Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It's getting late. As the bass thumps, my headache grows and pounds with the music. I want nothing more than to crawl under the covers with a book and tune out the world. My family dances and drinks on, celebrating the new year after a tumultuous ride that was the previous one. They would be partying regardless, but this year calls for extra celebration.

I turn my head up to the sky and tune out the music. The stars are bright tonight. Even with the thick shroud of smoke from the fireworks, I still can spot my go-to's. Sirius, Andromeda, Orion... Remnants of stars that are probably already dead, the light just now reaching our planet like a warning too late. Or a promise.

"Preciosa," my abuela hums as she unabashedly stares at me. My cheeks grow warm with both appreciation and insecurity. Why do old people stare so blatantly?

"Graciassss," I drawl, my limited Spanish making most of our conversations go like this. As I smile at her, she tears up and mumbles a quick prayer to herself. I catch the words "protect her" and "Dios," but tune out the rest. She always gets sentimental this time of year.

Suddenly, my heart rate quickens, and sweat blooms on my lower back as I feel the ever-familiar sensation of anxiety. Now that I notice the speedy heart rate, it only speeds up more and beats louder in my ears. Something feels wrong. Something bad is going to happen.

This always happens, this is nothing different. You just need to sleep and stop worrying so much.

I groan inwardly as I stand and scan the room for my best friend, Terra. After a moment, I spot her dancing goofily with my tio and smirk. Rhythm is not a specialty for the "gringa" as my family calls her. Her long, straight, blonde ponytail swishes with her jerky movements but stills as she catches a glimpse of my clammy, pale face.

"What-"

"I'm tired, I think I'm gonna make my rounds and head to bed soon. Are you coming?" I interrupt, not wanting to explain my pallor. She scans my face, frowns, then quickly observes the rest of the room as if looking for someone else. She doesn't seem to find what she's looking for and turns back to me nodding.

"Sure, yeah, your uncle is terrible at dancing anyway," she grimaces. He continues dancing obliviously, not having understood her comment.

Terra grabs my arm with a smile and drags me around to the rest of my family members, knowing them all by name, something even I struggle with at times. She charmed them long ago because that's who she was. Her silly antics and bright personality make it impossible to dislike her, while my shyness and blunt nature make me quite easy to dislike.

"I'm feeling tired, so Estrella is going to help me set up the air mattress. Thank you for everything tonight!" she tells my family. I force a smile and nod alongside her, hugging relative after relative, faces blurring together as I'm lost in my thoughts.

When we get to my dad, he's slowly dancing with a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other.

"Where are you going?" he shouts to us over the music.

"Estrella and I are going to go get ready for bed, I'm beat," Terra exclaims. My dad looks at me skeptically for a moment but then breaks into a smile and nods.

"Ok, goodnight ladies. Feliz año nuevo! Love you," he says as he wraps his thick arms around us both and kisses the top of my head. I wrinkle my nose at the scent of the cigar and lightly pat his back before pulling away.

"Night," I mumble.

He's always been the type of guy to stay up as late as possible, enjoying every last bit of life he can as the stars emerge and the moon brightens. He constantly works the night shift at the hospital, which is apparently where he met my mom late after one shift. She left when I was 2, so I have a very limited, blurry image of a dark head of hair peering at me. That's all she left me with. No note, no mementos, no words of wisdom, no stories. Just crippling anxiety and an introverted personality – quite the opposite of my bubbly father who cannot shut up and makes friends with people everywhere he goes.

"Goodnight Mr. Jose!" Terra chirps and drags me away. As soon as I step inside and close the sliding glass door behind me, I breathe a sigh of relief when the reggaeton quiets to a muffled rhythmic thrumming.

When we get to my room, Terra's smile drops, and she whirls on me.

"What's wrong?" she questions.

"Nothing, I was just getting tired of the loud music."

"Bullshit. Are you feeling anxious again?" she looks at me with a concerned frown as if trying to force her way into my head.

"No, I'm fi-" she raises an eyebrow, "I'm fine, really," I sigh. When five seconds pass of her staring blankly at me, I finally give in.

"Ok fine, I started feeling a little anxious and I don't know why. Like I was literally just sitting there talking to my grandma and my heart starts racing. Why can I no longer just exist and be normal?" I whine, "I just feel like something really bad is gonna happen."

A strange look of fear passes over her face before she schools her features into a small sympathetic smile.

That was weird.

"You're probably right, it's been a long day and you're just overwhelmed," she reasons. I furrow my brows and nod, deflating a bit. I wish someone would actually validate my feelings for once.

"I think I left my phone out there, I'm gonna go grab it and be right back," she says while walking towards the door, "Why don't you get all comfy in your pajamas and get ready for bed."

She closes the door and I sigh heavily. I still feel the gnawing feeling in my chest and a strange tightness in my stomach. Flopping dramatically onto the bed, I stare at the ceiling and rest one hand on my chest and one on my stomach, feeling the rise and fall of my breath. I imagine my body filling with light as I inhale, the darkness being shoved out as I exhale. With each breath, I become brighter and lighter, until there's so much sunlight that it's hard to imagine anything else.

Except with each breath, my heartbeat quickens, refusing to just return to normal. It gets louder and the brightness fades to a mound of inky blackness squirming through my veins. Heat grows beneath my back, and I squirm, trying and failing to find a comfortable position to relax.

I sit up with a frustrated huff but freeze when I hear a scream. Blood rushes in my ears as I strain to identify who screamed, ice flooding my system with a heavy sense of dread.

Another scream. I shoot to my feet and put my ear to my bedroom door, eyes closed as I try to project my hearing into the hallway. It's silent.

I yank open my bedroom door and catch the tail-end of my tia's raucous scream-laughter.

Of course you were imagining it. Jesus, why the hell can't you just be normal and relax?

With an exasperated groan, I fist my hands in my hair and look at the ceiling like, can you believe this girl?

Suddenly, I feel my heart palpitate, almost like it skipped a beat. My body feels weak and sweaty at once, and my hands begin to shake.

What is going on with me? I must be sick or something.

I shakily move to sit back on the bed and my stomach gurgles with a wave of fear so powerful my knees buckle. My breath speeds up and I feel cold, frozen to the spot because the fear has turned my veins to ice.

A crash sounds from outside. I hear yells of discontent as the music shuts off, and suddenly a scream so shrill my vision turns white. Another shout of pain.

With my blood pumping in my ears, I sprint out of my room, through the suddenly quiet hallways, and nearly collapse at the sight through the sliding glass doors.

A dark, demonic being stands crouched above my grandmother, fangs embedded into the crook of her neck.

A strangled gasp escapes me and the creature's eyes lock onto me like a missile. Bile rises in my throat as I take a faltering step back away from the glass.

Maybe it didn't see me.

It stands up, pushing the now pale and grey body of my grandma to the side, and lowers its head with a small, devilish smile.

A scream of horror from one of my other family members momentarily distracts the monster and it quickly hobbles away on short, stubby legs.

I slide into the shadows and desperately rack my brain for what to do. Abuelita... A lump forms in my throat and tears fill my eyes, but I shove it down. Not the time. Move or you die.

Remaining in the shadows, I creep through the front door away from the patio and sprint around the house to survey the damage. Halfway to my family, I spot the silhouette of another large mass hulking over my aunt's body.

Oh my god... Tia Lourdes!

She's worryingly still under its gaze and her neck looks wrong. Her head lies at a peculiar angle and her face is frozen in a painful grimace.

My breath stops. My heart pounds so loudly I can feel it at the base of my skull.

The creature turns toward where I hide, and I nearly scream at its appearance. A headless 6-foot-tall man with thick arms and legs stares at me with a face that's on its chest.

I must be losing my fucking mind.

"Hello, I'm so sorry you had to see that," it grates out with its arms in a 'well, what can you do?' gesture.

My breath returns in short pants, and I try to scuttle back into the shadows. Before I can hide, the creature grabs my arm harshly.

"Please don't do that," it grumbles almost politely.

What is happening? I'm about to die. This is it.

I take another step back and try to yank my arm from its grip.

"Let go of me you fucking monster!" I sob. I thrash and yank until my shoulder feels like it's going to dislocate.

"That's not very polite, young lady. This woman here said something similar and look what I had to do."

My thrashing ceases. I glance down at my aunt who still hasn't moved.

What?

The ice in my stomach thaws immediately. My racing heart seems to slow as a dark, sluggish blackness fills my veins. The anxiety fades into a minuscule buzzing and rage blossoms deep in my body. It rushes through every part of me until it's all that I can feel, all I can see.

Black.

The shadows seem darker than they were before. My aunt's body is somewhat hidden now, and I can barely see the monster's feet.

The darkness that's been lurking deep down for so many years seeps into my muscles and I suddenly feel a rush of adrenaline.

With a snarl, I rip my arm from its grasp. It stumbles back a step looking surprised before shooting an arm out and colliding with the side of my head.

Violent pinpricks of light burst across my vision, and I slam into the wall behind me. A harsh, pounding headache forms immediately and the world slows down.

I glance at my prone aunt, back to the hideous creature, and down at my feet. I am submerged in darkness, invisible to anyone who wasn't looking directly at me.

With a shriek, I grab the nearest weapon – a jagged stone at the base of a flowerbed – and throw it with all my might at the demon. When it leaves my hands, though, I lose sight of it. The stone is cloaked in darkness and almost blends into the shadows around us.

I hear a shocked grunt followed by a thump as the monster falls back onto its butt. Its nose (sternum?) is bleeding. The same jagged stone is lying on the ground next to it, now a light brown.

What just happened?

I don't take long to wonder and slide my way along the wall fully hidden in the darkness. I finally make it back to the patio and my knees weaken at the sight of my family lying broken at what was once a celebratory party.

A sudden movement draws my eye and I spot Terra limping with my father's arm around her shoulders. His face is pale, and a long scratch runs down his right forearm. He's holding a knife covered in some sort of dust and Terra has a thick layer of the same substance in her hair.

I stay hidden as the same demonic creature that stood above my grandmother appears from around the corner and flaps what looks like black wings toward Terra and my father. I stare on in horror, waiting for the brutal murder that I am about to witness.

Why aren't they running? No, no, please no.

Terra turns around and takes the blade from my father. Weakly, she stands her ground and deftly avoids what would be a killing blow. She parries the next attack and strikes at the monster, opening a large gash on its furry, pug-nosed face.

How the hell did she just do that? What is going on??

The monster screeches and descends towards Terra, ready to end her life when I jump out of the shadows and scream. I throw a steak knife as hard as I can, which after stepping out of the shadows is not very hard, and rush at it. It squawks in fury and retreats for a moment with a knife embedded in its shriveled arm.

Before I can even turn to Terra, the monster changes direction and speeds toward me. I frantically search for another knife and come up empty-handed before the creature snatches up my arm and pulls me off my feet. Its grip is tight, but for some reason, it's trying to drag me into the sky while snickering instead of just killing me immediately.

Terra yells my name, but I can't see her past the hag's ugly body. I look over when the monster roars in agony and see the tip of a gold knife peeking from its shoulder.

I'm falling. Wind rushes in my hair as the ground rapidly approaches. I stupidly try to land on my feet and the impact is so jarring, I collapse on my side and bang my head for the second time in the night.

Muffled voices fill my ears, but I can't distinguish what they're saying as I wait for my vision to clear. Slowly, the cloudiness fades and is replaced with a migraine worthy of Zeus.

I notice a hand on my back and roll over to face a concerned Terra.

She's alive! Where is my dad?

With a grunt, I try to sit up but have to stop and rest back on my elbows as the world spins and seems to vibrate with vertigo.

"-you ok? Es, can you hear me? Just sit still for a second, are you ok?" Terra asks.

The pounding in my head makes me nauseous and I quickly lean to the side and vomit. I heave until my eyes are stinging and nothing is coming up.

A pressure on my back brings me back to the present and I hear Terra talking to my dad.

"-not sure. She's not really responding, and her head is bleeding. I don't think she got scratched though."

"I'm 'kay," I moan as I push myself to my knees. After a moment, the spinning and vertigo fade enough to stand, albeit wobbly. My right ankle flares in pain from the impact of the fall, but I'm otherwise unharmed.

Why did it let me live but not my family?

When I turn to my father, he looks much worse than before. His normally tan complexion has gone from white to a greyish-green and he's covered in sweat. The scratch on his arm is swollen and infected-looking which is strange because he just received the cut.

Terra isn't looking much better. She's pale and grimaces when she puts weight on her left leg. She munches on a starburst and looks slightly better for a moment.

"Es, we need to leave, now," Terra demands with little room for argument. I look down at the lifeless form of my abuela and my eyes prickle with tears.

What just happened? Who would want to- why my fam- what were those things?

Each racing thought sends a pang through my sore head, and I brace myself on the back of a chair.

Leave? Don't we need to call the police and ambulances? Some of my family might still be alive!

"What do you mean leave? We need to call 911! Look at my dad he's-"

"Honey, she's right. You need to go with Terra. I'll be fine I'm gonna-" he swallows a lump in his throat, "I'm gonna see who's still ok and get help. There's a lot of stuff that Terra will need to explain to you. We don't have time now — those things are after you and Terra. Go. Please, honey," my dad grimaces.

I snap my head in his direction ignoring the bursts of color that fill my vision and gape at him.

"What are you TALKING about?" I shout, "Take a second and be for real. You really think you can help everyone when you look like that? Let me help you, I can at least make sure you're ok until the paramedics get here."

Why are they looking at me like that? Am I the only one thinking rationally right now?

"There's no time," he grates out. He's losing more color by the second. I feel like my heart is sinking and I might throw up again.

"Come on. I wouldn't be pushing so hard if this wasn't an emergency. We. Need. To. Leave," Terra weakly pulls on my arm with each word. That all-encompassing anger from earlier resurfaces with my onslaught of panic and desperation, and I rip my arm out of her grasp so harshly that she stumbles on her bad leg.

"Are you out of your mind? What are you doing?" I spit while glaring darkly at her. I'm so confused and feel betrayed by her willingness to leave my gravely injured family and go who-knows-where. She must not know me at all if she thinks I'm going to leave them right now.

"Estrella," my dad chokes out, "I'm sorry. I don't have time to explain. Trust me, I know you're confused. I'm confused too. But I'm certain that you need to leave. You two are who those things are after. You are my number one priority and you always have been. It's always been me and you. Trust me. Leave."

"But why won't you come with us?" I sob, "It's me and you like you said. So come with me. I need you. I'm not leaving without you. Please." Terra looks between us guiltily, growling paler the longer we debate.

She needs help too. My heart is racing. I feel like I'm grasping at straws, about to lose control. I'm caught in a riptide, trying to swim against it and struggling to keep my head above the water. I just lost everything I've ever known in less than 10 minutes and my dad is telling me to just leave him.

He shakily stands from his chair and limps over to me. He supports himself on a table with one hand and wipes a tear from my cheek with the other.

"I know you're scared, honey. I'm so sorry. We just don't have time to talk about this any longer. I want to keep you safe, and I always felt that you were safest with me. But now, please honey, please go with Terra. She knows what's going on and she is how I can keep you safe. I love you," his knees are beginning to give out so I wrap him in a hug, "Everything is going to be ok, I'm gonna be fine, I can take care of myself. Don't worry about me, okay? Go with her and keep yourself safe. Te?"

"Amo," I croak. It's how we used to say 'I love you' every night when I was a little girl and he'd tuck me into bed and tell me stories about his favorite superheroes. He was always way cooler than those superheroes in my eyes.

Tears flow freely down my cheeks as he plants a kiss on my forehead.

I can't believe this is happening. How am I about to leave the only person that's been there for me? My dad, mi papa, my superhero. I'm never going to forgive myself.

When I look over at Terra, she looks devastated. She's guilty and is struggling to put any weight on her left leg. Her cheeks are wet with tears, and she struggles to meet my eyes now.

She knows we are leaving him to die. I think bitterly. I'm only leaving with you because he begged me to.

"Let's go then," I snarl, barely keeping my raging emotions in check. I storm away from them both, feeling like a black hole has formed in my chest, ripping everything into shreds. Hot tears blur my vision and I hear my dad call over my shoulder.

"Be strong. You'll need each other."

I grind my teeth together and I feel them squeak. If I stop moving, I will fall apart and not be able to move ever again.

Sucking in angry pants through my nose, I walk to my car and grab the set of keys off the wall. Now that I'm away from my dad, I feel terrified. I feel like a kid. All I want to do is cry and scream and have him hold me. Just his familiar scent would make me cry more yet make me feel safe.

I feel like he's already gone.

A whimper from the hallway behind me brings me out of my thoughts and I glare at Terra.

He said those things are after both of us. I really don't see how that's possible. I've never made any enemies. I keep to myself. She must have brought this on us. I never should have introduced her to my family.

She looks faint and panicked. I shake my head and turn back to the car, ripping open the driver's side and angrily sitting in the seat. I wait for her to get in impatiently rolling my eyes.

I feel like that darkness in me is leeching into my brain, tainting my thoughts, and making me want to drive away and leave Terra standing in the driveway.

When she finally flops into the passenger seat, she lets out a shaky breath and winces as she pulls her legs into the car. She's covered in a sheen of sweat and is shaking with exhaustion. She pulls another starburst out of her pocket and chews off a corner.

Such a fucking child. So like her to be eating candy right now. What the hell is wrong with her?

With a huff, I turn to face her.

"Well?" I utter harshly, startling her, "Are you going to tell me where I so desperately need to take us?"

She looks even guiltier somehow and raises a shaky hand to wipe sweat off her brow.

"We need to get to the port in Miami," she says nearly in a whisper.

The-the what? The port? Why on Earth would we go to the damn port?

She sees my frustrated and confused face and swallows thickly.

"Just... just trust me. If we get to the port, I might be able to get my dad to help us."

"Y-your dad? The drunken asshole who abandoned you and your mom? You want us to abandon my dying father to go visit your loser of a dad? You must be-"

"Estrella," she snaps, "Your dad told you I knew how to keep you safe, did he not? Are you going to just ignore your 'dying father's words?"

My vision seems to darken around the edges as she realizes what she said. I open my mouth to obliterate her, but she stops me.

"Wait wait ok I'm sorry I didn't mean that. I know how important your dad is to you. I love him too, you know. I've known him since I was sev-" she cuts off as she notices my face turn even redder, realizing this was also not the right approach with me. "Just, ok. I lied about my dad. I know, I'm sorry. He wasn't a drunk, he was actually a pretty decent dad for a while. He did leave us though, so... Anyway, just drive. Please, Es? As you can see, I'm not feeling too well, and we really need help."

I glance down at her leg and see it oozing some sort of green liquid.

Oh shit... That's one nasty infection. How would it get infected so quickly?

"Ok fine," I pop the car into reverse and speed out of the neighborhood. "Your leg looks infected. You need antibiotics like ASAP. Your dad wouldn't happen to have antibiotics and intravenous needles at the port, would he?"

She drops her head back against the headrest and shakes it.

I'll take that as a no. So basically, we're fucked. Amazing.

"Those things that attacked us are called Keres. They're spirits of death and disease. I got scratched by one, which basically means I have a deadly infection only curable by a god."

I swerve a little as I sputter in complete disbelief.

Is she like hallucinating right now? Spirits? God? I never knew she was religious like that.

"God? S-so your dad is like some priest or something? My family is super religious we could have stayed there and like prayed if that made you feel better," I stutter warily.

"No. Not that God. Lowercase 'g'" she trails off weakly. Unhelpfully, I might add. She's starting to look really bad and I'm getting increasingly more concerned.

As I pull onto the hellscape known as Palmetto Expressway, she shudders and grabs another starburst.

"Ok bro, what's with the candy? Eating sugary things doesn't really help with infections. Like maybe drink some water and try to stay hydrated until we get to your dad."

She rolls her eyes and slumps farther into her seat.

"It's called ambrosia. It's the only thing keeping me alive at the moment," she states like it's a normal statement that a regular human being would utter casually in their lifetime.

If she seriously thinks that candy will keep her alive from an infection, she is seriously more out of it than I thought.

I press the gas pedal farther down and weave through the psychotic drivers of Miami. Now I'm the problem. Ugh.

"We should flush the wound. Might help the infection from spreading so quickly," I explain, fumbling in my car door for a water bottle that is most definitely at least 3 weeks old.

Better than nothing.

"Might hurt," I warn before pressing the opening of the bottle against the wound and squeezing the water out. Greenish, cloudy water streams down her leg and onto my recently cleaned floormats. I cringe at the sight and swerve to narrowly avoid a little viejita driving 60 miles per hour in the fast lane.

Terra is biting her lip so harshly I'm afraid she's gonna chew it off. With another shudder, her eyes roll up into her head and she slumps against the door.

Oh, for fucks sake!

I slam on the breaks as I reach a patch of stopped traffic, nearly rear-ending a Ram truck.

How is there still traffic at 2 AM? On New Year's Day? Is she breathing?

I place my hand under her nose and feel a short puff of air against my finger.

Oh, thank God. We need to get moving.

"I'm sorry Vinny," I moan at my car as I pull off into the emergency lane and speed past the traffic, pieces of debris and nails and rocks hitting the front of the car. I hear a concerning clang from the underside of the car but continue on, Terra's breaths becoming less frequent.

I catch a glimpse of black movement against the dark sky in the rear-view mirror and gasp as I see another one of the hideous creatures following our car.

Leave us alone Karen!

It dives down and rakes its claws against the roof of the car. I gasp in outrage at the horrible sound and start swerving back and forth attempting to throw the bat-lady off. She hooks her claws through the metal like it's paper and begins to climb towards the driver's side door like a freaking ice climber.

Fine. Vinny's life for yours.

I slam the side of the car against the wall of an overpass as I drive under it and can't help but smirk as I hear the monster screech. As I speed away, I see its body lying motionless under the overpass and can't help but feel bad for the homeless person that will probably have to deal with Karen.

I feel like Dominic Toretto.

Finally, I pull off the freeway and start frantically smacking Terra's arm in an attempt to wake her up. We are almost to the port, and I see more monsters in the sky above us. I don't know what to do once we get to the port. I didn't even know she still had a dad.

She doesn't wake up, so I grab the water bottle and squirt more water into the wound. With a pained gasp, she sits up like an exorcist victim and grabs my arm with an iron-like grip.

"Sorry!" I squeak, "You weren't waking up and we are almost to the port. I don't know what to do once we get there but we're being followed by more Karens."

"Keres," she grumbles as she lets go of my arm, "What the fuck happened to Vinny?"

I glare at her out of the side of my eye, and she shuts up.

"Karen."

"You crashed Vinny because you saw a Keres?"

"No dude. Stupid hoe freaking stabbed Vinny with her claws, so I smashed her against the wall of an overpass."

She gapes at me for a few seconds before I look at her from the corner of my eye again like and what?

"Good job I guess."

"Well, you weren't being any help! You don't get to judge. I actually think it was pretty cool. You wouldn't know though because you can't freaking drive."

She pouts and I roll my eyes.

"Ok, when we get to the port, we have to go to this little shop called "Portunus's". It's a little boat shop where my dad works, and he can help us out. Hopefully."

"Hopefully?!" I screech.

"Well, it's been a few years since we've talked," she cringes, "but he used to be pretty nice when I was seven. If we explain our situation and give him an offering, I'm sure he'll want to help us out."

I'm so happy she sounds so certain about this. Not like our lives are depending on it.

By the time we finally pull up in front of a crumbling old building near the port, Terra looks like she's ready to faint again. She ate another starburst and looks slightly red in the cheeks like the beginning of a fever.

The store reads "Portunus Pot Sup" in faded blue lettering with white gaps from missing letters like tan lines.

I turn to Terra with an exasperated look, and she shrugs.

"This is my dad's shop. It's called Portunus's Port Supplies."

"And this is supposed to help your infection how?"

She ignores me and starts banging on the metal door. I try to peek through the metal bars over the window, but the shop looks dark inside.

A screech from behind makes me whip my head around and curse at my now-swirling vision.

"Fuckkkkk," I groan holding my head. Headache is definitely still there.

Terra bangs on the door with renewed vigor and a light clicks on in the shop.

He better let us in before Karen gets here.

The door is yanked inwards by a portly man with a red face. His eyes are squinty with sleep, and he glares at us.

"Who the hell is banging on my door at 3 in the- Terra?" his eyes widen as he takes in his daughter. "How- how did you know where to find me?"

She looks up at the name of the shop then over to me like seriously?

"Oh. Right. What are you...? Oh, gods what is wrong with your leg?" he sputters as he catches sight of her leaning heavily against me. He steps out of the store to bend down and examine her leg but spots the monsters fluttering in the sky above us.

"Oh. Oh no. Tenebrae."

"Tienes what? What does she have?" I crane my neck to look up at the creature, but he shakes his head.

"Tenebrae. Spirits of death. Hurry up, get inside," he ushers us in suddenly serious and slams the door.

"Wait wait wait. Terra called them something else. Karens or something. Spirits of death and disease. She was telling the truth?"

Things just keep getting more unhinged. Did I take too much melatonin last night or something?

He ignores me and places his hands above Terra's calf. When his hands begin to emit a glowing light into her skin, Terra screams, and I gasp. I frantically stumble away and trip over a toolbox, scattering his tools and falling flat on my butt. My head pounds harder with the impact.

The light fades and he stands back up observing her injury, or lack thereof.

Wait. What? That's not possible. Literally what just happened? Some new sort of technology or something that heals with light?

Terra is panting heavily but finally regained some of her normal pink complexion. She notices my wary gaze flickering between the two of them and puts her hands out in a placating gesture.

"Es, I know this looks weird, but this is what I was trying to get at before."

I continue scooting away from them like a crab and Terra takes another step toward me.

"Do not come any closer," I growl, "What was that? That is not normal."

"I know. Trust me. Just- ok. This is my dad, Portunus. He is a god. A Roman god to be specific," he puffs out his chest and tries to stand taller.

I scoff. She must think I'm a complete idiot.

"Wait," she interrupts, "I'm not finished. You know all about Greek and Roman mythology, I know you do."

I open my mouth to interrupt but she continues.

"Just- shh. Listen. Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, they're all real. I know. Yes, they're real. Those are the Greek versions. There are also Roman versions, like my dad here. He's Portunus, the Roman god of ports, keys, livestock, and a bunch of other random stuff," he snorts indignantly.

"You have got to think I'm stupid or something. Why would you even lie about something like this right now? I can't belie-"

"Exactly! Why would I lie about this? I'm not, Estrella. I am 100% serious. You saw it for yourself. We were attacked by monsters for gods' sake. And yeah, if you don't shut up and listen to me, maybe you are stupid."

I'm gonna kill her.

"Look he can prove it," she glances at her dad like go on. He rolls his eyes and points at a rope to send it flying across the room. It breaks through the window and wraps around a Keres, pinning her wings against her back and she plummets to the ground. When she hits the concrete, she explodes into golden dust. I think my brain is short-circuiting.

"He has powers over ports and port-related things like ships, ropes, anchors, et cetera."

So Terra's dad IS a god. Gods exist. Greek and Roman myths are real. What else is real?

My face falls as a thought occurs to me.

"Wait. You said that the Keres scratch is a deadly wound and that you could only get better if a god healed you. So this makes sense, you look fine now, and your dad is a god. Totally normal," she smiles as I seem to get the picture, "But if that's true, what about my dad?" her smile melts off her face.

"Uh-um, well, uh," she stutters avoiding my eyes.

What is she not telling me?

"Your dad? Isn't he a mortal?" Porty pipes up, "If he's a mortal he's surely dead by now. Mortals can't survive a Keres scratch for more than 30 minutes without a god's help. Ambrosia and nectar don't work on them."

All my muscles freeze. I think my heart has stopped beating.

"What?" I turn my head to look at Terra so slowly that she looks absolutely terrified.

"Dad!" she screeches.

"Terra... what is he talking about?" I think my heart has dropped all the way into my stomach. I'm afraid to breathe. I need someone to tell me he is wrong and that my dad is fine. He said he could take care of himself.

"Tell me he's wrong," I beg. She still refuses to meet my eyes, but I see them fill with tears.

"Terra," I choke. My vision is blurry, and it looks dark around the edges.

"Why didn't we take him with us?" I whisper, "We could have SAVED HIM!" I'm shouting now and the shop seems to dim.

"TERRA!" I scream as I slam my fists against the ground. I'm sobbing now, choking on my tears with snot dripping from my nose.

"J-just wait a second, okay? Just listen. I can-"

"YOU CAN WHAT?" I roar, "You made me leave my father to die! We left the only person who has ever been there for me alone to die."

"I-it's not just that. He knew the risks and he wanted to keep you safe. He smells enough like you that the monsters wouldn't chase us right away," she reasons.

"You left him as bait. You knew all along and you left him," I'm seething now. Each word flies from my mouth like venom.

"It's not that simple. Something was different. For some reason, those monsters were after us."

"AFTER YOU!" I scream in her face, "Your father is a god, so those things were after you. This is all. Your. Fault." I realize I'm standing now and have a finger jammed in her chest.

"I'm so sorry," she cries, "I always tried to keep them away from your family, but something was different this time. I think there's something different about you."

"She's right, you're definitely not just a mortal," Portunus sniffs. I shove him away with disgust.

"Get away from me!" my knees give out again as all the fight leaves my body.

He would know if you're mortal or not. This is your fault.

"Oh my god," I whisper, "I got my whole family killed."

My ears sound like they're filled with cotton and the world fades away into a dark blur. My breaths come in shuddering sobs. I hear the distorted mumble of someone calling my name, but I don't have the capacity to respond.

I'm all alone. I don't have any family left. What am I going to do?

"-get her to camp... will know what to do," I briefly hear through my crying.

"-ella... trella! ESTRELLA!" Terra's shout is emphasized by the harsh sting of a slap on my face.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" I scream and shove her shoulders so hard that she flies backward 3 feet and smacks her back on the ground.

"Estrella," she grunts while climbing back to her feet, "I know you're hurting. I'm so sorry you had to find out this way," she punctuates with a glare at her father.

"But we need to go. We need to get to a camp for people like us that will keep us safe. If we stay here any longer, the monsters will overrun us, and we will die too."

"She's right," Portunus adds unhelpfully.

As if they heard us, 2 Keres appear in front of the window Portunus broke and try to squeeze their way through the metal bars. He sends a wrench flying and one of the monsters bursts into dust.

This is all happening too quickly. I'm drowning.

When the second Keres manages to squeeze in far enough to grab the back of my shirt, my body fills with adrenaline and my emotions numb. I jump away and Portunus kills the second creature as well.

"Dad, can you please help us? We need a way to get to Camp Half-Blood without them following us. Can you grant our safe journey?" Terra pleads.

"Uhhh, I'm sorry Terra but you know the rules. Us gods aren't allowed to interfere. Unless..."

"Unless what?" she asks frantically.

"If you do something for me. Like some sort of sacrifice or offering," he hums while stroking his beard.

Selfish bastard. Can't he see that we have nothing to give?

"W-we don't have anything, Dad. I have my knife, but I think I'll need that for the journey."

"Take my car," I mumble numbly.

"What?" they both turn to me.

"Take my car. I probably won't be able to safely drive anywhere for a while anyway. Where would I even go?"

"I can't ask you to do that," Terra shakes her head.

"I've lost everything already, Terra. I don't care. Just take it," I sigh and place the keys into his hand.

"Well, ok. That works," he smiles.

With a flash, we are standing at the empty port. A small fishing boat with a blue and white icebox sits before us, bobbing in the water.

"This boat will get you to camp by tomorrow at 6 PM. It's blessed to go much faster than a normal boat and shield you from monsters. Since I'm Roman, I can only get you to the border of camp in the Long Island Sound about a mile from shore. From there I'm afraid you'll have to swim or find some other solution."

Terra grabs her dad in a fierce hug around the neck.

"Thank you so much, Dad. I'll send you an offering once I get to camp."

A dull emotion stirs in my stomach at the sight of her hugging her dad, but the dark numbness swallows it up.

Terra grabs my hand and helps me into the boat. Expertly, she undoes the ropes and gets ready to take off.

How did she learn how to do that?

She catches me staring and smiles lightly. I look away.

With one final wave, her dad sends us speeding away. The boat moves surprisingly deftly through the water as we navigate through the expensive Miami yachts and cruise ships. By the time we get out to the open water of the Atlantic, I'm laying back resting my head on a coil of rope.

The wind caresses my face like a sad farewell as we sail away from everything I've ever known. My family, friends, and former self all left to die back in Miami. The sea mist whips against my face like the tears I've run out of, and I shut my eyes.

Chapter Text

My dreams are plagued with visions of my dead family. I stand among their corpses with their blood dripping from my hands, darkness swirling around me, and monsters grinning mockingly at me. Terra's lifeless eyes gaze at me from below, her face stuck in a perpetual look of horror. They're all looking at me.

A figure clad in a black cloak chuckles from the shadows. Its voice sends my heart racing. I feel utterly desperate yet hopeless as I scan the darkness for the source. More bodies are piled around me, all staring blankly at me.

"Hello sister," the voice hisses with a vicious smirk in its voice.

I spin rapidly to the source of the voice but am faced with nothing but an inky black expanse. I squint my eyes to try and get a glimpse of the figure in the shadows but it tsks and everything goes dark.

The hairs on my arms stand on end with a staticky feeling of power and doom. I shiver and the voice laughs derisively.

"You and your friend caused quite the stir earlier. Everything could have been avoided if she wasn't there, you know? Your family is dead because of Terra."

I clench my jaw as my body floods with chills. Goosebumps prickle on my arms at his accusation but an angry darkness begins to stir in my chest.

"Who are you?"

"That's not important now. I've come with a warning. Your friend is not who you think she is. I know what you've been thinking. You are right. You cannot trust her."

I furrow my brows warily. How does this voice know what I've been thinking? How is it speaking to me right now?

"I can show you what your future looks like if you continue to follow her."

The dream shifts to an even more disturbing gory battlefield littered with bodies. I spot the corpses of my father, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and a beautiful face I've never seen before. He is standing protectively over my body, wounds littering his own. He's swaying on his feet, and I watch his life drain from his body. Bright green eyes become glassy when an arrow pierces his chest, and he falls to the floor beside me. His tan body pales with blood loss and his black hair seems to dull as he smiles once more and becomes still.

I look in the direction the arrow came flying from and get a glimpse of Terra laughing with a tall, athletic girl with curly blonde hair. They survey the damage with savage grins of glee and step over piles and piles of human bodies.

They stalk past my body with a look of disgust and join a circle of bright, powerful figures laughing evilly.

"The gods of Olympus," the shadow voice supplies.

The city in the distance is a burning pile of rubble. A huge figure clad in red stands above the wreckage with a glowing spear and a satisfied smirk.

"The gods seek to take control like they always do and destroy humanity. They want to kill all mortals and cast anyone who disagrees into Tartarus."

The image flips to a barren red prison with thousands of people, glowing figures, monsters, and creatures of all kinds wailing inside cages and cells. Bile rises in my throat at the horrific sight. Who would do this?

"This is the future the Olympians want. Your friend is loyal to the gods and will betray you the second she has the chance."

More and more gruesome visions swirl in front of me until one catches my attention. Terra laughs sadistically as she repeatedly stabs animals on some poor human's farm and makes him watch.

Wait a minute...

My terrified face morphs into one of confusion and suspicion. I cock my head to the side and scan the space around me. Something isn't right.

I catch a glimpse of Terra towering over my father who is groveling and begging to be spared. He is crying and cowering pathetically as she holds a knife over her head.

I freeze. My heart pounds with fury at the image before me. My dad would never beg like that.

"Who are you?" I ask again. Silence. The visions become more and more violent, but I ignore them.

"You can stop now," I cross my arms over my chest and cock one eyebrow.

"I've seen the future. Oh no, whatever will I do? Maybe I should join you and this future can be avoided, right?" I mock with a pout.

A snarl echoes around me and the visions are all of me being murdered brutally. I am killed in every way possible, each more gruesome and violent.

Another vision of my dad being ripped apart makes the smirk melt right off my face. Now I'm the one snarling. An icy rage builds behind my calm façade and my hands quiver with restraint.

"My father would never beg like that. Your first mistake was trying to turn me against my best friend. Terra's father is the god of livestock. She would rather die than harm an animal. Looks like someone didn't do their research," I growl. The darkness shrouding the figure begins to swirl and churn.

"Watch yourself, girl. You do not want to be on my bad side."

"You're in my head, remember? You try to interrupt my dreams and show me my father being killed by my best friend?" the room grows colder as the darkness creeps its way toward me.

"I might have been having doubts about Terra, but you've only proven me wrong. Now, who are you?"

"I am your doom. I will be the last thing you see before you die, and I will haunt your soul for eternity. If you do not join me, you will see why I am the most feared being in the universe."

"Ah yes, threaten me in my own dream. That'll get me to join you for sure. You. Don't Scare. Me."

Darkness flows around my feet, climbs my legs, and wraps around me like a suffocating blanket. I'm afraid to breathe or move or speak. When I can't hold it any longer, I suck in a deep breath and falter as the darkness surges in and fills my entire being. I can breathe. I feel... strong.

I stand taller as my muscles fill with strength. The darkness isn't suffocating. It's filling me up, filling the cracks that have formed, comforting me, and shielding me. Suddenly, the shadows are in my control.

I pull the blackness away from the figure. I feel a fight for control, some of the shadows rebelling, but we are in my dream. My head. I am in control.

Like a rubber band snapping, the darkness races towards me and is absorbed. The figure stands tall with a blood-red, flowing cloak adorned with spikes on the shoulders. Its face is shielded by a horned helmet, but I can still sense the hatred flowing into me.

A ripple of sweat runs down my back at its imposing stature and aggressive choice of clothing. True to its word, I feel a choking sense of doom, but I ignore it.

When it takes a menacing step toward me, I put my hand up.

"You will regret this," its voice echoes in my head.

