Chapter 14: Thirty Minutes

We had been walking aimlessly on the road for most of the morning when we came across a sign telling us that the next city was only five miles away. Thalia gave a heavy sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping for just a moment before she straightened up, her usual determined look falling back into place.

"Five more miles," I said, trying to inject some optimism into my voice. "That's not so bad, right?"

Thalia shot me a sideways glance, her lips twitching into a smirk. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that."

I chuckled, though deep down, I shared her exhaustion. My legs felt like they were made of lead, and each step forward was getting harder to take. The adrenaline from our fight with Python had long since faded, leaving behind nothing but aching muscles and a sharp reminder of how close we had come to not making it out.

We trudged along for another hour, the town slowly coming into sharper focus as we got closer. At first, it didn't seem like much—a few rooftops peeking through the haze, a couple of distant buildings, nothing particularly eye-catching. But as we approached, the streets started to take shape, narrow and cobblestone, lined with buildings that looked like they'd been around for centuries.

"Looks… older than I expected," I muttered, taking in the brick storefronts and faded signs hanging over small, local shops. The whole place had this weird, old-world charm to it—like it had somehow missed the modern rush of development that had swept through other cities. The streets were organized in a perfect grid, too perfect, like they'd been designed with a ruler.

Thalia scanned the streets, her eyes sharp despite the exhaustion weighing on both of us. "Yeah. Doesn't look like it's seen much action in a while."

We walked past small bakeries and local restaurants, their windows filled with displays of bread and pastries that made my stomach rumble. A clothing store stood at the corner, its front window showing off mannequins dressed in vintage styles, probably more for tourists than locals. Thalia and I exchanged a glance when we passed the bakery—both of us were starving.

A little while later, we emerged from a small diner, stomachs full of sandwiches, fries, and coffee. We walked in silence for a few blocks, savoring the warmth of the food and the brief moment of comfort.

We continued down the street, the sun now breaking through the clouds and casting a soft light over the old brick buildings. There was a kind of stillness to the town—no bustling crowds, no rush of traffic. Just the quiet hum of a few people going about their day. It felt too calm, like the eye of a storm.

"Let's sit for a minute," Thalia said, nodding toward a bench along the sidewalk. It was one of those old wooden benches, painted a deep green, set under the shade of a large oak tree. Across the street, a small park stretched out, its green grass dotted with benches and a few kids running around. The town center seemed small, quaint even, with no towering buildings, just modest shops and the rolling hills beyond.

We plopped down onto the cold wood, taking in the sight of the place. The two-lane road that cut through the town was barely busy, a few cars rolling by at a leisurely pace. It was the kind of place where time moved slower, where the worries of the world felt far away—though I knew better than to believe that. Beneath the surface, something always lurked.

"This feels familiar," Thalia said quietly, her eyes scanning the park across the street.

I turned to her, curious. "Familiar how?"

She hesitated for a second, then shrugged, leaning back against the bench. "Towns like this… quiet, small, like they're frozen in time. Luke, Annabeth, and I used to run through places like this when we were on the run. I don't know why, but it feels like a memory I almost forgot."

I frowned, letting her words sink in. "I didn't know you guys stayed in towns like this. I always figured you were in big cities, blending in with crowds."

Thalia shook her head, a small, almost wistful smile tugging at her lips. "Sometimes we did. But places like this? They were… safer, in a way. Less people, fewer eyes on us. And Luke... he liked places like this. Thought we could stay hidden better."

I glanced at her, catching the way her expression softened. Talking about Luke always brought that look—half regret, half nostalgia. It was hard for me to reconcile the Luke I'd known with the one she remembered, the one she had trusted and cared about.

"Do you miss it?" I asked quietly.

Her smile faded, and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Sometimes. But not in the way you'd think. I miss the feeling of having something to fight for, of knowing exactly what I wanted." She paused, her eyes distant. "But mostly, I just miss them. Annabeth, Luke… those days when it was just the three of us."

"I get that," I said quietly, glancing at the street in front of us. "It was simpler back then, wasn't it? For all of us."

Thalia gave a small, bitter laugh. "Simple, sure. But... complicated too. You know, I always thought I had it all figured out. Protect them. Keep moving. Don't look back."

I nodded, glancing at her. "Yeah, that's always been you. Protecting everyone. Always moving forward, no matter what."

Thalia shrugged, but I could see the way her eyes softened at my words. "Yeah, well, it's not like I had much of a choice. Someone had to keep things together."

"And you did," I said firmly, meeting her gaze. "You've always been the one to hold things together."

Thalia let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "I'm definitely not holding anything together right now." She gestured vaguely around us, as if to emphasize the chaos of everything we'd been through. "I feel like I'm just barely keeping up, like everything's slipping through my fingers."

