Jesse
"Stop it, Erica." I say, grabbing her arm tightly. Her blue eyes are glowing in the night. I used to think it was pretty, beautiful even. Now they're just a set of glowing blue eyes in the face of a bitch. "Prank's off. Don't even think about pulling it off." I tell her sternly. She laughs at me.
"Or what, Jesse? You'll tip Kelpy off?"
"Yeah, I will. This isn't fair to her! You're being cruel."
"Wow, Jesse James, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were actually starting to like her." She says with a teasing tone. I don't answer. I just tighten my grip on her arm and hope she can't see me blush. She can. Her laughter goes away and her face falls. Using her free arm, she puts her hand on my chest and steps closer to me. "That isn't true, is it? You don't actually like this Jackson girl? I thought you liked me."
"I did." I hiss at her. "Past tense. Lassa outclasses you a thousand to one. She's beautiful, kind, fearless, and honest. She lives her beliefs out. And they make more sense than you'd think."
"Oh no. Gods, no. You're not about to buy into any of that Christian Shit are you?"
"Not your business. Just leave Lassa alone. Spread the word to your friends. The prank's off." I say, staring into her eyes. Her face gets hard, and she wrenches her arm free of my grip.
"No. Because if you tell her, then she'd know you've been playing her like a fiddle every day the last two weeks. And she'll never forgive you for it. She'll run and tell her brother. And Imagine what Percy Jackson, Titans Bane will do to you."
"Imagine what he'll do to you, Erica, if you go through with this!"
"Oh so now you care about me again? I just won't let Lassa see who's doing it."
"She'll know."
"Only if you tell her. You tell her, you lose her. Keep your mouth shut, you can even be the one to save her. Bye, Jesse." She says and saunters off to her cabin.
….
I lay in my bunk bed in Cabin 11, wrestling with the thoughts and feelings of the last two weeks. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Two weeks ago, it was simple. A girl I flirted with and flirted back with me asked if I would be part of a prank on the new girl at camp. All it would take is pretending to like her and go on dates with her for a couple weeks so she'd trust me. Simple enough. What I didn't expect was to actually start liking this girl. She's young. Eleven years old. Younger than I'd expect myself to ever want to date. But she's cute when she's in her braids and clean face and really beautiful with her hair down. She's confident but not too cocky. She's kind for the sake of being kind. She is brave and honest in how she lives her life. Her faith is actually important. And she's way more mature than any other eleven year old I've ever met.
I close my eyes and picture her face. Her eyes. Her smile. The spray of freckles on her cheekbones. How she smiles when she's on Skyfall I remember the first date I took her on, the way she tasted when I kissed her. Kissing her was never part of the plan. But she looked so beautiful in the moonlight. I'm surprised I noticed, but I did. I like Thalassa Beth Jackson. And I want her faith, her peace.
I throw off the covers and pull on yesterday's clothes and grab my sword. I run out of the cabin, Harpies be damned. I run to Cabin 3 and knock on Lassa's window. When she doesn't answer I knock harder, then steel my nerves and bang on the cabin door.
"Knock it off, I'm coming!" I hear Percy say, stumbling towards the door. This is going to be bad. I'm not sure I'm going to survive it, actually. But I can't let Erica hurt Lassa like she's planning to. Percy swings the door open.
"Jesse? Τι στο διάολο?!" He curses me in Greek. I sigh.
"Where's Lassa?" I ask.
"In bed." He says, glancing to his left.
"I need to talk to her, it's important." I say, hoping he'll let me.
"Jesse, it's 3 in the morning! This can't wait three more hours?"
"No." I say. He groans, dragging his hand over his face.
"Fine. C'mon in." He says, and flicks the lights on.
"Percy? C'mon." Annabeth groans, sitting up. She sees me and shakes a little more awake. "Hi, Jesse. Please tell me this is important."
"Very." I say, and kneel down next to Lassa's bed. "Lassa, wake up." I say and shake where her shoulder should be under the blanket. Instead I get a soft grip of pillows.
