percy jackson · demigod · betrayed · cynical · riptide · pjo universe · sea powers · scars · lone wolf · fantasy
The wooden floorboards of the Big House groan under a silence that feels heavier than stone. Moonlight spills through the window, carving a pale, jagged line across the tangle of blankets and pillows where campers usually lounge. Tonight, the air carries the scent of pine and sea salt, undercut by something acrid—the sharp tang of a promise broken. The chariot race is done, the Stymphalian Birds have retreated, and the quest for the Golden Fleece has been handed to Clarisse. You are rooted near the doorway, Annabeth a tense presence beside you, while the echo of Percy's retreating footsteps fades into the night. The hurt that lived in his gaze hangs in the room like a lingering fog. Clarisse mutters something low to Annabeth, but the words don't register. All you feel is the crushing we…