I glanced at her, sensing the weight of her words, and how much more there was beneath the surface. "I'm barely holding on right now too," I offered, trying to make her feel less alone. "It's not just you."

Thalia sighed, then gave me a tired, half-smile. "Well, at least we're in this mess together. If everything's slipping through my fingers, at least I can count on you to catch some of it."

I smiled back, feeling a little lighter. "Yeah, maybe between the two of us, we'll keep it from completely falling apart."

Thalia's smile lingered, but there was a hint of seriousness in her eyes. "I hope so," she said softly. "Because I'm not sure how much more of this either of us can handle." She leaned back against the bench, the tension easing just a little, but the weight of everything still hung in the air between us.

We sat there in silence for a while, watching the world go by. The winter air was crisp but surprisingly mild, and for the first time in what felt like days, there was a moment of peace. The sun peeked through the clouds, casting a soft glow over the small town, and for a moment, it felt like we could almost relax. The gentle hum of cars, the quiet murmur of people going about their day—it was a far cry from the chaos we'd been through.

But that stillness didn't last long. A nagging feeling began to creep in, starting as a small twinge in the back of my mind and then growing stronger with each passing second. I tried to shake it off, but it only got worse—like the air around us had suddenly grown heavier, darker.

I shifted on the bench, my instincts kicking in. "We should move," I said quietly, my voice tense.

Thalia looked over at me, sensing the change. "You feel it too, don't you?"

I nodded, my eyes scanning the quiet street. "Yeah… I think something's coming."

Thalia straightened up, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the streets, her posture suddenly tense. "Where do we go?" she asked, her voice steady, but I could see the flicker of concern in her eyes.

I hesitated, glancing around. Everything looked so peaceful—the sun shining, people walking by like it was just another normal day. Maybe I was overreacting. "I... I don't know," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "Maybe it's nothing. Everything seems fine, and I'm probably just—" I paused, trying to find the right word. "Stressed."

Thalia shook her head, standing up from the bench, her gaze softening. "No, if you're feeling it, it's not nothing." She slung her bag over her shoulder, already preparing to move. "Your instincts are rarely wrong, Percy. We should go."

I glanced around and spotted the park at the center of town—a wide, open space that seemed like the town's central plaza. It looked like our best option. The park offered plenty of cover—large hedges, tall trees, and enough winding paths to make sure we wouldn't easily get cornered if something went wrong. Thalia caught my gaze and gave a small nod. Without a word, we started moving, walking quickly but not too fast to raise suspicion. Our eyes constantly swept the area as we crossed the street, but with so few people around, it wasn't hard to keep a lookout.

"We were stupid to sit out in the open for that long," Thalia muttered as we entered the park. "We need to be more careful. We're like a beacon for monsters, remember? The brightest light bulb they can find."

We made it to the park. Large hedges surrounded the exterior which made the park feel shielded off from the harms of the world. The large trees with their stretching branches arched over the walkways and covered the rolling clouds. In the center of the park, a fountain gurgled softly, the sound of splashing water calming my nerves. Pigeons pecked at the ground around the fountain, and I noticed an elderly woman on a nearby bench, her grandchild tossing breadcrumbs to the birds. A young couple strolled hand-in-hand, lost in their own world.

We strolled through the park, scanning the streets and alleys, trying to figure out where the threat could be coming from. Every corner seemed calm, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was out there, watching.

"I'm not seeing anything, Percy," Thalia said, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the streets, tension creeping into her voice.

I didn't respond. My gaze locked onto something across the park, and my heart plummeted. Right next to the bench we had been sitting on moments ago stood a massive creature, easily the size of a truck. Its body was a horrifying mix—one head was a lion, another was a goat, and behind it, a snake's tail, at least 10 feet long, writhed in the air. The lion's fangs were enormous, easily the size of bowling pins, and the snake's head bobbed up and down, as if it were searching for something... or someone.

Pedestrians walked past it, oblivious to the monstrous presence like it was nothing more than a harmless dog. But I knew better. I had faced this beast before. Chimera. And its glowing red eyes were locked on us.

"Run." I said.

"What?" Thalia whipped her head toward me, alarm flashing in her eyes

"Run!" I shouted.

Thalia's head snapped in the direction I was looking, and the moment she saw it, she spun around almost as fast as the lightning she had summoned the night before. The beast let out a deafening, bloodthirsty roar—like it had been hunting us since we left Camp Half-Blood. Knowing our luck, that was probably true.

As I'd guessed, the park was proving to be a good spot for escaping an ambush. The towering trees and thick hedges offered some cover as we sprinted, weaving through the foliage as fast as we could. But Chimera's roar was getting louder, closer. My legs turned to jelly at the thought of fighting it. I'd only faced this monster once before, but even after all the battles I'd fought since, I still had nightmares about the Missouri Arch. About being trapped, helpless, at the mercy of Chimera.

