And lose a love to worse than death.
No matter how hard she tried, Annabeth couldn't get those words out of her mind. It continually echoed in her thoughts each and every day, growing louder and louder the longer Percy was missing.
She couldn't believe that only a week had passed. To her, it was as if months or years since then.
Annabeth had gone back to the volcano once the eruption was over, hoping that she would find even the smallest clue that indicated that Percy was alive. (She didn't even think of any other possibility; it was much too painful to contemplate).
But she found nothing.
And lose a love to worse than death.
Those words were the only hope that she had - worse than death. She had to hope that Percy was still alive.
If he was dead then-
Annabeth stopped her thoughts from going down that path.
That path would only lead to pain and misery.
And lose a love to worse than death.
She prayed each and every night that Percy would be alive. She prayed to every god and goddess that she could think of: Poseidon, Hera, Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite, even Hades and Ares.
Percy had to be alive. He just had to be.
She clung fast to that hope, for it was all that she had.
But as time passed, even that little bit of hope began to fade. Most of the camp had already given up.
But Annabeth would not give up. Not yet.
And lose a love to worse than death.
Chiron was very kind when he made the suggestion that Annabeth start working on Percy's funeral shroud. "I know that you are still holding onto hope Annabeth but-"
"I know," she whispered. "We need to be prepared for the worst."
Making the shroud helped. She threw herself into it; pouring in all of her energy into making the shroud. It kept her from thinking about what happened to Percy, thinking about how he must have suffered in those final-
No, she told herself as sternly as she could. Percy is still alive.
But the voice wasn't as convincing as it was a few days ago.
And lose a love to worse than death.
But it had been too long since Percy had gone missing. Two weeks was already well beyond the time that most people were given. Chiron had only given so much time because Annabeth had insisted that Percy had to be alive.
Annabeth knew that after two weeks, the chances of Percy being alive were practically none.
Percy's funeral would be held the next day.
And Annabeth mourned. Not just for the loss of a good friend, but for the loss of what could have been.
And lose a love to worse than death.