"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 was about to fall asleep.
She stood on the deck, leaning on the railing as she watched the sun slowly peak out the horizon. The familiar city of Charleston was in view as the Argo II swiftly landed at a pier in Charleston Harbor, right next to the seawall. Along the shore was a historical district with tall mansion, palm trees, and wrought-iron fences. Antique cannons were pointed at the water. It wouldn't be long until everyone came out to leave on their quests, so at this point Aurelia was just trying to stay awake long enough to go see the "ghost of Battery park."
Aurelia was struggling though. Her head would droop every five minutes and her eyes would start to close, and each time she would have to pinch herself to stay awake.
"Morning," Percy chirped behind her. He held up a large disposable coffee cup and handed it to her. "I figured you were awake, and would need it."
Aurelia barely blinked as she muttered a small, "thanks" and started draining the cup. She paused, her lips puckering distastefully. "It needs more sugar."
Percy was shocked. "I literally put the entire container in. There's barely any coffee."
"Not enough sugar." Aurelia placed the cup on the railing, her head drooping a little bit more.
"This is not okay," Percy muttered, really concerned for Aurelia's mental well being. "You're gonna work yourself to death."
"No, if I fall asleep, then I may actually be dead."
"Just try," Percy suggested. He sat down on the deck and patted the floor beside him. "Close your eyes for five minutes and try to sleep. I will watch you. If you start to get shadows on your arm, or anything weird, I'll wake you. Promise."
Aurelia sat down next to him, contemplating her choices. While she hated the idea of someone seeing her vulnerable, even if it was Percy, Aurelia felt as though she were five minutes from dropping from exhaustion. "Okay."
She leaned on Percy's shoulder, and let her drowsiness wash over her. Her eyes went heavy again. And she slipped off to sleep.
* * * * * *
It was dark. Aurelia was sitting along the shores of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Reyna and Hylla sat next to her, both of them asleep, sand coating their clothes and feet. Aurelia watched them sleep peacefully. The only sound was the sound of the tide splashing onto the shores, spraying water on Aurelia's ankles and the hem of her ruined gold dress.
Aurelia remembered this moment. The night her mother died. The night Reyna killed Uncle Julian. The night they ran away from home.
Aurelia knew where they were. Just on the other edge of town had been their family hacienda—and while just yesterday it held a depressed family of five, all it had now was the corpse Martina Ramirez-Arellano, and the destroyed furniture that Uncle Julian had abused the girls with.
