Chapter 21: You Got Someone Watching Your Back Now

Falling Echoes Arc I

The rain poured in heavy sheets, the downpour muffling the distant hum of the city beyond the alley. The narrow space was a maze of slick brick walls, overturned trash cans, and forgotten debris, all glistening under the dim light of a flickering streetlamp at the alley's mouth. Thalia's hoodie clung to her, soaked through and doing little to shield her from the cold.

She kept backing up, her breath visible in sharp, uneven bursts as the hellhound advanced. Its glowing red eyes burned like embers, locking onto her with predatory intent. Water streamed off its sleek black fur, dripping onto the slick pavement as its claws scraped against the ground.

Her grip on the jagged metal pipe tightened, her arms trembling as she raised it in front of her. She was outmatched, and she knew it. The creature's growl rumbled deep in its chest, and she could see the muscles bunching under its sleek, black fur. Any second now, it would pounce.

"Come on," she muttered, her voice shaking. "You want me? Come and get me."

The hellhound crouched, its glowing eyes narrowing. Thalia swallowed hard, bracing herself, her entire body taut as a bowstring. She barely heard the sound of footsteps behind her.

Then, just as the hellhound leapt, a flash of bronze sliced through the rain. The monster yelped mid-air, black blood spraying as it hit the ground, writhing in pain.

Thalia gasped, surprised to see a boy, maybe a few years older than her, standing next to her. His drenched blond hair clung to his face, and he held a bronze sword in one steady hand.

"Stay back," he said firmly, stepping in front of her.

The hellhound snarled, dragging itself up despite its wound, but the boy didn't hesitate. He surged forward, his sword gleaming in the rain-soaked light. With one clean strike, he drove the blade into the monster's chest. It dissolved instantly, black dust swirling and fading into nothingness.

The boy turned, lowering his sword as his sharp blue eyes landed on her. For a moment, he just looked at her, as if trying to assess if she was okay.

"You alright?" he asked.

Thalia stared at him, chest heaving. Her hands were still gripping the pipe so tightly her knuckles were white, but she couldn't make herself lower it.

"Who—who are you?" she finally managed.

"Luke," he said simply, stepping closer. His eyes softened, and he held out a hand. "You don't have to be scared. I'm like you. I'm not going to hurt you."

She hesitated, staring at him. Everything in her life had taught her not to trust anyone, but the way he'd stepped in without hesitation, the way he was looking at her now—it was different.

Reluctantly, she let the pipe fall and reached for his hand. His grip was strong and steady, grounding her in a way she hadn't felt in years.

"Thalia," she said.

Luke nodded, his smile small but reassuring. "Well, Thalia, it's a good thing I got here when I did. You've got guts, but that thing would've torn you apart."

Thalia swallowed hard. The adrenaline finally began to fade. "I didn't ask for your help."

His smile widened just a fraction. "Yeah, but you needed it."

For a moment, she didn't respond. She wasn't used to this—to someone stepping in, to someone protecting her. It felt foreign and terrifying, but also… safe.

Luke's smile softened as he released her hand. "You're tough," he said. "But you don't always have to be. You've got someone watching your back now."

The words were simple, spoken without weight, but they settled deep in Thalia's chest all the same.

For a moment, she stared at him, unsure how to respond. Before she could figure it out, he turned and started walking, the bronze sword still in his hand.

"Come on," he called over his shoulder. "We've got to move before more show up.…"

The rain was gone, but Luke's words lingered in her mind: You've got someone watching your back now.

Thalia blinked, her boots crunching softly against the damp sand. The rhythmic crash of the waves seemed far away, drowned out by the echo of his voice. She felt the weight of the memory pressing against her chest, pulling her into a daze.

The shoreline stretched ahead, but she barely noticed it. Her footsteps faltered for just a moment, uneven in the sand, before she forced herself to keep moving.

"Thalia?" Annabeth's voice cut through the haze, low and careful.

Thalia startled slightly, her head snapping toward her friend. She blinked again, grounding herself in the present. The mission. Luke. The Princess Andromeda. Kronos. Were all waiting for them.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, too quickly. Her voice was sharper than she intended, but she didn't bother softening it. She kept her eyes down, deep in thought. Her hands clenched at her sides.

They walked in silence for a while. The wind tugged at Thalia's jacket, but she barely felt it. Her thoughts circled back to Luke, pulling her deeper into the memory she couldn't quite shake.

You've got someone watching your back now.

Without thinking, Thalia broke the silence, her voice quiet but sharp enough to cut through the sound of the waves as she looked toward Annabeth. "Do you think he's still in there, somewhere? The real Luke?"

Annabeth didn't answer right away. Thalia glanced at her, catching the faint furrow in her brow as if she were weighing her words carefully.