"Get out of my head," I snarl, and the room fills with light as every shadow descends upon me.

~~~

I wake with a gasp and frantically try to scan my surroundings. A burning white light sears my retinas and sends an agonizing spike into my already-pounding head.

I am reminded of my current situation as the world seems to rock underneath me. With a groan, I force myself up and catch sight of the ocean flying by as we rocket up the coast in our surprisingly sturdy boat.

I frown at the strangeness of the dream but try to block out the horrific images. Terra sits at the front of the boat staring out at the horizon. She turns to me when she hears my gasp and sends me a small, cautious smile.

"Are you ok?" she asks.

"Yeah. Just had a weird nightmare with you stabbing baby pigs."

"Y-you what? Pigs? Why on Earth would you dream of that?" she sputters indignantly.

"Some creepy guy in a spiky red cloak was trying to get me to mistrust you and show me my 'doom'."

Her face loses some color at that, and I wave her off.

"Don't worry, it was just a weird dream. I'm surprised they weren't weirder with what we've been through in the last 24 hours."

"I don't know, Estrella... Demigod dreams usually mean something, especially if this person was communicating directly with you. I'm still not sure what you are though, so just ignore it for now I guess."

"That's what I was planning to do. I'm not sure how I would interpret that anyway. What time is it? How much longer till we get to this mysterious camp?"

"It's 9 AM now, so you got about 5 hours of sleep. We still have quite a while to go, you should probably get some more rest."

I consider lying back down and going back to sleep, but visions of my dead family appear when I close my eyes.

"I'm good. I'm not feeling too tired anyway," I lie, "I can like watch the boat or something so you can get some rest."

"Maybe in a little bit. I actually feel a bit better making sure we're safe for now. This is my specialty," she chuckles.

"So you've had a lot of experience with boats? Since your dad is Portunus and all."

"Yeah. I feel most comfortable around ports actually. My powers are kind of useless compared to other demigods, but I feel powerful when I'm around boats and livestock. I first learned about my powers one summer in California actually. There's a camp over there for Roman demigods called Camp Jupiter."

"Oh right. So that's where you go every summer?"

"For a while, yeah. I found my way over there the summer after my dad left my mom and I. They are pretty strict over there and taught me a lot about combat. I went there for a few years until there was this whole complicated mess of a war with the Greek demigods. We eventually found peace and now demigods come and go between the camps."

"A war? W-what? You're like exaggerating right? Not an actual war?" What on Earth is she talking about? War between literal children?

"No, a legit war," she grimaces, "Being a demigod is really complicated. We constantly get dragged into our parents' messes. This one was kind of caused by these possessive spirits called Eidolons that took control of my friend and made him fire cannons at Camp Jupiter. After that, things kind of spiraled out of control and our parents were kind of having trouble being split between their Roman and Greek personalities which caused even more tension. It was a whole mess."

This must be another dream. This is completely unrealistic. Being the daughter of a god is weird enough, but going to war with other children? Who is trying to screw with me now?

She catches sight of my utterly baffled face and sighs.

"It sounds crazy now that I'm hearing myself explain it to someone who has never heard of any of it. But yeah, ultimately this war was caused by Gaea. You've heard of her, right? Earth goddess?" I nod and she continues, "Yeah she is actually supposed to be asleep most of the time because she's like evil and crazy, but over a year ago she started to wake up and cause a whole lot of problems."

I'm so overwhelmed with the information I can barely comprehend anything. She continues explaining casually like it's normal information and my brows raise with each sentence.

"So yeah, these 7 really powerful demigods including Leo, the guy that got possessed... Well, he's not the only one who got possessed actually. Percy and Jason- never mind that's irrelevant. They went on this quest around Europe in a giant flying ship called the Argo II and ended up putting Gaea back to sleep. It was mostly Piper, Jason, and Leo, but we move. You might meet them at camp since it's the holidays. You'll love Piper, she's so cool. And hot," she wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at me.

She seems like she's being serious. How is any of this real?

"She and Jason are spicing things up and looking for a third. Never thought I'd see the day. He's less convinced but willing to go along with it because I have a sneaking suspicion he's bi. What am I saying he's like the straightest male alive. Maybe Percy..." she rambles.

"Literally what are you talking about?"

"Oh sorry. You'll see when we get there. They're definitely interesting... Besides them, the 7 also included Hazel, a literal queen who is a daughter of Pluto, and Frank, a teddy bear son of Mars, well actually he's like buff now but yeah... Oh, and Annabeth," she blushes.

"Annabeth?" I raise my eyebrows at her blush, "Who's Annabeth?"

She totally has a thing for Annabeth. I cannot wait to embarrass her.

"Uhhh... Shut up, stop smiling like that. She's a daughter of Athena and Percy's girlfriend," she pouts, "She's super smart and tall and strong and tan and pretty and has the most amazing curly blonde hair..."

"Girl, what-"

"Literally shut up. Like I said, she's dating Percy. She's super cool though, you'll totally like her. She and Percy are living together and studying in New Rome, a little town in Camp Jupiter with a college and apartments for demigods like me to have a chance of reaching adulthood."

"What??? You have problems reaching adulthood? How did you just say that so casually?"

I'm already 18... She's turning 18 in literally 2 days.

"Yeah, as you saw, monsters are like constantly trying to kill and eat us. They also never really die forever. When we kill them, they turn to dust and go to Tartarus to reform. They always end up coming back," she sighs. There's that word again... Tartarus.

"Ok, first of all, that sounds incredibly depressing... The monsters never die? What happens when you get old or like injured and can't defend yourself?"

"That's what places like New Rome are good for. We get to live within the protection of their border and are defended by the younger demigods of the legion."

"So you guys are like child soldiers? How is that ethical at all? How has this camp never been shut down? How have I not heard of this?"

"Well, obviously it's like top-secret. Also, there's this thing called the mist," she moves her hands in a rainbow gesture, "It's this magical... I'm not sure how to explain it actually. It's this powerful mist made by the goddess Hecate that makes mortals or regular humans unable to see anything mythological. Like a sword will look like a baseball bat or something. Monsters look like really big humans or some type of animal."

"Ok... so I guess that's why I've never seen any monsters before yesterday."

"Actually, I think you've been able to sense monsters for a long time. You have a really good knack for sensing when they're around and you usually think it's anxiety. Like that one time we were at a concert, and you had a panic attack. When I left you in the bathroom for five minutes, I was actually dealing with a hellhound that had made its way into the venue. Your panic attack was probably made worse by your actual anxiety but was mostly caused by your ability to sense monsters."

"Wait so my anxiety last night was actually a warning?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. When I went to look for my phone, I was actually scanning the area for monsters. I quickly got overrun and wasn't able to protect everyone..." she trails off when her voice cracks.

"I'm really sorry, Estrella. I tried so hard to keep you out of this. I never wanted you to be involved with this side of my life. It's so dangerous and you're my best friend. I loved your family like my own. They took me in when mine wasn't there for me and pretty much raised me," she has tears trailing down her cheeks, but I feel too numb to have any emotional reaction.

"It's not your fault... I'm sorry I blamed you yesterday. I was and still am overwhelmed with everything. I feel like I'm drowning. Like I was standing on a trap door that opened and now I'm just rapidly falling to my death. I don't know what to think or feel or how to keep going."

"Yeah, I know. Getting to camp will help you feel better. Everyone is super nice, and Chiron will help us understand what is going on. I always assumed the monsters were after me and that you were maybe clearsighted or blessed with prophecy, but I think it might be something different. It's probably not a coincidence that your mom left you so young."

I recoil. What is that supposed to mean? I know I can be kind of difficult to handle but why would she say that now of all times? She knows I'm self-conscious about that.

"Oh, gods! Not like that! I mean like maybe she was part of some Greek or Roman mythology. You could be part nymph, demigod, a legacy there are so many options. I'm noticing patterns that should have been clearer before. It's just weird that you were able to go so long without being claimed, that's why I'm not sure," she wonders.

"Claimed? What the hell does that mean?"

"Like your godly parent sends a sign that they are your parent. Demigods typically don't have much interaction with their parents and don't always know who their mom or dad is. When they're around 12 they usually start attracting monsters and have to make their way to camp where they're typically claimed. Usually, your parent's godly symbol will just appear above your head."

"So your theory is that my mother is possibly a god-"

"Goddess," she interrupts.

"Goddess who just hasn't claimed me as her daughter? Like you think that when we show up to this weird war camp, she will make a glowing symbol above my head?"

"Well, Camp Half-Blood is actually way chiller than Camp Jupiter. That's one of the main reasons I switched over. That and access to the Long Island sound," she rambles with a dreamy look on her face.

"Yes, Camp Half-Blood definitely sounds less violent than the other one..."

"It's not like that. Half-Blood is just another word for demigod. You know, half human, half-"

"Yeah, I got it."

"It's super fun over there. There's a climbing wall, archery lessons, sword fighting, cabins based on your parents, a beach, a canoe lake, and even beach volleyball courts," she wiggles her eyebrows at me. I'm once again reminded of my father who taught me how to play volleyball.

I go silent as I'm sucked into my memories. I see flashes of us laughing in my backyard, barefoot in the grass as he bumps a volleyball to me. As a six-year-old, I was obviously very bad, but he never gave up or got frustrated with me. I'd frown in concentration as the ball would come to me and crouch down to pass the ball but miscalculate the angle I needed, and the ball would go flying away towards the lake. We'd chase the ball down the grassy decline to the water and step on sharp pebbles and sticks hidden in the grass. Sometimes, we'd be fast enough to catch the ball before it rolled into the lake and floated away, and other times we'd be too slow and have to scramble for the pool skimmer in hopes of rescuing the ball from the water.

"Go! Run! Get the stick!" he'd yell, and my little legs would sprint away in search of the extendable net. I'd savor the wind blowing the hair out of my face and feel like I was flying as I pumped my arms and legs as fast as I could toward the house.

I'd grab the 10-foot-long pole and struggle to hold it as I ran back to the water. It would tip back and forth, one end scraping along the floor as I ran, slowing me down. Still, I'd run like my life depended on it and frantically hand the skimmer to my dad.

He'd look all serious as he'd extend it to its full length and expertly maneuver it over the water towards the ball that would be rapidly floating away. Sometimes he'd catch the ball just in time and we'd cheer. It would be wet and covered in stinky muck, but we'd wipe it off on our shirts and keep playing with bright smiles on our faces. We'd feel accomplished and proud of our teamwork and the fact that we didn't have to go out and buy another volleyball.

Sometimes, the ball would float away too fast, and I wouldn't make it back with the skimmer in time. We'd stand side by side watching the ball drift down the lake, ripples forming behind it like a fish was purposely pushing it farther away. I'd be so disappointed in myself, but he'd smile anyway.

"It's ok honey. It might come back tomorrow. Things are only lost if you give up looking for them. Let's go inside, I'll make some hamburguesas on la parilla."

Then I'd smile, excited about the smoky, juicy burgers he'd make that night. He'd blast Latin music and jump in the pool as the burgers cooked. I'd hang on his back like a backpack, and he'd spin me around until the world blurred into colorful streaks. The charcoal grill would fill the air with the delicious aroma of sizzling burgers mixed with the nostalgic scent of the chlorine pool. I'd swim until my fingers were little wrinkly raisins and he'd have to drag me out of the pool to eat.

If we were feeling particularly spontaneous, we'd sit outside dripping pool water onto the floor as we ate our dinner. We even ate in the pool once. I'd devour my burger almost as fast as he did and smile at him with admiration. Mi papa was my superhero and we worked as a team. The two of us were unstoppable.

Later in the week, he'd surprise me with a brand-new volleyball. I'd rip open the packaging ferociously and squeal at the exciting new colors on the ball. One time, after a particularly windy storm, he found one of the balls we'd lost. It had blown back into our yard and was deflated and dirty, but we'd be so excited that it didn't matter.

Our collection of volleyballs grew throughout my childhood until I started to play competitively in high school and didn't have time to play with him as much. He'd ask me to come outside and play but I'd be too worried about school drama, sports, too tired, or just too grumpy to join him. Sometimes he'd swim alone and try to grill us burgers. I'd gone vegan a few years before and refused to eat his cooking anymore.

I regret not playing with him when I could. I'd give anything to pretend my life was back to normal and just spend a day with him. To hear his laugh and smell his cooking and give him one last hug. I didn't appreciate the life I had nearly enough.

"That sounds nice," I sigh, staring out at waves in the distance. The clouds ahead look dark and dreary, reflecting my sudden mood. Maybe it'll rain.

"Yeah... you'll love it," Terra yawns.

"You should take a quick nap. We've still got a while until we get to New York, right? Just relax, I'll be fine."

"Maybe you're right," she yawns again, "Ok, but wake me up if anything seems off."

I force a smile and nod. She curls up on a ball on the floor of the boat with an extra shirt as a pillow and falls asleep in minutes. The lulling rock of the boat makes my eyes feel heavy as well, but I don't want to face my dreams again. Living is hard enough. My dreams are supposed to be an escape, not more torment.

I lean over and rest my chin on the edge of the boat as I stare down at the water flowing by. An exhausted reflection of a teenage girl with weary hazel eyes and multiple moles across her face stares back at me, distorted by the ripples left in our wake. My eyes have heavy purple bags beneath them, and my face looks paler than usual. A frizzy, tangled mess has replaced my usual long, curly brown hair. I look horrible.

Disgusting.

With another sigh, I turn my face up to the sky. I frown at the heavy clouds ahead. It would really suck to get rained on out here.

After about 4 hours of trying to find anything at all to take my mind off this dreadfully boring journey, I feel a small raindrop hit my forehead. Oh god. Here it comes. We were too lucky to make it this far without rain.

I'm not sure how far we are from New York, but Terra is still snoring peacefully, and I don't want to disturb her. I carefully tent the boat cover over the stern of the boat to shield her from the rain and settle in with a small towel around my shoulders.

The air is chillier this far north and the raindrops feel like droplets of ice stinging my face. I guess I deserve this.

I sit in the rain for another 2 hours before it starts to pick up and I begin shivering. Terra finally wakes up to the sound of raindrops violently splattering against the cover above her.

She groans as she sits up and throws the cover to the side.

"Brrrrr jeez this rain is cold," she shivers. I nod in agreement, and she catches sight of my soaked hair. I look like a drowned rat, and she tries to stifle her laugh with a fake concerned look.

"Oh, shut up," I grumble, "How far are we from the camp?"

She closes her eyes and puts both hands on the front of the small boat. She frowns in concentration and then turns back to me.

"We should pass into the border in about 10 minutes. I'm not sure what to do after that though. Dad said the boat will only get us to the border. I'm going to IM someone from camp to see if they can help us out."

IM? Who talks like that?

She angles a flashlight to shine into the sea mist and create a rainbow. When she throws a golden coin into the rainbow it disappears.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Leo Valdez at Camp Half-Blood."

The rainbow shimmers and turns into an image of a small Latino boy with curly hair. He's fidgeting with some metal contraption but jumps when he catches sight of us.

I must be hallucinating.

"Terra? What's up? Why are you all wet? I thought only Annabeth did that" he smirks. Oh my god. I like this kid already.

Terra rolls her eyes and blushes, but I laugh out loud in shock.

"I knew it!" I screech.

"Es, literally shut up. Not important right now. And Leo, I'm gonna beat you up when I get to camp," Terra grunts.

"You're coming to camp? I thought you were spending the holiday with your friend in Miami," Leo questions.

"Ah yes, Es, meet Leo. Leo, meet Estrella."

I raise my hand in a meek wave and flash him an awkward smile. He looks me up and down and his face grows a devilish smile.

"There, you're acquainted. You can talk more once we get to camp. Which is exactly why I called. Last night, Estrella's family and I were attacked by Keres and a few Blemmyes. We managed to escape, and my dad helped us out by giving us this boat to get to camp," Terra explains.

"So that's why she looks so rough," Leo says smirking at my appearance.

"What's your excuse?" I counter. His smile grows.

"Anyway," Terra rolls her eyes, "since my dad is Roman, the boat can only get us to the border of camp, which is about a mile out in the Long Island Sound. We'll either have to swim or find another solution."

"Hmmm," he frowns, "I think Percy is in New York visiting his mom for the holidays. He'd definitely be able to help you guys. He gets kinda grumpy when we interrupt his mommy time, though."

"Mommy time?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he's really close with his mom. Like really close," he emphasizes with a face that says 'in a weird way.'

I flash Terra a look and she groans.

"Ignore him. That's what everyone else does. Leo's just got mommy issues," she smirks, and his face is one of betrayal.

"How dare you!? You'll see, Estrella," he winks conspiratorially at me. Maybe he does have issues.

"Percy is really close to his mom but not in a weird way," Terra glances at Leo, "He's really protective of her and rarely sees her now that he lives in New Rome with Annabeth. Let's try to find a solution that doesn't involve him unless absolutely necessary. I'm the daughter of Portunus, I can handle myself around water."

"Yeah, but a mile is a long way to swim. And she doesn't look like she's in a good enough state to do that right now," he glances at me suddenly serious.

Terra looks over at me and scans my injuries. My head is still a little bloody and bruised, and my ankle is swollen. She nods in agreement.

"Ok, I'll just quickly hijack one of the little boats we have on the shore. I'll take one of the motors from Bunker 9, attach it to the boat, and drive out to meet you guys. Captain Supreme to the rescue," he puffs out his chest.

"Ok thank you," Terra huffs out a sigh of relief, "We are pretty close to the border now, I think, so try to hurry please."

"You got it! You owe me your desserts for a week though."

"Whatever Leo. Like you need any more sugar," she agrees and quickly lists off a set of coordinates that she thinks we are near. With that, she swipes her hand through the mist and his image disappears.

"So now what?" I ask.

"Now we just wait for a bit and keep moving toward the border. We should get ready to hop into Leo's boat though," she says as she begins moving around the boat readying a rope to toss into his boat.

I look around helplessly and shrug. I have nothing to take with me. I didn't even get my phone, so I have no way of getting in contact with anybody. I have no idea what's going on at home, who survived, if the paramedics ever arrived, nothing. Eventually, I stop looking and just give up, sitting crisscross on a bench with my hands in my lap.

I notice a weird shimmering of the air in front of our boat and lean forward to examine it. Suddenly, our boat lurches like it hit a wall and I lose my balance, falling face-first into the frigid water. I'm confident that I'll be fine because I've always loved swimming, but an undercurrent rips me underneath the boat and slams my head against the wood.

Stars burst in my vision and my limbs feel sluggish. The freezing temperature makes my movements slower and when I try to suck in a breath, I get a lungful of salty water.

I'm seizing under the small boat when suddenly I'm yanked up from behind. I'm thrown back into the boat and vomit up the briny water from my lungs and stomach. Blood roars in my ears as I heave until tears stream down my cheeks. For the second time in less than 24 hours, I feel definitely concussed.

I'm barely conscious as I feel someone wrap a plasticky material around my shoulders and give me a squeeze. There are shouts in my ears, but I can't process them over my violent shivers. I'm so cold I feel like my skin is burning.

The world is completely blurry, and my vision is rocked occasionally by a painful cough. The cold gets harder to bear until suddenly my body stops shivering. I feel drained of all energy and struggle to keep my heavy eyes open.

The buzzing in my ears grows louder and I feel the pressure around me grow tighter, forcing a groan out of me. My head droops with exhaustion and a voice shouts in the distance.

The next time I'm semi-conscious, I'm awkwardly being shoved into another boat and bonk my head on something or someone. I feel something warm press against my cheeks before the world goes blurry and dark again.

I'm jolted awake by my body beginning to violently shiver again. I feel something warm against my breast right above my heart and squirm. It grows a little warmer as I wriggle and protest weakly, but someone shushes me.

What is going on?

When the warmth against my breast does not stop, I come to fully and open my eyes. What the?

I'm sitting in a small boat with my back against something warm and Terra sitting in front of me worriedly. I look down at my chest to find the source of the heat and see the outline of a hand under my shirt.

Who the hell?!

I snap my head around and am face to face with none other than the boy from the rainbow that Terra made. With his hand on my boob.

"W-w-what are you d-doing??" I croak as I frantically try to get away from him.

He sheepishly pulls his hand out from under my shirt and turns beet-red. Terra looks at his hand then my face and gasps.

"Estrella! It's not like that! He saved your life!" Terra clarifies. Yes, that totally clears things up. Saving my life by fondling me while I'm unconscious.

I glare at Leo while I scoot away but fail to maintain my look when my teeth clack aggressively as soon as I'm away from his warmth.

When I look back at Leo, he has his hands up in a placating gesture and looks anywhere but my eyes.

"Terra said it was ok! I have a girlfriend! It meant nothing! I was making sure your heart didn't fail! Wasn't even feeling your boob! I-uh-um," he scrambles.

"W-whatever," I grumble and try to hide my shivering. I wrap whatever is around my shoulders more tightly around myself and huff.

He notices how cold I still am and cautiously puts his arms out like he's asking for a hug. My body is seriously missing the warmth, but I force a disgusted look onto my face. He looks momentarily hurt and then concerned as my shivering increases.

I don't have a choice when Terra shoves me from behind so hard that I faceplant into his bony chest. He's so warm it feels like I'm pressed against a furnace. This is not safe. He definitely should be dead from a fever of this caliber.

As the warmth seeps into my bones, my shaking lessens slightly, and I squeeze myself tightly to him like a koala. I don't even care anymore, this feels so good.

He chuckles slightly and I feel bad for being so rude to him.

"You're so hot," I mumble against his shirt, smiling inwardly as I know it's exactly what he wants to hear and to break the tension.

"I know, right? The ladies tell me all the time," I can hear a playful smirk in his voice, and I try to laugh when I'm interrupted by a coughing fit so violent it has me gagging.

"Woah woah woah," he backs away quickly when he thinks I'm going to vomit. Terra rubs a comforting hand on my back as I try to expel the last bit of salty water from my lungs. I better not get pneumonia.

When I'm finished coughing, I look up at the sky and am shocked to see it's no longer raining. In fact, the sky is clear, blue, and beautiful. There's no way I was out for this long.

Terra notices my gaze and smiles brightly.

"We crossed into the border a few minutes ago! That's what our boat bumped into earlier. When you, you know... drowned."

"I did not!"

"Uh huh whatever. Leo can vouch for me."

"Actually, I only got here after she was back in the boat and you were like freaking out and crying so... technically I can't swear that I saw her drown," he puts his hands up like 'what can you do?'

"See, Bestie Leo has my back," I bump shoulders with him, "So you were crying and panicking, huh?"

"Quite pathetically," he adds.

"Aww," I poke her, "Thank you for pulling me back into the boat though, seriously. If you tell anyone what happened though, Leo and I will turn against you."

She glares at us.

"Isn't that right Leo?" I clap him on the shoulder, "Because Leo has a girlfriend and doesn't want to tell her that he was grabbing my boob."

"You are evil," he gapes at me, "I think I love it."

"I think Calypso would understand, Es. Plus, she could beat all our asses. Easily," Terra adds. Leo nods dejectedly. Sounds like I'll like Calypso even more.

"Anyway," she continues, "we're pretty close to camp now. You can probably spot the shore in the distance. As you can see, there's a magical border around camp that protects us from bad weather and monsters. Apparently also Roman vessels from Portunus."

She's right. The weather is beautiful. The cold and bleak greyness of the sky above us has been replaced by the warmth of the sun and a sweet strawberry smell mixed with the salty ocean. I take a deep breath in through my nose, savoring the heat and making Leo put his hands around mine to warm them up.

"So how are you not like dead? You definitely have a deadly fever," I wonder.

"Son of Hephaestus. He's the god of forges and handed down this handy dandy power," he removes one of his hands from mine and creates a small flame in his palm. My eyes widen in shock, and he laughs.

"I'm also fireproof, hence why I am not dead."

"He's also like a literal genius," Terra adds, "He made an entire warship in a few months and can build anything."

"Aw, thanks Ter. Her powers are pretty cool too. She's really good with animals and is a crazy good swimmer. If we had her with us on the Argo II, things would have gone so much better. She's also SO gay."

"Oh I know, you should have seen-"

"Leo is also the most obnoxious demigod you'll ever meet. He is the most ADHD out of all of us," she interrupts me, glaring at us both. Leo fakes a frown and struggles to hide his laughter as he catches my side eye.

"Wait ADHD is something that is common in demigods?" I ask. I was always a hardworking student with extreme testing anxiety, so my teachers never suspected ADHD. I've only just started to notice it get worse over the last couple of years but haven't been diagnosed. Terra has always assumed I have some form of it because I cannot for the life of me pay attention when she tells stories that require any form of context. She catches my confused glance and smirks.

"Yep. Most demigods have some sort of ADHD. Helps us focus and stay alive in battle," she explains.

"Except Frank. He's like so calm it's annoying. Though I have seen his eyes glaze over while being yelled at by Coach Hedge..." Leo adds.

"That's another clue that something might be different with you, Es."

"Yeah, who are you anyway? Who's your parent? I thought Terra said you were just a mortal?" Leo asks while scratching his head.

I suddenly feel defensive and cagey. Just a mortal? You mean human? I have no clue who my mom is and now my dad might be dead.

"I don't know, I'm Estrella. My dad's name is-was-I don't know anymore-was Jose and he was born in Venezuela. I think I'm a human so don't say it like it's a bad thing," I spit.

His face drops into one of pity and understanding. Tension grows without his constant jokes, and I feel the bitter sting of a lump forming in my throat.

"Well, whatever you are, we are happy to have you! Finally, another Latina! I was going crazy with all these gringos around me," he glances pointedly at the very obviously white Terra. That brings a small smile to my face.

"Are you Hispanic?" I ask even though it's obvious.

"Si. Mexicano."

"¡No mames güey! ¡Pinche cabrón!" I joke, listing the various Mexican slang I've learned from my dad. Leo's jaw drops with a look of utter disbelief before he laughs so raucously that the boat starts rocking back and forth. His laughter is so contagious that before long I am crying with laughter, crossing my legs so I don't pee. My head is swimming, but his laughter is so funny that I can't help myself. Even Terra laughs, looking confusedly between us two.

Leo and I begin to chat about our families, mostly him because I feel another lump forming in my throat as I think about them. Before long, we catch sight of a sandy beach, and he whoops.

"Almost there!"

My face goes slack with wonder as I take in the camp before me. From this far out, I can see a dense green forest with tall, vibrant trees, the top of what looks like a climbing wall with smoke pouring out of it, and bright white marble columns like ancient Greek ruins standing at the top of a hill overlooking the beach. Oh my god... I see the figures of kids running around and overhear a shriek of delight.

There's the faint sound of metal hitting metal, but I'm struck by the almost musical sound of the wind rustling the trees in the forest and blowing out to sea. It feels inviting yet threatening. I can almost feel an ancient sort of power in that wind and goosebumps rise along my arms. I shouldn't here. I think I've finally found where I belong. My thoughts are conflicted and overwhelmed by the beauty of what lies before me.

I turn to Terra, and she nods at me encouragingly. Finally, she expertly maneuvers the boat onto the sand and stands to get out. She takes in a deep breath of air and sighs happily.

"Home," she smiles. Something about that rubs me the wrong way but I ignore it. I guess this is my home for now as well.

When I go to stand after sitting for such a long time, my vision momentarily goes black, and my ears get all fuzzy. I sway before sitting back on the bench and blinking furiously. My ankle and head seem to throb in the same rhythm, and I wince.

"Shoot, we've gotta get you to the infirmary. Hopefully, they can help you without ambrosia," Terra curses. She wraps an arm around my waist and helps me up. Now that we're here I feel completely drained of energy. I struggle to my feet and keep trying to blink the darkness away. Both Terra and Leo are at least 5 inches shorter than me, so I end up doing most of the work anyway.

As we walk further into the camp, I see an amphitheater, lake, cabins, an arena, and finally a big blue wooden house with a wraparound porch. Well, that looks out of place.

Terra greets each person we walk by enthusiastically, but they look at me warily. Even they can tell I don't belong here. I feel eyes following us all the way to the house and curse myself for not being able to walk faster. Finally, Leo walks us into the house and introduces us to an old man in a wheelchair.

"Estrella, this is Chiron, our camp activities director. He's cool. Just ignore the whole sending children off to war thing," he jokes. Chiron does not look amused, as if Leo's constant joking is the main reason for his aging.

"Thank you, Leo. I'm glad you think I'm cool," Chiron sighs, "Nice to meet you, Estrella. And Nice to see you again, Terra. We weren't expecting you until the 5th I believe?"

I smile politely at him but begin to sway on my feet again now that we've stopped moving. My vision is getting blurrier, and I feel sweat blossom against my forehead.

"Yes, I was planning to stay in Miami with Estrella but unfortunately, we got attacked by Keres last night at about 1 AM. They swarmed the house and kill-uh injured most of her family. There were also some Blemmyes who targeted Estrella. I got scratched by one of the Keres but managed to kill it before it carried Es away. For some reason, it wasn't trying to kill her. She managed to get me to the port quickly enough so my dad could heal me and give us a boat to get up to camp. As you can see, Estrella was injured, and I think we should get her to the infirmary. She might also have mild hypothermia. I'll explain more after."

"Oh, dear. I'm so sorry about that. That sounds very scary. I am happy you were able to make it to camp safely. Yes, it seems like Estrella here could use some rest. We will talk more once you're feeling better," he directs the last sentence toward me. I nod tiredly and am ushered down the hall to a room with a few medical beds and collapse into the one closest to me. My body doesn't seem to want to cooperate anymore.

A blonde teenager with a bright smile walks over to us and looks down at me.

"Hi, I'm Will! What's up?"

Is he the doctor? He looks like he's 16.

"Uhhhh umm cold," I mumble sleepily.

"She fell out of our boat and into the freezing Long Island Sound. She definitely drowned a bit then bonked her head," Terra clarifies, "Leo was able to warm her up a bit, but she still looks cold. I think she's exhausted. We were attacked last night, and she also hit her head then."

"Concussion," I agree. Will's eyebrows raise and he scans my face.

"Nico? Can you grab me a flashlight?" he asks a quiet boy in the back who is taking inventory of supplies. He has dark hair and a dark aura about him that's slightly off-putting. He smiles and nods at Will but freezes when his eyes land on me. The color drains from his face as he stares at me. I feel uncomfortable and try to avert my eyes when he suddenly glares at me so darkly that I flinch.

What the fuck? What is wrong with this kid? What did I do? Why am I so scared?

I look at Terra for help and she looks even more confused than I feel.

"Uhhh, Nico? You good?" she asks. He seems to snap out of his trance with a shake of his head but sends me a few more wary glances.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm fine," he deflects as he grabs a flashlight and hands it to Will with a forced smile. Will sends him a warning glance like 'What the fuck dude? She's new'. He then turns to me with a fake smile so bright I flinch almost as much as I did at Nico's glare.

This is weird. Something isn't right.

He places his hand on my forehead and hums.

"Yep, definitely a concussion. Mild hypothermia as well. Some fluid in the lungs that could develop into pneumonia if we're not careful. Sprained ankle. Ok, that's about it. I'm not sure if you are mortal or not, so I'm just going to avoid nectar and ambrosia for now. With my healing powers, you should be feeling better in a few days."

When he places both of his hands on my temples, my vision is filled with warm light and my eyes begin to droop further. I panic and try to fight the sleepiness, but he reassures me that I'll be fine after some rest. I feel my heart race at the idea of being vulnerable around all these people, but Terra sends me a reassuring glance.

"It'll be fine, Estrella. I'll stay here the whole time."

I nod when I can no longer fight the sleepiness and give in to my exhaustion. As I drift off to sleep, I think I overhear Terra speaking to someone, but can't quite catch the words.

This is not going to go well.

Chapter Text

When I wake, I am in a dark room. Where am I?

My heart thumps loudly in my chest for about 3 seconds as I try to peer into the thick blackness of the room before I remember where I am. The infirmary.

Where is everybody? Terra said she would stay with me the whole time. I groan as I sit up and my head resumes its incessant pounding. It's not nearly as bad as it was before, but it's still noticeable.

I swing my feet over the side of the bed and wince as I test my weight on my ankle. Like my head, it's not as sore as it was the day before, but it feels stiff and puffy. I shuffle out of the infirmary while rubbing my eyes and begin down the dark hallway to the porch. The wood floors creak with my steps and I cringe. I tiptoe the rest of the way outside and take a deep breath, savoring the cool night air that caresses my face.

The night sky is so clear that I can see some of my favorite constellations. There are some other stars that I've never noticed before. I see a cluster of stars that almost looks like a girl holding a bow and arrow. I sigh as I study the sky. I wonder if any of those stars are the center of their solar system. If they provided life before they died out and the light finally got to our planet.

I walk down the steps of the front porch and toward the cluster of cabins in the center of the camp. They're gorgeous. Each cabin is so different from the others, it's like they tell a story. I can only imagine who's in each one. One cabin is covered in lush green vegetation and flowers of all kinds, filling my nose with a deliciously floral aroma. Another cabin is an angry red color. It looks violent and bloody. I'm walking in the shadows behind a beachy cabin with abalone accents when I hear the faintest noise behind me.

I freeze and listen for another sound. When I don't hear anything, I spin around and look into the shadows behind me. I lock eyes with the creepy boy from the infirmary. When he realizes I can see him his eyes widen slightly.

"Uh, hi? Why are you standing in the shadows? What's up?" I ask. He looks like a cornered animal. His eyes are filled with cold anger and cagey fear. I move to take a step closer to him when he lashes out and rams me against the wall of the cabin.

"What the hell?" I yell. How did he shove me so easily? I have at least 2 inches and 50 pounds on this kid. He places his forearm against my throat and my voice fades to a squeak. I start to cough and choke but he doesn't let up.

"Who are you?" he growls. His eyes look unfocused like he's in a trance or zoned out. When he looks at me I see pure terror and fury.

"What are you doing here? Why are you lurking around his cabin?" he continues. I still can't speak, and I can feel the blood vessels in my eyes expanding. The pressure in my head is building and I feel like my eyes are going to pop out. I scrape my nails against his arm, but he doesn't blink an eye.

"C-can't bre-" my sentence trails off into a wheeze. His glare intensifies and he pulls out a black shiny sword. A sword? Is this kid insane? He's going to kill me!

Since he's leaning his entire weight against my throat with one arm and holding a sword in the other, his crotch is left undefended. I drive my knee up as hard as I can and suddenly, we are both gasping. The pressure is let off my throat and I suck in much-needed breaths, choking on the air rushing into my bruised throat. He's on his knees with one hand gripping his crotch and the other bracing against the ground. As he sucks in painful breaths, I sink back into the shadows and run toward the beach. I can lose him in the forest, I hope.

I don't look back as I weave between tall pine trees, keeping to the shadows. I move as quickly and quietly as I can, which is not very quiet as I cough and gasp for breath. I pause behind one thick tree and listen to Nico curse and grunt.

He eventually stands when a bright voice heavy with sleep whispers, "Nico?"

Will has come to my rescue once again. I hear him fussing over Nico and dragging him back into a black cabin. When the door shuts, I suck in a huge sigh of relief and shake my head. What the hell just happened? I almost got killed by a goth freak. Where the fuck is Terra?

My heart is racing, and I feel the ever-familiar presence of anxiety growing in my stomach. Sweat beads down my back and my thoughts swirl like a hurricane.

I shakily walk toward the beach as tears brim in my eyes. My entire body is shaking, and I feel faint. I'm not sure if I'm about to die or just feeling the after-effects of nearly being strangled.

When I find a large rock on the beach, I sink to the sand in the shadows behind it. I press myself as close to the rock as I can. I push hard against the wall of stone because if I don't, I will completely fall apart.

What just happened? What is going on? What if he finds me again? What if he stabs me next time? Nobody here knows me, no one will stop him from murdering me! How are kids just allowed to carry swords around and point them at other kids? I need to get out of here. Something really bad is going to happen. I can't do this. I need my dad. Is my dad ok? I need him, he'd know what to do. Where is my dad? I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this.

With each thought, my body trembles more until I'm a shaking mess. I feel like I'm going to die. My breaths turn into whimpers as a lump forms in my throat. I can't fucking do this. I let out a pathetic whine as I wrap my arms tightly around my legs and the tears finally start to stream down my cheeks. A broken sob slips out and I hastily slam a hand over my mouth. What if he finds me?

The thought makes me sob harder. My vision is now completely obscured by tears. I feel like a terrified little kid. I need somebody to make me feel safe, but he's gone. He's gone. You know he's gone.

I bite back a heart-wrenching wail and shove my fist against my teeth. I am a blubbering mess.

I nearly scream as the sand shifts behind me. He found me. My heart skips a beat and I whirl myself around, ready to put up a fight this time. I'll throw myself at him and I'll kill him.

What I'm greeted with is not the skinny, creepy freak, though. It's the beautiful tall blonde girl from my dream. The moonlight illuminates her curls and makes them glow like a halo. She looks like an angel compared to the demon from earlier.

I force an embarrassed chuckle and hastily wipe my cheeks. I don't move to stand though; my legs are too weak to even crawl right now.

She gives me a soft smile and moves slowly like I am a rabid animal. I catch a hint of wariness in her eyes as she scans my face, but she schools her face into a polite blankness.

"Are you ok?" she asks kindly. She looks understanding but there is a calculating edge to her gaze. I see the same thing when I look in the mirror.

"Yeah, sorry. It's just been a rough day," I smile as if I was not just having a full-blown panic attack. Don't let her see you vulnerable. She isn't showing you everything either.

"No worries. I couldn't sleep anyway, I was just sitting out here because it reminds me of my best friend."

I nod awkwardly. I'm not sure how to respond to that.

"What's your name? I haven't seen you around here before. I've been gone for a few months, so you must be a new camper?" she asks, thankfully changing the subject.

"Estrella. And yeah, I got here today. Or yesterday, I guess," I nod.

"Are you from Camp Jupiter? You're a little old to be a new camper here."

She's good.

"No, it's a long story. I got here yesterday with my friend after we were attacked by Keres."

She sucks in a breath, "Jeez, those things are nasty. How did you guys get away?"

"I was able to drive us to the port to meet up with Terra's dad. She got scratched by one so thankfully he was able to help her before she died of infection."

Her curious façade drops for a moment as unfiltered concern fills her face.

"Terra? Is she ok? Did she make it back with you?" Hmm. That's weird. I would have assumed she put it together that the friend that I arrived with was Terra. She notices that I've caught her, and she blushes.

"Sorry, what's your name? I'm still getting to know everyone," I question.

"Annabeth," she smiles. Oh. That explains it. Daughter of Athena, the wisdom goddess. Seems like Terra isn't the only one interested. I wonder if Percy knows.

"Oh my gosh, it's so nice to meet you! Terra has told me all about you," I smile coyly. Annabeth blushes further. She seems to relax slightly now that she knows I'm friends with Terra, though.

"Yeah, I've heard a bit about you too! I thought Terra said you were a mortal?"

"Yeah, I'm not so sure about that myself. I'd never seen a monster before yesterday, but Terra thinks I have some ability to detect them. Hence my crippling anxiety for the last few years."

"Who is your godly parent?" she questions as she once again scans my face warily. It's like she can sense something in me that she's not sure about. Something that scares her. She better not try to kill me like Nico did. The thought sends my heart racing again.

"Uh-um, I don't know. I'm pretty sure I'm human. My dad is definitely human. My mom left when I was 2 but my dad never told me otherwise, so I think she was human too."

"Hmm," she hums. She's still unsure but I can see in her face that she believes me. Or at least that she believes that I think I'm telling the truth.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough," she wonders, "I definitely get demigod vibes from you. Something about you seems familiar. And really powerful." The hell does that mean?

"But hey, a friend of Terra's is a friend of mine," she smiles and sits down next to me.

"I'm glad. I don't think I want to be on your bad side."

"Oh, you definitely don't," she deadpans. My eyes widen before I let out a shocked laugh. No wonder Terra likes her. She laughs along until she catches sight of my swollen neck. Her smile drops and she looks angry? I inch away, terrified that I've accidentally set off another person tonight. I really don't think I can take her in a fight.

"What happened to your neck?" she asks, suddenly quiet. I lean away from her and avoid her eyes. Don't say anything to piss her off. Lie.

"Oh, one of the Keres tried to carry me away and grabbed me by the neck," I lie. Half-truths are my go-to. They work on everybody.

Her eyes narrow as she stares at the red marks.

"What happened?" she repeats impatiently. Her forceful tone makes me flinch and she sighs.

"Estrella, Keres have claws. You have a red mark across your neck that was not made by talons. This was made by blunt force like an arm. If it was claws the skin would be raised. This is fresh and only starting to swell."

What the hell? Why is everyone here so weird? How did she know that?

"Uh-what-No-I-I," I stutter.

"Tell me," she barks but softens as I flinch away again, "Who did this?"

"Fine," I sigh, "So I woke up a few hours ago in the infirmary. It was dark and silent, and Terra wasn't there like she said she would be. I started walking around camp and was walking by a beachy-looking cabin when this skinny goth dude pinned me against the wall and started choking me. He kept asking who I was and what I'm doing here. He looked really scared and pulled out a black sword, so I kneed him in the balls and ran away," I ramble and trail off with a voice crack. She looks confused.

"A skinny goth dude?"

"Yeah, some kid named Nico. He was in the infirmary earlier and was giving me weird looks. Next thing I know, he's trying to kill me."

Her face drops. She knows who I'm talking about. There is something she's not telling me.

"Nico?" she wonders, "That doesn't sound like him at all. He is never really the type of guy to attack first. He's more of the silent grudge guy. He's really protective of camp and has PTSD from the war, so maybe you just caught him at a bad time."

PTSD? How is this camp still operational? Giving kids PTSD? This is insane.

After explaining, Annabeth looks confused and slightly worried but tries to play it off. I'm not fooled.

"If his PTSD is so bad that he tries to kill me, how is he just allowed to be roaming around? He should be in a ward or something. His eyes looked crazy too. His pupils were huge, and he looked downright terrified of me."

"Hmm. That doesn't sound like Nico at all. His father is Hades, the god of the Underworld, so Nico isn't afraid of much. If anything, people are afraid of him. Did you notice what color his eyes were?"

What the hell does that matter? I wasn't really gazing into his eyes as he tried to murder me.

"I don't know, they were really dark like either a dark brown or black. Why?"

"During the second giant war, our friend Leo was possessed by an Eidolon and fired on Camp Jupiter. When you get possessed, your eyes look gold. I wanted to know if Nico was maybe possessed to be so violent, but I guess not."

"No, he just seemed out of it. Like maybe he was zoned out or something."

She makes a weird face for a moment then goes back to her normal, neutral expression.

She definitely knows something.

"I'm really sorry that happened to you. Are you ok? I'm pretty close with him so I'll make sure to talk to him and see what's going on. I won't tell him I ran into you though. It's not ok for him to just attack you like that. Something weird is definitely going on. Especially with you showing up here now of all times."

"What do you mean 'of all times'?"

"There has been some weird stuff going on. I've been hearing rumors of mortals seeing monsters. There have been reports of more mythological sightings, which have always been covered up by the mist. The fact that mortals are noticing things now is concerning."

That is weird. I'd never really noticed any monsters until recently either.

"Maybe that's why I'm here. I hadn't seen monsters until a few days ago. Maybe I'm one of those humans who is seeing monsters now," I wonder. Annabeth gets a knowing look like she can see that I am trying to convince myself.

"I'm not so sure about that. I'm still not convinced that you aren't a demigod. Even if you are a lot older than demigods usually are when they get claimed. Something seems different about you."

I sigh. She's probably right. I have a feeling deep down that knows something is off. It's a knowing feeling that triggers my anxiety and makes me feel like something horrible is going to happen.

"But hey, it's a good thing that you're here now. Believe it or not, this is actually the safest place for you to be right now. Ignoring what happened with Nico of course."

I huff a big sigh and she smiles.

"For now, let's just try to get your mind off of it. What do you like to do for fun?"

"It's really embarrassing, but I love to cook. And read. I used to play volleyball, but I stopped playing last year. I'm kinda boring," I blush. Not making quite the first impression.

"Cooking huh? You'd get along with Leo and Piper! Leo can make some mean tacos."

"Oh, I've met Leo. He's uh... he's something. I've never met someone so hyper before. He's hot though," I smirk. That'll never get old. She raises an eyebrow.

"You think Leo's hot?" she wrinkles her nose, "If you think he's hot, you should see Jason. Or Percy."

"I was being sarcastic," I laugh, "He helped me not die of hypothermia earlier. He was definitely a little touchier than I would have liked though. Needs to watch his hands."

Annabeth chokes on a laugh.

"What do you mean?"

"Just that I woke up to him grabbing my boob. He claims that he was making sure my heart didn't fail. I'm not sure how much I buy that."

"I mean, can you blame him?" she jokes, glancing down with a smirk. I gape at the implication and blush.

"Wait, isn't Percy your boyfriend?" I ask. Her smile drops a bit, and she looks away toward the ocean.

"Yeah..." she sighs. Weird. She doesn't seem too excited about that. I can definitely tell that something is going on with them. I raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we've been together for a few years now. He is my best friend and the greatest guy I've ever met. I'd die for him any day."

Ok, dramatic. But cute, I guess.

"Is that why you're out here so late?" I wonder.

"Yeah. Things have been weird lately. I wanted to come out here and clear my head. The water has always calmed me. Now I just feel more confused."

I think I know what's going on.

"Anyway, so you like reading? I don't think reading is boring at all. I think it's fascinating how people can paint such a vibrant image with just their words, you know? I am a daughter of Athena though, so I might be biased," she chuckles.

"I have some really great books back in my cabin. Come on, let's go sneak in and grab some. I've been dying to talk to someone about these books, but no one ever wants to read them," she rambles as she reaches out a hand to help me up. I stand slowly on shaky knees and hobble after her as she gracefully stalks through the sand.

When we get to her cabin, I wait outside as she tiptoes through the door toward a massive bookcase. I peek inside the simply designed cabin and gape at the blueprints lining the walls. With a small smile, I turn away from the cabin and scan my surroundings. I hear a branch break in the distance and tense up. Is he back? Is he going to try to kill me again?

I spin around to face Annabeth as she trudges through the door with a grunt. Her arms are weighed down by a stack of books, but she has a bright smile on her face.

"Here," she says as she unloads the books one by one into my arms, "This is a book about Greek Mythology so you can catch up. This is a book about architecture, in case you are into that. It has examples from some of the best, like Frank Lloyd Wright, some sample blueprints, calculations-"

"Cool, thanks. I'll give it a look," I interrupt.

"Right. This one is a book about Roman mythology so you can read up on Terra's heritage. This is a cookbook of ancient Greek recipes that might interest you."

I smile at that. That's so thoughtful of her. I'm starting to see why Terra likes her.

"That is so cool! Thank you!" I grin.

"Of course! Oh! And here is a fiction book I read last week that has some really beautiful prose. I think you'll love it," she smiles.

"Wow! These will keep my mind busy for a while. Thank you so much!"

"I'm glad," she adds with a yawn, "Well, I'm pretty tired so I think I'm going to head to bed. It was so nice to meet you, Estrella. Let me know what you think of those books! And come find me tomorrow -- I'll introduce you to my friends."

"Will do. Good night," I flash her a smile and walk back toward the big blue house. When I get back to the infirmary, I plop onto a bed and grin at my stash. The Greek cookbook and mythology guide are probably the most useful to me right now, but I feel myself gravitating to the fiction novel. Good books can transport me to another world and make all of my problems cease to exist.

I sit crisscrossed in the bed and read until the morning light streams through the window and my eyes burn. She was right, the book really is beautiful. The lyrical writing takes my mind off of my problems until I hear the camp start to wake up as well.

Eventually, Will walks into the infirmary and my stomach drops. Did Nico tell him about what happened last night? Is he going to try and kill me too? Where the HELL is Terra?

"Oh, hi Estrella! You're already up! How did you sleep? Are you feeling better?" he asks.

"Hey, yeah, my headache is almost gone. I'm just a little sore," I rasp. I sound like I smoked 15 cigarettes last night.

"Oof, you sound a little rough. What happened to your neck? It didn't look red or swollen last night. I'm seeing some surface abrasions and swelling near your vocal cords," he examines my neck with gentle fingers. When he presses against the tender skin, I shiver and wince away.

"Sorry. These wounds are consistent with strangulation. When did this happen?"

"Uhhhh," I frantically think of an excuse. How am I going to tell him that his friend did this? He definitely won't believe me.

"When we got attacked by the Blemmyes, one of them grabbed me by the neck," I lie and shudder when I picture my aunt's crooked neck on the ground. Will narrows his eyes at me but lets it go.

"Hmmm. Ok. It'll be quite sore today then. I'm still not sure if I can give you ambrosia, so I'll try my best to do some of my own healing. You will still have some swelling, so try not to speak too much today. You'll just irritate your throat more."

I nod and begin to wallow in self-pity. God, can things get any worse?

My depressing thoughts are interrupted by what sounds like a bell.

"Oh great! Breakfast timeeee," he sings and almost skips out of the door.

"Come on, let's get some food in you," he peeks his head back inside and gestures impatiently at me to follow.

I hop out of the bed and stumble as my legs regain feeling with itchy tingles.

When I get outside, the bright sunlight makes my burning eyes water. I look around the camp with a renewed sense of wonder. It looks even more beautiful in the morning light.

My smile drops when I catch sight of Terra speed-walking over to us like a soccer mom. She better have a good fucking excuse.

"Heyyyy Es," she begins nervously, "How did you sleep?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I glare, "You'll stay there the whole time, huh?"

"Ah, shoot, I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd wake up before I got back. I was catching up with some old friends I haven't seen in a while."

Will catches sight of my glare and backs away.

"I'm gonna go grab breakfast. Terra, you can show her how to get there, right?" he asks as he's already walked 30 feet away from us. "See you guys later."

I whirl back on Terra.

"Catching up with old friends, huh? That sounds nice. It's so nice that you have friends here. I'm so happy for you," my voice becomes more venomous with each sentence.

"I'm sorry, Es. It's just been a while since I've seen them, and I figured you'd be asleep anyway."

"Well, I wasn't," I spit, "I woke up all alone in a pitch-black room in a camp where I don't know anybody but you. You brought me here and then left me. I started walking around looking for you and then was attacked-"

"You walked around at night?! There are harpies out there at night, you could have been eaten!" she exclaims.

"What the fuck is a harpy? Thanks for mentioning that ahead of time by the way. I was attacked, but by that goth freak, Nico, not a harpy."

"W-wait, what? Nico attacked you?" she glances down at my bruised neck and gasps.

"Oh my gods! Did he do that to you?" she reaches out to touch the bruise, but I slap her hand away.

"Of course, idiot!" I snap. She flinches and I take a deep breath to calm myself.

"Your friends here are freaking crazy and tried to murder me in the middle of the night."

"Why would he do that?" she wonders, "I'm so sorry that happened to you. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, whatever, it's fine. Is he going to get expelled or something?"

"Expelled? Uhhhh... probably not. He has really bad PTSD and holds grudges, so I don't think Chiron is going to punish him. We should figure out what's going on, so it doesn't happen again, though."

What kind of camp is this?? How is he allowed to stay after trying to kill me?

"Great," I mumble.

"Hey, I really am sorry. Let's go get breakfast, you haven't eaten in like 2 days."

Like I could have an appetite after what's happened.

Terra leads me to the pavilion, and I take in the magnificent sight of rows upon rows of wooden tables and gigantic white pillars overlooking the bright surf. A warm breeze ruffles my hair and carries the scent of the ocean mixed with a smoky fire.

My heart speeds up a bit as heads at every table turn toward us. Where am I supposed to sit?

Terra grabs my arm and drags me toward a table with a beautiful girl with tight golden ringlet curls and equally golden eyes. She is the first to smile at me as we approach, and my heartbeat slows a bit.

"Alright, let's sit here. Since you're new and don't really have a particular godly parent that we know of, you can sit with us at the Roman table. Most of the other tables are for specific gods, like over there is the Athena table," Terra gestures to a table full of blonde heads.

"Some of the tables are mixed with Roman and Greek, but since some of the Roman gods are so minor and don't have a Greek counterpart, we just all mix and mash when we visit. Chiron has gotten less strict about the seating arrangements," she explains as we sit down at the table.

"Anyway, this is Hazel," she gestures to the girl with curly hair. I wave shyly and flash her a small smile. She looks sweet but her beauty is honestly intimidating.

"This is Dakota," a burly kid with a large glass of what smells like sickly sweet Kool-Aid flashes me a toothy, red-stained grin. She introduces me to a few other people whose names I immediately forget, and I'm startled when an elfish woman with green-tinted skin rushes up to us with plates. She gracefully deposits plates filled with fresh fruit, warm bread, and cheese.

"Thank you!" Terra chirps as she begins to stuff her face with bread.

"That was a dryad," Hazel leans over and explains softly. She seems to notice that I'm overwhelmed with the morning hustle and bustle and smiles understandingly.

"It took me a while to get used to all this stuff, too. Are you new?" Hazel asks.

"Oh yeah! This is Estrella," Terra mumbles through a mouthful of bread, "We got here yesterday. Still not sure if she's a demigod yet. We got attacked at her house and chased by Keres all the way to the port. Thankfully my dad helped us out. Oh shoot, I need to go burn him a sacrifice. Be right back."

Burn a sacrifice? What? Is this some sort of satanic ritual?

"Oh, don't worry. She just means throwing a portion of her food into the fire as an offering to the gods. They like the smell of the food as it burns apparently. It's not satanic or anything, trust me I wondered the same. In my time, people would think I was cursed or a witch if I did that."

I raise an eyebrow. In her time? Witch? She better not be weird like Nico.

"It's nice to meet you, Estrella. That's a pretty name," she smiles. I'm feeling exhausted already, but I force a small smile in return. She's nice.

"Thank you. My dad chose it. He loved the night sky and taught me all about constellations," I trail off wistfully. Too bad he's probably dead now. I sigh. The bread and fruit in front of me suddenly smell nauseating.

"He sounds great."

"He was."

The conversation ends at that, and I curse myself for my lack of social skills. This is why nobody at this camp is going to like you.

Terra squeezes herself back in next to me and continues eating rapidly.

"You should probably burn a little something just in case," she looks pointedly at my plate.

"How do I do it?" I ask.

"Just like walk up to that big ole bronze pot thing and toss the best part of your food into the fire. Then like whisper something to the gods or say a prayer in your head, I don't know," Terra explains casually, too preoccupied with her food to actually care.

I sigh and stand, making my way through the tables with my head lowered avoiding eye contact. I can sense people staring at me, but I ignore them as I walk up to the big brazier.

With a flick of my wrist, I scrape a large chunk of bread into the fire along with the entire block of cheese and a few grapes. Whoever is listening... I'm Estrella. Nice to meet you, I guess. I'm not sure who my mom is, but please help my dad stay alive. I really need him. Enjoy that cheese by the way. I'm vegan so you can have it all.

I purse my lips and nod before turning around and making my way back to the table. When I glance up momentarily, I see Leo trying to catch my gaze with a wide smile. I don't have the energy to muster a smile anymore, so just press my lips together into a line and nod at him. His smile is replaced by a concerned glance but I walk past him and sit back down next to Terra.

The table is chatting about something, but I just can't seem to pull myself out of my mind to listen. I feel like an outsider anyway, so it would be weird for me to try and involve myself in the conversation. They're going to think you're weird.

I'm not sure how much time passes as I silently rip my bread into tiny chunks and scatter them around my plate to create the illusion that I've eaten. I nibble on a grape but frown as my stomach gurgles with anxiety. I'm too unsettled to keep anything down right now.

When a pair of hands grab my shoulders, I flinch so violently that I bang my knee against the underside of the table.

"Hola chama!" Leo almost yells in my ear. I whirl on him with a baffled look, and he has a Cheshire grin on his face.

"Pendejo," I snap as I massage my now sore knee, "Don't freaking sneak up on me like that."

"I called your name first, but you were off in wonderland. Hey Hazel! Did you get here this morning?" he's obnoxiously massaging my shoulders, so I impatiently shrug his hands off. He shrugs and sits down so close to me that his elbow is poking my side. I roll my eyes in annoyance. What is wrong with this kid? Hazel smirks at his antics and my obvious annoyance.

"Yeah, I just got here. You know Estrella already?" she asks.

"Yep. I was her knight in shining armor and rescued her and Terra from the frigid Long Island Sound. Estrella and I are besties now, isn't that right?" he asks as he turns to face me. When I shake my head, he glances down at my neck and frowns.

"What is that? What happened? That wasn't there yesterday," he questions, sounding concerned and slightly angry.

"Nothing," I snap and flash him a look that says, 'drop it'. He furrows his brows in confusion but doesn't press me further. I tune out the world again as he says another joke and the table laughs.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of something stomping against the floor. I glance up and blanch at the sight of Chiron not only standing without his wheelchair but with the body of a horse below the waist. What the...

"Hello everyone, good morning! I hope you are enjoying your breakfast and the start of an exciting new year. We have some familiar faces visiting us this week, like Hazel," she smiles and waves, "Annabeth," I glance over my shoulder and spot her head among the table of blondes. She flashes me a small smile and glances back at Chiron.

"And I believe, Piper, Jason, and Percy will be stopping by today as well," the campers whoop and cheer, excited to see their old friends.

"Oh, and we have a new camper who arrived yesterday! Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Estrella. We are not sure of her godly parent, so treat her with kindness as she navigates this new world," he finishes. The campers are much quieter as they all turn to stare at me. Leo and Terra whoop loudly at my name and I blush at the awkward atmosphere. I can hear Hazel clapping softly along with someone else at one of the other tables.

"-claimed yet? She looks old," I hear someone whisper. There are a few sniggers and confused glances.

"-Demeter? No, I think more Hermes?"

"Definitely not Aphrodite," somebody whispers, and people laugh, "maybe Hephaestus."

I'm not sure what people are saying but it definitely doesn't sound like compliments. Leo notices my head lowered in embarrassment and elbows me in the side.

"I wish you were in Hephaestus. We need more girls in there," he chuckles. I smirk a little and tune out everyone else. No use trying to guess when I have no clue what is going on.

"Anyway," Chiron adds pointedly glancing at the giggling campers, "we will be playing capture the flag tonight to welcome back our old friends and introduce new campers to what makes Camp Half-Blood so special!"

The crowd goes up in cheers and campers bang their cups against the wooden tables raucously. Leo and Terra are whooping excitedly on either side of me. I'm numb.

The rest of breakfast passes in a hazy blur of colors and loud noise. I stare at a spot on the table for so long that my eyes are dry when I snap out of my daze.

"Estrella?" a hand waves in front of my eyes, "Come on, let's go."

I look around and see that most of the tables are empty now. I turn back to whoever was waving a hand in my face and see Leo staring at me. He gestures for me to follow as he and Terra walk out of the mess hall.

I scramble out of my seat and rush to follow them.

"Wait what? Where are we going?" I ask as I trip over a small crack in the floor. I look back and notice that my plate is being whisked away by another dryad.

"Bro, were you not listening at all? McShizzle is giving you the ultimate tour of camp."

"We just want to show you around, introduce you to some friends, just get you acquainted," Terra explains while rolling her eyes at Leo. They lead me away from the dining hall, through the dense woods, and up to a huge wall of limestone.

"This is Bunker 9! The coolest man cave on planet Earth!" he beams and places his hand against the wall. I jump back when his hand emits a burst of flames that spread along the wall. Still not used to that.

With a groan, the rock shifts and we are faced with a huge bunker the size of an airplane hangar. There are giant ships, metal dragons, and hundreds of various projects splayed across worktables. My jaw drops at the scale of the bunker hidden in the forest and Leo skips down one of the aisles.

"Sunshineeee? I brought you some bread and fruit from breakfast," Leo sings. He grabs food wrapped in a cloth out of the belt at his waist and I wrinkle my nose. Thoughtful but kind of gross.

"Leo?" a melodious voice calls from the back. My jaw drops further when a girl steps out from behind one of the benches in the back. She has caramel-colored hair that flows over her shoulders in smooth, silky waves, dark sultry eyes, and skin so perfect it's unfair.

"Hi babe," Leo presses a kiss to her cheek, "I brought some friends too. This is Estrella. She's Terra's friend from Miami that I helped bring into camp yesterday. She's Latina too," he adds with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Hello Estrella, it is nice to meet you. I am Calypso," she extends her hand to me. I shakily extend my clammy hand and give hers a gentle shake. Her hands are incredibly smooth, but she has a surprisingly firm grip and smudges of oil on the backs of her hands.

"H-hi. N-nice to meet you," I stumble out. She is seriously the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Why did she go for Leo of all people?

She laughs out loud.

"I ask myself that every day," she chuckles. My hands fly to my mouth in shock. I said that out loud. You are an absolute idiot.

"Heh, sorry Leo. Your girlfriend is hot. Way hotter than you," I try to play it off like I meant to say this out loud. Leo scoffs in offense and Calypso smiles a bit more warmly.

"You are not so bad yourself," she jokes, "We are looking for a third, right Leo?"

Leo's mouth is wide open in shock and his eyes nearly bulge out of his head.

"W-what?" he sputters. Calypso is laughing heartily now. The sound of it is almost musical and I can't help but join in.

"Leo has been catching her up to our current slang," Terra explains while chuckling.

"Like polyamory is anything new," Calypso quips. Leo blushes further.

"I don't know about that," Leo says, "I wouldn't be opposed though. All the ladies love Leo."

"I am joking. You could not handle both of us," Calypso pats Leo's cheek like a puppy and winks at me. I nod in agreement. I don't think I could handle Calypso either. Her beauty is so intimidating.

While Leo and Terra inspect and admire various ships in the bunker, Calypso turns to me and asks about my heritage.

"So, you are from Miami? Do you have a lot of family there?"

My face falls immediately.

"I did. After we were attacked by monsters, I had to rush Terra to the port so she could be healed by her dad. I left my family behind and I'm not sure who made it out alive. I saw some of them get killed I don't-"

"Hey," she places a gentle hand on my shoulder, "I am sorry. I did not know. Demigods have such challenging lives," she sighs.

"Poor Leo had to see his mother be burned alive in front of him because a goddess wanted to torment him. He has struggled so much and still tries to make other people laugh. I think that is one thing that drew me to him."

"He saved my life yesterday," I concede, "I probably would have died from hypothermia if not for him."

"That sounds like him," she smiles, "What was your family like?"

"Loud," I laugh, "Loud but fun. They were extremely religious but prioritized family over everything. Sometimes their unwavering support felt a bit overwhelming, but they really were there for me. They helped raise me after my mother left. When my dad would work night shifts, my abuela would cook dinner and read me storybooks in Spanish to try to get me to learn, but I was a very stubborn child. For some reason, I refused to learn, but she never gave up."

"They sound incredible. My family is quite loud as well. They raised me to be proud and strong, even when we were in the wrong. It took me a while to unlearn those stubborn tendencies. I supported my family even when they were doing horrible things and ended up paying for them. I would still be stuck on that island if not for Leo."

"Do you ever miss it?" I wonder, "Sometimes I want nothing more than to have a place to myself where I don't have to worry. Where I can be myself and have something so quiet that the constant noise in my mind fades a little too."

"I did love that island," she confesses, "but I would not go back. That island brought me solace while the world turned its back on me. I learned so much during my time there about myself, how to love, how to heal, the pain that love causes. I am not sure who I would be without my time on that island, but then again, it was not my time. I was forced to stay there for centuries. How can it be your life when you do not choose to live it?"

"Wow. I never thought about it like that."

"Now that I know what it feels like to be free, I would never wish to go back. The people at camp have welcomed me with open arms and I found people that love me."

That sounds nice...

"I wish I could say the same. I feel like I've been forced into this life the last few days. I didn't want this, and nobody wants me here either. Everybody knows I don't belong."

"There are some people here who have been hurt in the past. After the war, demigods are slower to trust. Once you find your people here, they will be just as supportive as your family. The campers might be somewhat immature and aggressive, but once you get to know them, you will see that they have built up protective barriers. Once you get inside, you will have friends for life. Friends who would die for you without a thought."

"What if they never trust me?" I whisper, "They look at me like they hate me. Like I'm the one who has caused their pain. I don't even know what is going on."

Calypso stares into my eyes so deeply that I get goosebumps on my arms. I feel like I'm being read like a book.

"You are different. The demigods can sense that. I can sense it. You have a very powerful aura. It is fairly fresh because you are just now learning about who you might be. Some might misconstrue this power as darkness. I have seen darkness, been darkness. You have the choice to do with that what you will. You know what is right. Do not let the people who misunderstand you determine who you are."

"But what does that mean? I'm just a human – mortal – whatever."

"Do you really believe that? Or is that what you have been taught to believe? You must not make the same mistakes as me and think that what you know is all that there is. As you are discovering, a whole world exists outside of what you have known your whole life. Do not let yourself be blinded by what you have yet to understand. I know you have sensed something different in the last few days."

"How do you..? I don't..."

"You do not have to fear it. We fear things we do not understand. You are in the best possible place to learn about your power. Whatever that is, you have the choice in how you use it. The greatest mistake you can make now is constantly fearing that you will make one and not finding who you are."

"I-it feels... wrong," my voice is small and scared.

"It feels new."

"I-I feel like there is a black void filling me up. What if it swallows up everything that makes me good?"

"You are not wrong. There is a dark tint to your aura. This does not mean that you are bad. People fear the night because they do not know what lurks beyond. They fail to see the bright stars of our loved ones shining on us. The bright glow of the moon lighting the path home. The night brings peace and rest and the reassurance that you have made it through another day."

I smile as I think of my father again.

"My dad loved nighttime. He'd sit with me by the fire and teach me about the constellations. I used to be afraid of the dark, but he'd tell me about how the night is more alive than the day. How the colors are richer and how some animals sleep all day just to experience the beauty of night."

"He sounds like a smart man. I too used to stay up some nights on my island just to experience the subtle beauty and quiet of the night. It felt almost more private as the owls would hoot and the ocean would continue sending soft waves to my shore. Never quite stopping, but slowing as the wind would grow gentler, rustling my hair, soothing my worries from the day. I would plant Moonlace under the stars and wish for freedom."

"What is Moonlace?" I wonder.

"Moonlace is the most beautiful flower that flourishes under the moonlight. I left them behind on Ogygia, but I can ask Percy to bring one of the leaves today. I can show you how to plant it tonight."

"That sounds amazing. Thank you so much, Calypso."

"Of course. If you are feeling lonely or having trouble with some of the campers, you can come see me anytime. I will teach you how to garden or weave or just be someone to talk to."

My eyes water at the kindness of the gesture. Maybe I'm not that alone after all.

"Thank you," I muster over the lump in my throat. She nods with an understanding smile.

"Come on, let's continue our tour around camp," says Terra as she and Leo join us again. I flash Calypso one last smile as we leave her back in the bunker and resume our tour.

They show me the rock-climbing wall equipped with literal lava, sword fighting arena, and archery range while I seriously wonder how this place is even legal. Finally, they show me the large pine tree in front of the camp with a dragon guarding what looks like a big golden rug.

At this point, I'm less surprised by the dragon than I should be. Maybe my fear really was a lack of understanding. That's not to say that I'm not scared of this dragon though. I will not be going anywhere near it.

On our way back toward the big house, I stare longingly at the volleyball court, and Terra notices. She breaks out into a smile and drags me over to the teens already in the middle of a game. I try and dig my heels in, not wanting to interrupt their game and have all their attention on me, but Terra suddenly feels like a truck pulling me.

"Hey, guys! Do you have room for 3 more? This is Estrella, she played volleyball in high school!"

I am going to kill her. I smile embarrassedly and my face fills with color.

"Played? Have you already graduated high school?" a blonde girl asks. She looks me up and down quickly like she is trying to guess my age.

"Uhhh-um... no, I'm in my last year now. I had too much going on to play this year," I stumble out.

"Yeah, you're lucky you got to go to school for that long. I've been here since I was 10," one boy grumbles.

"Maybe that's why you lack social skills," Leo quips. I hold back a laugh. Terra doesn't.

"Come on, 6 on 6?" Terra asks hopefully.

"Alright, sure. You can have James, Anna, and Ines," the blonde girl says smugly. Of course, she gave us the 3 shortest people on the court. I notice that they give me more welcoming smiles as they cross over to our side of the net, though, and I gather our team into a huddle.

"Ok, 6 on 6 sand is pretty unusual but gives us more of a chance. Let's start with Leo in left-back, so you can be an outside hitter after the first rotation. Anna, let's put you middle-back because you look quick and would be a good defender. James, you go right-back, and Ines go left-front. Terra, you can start as a middle blocker because you are the second-tallest person we've got. I'll go right-side so I can set and then serve once we win the point. Guys, what do you know about these people? Are they good?"

"We are sons and daughters of Apollo, so yes, we are pretty good," says Anna.

"Yeah, they're all stupidly athletic and coordinated. They're definitely going to come at us strong because they think we are less athletic and obviously shorter," Leo adds.

"Ok, great. That's exactly what we want. We are quick on our feet and can jump high, right?" I ask. They all nod.

"Awesome, so when they serve, just plant your feet, and angle the ball toward me so I can set. Ines, I'm going to set to you first. Aim at the "10-year-old" guy, he looks slower than the rest," I plan.

"Oh, he definitely is," Ines smirks viciously.

"Perfect. Terra, when they go to hit, just jump, and try to block with your hands straight up. Everyone else, just try to pass the ball as high as you can so I have time to get there. It doesn't have to be perfect. Ready?"

"Yeah!" they chorus, and we split off into our positions. As I expected, they serve an aggressive topspin serve right to Anna. It spins rapidly and looks incredible, but of course, it's one of the easiest serves to pass. Anna doesn't even have to take a step to pass it to me perfectly.

With a smirk, I set a smooth arc to Ines and watch the blockers on the other side of the net to cover any blocks. She makes a weird connection with the ball, so it isn't as hard of a hit as she would have liked, and the other team picks it up easily. The blonde setter smiles as she pushes the ball all the way to the tall outside hitter, not expecting us to stand a chance.

However, right before the hitter makes contact, I jump as high as I can and press my hands over the net. The ball slams against my slightly downward-tilted hands and ricochets down into the sand on their side of the net. We won the point.

My team erupts into cheers, and Leo claps me on the back with both hands while Terra does a happy dance.

I send the blonde setter a little smirk and dust off the ball as I walk to the back row to serve. I opt for a simple standing float serve. No frills, no room for mistake. Just a deceptively simple-looking serve that floats over the net in a smooth arc, before wobbling and slightly changing direction as it flies toward the shorter boy in right-back. He doesn't move his feet enough and is caught off-guard as the ball wobbles before him. He shanks the ball off the side of his right arm and the setter is sent chasing after it. She doesn't make it in time and tries to dive for the ball to no avail.

The ball lands in the sand in front of her with a satisfying thunk. Ace. My team cheers excitedly and Leo looks almost proud. I'm smiling broadly at this point and go on to serve a few more aces before they're able to return the ball to our side.

They send us a weak roll-shot that Anna easily picks up, and I run to the front row to set. I set Leo a quick-tempo ball to the outside and he jumps surprisingly high, hitting the ball incredibly hard. Unfortunately, the blockers see what he's doing and hastily take away his direct shot at the setter down the line. His hit flies off the block back down to our side, but I am able to pick it up.

Terra bumps another set to Leo, and he notices the block this time. Smartly, he tips the ball right over the block, so it lands just behind them. I cheer in delight and give him a double high five, sand flying in both of our faces. I serve a few more times until they are able to score a point and win the ball back.

The game continues until it is 20-15 and Anna is serving the game point. She looks nervous as she tosses the ball into the air and opts for a two-step jump-float serve. Her technique is simple and perfect, the ball flying right down the seam between the middle and right-back. Both players try to go for the ball, but back away at the last second as the ball plunks right into the sand between them. We won.

Our team screams in excitement and gives hugs and high-fives all around. I am sweating and sand is stuck to my entire body, but I feel amazing. Leo and Terra are panting but look at me with wide smiles as we walk over to give the other team high-fives. We are debating whether we want to play another set when a commotion breaks out at the border.

We hear cheers and whoops of excitement as campers crowd around somebody. I crane my neck to see what the noise is about but can't see past the mass of heads bobbing about.

Eventually, the crowd parts and the most beautiful boy I've ever seen walks out hand-in-hand with Annabeth. He has messy, thick black silky hair that looks like he's been at the beach all day and the most incredible green-blue eyes I've ever seen. His bright white smile stands out amongst his perfect tan complexion. Even from this distance, I'm awestruck at his beauty. He is tall and lean but obviously muscular beneath his sweater and a collared shirt. He has a coat slung over one arm as he smiles broadly at the campers surrounding him and blushes at their excitement.

This is so weird. Why are they surrounding him like a celebrity?

I turn to Terra and mouth 'what the fuck?'

She catches my glance and laughs silently.

"Ayo Aquaman!" Leo shouts, startling me out of my daze, and jogging forward a few steps to get his attention.

"Hey Leo! How've you been buddy? I miss you over in New Rome. You and Calypso should come visit," his smile shines even more brightly, if possible, "oh, she called me earlier today and asked for some Moonlace. The plant is pretty small so I could only get this much."

He reaches into his pocket and brings out a slightly smushed stem with 3 silvery leaves on it and hands it to Leo.

"Cool man! I'll give it to her later," says Leo as he stuffs it into his toolbelt. That thing is deceptively large. I wish my pockets were like that.

"Hey Percy," Terra chirps and leaps forward to give him a hug. He gasps in excitement and spins her around once before setting her down. I wish I was her right now.

"Terra! I didn't know you'd be here! How was your New Years with your friend from Miami? Still no love potential?" he wiggles his eyebrows.

"What? No!" Terra laughs, "She is my best friend! We had to come early, it's a long story. I ended up bringing her to camp. This is Estrella, said friend from Miami."

I am still staring unabashedly when he turns to look at me with a smile still on his face. I try to break my stare and look away to avoid awkwardness, but when we make eye contact, I nearly gasp.

This is the boy from my dream.

Without thinking, I study his features and can't even muster a smile. I am so confused.

He notices my stare and his smile slowly melts off his face. So many emotions flicker across his face it's hard to keep track. First, he looks uneasy, then confused, then looks me up and down quickly with a look akin to intrigue, which then shifts to what looks like disgust and maybe fear.

"Uh, hi?" he says almost rudely. My stomach drops. God, you look like a creep! Stop staring, you weirdo! Why is he looking at me like that? What an asshole.

I feel my face heat up in embarrassment and anger. He takes a step back and seems to grip Annabeth's hand a little tighter. What is wrong with him?

"Hi," I mumble.

"Be nice Percy! Estrella is new here. She's really cool and smart, so you better get used to her because we are starting a book club," says Annabeth. I break a smile at that.

"S-sorry, you just look kind of familiar," Percy says with an almost imperceptible shudder. Of course, the gorgeous boy already dislikes me.

I shrug with my lips pressed tightly. Annabeth looks between us confusedly and gets a weird look in her eye. Almost like she knows something we don't. I can't read her this time.

"Well, it was so nice to meet you," I grit out, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I'm still pissed about the way he looked at me. Like I wasn't worth his time or something.

The atmosphere feels tense, and everybody is quiet, nobody knowing what to say. Leave it to Leo to break the tension.

"Estrella and I are besties because I saved her life yesterday. Super-hot Bad Boy Supreme Leo warmed her up before she became a popsicle."

"Do you always talk in third person?" I ask. Annabeth and Terra chuckle, then blush when they make eye contact. Percy notices and looks even more agitated than before.

"So, you're a new camper? Aren't you a little old?" Percy asks brashly. What the hell is this guy's problem?

I look to Terra to see if she's as confused as I am, and she is looking at Percy almost angrily.

"What's the point of asking that?" Terra scoffs, "If you already knew by looking at her why bother asking? Obviously, she is older than some other campers here. She didn't even know Greek Mythology was real until she and her family were attacked yesterday. She saved my life and fended off monsters to get here. It's not her fault she hasn't been claimed yet. You of all people should know that."

Damn. Percy looks shocked and a bit embarrassed.

"Yeah, of course, I was just wondering like why now?"

"What does it matter? She didn't choose to be shoved into this life. She's lived 18 years believing she was a mortal and now her whole world is changing. She belongs here just as much as anyone else. The least you could do is be polite," Terra snaps. My eyebrows are nearly at my hairline at this point. I am once again reminded how good of a friend she is. I really have to stop doubting her.

"Jeez Terra, lighten up, I just got here," he tries to joke. Nobody laughs. Even Leo has his eyebrow raised at Percy.

"Phew, ok, well I'm gonna go unpack. I'll see you guys later," Percy says and speed walks away while nearly dragging Annabeth.

The adrenaline from the volleyball game is long gone now. The rest of the players look at me weirdly again and I deflate.

If their freaking king thinks I'm weird, no one here will ever like me.

With a sigh, I dust the sand off my arms and legs and start trudging back to the big house. I hear Leo and Terra scramble to follow.

"Hey, just ignore that, he's usually not like that," Terra explains.

"Yeah, maybe he just had a bad day or was overwhelmed by all the attention. You were awesome at volleyball though! We should definitely play again," Leo tries to lighten the mood.

I stop and my tracks and spin to face them. They nearly slam into me but stumble back just in time.

"Be honest. Is there something wrong with me? Why are people afraid of me? What did I do?" I question.

"N-no. I don't think they're afraid-"

"I'm not blind, Leo," I interrupt, "I can see the way they all look at me. I'm not stupid. I hear what they whisper. For fuck's sake, someone tried to kill me last night!"

"Someone tried to...? What? Who? Is that what happened to your neck? Estrella, who did that?"

"Oh my god, forget it! People are just destined to hate me I guess."

"I don't hate you. You seem pretty cool actually. Who attacked you? I can help." Leo asks, reaching out to grab my arm.

"Oh my god, stop touching me!" I rip my arm away, "You don't even know me."

He looks hurt. There you go, making him dislike you too. Pretty soon nobody will want to be around you.

"Es-"

"You should probably give that plant to Calypso before it dies," I say while turning away.

"Oh, it won't die in here. It's enchanted-"

"Bye, Leo," I call as I walk away. Terra follows me and I catch her mouth 'later' to Leo out of the corner of my eye.

"That was a little harsh, Es," Terra says while looking at me with concern, "He was just trying to help."

"I know," I say guiltily, "I just don't know him well enough yet. You're the only one I can trust. Thanks for standing up for me by the way."

"Of course, Es. I'll always stand up for you. I'm not sure what his problem was. He has severe PTSD as well, so maybe all those people triggered it or something. He usually hides it better than that though. That was just rude."

"It's ok, he's not the only one. I think I'm the problem."

"No. This is not your fault. If people are being weird that is their problem. They need to grow up and realize how cool you are like Leo did. I told you he was smart."

I smile at that. I am happy to know at least one person at this camp has my back. As we walk to the big house, I can't help but wonder why Percy was in my dreams before I even met him. Something weird is definitely going on.

Chapter Text

"I still don't know why I'm here."

"I know this must be jarring. But until we figure out what is going on, this camp is the safest place for you," Chiron explains with a sympathetic smile.

"For the time being, just try to enjoy your stay here. We will try to find a way to get in contact with your family-"

"If there's any left," I interrupt.

"Yes, we will try to get in contact with them and figure out why you were attacked. You can stay here in the Hermes cabin until we figure out your godly parentage."

"Can't she stay in my cabin? It's so crowded in the Hermes cabin," says Terra.

"I'm afraid not. Since we aren't sure of her parentage, it's best not to put her in a Roman cabin. We don't want to accidentally insult anyone."

"And what about the Hermes campers? Will they be as accommodating as my cabin would be?" asks Terra with a raised eyebrow.

"Why, of course. All the campers will be accommodating. Have there been people not accommodating to you, Estrella?"

Both heads turn to me, and I squirm in my seat. He won't care about what Nico did. Don't even bother.

"Uh, no..."

"If she won't say it, I will. Last night, Es was walking around camp and got attacked by Nico. He tried to strangle and kill her with his sword. He gave no reason and has not apologized."

"Nico? Why would Nico try to attack Estrella? You must be mistaken."

I roll my eyes and hold back a scoff. Of course, he doesn't believe us.

"I'm not mistaken," Terra spits, "How about you open your ancient eyes and look at the bruising on her neck? Are you so wise that you cannot see what is right in front of you?"

"Ter-" I start but am interrupted.

"Let me see," he sighs. I sit forward a bit and raise my chin to show my bruised throat.

"Hmm," he hums, "I will have a talk with Nico and see what happened. I am sure it was a mistake."

"I bet," I mumble. I see how important I am here.

"I am sorry if you feel your welcome has not been warm. I hope that today's game of capture the flag will change how you feel about us. It is a great opportunity to work as a team and bond with the campers."

This is ridiculous. How is a child's game going to make up the fact that somebody threatened me with a literal sword?

"I would also suggest taking some combat lessons to protect yourself in the future. Now that you are a target for monsters, you should know how to fight. Here," he slides over a sign-up sheet, "You could do with some archery, sword fighting, and general conditioning lessons. I would take advantage of some of the older campers being here during break and ask for pointers. Percy is one of the most talented sword fighters in centuries. I am sure he'd be willing to catch you up since you have not been claimed at such an advanced age."

I want to scream. Of course, he suggests the boy who was so rude to me. This day keeps getting better.

"Thanks," I grumble and sign up for various classes over the next few days. One of the sword fighting lessons is today in an hour with somebody named Clarisse. Sounds better than Percy.

As we get up to leave his office, Terra reassures me that she will attend the sword fighting lesson with me, which eases my nerves a bit. She seemed to have a hidden talent with a golden knife when we were attacked by the Keres, so hopefully, she can give me some pointers as well.

