The storm raged, mirroring the tempest of that night years ago. It threatened to drown the world in a torrent of wind and rain. Until a sharp knock echoed through the silent house. A sound we hadn't heard in what felt like an eternity.
Hesitation gripped us. We hadn’t anticipated visitors, and the sound of someone at the door felt alien. I sent Hazel to answer, my heart hammering against my ribs.
I remained in the front room, straining to hear the exchange. The voices—Hazel’s, and another, a girl’s—sent a shiver down my spine. A girl? How? The nearest village lay twenty miles distant, a journey fraught with peril even in daylight. Any girl traveling alone that distance would be escorted by a man. And to be riding in a storm like this… it was madness.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, approaching. I forced myself upright, raking fingers through my tangled hair. A flicker of hope ignited within me. A girl might be a chance for companionship. I rehearsed my greeting, a careful plan forming in my mind. But the plan dissolved the moment I saw her.
She was breathtaking. Seventeen, perhaps, with skin kissed by the sun. A life lived outdoors, etched in every line of her face. Her hair, a cascade of princess curls, dripped with rain, shimmering like spun gold.
At first glance, I thought her eyes were blue. But a closer look revealed a startling grey—eyes that held a depth that threatened to swallow me whole. I felt as if I could lose myself gazing into them, adrift in their endless expanse.
A creature like me, stained with darkness, had no right to hope for a glance from someone so radiant. She’d recoil at my true form. I realized I’d been staring too long, mesmerized. I rose, moving to greet her.
“Hello,” I said, forcing authority into my voice. “My name is Percy. And you are?” I extended my hand, hoping for a simple touch. She took it, and a jolt of electricity surged through me. It was fleeting, too soon. She withdrew her hand, her cheeks flushing.
“My name is Annabeth,” she said, her gaze averted. “I was caught riding before the storm broke. I hoped to find shelter for the night. I can be on my way by morning.”
Blush crept up my own neck, mirroring her own. I hadn't realized how warm my face felt.
“Yes, of course,” I stammered. “Stay as long as you need.”