Fight to the Surface (Sea Prince Trilogy #2)

Chapter Thirty-Two

The next time Percy woke he was alone. He didn't dare think that it was morning for with Tartarus you just never knew. His eyes felt crusty and sore, his back stiff from the awkward position in which he'd been sleeping.

Percy recalled what happened last night and groaned, burying his face in his hands. He had to stop breaking down on the Asgardian Prince. Loki probably found it incredibly awkward but was too nice to say anything.

Hauling himself out of bed, Percy dragged his tired body into the main living space where Loki and Damasen already sat, a steaming cup in hand. Loki handed him one as he collapsed into a chair beside the god, opposite Damasen.

"Have you two slept yet?" Percy inquired as he accepted the brew. He sniffed it and took an experimental sip. It was sweet.

"Yes." Both said simultaneously and very clearly lying. Percy gave them each a look but said nothing more.

"Now that you're awake, we can discuss how to get you out of here." Damasen announced. "I have an idea."

"How?" Percy asked.

"I came up with it yesterday and-"

"Yesterday? How come you didn't tell us then?" Percy interjected. Loki nudged the demigod to shut up, however Damasen chuckled.

"I didn't want to intrude on the moment you two were having." Loki hid a smirk as Percy blushed. He settled down in the chair, suddenly wishing his hair was longer so he could hide his face. "Anyway, you have expanded your powers, have you not?"

Percy nodded in confirmation.

"Well then you could water travel out could you not?"

"Absolutely not." Loki stated. "He is in no condition to do so, it is a risky enough power as it is, he has no proper water to draw from and if it doesn't succeed we'll be in even more trouble with a severely high risk of dying."

Percy turned and gaped at Loki. When did he have time to consider all that?

"Well then what about you, do you have any tricks up your sleeves? Something similar to water travel?"

"My Frost Giant heritage allows me to use ice to a certain degree."

"Frost Giant Heritage? Dam we need to talk more." Percy turned on Loki. He'd been previously unaware of this fact.

Damasen quickly moved the conversation forwards. "Can you do anything like Percy's water travel?"

"No, but I can create things. For example, I created an ice slide on our way here, preventing our little hero from going splat."

"What?" Percy demanded. "How much haven't I been told?" He sulked, sinking lower in his seat.

"Well you could do that, but going up." Damasen suggested.

"You can't walk up a slide, buddy." Percy said.

"Staircase, idiot." Loki sighed. "Yes, I could, however it's too far up and too hot. Not only would the ice melt and we'd plummet to our deaths, but I'd run out of energy long before we got to the top."

"But hang on," Percy said, holding up a finger. He was catching on to a plan, a faint string of hope threading together. "What if I kept you cool? So the heat doesn't get to you."

"Percy, you have the exact opposite effect." Percy choked on a mouthful of drink at Loki's words.

"He means with water manipulation!"

"Still, if Percy is constantly keeping me refreshed, then what's refreshing him?"

"It's like a circle of life," Damasen began. "You create the ice, the ice melts into water- Percy's element, he absorbs the water to keep him replenished, then he uses it to refresh you and you keep going until you reach the top. I can give you a pack of water to start with."

"This is suicidal." Loki said bluntly.

"Welcome to demigod life." Percy muttered, thinking the idea over in his head.

"If you're willing to try, there's a new vent into Tartarus that opened just recently. It pushes air upwards to the surface. It's not far from here." The giant suggested. He knew the way there, and it wasn't a particularly dangerous route.

Percy grinned. "Let's do it."

~~~~

Sorry I've been MIA with this recently. As I said earlier, I'm having motivation issues. I HAVE LIKE 5 CHAPTERS LEFT TO WRITE, WHERE DID MY MOTIVATION GO!? Sorry for extra mistakes, typing while driving down a rocky road in the hills is fun.

My four exchange friends of 2 months went back to Korea yesterday 😭.

Peace,

BTSWD
Borntosingwithdrama