𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔－ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝑻𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚 𝑶𝒏𝒆.

[Robert Carlyle as Tantalus]

I 021. I

𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔

❝ the prisoner ❞

ARIADNE SHOT OUT OF BED. She ignored the dull ache in her head while glancing around the infirmary, it felt cold and I inviting— not normal. It looked the same, it smelled the same, but it wasn't the same.

Her legs felt like jelly and her heart was pounding against her chest. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she gasped for breath, hoping everything she had remembered was just a terrible dream.

She made her way out of the building in hopes of seeing everything how it normally was. But her hopes were squashed once she saw camp. The cabins were the same, the volleyball courts, amphitheater, training arena. Everything was the same, even the strawberry fields basking in the golden sun.

But what unnerved her was how quiet it all was. No one was spiking the volleyball over the net, no one was bragging about their latest win in a battle, she didn't even see her brothers walking around.

The grassy meadows were a dull yellow color which made her heart ache. No butterflies fluttering around flowers, just counselors and Satyrs stocking weapons in sheds. Dryads held bows and arrows while walking around the edge of the woods, waiting for something to jump out and attack, in what she assumed was a normal occurrence lately. Fire left patches of dead grass across the land.

Her hands clenched tightly into fists, angry at what her home had turned into.

She ran towards the Big House, looking for Percy and Annabeth. Once she made it there she found the blonde on the porch with sad eyes. "Annie," she panted

Annabeth sighed in relief before bringing her into a tight hug. "You're okay." The blonde quickly kicked her, "We were worried once Clarisse hit you."

Her hand went up to her head and rubbed it, "That's who did it?" Annabeth nodded before giving her a strained smile.

"Percy and I tried visiting but Tantalus wouldn't let us."

Ariadne asked her the question she needed to know. "Is Chiron really... gone?" Annabeth nodded, glancing to look at the wooden porch. "Why?"

"He was blamed for the poisoning of Thalia's tree. Zeus dismissed him."

"No! Zeus— he can't— he shouldn't believe that Chiron was responsible?!"

Annabeth gave her a sad look, "It happened on Chiron's watch. That was enough for him, I'm guessing. Chiron and Argus are gone, we're left with Tantalus and your father."