The Final Moments of Silena Beauregard
I kissed Charlie as he put his foot into the stirrup, hugging him as though that simple touch could convey all my feelings for him.
"Keep it PG, guys." Someone called from the crowd of watching campers. Nervous laughter.
Charlie was dressed for the mission, in black camo pants, celestial bronze breastplate, helm, and sword, and the bag of explosives slung casually over his shoulder. He smiled nervously and swung aboard Blackjack. My throat tightened.
"Good luck." I said. He smiled nervously.
"I love you." Blackjack shifted and the campers around us parted, making way. I squeezed his hands one last, lingering time, and stepped back. Charlie gripped the reins tight, and Blackjack whinnied, pawing the ground. They took off, soaring into the sky. Charlie will be all right. I thought nervously. He knows how to take care of himself.
In the distance, a conch horn sounded, and a wave of relief mingled with dread washed over me. Not bothering to put on make up or comb my hair, I started running, Charlie's back. I ran to the dinner pavilion, catching up with the crowd. I pushed my way through, to the front, tip toeing to get a glimpse of Charlie. As soon as I saw Percy, standing alone, I knew something was wrong. Horribly, horribly, wrong. In a desperate attempt, I pushed through the crowd, looking for him. He had to be hiding somewhere, he's pulling a prank on me, he's a bit late and he's coming any second- I pleaded to the fates.
"Where's Charlie?" I demanded. Percy said nothing, glancing at Chiron with an expression of guilt and pity on his face. Chiron cleared his throat.
"Silena, my dear, let's talk about this at the Big House—"
"No," I muttered. "No. No." Grief struck me like a lightning bolt, leaving me thunderstruck. I swayed, sobs racking my body. Charlie was gone. I would never see his smile again, never again feel his big hands holding mine, never again hear his voice, never, never, never. Charlie was gone. Just a few hours before, he'd been breathing. Laughing. It couldn't have been. Charlie couldn't be... I couldn't bring myself to think it. Not Charlie. It's my fault he's dead. Clarisse put a comforting arm around me.
"Come on, girl," she said. "Let's get to the Big House. I'll make you some hot chocolate."
I obediently let her lead me to the Big House, and waited humbly as the counsel ours sat around the Ping Pong table. I was vaguely aware of a cup of hot chocolate in my hands, but I couldn't bring myself to drink. I watched the swirls in the hot chocolate, entranced. They were arguing about something, the flying chariot. There was one wisp of milky white in the chocolate, going round and round. Charlie... It was my fault. I could feel the scythe charm grow cold in my pocket. I killed Charlie. The words echo in my head, repeating. I killed Charlie. I killed Charlie. I watch the swirling patterns, concentrating on something, anything. I shut my eyes hard. Percy was reading the prophecy, but my mind barely registered his words. A long silence followed.
"Raise is good, isn't it?" Connor said.
"Not raise." I blurted. "R-a-z-e means destroy."
"Obliterate." Annabeth said. "Annihilate. Turn into rubble."
"Got it." Percy's voice sounded unusually tight. "Thanks." I looked up from my hot chocolate, studying Percy's expression. Charlie had looked like that, before his mission, before, before he... I didn't want to even think the word, as if that could make it false.
"Let's move on." Percy said. "We've got other problems. "We've got a spy." An icy hand grips my heart. Percy starts talking, about how Kronos knew they were coming, how Kronos had shown them the scythe pendant. How I betrayed you all. Guilt crashes down on me, overwhelming. I start to cry again, feeling helpless. Annabeth put an arm around my shoulders. Katie Gardner was saying something about the spy, accusing Travis and Connor. No! I wanted to shout. The spy! It's me! Guilt felt like a boulder in my stomach, and I couldn't take it anymore.
"Stop!" I slammed my hot chocolate on the table. It sloshed over the brim, scalding my arm, but I didn't care. "Charlie's dead and... and you're all arguing like little kids!" They fell silent. I stared at my hot chocolate again, guilt ripping me apart. Chiron tossed water onto the hot plate where we usually melted nacho cheese, steam billowing up, and threw in a drachma. The councillors stared in horrified fascination at Typhon raging across the US. I didn't bother to look. I already knew what Kronos had planned. Charlie's death was my fault. It didn't make a difference that he died, the ship was bait anyways. Charlie had died for nothing.
I waited nervously as Percy gave the instructions. The campers cheered, sounding brave for a moment. Then we dispersed, each heading to their respective place. I fingered the scythe charm in my pocket. We couldn't possibly win against Kronos.
Annabeth winced, shifting uneasily on the lounge chair. Her face was beaded with sweat. Hands shaking, I dipped the towel into the washbasin besides me and wiped her forehead. Inside, guilt was roaring inside me again. Another life endangered because of me. Footsteps rang, and I looked up to see Percy, Will dogging his footsteps. His face was worried, and for an instant, I was jealous of Percy and Annabeth. Will kneels besides Annabeth, unwrapping the bandages.
"Annabeth..." Percy's voice was tight with emotion.
"Poison on the dagger," she mumbled. "Pretty stupid of me, huh?"
Will Solace exhaled with relief. "It's not so bad, Annabeth. A few more minutes and we would've been in trouble, but the venom hasn't gotten past the shoulder yet. Just lie still. Someone hand me some nectar." Percy grabbed a canteen and handed it to Will.
Cleaning out the wound with nectar, he applied silver paste to the shoulder and murmured a hymn to Apollo. His face was pale with exhaustion when he stood up.
"That should do it," He said. "But we're going to need some mortal supplies." I don't hear what comes next as I stand up, wringing out the washcloth. Percy murmurs a few words of thanks, and Will exits, leaving us alone on the terrace. I dipped the cloth in water again and press it to Annabeth's forehead.
"This is all my fault." I whisper. I should never have listened to Luke.
"No," Annabeth said weakly. "Silena, how is it your fault?" If only she knew.
"I've never been any good at camp." I murmured. "Not like you or Percy. If I was a better fighter..." My mouth trembled. I was lying again. I couldn't bear what they would think once they found out, but I wanted to do something for them.
"You're a great camper," Percy told me. "You're the best Pegasus rider we have. And you get along with people. Believe me, anyone who can make friends with Clarisse has talent." His words struck me like a lightning bolt.
"That's it! We need the Ares cabin. I can talk to Clarisse. I know I can convince her to help us."
"Whoa, Silena. Even if you could get off the island, Clarisse is pretty stubborn. Once she gets angry—"
"Please," I said. This was my chance to make things right. "I can take a Pegasus. I know I can make it back to camp. Let me try." Percy exchanged looks with Annabeth.
"All right," I told her. "I can't think of anybody better to try."
I hugged Percy, but then realized how awkward it was. I glanced at Annabeth as I hurriedly disentangled. "Um, sorry. Thank you, Percy! I won't let you down!" Running outside, I whistled for Guido and he swooped down, already saddled. I jumped aboard and we took off, soaring to camp Half-Blood.