~~~

When we walk into the arena, there are a few small kids that look around 12 years old, and a few young teens that look around 14 or 15. Terra and I are obviously the oldest, so people stare as we head to the back of the class and listen.

The girl teaching the class is even taller than me with about 3x as much muscle. She has stringy brown hair tied back with a bandana and a massive spear in her right hand. Her voice is gravelly and rough, kinder with the younger kids and more aggressive with the teens.

When she spots my head towering over the campers, she narrows her eyes before smiling. Uh oh. That smile is not friendly.

I smile back uneasily and shift a little closer to Terra.

"Well, who do we have here? If it isn't the new girl from Miami. Daddy's money couldn't keep the monsters away forever, could it? At least you got 18 years of peace. Welcome to camp," her smile reminds me of a shark about to devour an innocent fish. My stomach clenches at the mention of my dad and that weird darkness starts to uncoil. Don't engage. She wants you to get mad.

"Yeah, I guess not. I'm sorry you guys were introduced to this life at a younger age. I'm not really sure why I'm here now, but nothing I can do," I say in a much quieter voice with a fabricated smile. Now she looks like an asshole. She notices the looks of understanding I'm getting and narrows her eyes further.

"Ok Private School, let's get started with training then. You've got a lot to catch up on. Everyone else, partner up and warm up with a light spar. New girl and I are going to have some one-on-one time," Clarisse barks. People 'ooh' as they split up and I feel sweat forming on my forehead.

"Pick a weapon," she commands as she walks over to a stash of bronze, gold, and various other metal weapons. A slightly rusted dark metal sword with muted flecks of white stands out to me at the bottom of one of the piles. A dagger of what looks like the same material sits underneath it.

I pick up both and Clarisse smirks.

"Why would you pick the oldest, rustiest blades in the pile? Maybe that private education wasn't worth it, hmm?"

Why does she keep mentioning private education? Only Terra knew about where I went to high school. When I glance over at Terra ready to berate her, I see a guilty grimace on her face. Great.

"Well, what are you going to teach me? You seem really experienced, I'd love to learn from someone who seems to know a lot about combat" I ask, trying to get on her good side. Her glare lessens a bit and I see pride flare in her eyes.

"First, I said A weapon. Not multiple. Let's start with the sword. Most people choose either or, but it would be smart to train in both," she concedes. Much better.

"Next, put on some armor." I look around and find one that looks like it would fit. It is so unwieldy and heavy that I stumble and groan as I put it on. I am going to sweat my ass off.

I grab the sword with both hands and nearly tip over at the added weight. The grip feels good in my palms, but the length is a bit unwieldy with my lack of experience. I try to stand in what I think is a fighting stance and Clarisse laughs at me. I hear Terra stifle a giggle as well. Not helping.

"I don't think I have the arm strength right now to hold this with one hand and do anything with good form. Are two hands ok for a beginner? I want to get the footwork down first."

She looks a little surprised at my willingness to learn and admit my weaknesses.

"Clearly," she laughs, "Yeah, we can start with a two-handed grip for now. You're on the right track with learning footwork first. Try to turn out your back foot more. It'll give you more support and explosiveness when thrusting. Point your lead food in the direction you want to go."

"Like this?" I adjust my stance and put my weight on the balls of my feet.

"Yes, good, make sure to keep your weight on the balls of your feet for quickness."

She walks me through the basic footwork with slow demonstrations of thrusting, counters, sidesteps, etc. I ask tons of questions and I can see that she is fully in teacher mode. I notice how passionate she is about combat and make note to ask questions that make her feel like a good coach. Eventually, she stops trying to goad me and genuinely tries to help me get better.

After an hour of footwork and the basics of slashing, parrying, and stabbing, I am soaked in sweat with quivering arms and legs. I am a quick learner and feel confident in my ability to survive the deadliest of attacks, but not without major injuries.

"Ok last thing. Let's put this all together with a spar. I'm not going to try and kill you, but you need to remember what I've taught you so far, so you don't get hurt. Got it?"

I nod hesitantly and Terra gives me an encouraging smile. She is going to demolish me.

Before I am even ready, Clarisse thrusts her sword so closely to my abdomen that I barely have time to put my blade in the way and jump to the side. The force of her swing reverberates through my sword and up my arms. I nearly drop my sword, but I don't have time to before she's swinging again, this time at my legs.

I nimbly hop over her blade and weakly jab at her side that's left open from her attack. My blade clangs pathetically off her armor but leaves a tiny nick. If my arms weren't dead right now, I might have been able to leave a small scratch.

She laughs as she steps back and inspects the tiny mark on her armor.

"Pretty good. You're quicker than you look. Keep looking out for potential openings in my attacks," Clarisse concedes and launches at me again.

Her next swing is so powerful, that when I bring my sword up to block it, the impact sends shockwaves through my wrists, and my arms droop with my sword. The tip of my sword jabs into the dirt and I nearly fall headfirst over it. As I'm regaining my footing and looking down at the ground, I don't look up in time to see her kick coming.

She kicks me in the side so hard that I fly 3 feet before slamming to the ground in the shadow of one of the training dummies. I cough as dirt lands in my mouth and scramble to correct my grip on my sword and get back to my feet.

Suddenly, the armor feels lighter, and my sword doesn't feel as awkward. Maybe I'm getting used to this.

She stalks over to where I stand and launches another attack, this time at my head. I duck and spin, ending up behind her before she can fully turn around. In retaliation, I kick her as hard as I can in her left hip. She grunts and stumbles a step, not nearly as impacted as I hoped.

I'm not a small person by any means, towering over most of my Latin friends at 5'9" and built pretty solidly. Standing behind Clarisse though, I feel tiny compared to her massive muscular frame. She chuckles at my weak attempt at retaliation but looks slightly impressed that I was able to evade her attack and move so quickly.

I am able to block one more of her strikes with my newfound strength before she forces me to move out of the shadows. I'm suddenly exhausted and my armor feels like a million pounds.

With one well-placed kick, Clarisse sends me tumbling to the ground once again and ends the spar by placing her sword at my neck.

I'm panting, sweating, and struggling to sit up as she removes her sword and offers me a hand. She has a begrudging smile on her face as she takes in my exhausted appearance.

"You did alright out there. I liked your counters and footwork. Definitely work on your strength of attacks, though. You got me a few times but weren't strong enough to do any damage. In a few weeks, you could be a pretty tough opponent if you keep it up."

"Thank you," I pant as I try to pry off my armor. Under the sun, I feel like I am suffocating in an oven.

"When it comes to the dagger, most of the same footwork applies. The key to using a dagger is speed and stealth. You caught me off guard a few times by anticipating my next move, so you have potential. You need to be confident enough to get up close to your opponent and quick enough to evade their counters. It's also not as heavy as a sword, obviously, so you might be better at it for now."

"Thank you. Are you teaching more classes this week? I'd love to learn more from you."

She looks me up and down again, the corners of her mouth turning upward slightly at my disheveled appearance. I'm sweaty, dirty, and covered in small scrapes, but still want to come back and learn more. I hate being bad at things, so I know I'm not going to give up until I can beat her.

"I think I underestimated you. You're a hard worker," she looks around at the arena and the lack of other students, everyone having already packed up and left.

"I teach every other day. I hope to see you in my classes from now on, Private School."

We send each other small smiles, acknowledging our mutual respect for each other.

"Oh, and next time, go for the eyes," Clarisse says as I turn to leave with Terra.

"What?" I ask, turning back to face her.

"Next time," she gestures at my neck, "go for the eyes. If you gouge their eyes, your attacker will be more likely to loosen their grip. If it's a forearm choke, pop their arm off by hitting their shoulder and use your shoulder to block their access to your neck."

She's more perceptive than I realized. Now, I give her a once-over and nod.

"Ok. Thank you. See you tonight at capture the flag."

"You better hope you're on my team."

~~~

After a dinner with excitement palpable in the air, we gather in front of the forest. Next to me, Leo is vibrating with excitement and Terra shifts from foot to foot in anticipation.

"Alright everyone, listen up. The two teams in charge are Athena and Ares," Chiron announces and the campers all groan.

"This will be interesting..." Leo whispers.

"They're always the captains," Terra whines.

"Ahem... the team captains can pick teams now. Athena chose first last time so Ares can choose first today."

Clarisse glances over at Annabeth and gains a wicked grin.

"We want the Poseidon cabin."

"Oh shitttt," Leo mumbles, "Annabeth is gonna be pissed." I catch Percy looking nervously at Annabeth, but walking slowly to join Clarisse. Hmm, so that's why they call him Aquaman. Poseidon.

"Ok. We want Hephaestus," Annabeth smiles venomously. Leo scampers over to her and she rolls her eyes.

"Apollo."

"Aphrodite."

"Hades."

"Jupiter."

"Demeter."

"Hermes," Annabeth calls and I walk over to join her growing team, not having another cabin to call mine.

"Roman minor gods cabin," Clarissa grunts, and I watch Terra and 5 other people join her team. Why doesn't Terra get her own cabin?

"We haven't had time to build all the cabins for every single Roman minor god, so for now they stay together," a girl whispers to me. I turn to look at her and my jaw nearly drops as I take in her appearance. She has flawless tan skin, silky brown hair with small braids throughout, and the most mesmerizing eyes I've ever seen.

"I'm Piper. You're new right?" she says as I have to force myself to break my stare. Her eyes seem to change colors the longer I try to look at them. Her voice is just as beautiful, with a soft tone and smooth cadence.

"Hey, yeah, I'm Estrella. I got here yesterday. Sorry for staring," I laugh, "I've never seen more interesting eyes before."

"Haha, thank you. Yours are beautiful. Are they hazel?"

"Thank you! Yeah, I think so. I got them from my dad. I'm not sure about my mom, people seem to think she may have been some goddess or something, but she left me when I was 2 so I have no idea," I ramble.

"Yeah, I was 15 when I was claimed, so I know how you feel."

"Ah, Beauty Queen, I see you've met my twin Estrella," Leo interrupts. Piper rolls her eyes playfully with a fond smile.

"Twin? Damn, it sucks that she got the hotter and taller genes" quips Piper. I nearly choke on my sudden laughter. Leo gasps dramatically putting his hands over his heart.

"You've had the displeasure of meeting Leo?" she asks.

"Yeah. Is there like a button to get him to stop being so touchy?" I ask as he stands so close to me that I can feel his arms hairs tickling my arm.

"Right here," she feints a knee to his groin, and he frantically scrambles back to a reasonable distance with a yelp.

"Ah, I should have thought of that," I laugh. Leo pouts and crosses his legs to prevent another fake attack.

"Works every time," she smiles.

"Pipes, Annabeth is scaring me again," a handsome blonde boy whines as he comes up behind Piper and wraps his arms around her shoulders. She tries to hide her smile with another roll of her eyes, but I can see her getting all mushy.

"Aw it's ok you can't take her," she coos.

"Did you say can't?" he questions looking confused.

"Yep. She would demolish you right now. With the drama and fighting going on, she's got some pent-up aggression."

"How was that supposed to make me feel better?"

"It wasn't," she smiles and gives him a peck on the cheek, "As long as we do what she says and win, we'll be fine."

"Yeah Superman, as long as you don't get knocked out by Percy or Clarisse, you'll be fine," says Leo. Superman? Leo has some weird nicknames for people. Jason takes a threatening step toward Leo, and Leo laughs as he jumps back again.

"Jase, this is Estrella. She's new," Piper introduces me. I look into his light blue eyes and feel my cheeks darkening a bit. Not my type but so attractive. Why is everyone here so hot? Except Leo.

"Hi! I'm Jason, son of Jupiter, nice to meet you," he extends a hand and I shake it gingerly. He introduces himself by saying who his parent is?

"Hi," I smile politely.

"Ok team get together," Annabeth shouts and we scramble into a huddle.

"Alright, here is the plan. Clarisse picked Percy for a reason, not just to piss me off. I think she's going to utilize him for defense at the river so if we steal the flag, we can't make it across. That means we need to use stealth and distraction to get the flag. Hephaestus and Aphrodite, you guys will be on defense. This will throw them off because they'd expect us to use Piper to charmspeak their defense. We're smarter than that," she grins confidently and Piper glances at Leo and me with surprise.

"Use whatever traps or gadgets you want, Leo, just make sure they're well hidden behind some of the more obvious stuff so they make mistakes. Hermes, you and I will be the distraction. They'll think we are gonna sneak over and steal the flag stealthily, but that's where they're wrong. Jason, you are going to sneak over to their flag and snatch it into the air before they can think. Everyone else, split in half. One half will sneak into their side and hide where you can help Jason if he gets caught. The other half will hide on our side and help defend our flag. Watch out for Nico's shadow travel — set traps right around the flag hidden in the ground so he can't just shadow travel in and away. Light up the general vicinity of the flag so there aren't many shadows to come from and we won't be caught off guard."

I'm in the group that will stand on the opposition's side and hide to play defense. Perfect. Worst case scenario, I can just keep hiding until the game is over.

As Chiron blows the whistle, my team scatters into the woods and I lose track of anyone I know. I weave my way through the tall trees, keeping to the shadows and trying to take silent steps. By the time I make it to the creek dividing our side from our opponent's, I see exactly what Annabeth was saying. Percy stands in the stream with water swirling around him.

Various Hermes campers try to sprint across but Percy slams each one of them back with water. Quietly, I walk away from them along the stream until they're almost 100 feet away. While they're all distracted, I make my way across without being spotted and cringe as my shoes fill with water. They are going to smell like ass tomorrow.

Once I'm across, I make my way back to where all the commotion was and spot a few other campers hiding among the trees, having snuck through somehow.

I hear shouting as Jason seems to be running into some sort of barrier as he tries to fly across the stream. I peer into the trees across from me and see Hazel peering up at him mouthing something in concentration.

Making my way over to her side, I sneak up behind her and kick her so hard that she flies into the clearing and loses her concentration. As soon as my teammates catch sight of her, three Hermes campers swarm her, and Jason is able to fly over to their side.

Before anyone can see me, I slide right back into the dark shadows and keep looking out for where I can help.

Percy curses as a group of Hermes campers sprints back to our side, seeming to smuggle something under one of their shirts. As Percy is distracted with the decoy, Jason appears over the trees like a blonde superman holding the other team's flag. I catch Annabeth engaged in combat with Clarisse, neither having a distinct upper hand.

When Jason is within 100 feet of the river on their side, one of our opponents spots him and shouts. He's too high up to be grabbed by any of them, but some Apollo campers fire arrows at him. My adrenaline is pumping. How is any of this legal?

He's able to push the arrows away with a strong gust of wind that draws Percy's attention. Before Percy can grab him with a giant fist made of water, I run at him from behind and smack the back of his helmet with the handle of my dagger.

He stumbles forward in surprise but does not appear dazed at all from the weak hit. I see a terrifying face of fury and fear before my world turns white and all I see are bubbles and water. I try to swim up to the surface, but the water feels like it's pressing down on me.

I hear someone yell my name, but I just can't seem to break the surface. The water loosens a bit and I break the surface to gasp for air, catching sight of a giant fist of water grappling with Jason in the air before I'm shoved back under.

His back was to me. He's drowning me without even knowing it. That bastard.

My chest constricts as it begs for a breath, but I learned my lesson in the Long Island Sound. I won't make the same mistake of inhaling again.

My vision is getting fuzzier and dark around the edges as I'm tossed around the water. Fear and anger are building in my stomach. Why is nobody stopping him?

The anger and bitterness and desperation from the last two days turn my fuzzy vision even darker. Suddenly, I feel calm. My stomach tightens as I open the gates surrounding that inky mound within me that's been shut away my whole life. I kept it hidden and refused to believe what I was feeling.

Not anymore. I feel it now. Power.

With the last of my breath, I scream in fury and my vision goes completely dark.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The water loses its hold on me, and I finally breach the surface with a strangled gasp. It's like my eyes aren't working.

Everything is dark. Pitch black.

As the water drains from my ears, the sounds of confused campers build in volume. Someone is screaming, others are frantically stumbling around, and some people are shouting questions.

My vision finally acclimates, and I can see in the pitch-black like it's just a dimly lit room. My vision zeroes in on Percy and I snarl when I see him standing in the middle of the creek, frozen. He looks terrified as he whips his head back and forth, trying to see anything at all.

I walk over to him slowly, smirking at his confusion. When I get within a foot of him, he spins around, almost perfectly facing me. I'm shocked at his instincts as he squints into the darkness, trying to spot what he sensed.

Before he can move, I kick my leg out and sweep his feet out from under him. With all my strength, I shove him so hard that he goes tumbling into the creek. He falls so hard that he smashes his tailbone on a rock and goes under the water.

When he surfaces with a terror-stricken look, my anger fades. The dark coil inside me unravels and I feel completely drained of energy, suddenly nauseous and weak.

Percy is below me, wincing as he sits up and frantically looks for another attacker, trying to protect himself. In the dark, I can see his hands shaking in fear.

This all takes place in less than 5 seconds. With a pop, the darkness fades and the bright orange setting sun makes the campers squint.

The campers are silent as they take in the sight before them. They see Percy soaked in the creek, me standing nowhere near where I was previously drowning, and put the pieces together.

I can't move as everyone stares at me with looks of awe, fear, anger, and elation. In the chaos, Jason managed to cross the river and stands on our side with the opponent's flag.

One of the twins in the Hermes cabin spots him and cheers once he realizes we've won. The rest of my team joins in, surrounding Jason and hoisting him up onto their shoulders.

Leo, Piper, their respective cabins, and Chiron come running over to us at the sound of the cheering. When Leo sees the situation, he looks at me with a knowing glance and a hint of fear.

"What just happened? Was it dark for you guys over here too?" Piper questions, frantically searching for Jason. She breathes a sigh of relief when she finds him and squeezes him in a tight hug.

"Yeah, we thought it might have been Nico fucking with us, but he swears it wasn't him. Now I'm not sure..." Leo trails off as he looks at something behind me. I whip around but see nothing but more frightened campers looking at something above my head.

I crane my neck up and catch a glimpse of a shadowy moon cloaked in dark clouds and surrounded by bright glowing stars just above my head.

What the...?

I try to move away but the shape follows me. As I look around, the campers begin to kneel and stare at the shape above my head with either awe or doom.

"Hail Estrella Martinez, daughter of Nyx, the primordial goddess of the night, daughter of Chaos, mother of Thanatos, Keres, Nemesis, and countless other powerful deities," Chiron states respectfully and almost reluctantly. The campers gasp and bow even further.

I see Annabeth make her way to Percy, wrapping her arms around his shaking form and helping him out of the water. I catch Nico glaring at me with such intensity that fear chills my bones. He looks like he wants to kill me more than ever before.

Terra looks at me encouragingly, but I can see the undertone of fear in her look. Leo and Piper look at me like I'm someone they don't recognize, glancing down at Percy again and not meeting my eyes.

Annabeth looks up at me with anger but what surprises me is her lack of surprise. She knew.

"What is she doing here?"

"Why would Nyx claim her now? What does this mean?"

"Is she going to kill us?"

"Nyx is evil."

"Look at what she did to Percy," I hear people muttering all around me. My knees threaten to buckle at my exhaustion and confusion. I feel terrified as well. What did I just do? I hurt Percy. Everyone looks terrified of me right now.

Annabeth speaks to Percy in a soothing tone, talking him down from what looks like a panic attack. His eyes look dazed and well with tears when he looks over at me. I feel absolutely awful, my worst fears coming true. That darkness inside of me was real this whole time. My mother is evil?

"ENOUGH," Chiron shouts over the chaos, "We will welcome Estrella like any other camper. She did not know of her heritage and is not a bad person. We don't know what this means or why Nyx chose to claim her today, but we will not panic and be rude. Estrella is just as confused as we are, so be kind. We should ALL be happy that we have another incredibly strong camper to help us protect Olympus."

Campers grumble and continue to whisper to each other.

"If I hear any differently, you will have a month of cleaning duty. Understand?" he finishes with a stomp of his hoof. The campers answer with quiet mumbles.

"I said do you understand?" he emphasizes, and the campers finally voice their agreement.

My knees begin to wobble as the true scale of what's happened sets in. My mother is a goddess... An evil goddess that everyone here seems to be afraid of. I just made the whole camp go dark.

Nobody moves to help me as I sway on my feet. I'm drenched with water and shivering aggressively as my wet hair drips down my back. As people continue to stare at me, my eyes well with unwelcomed tears, and I angrily try to hold them in.

"Alright, congratulations to Athena and her team for winning yet another game of capture the flag! You may all now shower and get ready for bed. Goodnight everyone," Chiron finishes and walks back toward the Big House.

I feel like I can't move. My vision blurs as my heart thuds painfully against my ribs. Campers brush by me, some bumping into me as they walk back to their cabins or to the showers. When I catch sight of Percy stumbling away with Annabeth, Leo, Piper, Jason, Hazel, Nico, and Terra surrounding him, I stumble back into a tree and sag against it. I'm a monster.

"Come on, Private School. Let's get you cleaned up," a raspy voice grumbles while grabbing my arm. I can barely make out Clarisse's face through my hazy vision. She helps me walk to the infirmary where she hands me a small square that looks like the Starbursts Terra was eating in my car.

As I chew the mysterious cube, my mouth fills with the sweet coconutty flavor of Cocosettes, a coconut-flavored wafer my dad used to bring home from work sometimes. We'd split the pack, each eating one wafer as he'd tell me about his shift and how many people he'd helped. He'd laugh at me as crumbs would fall in my lap and I'd make fun of the crumbs in his goatee.

I'd tell him about my day at school, how I'd aced my exams, and how practice went. He'd just smile as I talked, committing each detail of my face to memory like he was painting a picture. He'd tell me how proud he was of me, and how I was destined to be so great. He'd say I'm strong, smart, beautiful, kind, and funny. Him and I against the world.

As I finish the Ambrosia, the memories fade and tears begin to steadily stream down my face. I'll never be great. I'm going to end up just as evil as my mother. Why is all this happening to me?

"They'll stop being stupid eventually."

"What?" I say, struggling to break out of my trance.

"They'll stop being stupid. You just scared them today. People are always intimidated by a strong woman. You don't have to be ashamed of that though. You can choose to ignore all those motherfuckers and focus on yourself. Are you evil?" Clarisse questions.

"Evil? I-I-I don't know," I whimper.

"Do you want to kill us all? Do you want to overthrow Olympus? Are you going to go find your mother and join her?"

"I-I... no? I've never met her. She abandoned me and my dad. Annabeth told me about her the other day. She sounds bad... I don't want to be like her," my voice breaks.

"Are you the same as your dad? Do you guys have the same personality? The same likes and dislikes? Wishes and desires?"

I think about how bubbly my dad is and how shy I am. How much he wants to save people as a nurse and how little I enjoy the intimacy of nursing. Being responsible for patients scares me.

"Not at all," I laugh weakly.

"So what makes you think you'll turn out like your mom? You've lived 18 years without becoming evil. Why would you be evil now?"

"What if I can't control it? I hurt Percy. Everyone is scared of me... He was drowning me, and I got so angry that I... that I just snapped... Seeing him scared felt good for a second," I whisper. My body is shivering so hard now that it looks like I'm convulsing. I can't tell if I'm freezing or just plain terrified.

"Does it feel good now?" she asks gently.

"N-No. Not at all," I sob, "I don't want it to ever feel good. I-I'm so scared..."

"Listen... sometimes, as bad as it sounds, sometimes power feels good. Knowing that we have the capability to defeat our enemy and protect ourselves can feel good. You've felt like you can't protect yourself for so long. You were introduced to this new world suddenly, turning your whole pristine life upside down, where people don't know you, and you don't know anyone. That fear can grow into something unhealthy that can make its way out in ways that you might not like. Like what happened today. You had no one to protect you from Percy, so you did it yourself. You didn't hurt him; he can handle it. You pushed him into the water, where he is strongest. He's not injured, just a bit shaken up and scared."

"He looked so terrified that he couldn't move. He looked at me like an absolute monster."

"He and Annabeth had a not-so-pleasant experience with your mom. She wasn't exactly so nice to them, and they were in a very scary situation. Seeing you and the darkness you created triggered them and made them cagey. It's not your fault. You didn't even know what you could do. I'm not scared of you."

"R-really?" my lower lip wobbles as more tears drip into my lap.

"Come on. You're not the type to fight unless provoked. Plus, I could take you any day," she smirks.

"I'm scared I won't be able to control it. What if Nyx does something to make me lose control?"

"That's why you need to learn more about your powers. There are people here who can help you discover more about yourself, your limits, your strengths, etc. You are in the best place to learn. The more you fear her, the more power she has. You don't seem like the type to be easily manipulated. I mean, look at how you reacted to having powers. If you were bad, you wouldn't be so worried about everyone else, you'd be celebrating your exciting new powers that can be used to get what you want. You're not your mom, just like I'm not my dad. We might be their daughters, but we make our own decisions about who we want to be."

"Even Terra looked scared of me," I whisper.

"She was probably just shocked at the extent of your power. This is just as new to her. She's known you for years but like you, has never seen your powers. You're the first child of Nyx at Camp Half-Blood. It's new for everyone and will be an adjustment. If they don't get used to you, they're idiots and you shouldn't be around them anyway."

"Maybe you're the idiot," I laugh, "for not being afraid of me like everyone else is."

"I think we both know I'm not. I can tell that you're powerful, but not interested in power. What do you want most?"

"To protect the people I love... like Terra... and my family."

"Exactly. I can help you do that. I might not be much help with your powers, but I'll help you with your combat skills. You obviously can't rely on powers 24/7. I'm not as dumb as people think. I know something weird is going on around here. It's not a coincidence that you're here now. I think you have a bigger role in the future of camp than people think. For now, keep your head up and trust that you have the choice to be who you want to be."

"Thank you," I sniff, "I really needed someone to talk to."

"Anytime. I know what it's like to be misunderstood. Screw you for helping your team win in capture the flag, though. Don't expect me to take it easy on you during our next training session," she smirks.

"Oh, trust me, I didn't."

