Stacey Pendragon-daughter of the sea

NICO POV
“How in Hades name did you climb this thing?” I panted and I heaved myself on the roof and sat next to her.

“With my feet”, she replied shortly, looking over at the beach. After a short pause,

“I’m sorry”.

"Why?" I asked her, taken aback at her sudden apology. “For whatever happened in the morning, and snapping at you… the list is long” Stacey replied quietly. I didn’t know what to say, so I stayed quiet
.
“Are you not going to accept my apology?” she turned to me, and I saw her face for the first time since I climbed up here. There was no spark in her eyes and her face was turned down.

This was very unsettling, since I had never seen Stacey like this. “What happened?”

“What makes you ask that?” Stacey said, not looking at me. "Well, you’re sitting all alone here with a droopy face, instead of plotting and hatching, so something sure is up"
“nothing is up’, she argued, diverting her eyes. “If nothing is the problem, then why don’t you look me in the eye and say so” I replied. She sighed and looked at me, scowling.

“You want to know? I’ll tell you. The entire camp thinks I’m a bomb, going to burst any minute and avoidingme like the plague because of Annabeth’s talk with Percy, and Titania is roaming free there and the worst thing? Annabeth’s words affected me and now I want to leave camp!” she burst out, saying all this in one breath. I just blinked, not knowing what to say. The entire camp was avoiding her?

“I'm sorry. I removed it all on you. I’ll just go get ready for the quest. I need to talk to Chiron”, she said getting up but I grabbed her hand and pulled her down.

“I’m coming with you. No matter what you say”, I announced, daring her to argue. Stacey opened her mouth to argue, but accepted defeated and shut her mouth.“Fine”, she sighed.

“You win”.

“So, where actually is this headquarters?”

“You think I know? If I knew, I would’ve been of immediately”, Stacey remarked as she began fidgeting with her ring. “Will Rachel know? She’s the oracle, after all”. Stacey looked at me, the excitement back in her eyes.

"Oh, yes!" I forgot! My gods, Nico, you’re a genius!!” she slapped me on my back and rose up, dusting her jeans. “I’m going to Rachel. Wait for me”, and she jumped of the roof and fell to the ground on her knees.

“Whoa! Be careful, will you?” I called out after her as she ran towards Rachel’s den. She just waved behind her back and sped up. I grinned and shook my head, not believing the things she did.

Notes