"Yes," Annabeth said finally. "I know he is. Kronos might have control over him now, but Luke is still in there. The Luke who believed in us, who fought for us—he's still there."

"You sound so sure." Thalia said, her voice wavered just slightly.

"I am sure," Annabeth replied. Her gray eyes flickered, shining with a stubborn determination that Thalia couldn't ignore. "Luke believed in all of us. He believed in me. And even now, after everything, I believe in him. He's still the person who was there for me, who cared about me. Just like you. Kronos can't erase that."

Thalia exhaled. "You really think believing in him is enough? That it'll be enough to bring him back to us?"

Annabeth's expression softened, but her voice didn't lose its edge. "Believing in him is the only thing keeping him from being gone completely. If we give up on him, if we stop believing he can come back, then we might as well hand him over to Kronos for good."

Thalia flinched, the words hitting harder than she wanted to admit. For a long moment, she didn't respond.

"You know," Thalia said finally, her voice quieter now, "when I met Luke, he didn't even know who I was, but he saved me anyway. I was outmatched, alone, and ready to die, and he just… stepped in. No questions, no hesitation." She looked down, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Annabeth was silent, waiting, and Thalia glanced toward the horizon. Her voice softened, almost breaking. "And now it feels like... everyone let him down. He gave everything—more than anyone should've had to—and no one stepped in for him. Not even the gods."

Annabeth looked at her sharply, but her voice was measured. "That doesn't mean we give up. The gods might not have been there for him, but we still can be. He doesn't need them, Thalia. He needs us."

Thalia hesitated. "But what if we're not enough?"

"You don't believe that," Annabeth said. "You wouldn't be here if you did. I know you want to save him. I can see it."

Thalia's jaw tightened, her arms falling to her sides. "I do," she admitted. "I want to believe we can. I feel like I owe him that much, but..."

Annabeth's gray eyes locked onto hers. "There's no 'but.' Luke saved you because he believed in you. Now we need to believe in him. That's how we bring him back."

Thalia stared at her, Annabeth's words sinking deeper than she wanted to let them. Slowly, she nodded. "You're right."

Annabeth smiled faintly, her confidence radiating. The tension between them eased, and for a moment, the only sound was the waves lapping at the shore.

Then Annabeth's gaze dropped to Thalia's wrist, her expression shifting to curiosity. "Is that new?" she asked, nodding toward the bracelet. "Another weapon, or some kind of charm?"

Thalia huffed, rolling her eyes. "Don't remind me," she muttered, her fingers brushing over the woven threads. "The Fates gave it to me back in the forest before we got dumped in the Labyrinth, and ever since, everyone's had something to say about it. Theseus, the Sphinx, Artemis, Chiron…"

Annabeth blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait—you mean the Theseus? And the Sphinx?"

Thalia let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "It's a long story."

Annabeth pressed on, curiosity sparking in her voice. "Well… what did they all say about it? Do they know what it's for?"

Thalia sighed, her fingers brushing over the bracelet. "Not exactly," she started. "Theseus… he said something about the Fates. That their gifts always come with a price." She paused, her brow furrowing as she searched for the memory. "And then the Sphinx—she said it was the key to my fate, or something like that. It was riddle. I couldn't answer it, and she knew it."

Her steps slowed, and she glanced at Annabeth. "Artemis noticed it too. She has one, actually. Said hers is a reminder of what endures when time changes everything?" Thalia's fingers tightened around the bracelet. "And Chiron… he thinks it's connected to Kronos's scythe. Whatever that means."

She shook her head, her voice growing sharper with frustration. "So yeah, everyone's got something to say about it, but no one actually knows what it's supposed to do. Except, apparently, make my life harder."

Annabeth frowned, her brows knitting together as she processed Thalia's words. "Okay, let's think about this," she said, her tone shifting into its familiar analytical edge. "The Fates don't just hand out gifts, right? They're always tied to something bigger. If Theseus said their gifts come with a price, it means this bracelet obviously isn't just some accessory. It's meant to push you toward something, a decision you'll have to make."

Thalia huffed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, I know that. But what kind of decision?

Annabeth ignored her frustration, her mind clearly racing. "The Sphinx called it the key to your fate. And Chiron thinks it's connected to Kronos's scythe…" She trailed off, her eyes narrowing as if pieces of a puzzle were falling into place.

Thalia shot her a sideways glance. "You're putting that look on. I don't know if I should be worried or impressed."

Annabeth didn't respond immediately. Instead, her gaze fixed on the bracelet. "It's all connected," she murmured. "Fate, choice, Kronos… but what if it's not just about you? What if the bracelet is tied to Luke?"

Thalia blinked, startled by the shift. "Luke? What are you talking about?"

