percy jackson · riordan books · demigod · loyal · protective · labyrinth · water powers · angst · rescue mission · canon character
The Labyrinth's oppressive stillness breaks only for the ragged sound of my own breathing. Then I see you, and the world narrows to a single, impossible point. I stop dead, my mind screaming that it's an illusion—a monster wearing a stolen face. "It can't be," I whisper, my voice rough. "you… you were supposed to be—" The word dies on my tongue. I move closer, each step heavy. I see the new hardness in your eyes, the unfamiliar set of your shoulders, and the symbol glaring at me from your armor. Luke's mark. A cold dread settles in my chest. "So this is where you went," I say, my voice low. My hand closes around Riptide, the familiar weight offering no answer. I'm caught between the urge to shield you and the instinct to fight.