Typhon's Revenge

Chapter Forty-Six

WATER

I had a bad feeling. I wasn't the sort of person who ever had these kinds of feelings but right now, I couldn't even sleep because it was eating me alive. Mason was snoring on the other bed in the room, he didn't have any trouble falling asleep since he was snoring since his head fell on his pillow and I envied that ability he had.

No one was looking forward to being out in the open again and personally, I would have rather asked Hades to portal us to Olympus if it were possible, but most things, if not everything, was possible to the gods.

Shaking my head, I tried to quiet my mind but I failed and a sigh escaped me before I grabbed the blankets and threw them off me as I sat up and rubbed my face with my hands. Slowly, I placed my feet on the ground and a shiver ran down my spine as I felt the ground cold underneath my bare feet.

That's strange, I thought as I looked at the ground. Out of all the times I had walked barefoot on the floor that I could recall, not once did I feel the ground cold under me. This was the Underworld, and it was usually very warm.

Shaking my head, I told myself that I was just being paranoid, that it wasn't like that and I would have believed it if I hadn't been so alert and on edge.

But I ignored the feeling and I put on my slippers and a sweater before walking out of the room. Maybe a walk would clear my mind.

Stepping out into the hallway, silence surrounded me as the lights shone faintly over me. It was just enough to see where I was walking but not enough to be able to see throughout the hallway. Wrapping my sweater tigther around me, I started walking as I headed for the main hallway that led to the stairs.

I wasn't sure of where I was going, but I was just following my instincts.

I had just reached the stairs when something caught my attention from the corner of my eye. Hesitantly, I turned to the side and looked at the hallway that led to the common room and the training room. Everything was quiet and still but there was a faint light coming from inside the common room that hadn't been there.

Slowly, I turned towards the room and I reached for my blade. I didn't think there was anything dangerous inside but I could never be too careful.

My steps were quiet as I reached the common room. The doors were slightly ajar and I could see inside. Gently, I pushed the door open enough to see what was happening inside.

There was a candle on the coffee table, the flame seemed to be dancing from side to side and behind it, against the window frame at the end of the room, was a girl with dark hair.

I gripped my blade tigther in my hand as I tried to be as silent as possible. I couldn't see her face but I wasn't about to take any chances.

The person sitting on the window ledge and leaning against the wall heard me and quickly turned around to face me. Her eyes widened noticeably as they landed on the sword and confusion and shock flashed across her face as she looked at me in disbelief.

"Andrew? What are you doing?" Alex asked without taking her eyes off of the sword.

Letting out a deep sigh of relief, I lowered the blade until it shortened to a small knife and I was able to put it back in my pocket. Alex was still eyeing me closely but she didn't say anything else as she waited for me to say something.

"Sorry if I scared you, I just couldn't recognize you in the dim light," I murmured sheepishly as I pointed to the candle on the coffee table.

Alex nodded her head as she turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "I get it. We're all on edge because of tomorrow. Why are you awake?" She asked with curiosity and I sighed before sitting down on one of the couches that faced towards her.

"I could ask you the same thing," I began with a slight chuckle and she only rolled her eyes. "I couldn't sleep. For some reason, I have a bad feeling about tomorrow. I'm not sure about why or what it is but I can't seem to shut my mind off," I said after a moment of silence.

Alex seemed surprised by my confession as she leaned forward and thought to herself. She didn't say anything right away while I sat awkwardly on the couch.

"I couldn't sleep either. I'm guessing it's because of the same reason you said. I have a bad feeling too, but I can't place the source or reason. I just know something bad is going to happen," she murmured and I raised an eyebrow.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked slowly and she smiled.

"Because I have had feelings like these before. For example, when you arrived at the orphanage, or when we were attacked by monsters the night it was burnt to the ground. Or the time Aileen got hurt. All of those things... the came with a warning, I just didn't know it. That is, until now. I'm starting to learn and understand that I need to follow my intuition more and right now, that's telling me that something's going to happen tomorrow," she said quickly and I stared at her at shock. Maybe, just maybe, it turned out Alex wasn't just a normal human like we had thought at the beginning.

"And how are your... intuitions?" I asked as I wondered how to call them. "I mean, can you see flashes of the future or see who's involved?" My voice was filled with intrigue and she only sighed and shook her head.

"Not exactly. Sometimes, while I'm asleep, it's like you say. I can see some flashes of a scene but I can't make it out clearly. It's as if it were a movie trailer playing at triple speed," she explained and I couldn't help but chuckle at her comparison.

"Okay, and then how do you know it's going to happen?" I asked slowly.