My stomach drops. Shit. Erica already put everything into motion. My eyes wide, I look up at Percy. "She's not here! And she's in trouble."
"What? What do you mean she's in trouble? Where is she?"
"Percy, you're going to want to kill me and honestly I'll let you. I deserve it. But put it aside until we find her." I say and take a breath, sinking onto the floor. Percy's face darkens.
"What did you do to my sister, James?"
"Get dressed. Get your sword. I'll explain on the way."
…..
Lassa
I hold Jesse' note in my hands and pull my jacket tighter as I head to Zeus' fist. I never thought I'd be the girl sneaking out after curfew to meet a boy, but this boy's special. And if he's asking me to meet him in the middle of the night, I'm guessing it's to finally kiss me again and be the start of something together.
"Jesse?" I ask, looking around for him in the starlight. "Where are you?" No answer. I guess I beat him here. I sit down on a rock and let my hair down, shaking it out of its braid. I'm glad I wore my jeans and camp half blood hoodie. It's chilly at night here. Plus the Iris kids changed my hoodie from orange to a green that matches my eyes. I check my watch. Midnight. Right when he asked me to meet him. So where is he?
After a few minutes I sigh and get up, guessing he probably couldn't get out of his cabin. I'm about to sneak back to cabin 3 when I feel someone grab my arms and clamp cold metal around my wrists, then force a gag into my mouth right as I'm about to scream. I try to pull water to me, but I can't. The cuffs must be celestial bronze. I thrash and kick until someone grabs me under my shoulders and another my legs, then a blindfold's put over my eyes before I can even see who's here.
God, Help Me! I say and try to calm down. I'll never get out of this if I'm not calm. I still thrash best I can. If I can get down, I can jump over my arms and pull my blindfold off and run.
"She's scrappy for being so small!" The person holding my feet says. A male voice, not super deep. Kinda cracking.
"Well hold on tight!" A girl's voice says. I feel an angry heat rush into my body. I know that voice. Erica Shaw. Another second and I feel a hard tug and my necklace gets ripped off.
"Christ gonna save you now?" Erica snickers. "No. Neither is Poseidon. Or Percy. Or Jesse."
"Erica just knock her out! She's annoyingly strong."
"One second." I can hear the smile in her voice. She crouched down and I feel her hot breath in my ear. "By the way, I hope you enjoyed your last two weeks with Jesse. I told him to gain your trust so that when I slipped a note into your room to meet him here in the dead of night you'd come." She says, and My stomach drops. No. Jesse wouldn't do that! Erica laughs. "You didn't actually think he liked you, did you? Oh my gods you did! No, Kelpy he likes me. That's why he was so willing to do exactly what I asked." She says. I feel tears prick my eyes but fight them back. I can't cry. I need to get out. I put all of my strength into my right leg and pull, then kick.
"Ouch!" The boy says, and lets go of my legs. Before I can get out of his grip the boy holding my shoulders tightens around me. Then he moves his arms. One around my waist, the other on my chest. He squeezes and I fight not to throw up, because if I did The ball gag in my mouth would just make me choke on it.
"Sure you're only eleven, Lassa?" He says. "You feel a little older." His other hand slides from my waist to between my legs, but he keeps a firm wrap around my chest so I can't move.
"You're such a pig." Erica says, sounding bored. Adrenaline is pumping through my body, the sound of blood rushing is in my ears. I have to get away. Using my leg I kick up behind me as hard as I can, kicking his groin. The boy yells and lets go, and I jump over my arms and start running, pulling the blindfold off as I do. I ignore the gag for now, just breathing through my nose. I'll get it out when I'm free and clear.
I see Erica coming too late. She slams into me and I fall flat on my back, then she raises her foot over my face, and everything is black.
…
I wake up, and instantly panic. I'm still blindfolded and my hands are still cuffed, only now instead of behind my back my arms are stretched out on either side of me. I feel a cold metal rod behind my back, and along where my arms are stretched out. I'm tied to a cross.
