Percy’s POV

Her blood soaked through my arms.

It was warm at first, then slowly cooling, each passing second a reminder that time was bleeding out of her just as surely as she was bleeding into me. Rue’s head lolled against my chest as I carried her toward a nearby helicopter.

Her breathing was shallow, uneven, every rise of her chest fading, becoming weaker and weaker.

Stay with me.

I repeated it silently, like a prayer, like a command.

The bite marks on her calf were already darkening, ...