𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑺 • 𝑃𝐸𝑅𝐶𝑌 𝐽𝐴𝐶𝐾𝑆𝑂𝑁 ²

TEN

CHAPTER TEN
—dumb summons

🗡🗡🗡

—IF there was one thing Judith hated more than Percy's knack for getting on her nerves, it was being held captive against her will. This was probably the worst day of her life.

Judith struggled against the rope-binding that her gargantuan half-brother had knotted her and her friends in. He had given her a pitiful yet also incredibly bored expression like he could care less that he had just done her dirty. But there was a glint in his eye as he pulled out a pocket knife to pick at his finger nails. She couldn't place exactly what he was thinking, if he was even thinking anything at all.

Nico, in his pouting glory, had been wrapped up next to her. He had refused to make eye contact with her for a solid half hour before finally speaking. "I thought you said you were on the quest," he said, quiet enough so the rest of their company would not overhear.

Judith tried to shift her weight so she could look at him. She breathed in for a thoughtful moment. "I did say that. But I am not technically a part of their group."

"So you lied to me," Nico said darkly.

"Yeah. Because if I had told you the truth, you would have run off," she answered with bite. "You would have been too stubborn for me to help you."

"So, why were you really in the labyrinth then? And don't lie to me."

Judith debated on her next words. "I came to help you."

"To stop me?" he pressed.

"Is that what I said?" she asked, becoming frustrated. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, counting to five. "I mean ... no. I didn't come to stop you. I came to help."

"Why," he uttered quietly, "why would you help me?"

Judith wanted to strangle herself with the ropes. But what else could you do except think about serious things when tied down for a prolonged period of time? Nico was probably taking her silence the wrong way, but he asked a loaded question. She needed a minute to think about it.

Why did she help him? Why did she want to help him?

Was it because she'd been a kid once? Because she'd been a volatile demigod only a few years ago ( as if she wasn't still a danger to herself and others )? Because she'd made that promise to herself to watch over the boy while Bianca couldn't? Or perhaps it was because she knew what it felt like to lose someone. Judith hadn't lost a sibling, not like Nico had lost Bianca. But losing anyone, it changes a person.

Judith hadn't known how to properly cope with Bryce dying so suddenly. Her world was coated in red and black, a world where all she wanted to do was fight or hide away. Clarisse had to spend weeks trying to pull her out of the hazy glamour.

Nico needed someone to pull him out.

"I would want someone there for me if I was in your position. And I would try to push them away, as well, but that doesn't change the fact that it's what you need."

There was a baited silence and Judith wondered if he had just stopped listening to her altogether in anger. But after another moment, his trembling voice flooded her ear. "Thank you."