Book 3: Chapter 62: Seth

Book 3: Chapter 62: Seth
Seth

I stared at Alex, my heart clenching painfully in my chest, the look on her face was one that I was sure I wasn't going to forget any time soon. She had looked so betrayed, but I hadn't said anything. I had wanted to know what they were asking too. Fuck. She had been hiding a piece of the Allasigh stone! That wasn't nothing!

"Answered the questions? Are you kidding me, Annabeth? You wanted her to relive the worst nights of her life because you were nosy? Fine, let me tell you. Let me tell you how she lost the god damn stone. How it nearly killed her!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked finally finding my voice after a quick look at a stunned Annabeth.

Alex just continued on like I hadn't even spoken.

“You wanna know? You really want to fucking know? She’s been saving your sorry ass Annabeth since the day you fucking left her after her prison escape. She only survived because Matt stayed with her. And instead of wallowing in her grief of losing every important person in her life, she decided to start fully diving into the Allasigh stone with next to no information and building you allies because she figured you would need them. She was in Hemingdale trying to win you allies when you got kidnapped, and we came up with a way to make sure they couldn’t touch you. But to Mom, that wasn’t enough. So Lexy had to go save you, and as an incentive to make sure she went, Mom gave Vivian Calynn. And from there, she lived in god damn prisons for years in your place. And when she finally escaped, she fought in every battle she could. She continued her mission. She searched for the Allasigh stone. She saved your people. She saved those kids that are back in her tent in Gala. She has done EVERYTHING for you. Never staying anywhere more than a few days. Never having a home. And you guys have the nerve to not defend her. You let them attack her. You let your fear of what she had been through blind you from the god-damn truth that she has done nothing but protect this group with everything she has!”

"You promised you would say anything..." My head whipped around. Lexy was standing in the doorway, her lip trembling as she looked at Alex with a look of betrayal I never wanted to see on her face again. "You said you wouldn't..."

"Lexy..." Alex tried the anger dissipating from his body with something like horror and fear taking over.

"Don't." Her face hardened, and I felt my chest tighten. "Just don't."

She rushed out of the tent, and I stood up to follow and Alex did too. But by the time I got out of the tent, she was gone.

"Where did she go?" I asked desperately, trying to figure out what direction she might have gone in.

Alex's Mydem glowed between his hands and he closed his eyes, visioning something.

"She portalled." He said after a long moment as everyone filed out of the tent in various states of shock.

"Where did she go?" Annabeth asked numbly.

"How did she open a portal so fast?" Jake questioned at the same time.

"Practice." Alex said sadly. "And I have no idea, but she's safe for now."

"What do you mean for now? Where did she go?" The panic inside was building by the second.

"Seth..." It was Kris' voice sounding sad, but I couldn't even look at her.

"Where is she?" I repeated desperately. My eyes met Annabeth's and she looked just as terrified as I felt.

"She's doing what she always does. She's working." Alex responded as if it really was her normal.

"That's not an answer." Annabeth's eyes watered as she spoke.

"It's the best one I can give you right now. I've betrayed her trust enough." Alex said a little more gently. He had a soft spot for his sister. Anyone could tell that he loved her and would do anything to protect her, but she still didn't give him the time of day, even after all our years together. She was still mad at him for not telling her that he was her brother all those years ago. "You could use your own abilities if you want to know so bad."

Annabeth gulped and had the nerve to look embarrassed. She never liked to use her Mydem. She avoided it like the plague. So, I knew better than to think that she would check on her. Even if she was worried.

Alex opened the portal for us to return to the Gala border, but I didn't want to go. I wanted to wait right there until she returned, but I also knew it was far more likely for her to return to Gala than it was for her to come to this random meeting spot.

Simon placed the blindfold on Aiden's head, and I felt sick to my stomach. I knew he requested it, but I didn't like it. It made it seem like he was a bad guy, but we were the ones who had placed him as a spy. We were the ones who made him what he was.

"Stop." Aiden muttered to me.

"Stop what?" I asked, wondering if he was even talking to me.

"Worrying about me." He responded. "I'm fine."

"You're starting to sound like Lex, and neither of you are fine."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Aiden's lip, before that neutral mask slipped back on.

"She'll be okay." He said gently.

"You don't know that." I groaned as we slowly got closer to the portal.

"I do."

"Can you tell me where she is?" I asked desperately as I remembered that he could vision and feel other people’s emotions.

A sad look crossed his face. "I won't look for her. I won't put her in more danger than she already is."

"But-" I tried.

"No Seth," He said firmly. "She's safer if I have no idea where she is, then I can be honest when they ask me."

I sighed and allowed myself to go through the portal in hopes that she would be at home waiting for me, even as Kris slipped her hand in mine so we could portal home together.