"Oh God!" I cry out, trying to free my hands. Thankfully I'm standing on some kind of platform, so I'm not having to lift myself by my legs to breathe like an actual crucifixion. The metal holds tight. Since I can't reach out to Skyfall, or summon water or anything else I know I'm bound with celestial bronze. By the smell I can tell I'm in the woods, but I highly doubt I'm still by Zeus' fist. Too easily found. Erica clearly wanted me to be here for a while. And that boy Touched me. If I find out who he was, there's going to be hell to pay when I'm free.
Three people. Erica and two boys. Both sounded young. Neither was Jesse. Oh, Lord, was Erica telling the truth? Was Jesse involved in this?
I think back over the last two weeks I've spent with him. He's been so sweet the whole time, not spending every second of the day with me but going out of his way to make time for me. He's asked me about my family and what I want to do with my life, he learned to ride a Pegasus for me, he told me more about his mom, he said he wants to serve in the American Navy one day because that's what his mom's brother did. He also wants to be an Olympic sprinter. He's quick to get angry and frustrated, but calms down and apologizes just as fast. He's been praying with me. He's been reading scripture with me. And that kiss on the sandbar two weeks ago was so perfect. It couldn't have all been fake.
But Skyfall has never trusted him. Percy hasn't said so, but I can tell he doesn't like him. And Annabeth's words ring in my ears. Hermes passes his traits along to his children like any other god or goddess. He's a trickster god. Tears well up in my eyes and wet the blindfold. Erica has every reason to lie. But I believe her. Jesse helped with this.
The betrayal hurts more than any assault Erica and her friends did.
Oh God, what do I do? I sob.
I can't get out of this. I'm stuck here. All I can do is use the time to pray until someone finds me. Percy and Annabeth will know I'm missing by dawn. They'll look for me. They'll get others to look for me too.
Lord, I'm so afraid right now. Please give me strength. Give me courage. Help me to get away. Let someone find me, or myself to find a weakness in the way I'm bound. Don't let me despair,but help me to hope and persevere. Help me to remember your words.
The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside quiet waters
He refreshes my soul
For his namesake
He leads me along the path of righteousness
For even though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death
I will fear no evil
For you are with me
Your rod and your staff
They comfort me
You make a meal for me in the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
My cup overflows
Surely Goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Father in Heaven
Hallowed Be thy name
Thy Kingdom Come
Thy Will Be Done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Give us today our Daily Bread
And forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us
And Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from the evil one
Yours be the glory, power and kingdom
Forever and ever
amen
Forgive our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us
Forgive our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us
Father Forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing
I sigh heavily through my nose, fighting back more tears. I can't withhold the forgiveness I've been granted, no matter how horribly I'm treated. I'm on a cross right now, but I won't die from it. I'm otherwise healthy. Other than where Erica kicked me, I wasn't beaten. I was betrayed, but by someone I've known for 2 weeks. If the Lord can forgive so much worse than this, if Peter and Andrew can endure their crucifixions unto death, I can handle standing here with arms outstretched and a headache until I'm found.
No one is righteous, no not one.
I've done things. I've bloodbended for crying out loud! I think back, remembering first trying out the technique on my little brothers. I also remember vividly the ass beating I got after doing so.
God I don't know how to forgive this. I'm going to have to fake it till I make it. Please give me the strength to be kind.
I don't know how long I'm here before I get desperate. I don't know if anyone is going to find me soon enough. I'm thirsty and lightheaded from being upright for so long. I need to find a way to get down.
I know if I could dislocate my thumbs I could get out of these cuffs, but I don't know how to do that. My legs aren't bound, but if I take them off the platform I'll just hang and it'll be like an actual crucifixion, where I'd suffocate from the hanging position. The leather straps are too strong for me to push the ball gag out of my mouth with my tongue. I'd need my hands free to do that. But I think I can do something about the blindfold.