~~~

"I didn't know where else to go..."

"Come in come in, do not worry. We can set up a bed for you at one of the stations," Calypso ushers me inside Bunker 9, having stayed up late planting Moonlace outside the doors. She takes in my ragged appearance, with frizzy hair, deep purple eye bags, red-rimmed eyes, and splotchy cheeks from crying. My shoulders sag with exhaustion and guilt, threatening to break with the pressure of everything that's happened the last few days.

"I told you that you are welcome anytime," she reminds me with a gentle hand on my shoulder and guides me to a makeshift cot with a thin pillow and somewhat itchy sheets.

"Thank you. They don't have a Nyx cabin for obvious reasons... The Hermes campers were too afraid to have me sleep in there, so my other option was Nico's cabin because Hades and Nyx don't necessarily hate each other. There's mutual respect, but Nico still looks like he wants to kill me, so I'd rather not..."

"I get it. I was not sure where to sleep before either. I kind of float around wherever I want because I am not even a demigod."

"Yeah..." I trail off, staring down at my hands wondering where it all went wrong.

"-okay?" I catch the tail end of a question, having been too zoned out to catch the beginning.

"What?"

"Leo told me what happened... Are you doing ok?" she repeats more gently, sitting down on the bed beside me while still keeping some distance. I sigh.

"I'm not the one you should be worried about. You should ask Percy and everyone else I scared the shit out of..."

"Percy is fine. He can be a bit... fragile at times. He has been through a lot, more than anyone his age should ever. Whether or not you meant to-"

"Of course, I didn't mean to!"

"Exactly. You accidentally triggered a painful memory of his and caught him off guard when he is already going through a difficult time. Sure, what you did could be seen as scary. You were defending yourself. You had no choice or control over what happened."

"That's what scares me!"

"I know, Estrella. But that is why you are here. As much as it scares you, you need to learn to control your powers. The more you know about them, the less scary they become. I know you did not mean to harm anyone. Leo-"

"He looked scared of me too!"

"He was just caught off-guard. He cares deeply for Percy and was shocked to see him so shaken. The seven are used to seeing Percy as the strong, brave one. I talked to Leo, and he is on the same page. He was shocked but not scared. He knows that you have a good heart."

"But what if I don't...?"

"Those questions will do you no good," Calypso snaps and I flinch back. She's right. You know yourself better than anyone.

"I struggled for many years debating if I would turn out just like my Father. 'Am I really good? Does Leo see something in me that I am failing to see in myself?' Those questions made me insecure in our relationship and made me so angry and self-conscious that I would treat him badly. I was never able to love him fully until I forgave myself and built the confidence that I am a good person. I have done bad things but am not a bad person."

"I think you're a good person," I whisper, tears welling in my eyes once again.

"Thank you, Estrella. I have worked hard to be this way. I chose this path, and you can too," she states as she undoes my ragged ponytail and runs her hands through the tangled mess. She managed to comb the knots out of my hair without causing me any pain.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I wonder as she begins to braid my waist-length curly hair.

"You remind me of myself. I wish someone was there to guide me and prevent all that heartache. You have the potential to be great. You can help so many people if you just learn to trust yourself. You can do this, you know. What would your father say?"

"He'd tell me to be strong. He'd tell me I can do anything I put my mind to."

"Smart man. Listen to your intuition. Not the intrusive thoughts. Those do not help anyone."

"You're right. Thank you. I'm also a pretty good listener if you ever want to talk about your life."

"Maybe another night," she smiles as she stands up from my bed and finishes my braid, "for now, try to get some sleep. You look exhausted."

"I don't think I can get even a wink of sleep after what just happened. I feel so guilty. I just want to apologize but I'm not sure how to make it better," I sigh. I do feel exhausted, but I would never get a restful sleep with my guilt and anxiety.

"On top of everything, it's Terra's birthday tomorrow and I haven't been able to get her a gift or bake her a cake like I usually do."

"I think we can fix that," Calypso beams and grabs my hand to drag me through the workshop. She leads me into one of the rooms in the back corner and I'm shocked to find a small working kitchen with a stove, oven, sink, and table.

"I cooked a lot on the island and asked Leo to help me make a small kitchen here. He is a big fan now that I make him snacks during the day."

"This is perfect! Do we have the ingredients to bake a cake? I need flour, sugar, butter, oil, eggs, milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Oh, and a cake pan!"

Calypso hunts around for each ingredient and we manage to gather enough ingredients for a simple chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. She doesn't have a round cake pan, so we settle for a 9x9 inch square baking tray. It'll look more rustic, I guess. It's the thought that counts anyway.

As I mix together the ingredients for Terra's birthday cake, Calypso sits atop the counter opposite me and tells me more about her island. About how she has spirits help with cooking and cleaning, the plants she cultivated, animals she loved, etc.

By the time I take the cake out of the oven, it's around 3 AM and we still need to wait for it to cool to put the frosting on it. The warm chocolatey scent wafts through the cozy kitchen and my stomach rumbles after nearly 3 days without a proper meal. Maybe I'll finally have an appetite at breakfast today.

When I get nostalgic for my family and the stories they'd share, she sings a soothing song she learned from her family and my weary bones yearn to sing with her and rest. I whisk together a buttercream frosting as she hums, content with the quiet melody. My heart aches at the sweetness of the tune and swells at her angelic voice.

By 4 AM, I have a very rustic-looking square chocolate cake fully completed and ready to gift Terra tomorrow. Calypso finally looks sleepy enough to curl up on the counter and snore, so she gets ready to head to bed. I still feel wired, so I plan to make one more thing before morning.

"Do you know what type of food Percy likes?" I wonder as she walks out of the kitchen. She pauses at the doorframe, and I can almost sense her smile with her back to me.

"Anything blue."

"Blue?"

"Yes. Blue. His mother specialized in blue chocolate chip cookies, but I would not try to compete with her on those. But he loves any food that is blue," she smirks at me and swaggers out of the kitchen. I frown in confusion. What kinds of foods are even blue?

I hunt around the kitchen for blueberries but come up empty-handed. I do manage to find ingredients like cinnamon, yeast, flour, sugar, butter, and blue food coloring. Perfect. I'll make some blue cinnamon rolls. Dyeing them blue feels almost sacrilegious but I do it anyway. Anything to try and make up for what I did during capture the flag

I stay up all night, letting the dough rise, making a cinnamon sugar butter mixture, rolling the dough, cutting it into rolls, and baking it. I finish them off with some simple blue icing at the exact same time that I hear the faint sound of the bell for breakfast.

I dust off my hands, wrap up my confections, and quickly change into a white shirt and tan linen palazzo pants offered to me by Calypso. Apparently, she's also great at weaving. What can't she do?

Leo greets us at the entrance of Bunker 9 and tries to steal one of the cinnamon rolls as I slap his hand away.

"Mmm, that smells delicious! What are those?" he says as he tries to sneak a peek.

"Not for you," I gripe, the lack of sleep finally catching up with me. Though Calypso gave me fresh clothes and some perfume, my face still looks quite pale and sunken with lack of sleep or food. My crushing guilt also reflects in my eyes when I look in the mirror, which does not make me feel good about the day ahead.

"Estrella and I had a sleep above," Calypso tries to brag to Leo, but we hold back our laughs.

"Sleepover?" he corrects.

"Same difference."

"Not really," he laughs, "plus it looks like only one of you got any sleep."

"Thank you. I know I look amazing," I roll my eyes.

"As usual, Chama," Leo smirks and I flip him off.

By the time we get to the mess hall, most of the campers are already sitting at tables and go silent when they see me with Leo and Calypso. I hand Calypso the chocolate cake as I walk over to Percy's table with the cinnamon rolls. I feel everybody's eyes follow me the entire way there.

At the Poseidon table, Percy sits with Annabeth, Jason, Piper, and Hazel, all chatting and laughing quietly. Percy doesn't look much better than I do, with deep bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. Another thing to feel guilty about.

Their chatter stops when I get within 10 feet of the table and they watch me approach curiously. Annabeth gives me a forced smile and Piper elbows Jason when he whispers something in her ear.

Blushing madly, I gently set the Tupperware of blue cinnamon rolls covered in foil down in front of Percy. He cautiously eyes the package and avoids my eyes. Eventually, he gets a whiff of sweet cinnamon and looks conflicted, like he's resisting the urge to rip off the foil and peek inside.

"Hey, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I'm not really sure what happened but I really didn't mean to hurt you or scare you. I thought I was going to drown and got angry and then everything went dark. I really shouldn't have attacked you like that and I'm sorry. That's not like me at all. I wanted to apologize but wasn't sure how I could ever make up for that sort of thing, so I just did what I'm used to," I ramble. Percy raises an eyebrow confusedly and Annabeth eyes the package with a knowing smile. She knows I like to cook.

"I asked Calypso what kind of food you liked, and she said blue? I wasn't really sure what to do with that, so I made these," I say as I peel off the foil to reveal the light blue rolls. Annabeth loses her hard expression and smiles warmly at me. Piper coos at my pathetic gesture, and Jason doesn't know how to feel. He looks at the rolls with confusion and wariness. Percy looks the most conflicted. I catch the corner of his lips twitch as he takes in the blue food, but he remains stoic. He looks slightly angry and scared, not moving to try the pastry.

"I-I'm not sure if you like cinnamon or if these are blue enough or if that's what she meant or if I'm just stupid, but yeah, I made these this morning. I know it doesn't make up for what I did, but I just hope they make you feel slightly better. I'm going to leave you alone after this, I just hoped that these could improve your morning or something after a shitty night. They always make me feel better. Anyway..." I trail off, making a complete fool of myself. Percy still hasn't looked me in the eyes. The atmosphere is silent as I end my ramble and descend into awkwardness.

"That's really kind of you, Estrella," Annabeth is the first to break the silence with a gentle smile. She still looks wary of me but seems to realize that I'm telling the truth. I really had no idea what I was doing last night.

"Yeah, these smell great!" Piper chirps, reaching over to steal one of the rolls. Jason nods vigorously in agreement and takes a bite from her roll. They both moan in exaggeration as they taste the sweet, cinnamon dough, licking their fingers and smiling at me. Percy glares at the rolls as if he doesn't trust them. When Annabeth reaches for one, Percy flinches like he wants to move to stop her but resists.

When she bites into it and agrees with Piper and Jason, the tension loosens from Percy's shoulders a bit. Hazel daintily picks a piece off of Annabeth's roll and chews slowly, savoring the treat.

"Oh my gods Estrella, these are soooo good," Piper exclaims, fighting Jason for the chewy center of the roll.

"Did you make that cake too?" Annabeth points her chin in the direction of Calypso holding the small chocolate cake.

"Yeah, it's Terra's birthday and I didn't have time to get her anything. I felt really bad about everything that happened yesterday, so I stayed up last night making this stuff," I confirm. Annabeth's smile grows warmer at the mention of Terra and her wariness recedes a bit.

"You stayed up all night making this stuff?" Piper asks, having won the center of the roll, Jason pouting quietly. Percy still hasn't moved.

"Y-yeah. It's no big deal, I couldn't sleep anyway."

"Well, they were delicious. That was really nice, Estrella. You don't need to feel bad about what happened yesterday, right guys?" Jason raises his eyebrows at the group and everyone but Percy nods along.

"I messed up so many times when I was learning about my powers and almost killed Reyna a bunch of times. It's even harder when you're claimed so late," he finishes.

"Yeah, what you did was a little scary, to be honest, but we've all been around Nico for years and have gotten used to it. I can tell that you're not like your mother," says Piper. Percy leans over and whispers something in her ear and she frowns. They have a short but heated exchange as I try my best not to listen. Eventually, Piper turns back to me with a small frown.

"So... it is kind of weird that you've been claimed so late by a goddess that's never sent her kids to Camp Half-Blood. What's your story? Tell us who you are and what you're doing here," she commands smoothly. At her last sentence, her face becomes more serious and straight, and I feel compelled to tell them everything. I want nothing more than to tell them my entire life story and why I am at camp.

"I'm Estrella, I'm 18 from Miami. I never knew that Greek gods and goddesses were real until 2 days ago. I knew about them before and had heard stories but always thought that they were fake. I found out they were real through Terra after we were attacked by Keres. We were having a New Year's Party and I was about to go to bed but my whole family was attacked by Keres. I didn't know what they were, but they didn't try to kill me like my family or Terra. They kind of smiled at me and looked like they knew me," I shudder at the memory but am unable to stop talking.

"When I got outside, I saw my grandmother being killed by a Keres and tried to run back and hide but the Keres saw me. It didn't pursue me though. I went around the house another way and ran into this monster with a face on its chest. It was standing over my aunt's dead body. It snapped her neck and spotted me. I tried to hide but it wouldn't let me go. I yelled at it to let me go but it said that I was rude and that it killed my aunt for the same reason. I got angry and threw a rock at it. The rock almost disappeared when I threw it for some reason and caught the monster off guard. I was able to sneak away and found Terra with my dad. They were attacked by a Keres and Terra managed to hold it off. Both of them were scratched-" I am interrupted by both Piper and Hazel gasping. The memory now has tears streaming down my cheeks, but I just can't seem to stop talking. I feel trapped in my body, not in control of my mouth.

"and my dad was really weak. I threw a knife at the Keres before it was able to kill Terra and it turned on me. It grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away instead of killing me. Terra managed to kill it and I fell back to the ground. Both Terra and my father were very ill and weak, so they needed me to get them help as soon as possible. The rest of my family was either gravely injured or dead. Terra told me to get her to the port to get help from her dad, and my father begged me to leave him. We both knew he would die, but he told me to go with Terra anyway because I'd be safer. I left him to die alone, and I know it is my fault," I ramble and I see Piper's eyes fill with tears. She looks devastatingly guilty and glares at Percy as I continue to spill my guts to them. What is wrong with me? Why can't I stop?

"I finally left and managed to keep Terra alive until we met with her father. He healed her and gave us a boat to get to camp. We rode from Miami all the way to the Long Island Sound. I had a dream about a man who said I was his sister and tried to convince me that Terra would betray me. He said that mortals will die if I stay with her and that I should join him. Percy and Annabeth were also in the dream. I told him no and he said I'd regret it. Finally, we got to the border and Leo helped us get to shore," I finish. I'm shuddering, crying, and feel like my knees are about to give out. I feel absolutely violated.

"Es-" Piper begins.

"What was that?" I demand. My hands are shaking along with the rest of my body, and I feel ready to collapse.

"Why couldn't I stop? What did you do? I would have told you anyway. I already told Annabeth most of this. I was telling the truth... I-I-"

"I'm sorry," Piper sniffs, "I can make people do what I say. I swear I didn't want to do it. We just wanted to make sure you weren't sent here by your mother. Perce and Annabeth have had some not-so-pleasant experiences with her."

"I-I would have told you anyway. You could have just asked me... I-I," I shudder violently, "W-whatever. Enjoy your cinnamon rolls. I just wanted to say sorry. I'm just as confused as you guys..." I trail off defeatedly. All five of them stare at me with varying expressions. Piper looks regretful, Annabeth looks upset, Jason looks uncomfortable, Hazel looks guilty, and Percy finally glances up at me with bloodshot eyes. He scans my face with curiosity and slight guilt, but I don't give any of them the chance to make themselves feel better.

I dejectedly walk back over to Calypso and grab the cake from her hands with a forced smile. She notices the shake in my hands and red eyes and begins to question it, but I shut her down. Not now. Just keep going.

I sit at Terra's table with the best smile I can muster and slide her the cake I made. I stuck a few toothpicks in it and had Leo light the tips on fire, not having been able to find any candles.

"Happy Birthday!" I announce. Be happy for her. It's her birthday. Forget about what just happened. They just manipulated you and made a fool out of you. They'll never trust you.

"Oh my gods, Es! Thank you! When did you have time to make this?" Terra exclaims.

"I made it this morning," I smile, "I didn't have time to get you a present but wanted to do something. Calypso helped me out in Bunker 9."

"So that's where you slept! I was wondering where you went. I was a little spooked after what happened yesterday, not gonna lie," Terra confesses much to my disappointment. Of course, she was scared, you're a monster.

"Yeah, I get it. I was pretty scared too. Clarisse, surprisingly, and Calypso talked to me and helped me feel a bit better. I also made Percy some blue cinnamon rolls this morning as an apology. I'm not sure if he liked them, he looked like didn't want to even try them," I state as Terra glances over my shoulder at Percy's table. I refuse to give them the satisfaction of turning around to look at them.

"Why are they staring at you?" Terra wonders and I shrug with my chin resting on my fist.

"Probably feeling pretty shitty after all the shit I just dumped on them."

"That sounded crazy," Leo jokes as he sits across from me and Terra with Calypso.

"What do you mean?" Terra asks.

"I just spilled like my whole life story because they didn't trust me."

"What do you mean spilled?" she asks cautiously.

"I mean Piper told me to tell them why I am here and for some reason, I just couldn't stop talking. I told them everything and had to relive the past few days which was really not fun, but yeah. At least they liked the cinnamon rolls. Well, everyone except Percy did," I sigh, holding back the lump in my throat and burning in my eyes.

"Piper used charmspeak on you?" asks Leo with a concerned frown. He glances over at their table disapprovingly like he can't believe what he's hearing.

"I think Percy asked her to, I don't know," I sigh as I rest my forehead on the table. The exhaustion is finally catching up to me.

"She hates using it on people... I'm sorry they made you do that. I'm going to go talk to them," states Leo as he gets up and stalks over to their table in a very un-Leo-like way. Now you're causing issues between their group. Another reason for people to dislike you.

I close my eyes and doze off for a minute before I'm awoken by shouts from across the mess hall. I jolt up and spin around to see Leo red in the face as he gestures wildly and shouts at Percy's table. I quickly turn back around before they can see me looking and groan. Look what you've done now.

Percy shouts something back and I cringe. When I lift my head again, I catch Nico glaring at me as he walks in with Will, like he knows I've caused this drama. He changes course and drags Will over to their table, sitting on the other side of Percy. When he finds the cinnamon rolls, he says something to the table, and when they respond he whips his head in my direction. I catch a glimpse of his death stare and go back to speaking with Terra like nothing happened.

I try to ignore my racing heart as goosebumps raise on my arms and my hair stands on the back of my neck. Something bad is going to happen.

Once again, my appetite is gone, replaced with churning nausea and dread. I try to stuff down a piece of bread, knowing that I'll need the energy for today, and cringe at what feels like cement in my mouth.

"Mmm oh my gods, this cake is delicious!" Terra moans with a mouth full of chocolate frosting. A smile pulls on the corners of my lips at that.

"How did you have time to make this all?" she wonders.

"I just couldn't sleep much last night because of... you know."

"Es, you need to sleep. You must be exhausted after everything that's happened."

"I'm fine. I've got a burst of energy."

"Yeah you look like it," she says sarcastically and I stick my tongue out at her.

"Thank you though. This reminds me of the cake my mom used to make," she smiles while shoveling in another bite.

"I know," I say gently, "that's why I made it. Thanks for being there for me."

"Aww Es," Terra coos and wraps me in a tight hug. When she pulls away she has tears in her eyes and sniffles with a laugh.

"I'll always be there for you. You're my best friend. I'm sorry about everything that's happened. We will get through it together, ok?" she says seriously. I nod and smile as my heart fills with warmth. I really am so lucky to have her. I'd do anything for her, even if she makes me want to die sometimes. Or kill her.

"Thanks. I'm always here for you too."

Chapter Text

"I know why you're here."

My head snaps up to look in the mirror, catching sight of Nico standing in the shadows behind me as I wash my face. My heart nearly jumps out of my chest, but I put on a calm façade.

"Do you now? Please enlighten me because I would love to know," I snark, already over his suspicion. I've never done anything to him.

"You won't get away with it. I'm on to you."

Who does this kid think he is? Does he think this is some sort of supervillain movie?

"Listen, Nico, you can think whatever you want. I'm telling the truth when I say I've never met my mother and have no idea why I'm here. Terra brought me here to protect me after my family was killed. I have nowhere else to go and have lost everyone I care about. From what I've heard about you, I figured you'd be more likely to understand, but I guess I overestimated you."

He recoils like he's been struck. His anger shifts into an awkward sort of confusion.

"Just go ask Piper. She made me tell them all the truth," I sniff and clench my jaw, "And while you're at it, leave me alone. I've done nothing to you to merit this kind of behavior and it's honestly pretty childish. From what Terra told me, I thought you and I could have been great friends. When you get off your high horse and realize that I'm just like everyone else here, maybe things can be different," I finish and leave him standing in the corner of the women's restroom looking conflicted.

When I pass a girl who introduced herself as Katie, I smirk.

"NICO! WHAT THE HADES! GET OUT OF HERE!" she shrieks, and I feel somewhat better.

I walk back over toward Bunker 9 where Leo has been polishing my knife and sword after I repeatedly begged him to get the rust off. He finally obliged after I promised to help make tacos tonight for a small celebration of Terra's birthday. I would have agreed anyway, but he doesn't have to know that.

When I walk into the bunker, I catch sight of both Leo and Calypso leaning over the weapons murmuring quietly to each other. Calypso looks pale and Leo looks excited.

"Hey guys," I say awkwardly, and they both jump, "did you finish polishing them?"

"Hey Es, uh, yeah, I did. You should come see. This is crazy," he replies. Calypso still stares at the weapons with what looks like fear.

Both the sword and knife sit atop the table in a tiered sword stand glistening under his work lamp. Now that the rust is cleared, the real material of the weapons stands out and I catch my breath at their magnificence.

The blades are black. They're so black it almost seems like they're sucking in the light around them. What really makes them beautiful are the flecks of white present throughout. They shine like stars when they catch the light, sparkling like a mix of silver and diamonds.

"T-they're made of Stygian Iron. Like Nico's sword," Calypso mutters. The fact that she looks so shaken makes me concerned. I've never seen her look even remotely intimidated before.

"Oh great. Another thing for him to hate me for," I joke, trying to break the tension. He tried to kill me with that sword.

"It's not just that..." she gulps, "it's mixed with Adamantine. The metal of the gods. I'm surprised I didn't realize it sooner..."

"Is that like bad or something?" I ask scanning their faces. They both look like they're holding something back.

"I am half-goddess apparently, so I should be fine right?"

"Yeah, demigods can use Adamantine and be fine. Perseus used Adamantine to behead Medusa," Leo chimes in. But why do they still look worried?

"Yes, demigods have used weapons like these in the past. But I... I recognize these weapons. See that symbol on the handle there? I thought it was a moon when it was rusted over... It is actually a scythe, the symbol of-"

"Kronos," I interrupt Calypso as my stomach sinks. I chose the two weapons previously owned by Kronos. Of course I did. She nods grimly.

"I was there when Gaea gifted them to Kronos. Along with his Scythe... These weapons signified the Titans' resistance. Why you were chosen to yield them I am not sure..." she trails off.

"I-it was a coincidence, right? They were at the bottom of a big pile of weapons, and I just chose them randomly. I can get new weapons, I don't need those if they're evil," I stutter. I don't want another reason for people to assume I'm evil.

"Nothing is ever random, Estrella. For some reason, the fates destined these weapons for you."

"But I don't want them if they're evil. If they belonged to Kronos, it will look bad if I use them."

"It is not the weapons that are evil, it is they who wield them. You do not want to tempt the fates. If you avoid these now, much worse could happen."

I take a step forward and glance warily at the blades. They look powerful. But not evil. Realistically, they're just sharp pieces of metal.

"But if they were made by Gaea for Kronos, they were made to kill..."

"Gods. Yes, they were most likely intended to kill gods. But that is not all that they can be used for. These blades can be conductors of your power. They can be used to defend yourself from harm, like monsters, and absorbs their spirits so they don't return to Tartarus."

"Why is this happening to me," I whisper desperately. I feel like I'm tumbling head over heels through space. I'm in a vacuum with nothing to stop me from spinning out of control for eternity.

I lean against a workbench as my head spins rapidly. My breaths come faster and shallower as my chest feels heavier. I breathe deeply but can't seem to fill my lungs enough. I can feel my racing heart in every part of my body.

My family is gone. I have nowhere to go. I am stuck here and have an evil mother. Everyone hates me and something bad is going to happen. Something is wrong and it is going to include me, but I have no idea what is going on. I can't do this. I don't know what to do and nobody can help me.

"Hey. It's ok. Just breathe," Leo says softly as he leans against the bench next to me. I can feel warmth radiating off him and it interrupts my thoughts for a minute. I try to copy his slow breathing.

"There you go. Shhh, slow. Ask yourself, 'I wonder how long my heart is going to keep racing?' Take note of what you're feeling. Can you feel your toes in your shoes without moving them?" he asks as he watches me from a comfortable distance, something so unlike him.

(( Author's Note:  if you also suffer from panic attacks triggered by a racing heart, I highly recommend this trick of asking yourself how long you think your heart is going to race then move on. It makes it so much easier to not fixate on your heart rate and spiral even more. It's like a cheat code, tricking your brain to calm down a bit and interrupting the intrusive thought cycle. Your brain is like "damn I wonder how long my heart is gonna race" and suddenly it kinda calms down. Weird but true. Trust me, it works. Tip from my therapist <3))

"Y-yeah. I can feel them," I mumble and suck in a deep breath through my nose. I wonder how long my heart is gonna race.

"Good. Can you smell anything in the bunker?" he asks. Smell anything? What is he talking about?

"Um," I sniff, "I smell... is that Fabuloso?"

Leo suddenly chokes on a laugh, and I flinch.

"Yeah, it is! Your family used that stuff too? My mom always mopped the floor of our workshop with Fabuloso at the end of the day," he smiles. That brings a small smile to my face as well.

"My Abuelita used that stuff religiously. One time she was cleaning the sink and splashed some into my dad's favorite cup on the drying rack. When he went to drink from it later, he swore she was trying to murder him," I chuckle.

"Oh no," he laughs, "not Abuelita! My mom used to threaten to wash my mouth out with Fabuloso when I cursed. It was a pretty common occurrence, actually."

"My grandma would just call me una malandra and pinch the underside of my arm. I swear nothing hurt more than that."

"My tia used to do that too! Turns out she was actually Hera, but we move."

I sputter in shock and turn to Calypso. She shakes her head while rolling her eyes like 'you're telling me.'

"You got pinched by the Queen of the Gods when you were little?"

"Chama, there is much about me that you do not know. Also, Hera is a weird lady," Leo laughs, and Calypso smacks the back of his head.

"Be respectful!" she snaps, looking up at the sky almost fearfully.

"Eh, she owes me big time. Anyway, what do you say? Do you want to go train a bit? I can show you some of my superhuman fighting skills. McShizzle will show you the way, little one," he bows. What is he doing? Is he trying to quote some sort of movie?

"Sure," I say surprising myself. I stand up straight, my legs still a little shaky, but realize with satisfaction that my heart is no longer racing. Hmm, I guess he does know what he's talking about. How did he know how to do that?

"Thanks, by the way," I flash him a small grateful smile and he reciprocates it warmly. His look tells me 'you're not alone.'

"I don't know what you mean by little one, though. I am both older and taller than you," I remind him.

"Only by a few months!" he scoffs.

"You're right. You're tiny but mighty," I supply and pat him on the head as I walk outside with both weapons. I sheathe the sword in a scabbard he found for me and brandish my dagger. Time to work on my quick game.

We spend the next 30 minutes scrabbling in a clearing, Leo almost taking my head off with a hammer numerous times as Calypso gives us both pointers. I manage to evade one of his more aggressive attacks and step inside his defenses, jamming him in the ribs with the hilt of the blade. He coughs and wraps one hand around his side, swinging his hammer wildly with the other.

Before I can step back, he clips the edge of my right shoulder. I gasp as it briefly shifts out of place, shocking me with a burst of pain. Immediately, it pops back into place, and I clench my teeth. It hurts, but not nearly as much as it shocked me. My shoulders are hyper-mobile from years of volleyball anyway.

"Oh shit, are you ok?" he pauses, and I don't give him time to wonder before I'm on him again. His worry lets down his defenses and I take the opportunity to tackle him to the ground, digging my knee into his arm holding the hammer, and placing my blade against his throat.

Calypso cheers behind me and I break into a smile. Sure, he's smaller than me, but he's one of the ever-so-famous 7 here at camp. He's super powerful, yet I managed to overtake him. Sure, I caught him off guard, but I'm new to this. I'm too busy patting myself on the back to notice my knife heating up in my hand.

Suddenly, the handle becomes too hot to hold and I yelp, dropping the blade and losing my focus. I grip my left hand and stare down at my bright red palm with a wince. That little...

He notices my glare and laughs, kicking me off him and snatching up my knife. I hit the ground with a grunt and don't have time to move before he's on me with my own knife pointing at my throat. I blow my hair out of my eyes and groan at his victorious smile. I'd make everything go dark and steal my knife back if I could, but I currently have no idea how I did that last night.

"That wasn't fair, I already won," I whine, and he tuts.

"No, you thought you won and lost focus. I had not submitted yet and still had some tricks up my sleeve. Unfortunately for you, I am just too hot to kill," he brags and reaches out a hand to help me up. I resist the urge to slap it away but grimace when he grabs my burnt hand.

"Ah, my bad. Caly do you have something for this?" he grabs my wrist and shoves my hand into her face like she wasn't able to see it before.

"I'm fine," I rip my hand away and he rolls his eyes.

"Ok macho, nobody is calling you a baby," he taunts, "don't be dumb, you'll get an infection. You just have to accept that you can't handle McShizzle's hotness. It's hard for most women to admit, I know."

"Ignore him," Calypso mutters and gestures for my hand. I reluctantly hand it over and nearly moan when she gently rubs a sort of paste into my palm. It feels cool and immediately takes the pain out of the burn. As I look down at my hand with bewilderment, the redness fades before my eyes. What the... This definitely would have blistered.

"It is a healing salve. You should be good to go in about an hour. In the meantime, let us work on your powers," she states and Leo whoops.

"Now this is one thing Annabeth can't beat me at! Haha!" he puffs out his chest and raises one palm with a small flame in it.

"I don't know how to use my powers though. That last time was an accident and I have no clue how to do it again. I'm not really sure that I want to anyway."

"It will be fine. It is just Leo and me; you cannot do anything to set us off or scare us. Right, Leo?"

"Yeah. Plus, if it goes dark, I have this," he makes his flame burn brighter and hotter, "so we'll still be able to see."

They have a good point. I need to get an understanding of my powers soon to deal with whatever is going on. I sigh and put my hands on my hips, reluctantly signaling that I'm ready to get to work.

"Ok. If anything goes wrong it is not my fault, ok?" they both nod, "What should I do?"

"What do you remember feeling when your powers surfaced during capture the flag?" Calypso wonders.

"Umm. I don't remember feeling much. I thought I was going to drown, and Percy wasn't even looking at me, so I started feeling really desperate and angry. Eventually, it felt like this darkness exploded inside of me, kind of like a rubber band snapping, and then everything went dark. While everyone was stumbling around, I could still see."

She nods thoughtfully. I'm scared they'll judge me for my lapse in control, but they both just look like they're thinking hard about how to summon my powers.

"So we know for sure that you have power over darkness and the ability to see without light," Leo suggests, "I wonder what else... Nyx is a Primordial goddess so you definitely have some crazy powers."

"That doesn't make me feel any better, pendejo."

"Right, sorry."

"Focus, Estrella. Think about that rubber band. Put your hand out and imagine that rubber band stretching all the way to the tips of your fingers. Picture that darkness moving where you want it. It listens to you. Think of it, not as the absence of color, but all the colors mixed into one," Calypso instructs, and I struggle to focus as she continues. There are too many instructions, it's too complex. Rubber band, darkness, color...

I'm not sure how I would even begin to summon my power, so I strain all my muscles and tense up. I push against nothing and of course, absolutely nothing happens. After a few seconds, I give up and suck in a huge breath of air.

"Don't hold your breath dude," Leo jokes and I glare at him.

"You're not helping."

"Just... just relax," he corrects, "Breathe and don't tense up. Close your eyes. Now try and really picture what Calypso said. Imagine a rubber band with one end anchored inside of you, wherever you felt your power last time. Do you see it?"

I nod. I see a thick, flat rubber band anchored right at my belly button. I imagine it tugging and stretching up my chest to my arms. Still, nothing happens.

"Is it stretching?" he asks. I nod again and notice a cold sweat forming on my forehead. I feel clammy and my heart begins to race again.

"I-I feel weird..." I mumble and take a wider stance as I begin to sway. Having my eyes closed is definitely not helping with my poor balance.

"Like what?" Calypso asks.

"I feel a slight tug on my belly, I think. I can picture the... the rubber band stretching. It's almost to my fingers."

"Good! Keep breathing," Leo suggests. I suck in another ragged breath.

"Is it to your fingertips now?" I nod and she continues, "Good. Now, picture the night sky. Imagine you were looking up at the darkness with your dad. Pull those memories and cherish them. Feel them. Feel the nostalgia, the wonder, the love, the pain. Open yourself up."

I'm not sure that I want to feel that right now, but I do what she says. I picture myself lying flat on my back with my head resting on my dad's belly. I can feel the prickly grass against my arms, the warm humidity of the night, and hear the quiet chirping of crickets. I feel his hand in my hair, carding through my curls and pulling on the ends like springs. I can hear the muffled thumping of his heartbeat against the soft cotton of his pajama shirt, some obscure oversized and faded graphic tee of his favorite reality TV show.

I look up and see a rich black sky with blue undertones. There are dark clouds obscuring some of the stars, but they only add to the beauty, like a warm blanket with a faint light shining through.

The visible stars seem to shine even brighter in comparison, some of them expanding like diamonds with my sleepy, misty eyes. My eyelids grow heavier as the rhythmic beat underneath me continues, rocking my head up and down with each breath.

"Is that a star?" I'd ask excitedly, noticing an unusually bright light appear, then blink out of existence moments later. It was just a plane. Not a star carrying a message from long ago but a plane carrying people going from one place to another. Where are they going? Are the stars brighter up there? We probably look so small, fading as tiny dots into the world below.

I will that wonder, that childlike innocence to come back. My mother made that sky. Even though I don't want to get to know her, I have a connection to her. She is everywhere. I see her in the stars, the moon, the dark night sky. She was always there, but she never took the chance to learn about me.

I don't want to be afraid of her anymore. My dad and I loved the night sky. Why should that change because of her?

I picture myself grabbing a handful of the dark night sky like it's made out of clay. I shape it into a sphere in my hand and marvel at the constellations within.

Suddenly, I feel a twang on the rubber band and hear a gasp.

My eyes shoot open, and I squint at the unexpected brightness of the forest around us. When I look at my hand, I see a spherical orb of darkness oscillating in my hand. The edges aren't as smooth as the mound in my vision, and it's void of stars, but I don't care.

I did it.

"Oh my gods you did it!" Leo shouts and the orb disappears. I nearly groan and Calypso tsks at him. I can't seem to stop staring at the spot where the darkness once was.

"Sorry. But that's crazy! You did it! I did not think you'd be able to recreate it so soon," he confides, and I scoff.

"Then why did you make me try?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't stop until you did."

Maybe he knows me better than I thought.

"That was amazing, Estrella," Calypso smiles and puts a steadying hand on my back as I suddenly notice my dizziness, "Here, take a seat against this tree. It's common to feel exhausted when first trying to master your powers. Especially doing something so precise. It is actually more difficult than just making everything go dark."

"Yeah that was hard," I laugh shakily and plop down onto the floor, not having the energy to stand at the moment.

"But you did it! Here, take some of this," Leo hands me the corner of an ambrosia square and I savor the familiar flavor of Cocosettes. I can hear my dad cheering me on as well. He'd know that I'd never give up until I got even the smallest inkling of darkness. We would have stayed up all night until I'd done it.

"What does it taste like?" Leo asks gently as he flops down next to me. Calypso sits gracefully and hands me a bottle of water.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Come on! Tell me your secrets," he says like a robot, and I roll my eyes. If this is what ADHD looks like, maybe I don't have it.

"It tastes like these wafers my dad used to bring home to me. They're called Cocosettes."

"No way! I haven't had one of those in forever! I used to eat a similar thing called Bocadin. They were peanut butter flavored and covered in chocolate."

"Yeah, my dad preferred those, but always bought Cocosettes instead because he knew I liked them more," I smile, "He was a peanut butter freak though."

"Sounds like we would get along," he laughs. My heart constricts a bit and I feel heavier.

"He wouldn't know what to think of you. My family is crazy but you're on another level."

"Hey!" he cries, and I ignore him.

"Calypso, though. My family would love you. My grandma would adore you. And my aunt would beg you to sing for them. You would immediately be roped into our 'Ay Que Noche Tan Preciosa' birthday song. I preferred to stay on the side and provide the musicality, you know? Banging a pan with a wooden spoon was my instrument of choice, my specialty. Leo, you could be... the cheese grater or something."

Leo scoffs again and Calypso laughs warmly.

"If any of them are still out there, you're definitely invited to a parilla," I choke out over a lump in my throat. Calypso grabs my hand and Leo rests his head on my shoulder like a puppy.

"Thank you, Estrella. I would love to," she says meaningfully with a serious look into my eyes. I tear up a bit when I see a deep understanding. I truly feel heard.

"My mom would have loved you guys too," Leo says wistfully as he peers up into the canopy of pine trees, "She'd probably make fun of me to you guys, that chismosa."

Calypso and I snigger, and I lean my head back against the trunk of the tree. I shut my eyes, savoring the quiet melody of the forest around me. The breeze rustles the thick branches and makes a quiet whispering that lulls me to sleep for a moment.

I'm awoken by Leo whispering to somebody, his head still leaning on my shoulder. Calypso has moved from my side and lays on her side with her head in Leo's lap, staring up at none other than... Percy Jackson.

I blink groggily and look up at him. He frowns at us sitting together, confusion flashing across his face, but avoiding my eyes still. Rolling my eyes, I sit up and stretch, pushing Leo's head off my shoulder.

I blearily rub my eyes and hear Percy telling Leo that Chiron was asking about him. Leo tells Percy that he's been busy training and that he'll come to see Chiron in a bit. With that, Percy walks away, never once looking into my eyes, but having looked me up and down once or twice.

"I know I fucked up, but he kinda sucks," I grumble.

"Nah, he's just off. He's being weird. He's usually the friendliest, most outgoing guy you'll ever meet. Annabeth calls him Seaweed Brain because sometimes he just says whatever is on his mind and can't stop talking."

"Yes, I fell in love with him once," Calypso chimes in, and Leo gapes at her.

"Babe!"

"What? It is true! I am not in love with him anymore, so what does it matter?"

"It's the principle of it...," he whines and moves to stand up, "Whatever, I'm gonna go talk to Chiron and see what's up. You're still on board to help with the Taco Party tonight, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, like I have a choice," I joke, and he smiles.

"We're happy you're here, you know," he says earnestly for once. I feel my eyebrows raise of their own volition and can't hold back the wide smile that splits my face.

"Aww don't get all mushy on me now," I try to brush it off, but my beaming face tells them otherwise. They've both been so good to me.

Eventually, I make my way back to the pavilion to eat lunch, pleasantly surprised by the appetite that I worked up while training with Leo. For the first time in days, I am able to truly savor the food, enjoying a hearty grain bowl with lentils and hummus. I sit next to Terra as she picks at the veggies, grumbling at how healthy everything is.

"Oh come on, you've got to outgrow your dislike of veggies," I tease and she pouts.

"They're just so... healthy. I'm good at maintaining crops, but that doesn't mean I want to eat them. I think I was scarred from my dad making me try raw wheat as a child," she shudders.

"Here, you can have my bread, Birthday Girl," she smiles at me like I'm her favorite person in the world, "besides, you can stuff your face with Leo's infamous tacos tonight. I'm excited to see what the hype is about."

"They really are good," she daydreams, "Hey, was he able to polish your sword?"

"Oh... uh, yeah. Another bit of awesome news with that. You can't tell anyone, okay?" she nods rapidly, and I pull out my dagger, "so apparently, I managed to pick the wildest weapons I could have possibly chosen. Just my luck."

"What do you mean?"

"They're both made out of a mix of Stygian Iron and Adamantine. Yeah, I know. Calypso looked ready to wet herself when she saw them. You know the mark that we thought was a moon on the handle?"

"Yeah?"

"Turns out it's a sickle," she gasps, "and Gaea gave these weapons to Kronos as a sign of the Titan rebellion."

"That's some serious stuff, Es," she states warily, and I sigh.

"Yeah, I know. I had a panic attack when she told me," I laugh and try to make light of the situation.

"Crap. Another one?"

"I mean, can you blame me?"

"Actually no. I'd be on my 15th of the week if I were you."

"Then the weirdest thing happened, and Leo managed to talk me down from it. He knew like exactly what to say, it was so weird," I gossip, and her smile turns sad.

"Yeah... He's been through a lot. All of the 7 have, and they've learned to lean on each other and process some of that trauma. Leo started seeing a therapist when he and Calypso were going through a rough patch. It's helped him a lot. Most of them have been once or twice. Percy could definitely use a bit more."

"Why?"

"He's so popular for a reason. He was at the center of two great prophecies. That is like completely unheard of. He's on the same level as someone like Hercules, maybe even more powerful. And slightly less egotistical."

"Only slightly?"

"I would normally say way humbler but until he starts being nice to you, he's on my shit list," she punctuates with a glare at the empty Poseidon table. Where is he? Where are the rest of the 7 actually? And Clarisse, Nico, Will, the twins, and Katie?

