The Path Of Glory (Annabeth Chase x Male Reader)

89. Percy Sits On The Hot Seat

"What were you thinking?" Clarisse cradled Silena's head in her lap.

Silena tried to swallow, but her lips were dry and cracked. "Wouldn't . . . listen. Cabin would . . . only follow you."

"So you stole my armor," Clarisse said in disbelief. "You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol; you stole my armor and pretended to be me." She glared at her siblings. "And none of you noticed?"

The Ares campers developed a sudden interest in their combat boots.

"Don't blame them," Silena said. "They wanted to . . . to believe I was you."

"You stupid Aphrodite girl," Clarisse sobbed. "You charged a drakon? Why?"

"All my fault," Silena said, a tear streaking the side of her face. "The drakon, Charlie's death . . . camp endangered—"

"Stop it!" Clarisse said. "That's not true."

Silena opened her hand. In her palm was a silver bracelet with a scythe charm, the mark of Kronos.

A cold fist closed around Y/N's heart. "You were the spy."

Silena tried to nod. "Before . . . before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me. He was so . . . charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised . . . he promised I was saving lives. Fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn't hurt . . . Charlie."

"And you believed him," Y/N muttered.

"He lied to me."

He felt a hand holding his. He met Annabeth's eyes. Her face was chalky. She looked like somebody had just yanked the world out from under her feet. He understood her. He didn't know what to think anymore.

Behind them, the battle raged.

Clarisse scowled at her cabinmates. "Go, help the centaurs. Protect the doors. GO!"

They scrambled off to join the fight.

Silena took a heavy, painful breath. "Forgive me."

"You're not dying," Clarisse insisted.

"Charlie . . ." Silena's eyes were a million miles away. "See Charlie . . ."

Those were her last words.

Clarisse held her and wept. Chris put a hand on her shoulder.

Finally Percy closed Silena's eyes.

"We have to fight." Percy's voice was brittle. "She gave her life to help us. We have to honor her."

Clarisse sniffled and wiped her nose. "She was a hero, understand? A hero." She stared at Y/N.

He looked away. He didn't know what to think. Ever since he'd learned that a spy was hiding in their midst, he'd decided to loathe him. The spy could only be the vilest and most evil person alive. But now he found the spy was none other than Silena Beauregard, whom he'd never have described as vile or evil. She was kind, caring, brave. He was utterly confused.

Percy said, "Come on."

Y/N picked up his sword. He'd think about all that later. One more dilemma wouldn't stop him from ending it once and for all with Luke. "Kronos is going to pay."

If Y/N had had to point at who drove the enemy away from the Empire State Building, no doubt he would've pointed at Clarisse. Even without her armor or spear, she was a demon. She rode her chariot straight into the Titan's army and crushed everything in her path.