The narrow streets seemed to stretch on forever, twisting and turning in a maze of brick buildings and alleyways. As we broke free from the park's cover, the town around us came to life with people going about their normal day—completely oblivious to the nightmare behind us. My legs pumped harder as we darted through crowds, narrowly avoiding cars and street vendors, but every step felt like we were dragging the weight of the entire city with us. Thalia was keeping pace beside me, her face set in determination, but I could feel the tension radiating off her, like she knew—just as I did—that we couldn't outrun Chimera forever. The monster's roars echoed off the buildings, growing louder, closer, the sound bouncing around in my chest like a warning bell.

The air felt thick, the heavy thud of our footsteps echoing through the narrow streets. My lungs burned with each breath, and I could hear Thalia's ragged breathing beside me. I risked a glance back, my heart skipping a beat as I saw Chimera rounding the corner, its snake tail weaving through the air, searching.

"We can't keep this up," Thalia gasped beside me, her voice raw from exhaustion.

I knew she was right. My legs were turning to lead. Every step felt like we were sinking into quicksand. We were running out of time and energy, and the monster was closing in fast.

But then, Thalia grabbed my arm, yanking me into a side alley. The sudden stop nearly knocked me off balance.

"What—" I started, but Thalia cut me off, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts. "We need to split up."

I blinked, sure I hadn't heard her right. "What?"

She looked at me, her blue eyes burning with a mix of determination and something deeper—something that made my stomach twist. "Percy, we have to. If we split up, it'll confuse Chimera. We're both too strong together. It's following our scent."

"No." I shook my head immediately. "We can't split up. What about what we just talked about?" My voice cracked, and I hated the way the words sounded. Desperate. Like I couldn't stand the thought of being apart from her.

She didn't need to say it. I knew it too. My lungs burned, my legs felt like they were about to give out, and there was no way we had the energy for another fight, not after everything we'd been through. We were running on empty, and Chimera wasn't about to give us a break.

She bit her lip, glancing down the alley as if weighing our options. "Percy, I don't want to split up either." Her voice softened, and I saw it—the fear she was trying so hard to hide. "But we're exhausted. If we don't split, it's going to catch up, and we won't be able to fight it."

"We'll figure something out," I insisted, my mind scrambling for any other option. "We've been through worse. We've fought bigger monsters."

"Not like this." Thalia stepped closer, her hand brushing against mine for the briefest second, and it sent a jolt through me. "We're barely holding on, Percy. You know that. If we fight now, we'll lose."

Her words stung because I knew they were true. Every part of me screamed to keep her by my side, to not let go. But the Chimera's roars were growing louder. We didn't have much time. "There has to be another way."

"There isn't," she said, more firmly now, though her eyes softened in a way that almost broke me. "This is the only way we both get out of this."

I clenched my fists, trying to hold onto something, anything, that would keep us together. But the reality was closing in. She was right. "Where do we meet?"

She hesitated, her gaze flickering down the alley before meeting mine. "The alley across from the bench we were sitting on. Thirty minutes."

I stared at her, a knot forming in my throat. There were so many things I wanted to say—things I couldn't even put into words. What if something happened? What if I couldn't find her again? What if this was the last time we'd be standing here, side by side?

"Thalia—" I started, my voice trembling with everything unsaid, but she cut me off with a shaky smile. "Don't make this harder, Percy. We'll find each other."

Her voice was steady, but I could see the way her eyes glistened, just for a second, with something she wasn't saying either. Before I could respond, she stepped back, giving me one last look—one that seemed to hold a thousand things between us, all unspoken.

And then, just like that, she was gone, sprinting down the alley without looking back.

I stood there, frozen, my heart hammering in my chest. Every instinct screamed to run after her, to keep her close. But the Chimera's roar behind me forced me into motion. I couldn't let it catch me. I had to move. But even as I turned and ran the opposite way, I couldn't shake the weight of what we hadn't said, and how much I wished we had.

This chapter captures a tense and emotional moment between Percy and Thalia, as they're forced to make the difficult decision to split up to outmaneuver Chimera. The weight of their unspoken feelings and the looming danger make this a pivotal turning point. What do you think about their choice to split? Should they have stayed together, or was this the best call? Let me know your thoughts, and as always, don't forget to review, follow, and favorite the story. Thanks for sticking with me on this wild journey!

Review Responses:

SandiaVida: Thanks for pointing that out! It's not canon—I made it up—but when Percy went into the River Styx, his connection was tied to Annabeth as his mortal anchor. Now that their relationship is strained, the bond is weaker, so the Curse of Achilles isn't as strong. I didn't bring it up in the story because I thought it'd slow the pacing. Hope that clears it up!