"Think about it," Annabeth pressed. "The prophecy isn't just about you—it's about him too. It just has to be. He's part of this, part of what Kronos is doing. If this bracelet is connected to Kronos's scythe, then maybe it's not just about defeating Kronos. Maybe it's about breaking his hold over Luke."

Thalia's fingers tightened around the bracelet, the thought settling uncomfortably in her chest. "You think this thing is supposed to help me save him?"

"Or stop him," Annabeth said quietly, her voice steady but tinged with hesitation. "But if the Fates gave it to you, it means they think you're the one who can decide. They're tying his fate to yours, Thalia."

Thalia's jaw clenched, her gaze drifting to the horizon. "So what? I'm supposed to just… choose what happens to him? How can this stupid bracelet even do that? It's a bracelet."

Annabeth hesitated, her expression softening. "I don't know. But if you believe he's still in there—and I know you do—then maybe this is your chance to bring him back. The Fates gave you this because they knew you'd have to make a choice—a hard one."

Thalia stared at the bracelet, her frustration giving way to a flicker of uncertainty. "And that choice is supposed to save Luke?"

"Maybe," Annabeth said, her voice quieter now. "Or maybe it's to show you how far you're willing to go to try."

Thalia exhaled sharply, her voice softer now but still edged with frustration. "I don't know if I buy that. I mean, it's not like this thing is going to magically fix anything. It's not going to undo what Kronos has done to him." Her fingers brushed over the threads again, almost instinctively. "But… if it really could help—if it could save him…" She shook her head, her voice catching slightly. "I don't know."

Thalia stared ahead, her fingers still brushing the bracelet as her thoughts churned. Her gaze shifted to Percy, walking slightly ahead of them, his shoulders tense but his footsteps steady.

"You've been really quiet," she said, her voice cutting through the rhythm of the waves and sand. "What do you think?"

Percy slowed, turning his head slightly to glance back at her. For a moment, he didn't respond, his expression unreadable. Then he stopped altogether, waiting for them to catch up.

When they reached him, Percy looked between Thalia and Annabeth, his green eyes serious. "I think," he said slowly, "that saving Luke is a lot more complicated than just believing in—"

A sudden, loud howl pierced the air, the sound sharp and out of place against the steady crash of waves.

Thalia froze, her body tensing as her gaze snapped to the tree line just beyond the sand, where the coastal forest loomed close to the beach. More sounds came, sharper this time—branches snapping, followed by a low, guttural growl.

Annabeth held up a hand, signaling for silence as they all instinctively crouched lower.

"There's something in the trees," Thalia whispered.

Percy's hand moved toward his pocket where Riptide waited. "Monsters?"

"Scouts," Annabeth murmured, her gray eyes narrowing as she peered toward the forest.

Thalia glanced around, her mind racing. "We need to move—now. There's no way we'll outrun them if we're caught out here."

Annabeth pointed toward a cluster of driftwood and boulders farther up the beach, just before the forest's edge. "There. We can get some cover, see what we're dealing with."

They moved quickly but carefully, their boots sinking into the sand as the rustling behind them grew louder. Once they reached the boulders, they crouched low, peering through the gaps.

Thalia's stomach tightened as she spotted the creatures—a pack of massive hellhounds with sleek black fur that shimmered unnaturally in the sunlight. Their glowing red eyes swept the beach, while their noses hovered just above the ground, sniffing the air with sharp, deliberate movements.

"They're tracking," Thalia whispered

One of the hellhounds paused, its massive head snapping up. Its glowing red eyes locked onto the boulders for a heartbeat too long, and Thalia froze, her breath catching in her throat.

"Don't move," Annabeth murmured.

The hellhound let out a low growl, its ears twitching as its nose sniffed the air. Slowly, it started toward them. The creature was too close—if it got much nearer, it would see them.

The hellhound took another step forward, its massive form almost within reach of their cover. Thalia's pulse hammered in her ears.

Then, somewhere farther down the beach, a faint sound broke the tension—a gull's cry, sharp and sudden. The hellhound's head snapped toward the noise, and it let out a low growl, turning and trotting back to the others.

Thalia exhaled slowly, her entire body trembling as the hellhound rejoined its pack. They lingered a moment longer, their noses sweeping the air, before turning and disappearing into the edge of the forest.

For a moment, none of them moved, the tension still coiled tightly around them.

"That was too close," Percy muttered, his voice low.

Thalia let out a shaky breath. "They're gone," she said quietly, though the unease in her voice lingered. "For now."

Percy exhaled, his voice still low. "What were hellhounds doing out here? They're not exactly known for taking beach strolls."

Annabeth's brow furrowed, her gaze lingering on the direction the hellhounds had disappeared. "Maybe we're closer to the Princess Andromeda than we thought," she said, her tone contemplative. "Kronos could be sending scouts to secure the area."

Thalia shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "They weren't just wandering. They were tracking—searching for something."

