Saving a Hero

CHAPTER 24

I wasn't looking forward to telling the Athena cabin about their sister. Annabeth was their head counselor, and most importantly, one of their siblings. I was standing on their doorstep. The Athena cabin was the plainest of all the cabins. It was neat and spotless with a few handmade owl statues in the front garden. I knocked on the door twice. Vivian Lax, one of Annabeth's sisters, opened the door. She opened it smiling but dropped it like she was expecting someone else.

"Yeees?"

She greeted me.

"Can I come in? I have some news."

She looked at me trying to decide what expressions I had on. Sadness, regret, pity? She opened the door all the way and stepped back to let me in. I'd never been in the Athena cabin before, and I don't want to ever be in it again. Surprisingly it was trashed, messes everywhere! There were charts, graphs, and blueprints stuck up on the wall. Scrolls and loose papers on the floors. There were notebooks, pens, pencils, and weapons on people's bunks. About ten of Annabeth's siblings were staring at me. Some of them were in their bunks, some were in the back of the cabin hovering over a blueprint on a desk. I felt uncomfortable, but they needed to know. I cleared my throat to grab everyone's attention, about four other heads popped out of bunks to look at me.

"Percy and I just got back from a quest."

Some of them rolled their eyes, yeah, they already knew that.

"As you know... And we saw Annabeth."

Thought some of the kid's attention was getting onto other things, my words about Annabeth brought it back to me. They were all staring at me again.

"She um... She's dead."

Most of the kids didn't react for a few seconds. The kids in the very back blinked a few times before looking at their sisters and brothers. They all bursted into tears. Some held each other and some were still in disbelief. I stood there awkwardly, but I defiantly understood their pain.

"I'm sorry."

I said to them before walking past Vivian, and out of the cabin. I exhaled, and made my way to the Apollo cabin. This was going to be hard. I knocked on the cabin door. Austin answered.

"Hey Nico! How was the quest with Percy?"

Austin opened the door and grabbed my arm, pulling me inside. All of Will's siblings let out some hey's and hi's to me. The cabin was loud as usual. People were singing and playing various instruments. An arrow or two was stuck to the walls, and just like the Athena cabin, the Apollo cabin was a mess. There was sheet music everywhere, sticky notes with song lyrics on the walls, and all sorts of beautiful artwork everywhere. There were sport equipment lying on the floor and pushed under beds or into corners.

"Good good. But I have some... Bad news."

Austin's smile fell and he looked at me with a frown. His hand went to his hair, just like Will would do when he was worried or nervous.

"Ha, bad news? What, is karaoke cancelled tonight?"

Austin sounded like he already knew the news. Will hadn't been back in weeks, he knew something was wrong.

"Will is dead."

Austin stood there looking at me. The Apollo cabin went silent, which almost never happens. Most of them burst into tears and did most of what the Athena cabin did. Some looked around in disbelief, others held onto their sisters and brothers crying on their shoulders. Before I could make my leave and go back to the Big House, Austin, Kayla, and most of Will's other siblings embraced me into a group hug. They held onto me and cried into my shirt and shoulders. I looked at them and started to cry too. Will had been my bests friend. Even after he found out I was gay, even after I sent Octavian to his death, and even after I tried to avoid him for a while. Will was truly my bestfriend. I held onto as many of the Apollo campers as I could, as tight as I could. I wanted them to know I was truly sorry. Even though I didn't loose Will as a brother, I lost him as a friend.

Only two more chapters to go! Thank you all for sticking around so long and giving me feedback, I really appearicate it! Have a good night / day yall!!