"I get it. I was totally out of line, and I still feel awful. I just hope he knows I really feel bad."

"You've already apologized, don't worry about it. He's done way worse stuff, but everyone freaks out because you're the daughter of an extremely powerful goddess. It's BS. He shouldn't be making you feel bad, especially considering how he was treated when he got to camp," she grunts.

"What happened when he got here?"

"Apparently, he was this scrawny little 12-year-old that killed the Minotaur with his bare hands. When people found out he was a child of the Big Three, people avoided him like the plague and blamed him for things that he had no control over. Sound familiar?"

"Yeah, except for the part where he was a little clueless 12-year-old and I am a grown woman," I correct and she scoffs, "What? I am already 18, I should have the control not to hurt people at this age."

"Oh, give me a break. You literally just discovered that this world is real. You're too hard on yourself."

If she's ever been right about anything, it's that.

"Anyway, Percy has been through some shit. He and Annabeth fell into Tartarus- yeah the place from your dream- and had to make their way out through some super traumatic shit. I would've definitely died like 5 minutes in. That and a rocky upbringing... Don't tell anyone I told you this. It's not really for me to share."

"I won't. What do you mean rocky?"

"Just a shitty stepdad, probably 10x worse than he describes it. He always brushes it off with jokes and silly nicknames, so I know it still hurts. I don't want to talk about it though. If anything, he will tell you."

"Right," I laugh out loud. Number 1 on the list of 100 things to literally never happen.

"Anyway," she yawns, "I've gotta go do border duty with Peleus for a few hours. I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Yeah...," I yawn back, and we laugh, "See you tonight."

I spend the next hour at the archery range and realize it is not my forte. Out of 20 shots, only about 8 hit the target, the rest peppering the curtain behind. I still don't see Leo or any of the other cabin counselors anywhere, which is somewhat unusual. Maybe they're all busy.

The longer I stay at the range practicing, the more my uncertainty grows. It's too quiet. Something feels wrong. Something is wrong.

Another hour passes before I hear a shout. The campers next to me hear it too. We pause in our practicing.

"Hey-mmph" we hear a shout being muffled. At the pained roar of Peleus, we all go sprinting toward the border. Where is Terra? I frantically scan the hill above me hoping to see her running toward us but see nothing. My sense of foreboding grows.

When the campers that were at the archery range and I reach the crest of the hill we falter. At the bottom of the hill outside of the border, what looks like hundreds of monsters swarm around the dragon with Terra in front pleading with them to stop. Terra! What are you doing?

I struggle to see her under the thick blanket of snow. The stark difference in the weather outside of the border has me all turned around. I scream when she goes down under what looks like a big black dog and three campers sprint back down the hill toward the Big House shouting about the attack.

Campers that they pass scramble to put on armor, but I don't have time. Terra is down and I'm not going to stand around and wait. I have my sword and knife, and that will have to do. I'd take down the entire army if I had to.

With a growl, I pick my way down the hill, ignoring the concerned shouts of the campers above, and sneak up behind a woman with scaly legs. I stab her right between her shoulder blades, and she screeches before turning into dust. Honor, my ass.

The other campers rush to help, and we begin to make our way down the hill, picking off monsters as we go. I haven't heard from or seen Terra and my worry grows. Where are you?

As my fear grows, so does my anger. Now, I know what that tense feeling inside is. My power.

I focus on that rubber band and tighten it until it threatens to snap. With a shout, a wall of darkness appears in front of the monster that was running at me. It tries to stumble to a stop but in seconds I am on it.

Instead of landing on the monster, my world becomes a rush of darkness and cold wind. When I take another step, I end up somewhere else. I spin around frantically, realizing that I am about 20 feet from where I was before. What just happened?

My stomach lurches and I fall to my knees and vomit. I feel completely disoriented but don't have time to waste. I force myself back to my feet and sidestep the big dog running at me. It has bright red eyes and is about the size of a pickup truck. When it growls at me, the hackles stand up on the back of its neck.

I take a few cautious steps back to where I dropped my knife. It growls again and I feel a sense of doom overtake me.

I barely have time to rip my sword out of my scabbard before the dog pounces on me. I'm still not used to the heavy weight, so the dog pins me down before I can defend myself.

When I'm slammed to the ground, I get a glance of about 50 campers running down the snowy hill to join us. They have armor on and weapons lifted, led by none other than Percy. I make brief eye contact with Clarisse, her eyes alight with fury before I'm shoved deeper into the foot-deep snow.

I am not about to be killed by a dog. The crushing weight makes it hard to draw a breath and I feel its claws digging into my shoulder. For some reason, it hasn't ripped my throat out yet. It sits on my chest growling and snapping, but not biting.

When it leans down to bite my neck, I know I'm done for.

Instead, the dog sinks its teeth into my left shoulder, and I scream in pain. It begins lifting its head, pulling me up by the shoulder. I feel tendons and muscles ripping with my weight and go completely lightheaded. I try to reach for my sword with my right arm, but I can't manage to reach the left side of my body. Nothing works. I try to bash the dog's nose in, but it barely bats an eye.

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I finally get my fingertips on the handle of the sword when suddenly the dog is no longer there. I slam back into the snow with dust raining down on me, the dog having been killed by a celestial bronze arrow.

My shoulder burns like fire and I'm unable to do anything but moan in agony and stain the snow around me red. I lay there, waiting to be killed before I hear someone near me shout.

"Terra!"

My head snaps up and the pain in my shoulder lessens almost immediately. My veins are flushed with adrenaline, and I shakily rise to my feet. Where is she? What happened?

When I scan the battlefield, ignoring the angry red
splotches in the snow, I find Terra in the middle of it all. There, surrounded by monsters is the man I saw in my dream with the red cape and general sense of doom with a knife at Terra's throat.

Next to them stands a group of what looks like normal people, maybe US military related, with guns drawn. They seem to focus on the man in front, an angry-looking general with freckly white skin turned red with anger and high blood pressure.

I lock eyes with the man from my dream and my blood boils. When he spots me, that same evil smile that I saw in my dreams spreads across his face.

"Estrella," he grins and says my name quietly, but for some reason, I can hear him from across the battlefield. It feels like it's just the two of us.

Another clueless monster tries to sneak up behind me and the man loses his smile for a second, unintentionally warning me about my attacker. I spin around and swing my sword with both hands, decapitating the woman with a bronze leg. The movement sets my shoulder on fire again and I drop the sword, clamping my right hand over the wound.

When I turn back around, it looks like the rest of the battle has noticed the man in the middle and paused their fighting.

"Demigods," he addresses us, "I am Moros."

The campers gasp and falter. Their faces drain of color.

"I assume you've heard of me. God of Doom. It's alright no need to bow."

"We weren't going to," Percy spits and Moros turns to him.

"Is that so?" he raises an eyebrow. A split second later, Percy gasps and looks terrified at what's ahead of him, which is nothing. He's shaking and hyperventilating at nothing. He must be seeing one of Moros's visions.

"Much better," Moros grunts when Percy falls to his knees in horror. The longer he stays in that vision, the paler he gets. In the back of the crowd, Annabeth suddenly disappears.

"What do you want?" I interrupt, bringing his focus back to me, "Let her go!"

He looks down at the bruised and bloodied Terra and scoffs. When she tries to squirm away from the knife, he wraps his arm around her neck, slowly choking her out from behind. Her face goes cherry red immediately as she gasps and chokes.

"Stop! Just- what do you want?" I am panicking now, watching the life slowly drain from Terra's eyes with nothing I can do. I scan the faces of the campers behind me pleading for someone to help. At least Percy is out of the vision now, being tended to by Piper whispering in his ear.

Everyone gives me similar looks of confusion and desperation.

"Oh, Estrella, dear sister. I told you you'd regret not joining me when I gave you the chance. As a favor to Mom, I've given you another chance. I'm afraid this time, you don't have a choice though."

My knees threaten to buckle there and then. Seconds tick by and Terra's struggles become slower. He's going to kill her. You need to stall.

"If you kill her, I will never join you," I reply, and he glances down at Terra again. He loosens his hold on her neck slightly with a roll of his eyes and she chokes on her frantic gasps.

"D-don't joi-" she grunts out and is unable to finish when he squeezes her throat again.

"She's not a very smart one, is she?" he laughs, and I feel sick to my stomach. The sick bastard.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a light brown pegasus, who Clarisse told me is named Porkpie, flying up stealthily behind Moros, inching closer as if for a sneak attack. As soon as I notice, I try to avert my eyes and act natural, but the human general is not phased.

He whips around when the pegasus is within 10 feet of Moros and yanks out his pistol, firing two quick rounds off, one into his eye and one into his chest. Many campers, including myself, scream as the beloved animal plummets from the sky and falls dead in the snow. Just like that. No warning.

One of the screams seemed to come from over where Porkpie landed, and I notice invisible handprints appearing in the snow as if trying to crawl out from under the animal. Moros hears the noise and begins to turn, but I interrupt.

"Wait! Wait! I... I'll go! Just-just stop. Let her go. Let her go and I'll go with you."

"Convenient..." he hums as he turns back to me. The rest of the campers watch the exchange with bated breath, waiting to see if I'm as evil as they think I am. Percy is on his feet again. I spot Leo leaning against Calypso, his leg sporting a nasty gash, but looking relatively alert. A desperate idea begins forming in my head and I once again involuntarily glance over at Porkpie. The snow around him is being dug out by invisible hands, frantically moving to get out from underneath.

Terra is once again choking, and I realize I have no other choice. Moros turns back to Porkpie and flicks his wrist.

Annabeth materializes as her hat blows away on a gust of wind. She realizes she's suddenly visible and pauses in her digging. I can see her face tight with pain and concentration, suddenly defiant as she stares back at Moros.

"Pesky girl," he mumbles, "deal with her," Moros gestures to the general and he turns his pistol toward her.

"No!" three voices shout at once. Terra struggles frantically in Moros's arms, Percy screams desperately from behind me, and I scream with frustration as I once again feel the rubber band inside me growing tight. As she accepts her death, Annabeth looks at Terra. Not Percy. Not me. Not Moros. Not the general. She looks straight at Terra and sends her a small smile. I am not losing Terra and I am not letting Terra lose Annabeth.

As the general presses down on the trigger, I let out a scream so anguished that it burns my throat on the way out.

Darkness explodes out of me, forming a wall between Annabeth and the general, obscuring his view. All within a second, Nico appears out of the darkness, grabs Annabeth under the armpits, and pulls her back into the darkness, disappearing. My outburst sapped the minuscule amount of energy I had left, and I sink to my knees in the snow.

"Interesting..." Moros trails off, "so you are the daughter of Night... Surrender now and come with me. The rest of the camp walks free. For now."

"O-okay. Okay," I pant, energy completely spent, "I'll come. Let her go first."

"I am not stupid. General, bring me the girl," Moros commands. My stomach drops and my heart seems to stop, but I have no energy to fight as the man stomps over to me and grabs me roughly by the left arm. I scream as he yanks on my shoulder and my knees refuse to let me stand, constantly buckling under my weight.

"Estrella!" Leo shouts and I ignore him, trying to forcefully blink the black spots from my vision. I can feel blood dripping down my arm as the general practically drags me over to Moros. My hearing fades in and out with the pain, just barely teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.

I am unceremoniously dumped face-down into the snow at Moros's feet. I slowly roll over with a pained groan, laying face-up to the sky unable to move any further. Moros looks down at me and smirks sadistically.

"Where you belong," he laughs. My blood turns icy with rage, but I keep my mouth shut.

"Let her go," I whisper, and he snorts.

"Fine," he kicks Terra away from him and she lands in the snow with a thud, coughing and panting. When she gets her breathing under control, she crawls over to me.

Her face appears in my line of vision, blocking out the afternoon sun. Eyes crinkled with concern, she scans my wounds and blanches further.

"Es, are you ok? You can't-"

"I wish I was Leo right now, the freezing water is soaking through my clothes," I mumble, feigning deliriousness and putting emphasis on the word 'water,' desperately hoping she'll get my hint. She looks confused for a moment before clarity washes over her face. Nodding almost imperceptibly, she stands up determinedly and runs back toward the border, pulling aside Percy and Leo and telling them my plan. Percy looks unsure, but Leo looks back at me for a split second, nodding with absolute certainty. He is on board. Now I just have to stall more.

"Hah! She is delirious! Stupid girl. Your closest friend abandoned you, just like I said she would."

His arrogance makes the tiniest spark of power flare up inside me, and wispy shadows begin to swirl around me.

"Ah ah. None of that," Moros tuts and kicks me in the temple with a steel-toed boot. My head snaps to the side so forcefully that my vision immediately goes black, and I fade into unconsciousness. My plan failed. He's going to take me with him now...

I regain consciousness a few moments later when I notice the back of my shirt being soaked with freezing water. The previously pillowy-soft powder snow has become more like slush as Moros drones on about why the demigods should abandon Olympus. The general notices that I've stirred but looks vaguely uncomfortable with Moros's manifesto and does not speak up.

The rest of the humans look at each other, unsure about what they've gotten themselves into.

"That will never work!" Percy shouts, "You gods never learn. Involving the mortals will only end in more people getting hurt. How about you just go back to your hole and cry about why nobody wants you, especially your mom, who does not give a single shit about you. She probably cares more about your sister down there, who's better than you at only 18 years old."

"You will regret that. Don't think I do not know who you are, Perseus Jackson. You will be one of the first to die."

"That's what they all say! I'm not dead yet!" he boasts. Shut up, you idiot!

"We can change that. Right general?" Moros glances over. The general raises his pistol and fires off 3 clean shots, aimed right at Percy's heart. No!

With a swipe of her hand, Hazel sends the bullets whizzing off into the forest. Moros growls and turns his attention on her, smiling viciously as she sinks to her knees screaming, haunted by whatever visions he sent her way. The general reloads his gun and prepares to send off more rounds. With Hazel incapacitated, there is no way they can outrun those bullets.

He fires off another round, which Percy impossibly manages to deflect off of his sword. That is not possible. How did he move so fast?

No matter how quick he is, he is easily overrun by a barrage of bullets, shouting in pain when one grazes his left arm. No! Not him!

The slush beneath me has become so watery that I shiver in my thoroughly soaked t-shirt. I'm gonna need Calypso to give me some warmer clothes.

I watch in horror as the demigods are peppered with bullets, some dodging, and others falling as bullets rip through their arms, legs, or wherever they find purchase. Apollo campers hidden in the trees return fire at the humans, most of the arrows flying harmlessly through them. Some monsters burst into dust, which is enough to distract Moros and the humans for a split second.

I take that second to slice my hidden dagger across Moros's achilles tendon. He roars in pain and outrage, bending down to grip his ankle. When he bends down, I thrust my knife up toward his right eye and don't miss. My knife embeds itself into his right eye socket and he screams.

"YOU BITCH!" he shouts and raises his other leg to stomp me further into the ground. I shut my eyes in anticipation, not being able to move if I wanted to. Before his strike lands, a horrible angry rush of water slams into his chest and sweeps him away in a giant wave of ice.

Monsters and humans scatter, knowing they stand no chance against the son of Poseidon with so much water around. Now that the imminent danger of Moros standing over me fades, so does my adrenaline. Soaked to the bone, freezing, exhausted, and in pain, my vision becomes blurry and dark.

When another giant wave crashes on top of me, my vision goes dark once again. I am in and out of consciousness, feeling like my lungs are full of water, feeling like I'm floating in the ocean, imagining that I'm being pulled back to the border, seeing flashes of concerned faces followed by blackness, followed by him. His face appears in my visions, touching my forehead like a god and letting me breathe finally. I imagine him placing his arms behind my back and under my legs, picking me up, and carrying me to warmth.

"You're ok. Terra's fine. I got you," my dream says. Terra's fine. Good. And I drift off once again.

The next time I come to fully, I hear voices around me, some laughing, some crying, and others groaning. I can hear Will scurrying around, shouting orders, demanding help, and yelling at others to get out. The sudden loud noise sends a ripple of pain through my head, and I suppress a groan.

I open my eyes just the tiniest slit and immediately shut them when the bright lights of the infirmary blind me. I suck in a breath through my teeth and blink the spots from my vision furiously. Maybe I should just go back to sleep...

"Es? Are you awake?" someone questions and I groan. I've been caught. Damnit.

I yawn and move to stretch my arms above my head, nearly crying out when I feel the tight pinch in my shoulder. The events of the battle come soaring back and I wince when I remember the damage done to my shoulder.

"Hey, try not to move. Are you in pain? I can try to flag Will over," the person fusses and I recognize the voice. Leo.

I'm finally adjusted enough to the bright light where I can squint my eyes open. I groggily turn my head to the right where I find Leo sitting up in a bed with his leg supported by a pillow. He's fiddling with something metal that I can't quite make out and my head swims when I try to focus too hard.

When he makes eye contact with me, his face breaks out into one of the widest smiles I've ever seen.

"Hey," he breathes, relieved to see me conscious again, "you're up! How are you feeling? You scared the crap out of me."

My mind feels too jumbled to form a coherent response, so I just groan.

"Wow that good, huh? I'm, uh, actually gonna flag Will over. Just for fun."

I can't do anything to stop him and just accept my fate. I turn my head back to stare up at the ceiling and will the grogginess and dizziness to fade. Of course, they don't.

"-ILL! WILL! COME OVER HERE! WILL! WILL! WILL! WILL! WI-"

"LEO! SHUT THE FUCK UP! MY GODS! Can't you see that I'm busy?" Will shouts back. The jarring noise sends spikes into my brain, and I shut my eyes tightly like that will quiet the noise.

I try to yell at Leo to shut up, but all that comes out is another broken groan.

"fuck..." is the best I can manage. Will manages to catch that of all things and comes speed-walking over like a soccer mom.

"What is it, Leo?" he questions, "Oh! Hi Estrella, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Another eloquent groan from me.

"Ah," he glances back over at Leo, failing to hide his concern.

"mmmphh" I manage, and he pretends to understand.

"Is it your shoulder?"

"nnnnnh."

"I'll take that as a no... Hmm. That bruise on your temple is looking a little worse. What happened there? Let me see..." he hums and places both hands on my temples.

"That douchebag kicked her in the head during battle," Leo supplies. Will shushes him.

"Ok, I see. Moderate concussion. I'll up your dose of nectar a little bit. My power is almost drained, but you seem to be in a lot of pain. Don't go telling everyone I gave you special treatment," he grumbles and lets his healing power flow into my head for the second time this week.

I shut my eyes in bliss and fall asleep for a few more minutes. The next time I wake up, another Apollo kid is pulling an IV out of my elbow. When did that get there?

"You've reached your limit for nectar, so it's natural healing from here," the girl supplies when she realizes I've woken up.

"Ugh finally. I'm so bored in here. Are you feeling better?" Leo complains and I respond with another short groan as I try to sit up a bit.

"Not again," he moans and sits up to call for Will again.

"I-I'm fine. Better," I make out.

"Oh good! Wasn't sure I wanted to hang around Frankenstein anymore," he laughs. I roll my eyes.

"Gee thanks. I'll remember that when you get kicked in the head with a steel-toed boot. Not fun."

"My bad. How is your shoulder?"

"Not too bad. I don't think I can move it much," I say while trying to shrug and failing pathetically, "it just feels stiff and sore."

"That's good. It should be better in the next few days according to Will."

"So you've been keeping tabs on my condition?"

"Of course, darling. I'm your bedside buddy."

"What about you? How's your leg?"

"Eh. Could be worse. I think I should be good to go by tomorrow."

"Where's Calypso?" I ask and his face falls.

"She's around here somewhere. She's been singing to some of the younger campers to ease their pain. Some of them got ripped up by those bastard soldiers. How could they shoot at kids?" he rants. I can't help but agree. Who were those guys and why were they attacking kids?

"And Terra?" I remember, worry filling my stomach.

"She's fine, thanks to you. She got some ambrosia which fixed her right up. She should be running around here somewhere..." he trails off.

"And everyone else? Piper? Hazel? Jason?"

"Percy?" he finishes with a smirk.

"Are they all ok?" I ignore his look.

"Yeah. Percy got shot in the arm," I gasp quietly, and Leo shoots me a weird look, "but he healed himself with water. He doesn't even have a mark where he got hit."

"Lucky," I grumble, I can't even begin to imagine the scar this bite will leave.

"Yeah. Just another reason why I dislike him," Leo jokes but quickly loses his smile.

"Are you really doing ok?" he asks again.

"Yeah?" I brush off.

"That was a lot earlier. Meeting your brother, nearly being kidnapped... It's a lot to take in."

"Yeah," I sigh, "But so was everything else that's happened this week. At least now I know that I was right about something bad coming. I had been feeling anxious all day, as you know, so now I can relax a bit."

"...I'm not sure how long we'll be able to relax," he trails off like he knows something.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think this is just a one-time thing. I think they have something bigger in mind. And we are going to be the ones cleaning up the mess."

"We can handle it," I state, unusually confident for me.

"Well you certainly can," he laughs, "you were amazing out there."

"What are you talking about? I got my ass handed to me," I gesture to my bandaged head and sling.

"Maybe, but you saved Terra's life. And Annabeth's. Plus, Moros didn't come out unscathed. He's missing an eye and will probably have a limp for a while. He deserves it for what he did," Leo growls, sounding uncharacteristically angry.

"Maybe Nico and Percy will hate me less now."

"Oh trust me, they do. Percy was the one who brought you here," he says with a raised brow, "he did nearly drown you, so him getting the water out of your lungs was kind of the bare minimum, but yeah. After what you did for Annabeth, Percy will feel indebted to you for like ever. Loyalty is his fatal flaw after all."

"So I wasn't dreaming," I blush and notice Leo's hidden smile, "about drowning I mean. I remember feeling like I couldn't breathe."

"Mhmm. Sure. They've both visited you. They wanted to make sure you were ok."

"Nico came too?" I gasp. In no world would I have imagined Nico being concerned for me. In any sense of the word.

"Yep. You guys would make a good team. He's pretty loyal too, especially to Percy. You saving Annabeth ultimately made Nico trust you more."

"Wow... Wait when did they visit? How long have we been in here? What time is it? Did we miss the taco party?"

"Woah woah woah, calm down. Don't worry, they didn't have the party without us. It goes without saying that it is postponed," he laughs.

"What do you mean? It's Terra's birthday! We have to celebrate!"

"Listen, I know you got kicked in the head, so I'll explain. The camp got attacked. Lots of people got injured, and a few died. We are busy with clean up and making sure people are ok. We can't just have a birthday party, as fun as it sounds. You need to rest."

"No, you listen," I grunt as I force my way up into a sitting position, swaying a bit as the blood rushes from my head, "I know we had a battle. I also know that it is my fault they came, and I feel bad enough already-"

"It's not-" he begins to argue.

"Shut up. I feel bad enough already. But it's also my best friend's birthday. She's had a rough year and deserves to be celebrated, not treated like shit as Moros did. She almost died today because of me. I will be damned if I let the day pass without celebrating her like she deserves."

"It just feels insensitive," he begins, and I cut him off again.

"I don't care. If that's the way you choose to look at it, fine. The way I see it is that we just got attacked, yeah. We were surprised and overwhelmed, but we managed to fight back and win. We won today. The people who attacked us were horrible people, but we shouldn't let them win. If we sit back all sad and scared, they win. That's what Moros wants. I'm not scared of him. He is an arrogant prick who needs to be humbled and ignored, not feared. I say we celebrate our win and enjoy the limited time that I might have left."

He's silent for a minute as he takes in the weight of what I've said. I know they won't stop coming for me, targeting me. I'm not skilled enough to outrun them forever. Eventually, they'll catch up, catch me off-guard and kill me or kidnap me. I might as well enjoy the time that I have now.

"Ok," he finally agrees reluctantly, "but you have to push my wheelchair."

"With one hand?" I scoff.

"Yep. I don't make the rules."

"Fine. Get your lazy ass out of bed then."

15 minutes later, we're both out of bed much to Will's annoyance. I stand on wobbly legs, bracing myself with one arm on the handles of Leo's wheelchair, where he sits contently. Asshole.

I manage to shuffle my way out of the infirmary and into the hallway, taking many breaks to catch my breath and readjust my grip. I'm having a really hard time pushing Leo's weight with just one arm.

"I can see us like this in a nursing home together," Leo jokes, enjoying this way too much.

"I think at that point we'll both be needing to be wheeled out together."

By the time we get out to the porch, I'm breaking out into a cold sweat. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

I'm taking another break and leaning on the handles of the wheelchair when someone rushes up to us from the right.

"What are you guys doing?" Nico asks exasperatedly, taking the handles from me. I take a few deep breaths before answering, wiping sweat from my forehead. He's gripping a small plastic bag of McDonald's apples in one hand, crushed up from his obvious frustration.

"We're heading to Bunker 9!" Leo announces cheerily. I nod along breathlessly.

"You two shouldn't be out of bed! You should be resting — you especially, Estrella."

"Oh, come on, Mom! We're fine! You've been spending too much time with Will. We are going whether you like it or not. So, either let us go or help push," Leo commands with a cheeky smile.

"Gods help me," Nico mumbles and maneuvers the wheelchair down the stairs, purposely jolting Leo as he goes. I have to put my hand over my mouth to stifle my laugh.

"Well? Are you coming?" he turns back to me, and I scamper along to follow. The energy he is giving me is already much different. What was once cold anger and resentment is now a begrudging kindness and sarcastic humor.

He walks with us all the way to Bunker 9, purposely rolling the wheelchair over sticks and rocks for an extra bumpy journey with a satisfied smile. He rolls his eyes at Leo's ridiculous jokes and complaining, often looking over at me as we agree on Leo's stupidity. I feel his cold exterior melting ever so slightly, finally acknowledging me as an actual human being.

As soon as we get to the kitchen, Leo and I rummage around, looking for the contraband that the Stoll brothers — whom I recently discovered are in fact, not twins — smuggled in for us. Fresh Roma tomatoes, fragrant cilantro, bright green jalapeños, avocados, limes, and so much more.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Leo asks, taking in my pale appearance. I reconsider for a moment, already feeling a slight headache and aching pain in my left shoulder, but shake my head.

"No, we're not canceling. We can do this. Plus we need to use these ingredients, I sacrificed my desserts for like eternity. I'll just do it while sitting, like my abuelita. If that 93-year-old lady could cook for hours on end, I can make a simple guacamole. Don't underestimate me."

"Oh, we don't," Nico supplies, much to my surprise, "How can I help?"

"Gather the others. We need as many helping hands as we can get," I instruct. He nods and heads out of the kitchen.

Leo and I get to work washing and chopping various veggies. He takes over the pico de gallo, which requires more chopping, something that is very difficult with only the use of my non-dominant right hand. I work on the guac, managing to slice and peel the avocados with just one hand. I get stuck at the next step, which is chopping the jalapeños, as I don't want to roughly chop the peppers and have some people get huge spicy chunks in their dip.

The first person Nico manages to send over is Hazel and she gets right to work helping me chop the jalapeños, cilantro, limes, and onion. As she does that, I squeeze the limes into the bowl and mash the avocados with the bowl braced against my stomach.

Next come Piper and Jason, who we employ to start on the tofu filling for us vegans and vegetarians. They both express their distaste for Leo and me being out of the infirmary instead of resting, but we brush them off. Ultimately, they're just happy to see that we're ok. After Piper snipes at Jason 3 times for messing up and being in the way, he gets relegated to tortilla duty, which is just basically heating them up.

Calypso finally joins us looking down, which Leo notices immediately and begins singing Mexican songs at the top of his lungs. We all laugh at his stupid antics and Calypso eventually joins in.

When Percy shows up, he gets assigned meat duty, helping make Leo's famous taco ground beef. Both Leo and Calypso yell at him as he makes silly mistakes, and he quickly looks overwhelmed. This makes me laugh and Hazel notices me looking in his direction.

After about an hour of cooking, laughing, and singing, we have each component of taco night completed. Annabeth finally walks in with a slight limp and pink, swollen lips. I immediately assume it's from Percy earlier, but his look normal, if anything a little chapped. Both Hazel and I look up and notice, then make eye contact with each other, silently communicating with each other not to say anything.

Annabeth goes about setting the table in the kitchen, arranging each ingredient in the most efficient way, assembling a quick lazy susan to make the experience more streamlined from tortillas to meat to tofu to cheese to guacamole to pico de gallo to crema to the lime wedges.

When the whole table is set up, Terra finally strolls in, completely surprised by the spread. She catches sight of me sitting at the table and rushes up to me, wrapping her arms around me and holding back tears. I wince at the pressure on my bad shoulder and she pulls back.

"You're ok! I was so worried! Oh my god, Es, please never do anything like that again," she rushes, and I blush with the attention. I also notice that her lips are similarly pink and swollen. Maybe it's a coincidence. Maybe they're just red from crying. I try to convince myself but ultimately, I know exactly what's happened and my stomach drops.

Obviously, I am ecstatic for my best friend, but I haven't heard anything about Percy and Annabeth calling it quits. As much as I love Terra, I know this is wrong. I can tell Calypso, Piper, and Hazel have all come to the same conclusion.

I don't say anything about it, instead opting to wish Terra a happy birthday.

"Sorry," I laugh, "I couldn't let him kill you because of me."

"Oh, Es," she cries and kisses the top of my head. Everyone laughs as I blush and squirm away.

"Yeah, Estrella just had to get out of bed. She couldn't resist Leo's famous tacos supreme. Made Nico wheel me all the way here," Leo complains.

"Oh, I'm so sorry that I was struggling to wheel you with only one arm when you have two perfectly good arms to wheel yourself."

"So you like my arms, huh?"

"Jesus Christ. Caly, come get your man."

"I would rather not," she replies and the whole table bursts into raucous laughter.

Finally, Nico drags in an exhausted-looking Will who complains about the work he needs to get done. Nico has none of it and drags him over to the full table and starts assembling two plates of tacos. Having already eaten 3 tacos, I stand up to give Will my seat and many of the people object. I roll my eyes and remind them that I'm fine and want to head outside to get some fresh air.

Percy also moves to give Nico his seat, who noticed what happened between Annabeth and Terra immediately. We make eye contact and I widen my eyes imperceptibly. Don't say anything.

I make my way out of the bunker and head to a mossy clearing a few feet away. I lay on the ground with my head resting on one of the pillows I nabbed on my way out, staring up at the stars. Being inside with all of them made me feel happy and alive, but with the events of the day and the possible future looming ahead, I feel overwhelmed.

I let the cool night air sweep across my face and marvel at the constellations that look so much brighter here than anywhere I've seen. This should totally not be the case in New York, but I think the magic border has something to do with it.

"Mind if I join?"

I turn my head to the side and see Percy standing to the side awkwardly. I furrow my brows in confusion, not expecting him to want to get anywhere near me. He senses my hesitation and clears his throat uncomfortably.

"You just look so mesmerized by what you're looking at. I never really look up at the sky, it brings back too many memories."

"Sure, I guess... You can sit here I mean," I mumble awkwardly. This is so weird.

"You don't seem too excited," he jokes.

"Should I be?"

"I...I guess not," he sighs. I wait for him to say something else, but he sits there in silence. I rack my brain for something to say but come up empty-handed.

"I never really liked Poseidon," I blurt. You idiot. Do you have issues? What is wrong with you?

"Yeah, I've heard that before," he accepts, and I feel horrible adding to his already depressed mood. I turn my head back up to the sky and he lies down too.

"That's Cassiopeia," I point out, "Poseidon destroyed her whole kingdom because she had the nerve to say she was more beautiful than the Nereids. We were raised to hate her, how dare this woman be so blindly confident? How silly she is, look at what happens when women have confidence in themselves. She was bound to this throne, humiliated for all eternity, clinging on while everyone laughs."

"Women are underestimated far too often," he agrees and shoots me a look that communicates what he really means. I'm sorry I doubted you. I shouldn't have underestimated you.

"Poseidon is always talking about how the sea does not like to be restrained but often tries to restrain his women. Putting them in boxes, humiliating them when they don't fit his exact needs. There's a lot of his past that I don't agree with."

"I don't judge you for that. You're not him," I point out. He sighs heavily and looks even more depressed.

"I'm sorry about that too. I just kind of assumed you'd be like your mother. I had some not-so-pleasant experiences with her in a place I'd like to forget and projected that fear onto you."

Hmm. That was very mature of him to admit. And self-aware to notice. Maybe I underestimated him too.

"I get it. I'm scared of her, and I've never even met her. And now just by being her daughter, I'm causing all sorts of problems. It makes sense why you guys are wary of me. I would be too."

"I'm not anymore."

I turn my head in his direction and catch him looking at me. I stare into his beautiful eyes, looking like shattered sea glass in his current mood under the moonlight. Something has changed in him, and he communicates it through his glance. Understanding.

"That's... good," I admit.

"I'm sorry I was so rude to you. I've been struggling with some stuff and got overwhelmed as soon as I got to camp, bringing that out on you. I didn't get to really take a breather and relax like right now."

"I understand. I really am sorry about what happened during capture the flag. I lost control and I didn't want to hurt you. I thought I was going to drown and lashed out. I feel terrible."

"Don't," he scoffs, "I deserved it. You didn't hurt me, I'm strongest in water. You just shocked me and triggered a not-so-fun memory."

"I wouldn't say you deserved it... Maybe not drowning me would have been better, but you didn't deserve to be scared like that. I heard that you saved me from drowning today by the way. Thanks."

"I nearly drowned you this time as well, so it was the least I could do. Especially after you saved Annabeth...," he trails off and I can tell he's gotten uncomfortable again.

"She didn't deserve to die. As much as I like Annabeth, I did it for Terra too."

"Yeah..." he sighs. He knows.

"You noticed...?"

"Of course," he laughs bitterly, "they think I don't notice the sly looks, secret smiles, long shared glances. I mean walking in today looking like that... I don't know what I did," his voice breaks and I simultaneously feel awful for him, wanting to comfort him, and uncomfortable, wanting to run away from this conversation.

"They think I'm blind... That I'm stupid. That's what hurts the most. The fact that she's too afraid to come out and tell me. I'm just like my father. Controlling women, trying to make them fit into little boxes, and getting upset when they want to escape."

"I don't think it's like that..."

"And I'm good friends with Terra too. I've known her for years. I want her to be happy and am so excited that she's found someone. But I still love Annabeth..."

I feel so confused right now. Why is he telling me all this?

"What really solidified it was when she thought she was going to die. She didn't look at me. Like I didn't even exist. She looked straight at Terra. Like all our experiences mean nothing. Like we didn't fall into Tartarus together."

"Listen, I don't-"

"And who saved her? You. The girl who just got here a few days ago, who has no idea how much power she has. Who is just now learning about Greek mythology. I wasn't able to save her. I wasn't able to protect her because she's not mine to protect anymore."

Tears drip down the side of his face now. Next to me lies a broken boy. Weighed to the limit with past traumas, people's expectations, the expectation to be a leader, to be perfect. Pushed to the brink and stripped of the one thing he thought made him whole. Wondering if it's his fault that she realized something about herself. His tether through all the difficult times has grown wings and flown out of his reach, leaving him reeling, sinking. Spiraling.

Percy POV (Kind of):

How will he go on when the person he planned his future around is not who he thought? When she realized she wanted something else. Someone else. The perfect image in his mind that got him through his toughest battles left disintegrating in front of him. What was it all for? He reaches his hand out to hold on to that image and watches it slip through his fingers.

A mirage. That's all it ever was. Crafted by his mind as a sort of comfort. A coping mechanism. Having those expectations forced onto you is bound to cause cracks in the foundation. Make you wonder, "Why did I want this, again?"

He loved so passionately, so fully, putting his entire being into his love, because where else would it go? With the expectations of the world resting on his shoulders, where else could he funnel that energy? Blind loyalty was the result. A crushing weight for the other person, knowing that the other person is so invested, everything into you.

But how can you be certain about someone when you are not certain about yourself? So, she needed to explore. To discover. Try new things, look deep inside.

And he needed to as well. When you empty yourself out for someone, what is left inside? Nothing. A big empty hole that can only be filled by them. And who would want that pressure? Who would want that responsibility? Knowing that without me, they will fall apart.

So, the cracks formed. And they grew. She was already moving away before he noticed the cracks. By the time he noticed, it was too late. The cracks were beneath his feet, ready to swallow him up. And they did. Down he fell, into a rabbit hole of self-consciousness, self-doubt, resentment, anger, confusion, and deep, deep sadness. Going down as far as his existence, maybe even more. An empty abyss covered up with a pretty smile.

A smile that says, "you don't want to get to know me, and I won't let you." Only she would know you. That's how you loved. Everything for her, only for her. Everyone else can have the simple, troublemaker façade. Oh, he's so silly, so immature, so unobservant. Only she knew what lied beneath that face.

Maybe that's what scared her away. Or maybe you just didn't try hard enough. Maybe you're just not good enough. Maybe she finally got tired of your jokes. Why can't you just communicate regularly? I'm trying to have a serious conversation. Can you focus, please? Stupid. Idiot. Seaweed Brain. Kelp Head. Brain Boy. You were never smart enough for her.

You weren't good enough for her and you won't ever be good enough for anyone. No one will understand you, really want to get to know you, because what if it's so ugly that nobody stays? When they see the real you, they're bound to run away as well. So they're content with knowing you as the Savior of Olympus, fun, easy-going, bubbly Percy. You're fine with that too. Less trouble.

But then she shows up. A face from your dreams, so perfectly imperfect. And she looks at you with eyes that demand to see more. She's not satisfied with what's on the surface. She sees right through.

"No one really acts like that," she thinks. She's right of course, but that's what scares you. Why has no one else thought that before? Why did they just go along with it? Maybe they're all right. Maybe she's bad. Wrong. So you treat her like the dirt on the bottom of your shoe. How you'd treat yourself. Ignore her. She is trouble. Evil.

You start testing her. Treat her like shit and push her until she snaps. Until she's ready to give up on you. And she finally does. You get exactly what you wanted. So then why do you feel so bad?

Instead of being angry, she's apologetic. She knows she messed up. She's willing to give up on you for your benefit. Because she thinks that's what you want. And you let her, for a while.

Until she shows up like a fool. Blundering and rambling, gifting you a measly box of cinnamon rolls. Blue cinnamon rolls.

What?

What is she doing? She should be mad. Yet she bakes you a gift and says she will finally leave you alone. But now, you're not so sure. Who is this girl?

What is she doing? Why is she here? You need to learn more.

You observe her for the next few hours and notice patterns like you. She keeps to herself, only showing her hardened exterior. She gets scared when Leo tries to crack the glass and see inside.

But eventually, she melts. You find her with Leo's head on her shoulder. She's fast asleep, eyes closed and mouth open as she sleeps against the tree. So vulnerable with Leo and Calypso, trusting them and sharing about her past.

I want to see, you think. But you play it off. You're uninterested, remember?

When you hear the campers screaming about an attack, your heart drops. Terra was on guard.

You sprint out of camp and see her get taken down by a Hellhound. She goes down in the snow and your anger boils over. You lead the campers to battle because that's your job and it's what you're expected to do. What you've always done.

But maybe this time there's something else. You want to get the chance to know more about this mysterious girl. So you fight ferociously. You insult the god to try and get his attention off her crumpled form. When she screams you nearly break down.

She saves your person. The person you thought was your forever, saved by the person you need to discover. Her loyalty is impressive.

You trust her. You can see that the others do too.

When the god raises his foot to crush her skull, you act without thinking. You use her brilliant idea because of course she's smart too. A wave representative of your anger, fear, desperation, and sadness slams into the god before he can crush your future. You sweep him away with a rush of power so strong the humans and monsters are all swept away, scattered. Monsters dissolve and pollute the water.

Where did she go? Your rashness pushed her away too. Your wave of emotions swept her away and drowned her, just like anyone else you let in.

Wait. There!

You reverse the flow of the water, pulling her to you. You feel the string connecting you and tug deep on that. When she gets to you, you sense her lungs are full of water.

"This is your fault," you think. You drowned her. Her faint heartbeat jumpstarts yours. You will the water from her lungs, and she coughs, wincing in pain when you grip her shoulder. You idiot.

Carefully, you pick her up and rush her to the infirmary. She's lost a lot of blood, but you are not about to lose her. Not now.

You see her eyes fluttering and decide to reassure her. You tell her that her best friend is fine. You tell her she'll be ok. You'd make sure of it. She looks up at you like she's in a dream — like you are an angel, and you falter. You want to back off. No one has looked at you like that before.

It was too vulnerable. Too raw. Too intense. Too much like what you've wished for forever. No. You're not backing out now.

You try to go about your day but can't stop thinking about her lying in there. You go back and check on her 3 times, much to the annoyance of Will.

"She is fine, Percy. Go help the other campers," he says. But you can't. Your mind is spinning.

Your friends notice your sudden interest in her, and you play it off as loyalty. She saved the love of my life, so now I owe her.

It is so much more than that.

She is so much more than that.

Chapter Text

"Listen, I don't know you very well. We got off on the wrong foot and I've seen that you can be pretty arrogant and rude," I begin, and Percy winces a bit, "but I've also seen how much you care about others. You saved my life and I barely know you. You've got a good heart."

"But you said it yourself, you don't know me. What if that's all just a front I put on?"

"Is it?"

"I-well-uh... I don't know... I don't think so...?"

"Exactly. People don't put up fronts without knowing it. That's something you do intentionally. You're overthinking it," I sigh, knowing firsthand how draining it can be. We sit in silence for a few moments. I'm content just listening to the rustling of leaves in the trees around us, like spirits whispering peaceful stories.

"Do you ever feel like no matter what you do you can't live up to the image that people have of you?" he says quietly.

"Honestly... no. I get frustrated with myself more than anything. When you're constantly in your own head, it's hard to even consider what other people might expect from you..."

"That sounds nice though. Not caring what people think."

"In theory. I'm just so hard on myself that people don't really surprise me. Anything they say to try and hurt me is already something I've told myself," I trail off, surprised by how depressing that sounds. He stays quiet for a moment too.

"Oh... Why is that?"

"I'm not sure. There isn't really a reason. At least not that I know of. I just always feel like I should be better. Like everything I do is wrong and I'm not good enough to be better. I could be smarter, funnier, less awkward, prettier, nicer..."

"I don't think that's true."

"Like you said, we don't know each other. How would you know?"

"I can just tell. Plus, I have eyes."

Did he just call me pretty?

"Um, thanks... Why are you here, Percy?" I wonder. His girlfriend, who he should definitely be speaking to is inside with my best friend. Why is he out here with me?

"I'm visiting for the holidays like I always do. I was going to leave in a few days, but I think something weird is going on. Chiron was talking to us about it-"

"That's not what I meant. Why are you out here with me?"

"Oh. Sorry, do you want me to go? I just thought-"

"I wasn't asking you to leave. Why are you sitting out here with me when all your friends are inside?" I ask. He shifts uncomfortably.

"I-I just... I don't know. I was curious. You're kind of confusing. You come to camp suddenly and have this aura about you that screams 'stay away.' You reminded me of dark memories but looked innocent as ever. You don't have dark hair or pale skin. You're... I dunno, bright? You look like daylight, but something told me to stay away."

"Then why aren't you?"

"I'm not sure," he states as he stares up at the sky. I turn my head to look at him and admire the sharp angles of his face. His jawline pronounced and smooth, his nose a delicate yet strong straight incline, dropping off into the soft curves of his lips. His long dark lashes, clumped with tears, frame his big eyes, bringing out the bright seagreen hue. His strong brow and cheekbones add a harshness to contrast his softness and beauty. I stare for longer than I should but something about his vulnerability draws me in.

Looking at this perfect boy next to me makes me wonder how anyone could possibly want to harm him. I feel like I've defaced some precious art piece just by unleashing myself upon him. Like my presence is spoiling the sanctity of his perfection. How could something so beautiful go through so much pain? So much heartache? What cruel fates would want to bring anything but love to him?

"Maybe you should...," I begin, and he turns his head to face me again, catching me staring, "uh... um...," it's suddenly hard to form coherent sentences with the full weight of his stare on me. Not full of hate or fear like before. Now it's a look of wonder. A vulnerable openness that nearly takes my breath away. The glass shield in front of the Mona Lisa has been pulled away and just breathing in its presence might taint it. So fragile and revered that something tells me to run away before I mess it all up.

"Hmm?" he hums, and I feel a flutter in my chest. What is going on? Pull yourself together.

"Uh, maybe you should stay away. Trust your instincts. I don't want to get anyone else hurt."

"Today wasn't your fault. You didn't call those people here. You didn't fire guns at our campers. You didn't try to kill us. You're not responsible. The sooner you learn that the better off you'll be. Trust me, I know."

He makes it sound so easy. Like it's normal.

"How do you hold it together?" I whisper, my voice breaking, "I think I got my whole family killed. Just because they're related to me, they were killed. For no reason. There's no other way to see it ­– it's my fault. If not for me, they'd still be alive."

My chin trembles as I try to hold back the crushing wave of remorse and grief. I search the stars for an answer but come up empty-handed. They didn't deserve to die.

"There are other ways to see it. That's just the painful, hurtful view that only serves to tear you down. You didn't kill them, monsters did. You shouldn't blame yourself for things you couldn't control," he explains.

"What if it happens again? I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if Terra or someone else got hurt."

"There's no guarantee that it won't. That's why you've just got to enjoy the time that you have and try your best to fight for your loved ones."

"You make it sound so easy. I've only been in this supposedly mythological world for less than a week but I'm breaking down. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep going when things keep piling on. I almost died today...," I say, and he winces.

"Yeah. I wish I could say it gets better but..."

"How do you do it? How do you keep going when you know someone always wants to kill you? I'm already exhausted."

"Weirdly enough, you eventually get used to it. That's just the life of a demigod. You find people who make it worth the pain. People who make you want to stay alive just for them. I've lost so many that sometimes it just feels hard to breathe, you know? But I've also met so many incredible people who take a little bit of that weight off. It becomes manageable when you have annoying people like Leo constantly making you laugh."

"Yeah, he's been great," I sniff, "but I feel like I've already lived a whole life before coming here. An easy, boring life where the worst of my issues was my family being annoying or something. Now I'd give anything to see them again. To know if they're ok. To let them know how much I love them..."

"Yeah. That's why I asked the gods to claim their children earlier. It is a really hard transition, which only gets more difficult the older you are. They're not ones to listen to mortals though. Some have been doing better while others follow their own rules."

"My mom doesn't sound like the type to listen to rules..."

"Yeah, probably not... Hey, don't worry about it. Tons of gods are shitty. Don't focus on that, you are your own person. Maybe it'll make you feel better to tell me about your family," he suggests suddenly looking shy. I struggle to hold back a smirk at his slight blush.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Tell me about your dad or something. Anything."

