Chapter 20

Our footsteps echoed in the damp, narrow tunnel, but the darkness didn't feel as suffocating as before. The weight I'd been carrying for so long, the confusion and doubt—it had lifted. Thalia's hand was in mine, warm and solid, like an anchor pulling me forward. The kiss still lingered on my lips, and even though we were back in the eerie silence of the sewer, I wasn't afraid anymore.

"We'll find her," I said quietly, but firmly. Thalia squeezed my hand in response, and it was enough to steady me. After everything we had been through, after what Phobos had tried to do, we weren't going to let fear control us anymore.

The tunnel twisted ahead, the shadows seeming to retreat with every step. I couldn't stop thinking about Annabeth. She had to be here somewhere. Phobos had trapped her in her own illusion, and I had no idea what she'd seen. I could only hope that she was okay, that she had fought through it and come out on top.

"Do you think she's okay?" Thalia asked, her voice low but steady.

"She's Annabeth," I replied, trying to sound confident. "She'll be okay. She always is."

We rounded the corner, the tunnel growing darker as we pushed forward. I could feel the damp chill in the air, the sound of dripping water echoing off the stone walls. The sewer was an awful place for anyone to be trapped, especially Annabeth. My mind raced with thoughts of what she might have seen—what kind of nightmare Phobos had thrown her into.

We kept moving, the dim tunnel growing quieter until we heard the faintest sound—someone breathing. I quickened my pace, Thalia right behind me, and there, just around the bend, I saw her.

Annabeth was sitting with her back against the wall, knees drawn to her chest. Her face was pale, her body visibly shaken, but her eyes opened as soon as I crouched beside her.

"Annabeth!" I knelt down, searching her face. "Are you okay? What happened?"

For a moment, she didn't answer, just stared at me, as if pulling herself out of whatever dark place she'd been trapped in. Then, slowly, she nodded. "I'm... I'm okay, Percy. I just... I needed a minute."

Thalia hung back, giving us space, but I could sense her concern too. I leaned closer to Annabeth, keeping my voice soft. "Phobos showed you something, didn't he?"

Annabeth hesitated, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her jeans. Her voice was small, fragile. "He did."

I exchanged a glance with Thalia before turning back to Annabeth. "What did he show you?"

She swallowed hard, her eyes flickering between me and Thalia. "It was... confusing. He made me see a future where I chose... things I thought I wanted. But none of it felt right. It felt... empty." Her voice trembled slightly, and I could tell she was still processing everything, still shaken by what she had seen.

I reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It wasn't real, Annabeth. Whatever you saw, it wasn't real."

"I know," she whispered, her eyes clouded with uncertainty. "But it felt real enough to make me wonder..."

She didn't finish, and I could tell she wasn't ready to say more. The way her gaze darted between Thalia and me told me she was struggling with something deeper, something she couldn't quite voice yet. There was no clarity, just doubt swirling inside her.

I glanced at Thalia, who gave me a small nod. We both understood that this wasn't the time to push. Annabeth needed to work through whatever Phobos had shown her in her own time.

We both helped Annabeth to her feet. She swayed slightly but steadied herself, her fingers brushing against mine for a brief moment before she pulled away, crossing her arms like she was trying to shield herself from the lingering echoes of the illusion. The three of us stood there for a beat, the silence of the sewer wrapping around us like a heavy cloak.

"Let's get out of here," I said, trying to break through the tension that still hung between us. "We've had enough of this place."

Thalia's hand found mine again as we started walking. Annabeth walked a step behind, silent but moving with purpose. There was no more immediate threat, no more illusions chasing us, but the sewer still felt stifling, like it was holding onto the last remnants of fear Phobos had left behind. The air was heavy with it.

We moved quickly, the darkness seeming to peel away as we walked toward the exit. The sound of our footsteps echoed off the damp walls, but even in the eerie quiet, I could feel the shift between us. Something had changed. Phobos was gone, but what we'd each seen, what we'd been forced to confront, still lingered.

