Sea Angels

~14~

Groaning, Bianca got to her feet, forcing her eyes open. Her prison was covered in a fine layer of soot and ash, and the smell of smoke still hung in the air like a thick thundercloud. She wasn't restrained, unlike the others, but she might as well have been for how hard it was to move. Her clothes were riddled with holes and scorch marks, stiff against her skin that had turned an ugly shade of red from the fire. The tips of her braid were singed, and whenever she touched her hair, little pieces would crumble off into the ash pile at the floor.

Sighing, she redid her braid to the best of her ability while lacing up her combat boots. Luckily, Bianca still had a small, silver dagger hidden in the heel of her right boot that hadn't been confiscated from her, but her bow that appeared on her body at will somehow was taken from her. She still didn't understand why she was brought back. She had been reborn. From what she guessed, her body was physically sixteen now, the age she should've been had she never died.

Bianca shrugged her shoulders, standing at attention as she peered out of the glass. To her left was an empty container with a blue-green light filtering above it; to her right was another container, but this one held someone that was currently enduring their worst nightmare as the lights had been cut off with black fog billowing around the inside. Opposite her was the final container with gray light illuminating it, and she could make out the sight of spiders and cobwebs and a girl cowering against the sides.

Just then the blue-green light flared violently as that container's prisoner appeared. He was taller than everyone Bianca had seen so far - about six-feet tall. His hair was raven black with unruly, wavy locks that for some reason made Bianca suspicious of the newcomer. Once he finally opened his eyes as he looked around, she was surprised to see their piercing sea green color. She had only ever met one person with those eyes: Percy Jackson. But what was he doing here? Last Bianca knew of him, he and Nico along with some of their friends had been running through the Labyrinth.

His eyes widened comically when he caught a sight of her, and she just meekly waved, giving him what she hoped to be a small smile. Honestly, it most likely came out as a grimace. Bianca saw the worry in Percy's eyes as he mouthed, "Are you okay?" She shrugged in response. It felt weird talking to him now. She remembered Percy as the scrawny thirteen year old boy that had rescued her and Nico from Dr. Thorne, not as this incredibly muscular and intimidating adult. She might've blushed, but in this life she was still a Hunter - she still had to maintain her vow. Or did she? She was still confused, and no one seemed to be giving her any answers.

The lady that Bianca had seen walking around before, the same lady that had kidnapped her and shoved her into this prison, appeared in front of Percy's container with grace as her dress train flowed behind her almost like a wedding gown. It took Bianca a moment to realize that the lady was indeed wearing a wedding gown.

The gown was white, but more like a vanilla kind of white instead of pure white. Bianca appreciated the fact that it was modest with lacy sleeves that covered her shoulders and stopped right past the elbow. The neckline was in the shape of a sweetheart design, not plunging to reveal cleavage. At the bottom the dress took on a princess shape, being a full skirt that still hung semi-limply around her legs with the train being at least two feet long with white lace and trimmings along the edges. Around her torso the fabric was cinched, making it look like a sash using the same material as the main part of the dress. Little snowflakes had been stitched into the bodice with beads, and some of them were blue.

Right, Bianca thought, that poem must still be around. Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

Her hair was all pulled over one shoulder in a beautiful fishtail braid that had diamonds every so often in a waterfall motion. With the dark brown color of her hair, everything stood out profusely against the pale or bright colors of her makeup and jewelry. Her lips were a blood red with light pink blush and matching eyeshadow. In her hand was a bouquet of red roses and purple tulips all held together with a white bow-but the stems were being crushed in her tight grip. It was a wonder the stems hadn't snapped altogether.