I start rubbing my head back and forth then up and down against the back of the cross, trying to move the blindfold knot. Eventually I get it to the top of my head, where I'm able to shake it the rest of the way off. Finally, I at least have my sight.
Looking around, I see I'm in the woods, but not an area I recognize. The cross is bolted to a pinetree, high up. I don't even know how she got this up here. But I can't get down without help. Erica must have cut any branches below me. There aren't any nature spirits or dryads that I can see so far. I pull my arms and try to see if there's any way to free my hands from the cuffs. They're tight around my wrists, but I can almost slip my thumb through when I tuck it in. Biting as hard as I can on the gag, I know I have to find a way to dislocate it.
My other hand isn't an option. So the only thing I can do is leverage it with my body weight. I bite down on the gag, knowing this is about to hurt, and tuck my thumb then step off the platform. The metal immediately begins digging into my skin, the celestial bronze burning when my wrists start to bleed. But using my index finger, I push as hard as I can on my joint and would scream in both pain and relief if I could when my hand slips out of the cuff. I use my now free arm to pull myself up again and stand on the platform. Immediately I take the gag out and cough and retch before settling down. I try calling water to me, but no dice. Still, I already feel less of a block on my power. I try something else, reaching out to Pegasi.
Skyfall! Skyfall, can you hear me?
Lady Lassa? Thank Poseidon! Lord Percy woke me and Blackjack up ages ago to look for you. Where are you?
I don't know! Can you track my thoughts?
I'll try!
Hurry! I can't get down from here on my own!
I've got you! We'll all be there soon, my lady!
Thank you Lord, your Mercy is abundant! I pray. A few minutes later, I see two pegasi flying overhead and land about a hundred yards in front of me where there's a break in the trees.
"Lassa!" I hear Percy yell.
"I'm here, Percy!" I holler back. Three people come running towards me, Percy, Annabeth, and Jesse. Was he involved? Or is he just helping find me?
"Oh gods, Lassa!" Annabeth says when they get to the bottom of the tree. "Are you okay?"
"All things considered, yes. But my wrists are cut and the bronze is burning the one that's still shackled. Erica kicked me in the face to knock me out. My head is still throbbing, and I had to dislocate my thumb to get my right hand loose. Do Y'all have nectar and ambrosia?"
"Yeah!" Percy says. "Give me a second, I'll get you!" He says and starts climbing the tree next to me. When he gets to my level, he pulls a rope out of his backpack and throws it over the branch above him, and ties a knot. He uncaps Riptide, and after a couple of hard strikes, the chain breaks. "Jump to me. I've got you." He says and holds out his arm. I close my eyes and jump to my brother, catching my breath only when he's got me in his arms. I fight back tears, not wanting to cry breakdown now. I don't succeed. "Shhh, Lassa, it's okay." He tells me gently. "Let's get you to the ground. Hold on tight to me." He says and once I'm secure, he lowers us both down the rope hand under hand until we're on the ground. I drop to my knees, too exhausted to do anything else. Jesse runs to where I am, sliding to a stop in front of me.
"Lassa! Are you okay? Are you-" He's cut off by Percy kicking him in the face.
"You don't get to ask that." Percy growls.
"Percy!" I shriek.
"Oh he deserved that and worse, Lassa." Annabeth says darkly, coming over to me. She sits down and pulls out a first aid kit.
"What do you mean? Erica was telling the truth?" I ask frantically, trying to fight tears back again. "Please tell me she was lying and Percy just kicked you for another reason, Jesse!"
"He can't tell you that. The only reason I'm not going to kill him is because he helped us find you." Percy says darkly. His voice sends a chill through me.
"Lassa, hold still." Annabeth says quietly. "This will hurt." She warns, then puts my thumb back in place. I grit my teeth but don't scream. "Here." She hands me some nectar, and it takes a few swigs before I feel feverish but all the pain in my body has subsided. It tastes like mama's peach tea.
"That's better." I say. "Thanks, Annabeth."
"Of course." She answers quietly.