As we rounded another corner, I glanced back at Annabeth. Her expression was guarded, but there was something else too—a look of quiet resolve that I hadn't seen in her before. Whatever she'd seen in her illusion had shaken her, but it had also brought her to some kind of decision.

We didn't talk much as we walked. There wasn't much to say. But the further we went, the lighter the air felt, the tension easing little by little.

"We're almost out," Thalia murmured beside me, giving my hand a light squeeze.

We climbed the stairs and stepped into the daylight, the sharp contrast between the dark, oppressive tunnel and the open air hitting us like a wave. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, and for the first time in what felt like hours, I could actually breathe.

Annabeth lingered at the edge of the exit, blinking against the sudden brightness. Thalia and I stood together, still holding hands, and for a moment, none of us moved. The world outside was quiet, peaceful, almost like it hadn't just been the backdrop to everything we'd just faced.

Thalia's grip tightened in mine, grounding me in the present. I glanced at her, and despite everything, she gave me a small, weary smile. There was still so much to process, so much to figure out, but for now, we were okay. We had made it out.

Annabeth finally stepped forward, her eyes scanning the horizon as if she needed to reassure herself that it was real. I watched her carefully, knowing that whatever Phobos had shown her still weighed heavily on her mind. But she hadn't said much, and I wasn't sure if she would.

As we stood there, letting the weight of everything settle, a soft, melodic voice interrupted the quiet.

"Well, well, well. What a sight."

I turned, instinctively stepping in front of Thalia and Annabeth, as Aphrodite appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She was impossibly radiant, her hair gleaming like gold in the sunlight, her gown shimmering in colors that shifted as the light hit it. Her presence was completely out of place amid the sewer grime and battle-worn exhaustion clinging to us.

Aphrodite smiled, but it wasn't the playful, flirty smile I'd come to expect from her. It was knowing, almost gentle, as her gaze flickered between the three of us. "You've all been through quite the ordeal, haven't you?"

Annabeth stiffened beside me, her eyes narrowing. "Was this you? Phobos, the illusions... everything?"

Aphrodite's expression softened as she tilted her head, almost sympathetically. "Not entirely, darling. But I gave things a little nudge where it was needed. You three had some... emotional work to do." Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "It's amazing what fear can reveal, isn't it?"

Thalia tensed beside me, but I squeezed her hand, trying to keep the peace. "Why?" I asked, keeping my voice calm despite the anger bubbling beneath the surface. "Why would you mess with us like that?"

Aphrodite sighed, her eyes softening as if the weight of love itself rested on her shoulders. "Because, Percy, love is never as simple as we want it to be. It takes more than just feelings—it takes choices. You wouldn't have made the leap on your own, not without something pushing you to confront what was in your heart. Thalia... she's been guarding herself, keeping her feelings locked away for too long. And Annabeth... she needed clarity too, in her own way."

Annabeth shifted uncomfortably, but she didn't speak. Her eyes were fixed on Aphrodite, a mixture of frustration and confusion swirling within them.

Aphrodite's gaze softened as she looked at Annabeth. "I didn't want to hurt you, dear. You've always been strong, always focused on your path. But sometimes, love isn't about what we think we should want. It's about what we truly feel, deep down." She paused, her voice growing quieter, more serious. "You've been holding onto something that wasn't meant to last. Phobos showed you that, didn't he?"

Annabeth's jaw tightened, but she gave a small nod. I could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken words between her and Aphrodite. It wasn't the time for her to say everything, but I could see that the goddess had planted the seed of understanding.

"Then why kidnap Annabeth?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady. "Why go that far?"

Aphrodite's eyes twinkled with amusement again, but her tone stayed soft. "Because, Percy, you can't fully understand what your heart wants until you're forced to confront the idea of losing it. All three of you needed to face that. It wasn't about kidnapping—it was about reflection. Annabeth, too, had to see what her future could be without you."

Annabeth looked away, her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn't argue. I could sense the battle going on inside her, the conflict of her feelings and her realization. She had seen something in her illusion, something that had shifted her perspective.

