NAMIKO
I woke up before dawn, hoping to avoid Annabeth. This was the best I could do after my failed attempt to make Arya understand.
I grabbed fresh clothes and headed to the river for a quick wash.
The river was quiet when I arrived, and the sky was still dark. The water looked still, the surface barely rippling, like it was holding its breath.
I slipped my sandals off, dropping the clothes I brought to the side, then getting rid of the one I had on, already bracing myself for the cold, when my gaze landed on something.
A person standing in the distance at the edge of the water. My heart skipped a beat as I palmed my mouth to keep me from screaming.
I took a step forward, to peer into who it was. A chill ran down my spine when I caught something familiar.
“Arya?” I recognized the
