𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣¹

039

(chapter xxxix - prepare for war, motherfuckers!)

"SELENE?"

SHE TRIED to ignore Annabeth calling out to her.

It felt like forever since they've been in that cave — since Pan had faded. Selene knew time went by quicker in the labyrinth, but it sure as hell didn't feel like it.

She just wanted to get out. This maze had caused her to feel many things — learn many secrets, witness things that she didn't want to see — the list goes on and on. She just wished that that list would stop. That it would all finally be over. All the prophecies, all the death.

She tried not to be negative — at least, not out loud, but it was hard to keep her mind clear. Mal had revealed a lot of things — things she hadn't even been able to process. Like Gaea — what was her plan? How long had she been in cahoots with Kronos for? And the ring....Mal using his body as a vessel...it was just a lot to take in. Even for her. She just hoped that —

"Selene!" Annabeth ran up to her and squeezed her arm, cutting her out of her thoughts. "Hey. Hello? Did you hear me?"

Selene glanced at her best-friend. They hadn't had much time to talk — not alone, at least. It sort of made her miss the daughter of Athena — even though she was technically at her side the whole quest.

Last winter, when Annabeth was taken, her whole world had been flipped upside down. She was so scared, the whole time — what they would find waiting for them as they descended Atlas' mountains. A lot of the time after, she was practically glued to her best-friend's hip — half because she missed her dearly, and half because she was worried sick about her, and needed to be with her to make sure she was okay.

She still subconsciously thanks the gods for bringing Annabeth back safe — she didn't know what she would do if she wasn't.

"Selene, you staring at me blankly is really freaking me the fuck out...I can practically smell the inner-monologue going on I'm your brain right now."

Selene snapped out of it — for real, this time. "Shit. Sorry, Annie, my bad."

Annabeth intertwined their fingers and squeezed her hand. "It's okay. We all have our creepy moments."

"Hey. Fuck you."

"Yeah, yeah. But seriously. What is up with you?"

Selene huffed — fidgeting with the sides of her damp jeans. "It's nothing, I just..." She looked at Percy — who was ahead with Nico — and gulped. "I'm just...a bit nervous."

"About Percy?"

"About basically everything. Percy included." Selene bit the inside of her cheek. "I know he can protect himself. Hell yeah he can, he's Perseus Jackson...but that fact is not calming my nerves, for whatever reason."

"I feel you. When Chiron first...Y'know, forced him onto me, I was worried about him too. But, when I really look at him now.." Annabeth teasingly held a hand out to her face — studying him through it. "I'd say he's grown. Physically, at least. Mentally he's still a goldfish. Actually, no...more like a —"