Annabeth didn't respond immediately, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she spoke, her voice quieter. "Or tracking someone…"

Percy glanced at her, his brows drawing together. "Somone? Like who?"

Annabeth shook her head quickly, brushing off the thought. "It doesn't matter right now. What matters is that we keep moving."

Thalia studied her for a beat, her gut twisting slightly at the edge in Annabeth's voice. But she didn't press. "Then let's go," she said firmly, turning her gaze back toward the forest. "Before they come back."

They started walking again, their boots crunching softly on the damp sand, but Annabeth suddenly stopped, her gaze snapping to the line of footprints trailing behind them.

"Wait," she said.

Percy turned. "What is it?"

Annabeth gestured toward the sand where their footprints stretched in a clear, unbroken line behind them. "We're leaving a trail," she said, her tone tight. "I don't know how they missed it. If those things find it and circle back, it won't take long for them to find us."

Thalia glanced back at the prints, her jaw tightening. "So what do we do? Go back and cover them?"

"Yes," Annabeth said quickly. "You two keep moving. I'll take care of it and catch up. I won't be long."

Thalia hesitated, glancing at Percy. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Annabeth said, already crouching to brush away the marks. "We can't risk it. Just stay on the path—we don't have time to waste."

Thalia studied her for a moment longer before nodding. "Alright. Just be careful."

Annabeth gave a quick nod without looking up. "I'll be right behind you."

As Annabeth's figure disappeared behind them, Thalia and Percy started walking again, their steps deliberate as they followed the curve of the beach. The sand shifted beneath their boots, and the faint crash of waves filled the quiet between them.

"You've been quiet," she said, cutting through the stillness as she looked sideways at Percy. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Percy shrugged, his gaze fixed ahead where the shoreline curved out of sight. "Just thinking," he said lightly, his tone guarded.

Thalia frowned, giving him a sidelong glance. "About what?"

"Stuff," he said, evasive, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Stuff," Thalia repeated, her voice light but curious. "Real specific."

Percy's lips twitched, but he didn't respond, his eyes still distant.

Thalia tilted her head, her fingers brushing against his arm briefly to catch his attention. "Hey," she said softly, her tone shifting. "Seriously. What's going on? You don't have to keep it all to yourself, you know."

Percy sighed, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. For a moment, he hesitated, as if weighing whether to speak. Then he exhaled sharply. "It's just… you and Annabeth. The way you're both putting so much hope into Luke."

Thalia's brow furrowed. "You think we shouldn't."

"No," Percy said quickly, his green eyes flicking to hers. "It's not that. I get it. I really do. I just… I'm worried about you."

Thalia blinked, caught off guard. "Me?"

"Yeah," Percy said after a beat. "You're putting so much into this—into believing he can be saved. It's just… you never really talked about saving him like this before." He paused, running a hand through his hair, his gaze dropping to the sand. "What if we let our guard down trying to save him? What if it backfires?" His voice faltered, and he looked away, his shoulders tensing. "I'm just worried about you."

Thalia didn't respond right away. She just kept walking. Finally, she exhaled and reached out, her fingers brushing against his before curling gently around his hand.

"I told you this already," she said quietly, her voice steady but laced with emotion. "I feel terrible for giving up on him so quickly. For not trying harder when we were on Mount Othrys. I didn't even give him a chance—I just… let him go."

She hesitated, her grip on Percy's hand tightening slightly. "In the Labyrinth, the way he looked at me, the things he said—it brought everything back. It made me realize I can't just leave it like this. I need closure, Percy. I need to know I tried, because I owe him that much after everything he did for me."

"You have to trust me on this, Percy. I need this. For him, yeah, but… for me too." Her fingers tightened around his, her tone quieter now, almost vulnerable. "I know it's risky, and I know it sounds crazy, but I need to try. Please."

Percy held her gaze for a moment, his green eyes softening as he squeezed her hand. "Alright," he said quietly. "If you need this, I'll back you up. I trust you, Thalia."

He hesitated, glancing down at their joined hands before meeting her eyes again. "But just… don't lose sight of yourself in this, okay? I don't want you getting hurt, no matter how much you feel like you owe him."

Thalia's expression softened, and she gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you so much, Percy," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Without hesitation, she leaned in and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. It was quick, almost fleeting, but the warmth lingered as she pulled back, her hand still wrapped around his.

They walked in a peaceful silence until, behind them, soft footsteps broke the quiet, and Annabeth's voice called out, low but steady. "I'm back. Tracks are covered. Make sure we walk right by the tide so the waves cover the rest of our tracks."

Thalia glanced over her shoulder as Annabeth caught up, her gray eyes scanning the horizon ahead. "Smart. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Annabeth said, slightly out of breath but composed. "No sign of anything doubling back. Let's keep going."