Solangelo 2

THALIA

I look around, unfamiliar ground. I evaluate, quickly. My girls don't seem concerned, so I lower my guard slightly. I turn, see Nico on the floor. I begin to remember.
Struck by lightning, just after Nico tried to call me. Black after that. Not blank. Not blank. My head pounds. I push it away.
'Thalia, thank the Gods.' Emily says, taking my hand, 'we thought you were gone.'
'Someone help him, please.' Annabeth cries from behind me. I slide off the table and am by her side, 'Will!'
A blonde boy moves over to Percy, begins to check on him. Percy's eyes are wide open, but he's staring at nothing, unresponsive to the light the boy runs over his eyes. He lies flat, as if tied to the floor.
Annabeth clutches at his sides, and I know how scared she is. How codependent she and Percy are now.
I hold her shoulders and she manages to turn to me, a quick hand to the cheek.
'You're okay.' She says, her voice frantic.
'I'm okay.' I say.
'What happened? Do you know what's happening to him?' She says, and I begin to remember more. A staleness, a red tint. My head pounds. I'm weak. I drop backwards, struggle to hold myself up, 'Thalia, are you okay?'
'I'm fine. I'm fine, focus on Percy.' I say, but I know I'm not fine. And I know where Percy is. I know what's happening to him. I look over to Nico, and I know he realises it at the same time.
Neither of us say anything. There's nothing we can do right now. But we both know Percy won't wake up for a while.
Someone is trying to bring us down again. The children of the big three. The rest is collateral damage. We're the targets once again. And someone wants us gone.