Aphrodite stepped closer, her presence overwhelming, but not threatening. "You've all faced your fears, confronted your hearts. And now..." she trailed off, gesturing lightly toward the camp. "It's time to go back."

I frowned, unsure of what she meant. "What do you mean?"

Aphrodite smiled again, her eyes sparkling. "You've earned it. After everything you've been through, I think you deserve a little help." With a wave of her hand, the air around us shimmered, bending and distorting like heat waves.

In the blink of an eye, the grimy, oppressive atmosphere of the sewer vanished. We were standing on the edge of Half-Blood Hill, the familiar sight of Camp Half-Blood stretching out before us. The soft breeze, the smell of pine trees, and the sounds of campers in the distance all greeted us as if we had never left.

I blinked, still holding Thalia's hand, trying to process the sudden shift. "How did you...?"

Aphrodite grinned, her voice light again. "A little goddess magic, Percy. You didn't think I'd make you walk all the way back, did you?"

I exchanged a glance with Thalia, who gave me a half-smile, clearly as stunned as I was. Annabeth stood a few steps away, her arms crossed, still lost in her thoughts. But I could see the relief in her posture—the tension she'd been carrying since the sewer had begun to ease, if only slightly.

Aphrodite took a step back, her eyes flickering over the three of us one last time. "Take care of each other, okay?" Her voice was softer now, almost sincere. "Love isn't always easy, but it's worth it."

With that, she gave us a final, dazzling smile and disappeared in a swirl of shimmering light, leaving us standing on the hill, the camp spread out before us.

For a moment, none of us moved. The weight of everything we had just experienced lingered in the air, but the peacefulness of the camp began to settle over me, grounding me once more.

Annabeth stood a few steps away, her arms still crossed tightly across her chest. Her eyes flicked between Thalia and me, and I could tell she was trying to hold something back. After everything we'd just gone through, the silence felt heavy.

She took a deep breath, and for a second, her gaze lingered on our joined hands—Thalia's fingers still wrapped around mine. I felt a pang of guilt, but before I could say anything, Annabeth looked up at me and offered a tight smile.

"Percy," she said quietly, "can we talk? Alone?"

I exchanged a glance with Thalia, who gave me a small nod of understanding. She let go of my hand, stepping back to give us space. I followed Annabeth a few paces away, the silence between us thick, the weight of the moment pressing down harder with each step.

For a long moment, Annabeth didn't speak. I could see her struggling with the words, her eyes flicking between me and the ground. It was like she was weighing every syllable before she finally said them out loud.

"Phobos... he showed me something," she began, her voice quiet and tight. She looked at me, then quickly looked away, her jaw tense. "I've spent so long believing that we could find our way back. That even with all the distance and everything that's changed, you and I would always... come back to each other."

Her voice wavered, but this time, it wasn't with certainty. There was something raw in her tone, like saying it out loud was almost too much. "I thought that if we worked hard enough, if we pushed through everything that's happened, we could fix what we had."

She stopped, taking a shaky breath. I stayed silent, giving her the space to find the right words. I could see how much this was costing her, how hard it was for her to admit it.

"Phobos didn't show me fear in the way I expected," she continued, her voice low, almost like she didn't want to say it. "He showed me... a version of my life where I had everything I thought I wanted—my career, success, and you by my side. But something felt wrong. It wasn't fear that I felt," she said slowly, the words clearly difficult for her to get out. "It was this... emptiness. The more I tried to make it fit, the more I realized that I was holding onto something that wasn't mine anymore. That version of us... it doesn't exist. Not like it used to."

I felt my chest tighten. I knew she needed to say it. Her voice shook slightly as she continued.

"I've been running toward this idea of us, believing that if we could just get back to who we were, everything would be okay. But I understand now that I've grown past it. You have too." Her voice cracked, but she didn't stop. "I wanted to hold onto you, Percy, because I thought it would fix everything. But it's not what I need anymore."

Her eyes flicked briefly toward Thalia before landing back on me, and I could see how much she was struggling to hold it together.