"Because it's... it's just a hunch. When I'm awake, I just feel as if my skin were tingling and crawling. I can't sit still nor think straight, much less sleep. That's why I came here. To try and make peace with my thoughts."

"And how is that working out for you?" I asked with a bit of amusement.

Alex rolled her eyes at me and sighed. "I'm failing. I can't stop thinking about tomorrow. But don't change the subject. You still haven't answered my question," she said with a raised eyebrow and I nodded my head.

"Actually, I'm awake for the same reason you are although I have never felt this way. But if you're feeling it too then that just confirms that we have to be ready for anything tomorrow. Since I couldn't sleep, I decided to take a walk and try to tire myself," I said with a shrug.

"And how's that working out for you?" She asked in amusement and I could see her eyes gleaming as she repeated what I said back to me.

I chuckled and shook my head. "I haven't had much success. But then again, I still haven't gone for my walk. I saw the light coming from here and I decided to come see what was going on. I'm glad it was just you," I said with a smile and she chuckled.

"I'm very dangerous too, you know?" She said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Playing along, I nodded my head and pretended to look terrified. "Very."

With a sigh, Alex jumped off from the ledge and extended her hand towards me as she nodded to the door.

"Come on, let's go take a walk. I think both of us could use it, don't you?" She asked and I nodded my head.

Taking her hand, she helped me up and I put off the candle before following her out the door.

We walked down the stairs and headed out into the garden. The air was cold, but the silence was peaceful and the smell of grass seemed to relax both of us.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and let myself drift off with the sensation of peacefulness. I was definitely going to miss this feeling.

"So, how have you been?" Alex's voice cut through the silence and I opened my eyes to look at her.

She looked uncomfortable as she walked with her hands inside the pockets of her sweater and her eyes staring forward. I knew she was trying to make small talk and I found that slightly strange. Mostly because back in the orphanage, she was usually outgoing and a bit cocky. She always seemed in control of the situation and started every conversation with whomever she was speaking to. Now, she was talking to me as if I were a stranger.

I didn't blame her. Especially not with all that had gone down with Aileen and me. Actually, the last time I could recall talking to Alex like friends was when we arrived to the Underworld which was a very long time ago.

Shaking my head, I smiled and followed her lead. "I'm actually pretty well, even considering the circumstances. A part of me is excited to be back in the game," I said, and that's when I realized how true it was.

Alex chuckled and nodded her head.

The two of us kept on talking, and at some point, we talked like how we used to all those months ago.

She told me all about Mason and her and how they had formalized their relationship. I could see her eyes gleam under the moonlight as she spoke about Mason. It was obvious they were in love, anyone could see it. What they had was special and I was happy for her. For them. But I would be lying if I said that didn't hurt me a bit or that I wasn't slightly jealous of them.

Don't get me the wrong way, I wasn't jealous in a bad way. I just wished things with Aileen had gone differently. I missed her and above all things, I knew she was the one for me. Even if we weren't together.

The last time we had touched was when Mason and I got to the training room and found Aileen on the edge of sanity and Kalani unbreathing.

That was the last time I had held her and gods, that moment had felt as if my body had woken up from a long slumber. By just being close to her, I felt alive.

But the moment had been brief and nothing had changed after that. Not that I had expected it to. But I just wished things were different somehow.

I wished I hadn't screwed up. But our decisions, no matter where in the past, have consequences, and I was paying for mine.

Either way, I knew I wasn't going to give up on Aileen. I didn't think I could nor did I want to. I hoped that one day, things would change and until then, I could wait. I knew how to be patient and I would never leave her on her own. I would always have her back, no matter what.

Alex and I walked and talked until our feet began to hurt and we decided to go back inside. The two of us walked in silence, clearly tired and sleepy.

Alex yawned on the way upstairs and I couldn't help but yawn too.

Soon, we reached our rooms and she turned to me with a smile. "Well, that was fun. I missed being friends with you. Real friends," she whispered and I faked a hurt expression on my face.

"I thought we were always friends," I said in a fake offended voice.

Alex rolled her eyes and gently hit my arm. "You know what I mean," she said and smiled.

Nodding my head, I sighed and placed my hands in my pockets. "I missed you too."

Alex's smile widened and she nodded her head. "Well then, we should get some sleep. It's late and tomorrow we have a long day."

I nodded my head and she waved me goodnight before disappearing into her room.

Once she was gone, I walked into my room and Mason's snores greeted me. Chuckling, I made my way towards my bed and I jumped inside, suddenly feeling very tired.

I looked at the clock on the nightstand and realized that it was past midnight and soon, we'd have to wake up, but until then, I was going to make every second of sleep count.

Wrapping the blankets tightly around me, I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes. This time, I drifted off without another thought.