“We should really be focusing on our military history report,” Alexi calls, trailing after Percy and Cadet Harper. “I’m sure Harper has assignments to do too. It’s due in next week.”

“Then leave it for next week,” Percy replies. “You promised me fun at the weekend.”

“But we’ve only got two days-”

“That’s plenty.”

“Maybe for you, Percy,” Harper says with a sigh as they board small ferry waiting. “Some of us need a bit more time though.”

“Well then, you guys go back and work on boring stuff and I’ll go to the funfair,” Percy replies with a shrug. “I’m not forcing you to come.”

Alexi glances at Harper, who sighs again, shrugs and sits on the deck at the rails with Percy. Well, just one day can’t hurt. Alexi sits with them, watching the ocean glittering in the early morning light. Percy is explaining, with his usual enthusiasm, all the different types of marine life he can under the clear ocean surface. Harper smiles along good naturedly, although the look in his eyes is something between amused and tired. Perhaps the look of a parent who’s been told these exact same facts in varying presentations more times than they can count. Percy is so enthusiastic, though. He enjoys sea life and the ocean so much. There’s something rather wonderful about seeing someone talking about their passion.

“Why are you training to be a Knight?” Alexi asks once the ferry is moving. Percy frowns at him. “Why do you want to fight Nightmares and become a hero when you obviously love the sea so much? Aren’t there other things to do with your life besides risk it fighting monsters?”

Percy’s smiles softens into something wistful and distant. “When I was a kid, in the palace, I saw a monster. Her Majesty was coming out of Aurum’s temple in the middle of the night. I wasn’t supposed to be out or awake but I had a weird feeling. There were lights in the water. I followed them and found her there, coming out the temple with a man with white hair. He smiled at me and told me it was ok to go in. Great Aurum was visiting at night and that was why there was no sunlight.”

“That’s not why,” Alexi says. “It’s because-”

“I know why,” Percy says, shaking his head, “but I was a kid. I found a body. And a monster.”

“A Nightmare?” Harper asks. “Within the Bass City? The temple itself? Can they do that?”

“I’m not sure,” he replies. “It lunged at me and then this person with silver hair got in the way and it stopped. They called it a phantasm, touched its face, told it that it was ok and I could see it. They put their hand over my eyes, said it was ok and I should close my eyes and sleep. It was just a dream. I woke up in my bed.”

“Maybe it was a dream,” Alexi says.

“Maybe.” He sighs and lowers his head. “I’d believe that but it was so real. And…”

“And the body?”

Percy nods.

“Who was it?” Harper says.

“Queen Grace,” Percy replies. “They found her dead in the temple. I could never really tell anyone what I saw. No one listened even when I tried.”

“Of course not,” Alexi says. “With Queen Grace dead, only Princess Hana and Prince Valiant could stand in the way of the Golden Empire taking Gorgyra. The prince was already engaged to Princess Rosalie as part of their non-aggression pact and those resisting the Golden Empire took Princess Hana to safety, leaving their kingdom completely vulnerable. The implication Her Majesty murdered a ruling queen wouldn’t go down well.”

“Murder is nothing when it comes to the queens,” Harper mutters. “That’s their job, after all. They fight these battles so we don’t have to.”

“We fight the monsters, they fight each other.”

“Her Majesty was interested in what I had to say though,” Percy says. “She wanted to hear all about the monster and the person I saw there. She kept asking if I saw it again at strange times. I stopped talking about it in the end. I decided it was just a dream. I always thought about it though. I knew I wanted to find that phantasm again. I want to protect people. I want to repay the favour.”

Alexi frowns at him. For once, Percy isn’t frivolous and childish about the path he’s walking. Whatever he’d seen that night, real or imagined, had impacted him more than Alexi thinks anything has ever impacted him. For the first time, Percy is just a person. He has a history and a goal and a reason beyond just wanting to amuse himself.

“Percy.”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever been exclusive? Even for a while?”

“Sometimes,” Percy says with a smile. Alexi sighs and leans against the rails and Percy tilts his head. “Why?”

“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” Alexi murmurs.

Percy laughs and leans close, so close their noses touch lightly. “Never regret the things you try out, Lexi. Only the things you let pass you by. Try everything, regret nothing, enjoy every second as if it’s the last.”

“In our line of work it might well be,” Harper says.

“Will you try for me?” Alexi asks. His fingers brush the tips of his hair but Percy’s hand closes around his before they start to tangle in. “I understand if you can’t but-”

“I’ll do my best,” Percy replies, “and I’ll talk to you if I can’t.”

“You’re going to use him to distract yourself from your own pain and try to change him at the same time,” Harper mutters. “How romantic.”

“Damien?”

“Nothing.”

Percy beams and Alexi’s heart skips a beat as their fingers interlace loosely. Harper turns away, grumbling something he can’t quite make out. For all his reassurances he’s not at all interested in Percy as anything but a friend, he seems very against it. Does he really consider Alexi such an awful prospect for Percy?

The fair on the mainland is full of cadets taking the chance to get off the island and explore more than just a sleepy town that relied on the institute’s trade for survival. The docks are full of small ferries, heading back and forth, shuttling cadets to and from their island. Ivy’s normally sleepy streets are suddenly busy and full of life. The entire place buzzes with excitement and chatter. Percy drags them both off to investigate every food stand he can. Alexi is rather surprised to have him holding his hand the entire time, squeezing for emphasis as he explains how good everything apparently is.

“Dragons!”

Percy turns at the childish calls. Alexi pauses and there’s only a short moment before he’s dragged off in that direction. Harper follows with an absent smile. It’s not hard to find where the dragons are. There’s quite a crowd.

“Can you ride dragons?” Alexi says as they get into the crowd.

Percy glances at him. “Can’t you?”

“I was never very good,” Alexi says. “Mother was rather disappointed by it. I never really tried after the first few failures.”

“Never tried,” Harper says. “That’s a hobby for you few elites.”

“Not always,” he replies. “Mother says there are still wild dragons. It’s not really my thing, though. I think they only like you demigods.”

“I think Percy’s a bit less than half by now.”

“Funny, you always seemed like the type who’d try over and over until you were perfect at everything,” Percy says.

“I do?”

“You did.”