Thalia was dreaming.

It was feverish and faint, like sand sliding between her grasping fingers.

She saw flashes of you, she heard your voice in all the different ways you said her name.

The dream wouldn’t settle, and she was tossing and turning in her cot, making small disgruntled noises.

Thalia, I’m a fit if desperation, a need to see you and feel your heartbeat, reached out in her sleep.

Both hands grasped at either side of her, somehow still expecting your warm skin to greet her calloused fingertips.

Instead, she was left with nothing but the unforgiving cut of cool air and space.

The daughter of Zeus only grew more and more distraught as she writhed, calling out your name.

The calls of your name got louder and louder as her desperation increased, her arms flailing in a panic.

She needed you.

Instead of your sweet face, you warm and loving touch, she was greeted with a face she didn’t recognize at first.

It was the face of her fellow Huntress and roommate, Maria Castillo.

Mari shook Thalia awake, her face confused.

Thalia woke and shot into a upright position quickly, panting hard.

Maria pulled back, analyzing her friend. “More dreams of the girl you left behind, I’m guessing?”

“Gods. Yeah, Aphrodite is cruel.” Thalia said thickly, her breath still heavy.

“Well, she’s not cruel for no reason, is she? You did leave one of her daughters.” Maria reasoned, sitting back on her own cot and drawing her knees up to her chest.

Thalia sighed. She didn’t want to think about this.

She didn’t want to acknowledge that this was all her fault.