"I've spent my whole life chasing success, trying to be the best at everything. I wanted control, certainty... but I realized that I've been holding onto the past, trying to fit us into a version of my life that doesn't work anymore."

She looked down at her hands, her voice barely above a whisper now. "I still care about you, Percy. But... I think we both know we're heading in different directions now. And as much as I hate saying this... I think it's time to let go. For good."

I could see the tears she was trying to hold back, her lips trembling as she forced herself to say the last part. Her eyes flickered up to meet mine, and the weight of those words settled between us like a final goodbye. It wasn't that she didn't care anymore—it was that she'd grown past holding on to something that wasn't there anymore.

"I'm not afraid anymore," she whispered, her voice breaking. "But that doesn't make this any easier."

For a moment, she just stood there, her breath shaky, and then her gaze shifted over to Thalia. Something shifted in the air, a quiet understanding passing between them. Annabeth turned back to me, and with a deep breath, she spoke, her voice low and full of the emotion she was barely holding back. "Just... take care of her, Percy."

There was a visible sadness in her eyes, but also acceptance. I stood in silence for a moment and was about to respond, but before I could, she had already turned away, walking toward Thalia.

Without a word, Annabeth reached out and pulled Thalia into an emotional hug. Thalia's eyes widened in surprise for a second, but she quickly wrapped her arms around Annabeth, holding her tightly. Neither of them spoke, but I could see the tension in Thalia's shoulders ease just slightly, as if this hug was giving her something she hadn't realized she needed.

Annabeth's voice was barely audible when she finally spoke. "Just... be happy. Both of you."

Thalia's grip on Annabeth tightened for a brief moment, her face buried in Annabeth's shoulder. It was a quiet exchange, but the weight of everything—their shared history, their struggles, the unspoken words—hung between them. When they finally pulled apart, Thalia's eyes glistened, but she nodded, unable to find the words to respond.

Annabeth gave her a small, sad smile before turning back to me. Her gaze lingered for just a second longer, like she was trying to etch this moment into her memory. Then, with a deep breath, she turned away completely and started walking toward the camp borders.

I watched her go, the distance growing between us, and for the first time, I didn't feel the need to chase after her. There was a strange sense of closure, bittersweet but real. Annabeth had made her choice, and so had I.

Thalia slipped her hand into mine, grounding me once more. I glanced at her, feeling the warmth of her presence, and together, we stood there, watching as Annabeth disappeared from view.

"Are you okay?" Thalia asked softly, her voice filled with concern.

I nodded, my chest tight but steady. "Yeah," I said, squeezing her hand. "I think I am."

Thalia gave me a small smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was enough. I could feel the weight of everything we'd been through still hanging in the air, but for the first time, it didn't feel so heavy. It was like we'd come out the other side of something we didn't even realize we were trapped in.

We stood there in silence for a few moments longer, just the two of us, the warmth of Thalia's hand in mine anchoring me. I could feel the world around us slowly starting to come back into focus—camp in the distance, the faint sounds of life stirring. It was as if the rest of the world had been on pause, waiting for us to catch up.

"What now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Thalia looked at me, her lips tugging into a small, tentative smile. There was a glint in her eyes—not exactly joy, but something more subtle, like she had made peace with the storm inside her. I could see her resolve, but there was also something else—a flicker of uncertainty, maybe even a touch of sadness.

She squeezed my hand, the pressure reassuring but gentle. For the first time in a long while, I felt like things between us had finally settled, like the weight we'd been carrying had started to lift.

Her smile lingered for a moment longer, then she glanced toward the camp, her expression shifting slightly—determined, but not without a trace of hesitation. "There's one last thing I have to do."

She paused, her fingers tightening around mine for just a second longer, as if gathering her strength. "I have to talk to Artemis."

Her voice was steady, but I could sense the weight of what she wasn't saying—the uncertainty of how that conversation would go, the emotional tug-of-war between her loyalty to the Hunt and her love for me.

With that, she turned, leading me forward.