"Leave, Jesse. You're hoofing it back to camp. And if you ever go near my sister again I won't give you time to upgrade to Asphodel! What kind of sick twisted person thinks this is a prank? This was abuse and torture!"
"I'm sorry!" He shouts, shrinking away from Percy. He gets up and then gets a harder look on his face. "I'm sorry Percy! I'm sorry you were right about me. But I wasn't going to let it happen anymore! That's why I came to warn Lassa tonight, but Erica had moved up her plan because she knew I was backing out." He turns and looks at me. "I'm sorry, Lassa. I'm so, so, Sorry. She moved it to another spot so we couldn't find you. I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing, Jesse." I say, my voice strained. "Just stop."
"Please, please forgive me." He says, taking a step closer before Percy moves in front of him. I take a shaky breath and get to my feet, moving in front of Percy.
"Let's get back." I say, and start walking towards Skyfall. "You can ride with me, Jesse." Percy snarls but doesn't say anything else.
We were deep in the woods. Miles from Zeus' fist. Why Erica hates me enough to go to the lengths she did is beyond me. We get back to the camp stables right as the sun's coming up. We land, and Percy pets Blackjack before going back to cabin three, glaring at Jesse anytime he looked his way. Annabeth goes with him. I stay back, needing to talk to who I thought was my friend, and maybe more than that.
"Was any of it true?" I ask, my voice low. He purses his lips, then slides down with his back against the stable wall.
"Not at first. But it became real. That's why I tried to back out."
"Why would you go along with something so cruel in the first place?!" I say, my voice rising and breaking.
"I don't know. I liked Erica. I used to anyway. So when she said she wanted to pull a prank on the new girl, I was in. I wasn't lying when I said I was raised in Christianity, so they told me to pretend I shared your faith so you'd trust me because they knew I'd know how to make it convincing. Then when you got a note from me saying to meet me in the woods, well, you'd do what you did."
"And you didn't have a problem with any of that?!"
"I didn't. However cruel it was, it was just another prank. But then I actually spent time with you. And now you're not just the new girl who weirdly believes in Christ. You're Thalassa Beth Jackson. Lassa, Brave enough to claim her faith. Powerful even though you're young. Kind no matter how others treat you. And you're the most beautiful girl at camp. That's why Erica hates you, by the way. You're more beautiful and powerful than she'll ever be. She's jealous. And…your faith actually makes sense. It's not crazy like I first thought it was." My heart warms at his words, and even though I'm still angry at him, I'm also comforted by what he says. I sigh and sit down next to him.
"I'm still angry at you, Jesse. I'm hurt. I don't know how I'm ever going to trust you again."
"I understand that." He buries his face in his arms, resting on his knees.
"But I forgive you." I tell him. He jerks his head towards me, and I see his eyes are red from tears.
"How? How on Earth could you forgive me, Lassa?"
"Flattery's also a good way to get to a girl's heart. You're good with your words. And I can see you're actually sorry. Even if you were okay with it at the start, you tried to stop it at the end. But mostly, I don't have the right not to. You were raised Christian? Then you know Jesus died for every sin committed, including this one. So I won't hold it against you."
"Now that I'm being real with you, let me ask. Is your faith actually why you're so calm? I mean you have a temper, but you're also peaceful. Not like hippie peaceful, but I mean-" He starts. I laugh.
"Yes, My faith is what gives my life peace and assurance."
"I want that." He says, and my heart rate speeds up as I look at him.
"What? You want my faith? Or just the peace that comes with it?" He scoots over so he's sitting in front of me.
"Your faith." He says.
God help me not to screw up! I frantically pray.
"Do you understand what you're saying?" I ask, wanting to be clear. He smiles at me and takes my hands.
"I know, Lassa. I was raised in church, remember? I'm saying I believe in the trinity. That God is divine. That Jesus was born of a virgin. That Christ died for our sin. That he's the way to heaven. That if I give it up, my life belongs to him."" He says, and my eyes tear up.
"Why now? I'm not complaining, but why accept Christ now?"