My heart constricts as I try to think of one story to tell Percy. What is the best first story to share about my dad? How can I ever tell it right? How can I possibly capture his warmth and energy and love in a little story? I could write an entire manifesto with thousands of pages yet never be able to articulate his spirit.

As I sit there frantically racking my brain in silence, I get a whiff of salty ocean air blowing through the forest. I focus my hearing and catch the faint lapping of waves against the shore in the distance. I can suddenly smell the ocean all around me, noticing how fresh Percy smells even from my distance. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply, a small smile pulling at the corners of my lips. It feels like the ocean is sending soothing breezes on purpose, trying to soothe my worries, and put me at ease.

"My dad and I used to go to Hollywood Beach every weekend," I begin, "he'd drag me out of bed on Sunday mornings, shove me into his little crappy convertible Toyota and fly down the freeway with the wind blasting us. I'd be grumpy at first but laugh at the absurdity of us having to yell over the wind. The closer we got to the beach, the more I'd perk up as the air turned saltier and everything looked greener. When we'd get stuck in traffic as we waited for the bridge over the intercoastal to close again, I'd get so impatient that I'd imagine our car speeding over the chasm like a BMX rider."

Percy snorts and I'm thrown off momentarily. Am I saying too much? Maybe I'm rambling.

"I'd do the same thing when stuck in New York traffic. Waiting to get to Montauk with my mom felt like the longest drive ever," he smiles encouragingly, and I get the confidence to continue talking.

"Yeah... When we'd get to the beach, he'd always park at a hotel and bribe the valet guys. We didn't have much money, but when it came to the beach, he'd be willing to spend it all. Immediately, they'd begin chatting and laughing in rapid-fire Spanish, my dad becoming friends with literally everyone he came across. He'd try to talk like what he thought Americans spoke like, saying things like 'Hey buddy!' to everyone we came across. Everyone loved him of course, but I'd hide behind him, too shy and embarrassed to speak to anybody.

"We'd finally make it to the sand, lugging chairs, umbrellas, beach bags, snacks, drinks, and anything we'd need to stay at the beach for the entire day. He'd always find the perfect spot, close to the water but far enough from people that we'd feel like we had the place to ourselves. As soon as he'd find a spot, we'd dump all the shit in our arms into the sand and race each other to the water. Every single time, he'd forget to take the cash out of his pocket in our hurry and curse as his 'tipping money' floated away in the water. I'd laugh and pick up the soaking bills, setting them out on one of our chairs to dry in the sun, forever wrinkly from that day on," I recount, and Percy laughs out loud. It sounds so carefree and happy that my breath catches in my throat. My heart seems to swell at the sound, joy blossoming in my stomach. I want to hear that again.

"He wasn't perfect of course. He was a heavy drinker and that burst of morning energy would quickly fade, turning into a hangover from the night before. I never knew why he got grumpy after a few hours at the beach, I just figured that he was tired," I explain, and Percy audibly sighs. I glance over and his smile has faded completely. He's no longer looking at me, instead staring up into the trees with glazed eyes. Oh crap. What did I do? Why did he react like that?

"S-sorry, I don't know why I told you that. That was dumb, I totally killed the mood. Sorry, uh, um where was I? Fuck, sorry I-"

"It's fine. I know the feeling. I want to hear the rest," he interrupts my rambling.

"Uh, ok. My bad. Um, so yeah... He'd usually get pretty tired, but I'd force him to stay in the water with me. We'd jump and bob over the smaller waves and dive under the bigger ones that threatened to push us over. I'd relish that quiet under the wave as a crest of bubbles would tickle my back. Much to my dad's annoyance, I'd dive under where the current was lesser and swim away, resurfacing 20 feet away from him. He'd get annoyed obviously, wishing to just go back to our chairs and relax a bit, but that was just the kind of guy he was. He'd never leave me out there alone, so he'd wait patiently until I'd had my fill.

"I would have stayed out there all day if I could, though. I'd live under the surface where it's quiet, where everything looks more alive. Of course, I couldn't hold my breath for long and would reluctantly float back up to the surface. Sometimes, I'd swim to where the water was deeper and the sand was packed harder, with ripples as far as I could see in every direction. I'd swim down to the bottom and try to grab fistfuls of that rippled sand to try and anchor myself. Anything to try and stay down there for as long as I could in the peaceful world below the surface."

"I do that all the time," Percy laughs, "it's different down there. It's quiet. It feels safe. Like you can be anyone you want down there."

"Yeah, except I can't breathe underwater," I joke, "Against my will, my lungs would always carry me back up to the surface and the sand would slip between my fingers, reminding me that I am nothing compared to the vast ocean."

"Hmm... I'll show you sometime. With a bubble around your head so you can breathe, obviously," he clarifies with another shy smile. More butterflies stir in my stomach, and I nearly groan in embarrassment. Why am I behaving like a middle school girl right now? This man is not interested in you like that. He's just being nice you creep.

"So, you're not gonna try and drown me this time?"

"Nope. That was a one-time thing. Promise."

"Hmm, that's good to hear, I guess. I would prefer it to be a no-time thing, but I'll have to settle for one time," I deadpan, and he chuckles embarrassedly.

"Your dad sounds like a great guy, though. Probably wasn't easy to do all that hungover."

"Yeah. He had flaws like everyone, but he really tried his best to raise me on his own. He tried to keep his problems hidden from me and was successful for most of my life. I never went hungry or felt mistreated. He loved me with his entire being, which is more than I could have asked for. I think anyone would have been happy with even the tiniest bit of his love. It just feels wrong to think about his imperfections now. Especially when I'm not sure if he's still alive. I think he saved my life."

"Then he really is an amazing father."

My eyes burn with tears once again and I take in a deep breath of the air that once again smells of the ocean, even stronger than before.

"What about you?" I ask, "Can you tell me about your family?"

"Uhhh, I guess. My dad was out of the picture for most of my life obviously. Then I had a shitty stepdad called Smelly Gabe ­– my nickname of choice obviously – who liked to make everyone feel like less than him. My mom, though, is the most amazing person on the planet. She raised me by herself most of the time, working multiple jobs, and being so patient with me when I was the most troublesome child ever. I got kicked out of school after school, but she never got upset with me. She's the most patient and kind woman ever."

"Wow. I want to be like her when I grow up," I joke, but Percy looks at me seriously.

"Me too," he says with a small smile and my cheeks warm once again. He launches into a story about their annual trips to Montauk and the soothing breeze and scent of the ocean lull me to sleep. The day's events have absolutely worn me out and I'm so relaxed that my head and shoulder stop throbbing for a bit. I doze off with peaceful dreams of floating in the waves on Hollywood beach like I used to do with my dad.

I'm not sure how long I sleep before I'm woken by a gentle touch on my arm. Long, warm fingers splay across my bicep eliciting goosebumps and sending my heart racing. I groggily open my eyes that feel about 1000 pounds and squint to make out the blurry face above me.

A bright white smile widens at my sleepiness and instant grumpiness at being awoken. I don't even know where I am for a moment and imagine being woken up by my dad after one of his long nights out.

Instead, I hear a chuckle and a slight squeeze on my arm as I try to ignore the voice and close my eyes again.

"Estrella."

"Mmmmh," I croak and try to turn away from the obnoxious voice. That stupid warmth is still on my arm making it difficult to fall back asleep.

"Es, come on," the voice chuckles again and I give up on my fruitless attempt at sleep, turning back to glare at the person pestering me.

"What?" I grumble still trying to blink the sleep from my eyes.

"Come on, up you go. Let's get you to bed. Will would kill me if he knew I let you sleep on the ground in your state," the boy explains, and my vision clears enough to make out Percy's amused face. That wakes me right up.

With my sudden consciousness also comes a violent headache and a stab of pain in my shoulder. I wince and Percy notices.

"You ok? Crap, I shouldn't have let you fall asleep out here. You must be really stiff now," he frets, and I try to brush him off as I sit up. I groan dramatically as I feel the stiffness in my lower back and attempt to stand like an elderly person hunched over with one hand on my spine.

Percy rushes to support me as I stand, placing one strong hand under my elbow and another gently on my upper back. I can almost sense him holding back his laughter at my pathetic state and my cheeks glow in embarrassment.

"You feeling alright? You should get some proper rest after today. In a bed, not on the hard floor," Percy chides me like a Mother Hen and I roll my eyes.

"I was comfy," I grumble and hobble away toward Bunker 9. My head is throbbing, and I just want to sleep for all eternity.

"Goodnight to you too," he laughs, and I reply with an elegant finger that Leo would be proud of.

"Wait, here, eat some more ambrosia before you fall asleep," Percy jogs a few steps and places a small portion of an ambrosia square in my palm. I try to ignore the tingle I feel as his fingers brush mine. I'm too tired to try and interpret this anyway.

"Thanks," I grunt and continue my slow, arduous journey back to my bed.

"Anytime," he responds, "and thank you for today. I enjoyed learning about you a bit more. Hopefully, we can move past my horrible first impression and get to know each other better. Maybe I can show you some tricks with a sword, hm?"

"Mhmm," I mumble dismissively. Why won't this kid shut up? Go to bed pendejo.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then," he laughs again, "heal up so I can kick your ass at sword fighting."

"Charming," I deadpan, not having the energy for banter. Once I finally make it to my small cot in the workstation I collapse on top of the covers and don't even bother to crawl under them. After the day I've had, I could fall asleep pretty much anywhere.

As I relax my sore muscles and close my eyes, I hear Calypso squeal somewhere in the back of the bunker and Leo laughing mischievously. A small smile breaks out on my tired face knowing that Caly has someone like Leo there for her when her past feels a little too heavy to carry. She deserves that true love, as does Leo.

I slowly kick off my shoes and wince as they thump onto the floor. The laughter stops immediately, and I feel guilty.

"Es? Is that you?" Leo's voice calls.

"Yep!" I call back while cringing at my poor timing.

"Ok good, we were starting to wonder where you went!" he shouts from across the shop, then peers his head out from one of the hallways in the back, smiling at me.

"You've been gone for a while," he prods, and I yawn, not needing to fake my exhaustion.

"Fell asleep."

"Percy was gone for a while too."

"Hmm?" I yawn again.

"Nevermind, we'll talk more tomorrow. Get some sleep," he concedes, and I have to force down my smile.

"Gnight," I mumble as my eyelids get heavier.

"Goodnight. Hey, Es?" he questions, and I merely hum in response.

"I'm really glad you're ok," he finishes. Between my exhaustion and the sudden lump in my throat, I don't respond. I'll show him tomorrow what it means to me. His receding footsteps are the last thing I hear before I fade into a fitful sleep.

My first dream is plagued with young demigods being peppered with bullets. Vivid patches of red form in the snow and I scream in horror. They fall one by one, none of them getting back up.

It shifts to a devilish hellhound growling in my face. My heartbeat speeds up and my shoulder throbs painfully. I try to run away but, of course, my feet seem to be stuck in the snow. I yank so hard that it feels like my knees will dislocate but get nowhere. The monster opens its massive snout and kills me in one bite, the dream going black and shifting to another.

I see Terra screaming, punching, and kicking at Moros as he holds her in a vice-like grip. Annabeth screams in the distance, shivering on her knees as she fights invisible monsters. She's oblivious to the world around her, trapped in a world of horror instead, and doesn't notice the general marching over to her. He shoots everyone that comes near him and ignores Terra's rabid screams and cries for mercy. She begs him to stop, but this time, I'm unable to stop him. He places his pistol against her temple, and she doesn't even register before he viciously pulls the trigger. Feral screams erupt all around me, seeming to come from all sides, maybe even from myself. Terra sinks to her knees in despair and rage. A blood-curdling scream rips from her throat and birds spring from the trees, as if responding to her heartbreak. They squawk and screech, forming a thick cloud of black before descending upon Moros. He simply snorts and vanishes the birds with a wave of his hand. She had no chance attacking a child of Nyx with crows anyway. With a smug, deranged smile in my direction, he snaps Terra's neck and kicks her away like a nuisance. My vision goes black with rage and the dream shifts again.

This time, I'm not in battle. I'm in a pitch-black room, so dark that I can't see how big it is. For some reason, I can sense that it's massive. I can almost hear my racing heartbeat reverberating off the cold, smooth marble floor beneath me. I take a step forward to explore and falter when I hear a voice. It's deep and rich, filling the room and echoing around me. Something about it feels familiar but I can't figure out why.

"Worthless boy. I thought I told you I was not to be involved. You bring shame to this palace. Look at yourself, injured at the hands of an 18-year-old girl. Give this up, we do our best work from the shadows. You can raise a wicked army from the dark if you must. You will bring too much attention to yourself, and you know those mortals will let you down," the dark voice chides. There is something inherently musical about the feminine voice, sounding smooth but dangerous. This person is powerful. I can tell just by the confidence in which the words are delivered. They are not to be disobeyed or disrespected. Their command is final, it is law.

"But mother," a voice I recognize as Moros whines, "they disrespected you. We can get those stupid humans on our side. Apate has already convin-"

"You got your sister involved as well? Enough Moros, do not push me. You will put an end to this now. You do as I say."

"But Mother, don't you want to put an end to the gods? To shut them up for once and for all? We can have the world, not just be relegated to Tartarus."

"Of course I do you fool!" the woman shouts, "But you will not lead us. We will not rely on the mortals because they will let us down. They are nothing. We have all the power we need, growing here in the darkness."

"The mortals have evolved, Mother. They are smarter than when you last knew them. They have weapons and numbers and can end the god's rule for-"

"ENOUGH! You will not disrespect me in my own home, speaking of such foolishness. You are a coward. You failed to retrieve my daughter and you will fail to lead us as well. Stop this now."

"It's too late," Moros spits, sounding like a scorned child, "Apate has planted the seed of distrust in them. They will band together and work for me. They have a general who they trust that is under our control. He will lead them all while being controlled by me. My plan will work. And you will not stop me, Mother. I am doing this for you. Soon you will see. And you will thank me."

It is suddenly clear where I am now. I am in my mother's palace. The voice sounds so familiar because I hear it in my memories, tied to the dark figure leaning over my crib, watching me. Mother.

A powerful wave of fear floods my body and I shudder. Moros has humans under his control? Who is Apate? What does he mean it's too late?

My heavy breathing cuts off once I realize the speaking has stopped. All I can hear is myself, and it sounds very loud in the sudden silence.

I hear a sudden flourish and a gust of wind blows my hair away from my face.

There she is. My mother. With my eyes adjusted to the pitch black, I see more than any other demigod would be able to.

In front of me stands a woman so dangerously beautiful that my next breath stays stuck in my throat. Cloaked in darkness, her pale skin glows like the moon, smooth and otherworldly without a single blemish. Silky straight black hair flows down her long back and parts around two smoky wings. They don't hold a certain shape, constantly shifting and writhing like the universe expanding. Her dress is so dark that it appears matte, absorbing any and all light around it, making her pale skin even more striking. She is tall and lithe, with long, slender fingers that rest on her hips. A black crown so sharp that it could kill sits atop her head, adding to her regal air.

She makes Moros look like a mortal. Like a silly, pathetic child playing dress up. He glares at me from behind her, but I pay him no attention.

I tilt my head up, craning my neck as I try to take in all of her. She looks down at me with an eyebrow raised and the corners of her perfect lips tilted just the slightest bit up.

"You look like your father. So mortal," she says so bluntly that I flinch. Of course I look more like him, she is everything that I am not. She is perfect and tall and beautiful and powerful. Her skin is pure and white while mine is freckled and spotted and dimpled. She is willowy and graceful while I am clunky and so painfully average.

"Still, I see some power in you. Perhaps you have potential. Maybe more than this embarrassment to the family here," she nods to Moros and he somehow glares more angrily than before.

"Come to me. I will train you myself. You will see how powerful you are. We can ignore that mortal side of you and make you a weapon. You can help us overthrow those ridiculous Olympians. That camp only holds you back," she offers, or commands. Her offers are not to be rejected but of course, something feels wrong.

I nearly budge at her attention but remember how she abandoned me and my family. How she left my father to raise me himself and didn't prevent her own children from killing him and so many others. I should play along and buy myself more time, but I just can't. I am too stubborn and prideful to bow to her. I will never join her.

"No."

"No?" her eyebrow raises even higher as she takes me in from head to toe, her lip curling slightly. I stand resolute.

"Oh," she finishes menacingly, her curiosity dropping to a dangerously calm stare. She is not used to being challenged, especially by mortals. She will not offer again.

"My father is dead because of you," my voice shakes with rage and unshed tears.

"Insignificant. He should have known better than to try and stand against any one of my children. You would have done well to remember that. You've rejected my offer and disrespected me in my own palace. You eavesdropped and sealed your fate. You will die. So will your mortal friends. You were a mistake, and I will waste no more breath on you."

I am chilled to the bone and filled with doom. She's right. How could she be wrong? It's like her words have written my fate into the stars. I see it now. Death. Destruction. Merciless killing because my mother has been disrespected for the last time.

I don't even have time to plead before Moros pulls out a sword and stabs me through the heart.

~~~

I wake with a gasp, feeling an aching pain in my left shoulder that nearly sends me into a panic believing that I've been stabbed. After a breath, the events of yesterday come flooding back and I remember the hellhound nearly killing me.

I look around, taking in my surroundings and soaking up the light after the terror that the dark dream instilled in me. I frown when I notice the hand-woven blanket covering my legs. I fell asleep before I could even get under the covers. Calypso or Leo must have placed this blanket on me sometime last night.

The thought slightly warms the chill of dread that pools in my stomach. With one last shiver, I try to push the dream from my mind. I stretch my good arm up until my toes curl and legs shake, nearly convulsing from the pain and satisfaction that flows through my muscles.

I seem to be all alone, which was my preferred state when I lived at home. Now, after having very little privacy or alone time the past few days, the quiet feels unusual. I could use a distraction like Leo's constant chatter to dull the fear that still has my heart speeding.

When I sit up and put my feet on the cold workstation floor, the world spins a bit and I feel mildly nauseous. My head still pounds, but the pain radiates mostly from the bruise on my temple rather than my whole brain. I quickly take a scan of my body and note that my left shoulder is stiff and sore, with a tight pinching sensation when I try to raise my arm past a 30-degree angle. Not ideal, but better than it was yesterday. Better than I could have ever hoped without the godly food that now heals me.

Ignoring my dizziness, I stand and head over to the infirmary. I anticipate a harsh welcome from Will, most likely upset that I did not come back and spend the rest of the night under his watch.

By the time I hobble in the door, I am sweating and my heart pounds so fast I wonder where the blood is going. I swallow down my queasiness as I plop down onto a vacant bed near the entrance and cringe away from Will who is yet to turn around and spot me.

When he turns around and catches sight of my pale, out-of-breath demeanor, he scowls and crosses his arms, looking more like Nico than his usual sunny self.

"Estrella, so lovely to see you. You look great. Totally healthy and healed. I don't think you need anything from me, right? I mean you would have stayed overnight like I told you to, wouldn't you? No, you're fine, you can go," he rants, and I hide a smile by turning my lips down into a frown. I can't take him seriously when he tries to be mean.

"Just here for a check-up doc," I chirp, trying to sound chipper despite feeling like hot garbage.

"Oh, are you? Did I hear you say Doc? It's almost like you respected me for a second. That can't be the case since you so obviously ignore my advice."

I am losing the desire to argue with him by the second and still haven't fully caught my breath, so I lean back against the pillows and take a few deep breaths while closing my eyes. He sucks his teeth and stops hassling me, his healer instincts kicking in.

"Seems like blood loss has caught up to you. You'll feel a little funky today but should be better tomorrow. Racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, cold sweat, right?"

"Mhmm," I reply, eyes still closed as I try and will the room to stop spinning.

"Here, take this," he instructs and hands me around 30 mL of nectar in a small medicine cup. I throw it back without questioning him and sit back again. Already, my dizziness fades to a slight vertigo and my headache fades to a manageable pressure. I also feel a tightness in my shoulder as if the muscles are knitting themselves together, which now that I think of it, they probably are.

"Rest today, ok? Make sure you eat and drink and do not do anything too strenuous. Doctor's orders, got it?" Will commands and I resist the urge to salute him like Leo would.

"Got it."

A few minutes later, Annabeth walks by slowly, tentatively placing her weight on her injured ankle. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, just careful as she gets used to walking normally again.

"Hey," I call, and she whips around, still quite jumpy, which I'm sure we all are. Her face breaks out into a smile when she catches sight of me though. I don't return it right away, conflicted about how I should approach what happened yesterday. I should not bring up what I noticed between her and Terra, nor do I want to mention that rather than talking it out with her, Percy spent hours confiding in me.

"Hey Es, how are you? Are you feeling better? I just wanted to say thank you again for yesterday," she grins, and I can't resist smiling back. She seems unusually cheery this morning, especially considering the events that took place yesterday.

"Of course, Annabeth, I couldn't let anyone else get hurt because of me. And who else would give me books?" I joke and she snorts.

"Definitely not Terra, that girl struggles to read the words on her camp shirt," she chuckles fondly, and I raise an eyebrow as she looks down with a pink tint to her cheeks.

"Don't I know," I force a laugh that peters out into an awkward silence. I sniff and shift in my bed, about to pretend to look for something I dropped when she speaks again.

"It's not your fault, you know that, right? You didn't bring those people here."

My fake smile drops immediately, and I sigh as my mood plummets again.

"I know you mean well Annabeth, but people- kids, mind you- were shot. Children were shot because I just wouldn't go with Moros. He was just after me and I egged him on. There's no one else whose fault it could have been that so many people are in here with us right now," I manage around the lump in my throat and gesture at the rest of the infirmary.

"Um, maybe Moros? And the general? Have you ever thought of that? I think maybe it's the man who shot the gun's fault that so many kids are in here."

"Of course I thought that," I snap, "but like I said, they were after me. Nothing good has happened with me around the past few weeks, I should leave before more people get hurt."

"You sound like Percy," she scoffs, "so insistent on being miserable and guilty all the time. There's no need to be self-sacrificing and blame yourself. That just minimizes the brave sacrifice of everyone who died."

"They didn't sign up for that! It was a surprise attack, and they shouldn't have to die for someone like me, someone they don't even know or like. They shouldn't have died, and it wasn't a sacrifice, it was murder, Annabeth. That was really insensitive."

"I'm sorry, you're right. I forget how new to this world you are. Thinking like that just saves me a lot of pain because the lives of demigods are always tragic. Thinking of death as a brave sacrifice just makes it feel like our short, difficult, painful lives are worth it, you know? Once you adopt that thinking, you can learn to fight for yourself and those who died before you without being weighed down by guilt. Fight to make your life as long and fulfilling as possible. Percy never really mastered that way of thinking. He's too loyal. It just makes the guilt so much worse," she sighs, and my anger dims a bit. Every time she mentions Percy, my heart speeds up a bit and the room seems to shrink. I don't want to be in the middle of this blow-up.

"Have you uh... talked to him?"

"Who? Percy?"

"Y-yeah."

"What do you mean?" she questions, sounding a bit cagey but trying to hide it behind a casual demeanor.

"I don't know," I try to play off my knowledge as awkwardness, "Since the attack, I guess?"

"Of course I have. I don't know what you mean? Why would I not have spoken to him after an attack like that? I knew he got shot so I checked up on him and he checked on me when Nico brought me here to get my ankle fixed. He was super worried, as per usual. Why do you ask?"

I can tell she obviously does not want to talk about what happened last night and has not spoken to Percy about what I'm implying. Nor does she want me to know. It's none of my business after all.

"I don't know, just curious. He seemed a little upset last night is all. At dinner, you know? Kinda quiet. Must just be because of the attack," I supply, trying to downplay my knowledge of the situation. Let them handle it on their own, I have enough to worry about.

"I thought you disliked him? After he was so distrusting and rude to you."

"Yeah, we definitely did not get off on the right foot. I have a little more respect for him after the attack though. He seems to trust me more now that I helped you, so thanks for that," I smile and try to play off the sudden tension. She seems to buy it.

"Haha, yeah, he's overly protective. He's going to think he's in debt to you for like ever now, so good luck with that," she jokes. I smile tightly back and pray that this conversation ends quickly. I like Annabeth but would much rather talk to her once this drama is sorted out.

"Anyway, I'm gonna head back to my cabin and see if Malcolm needs any help. See you at breakfast?"

"Sure," I smile and breathe a sigh of relief as she walks away. Now that the conversation is over, that tight awkwardness in my chest has shifted to heavy, pressing guilt, making it difficult to smile. The occasional moans and whimpers in the infirmary make that guilt worsen by the second.

~~~

Breakfast passes by in a haze. I sit down at the miscellaneous Roman visitors' table before most people show up and watch the rest of the demigods trickle in over the next 10 minutes. Hazel joins like she has the past few days, followed by Terra sitting on my left side and tickling my ribs. She laughs when I have to turn my body fully to smack the piece of bread out of her hands with my right arm.

As I expected, Leo passes by his assigned table and jokes loudly with his siblings before coming to squeeze in on my right side. Calypso joins us for the first time since I've been here and sits next to Hazel across the table from Leo. She takes in my pale complexion and sullen demeanor and frowns slightly.

"How did you sleep last night?" she asks.

"Hmm?" I jolt back into the present and try to push away the cloud of guilt above my head.

"Did you sleep well?" she repeats, and I realize it must have been her who put a blanket on me during the night. I can see in her worn-down appearance – or as worn down as Calypso could look, which is still perfect – that she didn't sleep the whole night.

"Yeah, I actually did. I was so tired I could have slept through anything. Thanks for the blanket by the way," I give her a knowing look and she gives me a sly smile.

"Well, you fell asleep on top of the covers, what was I meant to do?" she scoffs, pushing away the gratitude and I roll my eyes. I know she doesn't do things for the thanks.

I stare at the water on the horizon and ignore everything around me until I notice the hushed tones of the campers all around me. I snap out of my daydream and turn to see what they're all whispering about only to find a disheveled Percy sitting down on Hazel's other side, right across from me with a huff. He looks as tired as I feel when he looks up and sees everyone's eyes on him.

An uncomfortable tension pinches his jaw as he shifts awkwardly and turns his attention away from everyone's prying eyes. I spot Annabeth looking over at our table curiously and glancing back at the empty Poseidon table.

"Sup Aquaman. Come to join us at last!" Leo breaks the silence and people go back to their conversations as if nothing happened. Percy widens his eyes in a silent relieved 'thank you.'

"Yep. Not sure why that's big news, just wanted to sit with my friends," he says with tight lips and raised eyebrows as he looks down at his plate of food. He seems over all the attention that follows him. I don't blame him.

I expect him to at least give me a nod of acknowledgment, but I don't even get that. He focuses on his food and the other people at the table like I don't exist. That strikes me as weird but eventually, I zone out again and frown every time another camper walks in with a limp or grimace.

"-you ok?" Terra asks and I turn my attention to her, assuming she's asking me, but notice that she's looking at Percy instead.

"Yeah, fine, about as good as I can be after what happened yesterday. I figured I'd have trouble sleeping anyway, but I had a really weird dream that kept me up. Annabeth should hear this, maybe she'll have helpful insight," he responds and looks over Terra's shoulder to signal Annabeth over, but frowns when Terra catches Annabeth's attention with a smile first. Annabeth's face lights up when she takes in Terra's grin and stands when Terra gestures her over.

When she gets to our table, she puts her hand on my healing shoulder without thinking and begins to squeeze in between Terra and me. I wince and open my mouth to remind her of my injury but decide to just let it be and scooch as far to the right as I can until I'm squished up against Leo. I prod him with my elbow to get him to scoot over but he just smirks and wraps an arm around my shoulder, once again touching the injury. I give him an incredulous look and he realizes, withdrawing his arm with a quick apology and moving about 2 millimeters away so my hip is still pressed against his.

"What's up?" Annabeth asks and I notice how closely she's sitting to Terra, both their hips and arms touching. I look up to see Percy's reaction, but he is purposely avoiding eye contact with either of them and stares at my shoulder. I lower my face to catch his eyes and he looks away immediately, breaking out of his trance.

"Uhh Percy wanted to tell us about a dream he had. Right, Percy?" Terra fills in.

"Mhm. Yeah. So last night after I headed to bed I had this really weird dream. I was in this meeting room with that guy who shot at us yesterday, you know, the general? He was talking with this woman who looked mortal but for some reason, I had the feeling she wasn't. She was emphatically warning a bunch of army people about the danger of the gods and how they're planning on eliminating humans from Earth. She spouted some theory about how the gods on Olympus are running out of resources and have been draining the Earth to take the humans' instead. She claimed that was the reason for droughts, famine, and so many other natural disasters."

"That's ridiculous," Annabeth interrupts and the table nods along with her.

"I know. It gets weirder. So, with every theory, the people got more agitated and upset. Some looked skeptical and others looked angry. She said that the gods were responsible for the eruption at Mt. Saint Helens, the huge storm that killed thousands after that, the sinkhole in Rome, and countless other disasters which actually were kind of caused by the gods and well, us. The only thing is that she made it seem like they were all intentional to scare the humans and get them to vacate their land or die so the gods could steal it. Obviously, some people didn't believe her because everyone thinks Olympus is a myth, so they demanded proof. She didn't even seem stumped by this, it was like she had it planned out."

Dread is building in my stomach the more I listen. Turning humans against the gods? It sounds exactly like what I heard in my previous dreams.

"Then the weirdest thing happened – she brought out Khione in celestial bronze chains. I was super confused because why would Khione not be involved in what sounds like a plot to bring down the Olympians? She put up a little bit of a fight as she was dragged in, glaring at the woman, but ultimately was pretty calm compared to what we usually see from her.

"The mortals in the meeting room could immediately tell that she was not human like them. The air got so cold that they could see their breath and frost grew on the chains. They all got scared and tried to get as far away from her as possible, but the General stood his ground like he'd seen things like this before. He asked who she was and the woman holding her captive explained.

"'This is the goddess, Khione. She works for the Olympians. This is the reason why our winters have been so much harsher recently. She is trying to drive you out of your homes or kill you off so the gods can take your land,' the woman said, and everyone started shouting. Some yelled that they knew climate change was bullshit-"

Leo snorts and I shoot him a look.

"And others yelled that the woman was lying," Percy ignores Leo and continues, "Then she spouted another theory that the gods also send monsters disguised as people to kill humans. Something about her words was so compelling that I almost believed her. She brought out a Laistrygonian Giant also in chains. The men questioned why she brought in a big man in a trench coat, but I could tell that they still felt that something was off with the large man. She commanded Khione to remove the mist from the monster, and Khione refused at first. Then the woman took out a celestial bronze blade and put it at Khione's neck. Reluctantly, Khione removed the mist and the mortals screamed at the giant's appearance.

"The woman shouted at them to calm down and killed the giant with one swipe of her blade. She explained that monsters like this can only be killed with a special material that only she had, being an expert on Greek Mythology. At this point, almost everyone believed her and looked at her in awe. She then, most worryingly, went on to explain that demigods exist and live among them. This really set the mortals on edge, especially when she showed specific examples, like pictures of me jumping off the arch, and old news articles suspecting me of murder and terrorism."

"Oh my gods," Annabeth breathes like the air was forced out of her lungs.

"This is really bad," Terra mumbles with a face of worry. Annabeth nods along.

"That's not all," Percy continues heavily, "She said that we were the ones carrying out the gods' plans and needed to be eliminated first. At this point, she seemed to sense my presence somehow, looked straight at me, and told the men the location of both camps. The dream ended at that," he finishes. I feel an all-encompassing dread at this, combined with the dreams that I've been having as well. So, the attack yesterday wasn't entirely my fault. They had bigger plans. That thought doesn't comfort me as much as it should.

The rest of the table gasps and mumbles to each other, everyone paling at the implications this dream has. The mortals are being turned against us? Being shown proof of our existence? I feel my eyes warming with the threat of tears and I try to hold the wave of panic back.

"What does this mean?" Annabeth wonders, looking far off as her mind thinks of a million possibilities and explanations.

"Who was the woman and how could she capture Khione? No mortal has that kind of power," Leo thinks out loud.

"She must not be a mortal," Annabeth supplies.

"Khione didn't seem that upset and the chains didn't look too tight. Everything just seemed off and too convenient," Percy states, scratching the back of his neck, "Like this 'expert' on gods just so happened to have one of the evil goddesses captured and a Laistrygonian Giant that didn't even put up a fight? Where would a mortal get a celestial bronze weapon?"

"Who knows?" says Annabeth, "We could have left one behind somewhere, like the scene of one of our battles, or traveling across the country hastily. It wouldn't be that outlandish honestly."

"But she seemed to know how to use it. An expert or researcher wouldn't be a pro in combat, would they? They'd probably be nerdier and out of shape," Percy reasons.

"Not necessarily. You can be smart and good at combat," Annabeth spits, "I mean, look at my dad. He was a nerdy researcher but he still managed to save our asses."

The table goes quiet at her sudden snappiness.

"I don't think that's what he meant," Hazel begins, trying to diffuse the tension, "It does seem unlikely that this mortal woman has all the answers."

Annabeth sits back and purses her lips.

"It seemed way too easy for her to convince them of what they believed to be a myth their entire lives. They nodded along to her words like they had known them their whole lives like it was obvious. Why would she spin a story like that?" Percy continues searching for an answer. My stomach starts to sink as I put the pieces together.

"Annabeth, do you know who Apate is?" I pipe up and everyone turns to look at me.

"Of course," she scoffs, "Apate is the goddess of deceit. Why?"

I fidget under everyone's stares and hold back the urge to run away as Annabeth levels a piercing look in my direction.

"Well... I, um... I also had a weird dream last night..." I trail off as I try to find the words and the courage to continue. Annabeth raises an impatient eyebrow at me.

"Just take your time, Es, it's not like the suspense is killing me or anything," Leo says sarcastically, and I give him a sideways glance.

"Uh, so in my dream I was in Nyx's palace," I begin and Annabeth cuts me off.

"How do you know what her palace looks like?"

"I didn't at first. It was pitch black and I couldn't see anything until my eyes adjusted. Eventually, I overheard a conversation between Moros and my mother..."

I tell them the rest of the dream, focusing on what I heard Moros say about Apate. By the end of my explanation, everyone's faces look even paler than before.

"So they plan to turn the mortals against us to take over Olympus," Leo concludes. I nod grimly.

"What does Apate look like?" I wonder.

"Well since she's a goddess, she doesn't have to take a specific form. There have been stories of her appearing as a dark, beautiful woman similar to Nyx. Others say she appears as a hag cloaked in magic waiting to trick unlucky mortals into serving her. She's also been rumored to sometimes appear as, well, an unsuspecting mortal woman..." Annabeth trails off and everyone connects the dots at once.

Leo looks serious for once, Percy looks exhausted and defeated, Calypso looks grim, Hazel looks anxious, Annabeth looks pale, Terra looks scared, and I am full of dread. Everything is beginning to make sense, and the more I figure it out, the more desperate the situation looks. What chance do a bunch of teenagers stand against the US army? What if they involve armies from other countries? What if all of humanity turns against us and tries to kill us? We won't last a month.

That familiar all-consuming anxiety fills my body, fighting with the heavy blanket of guilt. Something major is about to happen but I'm not sure what. I don't think it will be good.

Percy stands up rigidly and stalks out of the pavilion, leaving his plate full of food behind. I notice the rapid rise and fall of his shoulders and tense posture as he walks away and give Annabeth a look. She raises her eyebrows at me, follows my line of vision, and sighs. With a lingering touch on the shoulder, she leaves Terra behind and goes after Percy.

Everyone else from the table slowly gets up as if in a trance and wanders away, shoulders tight with worry or slumped with despair. Leo and Hazel seem to be hit pretty hard by the news, probably not ready to be in another war so soon.

I stare at a tree in the distance until my eyes burn with tears and I have to blink a few times to clear them. My mind races with so many anxious thoughts that I can't even focus on one of them. I can't move, I feel frozen to the spot. The only thing not frozen is my heart, which pounds rapidly in my ears.

When a cold hand grasps my shoulder, I nearly leap out of my seat. I spin around, ignoring the pinch in my neck, and look up into dark eyes and a pale face. Nico.

"You okay?" he asks, looking around at the empty tables. How long have I been sitting here?

"Uh, sorry, yeah, I'm fine. Just have a lot on my mind. Maybe you should check on Percy," I blurt and stumble away, towards Bunker 9. I need to do something to focus my thoughts and quiet my racing mind. Nico calls after me in confusion but I ignore him. I wouldn't be able to explain everything if I tried.

By the time I walk into the bunker, Leo and Calypso are nowhere to be found. I head straight to the kitchen, determined to do something to make the guilt hurt a little less. I'm sure they won't mind me using their kitchen while they're not around.

After 2 hours of scrounging around in their pantry and using whatever ingredients I could find, I've finished baking 2 dozen cookies, one batch of muffins, and a coffee cake. The tiny kitchen smells of sugar and my shoulder aches, but that new pain dulls the guilt and panic I've been feeling, at least for now.

I precariously balance the sweets in one arm and make my way back to the infirmary. Dumping the treats on a side table, I make my rounds to every single bed offering cookies, cake, and muffins. The kids smile and devour the desserts rapidly, not used to being offered any dessert containing refined sugar.

Their small smiles warm my heart, and the pain dulls a little further. I have short conversations with some of the kids who were hit with the general's bullets, learning their names and godly parents. Many are children of Hermes and minor gods, one even being a little blonde son of Athena. I tell them of my upbringing in Miami and what I was doing at their age.

They laugh when I talk about my raucous family, and I laugh when they tell me about pranks their siblings talked them into. They're all so young and innocent that I seethe when thinking of anyone wanting to shoot, let alone harm these children. They didn't deserve this.

Thankfully, due to their godly blood, most of them are on the mend, most likely good to go by tomorrow. That doesn't quell my anger much, though.

An hour later, after my baked goods are gone and I've spoken to almost everyone, I hear a frantic scramble outside. People run past the open door, shouting about a girl named Rachel. I peek my head out of the door and nearly get it taken off by Leo.

"Woah! Es, there you are! I've been looking all over for you! The kitchen smelled amazing, was that you? What are you doing in the infirmary, are you feeling ok?"

"Leo, what is going on? Why were you running? Why did I hear someone shouting about Rachel?" I interrupt his frantic rambling. It seems like he got over his brief breakdown.

"Rachel is our oracle! Oh right! Come on!" he yells and yanks me by my good arm. I stumble after him, struggling to keep up with his rapid little legs.

"Where are we going?!" I shout, and nearly choke when I take in the sight before me.

We burst through the mouth of a cave, running past suspicious green smoke and follow the sounds of people shouting. I jerk to a stop, nearly falling over Leo when we spot a thin girl with vivid red hair lying in a cloud of that green smoke, as if it was coming from her. Or flowing into her.

Her eyes are shut as Percy cradles her head and gently brushes the curls from her forehead. The people all stand around as if expecting something to happen, rather than rushing the girl to the infirmary.

"What are you guys doing? Someone get her to the infir-" I begin but am shushed by nearly everyone in the room and gasp when the girl's eyes snap open and glow a bright green, like the smoke around her. I stumble back a few steps, slamming into one of the cave walls. No one pays me any attention, all of them staring intensely at the girl before us.

I press further back into the wall when she opens her mouth and more smoke pours out. A raspy, otherworldly voice spills out, seeming to come from multiple directions at once, filling the cave with an ominous whisper. Nobody moves a muscle as she utters an eerie poem.

Mortals are blinded by doom and deceit,

as the darkness grows, Olympus retreats.

Tired heroes rise to join another fight,

forces are ravaged by ocean and night.

Enemies rise and writhe their way in.

Questions are raised by an immortal's sin.

Nine half-bloods must grow and look deep inside,

for the water and starlight must coincide.

No one moves for what feels like a minute. Everyone stares at the girl as her eyes roll back into her head and she goes still in Percy's arms. He looks stricken at her words like someone told him his family died. He glances up and makes eye contact with me for the first time today, lingering for just a moment, scanning my face, then looking back down as the girl regains consciousness. As soon as she sits up, he eases his way away from her, apologizing as he nearly sprints out of the cave.

I have the urge to follow him, but I can't move. What does this mean?

Chapter Text

Percy POV

I can’t tell if my powers are a blessing or a curse.

On one hand, they have helped me save so many lives. I’ve killed countless enemies who threatened my home and family with these powers. But isn’t it my power that attracted these monsters in the first place? Had I been a helpless mortal, I’d either be blissfully unaware of this entire world, sheltered from the pain that I’ve been through, or dead.

I’d be perfectly happy with both of those options at this point.

But how can I blame these powers that have given me so much? Maybe my life was always destined to end quickly. Painfully. Maybe if I was a mortal, I’d be stuck with a man like Gabe until I died, by his hand or my own. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have these powers to defend myself. Maybe that would be better, though. Just get it over quickly so I don’t have to do this anymore.

Honestly, though, I’m not sure what I did to deserve this fate. Maybe I was a horrible, demonic being in my past life. Maybe I made so many people suffer that my punishment was to live another life, this time with the fates laughing at me. Maybe…

My eyes sting with the dust that raises as I stab another hay-filled dummy in the training arena. That’s the only reason they’re watering.

I feel like one of these dummies. I mean, what purpose do they serve? They stand here day after day, their only purpose met once they are destroyed. People hack and slash away at them every day until nothing remains. People benefit from this of course, learning new skills, building strength, and ensuring that they can protect themselves. It can’t be much different with the fates. I am a dummy filled with hay, and for the last 7 years, they have been training their powers, doling out their worst to build strength and tear me down piece by piece. Maybe my only purpose is to die. Maybe I’m drawing it out by fighting so hard.

As I take another step forward to slash another dummy, my foot slides on a piece of hay and I nearly stumble. My heart races, but then doesn’t calm down like it should. Instead, the thumping gets louder, filling my ears, pulsing in my neck, and resonating in my head. It doesn’t want to slow down. Maybe my heart knows what’s coming.

I feel that familiar weight from the last few weeks return in my chest and through my spine. I’ve been getting this sensation multiple times a day, pressing me down like the sky I once held for the love of my life. My knees shake with the pressure, and I sit down with a huff. I don’t need to practice anyway. It’s not like it will keep the pain away. At this point, it’s radiating from me. It is me.

With a few shaky breaths, I beg the feeling to go away but it doesn’t. I hunch forward, crunching in on myself until my chest touches my crisscross-folded legs. Maybe if I fold myself into a small enough ball, I’ll be a smaller target. What a ridiculous wish.

I want to scream. Maybe that would help relieve the pressure. But I know that if I scream, people will start to panic. If Percy Jackson is breaking down, who will save us now?

So, instead, I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. They’re only stinging because of the dust. You’re fine.

Is there a lump in my throat or is that just the dust too?

“I don’t know what to do,” I whisper thickly. My voice sounds as broken as I may appear. Who am I talking to? Nobody.

Anybody.

Does nobody see that I can’t do this anymore? Don’t they see how useless I’ve become? The one person I knew would always stand by me left, so she must have seen. She must know how close I am.

Very close.

I unsheathe riptide and hold the blade gingerly in my palms. I can see my reflection. Weathered is the best way to describe what I see. Eroded.

I look like a shell of the boy I used to be. I’ve grown into my ears and nose but left behind that goofiness. Playful smiles seem so far away. How can I ever smile again? Will it ever be real?

My once bright eyes are dull. The hope has been replaced by cynical wisdom. I know what is coming. I don’t have the strength to face it.

I’m tired.

My eyes must be extremely sensitive to dust because they begin to water, welling up, then dripping hot droplets into my hands. I’m not sure I feel anything tied to these tears. Just exhaustion.

I hear light footsteps crunch on some hay at the entrance to the training room but don’t turn around. Those gentle, quick footsteps couldn’t belong to anyone other than Hazel.

The footsteps falter, probably catching sight of me, then speed up until I hear them to my right. I don’t have the energy to raise my head and look at her.

I don’t have to.

Without a word, Hazel wraps her arms around my body, slouching down to meet my bunched-up frame. Her embrace is comforting. Warm.

I rest my forehead on her knee, and she squeezes me a little tighter, sensing that I need something to hold me together.

I desperately try to hold back my tears for her sake, but her hand rubbing circles on my back reminds me of my mother. It’s a caring gesture, letting me know I can be open with her. I can let it out.

When the first drop hits her leg, she brushes a hand through my hair and holds me tighter with the other.

“I know,” she whispers, and my body shakes as it holds back the sobs and screams of despair.

You can’t show her everything or she will leave.

“I know, Percy. I know. I’m here.”

She pulls me into a hug, and I rest my heavy head on her shoulder. I don’t have the energy to wrap my own arms around her, so I just let them dangle uselessly. A few second later, I feel a few droplets hit my own shoulder. Maybe she needed this too.

She holds me until my tremors fade and my eyes dry, not needing to say anything else. When I finally pull back, I notice her golden eyes shining with tears, also taking in my appearance. Her tears threaten to overflow when she takes in my hopeless demeanor but holds them in for my sake.

I give her the biggest smile I can muster, which is a sad, slight upturn of my lips.

“Percy…”

“I was supposed to finish college in New Rome with Annabeth. I had my whole future planned out.”

“I know.”

“Now she doesn’t even want to be around me. She told me today, you know. After breakfast. She thinks we need a break. We all know it’s over.”

“Maybe-”

“I never thought this could happen. I thought she was the one for me. We’ve been through so much together. I love her more than anyone. I can’t imagine living without her.”

“I know, Percy. But haven’t you already been living without her? Honestly? You have been growing distant slowly. And sometimes people aren’t meant to be with us forever. The love that you two had was one of a kind. It was beautiful and powerful. It was there for both of you when you needed it most. As much as you like to be hard on yourself, you know she loves you too. You were an incredible boyfriend, Percy. Anyone would be lucky to know you,” Hazel rants, looking more flustered as she tries to convince me. She is angry for me.

“Then why do I feel like I’m holding her back? I feel the resentment toward me.”

“She just needs to explore. She is learning about herself outside of an incredibly stressful situation. You guys were perfect for each other when you needed to be. Now, as much as it hurts, it’s time for you both to learn about yourselves.”

“I will never get the chance to.”

“Don’t say that, Percy!” she chides, looking frantic, “We are going to get through this, ok? I love you. I’m not sure why the fates choose to make you suffer, but if I could take your pain I would. You don’t deserve this. Nobody does,” she places her hands on my shoulders and stares into my eyes, making me see her, “But for every quest and heartache and loss and trouble, there are 10 times as many people that love you. You are amazing. Please don’t forget that.”

“I can’t,” I try, but my voice cracks and breaks off.

“You can. You can and you will. Because that’s who you are. As much as you deserve to rest and just be loved and cherished, you cannot give up now. This is big, maybe the biggest thing we’ve faced. You heard the prophecy. Now you can digest it, understand it, and realize where you fit.”

