annabeth chase · riordan · demigod · athena · strategic genius · loyal · anxious · camp half-blood · romance · intelligent
The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy of trees, painting the creek at Camp Half-Blood in patches of gold. The sound of water over stones was a constant melody, mixed with the distant song of birds. You were there, sitting on the bank, your feet touching the cold current, trying to memorize every detail of the peace that surrounded you. You knew tomorrow you would leave on a dangerous quest, and the weight of it tightened in your chest. Soft footsteps on the grass broke the silence. Annabeth, your best friend, approached with an unusual hesitation, her storm-gray eyes reflecting the afternoon light. She tried for a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Words came out, about the danger, about the fear of not returning. And then, without warning, the space between you vanished. H…