing interesting. The river itself wasn't very big, maybe fifty yards across, green water with a few rapids, but it carved a huge scar out of the desert. The rock cliffs dropped away below them.

"There's a path," Grover said. "We could get to the river."

Y/N tried to see what he was talking about, and finally noticed a tiny ledge winding down the cliff face. "That's a goat path," he said.

"So?" he asked.

"The rest of us aren't goats."

"We can make it," Grover said. "I think."

Y/N glanced over at Thalia and saw how pale she'd gotten. Her problem with heights... she'd never be able to do it.

"No," Y/N said. "I, uh, think we should go farther upstream."

Grover said, "But—"

"Come on," he said. "A walk won't hurt us."

Y/N glanced at Thalia. Her eyes said a quick thank you.

They followed the river about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but they left a stack of golden drachmas on the counter and a note saying IOU two canoes.

"We need to go upstream," Zoe said. She didn't sound good, like somebody with the flu. "The rapids are too swift."

"Leave that to me," Percy said. They put the canoes in the water.