“How many more? What if the next problem is just bigger? What if I’m included in every prophecy until one finally kills me? What if it all just ends when I stop fighting?”

“It won’t, Percy. You know that. The world is a cruel place, but you know what? People like you make it better. Your presence makes the world a better place. It’s not fair what you’ve been through, or that so many people rely on you. But you’re not alone. Let us take some of that weight. Set some boundaries. I am here for you. Leo, Jason, Piper, Frank, Terra, Nico, Reyna, and so many others are here for you and love you. And as painful as it seems, Annabeth is still here for you. Yes, she is hurting you right now, but she would do anything for you.”

Hearing her conviction makes my eyes well up again. How can she be so sure of me? I don’t even trust myself, but she says it like she’s certain. Her confidence makes me feel like I can do anything.

“Thank you, Hazel. I love you too. I’ll try my best. For you guys.”

“Don’t do it for us, Percy. Do it for yourself. You have so much life left to live. Just because one chapter is ending doesn’t mean the rest won’t be incredible. I have a feeling you’ll find someone to love just as much as you do Annabeth. Maybe even more, as impossible as it seems. In the meantime, maybe you should get to know a certain new camper that feels like an outsider. You know the feeling well if I’m remembering correctly.”

I chuckle a bit and picture Estrella cowering against the wall of the cave. She’s probably even more confused than I am. I remember the feeling of being thrust into my first prophecy. Maybe she needs support too.

Hazel and I dust ourselves up and stand together. I plaster on a big fake smile to thank her, and she raises an unimpressed eyebrow.

“None of that, Percy. Like I said, we are here to support you. You can lean on us, okay? You don’t have to be happy all the time. You’re in pain. Let us in and we might be able to help. We just need you here,” she says softly, grabbing my arm. I nod and give a smaller smile, feeling relieved to have her here with me. I’m not sure what I would do without her comforting presence.

“Thank you,” I repeat, and she shakes her head like no thanks is necessary. She’d be here no matter what.

“Well, I’m going to go IM Frank and tell him what we heard. Come find me if you need me, okay? Even if it’s something small or stupid. I want to hear everything. You’re not being bothersome or annoying, if anything, I love to hear about you. Please just talk to me.”

“I will,” I say and my whole body feels a bit lighter. That crushing weight feels less heavy like someone is helping me hold it up.

