LEAVING
Thalia looked up at the night sky with her hand in the pockets of her silver jacket. The inky blackness opened up before her with only the stars breaking through.
"Thalia."
Thalia brought herself back to earth and looked over at Phoebe, another Huntress. She tried to hide what she had been thinking before Phoebe had come up. How the night sky was the same color as his hair and how the stars twinkled the same way his eyes did when he saw her. She quickly stopped those thoughts and brought her full attention back to Phoebe.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Lady Artemis would like to see you," Phoebe answered.
"Thanks, Phoebe," Thalia responded before walking past her to Lady Artemis's tent.
"Thalia," Artemis said as Thalia stepped into the tent.
"You wanted to see me, my lady?" Thalia asked, sitting down and inclining her head toward Lady Artemis.
"I want you to get the girls ready for travel," Artemis said without preamble. "We leave at first light for Camp Half-Blood."
Thalia quickly stamped out all thoughts of him.
"It will be done, my lady," Thalia said, nodding her head and getting up to leave.
"Is there something on your mind?" Artemis asked abruptly.
Thalia froze in a half crouch. She slowly twisted until she was back in a sitting position.
"Nothing of importance, my lady," Thalia added slowly, trying not to sound worried.
"Boys are not 'nothing of importance'," Artemis said coldly.
Thalia's eyes widened before she quickly rearranged her expression into a blank mask. She inclined her head respectfully.
"I am sorry, my lady," Thalia said.
"So what are you going to do?" Artemis asked.
"With your permission, I will have to regretfully ask to be removed from the ranks of the Hunters," Thalia answered sadly. "But I would also like to ask to be able to travel with you as far as Camp Half-Blood, where I will leave your ranks for good."
Artemis studied Thalia intently. After a few minutes, Artemis frowned slightly.
"I had high hopes for you, Thalia," Artemis finally said.
"I am sorry, my lady," Thalia responded quietly.
Artemis looked at Thalia sadly and seemed to be contemplating what to do next.
"I regretfully release you from the ranks of the Hunters," Artemis finally sighed. "Please go get Phoebe and tell her to come see me."
"Yes, my lady," Thalia replied before removing her circlet and setting it on the floor in front of Artemis, rising and leaving.
They reached Camp Half-Blood a little past the morning meal. Thalia saw Annabeth first. Annabeth smiled and started to run toward her. When she reached Thalia, she engulfed her in a big hug.
"Why'd you leave the Hunt?" Annabeth asked as she pulled back.
Thalia grimaced slightly. Annabeth didn't miss a thing. That's what she got for being best friends with a daughter of Athena.
"You know why," Thalia responded quietly, looking down and scuffing her shoe against the grass of the hill.
Annabeth beamed. Suddenly, loud footsteps started to approach them. Word traveled fast in the Camp.
"Thalia," someone gasped.
Thalia's eyes widened as she turned toward the speaker.
Nico looked at her and seemed to drink in her appearance. His eye immediately fell on where the circlet that showed she was Artemis's second in command should have rested. He stood for a second and took it all in. Thalia tried to say something, but she couldn't say anything. Suddenly, Nico surged forward and pulled her to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he started to kiss her.