She's not real

Thalia held him through the convulsive shaking. He was in pain, barely conscious, groaning and breathing hard. He tried to curl into a protective ball, but she held him too tightly. "You'll be fine." She kept telling him. "Wake up, please. Open your eyes..." She cried this time in fear of him dying now.

As if he heard her cries and pleading, he unbelievably obeyed. His lids half-lifted. His eyes were glazed, unfocused. Then they closed again, dark lashes resting on his pale cheeks. His arms swept up and locked around her, desperately clinging to her warmth as he was wracked by another bout of uncontrollable shaking. His entire body was tense, shuddering.

He was as strong as an ox, his arms were like steel bands around her. Thalia endured it and murmured soothingly to him, rubbing his shoulders, pressing as close to him as she could.