Annabeth Chase and the Last Olympian

Chapter 5 - Percy, the bearer of bad news

I was siting on the porch of the Big House, discussing defence measures with Chiron when I heard the words that I'd been dreading and hoping for for weeks; "Percy's back." 

Chiron and I looked at each other, and immediately bolted for the dining pavilion, where we could see a crowd of demigods had started to form. He beat me easily, his four legs outpacing my two, but at least he cut a path for me through the crowd as we reached the pavilion. 

"Percy!" he exclaimed. "Thank the gods. But where . . ." 

As I ran in right behind him, I saw why he stopped speaking. Percy was there, but he was alone. There was no sign of Beckendorf. 

I ignored the grief starting to build in my chest and focused on Percy. He looked ok, his dark hair messy but clean and his clothes dry even though he just walked out of the ocean. There didn't seem to be any injuries, but when I met his eyes, I could see a mixture of grief and guilt swarming in there, even as he stared back at me, like he couldn't believe I was there. 

"What happened?" I asked, grabbing his arm. "Is Luke -"

"The ship blew up," he said, shaking his head slowly. "He wasn't destroyed. I don't know where -"

"Where's Charlie?" a new voice interrupted.

I turned to see Silena had pushed her way through the crowd and was standing beside Chiron. I hadn't seen her much since Beckendorf went on the mission, but when I had, she'd either been prowling around the Big House, waiting for information, or sitting on the sand dunes, watching the lake, Clarisse by her side when she wasn't doing missions. The waiting had obviously taken a toll on her, as she didn't look herself - her hair was messy, she wore no makeup and there was no extra accessories on her camp shirt and jeans. She looked around at the campers, like she expected Beckendorf to be playing a prank on her and would jump out at any moment. 

An awkwardness settled on the gathered demigods. Most looked down at their feet or stared at Chiron for guidance. No one wanted to be the one to tell her. 

Chiron cleared his throat. "Silena, my dear, let's talk about this at the Big House -"

"No," she gasped. "No. No."

She started to cry and it was like something in my chest snapped. We'd lost so many demigods over the summer, that I'd been starting to distance myself from the grief, but this was real and here. And it was Becks, my inventor partner. I tried to hold back the tears, but I could feel that I was unsuccessful. 

Clarisse stepped forward and wrapped Silena in her arms. Dressed in her blood-red combat armour and spear strapped to her chest, she was a contrast to the slender daughter to Aphrodite, but she held her gently. 

"Come on, girl," she said softly to the crying demigod. "Let's get to the Big House. I'll make you some hot chocolate."

Silena was crying too hard to respond, so the daughter of Ares guided her away, the rest of the crowd evaporating as they left. Soon, it was only Percy, Chiron and I left. 

I wiped away my tears, trying to push my grief away. There would be time for that later. 

"I'm glad you're not dead, Seaweed Brain," I said. 

He smiled faintly. "Thanks. Me too."

"I'm sure you did everything you could, Percy," Chiron said, placing his hand on my friend's shoulder. Will you tell us what happened?"

Percy looked hesitant to speak about it, but he took a deep breath and launched into it. He'd been picked up by Beckendorf on the coast where he'd been holidaying for the week. They'd flown on Blackjack to the Princess Andromeda and been dropped off there. They'd managed to reach the engine room without trouble and started setting the explosives but that's where it all went wrong. Apparently Luke and the monsters had known they were coming and were waiting for them. Percy had to lead them away from Beckendorf so he could finish the mission. He made it to the main deck, only to find Kronos there. They'd fought, but nothing Percy did to him could harm him. Apparently Riptide just bounced off Kronos harmlessly.