"Because everything about your life is incredible. But every bit of that comes from your faith, not from being a halfblood. I've never seen that more clearly than now." I leap forward and wrap my arms around his neck. He holds me tight, and I pull back, wiping away tears.
"If me getting kidnapped and stuck on a cross is what it took for you to accept Christ, It's worth it a thousand percent and more. You know it isn't going to be easy for you being a Christian at camp, right?"
"I'm talking to a girl that just got mock crucified. I'm aware of what's ahead of me.
"Good." I tell him, then let go and step back. "Percy won't like it, but you can keep coming here in the mornings to have a Bible study with me. It's been nice not being alone."
"You got it." He smiles. Despite the part he played in everything last night, my heart skips a few beats. Forgiving him is easier than I thought it would be. "And Lassa?"
"Yeah?" He grabs one of my hands.
"I know I screwed up massively. But maybe one day, I can earn your Trust again." He says, making my stomach flutter. I already feel myself wanting to trust him again now. But I have enough of a head on my shoulders to not say so just yet.
"It may not take as long as you think." I say. He smiles for half a second, then his face falls again.
"So what about Erica, Cyrus and Jacob?" He asks. I sit down again.
"So that's who helped her. Sons of Ares, right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I'm going to have to forgive them too. It won't be easy, but I know I have to. Would hurt me more than it would hurt them to hold a grudge. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let this slide like it never happened. I'll report it to Chiron. Hopefully, he'll come up with a punishment that will keep them from doing something like this again. I shudder, thinking about how one of those boys groped me. My stomach twists at the thought of telling Jesse what happened, but I need to find out.
"Jesse…Jacob and Cyrus. Do you know them pretty well?"
"We're not like best friends or anything. But we're around the same age group. So we train and do activities together a lot."
"Which one of them would be more likely to…" I squeeze my eyes shut and take a deep breath. When I open them again, he's looking at me carefully.
"To what, Lassa?"
"To attack a girl…sexually?" I ask. His face immediately goes white with rage.
"Cyrus. Cyrus by a long shot. Lassa what did he do to you?" He asks with barely controlled anger.
"He didn't rape me. He just groped my chest. And my crotch." I say in a quiet voice, not quite meeting his eyes. "I guess he noticed the growth spurt I went through last week." I try to shrug it off. He doesn't let me. Instead he gets up and starts walking towards the cabins.
"Jesse! Jesse, wait! What are you doing?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
"I'm going to Kick Cyrus' ass!" He says, not even slowing down. I fight the urge to let him.
"He's not worth the trouble you'll get into. Please don't." He turns to me.
"Like Annabeth said earlier, I deserve way worse for my part in all of it. What's more, He's worth it because you're worth it, Lassa."
"Is this even a fight you can win?"
"I guess we'll find out."
"No you won't." Percy says, materializing next to me holding a Yankees cap in his hand. "Thanks, but I'll take it from here." He says, and starts walking towards the Ares cabin. THe look on his face sends a shiver through me.
"Percy! Were you spying on us the whole time?!" I demand.
"Yeah. You really think I'd leave you alone with him after what he did? He's right though, Cyrus needs his ass beat. And you're worth the trouble." He walks back over to me and kisses my forehead.
"Go tell Chiron everything that happened." He says softly, then turns to Jesse. "You, go tell Will to get a cot ready in the infirmary." He tells him, then goes on walking towards the Ares cabin. Jesse grabs my hand and squeezes it. He starts to let go when I hold on tighter. I have a lot of conflicting emotions right now, and I need to hold onto someone.
"Want to go to Chiron alone? Or want me to go with you?"
"Both. Neither. I don't know." I say and sigh. "I guess come with me. If I can't talk about it, you fill in the gaps. And you don't have to tell him you were involved if you don't want to."
"I was involved. And Erica would tell him anyway. Might as well get ahead of it."
"Okay. Will or Chiron first?" I ask.
"Will. From the look on Percy's face, he'll need time to prepare."