"In Latin my name, Aurelia, basically means 'the golden one.' My mother literally named me her golden light through the storm that was her life. That is my job. To be everyone's light at the end of the tunnel. And I got stuck worrying so much about...
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Aurelia hated opening up to people.
Phineas mentioning her mother and Circe, it stirred something in her. All those feelings of guilt she had buried so long ago. For years Aurelia believed that she truly could have saved her mother, she blamed herself for Martina's death.
The night of Martina's suicide, was the night Reyna killed her father. That was the night that they ran away from Puerto Rico. It was not even a few days later that they were brought to CC's Spa and Resort, and vowed to become handmaidens of Circe. Hylla, being the oldest and most willing to put the past behind her, rose through the ranks quickly—quickly becoming one of Circe's favorite assistants.
Aurelia on the other hand became one of Circe's favorite projects. The first night that she had been there, Aurelia had been awoken by nightmares—and although she didn't show how upset she was, Circe noticed. Circe noticed the shadows that decorated Aurelia's skin. Circe noticed the slight thinness from a lack of nutrition. She noticed the dark circle around Aurelia's obsidian eyes.
It was Circe who found Pavor—who got Aurelia Ferrum Temoris. It was Circe who trained her powers of fear, utilizing them in ways Aurelia never dreamed of. It was Circe who gave Aurelia special jobs outside of combing people's hair and helping them dress in nice outfits.
It was Circe who decided that Aurelia should practice her powers on a litter of guinea pigs—a litter of guinea pigs who remembered her very well they turned back into humans.
So as Aurelia ran across the street and into the lobby of the library beside her friends, Aurelia reminded herself that none of it was her fault. Everything she suffered, all the hardships she faced, weren't her fault.
"Percy?" Frank asked. "What's wrong?"
Aurelia paused in her run to look at the son of Neptune, who had frozen in his tracks. Desperation was what he felt. Then anger and frustration. Percy slammed his fist into the side of a nearby bookshelf.
"Percy?" Hazel tried gently.
There was so much rage boiling in Percy at that moment—for a second Aurelia thought that he might attack the poor defenseless bookshelves. But when Percy looked up at the three of them, at their concern for him, there was guilt. His anger wasn't directed at them. But at himself. At his mind.
"I'm alright," Percy managed. "Just got dizzy for a sec. Let's find a way to the roof."
He was lying. Aurelia could tell and she gave him a long stare, silently asking if he was really alright. Percy pursed his lips, waiting until Hazel and Frank had turned their backs, before he shook his head.
"Memories?" Aurelia guessed.
"Slipping away," Percy muttered bitterly.
Aurelia's hand grazed his arm, sending a large wave of relaxing emotion to numb him. Percy gave her a thankful smile and she nodded before they followed Hazel and Frank.
