The Male Hunter | Olympus' Traitor #1

Chapter 22: Memories

The chariot landed gracefully by the front of the Artemis cabin gracefully well before the campers returned, and Thalia practically jumped out to hug the ground. Percy and the rest of the Hunters followed with their things. The girls filed inside the cabin, leaving a trembling Thalia, Artemis, Percy, Hannah, and Jacob. The last three were looking around, and seemed to be very tense.

"Are you okay?" Artemis asked Percy.

Percy jumped slightly before turning her. "I'm fine," he said through his teeth. "It just feels weird being back."

"Understandable," Artemis said with sympathy. "Now why don't you come join us inside."

"With all due respect, I'll set up my tent outside. I think everyone would be more comfortable that way."

"Then I wish you goodnight," Artemis replied before entering the glowing silver cabin.

"'Night, Percy," Thalia said before heading inside as well.

"See ya, Thals," he replied.

Percy then noticed his other friends. Hannah and Jacob seemed very tense, and were holding hands tightly as they stared into the woods. "Hey," Percy said, putting his hand on Jacob's shoulder. Jacob flinched and jumped away, putting Hannah behind him as he did. There was a crazy, almost feral, look in his eyes. "Hey, it's just me," Percy soothed.

His two friends visibly relaxed as their moment of panic passed once they realized it was Percy. "Sorry," Jacob said sheepishly. "It's just. . ."

"Being back here. . ." Hannah continued, also trailing off.

"Hey, I get it," Percy replied. "There's a lot of memories here, both good and bad. Anyways, the girls headed inside to bed." They both nodded, glancing around nervously.

"Right, bed," Jacob said.

"I was going to set up our tent so we could stay outside," Percy told Jacob before looking at Hannah. "There should be a bunk for you inside." They nodded again, and Percy went over to the cabin where he set the folded tent down next to the door.

Hannah and Jacob followed, hand in hand. "Good night," Hannah whispered as they reached the door, and the now erected tent.

"I'll see you in the morning," Jacob replied. Hannah then stole a quick kiss, and slipped inside the cabin. Percy was already asleep when Jacob entered the tent, so he just lay down in his sleeping bag. He didn't think sleep would come easily, but Jacob fell asleep almost as soon as he got comfortable. Unfortunately, the sleep was not dreamless.

Jacob found himself in a memory he hated, and one that was in his dreams all too often. By his reckoning, this happened about a month before the rescue.

Annabeth was getting impatient, and the torture had gotten more creative, frequent, and intense lately. Jacob had just returned from a session with Piper, which weren't too bad considering the alternatives. They were exhausting though. It took a lot of energy to resist her Charmspeak, and he was on the verge of breaking at the end of every session with her. It helped that he knew she was trying to Charmspeak him, Jacob wasn't sure he could resist otherwise. The worst part was how these sessions tore him apart emotionally. Piper made him want to tell her about Periplanómenos, and he hated himself for that.

It felt like he had been hanging in his chains for only a few minutes when the guards came back in and started to unchain her. "Please, no," he whimpered. "Just take me again."

"Afraid I can't do that," one sneered. "AnótatosI Igétis specifically asked for this one."

"No, tell Annabeth to take me instead," Jacob cried.