The Traitor

ONE-SHOT

Silena's PoV

"ARES" I yelled as I charged at the Drakon. Fear pounded in my chest, but I struggled to keep it down. After all, it was for Charlie. If it wasn't for me, the traitor, he wouldn't have died.

My eyes filled with tears. I shouldn't have joined Luke. He was plain evil. And I should've known and stopped what I was doing a long time ago. But no, I had to fall under his eyes.

For a split second, I let myself get distracted. The Drakon roared and spat poison at me. The acid melted through my armor, and I felt an intense burning on my chest. I screamed. Staggering and struggling to remain standing, I fell to the ground like a puppet.

"Clarisse!" Percy and Annabeth ran to me, stunned. Ares kids formed a protective circle around me, and I smiled inwardly. My plan had worked.

"CMON, you stupid worm! Look at me!" I heard Percy shout. Just then, I heard a familiar voice. The real Clarisse ran towards me.

"NO! Curse you, WHY?" She knelt down next to me, tears blotching her face. Annabeth and some Ares people worked on unfastening my armor, while Percy stood staring at me, stunned. The Drakon snapped at him, but Percy dodged, and the monster ran into a brick wall.

"WHY?" Clarisse demanded again. The Drakon struggled with the wall and roared.

"Look out!" Chris Rodriguez warned. The Drakon turned towards him.

Clarisse glared at the monster, hatred etched in her face. She stood up and grabbed my spear, screaming with rage.

"YOU WANT DEATH? WELL, COME ON!" She charged at the Drakon. My eyelids started getting heavy, but I watched Clarisse kill the monster. I knew all she needed was a little boost.

Annabeth took off my helmet. Percy and the Are kids stared at me, while Clarisse ran up to me, grief stricken.

"What were you thinking?" She demanded.

I swallowed. "Wouldn't...listen. Cabin would...only follow you." It was hard to speak, but I managed.

"So you stole my armor. You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol, you stole my armor and pretended to be me." Clarisse stared at her cabin mates.

"Don't blame them." I said. "They wanted to...to believe I was you."

"You stupid Aphrodite girl." Clarrisse sobbed. "You charged a drakon? Why?"

Guilt pricked my senses. I grabbed the charm bracelet and held it in my fist. "All my fault." I said. "The Drakon, Charlie's death...camp endangered-"

"Stop it!" Clarisse said. "That's not true."

I opened my hand. The campers stared at it. Then Percy spoke. "You were the spy."

I tried to nod. "Before – before I like Charlie, Luke was nice to me. He was so – charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised..he promised I was saving lives. Fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn't hurt – Charlie. He lied to me."

Tears gathered in my eyes. If it wasn't for me, Charlie would still be here.

Clarisse scowled. "Go, help the centaurs. Protect the doors. GO!" She ordered her cabin mates. They scrambled off.

I took a painful breath, probably my last breath. "Forgive me."

"You're not dying." Clarisse insisted.

I thought about my boyfriend. "Charlie..." I murmered. "See Charlie..."

I let myself drift off into blackness.