The Darkness Within

Chapter 29

Percy POV

Pax looks back and her eyes widen from shock. She looks around and gives me a discreet thumbs up before going to rejoin the rest of the demigods downstairs.

I look back at Poseidon, no expression on my face.

"Lord Poseidon..." I start.

Poseidon looks at me with an expression of remorse. "Percy, I'm..."

"It is okay." I begin, softly. "Let bygones be bygones. I forgive you, Poseidon. I've forgiven you a long time ago. You are a god, after all. But I haven't forgotten, don't forget that."

Poseidon nods, unable to say anything.

"I'll always be here, Perseus, even if you don't want me here." Tears begin to form in his eyes.

I look at him, seeing all the hurt in his eyes. Although he was older than me by millennia, he still had to learn how to be a father.

"I know, father."

I shake his hand with a smile and leave the room, leaving Poseidon speechless.

I enter the elevator and reunite with the rest of the demigods. Pax rushes and hugs me.

"Are you okay, Alfito?" She whispers, using our old nicknames.

I nod. "Better than ever, Betty. He's my dad after all."

The rest of the demigods look back at us and chuckle. Piper raises an eyebrow.

"Perseus here always had a thing for blondes..." Leo smirks.

Annabeth frowns.

I pretend not to hear or see this.

We all start walking out of the building, ready to get back to camp. Hermes summons some magical cabs to drive us back to camp. Frank holds the taxi door open for Annabeth, Hazel, Pax and I,  when something caught my eye.

A family.

A tall, lean guy with salt and pepper hair had his arm looped around a slender older woman. There was something familiar about her brown hair and blue eyes. A small girl ran between them, laughing and giggling.

"Watch out Estelle!" The man holds his daughter's hand. "You don't want to fall and get hurt."

"I'm okay, Daddy!" The girl, Estelle, walks on the edges of of the sidewalk, balancing herself.

The family turns the corner and the girl looked back at me. She waves at me as if I am an old friend.

I enter the cab to go to back to camp, unsettled for some strange reason. Annabeth and Hazel have a frightened look on their faces.

"Do you know who they are?" Annabeth asks me, with a strange look in her eyes.

I shake my head, uncomfortable. "I feel like I do, but I don't."

Annabeth breathes a sigh of relief and Hazel pats her back. I give them both a look of confusion.

Pax enters the cab, her hair in a high ponytail.

"Ready to go back to camp?" 

I look at the Empire State Building and where the family used to be, knowing that this would be my last feeling of peace and certainty, before training endlessly to track down Unknown and his army.

"Let's go." I turn to face forward and the engine of the cab starts, spewing dark clouds of smoke behind us.

A/N: I AM BACK NOODLES. One or two more chapters left then this book is finished! We broke the 20k reads milestone and are close to breaking the 1k vote milestone! Thank you so much for reading and please don't forget to vote and comment. I love hearing your thoughts!

We're almost finished, thank you for being with me through this journey. :)

See you next chapter, Noodles!

~ Saph