I’m not holding the sky alone anymore.

~~~

I find her sitting in the sand with a book. Her curly hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail with loose strands blowing around her face in the wind.

Every once in a while, she tucks a strand behind her ear and eventually pulls a new one out. I smile when she pinches off a bite of a muffin and looks up at the waves, sighing.

“Hey,” I call out and she glances back at me, frowning confusedly.

“Hi. What’s up?”

“Nothing. Can I sit?” I ask and she shrugs. Taking that as my cue, I plop down into the sand next to her and scan her face. She looks tired, scared, and downcast.

“Want one?” she asks, holding out another muffin wrapped in a napkin. I grin and gratefully accept, unwrapping the paper to find a simple blueberry muffin with a crunchy sugar top.

I take a big bite, savoring the fluffy interior and sweet blueberries. I’m halfway done with mine by the time she takes her third pinch.

“This is as blue as I could go,” she smiles slightly, more like a downward quirk of her lips.

“Mmm, these are delicious. Thank you. I heard that you spent some time baking today and talking to the kids in the infirmary. That’s cool of you,” I compliment, feeling warm as I imagine her working hard in the kitchen, only to give away all the treats to the hurt kids. I’ve noticed some of the little girls already giving her looks of admiration and watching her as she walks past. She’s really making it hard for people to fear her.

“Yeah, I had a lot on my mind and as you’ll come to see, I like to bake when I’m feeling sad or stressed. I’m glad you like it. I figured you could use a little something blue,” she blushes. I nearly give her a weird look. Does she really think like that? She saw that I was upset and wanted to bake me something so I’d feel better? That’s… too nice. She must have an ulterior motive.

“You were feeling sad?”

“Eh, more just guilty. And stressed about my dream.”

“Why were you guilty?” I ask, frowning.

“What do you mean? Those kids were shot because of me. I don’t know why everybody keeps asking me, it’s so obvious. If I didn’t come here, they wouldn’t have been shot. It’s as simple as that,” she says with finality, and I feel a little annoyance creep up inside me.

“Well, it seems like some people have already tried to talk some sense into you, for no use. I get it. It’s easier to blame yourself than realize it’s not your fault for just existing. As we learned earlier, they didn’t just attack to try and take you. They have bigger plans, so you can stop trying to be so miserable.”

She looks at me like a child being lectured by a parent and I don’t like how it makes me feel. Who am I to be giving advice on this when I constantly blame myself?

“So that’s what you came here to do? Be all condescending? If that’s the case, feel free to go because I don’t need anyone else to make me feel shittier,” she snaps, and I recoil. She’s right. You can’t take out your frustrations on her.

“Sorry. You’re right, I’m just being a dick again. And have been all day. I’m just stressed too,” I admit, shaking my head and turning back to watch the waves crash on the beach. Being this close to the water always makes me feel relaxed yet energized at the same time. It feels safe.

“I’m sorry you’re in pain,” her face softens and my heart clenches. She faces me, eyes wide and unassuming, somewhat sad. The breeze blows a strand of hair into her face, but she ignores it, scanning my face like she can sense how deep the pain goes. I look away, not being able to handle the weight of that look. It’s too vulnerable.

“I’m fine.”

“Okay. I hoped you’d be. And if you weren’t, at least you had a little something blue to pick you up for a bit,” she sighs, figuring that I don’t want to talk, “I wonder where you’d end up if you just swam in a straight line from here, never stopping until you reached land. It looks like it never ends.”

“Porto, Portugal,” I say instantly, picturing the route in my head and mapping out the coordinates. She gapes at me.

“What? Really? How did you know that off the top of your head?”

“I just thought about it for a second and the image popped into my head. Things with water are easy for me, you know, son of-”

“Poseidon,” she interrupts, looking jealous, “I should have figured. That’s really cool, I wonder if you could like find the Titanic or missing ships or like missing treasure! Have you ever thought of exploring, I mean there’s so much of the ocean that’s undiscovered, you could go anywhere and find anything!”

I hold back a laugh at her rambling. No one has really seemed so excited about this aspect of my powers – they’re more interested in the capability for murder. Seeing her childlike wonder slip out makes me smile.

“I’ve actually never thought of that. I could probably go look at the Titanic if I wanted to. The fish would tell me where it is if I asked. One of them here has to know where to find it. Or I could just get the coordinates online and go there with my knowledge of the ocean,” I laugh.

“You can talk to fish too?” she gasps, looking delighted, “That’s incredible! Do they speak like humans in your head? Like real human thoughts? I didn’t think they had a conscience! If that’s true, I bet we could learn so much from them! They could show us species we didn’t even know existed!”

“This is the most excited anyone has been about my underwater powers,” I laugh, “I haven’t had much time to explore them, to be honest. But good to know you’re such an avid treasure hunter.”

“I wish,” she chuckles, blushing, “I used to try and metal detect on the beach when I was younger but never found anything good. My dad found some weird plastic toy in the sand when we were swimming once, though. It looked like some sort of deity or something from China. We never did figure out where it came from or how it got there.”

“Hey, that’s still a good find! A bit of mystique to make it more interesting,” I joke.

“Yeah, except I wasn’t even the one to find it! I found countless nails, coins, and bobby pins. Maybe I’ll leave the treasure hunting to you, as much fun as it sounds. You have the most potential.”

“Not necessarily, it gets pretty dark down there. I hear you can see in the dark. Learned it the hard way. I wish I could do that – it would make exploring much easier.”

“My powers are nowhere near as cool as yours. I can make darkness apparently, what good does that do besides scare people?”

“I doubt that’s all you can do, your mom is a primordial goddess for gods’ sake. You know what, I bet you can do something similar. I bet you know what star would be right there if it were night right now,” I say and point to a random spot in the cloudy blue sky. She raises her head to see where I’m looking, frowns in concentration, then has a moment of clarity.

“Gamma Sagittae!” she blurts, looking ecstatic, “Oh my god! I did it! No way! It’s totally bright out but I know where each star is like I’m looking at a picture when I really focus. How did I never notice that before?”

“Sometimes demigods don’t fully develop or notice their powers until they’re introduced to our world and learn about their heritage. Once you get acquainted, the powers usually manifest quickly. But see? Your powers are awesome too! That would be so helpful for navigating during the day.”

She laughs and turns to me with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on her. I’m nearly rendered breathless by the beauty of it. When she smiles, her cheeks form two dimples I hadn’t noticed before. Her eyes go all squinty as her cheeks push them up and her face gains a bit more of that rosy color I love on her. Love? What are you talking about?

“That is the best power I’ve discovered so far. I can’t wait to annoy Leo during the day, pointing at nothing and saying the exact star that is there at night. He’ll get so sick of me!” her laughs are joyous, bright, and so unlike what I pictured a daughter of Nyx to be like. When she smiles, she looks like she’s glowing, so bright and full of surprising life and personality. I have a feeling this side of her is rare with people she’s just met. So far, she’s kept that joy tucked away. I can’t help but beam back at her.

“I’m sure there are many more to come.”

“Hopefully good ones. I don’t need anything else to fear,” she sighs, suddenly contemplative, and picks up a big handful of sand.

“Did you know that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on every single beach on planet Earth?” she tells me and I laugh at the change of subject.

“No, I didn’t know that. I know space is huge though. Who made that calculation though? It’s not like we know either of those numbers. Nobody knows how many stars exist since the universe is supposedly endless. And I am sure no one has counted the grains of sand on Earth, especially all the ones underwater. There’s lots and lots of sand down there,” I counter.

“I’ve always wondered the same thing! How do these mathematicians make such insane hypotheses? How do they calculate the width of our solar system or galaxy? How do they know how big the other galaxies are? There’s so much we don’t know. I hope I live long enough to get some answers.”

“You’re very curious. I didn’t really notice that before.”

“Sorry,” she laughs, “I get excited at the possibility of exploring the unknown. Being born in a time where so much is known already, it feels unfathomable that we don’t have the answers to our creation or who else is out there. Like it seems impossible to know but also impossible that we don’t know… you know?”

“No don’t apologize! I get it. I mean, it’s sometimes hard to remember that other galaxies exist outside of this one, maybe without gods. I wonder what it’s like out there. It just makes me feel so small.”

“Oh yeah, me too. So does the ocean though! That’s the crazy thing. The ocean is unfathomably large to us humans, but in the grand scheme of things is so minuscule. I wonder if it looks as big from the bottom.”

“Do you want me to show you?” I ask tentatively, wanting to see more of that joy. It’s addicting.

“Really? And I won’t be crushed by the pressure?” she asks, looking cautiously excited, like she would want nothing more but thinks it isn’t possible.

“Nah, not with me. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Ok then yes! Absolutely yes! I don’t know how you’re not down there 24/7.”

“I’m more interested in what’s on the surface right now.”

“Do I need equipment or something? Should I go change?” she asks, completely ignoring my statement.

“Nope. Come on, I’ll dry you off after,” I state and grab her hand, pulling her after me into the water. She stumbles along, still asking questions.

“You can do that too? Ugh. Wait, should I hold my breath? Will you tell me when it’s safe to breathe? Will we be able to talk down there? Will sharks attack or are they like loyal to you or something? Are you just a really good swimmer or do you just control the currents and float fast? Should I kick my feet? You’re not gonna leave me behind, right? Can I-”

“Estrella,” I grab her shoulders, both of us in nearly waist-high water. She hops over a little wave, and I roll my eyes.

“Just calm down. I will push us on a current. You can swim and kick your legs if you want, but there’s no need. Yes, we can talk, so don’t worry. There will be a bubble around us so you can breathe. Just hold my hand and you’ll be fine. I won’t let you go or leave you behind. Hold your breath for a few seconds as we go under until I form the bubble, ok? I’ll let you know when you can breathe.”

“Ok,” she says excitedly and sucks in a big breath.

“Ready?”

“Yes,” she smiles and grips my hand a little tighter.

“Alright, hold your breath,” I say, and we dive under the water together. Calling upon the water, I shoot us forward on a current until the surface is about 10 feet away. Once we are far enough under, I pull together the air around us in a big cloud of white until we are together in a big bubble, just like I was for my first underwater kiss. Ignoring that memory, I give Estrella’s hand a squeeze and she opens her eyes which were squeezed tightly shut. Her cheeks are puffed out with held breath and I laugh as she widens her eyes comically. I gesture with my other hand for her to breathe and she takes a cautious, tentative breath through her nose, looking shocked and delighted at being able to breathe under the surface.

“Oh my god, that was incredible! I felt like I was shot out of a rocket. Do you always swim that fast? I bet you could win a world record easily. Not sure how ethical it would be, but I mean you might as well get something out of having these powers. Wait! Not that they’re not already amazing – I think these are the most incredible powers I’ve ever seen! I just meant that as like a joke, you can do whatever you want with your powers, I-” she rambles, and I interrupt her with a laugh.

“It’s fine, my gods. Someone is chatty today,” I joke, and she pouts, letting go of my hand and crossing her arms.

“I get what you meant,” I smile, and she gives me a begrudging one as well, “and thank you. Seeing you so excited about my powers kind of makes me appreciate them more. They’re not all great and some aspects that can be really dark. But I never really think about how cool the little things are, so thank you.”

“Let’s go deeper,” she grins, and I can’t help but smile back.

“Ok. Can I hold you to make sure we don’t get separated? We’re going to go a bit faster, and I need to concentrate to keep the bubble around us, so it’s better if you’re closer,” I explain, and she thinks a moment before nodding her head. Awkwardly, I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her to my side.

She’s taller than Annabeth is, and softer. Where Annabeth was fit and muscular from years of constant combat practice, Estrella is less angular, more curvy. I can tell that she is muscular as well, but it’s less rigid, not having been whittled down by years of fighting to survive. It feels different, but good.

Her long hair tickles my arm, going down to almost her butt now that it’s wet. I wrap the end of a piece around my finger before I realize what I’m doing. Get a hold of yourself. This is not Annabeth. You don’t know this girl.

Stiffening, I tuck my upper lip between my teeth and take a deep breath through my nose.

“Alright, down we go,” I say with forced lightness. She seems tenser now too, blushing slightly.

I will the currents to push us farther and farther down, passing schools of curious fish who I hear chattering in my mind, a curious squid that nearly makes Estrella swim away frantically, and eventually a shelf that leads to a dark drop-off. Of course, I can sense where we are going in my mind, but it gets so dark that the surroundings fade to black. Now that she mentioned it, I am curious to see what’s down this deep. I can feel the pressure building against the bubble of air but keep it sturdy, not risking Estrella’s health this far from the surface.

“I feel like the Wicked Witch of the East in this bubble,” she chuckles once we stop descending.

“Don’t you mean Glinda? The Good Witch of the North?” I correct. She scrunches up her face in confusion.

“No? I mean the pink lady that comes down in a bubble with like a wand or something after the green one gets squashed by a house.”

“That’s Glinda! In the movie, she is the Good Witch of the North. In the book though, she’s the Good Witch of the South.”

“What? Why do you know this?”

“Annabeth. I made the same mistake once.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah…”

“Why did we stop?” she asks, looking around.

“I can’t really see anything. It’s all dark because we’re so deep. The light doesn’t penetrate this far.”

“Oh really?” she whips her head back and forth looking confused, “I can see everything! The shelf wall is about 20 feet behind us, and I can see kind of a slop about 10 feet down.”

“Wow, see that is a handy power. I wish I could see this deep. Now you’ve got me curious.”

“Hmm,” she hums and takes my arm off her waist, placing her hand within mine once again. She frowns in concentration, closing her eyes tightly for a few seconds until suddenly my vision starts to brighten. I gasp as the colors come back into the water and I can see the shelf behind us again. When I turn back to Estrella, I lose my breath, shocked at her brightness so far under the surface. Her pale skin glows, illuminating the water around her, highlighting her silky wet hair, and making the gold ring around her iris shine. I blink rapidly, sure I’m hallucinating until she cocks her head at me.

“Did it work?” she asks curiously, scanning my face, “Can you see better now? I wanted to see if I could transfer my vision to you somehow. I just pictured the darkness receding around us and my own power spreading to you.”

“Y-yes,” I breathe, leaning in to get a closer look at her beautiful eyes, I never noticed the small flecks of gold throughout them, mixing with an earthy green around her pupils and fading to a light brown/blue at the edges. During the day, they just looked like a brown and hazel mix. The sudden complexity draws me in. She inches away slightly, looking at me weirdly.

“You ok? Did it make your vision weird? I can stop now if you want. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to do it anyway, it makes me feel kind of lightheaded.”

“No no, not yet. It worked. I can see our surroundings like you just turned up the brightness. It didn’t just make everything around us look brighter, it made you look like… a goddess. You have that crazy glow like Artemis during a full moon. So you don’t just have powers over darkness, you can create light!”

“Ehhh, I don’t think so. I think it was more of making your eyes think the darkness was pushed away, rather than generating light. If I let go,” she says, dropping my hand, “it will probably fade.”

She’s right. As soon as she lets go, the darkness comes crashing back with what feels like a crushing force. It makes me feel claustrophobic instantly, the water looking even darker than before. I blindly search for her hand, grasping the empty air around us until she laces her fingers through mine with a small smile. The darkness recedes again, and I let out a deep breath.

“You ok?”

My heart is racing at the sudden change, and I try to get my breathing under control, pushing away memories of down there and Nyx’s palace. I nod to push away her concern.

“Yeah, just not the biggest fan of sudden darkness,” I reply. She nods understandingly.

“I understand. Don’t worry. Just hold my hand and you’ll be fine,” she smirks, repeating one of my earlier lines. I roll my eyes and ignore the butterflies that may or may not have sprung up in my stomach when she said that and give her hand a grateful squeeze.

Eventually, I guide us to the sea floor, which I sense is about 3000 feet down, far away from the beach now. Down this deep, I’m seeing what the sea floor looks like for the first time. Beneath us, the seabed is rocky and uneven with some hydrothermal vents puffing out superheated water, heated by magma. I pull Estrella away to prevent the steam from melting her skin off and cool the water around our bubble as a barrier.

There’s not as much sand as I expected, and much more life than you’d think. Small, quick crabs scuttle along the edges of vents, darting in and out to feast on whatever living thing they can find. Strange, nearly transparent shrimp float along the bottom, avoiding worms tucked in the patches of sand. There is a strange sort of comfort in knowing that even all the way down here, where no light exists and sound is rare, life still goes on. These animals have adapted to such extreme conditions, constantly fighting the intense pressure yet moving with such graceful slowness. It’s mesmerizing.

Estrella seems to think the same as she sits crisscrossed in a patch of sand, watching a shrimp glide through the water outside our bubble. She is squinting in concentration, taking in every possible detail like she is copying it to her memory. We both turn when we hear a puff of soot shoot out of a vent nearby and watch the animals flock to the area once it settles.

“Can they see?” she wonders, “So deep down here where it’s so dark? Or do they just use their senses?”

Some of us are blind, a quiet, gravelly voice speaks in my mind, and some of us have highly sensitive eyes that can detect even the faintest hint of light. I can see, my Lord. Jerry here, cannot. He uses antennae and vibration to guide him.

I whirl around and spot a small, bioluminescent fish floating near my face. I relay his words to Estrella, and she gasps.

“Oh my god, you can understand us? Hi! I’m Es! I’ve never been this deep before. Do you guys get visitors down here? Do you ever wish you lived closer to the surface? What do you eat? Have you seen the Titanic?”

She is a curious one.

“I know,” I snort.

Yes, we understand you. We do not get many visitors this deep, but we have a deep connection. Since it is so difficult to survive down here, we must work together. Our main purpose is to help our species continue. We mustn’t die out before our species is even discovered. I do not wish to live closer to the surface because it would be too bright and noisy for me, far too much competition. I like my quiet life with Jerry. My personal favorite food is bacteria. Quite prevalent near these vents, my Lord.

“Please, just call me Percy. I am just a son of Poseidon. Es, he said he likes bacteria.”

“Oh,” her smile fades slightly but her curious nature remains. When she hears the rest of his words, she nods, “I get that. It does seem quite noisy and bright up there, doesn’t it? You seem to be doing great for yourself down here. You really brighten up the place.”

I like her.

“Yeah. Well, thank you for chatting with us. I should probably get this one back up to the surface,” I jerk my head at Es, and she frowns.

“So he doesn’t know where the Titanic is?”

“No, Es. Your obsession is slightly concerning.”

“Sorry, just curious. Can we stay for a few minutes more? I’ve always wanted to just sit at the bottom of the ocean in the peaceful quiet,” she closes her eyes and leans back. I sit next to her, still gripping her hand, and stare up toward the surface. From down here, I can barely see the light. There is a small gradient of color a few hundred feet up mostly concealed by the thick darkness down here.

Estrella grabs a few fistfuls of the tightly packed, fine sand and rubs it between her fingers. She sniffs it and flares her nostrils slightly.

“It kinda smells like boiled eggs,” she shoves a fistful in my face, and I scrunch up my nose.

“That’s the sulfur from the vents,” I deadpan because for some reason that knowledge just exists in my brain already. So helpful.

“Hmm,” she says like it’s a fun fact. I snort.

“Alright, Mr. Marine Man let’s head back up. These vents creep me out a little.”

“Yeah, to me it sounds like they’re breathing,” I confess, and she shudders. With a small wave and goodbye to Jerry and Greg, we shoot back up to the surface, not having to worry about the pressure disparity because of the bubble. (A/N: Don’t question the science.)

By the time we break the surface, the sun is much further along in the sky, signaling that we missed lunch. Good thing I ate that muffin.

I begrudgingly let go of Estrella’s hand and she surprises me by diving under a wave and popping up 20 feet away with a huge smile. I didn’t see where she went but could sense the direction she was going. She doesn’t have to know that.

“What? How did you?” I begin, then sink under a wave, staying down for a few seconds to confuse her. I then shoot forward and pull her feet out from under her. She faceplants into the water with a squeal and whips around to try and grab me, but I am already gone. I surface a few feet away and send a larger-than-normal splash in her direction. She screeches in frustration and tries to splash me back, groaning when I stop the water mid-stream.

I send another large splash her way but pause when I hear her coughing on some water. I rush over to tap her on the shoulder and draw the water out, but in my distraction, she gets behind me, wrapping her arms and legs around me like a backpack. She uses her weight to take me down like a WWE wrestler, both of us falling under a wave.

She doesn’t realize that this move puts her at a disadvantage, with me still being able to breathe underwater, so I shoot off with her still clinging on, flying on a current like a dolphin. I hear her scream as we speed off and finally chuck her off, sending her flying 6 feet away and landing with a big splash.

I’m nearly worried that I’m playing too rough, but she surfaces with a hysterical laugh, scrubbing saltwater out of her eyes and carelessly blowing snot and water out of her nose. I can’t help but laugh along at her disheveled state, her contagious laughing making me grip my stomach in pain.

“I don’t… know why… you thought-you thought you could take me!!” I cackle, “In-in water!! Y-you tried to suplex me!!”

I’m nearly crying as we both laugh hysterically, each of our weird laughs making it worse. Hers is silent and wheezy, while mine is loud and somewhat higher pitched than my normal voice.

“I don’t know, I just thought it would work. I just figured I could do it,” her voice gets higher with each word, fading out into another bout of silent laughter. Why trying to suplex me was her first instinct, I’ll never know. The image of her being successful at it nearly makes me pee with laughter.

“Hey!” a voice shouts from the sand and I turn to find Nico waving me over, “I’ve been looking for you forever! Where have you been? Get over here, we have been trying to call a leadership meeting for over an hour!”

The smile melts off my face, dampening my mood, and I stalk out of the water, completely forgetting about Estrella. I’m halfway up the beach with Nico when I hear a grunt from the water and see Estrella struggling in the now larger waves because of my mood. Every time she gets close to the sand, a harsh wave slams into her back.

My face pales with guilt and I will the water to become perfectly still. The waves all stop at once and an eerie silence fills the beach. Estrella gets back up, coughs twice, and awkwardly shuffles out of the water. She grabs her belongings with a huff and marches past me breathing heavily.

“Thanks for that,” she hisses to me and turns to Nico, “I want to hear the meeting. I am somehow involved in this, so I don’t want to be left in the dark.”

He nods once and doesn’t put up a fight as she saunters up the beach and leaves us behind.

“What were you doing?” he asks as we watch her form retreat. She walks quickly and wraps her arms around her middle as her soaking-wet clothing sticks to her.

“Nothing. She was just curious, so we were exploring.”

“Hmm.”

“What?” I ask, noticing a weird tone in his voice.

“It’s just a little soon, isn’t it?”

“For what? I was showing her the sea floor.”

“Ok, Perce. I’m not going to stop you. But don’t rush into things just because you’re hurting and intrigued. It will only end in more pain.”

“You need to chill. Nothing is going on. Annabeth was the love of my life – I’m not going to just get over that. I’m stressed to the max right now, okay? I just wanted to get my mind off everything that’s going on.”

“Alright. You can always talk to me, you know that, right? There’s nothing that you could tell me that I would judge you for. Even if you’re catching feelings for someone else,” he smirks. We both go silent as exit the forest and spot Estrella pacing and pulling her dripping hair into a ponytail.

“I didn’t know where to go. I don’t know where you guys meet,” she admits. We gesture for her to follow and walk quickly toward the big house.

When we step inside the rec room, everyone goes silent. The only sound in the room is the droplets of water falling off Estrella and splashing against the floor. She looks down and cringes at the growing puddle, trying to hide it under her shoes.

“How the hell did you dry so fast?” she whispers out of the side of her mouth once she notices my lack of dripping on the floor. I smirk and tap her on the shoulder, drying her off instantly.

“Are you kidding me?” she whisper-shouts, “You can do that too? What else-”

“Alright counselors, let’s get this meeting into order,” Chiron breaks the silence and I scan the faces around the table. Leo is looking between Estrella and me with a devious smirk, Terra has wide eyes, Piper is hiding a smile, Jason looks oblivious, and Annabeth looks between me and the spot I touched Estrella with a raised eyebrow. I ignore them all, squeezing into an empty seat while Estrella stays standing awkwardly in the back, inching slowly over to where Terra is.

“As we know, there is a new prophecy. It may sound dire, but we must keep our heads and interpret the meaning. Like always, I have faith that we will be victorious. I am deeply sorry that another prophecy has begun so quickly after the giant war, but the fates have been busy. It is our duty to defend Olympus and the vulnerable morals that need our help. I have been informed that many mortals are being led astray and beginning to distrust us. We cannot have this, as demigods would not exist without them, and they greatly outnumber us.”

The counselors nod grimly, knowing that we have no chance against all of humanity. We just have to hope it doesn’t get to that point.

“Moros and Apate are working together to destroy the peace that exists. They desire another war. We must ensure that this does not happen.”

“Let’s go through the prophecy so we can understand what needs to be done,” Annabeth suggests and pulls out a notebook.

“First: ‘Mortals are blinded by doom and deceit.’ That part is obviously hinting at Moros and Apate respectively,” Piper suggests.

“Yes. Then ‘As the darkness grows, Olympus retreats,'” Annabeth supplies, frowning, “I’m not exactly sure what this means. I wouldn’t be surprised if the gods began hiding as the threat grows but what does it mean by darkness? It must be something to do with Nyx or her children.”

I glance over at Estrella and notice that the rest of the room does as well. She looks like she’d rather be anywhere else.

“Uhhh,” she mumbles, flushing red, “Yeah maybe. I know from the dreams we’ve had that Nyx seems to want to assemble an army to take on the Olympians…”

“And Zeus is terrified of Nyx. He’s never wanted to go against her!” Annabeth exclaims, tapping a pen against her chin rapidly.

“Has anyone tried to speak to their parents recently?” I wonder and everyone shakes their heads.

“I mean my mom appeared in one of my dreams so… does that count?” says Estrella. Annabeth shakes her head.

“No, we mean children of Olympians or minor gods on Olympus, not the enemy,” Annabeth blurts without consideration for how it sounds. Estrella flinches and nods embarrassedly.

“What she meant,” I shoot Annabeth a disappointed glance and she raises her eyebrows, “is that it seems like none of the Olympians have been contacting their children. This could be bad news. Chiron, have you heard anything?”

“Well, they have taken notice of recent monster spottings. Some blame Hecate and assume that she is behind it, while others fear that an outside source is at play. Zeus hastily banished her from Olympus until she could fix the issue and closed the doors. I am not certain if they have even heard of the attack that transpired last night. It appears that the doors have been shut since, ah, well, Nyx’s claiming. As Annabeth said, she did always manage to frighten him.”

The room goes silent for a moment before everyone begins shouting.

“What do you mean banished?!”

“Does he never learn??”

“Guys-” I begin but they don’t hear me.

“Why would he shut the doors? This isn’t fair!”

“How can they expect us to just fight their battles again?!”

“Just wait, guys calm down-” I try again.

“He closed Olympus because Nyx claimed me?”

My heart clenches.

“GUYS,” I shout, getting their attention momentarily, “Can we just be rational here? Trust me, I am just as upset and annoyed as you all. But we need to be calm in order to figure out what to do. So, Zeus closed Olympus. That makes things more difficult. We need to find a way to contact them. Chiron, you said Hecate was banished, right? Does that mean she’s down here with us?”

“Yes, she is rumored to have been seen in Salem, Massachusetts,” Chiron informs us, and Leo spits out his water.

“Salem?? You’re joking,” he sputters.

“I am afraid not, Leo. This is no laughing matter.”

“Jus- why would she choose Salem? That is the most obvious place to look, and I thought she was trying to be inconspicuous.”

“I mean he’s got a point,” Connor pipes up, “I mean, she could have gone anywhere else to hide. Why would she go there? I thought that town was all just rumors anyway.”

“You all believed the Olympians were a myth, did you not? Magic has existed longer than any of us. Why is witchcraft so difficult to believe? That was one of the first instances of mortals becoming suspicious and look how that ended for Hecate’s loyal followers,” Chiron states grimly, “It may not be a coincidence that she chose to go there. Which is exactly why I am issuing a quest to go and find her. If what you heard in dreams is true, we will need her help protecting our image.”

“A quest already? I thought she was only rumored to be there. We have nothing go off, Chiron,” Annabeth counters, now biting on the pencil so harshly it threatens to splinter. Poor pencil.

“Unfortunately, the situation seems dire enough that a rumor is the best we can get. We need to find her as soon as possible.”

“What if it’s a trap?” Terra finally speaks up. She looks timid like she doesn’t believe she should have a voice in this meeting.

“What do you mean?” I counter, hoping she has the courage to continue.

“I mean… doesn’t it seem a little too convenient? We get a prophecy today, learn Hecate is missing, and immediately get a rumor about her location? Where did we even hear this rumor? It just seems to be moving a little fast.”

“Crises always move fast. Why would we receive a rumor as unhelpful as this? We don’t even know where exactly she is or what she’s doing there. It doesn’t seem that convenient to me,” Clarisse argues but glances at Chiron for reassurance.

“I heard this rumor from the dryads who spoke to nereids who apparently spoke to a cloud nymph that left Olympus right before the border closed,” Chiron clarifies.

“Well doesn’t that sound convincing,” Clovis gripes, looking sleepier by the second. I kind of agree with him.

“As I said, right now, it is the best we can do. We must find Hecate to understand what our future holds.”

“I’ll go,” Nico volunteers, “I can just shadow travel there and back in less than a day. We can get our answers quickly and learn what comes next.”

“I’m going if he’s going!” Will blurts and Nico’s cool façade slips for a second before he puts it back up. For a moment he looked worried.

“And I’ll make 3,” Clarisse grunts, “I’ll provide the muscle that these two are so clearly lacking in case things go wrong.”

“That seemed targeted.”

“What? Am I wrong? Don’t look at me like that, I’m an ally.”

Nobody knows how to respond to that.

“Anyway,” I break the silence, “so while those 3 go to Salem, what about us? We need to convince the mortals that we aren’t their enemy.”

“What about the rest of the prophecy?” Annabeth tries.

“The next line is obvious. We are part of another prophecy,” Leo mumbles.

“Forces are ravaged by ocean and night. Who’s forces? Ours or theirs?”

“Hopefully theirs,” Jason adds unhelpfully.

“Enemies rise and writhe their way in. Questions are raised by an immortal’s sin. This could mean anything. At this point, it’s obvious that our main enemies are Moros and Apate. What if that’s not all? What if they are working with someone else? Or sending spies?”

“These types of questions will do more harm than good, my child,” Chiron tells Annabeth, and she slouches.

“It probably means that our problems are caused by an Olympian or some god’s mistake, like usual. Here we go, cleaning up their messes yet again,” Travis gripes, sounding concerningly like Luke.

“Be careful with your words. Just because we cannot speak to them does not mean that the gods are not watching and listening to us. You should consider your place,” Chiron scolds.

“Ok, and the last two lines seem to tell us who is involved in the prophecy. Nine half-bloods is a very large group. I think it obviously includes Percy, with the water reference.”

That heavy feeling starts to return before I feel a hand grip mine. Hazel.

“I think the line mentioning tired heroes must mean the seven, as much as I hate to admit it” she suggests, giving my hand a squeeze under the table.

“But aren’t we all tired? We were all involved in a major war not too long ago,” Katie argues.

“Yes, but why put emphasis on the word tired? It must mean something. I wish it didn’t – I’d rather do anything else honestly,” Annabeth admits, looking worn out. A small spike of concern flares in my stomach and I have to fight it down. She wants space.

“I think Annabeth is right,” Estrella agrees. We all glance at her confusedly.

“How would you know? You just got here, you have no idea what we’ve all been through,” Lou Ellen spits, completely unlike herself. Her missing mother must be weighing on her more than she wants to admit.

“I… I don’t know, I just have this feeling. In my stomach. I can’t really explain it, but something is telling me Annabeth is right about this.”

“Right, so New Girl knows everything, and we’re just supposed to trust a ‘feeling.’ Does anyone else find her being here a weird coincidence too?” Lou continues.

“Hey,” I snap, “Enough, Lou. Just because you’re worried about your mom doesn’t mean you have to be rude to people that are trying to help.”

“No, it’s ok, she’s right. I am totally new and haven’t been through anything like what you guys have. I’ve never been through a war and don’t know the pain you all have faced. I’m sorry. However, it seems like no matter how little experience I have, I am still involved in whatever is going on. I want to help but I understand that you don’t trust me. I probably wouldn’t either,” Estrella says and looks genuinely sorry, but not ready to back down completely. Lou stares at her with a sour face but says nothing else.

“Ok, so we would still need two more demigods to make 9,” Annabeth counts.

“Estrella,” Leo says definitively. To my surprise, Nico nods along. He would have been my second choice as the prophecy seems to hint at someone with dark powers, but honestly, the choice is obvious. There’s no coincidence that Estrella showed up now. It has to be her.

“Guys I don’t even know how to use my powers. I’ve been here for less than a week. There’s got to be someone better fit than me,” Estrella tries.

“I don’t think you have a choice. The prophecy pretty much says it’s you,” Leo points out and she sends him a sharp glare. My heart rate speeds a little as I imagine her being thrust into a prophecy with relatively no combat training. It’s a suicide mission.

“Maybe we need someone with more training,” I suggest but Annabeth shuts me down.

“You have that same look in your eye again. You know it’s supposed to be you, don’t you?” she realizes and Estrella pales. She looks like a cornered animal. The silence is answer enough.

“If Es is part of it, I am too. I promised her dad I’d keep her safe. I need to be part of this prophecy. Plus, I have helpful skills. If we ever need a boat, I can guarantee our safe journey. If we run into any grain fields, I can fight off the Karpoi. I have been trained in both Greek and Roman combat. I know I’m the daughter of a minor Roman god, but I need to be part of this. I made a promise I intend to keep,” Terra speaks up, shocking all of us. She sounds terrified but steadfast. She will not take no for an answer. Estrella has tears welling in her eyes as she stares at Terra. She looks terrified and extremely grateful at once, trying to hide her emotion behind a tight frown.

To my surprise, no one challenges her. Not even Clarisse. Instead, everyone gives her grim smiles to acknowledge her bravery.

“Then it is settled,” Chiron announces with finality, “Nico, Will, and Clarisse, please set out today before nightfall to search for Hecate. Report back as soon as you can. The 9 demigods of the prophecy, you will set out tomorrow morning.”

“Set out where?” Jason asks.

“Our first priority is preventing another conflict. We must avoid war with the mortals at all costs. You 9 must set out to Washington DC to convince the government to put a stop to this war. We need to convince the mortals that they are being deceived and that the gods mean no harm.”

“How do we get there if Nico is going to Salem? Pegasus?” I ask.

“No. As we are trying to convince the mortals that we mean no harm, you must appear as mortal as possible. That means traveling like a mortal. Since Percy cannot fly, you must drive. Argus will provide two vans for you to use. You will split up and follow each other to DC. We have a contact in the government that you must utilize. His name is Thomas Sanderson from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Ares who works with the Defense sector of the US government. You must meet him first and convince him to come to DC with you and plead your case. He is a hardened old man who has survived so long by being very cautious and hiding his godly parentage. It will not be easy to convince him to fight for you and risk himself, so you must be careful yet firm.”

It sounds simple enough. Drive to Pennsylvania, pick up Thomas, convince him to help us, drive to DC, and convince the government we are not a threat to them. It would be much easier if I was not part of the quest, as I have an extensive record that they could reference with terrorism threats and abductions. Not an ideal candidate to change their minds.

“That is all for now,” Chiron continues, “In the meantime, we will continue to wait for word from Olympus, try and interpret the prophecy more, and keep track of monster spottings. I will IM Reyna and Frank to let them know about the prophecy and have Frank meet you along the way. We will need Camp Jupiter’s help in bettering our image. Both camps must also be prepared for an attack led by Moros and Apate. Please do let me know if you have any more dreams that hint at what is to come. Does anyone have any questions?”

“Uh yeah, I have one,” Leo raises his hand sarcastically, “How are we supposed to convince the mortals that we mean no harm? Especially when they are being manipulated by Apate. We don’t exactly have the best track record.”

“That is what you 9 must figure out. I cannot interfere, only help guide you in the right direction. You have the skills to do this. Estrella has lived among mortals for her entire life. She knows how they think. You all do. You are more in touch with your mortal sides than your godly sides. Pull on that love that you have for your parents and remember the power that mortals have. We are not better than them because of our godly blood. We must remember that to avoid more conflict,” Chiron finishes and I find myself nodding along. It is time we stop underestimating mortals, as they very well have the power to destroy us if they wanted to, even more so with the help of some gods.

“This meeting is dismissed. Nico, Will, and Clarisse, please go get ready to leave as soon as possible. We need to find Hecate. The rest of you, go alert your parents, sibling, and friends of what is coming. Pack clothes for cold weather that make you look plain and human. Even if you are not affected by the cold,” Chiron sends a meaningful glance at Leo, “You must try not to showcase your powers around the mortals.”

With that, we all filter out of the room and go about our duties as if in a daze. I catch Estrella hauling Terra away with a harsh grip on her arm, tears threatening to overflow her eyes. Terra looks like she is trying to placate her but appears to be unsuccessful when Estrella harshly wipes away some tears that fell.

I also see Annabeth watching them, looking anxious about the prospect of Terra being part of the prophecy and putting herself in danger to protect Estrella. Dread is building in my stomach as I think about any of my loved ones getting hurt. I can’t believe I’m going through this again so soon. I need to call my mom. She’s going to be so upset with me.

I wander past Leo and Calypso in a tight embrace, Calypso dripping tears onto his shoulder, Hazel walking quickly away with Nico and Will, and Clarisse sharpening her spear. She’s the only one who doesn’t seem distraught by the thought of another war. I suppose she has her own way of handling it though, as I notice her giving Chris the cold shoulder and sharpening so violently that sparks fly.

I don’t have the capacity to think about this right now, so I head to my cabin and sit on my bed, looking around the room without really seeing anything. My brain tells me to pack but I can’t seem to move. I feel glued to the spot. Too many thoughts swirl in my brain at once that they all mesh together into a vague silence. Not one thought sticks for more than a second, so I just sit there. I sit, staring at nothing until the light shining through my window becomes a richer orange, and a fist raps against my door.

Before I can respond, Nico walks in and looks me up and down.

“What are you doing?” he asks, hands on his hips.

“Uhhh… um… I was just, um, packing,” I try, and he looks around for a bag or suitcase, finding nothing of the sort.

“Right. Packing. I too like to pack with no clothes or bag. Very efficient and effective,” he says with a raised eyebrow. I shrug and drop my hands into my lap, feeling like an idiot.

“I was just about to get it out.”

“Ok, Percy. I was just coming to say goodbye. I can’t leave until I know that you’re going to be okay. I know this is a lot for you right now. I wish I could take it all, but we have no choice. You can do this, you know? You shouldn’t have to, but you can, and you will. I know you will. But just know that you can IM me whenever, ok? If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed or scared. If being around Annabeth and Terra feels like too much. You can tell me anything.”

“I know, Nico. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine,” I begin but he doesn’t look convinced. I don’t like the pitying look he gives me. It makes me feel weak.

“I know you are. But I love you. And I want to hear from you. Once my little quest is over, I’m going to try and meet you guys. I don’t care what Chiron says. Nobody can keep me away from my cousin,” he smiles, and I give him a small one back, “You’re going to be ok, alright? You’re going to get through this. You can trust your team. They will have your back, so you can rely on them. You don’t have to be the strong leader this time. This is bigger than all of us.”

“I will. Thanks, Nico, I love you too. You be safe out there. Don’t wear yourself out with shadow travel. And don’t let Clarisse and Will boss you around. I’ll see you when this is over.”

“Bye Perce. See you soon.”

I watch him leave and stare at the door that closes behind him for about a minute before I finally get up and begin hunting around for things to throw into my backpack.

I can do this. People are relying on me. We can convince the mortals that we are not their enemy. We need to. The fate of the world lies in our hands yet again, and I am not going to sit back and watch. My future has been upended anyway, so there is nothing stopping me from putting my all into this quest.

This is the last one.

Chapter Text

Estrella POV: 

I am awoken from a horrible dream when harsh white light begins streaking through my window. I slept in Terra and the Roman transfers’ cabin last night because I didn’t want to be alone. I couldn’t be alone.

I have this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that just won’t go away. It’s telling me that something terrible is going to happen. This quest will not go well for us. I can just feel it.

I watch dust particles float by in the ray of sunlight above my head and try to just breathe. How on Earth am I meant to partake in this quest? I’ve had one sword fighting lesson. Just one. I can barely summon my powers and have relatively no way to defend myself. How am I supposed to survive this prophecy?

Moving as quietly as I can, I shuffle out of the cabin trying not to wake any of the sleeping campers inside. I make my way over to Bunker 9 hoping Calypso will lend me some clothes for the journey as I have absolutely nothing warm enough.

When I get inside, I stumble upon her and Leo having a subdued, serious conversation at one of the workstations. They both look up when they hear me enter, Leo looking relieved and Calypso looking slightly annoyed at being interrupted. Whatever she was trying to say was important to her.

“Hey, I can come back,” I start but Leo waves me off.

“No, no it’s fine come in. What’s up? Are you excited about our little road trip? Have you packed already?”

“I’m sorry, I’ll leave you to your conversation in just a second, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I say with an apologetic glance at Calypso, but she looks more annoyed with Leo than anything else, “I was just wondering if you had any warm clothes I could borrow. I didn’t get a chance to bring anything with me. If you don’t, that’s fine, I’ll try to see if anyone else has some spare pieces.”

“Ah, yes, I figured as such. Do not worry about interrupting Estrella, I wanted to speak with you this morning before you left anyway,” she sighs, “I was not able to sleep much last night so I packed you and Leo a bag with some warm clothes, food, ambrosia, nectar, and emergency supplies. And here,” she hands me a stack of folded clothes, “I picked out an outfit for you to wear today. Here you have some knitted socks, thermal leggings, double-lined joggers, a thin cotton long-sleeve turtleneck shirt, cotton crewneck sweater, and an extra thick fireproof coat here.”

I take in the stack of neatly folded clothes and am shocked she was able to make all of this herself. The clothes are all varying shades of white to dark brown, matching perfectly with one another. To top it all off, she pulls a thick, soft white-knitted beanie onto my head, flattening my hair against my forehead. I laugh and try to brush my hair out of my eyes while she asks me what size shoe I wear.

“10,” I answer,

“DAMN,” Leo shouts and I give him my best death glare.

“Call me bigfoot and I will shove this big ass foot where the sun don’t shine. Don’t try me,” I threaten, and he pales.

“What is that in men’s? 8.5? Oh perfect, you are the same size as Leo!” she exclaims, hunting around for another pair of black combat boots and handing them to me. Leo and I glance at each other embarrassedly, not sure who this news is worse for.

On the bright side, Leo’s used shoes are already broken in and I don’t have to worry about severing my Achilles tendon with a new boot. My heels are crying at just the thought of breaking in another pair of Doc Martens.

“Thank you, oh my god you’re the best, Calypso,” I pull her into a fierce hug, the fear of the quest ahead of me making me squeeze her a little tighter. I’m not sure if I’m coming back.

“Come, come, I wanted to speak to you for a moment. Leo, you stay there, I am not finished with you,” Calypso instructs and pulls me along with her into the small room she and Leo sometimes share in the back of the bunker.

“Are you alright?” she asks, placing a caring hand on my shoulder. I look her straight in the eyes and try to hide the dread and doom I’m feeling. I don’t want her to be even more worried about Leo.

“Yeah, just a little stressed about my lack of skill and questioning why I am part of this quest in the first place. I am definitely the weakest link of the group and might cause more harm than good.”

“You may have the least experience, but you have by far the most potential. Your mother is one of the most powerful goddesses. If you have even an inkling of her power, you can defend yourself against almost anyone. You just need to learn how to control it. You must also learn to trust your team. What you may lack in experience, they will make up for and will protect you with their lives. You have some sense of prophecy – I can sense it in you. Use that to your advantage and help keep them safe. They will need you just as much as you will need them. You are emotionally intelligent and need to be there for them to lean on. They are stronger with you, Estrella. It will take time to build trust, but you must not give up on them. I know you can help keep Leo safe.”

“I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“You do. You have already convinced us that you are good. You can do the same with Thomas. You know how to work in a team, Leo told me about your leadership in that volleyball game.”

“That was just a game. This is life or death.”

“You are right. But you will find that it is not so different. You must be quick on your feet and trust those feelings you have. And if things go wrong, do not feel ashamed to let others fight for you. They were all inexperienced once, and they learned, as you will. I trust in you. You are the glue that will keep everyone together, not tainted with bias or past experience. Trust in yourself. You are brilliant, kind, loyal, and powerful. The mortals will see that as I always have.”

“Thank you,” I say sincerely and grab her hand, “And thank you for being so kind and welcoming to me during my time here at camp. I’ll always remember your kindness and generosity. If I make it back, I want you to teach me how to weave.”

“You will make it back. And of course I will teach you, it would be my pleasure. Thank you for being such a great listener and wonderful friend,” she grips my hand with both of hers and leans forward to look more closely into my eyes, “Be brave Estrella. Be strong.”

A lump forms in my throat at those words. The last words my father spoke to me. They’re right. I have to be strong, or I won’t survive. I don’t have a choice.

Rather than trying to choke out another sentence, I wrap her in another tight hug, letting her familiar cinnamon scent calm my nerves for a moment. When I pull back, I take a deep breath and resolve my face into a determined smile. I want to give her the comfort of knowing that I will try my best to protect Leo.

“I will see you soon,” she says, almost demanding it. I nod.

“Thank you for packing me a bag. And for the clothes. You’re a great friend. I’ve got to go get ready to leave though, so take it easy on Leo, okay? He’s probably just as sad to leave you. I’ll be there for him. You deserve this love, and I’m not going to let anything happen to him.”

Now she’s the one who looks like she has a lump in her throat. She nods and swallows thickly, sending me a small smile.

With that, I head back to the Roman guest cabin, dumping my haul onto my temporary bed and making sure Terra is awake and packed. She’s about halfway done, constantly getting distracted by the other people in the room and forgetting what she wanted to pack.

“Come on, Ter, hurry up! We have to grab some breakfast quickly and meet Argus out front in 30 minutes! Let’s go. No, you don’t need 10 pairs of underwear for a 1-2 day trip. I packed like 5 in case I shit myself multiple times a day and will most likely be totally fine.”

“But this is a quest, things are different! I could shit myself, fall in a lake, get my pants burned off, pants eaten by a monster, or piss myself in fear. Plus, I like a fresh pair each morning,” she counters, listing each thing off by ticking her fingers like it’s all happened before. I don’t want to know.

“Ok fine whatever, bring 10 I don’t care, just hurry up. Make sure you have extra socks and a big coat, and you should be fine. It’s a relatively quick trip anyway.”

“At least we hope so. There’s always the chance we get held up by something. Not to stress you out or anything, but things rarely go our way the first time around. But don’t worry, there’s a bunch of us so we’ll be fine!”

“Yeah, I feel totally reassured.”

Leaving her to finish packing, I make my way to the pavilion and try to force down some bread and grapes. My early morning anxiety nausea is back in full force, and I don’t have an appetite at all. I know I need my strength for today in case things go wrong though, so I eat anyway.

As we all agreed on last night, the rest of the 9 minus Frank eventually join me at the table. They all have a nervous air, their movements jerky and somewhat unsteady.

“All right, I just spoke to Argus, and he says the two vans are ready. Who wants to drive? I’ve been driving for a few years so I can take one,” Percy informs us, eye bags even more pronounced than the day before.

“I can drive if no one else wants to. I’ve never driven in snow though,” I volunteer, and he seems to think about it.

“Thank you, but I think it’d be best if someone with more icy experience drove.”

“I’ll drive then. There was lots of ice this year when I was doing my Pontifex Maximus duties. I can get us there quickly and safely,” Jason offers. Percy nods, more confident knowing Jason has the ability to drive on ice. The conditions are hazardous this time of year.

“Perfect. Let’s do four in each van. Do we want to do Hazel, Leo, and Estrella in mine, and Annabeth, Piper, and Terra in Jason’s?” Percy divides us up easily and I frown at the fact that I’m not in the same car as Terra but don’t say anything. I suppose Leo will have to do.

Everyone else agrees easily and finish picking at their breakfasts. None of them seem to have an appetite right now either.

Chiron sees us off at the border, wishing us luck and reminding us of the plan. As he ushers us down the hill, we get a glimpse at the somewhat run-down, beat-up minivans they’ve provided for us. One is a muted gold with rust stains around the door handles, and the other is a light blue with a dented and scratched bumper.

“THESE are the vans Argus got for us? Will they even make it to DC?” Leo complains, inspecting each vehicle.

“Well, you’re the perfect person to ensure they do, Mr. Valdez,” Chiron responds, tongue in cheek.

“Great, I’m working already,” Leo huffs and we roll our eyes. Not wanting to stand in the cold any longer, I give Terra a quick hug and turn to sit in the back seat of the light blue minivan before Hazel stops me.

“You sit up front in the passenger seat. You’re a better copilot than Leo or me. Leo gets distracted too easily and I’m not good with technology,” she smiles conspiratorially, and I don’t even put up a fight. I’m used to being the copilot for my dad, who relied on me for everything from snacks to directions to finding accommodations. Plus, I’m less likely to get carsick up here. Win-win.

“Alright guys, I’ll drive in front, and you follow. Remember, we’re picking up the Sanderson dude first in Harrisburg. If we get separated, just keep going, this mission is of utmost importance. There are enough of us to handle any conflict on our own, okay? Jason, buddy, try to keep up,” Percy ends with a smirk and gets into the driver’s seat of our van. I watch Annabeth and Terra file into the backseat of their golden van, already chatting and laughing. I feel happy for Terra but kind of sad that I’m not there laughing with them.

We set off at a speed that is quicker than I would have chosen to drive in snow and ice, but I hold back any comments. I watch Jason’s van fall behind quickly as he seems to be a much more careful driver and remind Percy that we want to stay together for now. He sighs and eases his foot off the gas a bit, allowing Jason to close the distance.

“Can you load up the directions? I know how to get out of New York but am lost from there,” Percy asks me, fumbling around for something in the middle compartment, “Leo, where did you put it?”

“Oh here,” says Leo, handing me a small black screen that glows when I turn it on, displaying a map of New York, “A monster-proof GPS! The first of its kind.”

“What do you mean monster-proof?” I wonder.

“Oh, you haven’t heard? Technology and demigods don’t mix. When we use it, monsters usually show up. I was able to engineer this one to operate on a different frequency that doesn’t attract monsters, so lead us forward Queen of Darkness. May your heart steer us clear and true.”

“That was the worst nickname I’ve ever heard. Never again, Leo.”

“You’re going to have to get used to it, that’s just part of my charm. But hey, we have all this time together in the car to figure out another nickname.”

“How long does it say the drive is?” Percy asks, peering over at the GPS. I poke him to make him focus on the road.

“A little over 5 hours, maybe a bit longer with traffic and icy conditions.”

“5 hours is plenty to rename you!” Leo sings from the back, and I lean my head dramatically against the headrest.

“He’ll fall asleep eventually,” Percy smirks, “At least I sure hope so.”

The next 2 hours of the drive go off without a hitch as we exit New York with Leo chattering non-stop. Some of the jokes make me laugh along with him while others make me roll my eyes in annoyance and pray that he will shut up soon. He must be nervous.

Hazel, on the other hand, is quiet as she leans against the window, looking almost wistful. She must be excited about seeing Frank again.

Percy and I are in the middle of chatting about our polar opposite high school experiences when something crashes through the middle of the windshield, slamming into the middle seat between Leo and Hazel. I gasp as Percy and I are pelted with broken glass, and he jerks the wheel, sending us spinning on the icy road as the wheels lock.

He throws an arm out like a mom, pressing me back against my seat as we finally come to a stop, slamming into a snowbank made up of dirty, recently plowed snow. We are splashed with freezing slush through the broken windshield, but I find myself relatively unharmed minus a few small cuts on the back of my hands from the broken glass.

Percy is out of the car, hunting around for an unseen enemy with his hand in his back pocket before I can even turn around to check on Leo and Hazel. They both look unscathed but shaken up. Leo holds up what looks like a cannonball with wide eyes.

“Uh, Percy?” I call, reaching for my own door handle but find that I can’t open my door as the right side of the car is pressed up against the snow. I lean my head out his window instead to warn him.

“The thing that broke the windshield was a-” I’m interrupted by another cannonball nearly taking off my head. I yank my head back inside and watch it sail toward Percy. He dodges it easily.

“Cannonball,” he finishes, “Yeah I noticed.”

Jason’s gold van comes screeching up behind us, nearly slamming into the back of us before he’s able to pull it to a stop.

“Are you guys okay?” he shouts out his window and Percy turns back to yell at him.

“Jason, get out of here! I told you to keep driving! We’ll catch up,” he orders and Jason nods quickly, pulling back into traffic and speeding away. I wish they’d taken me with them.

As Percy has his back turned, I spot another cannonball, this one seemingly on fire, flying right at his head.

“Percy!” I scream and he whips around, just barely spotting the flying object before it freezes in midair, then shoots back rapidly toward the person who threw it. It streaks by so fast that as soon as it makes contact with the thrower, they explode into golden dust. How in the?

“Thanks, Hazel” Percy breathes, and sprints away, toward what looks like a group of very large men holding even more flaming cannon balls. I feel frozen to the spot, unable to move or help the situation whatsoever. That anxious feeling in my stomach builds so intensely that I exit the car to be sick.

Before I can even close the door behind me, another cannonball smashes right into the left-front bumper and tire, sparking a small fire. I’m unsure if Leo’s fire powers extend to putting out flames, and he’s already running to help Percy, so I hastily kick some snow onto the fire until it’s snuffed out. I cringe as I survey the damage, noting the severely dented bumper and slightly melted front tire. The tire pressure warning is gonna be going off all drive now.

“Hazel, Chiron said we had to stay under the radar!” I remember, realizing how big of a scene we are causing, “This is definitely noticeable!”

“Ok, I’ll handle it,” she concentrates, and I notice a slight ripple of the air in front of me. Suddenly the cars that were slowing down to see what happened, speed up like they’re not seeing anything unusual anymore.

“It’s working!”

“They’re just seeing a car stopped on the side of the road. I can hold the mist for a while, but it’s difficult to make it work on so many people for so long. We need to leave soon. Watch my back while I focus,” she instructs and my heart rate speeds up. Of course, I’ll watch her back, but I’m not sure how much help I’ll be if something actually attacks us.

Cars constantly whiz by us, creating such a loud, powerful wind that I can barely hear myself think. As they blow by us, they shower us with mucky, freezing cold water, soaking into my socks and making me shiver. We need to get out of here before another car slips on a patch of ice and crashes into us.

I turn back to where Leo and Percy ran off to and notice that they’re fighting off one last man/monster/being. It seemed like there were more before.

I get another painful burst of fear and spin around to see a huge man sneaking up on Hazel, who’s too preoccupied to notice. I don’t want to shout at her and break her focus, or alert the man of my presence, so I creep around the other side of the van and hope to catch him by surprise.

Silently, I get close enough that I could theoretically jump onto his back from behind and stab my dagger into his neck. What really happens is that as I go to jump, my foot slips on slush and I am barely able to grip onto his shoulders. Instead of landing in his neck, my dagger slices into his muscular shoulder, making him roar in pain but unfortunately not burst into dust.

Before I can get my footing, he grabs me by the collar of my coat, yanks me in front of him, and wraps his arms around me so my arms are pinned against my sides. Heaving me into the air, he begins running away from the van, up the embankment, and toward a patch of trees. He holds me so tight that I can barely suck in a breath and can’t turn around to fight him. As he stumbles away with me in his grasp, I scream in frustration and try to kick my legs back into his shins to no avail. He’s too tall for me to do any real damage without my weapon.

As a last-ditch effort, I go completely limp in his arms and he trips over my legs in surprise. Unfortunately for me, when he trips, he falls forward, crushing me under his weight. I’m face down in the snow, completely vulnerable to attack once he gains his bearings. He’s so heavy that I struggle to breathe or move at all.

After a few seconds of struggle, I am able to wiggle my arm enough to free my dagger and thrust it backward blindly. He shouts in my ear and yanks my hair so hard that my head snaps back, but he still does not disintegrate.

Finally, when he starts to get up and places his knee against my spine, crushing me further into the ground, black spots begin appearing in my vision. I grunt in pain and wiggle frantically to no avail. I am about to lose consciousness when the crushing weight disappears and dust rains down on me like disgusting glitter.

I flop over dramatically and choke on remnants of dust as I gulp in air. Percy is standing above me, blocking out the sun as he looks down at me, breathing heavily. He looks frazzled and full of adrenaline.

“What were you doing?” he shouts, “You would have been killed in that position! You never let an enemy get behind you, especially not a monster!”

“Really Percy? It’s not like I meant to, I was sneaking up on him and slipped. He pulled me forward and grabbed me from behind, I had no choice!”

“You should have waited for one of us to help!”

“He was going to attack Hazel! She was distracted with the mist, and I wasn’t going to let her get killed right in front of me! Thanks again for another lecture, but if I wanted tips I would have asked,” I huff and struggle to my feet, holding back my wince to not give him the satisfaction. I would actually love any tips I can get, but I hate being scolded like a child, so I refuse to listen.

“Wait, I’m sorry, I was just worried,” he corrects, trying to calm himself, “Are you okay?”

“It’s fine, just cool it with the condescension, ok? I know I suck at everything because I’ve never been trained! I’m trying my best and trust me – I don’t really want to die. And yes, I’m fine.”

“You’re right. I’ll try not to lecture.”

“Thank you. I would love to learn from you, just not when you’re yelling at me,” I say, and turn back to the car, “Come on, we’ve got to get out of here before a semi crashes into us and kills us.”

We walk back down the embankment toward the highway and find Leo trying his best to patch up the front tire.

“I’m not sure if we’ll be able to make it all the way to Harrisburg in this car. The tire is melted and won’t hold air for long,” Leo explains, looking stressed, “I already IM’d Annabeth and they’re going to stop at a rest stop in Allentown so we can meet them and hopefully ‘find’ a new car. It’s about 45 minutes from here so we better pray we make it that far.”

“Ugh, ok. I think I can get us there quickly as long as we don’t find any more monsters along the way.”

To everyone’s surprise, we just barely make it to the rest stop without breaking down. Toward the end, Percy used water to hydroplane us the last few miles.

When we pull up next to the gold van, our shudders to a stop and refuses to turn on again. I take that as a sign to get out and stretch my legs and sore back.

Terra’s eyes nearly pop out of her head at the state of our car and my disheveled ponytail that I still haven’t taken the time to fix.

“Are you guys okay?” she utters, jaw slack with shock.

“Yeah, just some Laistrygonian giants throwing cannonballs at us. We handled them easily but our poor car did not,” Percy gestures at the smashed-up hood.

“I think we should split up,” Annabeth blurts and my stomach clenches, almost like it's yelling at me. No!

“I don’t know, we’d be safer with all of us together,” I begin, trying to ignore the sudden burst of dread, but no one listens to me.

“I agree. You guys need to get to Thomas as soon as possible. We need the most mortal-looking people with the least criminal record to be the face of us,” Percy thinks, “Piper is an obvious choice because of her famous mortal dad and Charmspeak if things go south.”

“Probably not you or Leo,” Annabeth agrees like she’s on the same wavelength.

“Yeah, I would probably be the worst candidate to convince the government that we don’t pose a threat. I also think Jason would be a good choice. He doesn’t have much of a record.”

“Estrella should go too. She has no record and is the closest to mortal right now with her powers not fully developed. And she literally was just introduced to this world, so she is least likely to make any slip-ups,” Leo campaigns, and my dread just gets worse. My skin feels like it’s crawling with prickly bugs, warning me to just run.

“And Annabeth,” Piper finishes, “Because we need someone smart enough to convince them of our case with facts and logic, not just Charmspeak.”

They all nod in agreement, satisfied with their choices. The only real change is Terra and I switching cars. Even that small detail has sweat blooming on my lower back.

“Great, so you guys go ahead and find Sanderson. We’ll find another car to use and catch up to you as soon as possible,” Percy says with finality. He sounds so sure that I want to believe it will all work out, but something is screaming at me to not let them stay behind. Find a different solution. Something bad is going to happen.

“Maybe we should just wait-” I begin but am interrupted by an image of a bloody Nico appearing in front of Percy. I see Clarisse and Will in the background looking exhausted but determined.

“Percy, hey. We’re still in Salem and haven’t managed to find Hecate yet. We’ve been attacked 3 separate times, so I’m starting to think maybe this was a trap. We have heard whispers of Hecate’s presence and have been attacked more recently, so we might be getting closer. I’ll let you guys know if we find anything. Be careful. Something strange is going on,” Nico warns us. It only confirms my overwhelming anxiety. Nobody seems to want to listen though.

“Hey, thanks for the warning. Yeah, we got attacked once already and still haven’t made it to Thomas yet. Be safe and if things start to feel too dangerous, I’d just call it off. We can call Hecate to us somehow,” Percy replies, looking antsy, “Our car was totaled, so we’re splitting up for now. We’re going to try and meet once we find another car.”

“Ok, sounds good. Keep me updated and let me know if you guys need help.”

“Will do. Tell Clarisse I said she sucks.”

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate that,” Nico deadpans and ends the call.

If no one else will listen to me, I’m going to try to appeal to Terra one on one. I pull her to the side, and she looks at me cautiously.

“Terra, I don’t think we should split up. I think this is a really bad idea and I have that feeling I always get before something goes wrong,” I plead, desperation making my eyes fill with tears, “Something isn’t right, and this isn’t going to end well. Please believe me, I am so sure that we shouldn’t split up. We need to stick together.”

She scans my face and sees my sincerity. My surge of emotion makes her pale, knowing how serious the situation is.

“You’re sure?” she asks, and I nod, “Ok Es, just try to breathe and calm down. You’ll feel better if you don’t think about it. I don’t think we have another option. This is urgent. I’ll warn Percy though and we’ll keep an eye out for danger. It’ll be okay. I promise.”

Her promise does nothing to quell the roaring fear inside me. I’ve pled my case and failed. When this all goes wrong it’ll be my fault.

With a nervous glance back, I climb into the back seat of Jason’s van. Annabeth sits next to me with an uncertain look on her face. She doesn’t seem too happy about leaving Terra behind.

Eventually, we drive off, slowly but surely. Jason is a much different driver than Percy. While Percy drove confidently and quickly, Jason drives very carefully, utilizing his turn signal perfectly, and staying out of the fast lane. For some reason, this makes me feel less safe.

I must say, it is nice to not have frigid air blowing in through a broken windshield though. Jason and Piper talk quietly to each other, laughing and smiling like nothing is wrong. Annabeth tries to make pleasant conversation with me, but I don’t much feel like talking, especially how she shot down every one of my ideas yesterday.

The farther we get away from the rest stop, the more my dread grows. My mind is a whirlwind of the same thought over and over. Something is wrong. Something is wrong. Something is wrong.

We drive for another hour, getting closer and closer to Harrisburg with no word from the others. I hope and pray that they found a car easily and just didn’t feel the need to call and update us. Maybe Percy is racing down the freeway to meet us right now. You know they aren’t.

Finally, we make it to the address Chiron gave us and pull up to a security gate outside of a huge plot of land. In the distance, we see a huge house with white brick walls and dark wood trimming. A tall brick chimney puffs out dark smoke, steaming against the frosty air.

Jason pulls up to the guard house and rolls down the window. The guard inside looks very serious about his job and annoyed to have to deal with teenagers in a beat-up old van.

“You’ve got the wrong address, kid. The party house is a few streets down. Leave now,” the grumpy man grunts around a steaming mug of coffee. I envy him.

“Sorry, my name is Jason Grace. We’re here to see Thomas Sanderson.”

“Mr. Sanderson is not expecting anyone. You don’t have an appointment and he certainly does not take home visits. Turn around now before we have trouble,” the guard orders and places his hand on his holster in a warning gesture. My eyes nearly bug out of my head.

“Jason,” I hiss and both Piper and Annabeth shush me. I slump back in my seat, trying to avoid the man’s tough glare.

“Sorry sir, this meeting is urgent. Could you tell Mr. Sanderson that Chiron sent us? Chiron from Delphi Strawberry Service. We apologize for not calling in advance, I’m afraid it was under emergency circumstances, sir. It is of vital importance,” Jason tries, putting on the charm. I’m impressed at his respectfulness.

“Chiron is a dear friend of Mr. Sanderson. He practically raised him. We promise, this is extremely important, and we will be in and out as quickly as possible,” Piper adds and her words convince me that Chiron really did raise Sanderson. It seems absurd for us not to be let in.

“Fine,” the guard gives in, “I will call Mr. Sanderson and alert him of your presence. Wait here and do not move. If he refuses to meet with you, you must leave immediately.”

“Thank you, sir,” Piper beams and the guard's frown lessens only slightly. He walks back into the guard house and picks up the telephone to call Mr. Sanderson, all the while keeping one suspicious eye on us.

We wait for about 5 minutes as the guard goes back and forth on the phone, narrowing his eyes at us with each exchange. Finally, he hangs up the phone with a slam and comes back out to meet us.

“A guard will come and escort you shortly. Do you have any weapons?”

I think about my large scabbard and sword at my feet. My dagger sits on the seat next to me. There’s no way I’ll be able to sneak these in. How are we going to explain these to the guard?

“My dad is a blacksmith,” Annabeth lies, “and we just came from a visit with him. We have a few weapons he made. I know Mr. Sanderson is highly into security and weapons, so we brought some as a gift.”

“Right,” the guard narrows his eyes, unconvinced, “I’m going to have to confiscate those. You can collect them on your way out. No weapons will be brought onto Mr. Sanderson’s property. Hand them over.”

Annabeth gathers my knife and sword, her drakon bone sword, and Piper’s blade Katropis, and hands them to the guard. Thankfully, they are gaudy enough that Annabeth’s lie makes more sense. They look more decorative than a concealed knife used to stab victims.

“Is that all?” he asks, face scrunched up in confusion at the weapons. We all nod, intent on keeping Jason’s coin/sword secret.

“Kids these days,” the guard mutters as he drops the weapons into a basket in the guardhouse.

A few seconds later, the gate slides open smoothly on freshly oiled tracks. I spot seven cameras on the gate alone, motion sensor lights, and a rifle in the arms of the guard escorting us. Who is this guy?

Without a word, the guard beckons us to drive forward, then puts his hand out for us to stop once we’re inside the gate.

“Get out here. You will leave your car here and walk up to the house with me. If I catch you doing anything suspicious, I will not hesitate to shoot. You are on private property, so we have the right to defend ourselves. Understood?”

Annabeth, Jason, and Piper nod like they are unfazed by his sternness and threats, but I pale dramatically. Even after everything I’ve been through the last few days, being threatened by a human with a gun sends my heart rate spiking. I stand even less of a chance against this weapon than I do against a vicious monster.

We slowly exit our vehicle and follow the guard up to the house. My knees shake and my stomach gurgles in fear, but I put on my bravest face and follow along.

The house is much larger than it looked from the guardhouse. I have to crane my neck up to get a good look at it. I spot at least 6 more cameras along the roof.

“You are to move slowly and intentionally once inside. Keep your hands out of your pockets where we can see them. If you make any sudden movements, we will be forced to act. Mr. Sanderson is a very careful man, and we will not be taking any chances with suspicious teenagers that show up out of the blue. Got it?” the guard commands. I nod rapidly, clenching my jaw in terror and taking my hands out of my coat pockets slowly.

“Good. Now, welcome in,” he opens the door to reveal a wide-open foyer with marble floors and bright lighting. Much different than the high-tech, dark dungeon that I was expecting, “Make it quick. Mr. Sanderson is a busy man.”

He ushers us to the left, into a large office with windows that look out onto the front lawn covered in snow. A warm fireplace crackles on the wall opposite us. An old man who I assume is Thomas Sanderson sits at a wide, expensive-looking mahogany desk with a plush, leather tufted chair. When he spots us, he stands to acknowledge us, then motions for us to sit in the four chairs in front of his desk. Once we sit, he does too.

“Hello, you must be Jason,” the old man addresses the only boy in the room and us three girls glance at each other with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, hello sir. I am a student of Chiron right now. It is so nice to finally meet you, we have heard so much about you,” Jason lays the flattery on thick, “And this is Piper, Annabeth, and Estrella. They are also students.”

“Ah yes. I see. What is the reason for your visit?”

“I’m afraid we have some dire news. As I’m sure you’ve heard, some mor- ah- people have been reporting instances of what they call, you know, ‘monsters,’” Jason explains, glancing back nervously at the mortal guards in the room. Thomas looks in the same direction and purses his lips.

“Guards, could you leave us for a moment? I want to hear about my old friend in private.”

They file out of the room without question and Mr. Sanderson turns back to us.

“You should never talk about Greek mythology in front of mortals,” he chides, and Jason scrunches up his face in confusion.

“It’s not a myth. It is very real, as I’m sure you know. Anyway, like I was saying, mortals have been reporting instances of seeing monsters more and more frequently. We’ve also heard a rumor that Hecate is missing and that Zeus has shut the borders of Olympus.”

“Listen here boy,” the old man spits, leaning close, “You do not come here, to my home unannounced, talking about that nonsense. I run a tight operation here, as you can see. To these people, I am as human as them. I do not speak about gods or the mist or anything of the sort. I work for the US government, not Olympus. So, just why are you trying to get me involved in such a matter?”

“Sir, if I may,” Annabeth begins sarcastically, “We would not be here if we didn’t have to. You see, Moros and Apate have been recruiting mortals and tricking them into thinking that gods and demigods are their enemies. They think we are out to steal their land and kill them. An army is being gathered, and soon, demigods, like you, are going to be targeted and killed. For no reason. Is that what you want?”

“I have heard of no such thing. I have worked hard to make sure the US government stays away from Greek problems. Do you know how hard it was to explain the eruption of Mount Tam? Or the giant storm that killed thousands of people? Or the inexplicable destruction in New York? If the US government has received reports of gods or monster sightings, I would be one of the first to know. A threat like that would not get past me.”

“Well, sir, it has,” Piper explains calmly, “There is even a new prophecy that begins with, ‘Mortals are blinded by doom and deceit.’ That’s got to mean something, right? We got it from our oracle herself.”

“That is exactly why we came, sir. We want to make sure the Greek and mortal worlds stay separate. We want to avoid a war like this at all costs as we know it would be catastrophic for both sides. The mortals think we are the enemy. We just want a chance to convince them that we are not. And I think you can help us. You have access to the government. We need to start from the top down to avoid this getting worse,” Jason pleads, making a very convincing case. The old man stares out the window in contemplation.

“I cannot help you,” Thomas finally decides, clasping his hands in front of him on the desk, “I have worked hard building this life for myself. I will not risk my reputation on the words of mere teenagers. If I help you, I lose my position and the trust that I have built for myself. My friends. I cannot and will not risk it. You all will need to find another solution.”

“If I may,” I speak for the first time, trying to ignore the relentless tight feeling in my stomach that has not gone away since we left the rest stop, “Sir, the demigods to be targeted are literal children. As much as I disagree with the entire aspect of raising child soldiers, these children are in fact trained. They will not hesitate to defend their camp and try to stand against the massive machines and weapons of the US government. You and I both know they will have no chance. Are you willing to stand behind the murder of hundreds of children? I thought you worked to defend the US. We are all US citizens just as much as the adults in the army and even you! If you help us, you will not only be saving hundreds of children’s lives, but preventing a war that has the potential to kill millions across the US. You and I both know how horribly the gods would react to the murder of their children. In that case, which you can help us avoid mind you, there would be a real threat on our hands – the wrath of the gods. Humans don’t stand a chance against the gods.”

Annabeth gives me an impressed side eye and Piper and Jason nod along emphatically. I guess my one-year stint on the debate team in middle school did me some good after all.

“The humans have a better chance than you’d think,” the old man says ominously, and the hairs stand up on the back of my arms, “Do you really think this is the first time the US government has been alerted of the gods? I assure you, girl, it is not. I’ll have you know that I take my job very seriously. May I remind you that my boss is the Secretary of Defense? As if I would not tell them what I know,” he scoffs.

“I-I thought you wanted to hide your identity,” I stutter, paling by the second. The worried façade is gone.

“I did. I also shared some hints about how to incapacitate and/or capture gods. You see, I really do love my job. I would do anything to keep it. Including selling out my own ‘kind.’ Because, let’s all be honest here, I am nothing like you. I was raised in a time where being different meant being scrutinized. You were not praised for standing out, so I learned to blend in. You four, however, stick out like a sore thumb. I’d even go as far as to say that you’re a son of Jupiter,” he nods his head in Jason’s direction, and Jason flinches.

“Are you surprised by this? As if I wouldn’t be able to tell from your rigid posture and air of superiority. No, you sure do not blend in. I can almost smell that same arrogance of your father,” Thomas spits, “Or maybe it’s the file we have on you. Perhaps that’s it. Alcoholic mother, absent dad (Jupiter of course), raised by wolves, promoted to Praetor, memory erased by Hera, member of the Seven. Maybe that’s what gave you away.”

The following silence is deafening, haunting. Jason doesn’t even move a muscle, so Thomas continues. My blood runs cold.

“And you, Piper McLean, daughter of a famous movie star – an even bigger dunce – and my slutty auntie dearest, Aphrodite. I really don’t see the resemblance. Ah wait, dull personality and lack of anything up here,” he taps his temple with a wrinkled finger, “Yes, I see it now. At least Annabeth Chase here doesn’t try to hide that she’s a bitch. No, she’s just as acrid and stuck up as her mother. But you… you are quite mysterious,” he directs at me. I shift uncomfortably and he pins me to my seat with a threatening stare. This man is dangerous. Gone is the elderly man with shaking hands. No, instead I see a sharp man who will do anything to protect himself. He has an agenda. I’m just not sure why.

“I looked up your file, Estrella Martinez. There isn’t much on you. Loud, unsuccessful immigrant father, working late nights to avoid ever having to see you,” he smiles almost innocently, and I clench my jaw so hard my teeth threaten to crack, “Can’t blame him though, your mother wanted nothing to do with you either. Who is she though, to create such a mortal-looking girl with an underdeveloped brain? There must be a reason she isn’t on file. Probably a worthless minor goddess who sleeps with all the mortal men she comes across to create a thing like you.”

“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to,” Jason seethes, “but you should respect those gods that could end your life in an instant. My father may be arrogant, but he wouldn’t hesitate to defend me. You should remember that, old man.”

“Oh, you’re right, I forget myself, how could I be so foolish? Ah, wait, that’s strange. I seem to recall hearing rumors of Olympus being closed. From… you, actually. Doesn’t seem like Jupiter will be rushing to protect his little genius boy anytime soon, does it?”

The air in the room starts to feel a bit staticky and I can feel my hair raising. Piper places a hand on Jason’s forearm, and he calms down a bit, only becoming more of a dangerous, quiet anger. We need to appear as non-threatening as possible.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot here,” Piper tries, “We did not mean to insult you in any capacity. We came to plead your help because you are the only one who can help us. We heard about your bravery and sacrifice, sir. Helps us convince the government that we are not a threat," she pleads with that familiar sweet undertone of Charmspeak. I’d do anything to help her. Sanderson doesn’t look convinced though. If anything, he looks angrier.

“Stupid girl,” he spits, turning red and veins popping out in his neck, “You mean to convince the government that you are not a threat, yet you attempt to bewitch me. You have blown any chance of me helping you. I was hesitant anyway, but now you’ve finalized my decision. Olympians and demigods have no consideration for human life. You think you are above it all. You are wrong. And you will see. We have more than just methods of avoiding Charmspeak.”

“W-what? S-sir I, I didn’t try to-” Piper stutters but he interrupts her immediately, standing up and stretching.

“Ah, I think that’s been long enough,” he smiles, “Men, what’s the ETA on the van?”

The men outside the door enter the room with blank faces.

“Pulling up now sir,” one of them grunts, “Restrain the assets?”

“Sure, why not. They did try to manipulate me,” Sanderson grins, and before I can blink, two men grab the arms of Jason and shove bronze handcuffs around his wrists. He explodes with electricity for about a second, throwing one of the guards back before it peters out and the second guard closes the clasp. He frowns in concentration again, trying to summon lightning but failing. All at once, we realize what’s happened and the room explodes into chaos.

Annabeth shoves her hand into his back pocket, grabbing his coin, flipping it in one smooth motion, and catching a golden sword.

More guards pour into the room, brandishing pistols. It only takes one of them pointing a gun at me for me to put my hands up in surrender. Annabeth, however, isn’t done yet. She slices the sword at Thomas, the only person vulnerable to that blade, but he’s quicker than he looks. With surprising strength, he kicks the desk at her, smashing it into her hips, so she folds over it, slamming her elbows against the wood.

Piper punches a guard in the face, ripping the pistol out of his hands. She turns and shoots him in the shin, working her way back to Jason, who is struggling madly against two guards that slowly try to drag him out of the room. He kicks and headbutts, making the guards weary to approach him.

While all this goes on, I slowly inch my way back into the shadows of the room. The guard with his gun pointed at me looks away for a moment and when he looks back, he seems to have lost sight of me, even though I’m only about 10 feet away from him.

Annabeth screeches in frustration as Thomas grabs her head with both hands and slams it against the desk. She manages to nick his side with the blade before he smacks her across the face with a paperweight. She goes crashing into the wall, discombobulated only for a moment. That one second is just enough for another guard to get handcuffs around her wrists. She fights until the very last second though, kicking anyone that comes near her, biting, growling, and screaming like a feral animal. When a guard bats her in the head with the handle of his gun, she goes still.

Piper now stands in front of Jason, shielding him with her own body and firing round after round at the guards that approach. Most fall with arm or leg wounds, none of them fatal. She ducks as one fires a round off at her, and her head meets the knee of a man she missed off to the side. She goes down for a second too, knees buckling and nose bleeding. Her hands fly to her nose, which gives the guards an opportunity to swarm in and restrain her.

I’m the only one left, hiding in the shadows next to a bookcase. They all turn and scan the room, spotting me easily. As soon as they all level their guns at me, the room goes black.

I can still see.

All 3 of my friends are restrained with guns pointed at their heads.

“Who shut off the power??” Thomas yells and I hear a few sets of footsteps run out of the room.

“I can’t see anything!”

“Where is the last girl? What just happened?!”

“Did she do that?!”

“Don’t let go of the assets!”

Jason and Piper know who caused the blackout and start struggling more furiously.

I start inching my way out of the room, avoiding everyone and trying not to walk too fast to create a breeze. Jason’s head follows where I walk, and I try to be even more silent.

“If you don’t reveal yourself in 5 seconds, a bullet is going into this bitch’s head!” the man holding Piper shouts and clicks the safety off. I can see his finger pulling the trigger tighter.

“Wait, j-just hold on a second! We can resolve this without-”

I’m cut off by a gunshot and a searing pain in my left side. As I fall to the ground, I see Thomas’s gun smoking in the dark behind me. He must have heard the direction my voice was coming from.

As I slam into the ground, a scream rips out of my throat, cut off by my frantic gasps of pain. I put my left hand over the wound, trying to bite back my groans and sobs of immense pain. As I feel wetness growing against my palm, I get more and more lightheaded.

Suddenly, the darkness fades all at once and I see my friends’ shocked faces. Jason blinks, slightly disoriented by the sudden brightness, and pales when he sees me on the floor. Piper’s nose is bleeding freely as she squirms in her guard’s grip.

Pathetically, I try to scoot away from the menacing guards approaching me, but my bloody hand slips against the smooth marble floor and fiery pain rips through my midsection. They aren’t gentle as they grab my wrists, yank me to my feet, and tightly snap handcuffs around my arms. My knees constantly buckle as I feel liquid dripping down my leg. My head is spinning, and I’m convinced that I’m about to die.

Spots appear across my vision as we’re roughly dragged out of the office, down the hall, and down the front steps into a waiting armored van. I gasp as I’m thrown in, landing on my left shoulder. I can’t seem to catch my breath through the pain.

Jason is thrown in after me, practically landing on my right side, putting more weight on my wound against the handle of a seat. A pathetic whimper escapes my lips, tears escaping my eyes and dripping into my lap. I’m trying to stay silent, but I can’t ignore the throbbing aching in my side. I’m going to die.

“Sorry,” he whispers, sitting up and scooting away from me a bit. He looks as defeated as I feel, and three times as guilty. It’s like he blames himself for the utter shit show that just occurred.

“Not your fault,” I gasp, trying to press my back against the seat in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. The next wave of agony is longer, making my head droop against my chest.

They throw in Piper and Annabeth next, Piper looking a bit woozy and Annabeth still completely limp. Piper shifts so Annabeth’s head is laying awkwardly in her lap. She’s going to be in pain when she wakes up.

Through my haze, I notice 4 guards filing into the van as well, making sure we are strapped in and properly restrained. They shove me forward, clip my handcuffs to something, then push me back against the seat. I can’t put up much of a fight with my limbs all feeling heavy and numb.

Jason struggles a bit more, shouting at the guards, yelling for someone to help stop my bleeding, and trying to headbutt anyone that comes near.

“Shut your mouth or we will let her die,” one of the men hisses in his face. He goes quiet at that, shaking with rage. Piper and Annabeth are separated and restrained, Annabeth’s head shoved against the headrest carelessly.

When the guards buckle themselves in against the wall across from us, I feel the van begin to move. Even though the worst possible scenario just occurred, the tight, uncomfortable feeling in my stomach remains. Something bad is going to happen.

I’m in and out of consciousness for the remainder of the ride, the only thing sticking out being the interaction with the man at the guardhouse. I hear mumbles of conversation from the driver’s open window.

“-taking them to the facility.”

“You’re taking the kids? Did I hear gunshots? Is everyone ok?”

“Yeah, one of them shot around 10 of our men, mostly in extremities, nonfatal. They’re being treated now. The assets are restrained in the back, thankfully. Can’t have those things running free. Mr. Sanderson shot one of ‘em, so maybe they’ll be a little more obedient.”

“He shot a kid? Are they ok? What about the van? What do I do with that?”

“Don’t worry about it. It deserved it. They’re not kids. And you can dispose of the van. They won’t be coming back for it, so there’s no need to keep it on our property. I’ll see you later,” the driver grunts and we drive off. With no windows in the back, I have no clue where we’re going and my side hurts too much to have any sense of direction.

As my clothing gets wetter around the wound, my hearing gets fuzzy, and I can’t seem to pick up my head anymore. I hear Jason whispering something to me, nudging me with his shoulder but I don’t understand his words. The buzzing in my ears gets a bit louder, Jason moving around more, but I just want to sleep.

One last thought goes through my mind before I just accept the sleepiness and drift off into a fitful sleep full of pain.

Frank was supposed to meet us.

Chapter Text

Percy POV:

~TW this chapter is very dark and intense, with mentions of SA, torture, and gore/bodily waste~

I’ve just about had enough of this quest already. As usual, nothing has gone my way. First, I’m stuck in a car with Leo for hours on end, attacked by my least favorite Canadians ever, forced to use my powers to get us to the rest stop, and am now on the hunt for a new car that we will probably have to steal. Just another thing to add to my criminal record.

I’m starting to doubt that I’ll ever have a life outside of the demigod world.

With everyone’s eyes on me, I’m trying hard to remain calm and be a good leader, when all I really want to do is lay down and cry. I doubt Leo, Hazel, or Terra would be very impressed with that.

So, like always, I carry on, scouting the vehicles parked at the rest stop for the best one to borrow. Estrella’s warning to Terra is weighing heavily on my mind. How could she be so sure that something is going to happen? Surely, it’s just a feeling, right?

I’m too busy moping to notice the suspicious men lingering around our gold car a few spaces over. I only look up once Leo yanks me behind a big grey Toyota Sequoia and shushes me. As I peek my head out, I spot them, too rigid to be regular people, yet not big enough to be more Laistrygonians. They’re either monsters in disguise or cops. In my eyes, they look very similar.

“Where’s Hazel?” I whisper, worried for my friend. Leo locks eyes with me, fearful and unsure.

“She went in the opposite direction with Terra. I’m not sure where the guys came from, so hopefully they didn’t run into them.”

“They look suspicious, we need to hear what they’re doing here.”

We creep closer slowly and silently, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. One of the men pulls out what looks like a big satellite phone. Probably not monsters.

“Sir, we’ve got the place surrounded. We’re at the vehicle now, which seems to be abandoned. Our scouts did not mention seeing them flee, so they must still be here. Don’t worry, we’ll flush them out in no time. The holding center is prepared, right?”

My heart thumps loudly in my chest. Who are these guys? They must be with Apate and the General. How am I supposed to get my friends out of here if the place is surrounded? How on Earth am I meant to find Hazel and Terra? I barely have any energy left after using my powers so much today. Maybe Estrella was right.

“Percy,” Leo hisses, interrupting my frantic spiral of thoughts, “What do we do?”

“Just- I’m trying- Let me think! Uhhh,” I frantically rack my brain for any ideas, but I feel trapped. Now would be a good time for Annabeth to be here and come up with a plan, but I’m all out of luck. We don’t want to cause too much damage and risk being discovered by the rest of the population that we’re trying to convince to trust us. We can’t let this get spun as us being the bad guys. We also can’t let Apate’s men capture us. I don’t know what to do.

“There!” one of the men shouts and goes sprinting in toward the snow in front of the vending machines, which now has large sprouts of dry grass bursting through. I get a glimpse of Terra and Hazel running through the grass before it becomes too thick and tall to see through. So much for remaining inconspicuous. How the hell will we explain this to mortals?

Another set of footsteps behind us startles me as a man sprints toward the commotion. I didn’t realize how close he had gotten to us. We need to move.

Quickly, the grassy patch is surrounded by men who draw their weapons. A few of the men try to enter the grass but get taken out with flying shiny projectiles. One flies so far that it lands close enough for me to identify it as a jewel. Hazel.

“Ok, Leo, you need to find a car as soon as possible – any car, ok? Get it running and ready to go. Don’t get caught or we’re fucked. I’m going to cause a distraction and help out Hazel and Terra. We need to get out of here as soon as possible. If you’re about to get caught, just leave and try to find help. Don’t be a hero and get yourself killed because if we all get captured, no one will know to help us. Understand?” I grab Leo by the shoulders firmly and look him straight in the eyes. No time for bullshit. We escape now or get captured. There’s no alternative. Screw being undercover, if they try to shoot my friends, I’ll flood the godsdamn world if I have to.

“Ok. I’ll honk three times. When you hear that, come running and jump in. If you don’t hear that in five minutes, well…”

I nod and sprint off. I have no time to waste as it seems the projectiles are slowing down. Some of the men, around 20 at this point, which is much more than I had anticipated, begin shooting into the grass wildly. My blood boils with anger. Are they idiots? They could hit a civilian!

I hear a shout from back where the gold van sits but keep running. I make my way to the edge of the building and crouch behind a bush. I put my hand against the wall and sense thousands of pounds of sewage and water running through pipes. Perfect.

“He’s here! Sir, I’ve got eyes on the main hostile. Permission to shoot?” a man shouts into his walkie talking behind me and I whip around, staring down the barrel of a gun. I feel the familiar tug in my gut as I focus on pulling all the water to me.

“No! We need him alive – he is our main priority. I repeat, capture ALIVE-”

I don’t have time to hear the rest of the sentence before the wall behind me explodes, a wall of stinking fresh sewage completely sweeping him away. I misjudged the force of the water in my haste and cringe as I see him fly back so far, he lands behind the parking lot, almost in the forest. I can see why I have such an extensive record.

A shout of pain from the grass shakes me and I pull more water from the building, the ground rumbling beneath me. With a roar, I send a massive stream of water at the men surrounding the grass, washing them away toward the northbound freeway on the right.

When the coast seems clear enough, I make my way across the snow, running as fast as I can to the grass. Before I can make it the last 100 feet, a searing pain erupts in my left knee, making me unexpectedly collapse on my next step as my leg gives out. I yell through clenched teeth, forcing my way back to my feet and hopping the last few steps to the tall grass. I blindly throw another wave behind me to hopefully flush out whoever shot me.

“Hazel? Terra?” I shout, gasping for breath through my pain.

“Percy?” Hazel’s voice calls and I hop toward the sound, ignoring the blood soaking my pant leg. I find them crouched together in the center of the grass, Terra gripping her outer bicep with bloody fingers. She has a surface wound where she was grazed by a bullet. Hazel has a lump on her eyebrow, her eye underneath quickly swelling to match.

“Are you guys okay?” I grunt through my pain, happy to see that they’re not more badly injured, “Leo should be pulling a car around any time now. He said he’ll honk three times to let us know.”

“Yeah, we’re fine, just a little scraped up. Who are those guys? Do you think they’re with Apate?” Hazel asks, keeping an eye out for more men.

“Yeah, Leo and I overheard them talking about capturing us and bringing us to some holding center. I think they-ah!” I cut off when I accidentally put more weight on my injured leg. Hazel looks down and gasps, grabbing me around the middle and putting my arm over her shoulders. She’s quite a bit shorter than me, so it doesn’t help as much as she hopes.

“Oh gods, Percy! You’re bleeding pretty badly! Can’t you heal yourself with some of that water?” she fusses.

“I thought about it, but I don’t want to accidentally give myself hepatitis or something with shitwater,” I begin, but realize with my wooziness and lack of mobility, I might be more of a hindrance to Hazel and Terra. The lack of honking also worries me. If Leo couldn’t get us a car, it’ll be up to me to get us out of here.

“Ah, whatever, maybe Apollo will help me out later,” I hope, and try to filter as much of the shit out as I can, semi-clean water flowing over my wound. I only get to stop the bleeding before I hear a voice call out.

“Percy Jackson, reveal yourself now or we will shoot this little elf. My boss wants you all alive, but he is willing to make an exception if I tell him it was a mistake. If you don’t come out right now my finger might just accidentally slip on the trigger and blow his crazy brains out.”

Hazel gasps and grips my bicep tightly. Terra looks pale and shell-shocked, not ready to put up much of a fight anymore.

I see no other option. I look down at my knee, the skin an angry red, but blood has stopped pouring out. I test my weight on it, and it nearly makes me throw up from the pain but doesn’t give out. Good enough for now.

Giving it one last go, I start to summon more of the sewage surrounding us but can’t do much before I feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest. I have one chance to do this right.

“Hazel, can you jam the gun?” I whisper and she widens her eyes for a second before closing them in concentration. Beads of sweat form on her forehead before she nods.

“Hurry. It’s too far to hold for long,” she grunts.

With all the strength I have left, I summon a wave so large it rivals a tsunami. Before I can unleash it on them, I hear the faint click of the man’s hand on the trigger. He laughs and chucks the gun to the side when he notices it won’t fire. He really would have just killed Leo. I can barely hold back a shudder.

“You think I didn’t bring backup?” the man shouts, a faint note of hysteria in his voice. In one swift motion, he pulls out a small black blade and holds it against Leo’s throat. I peek through the grass and see Leo’s beat-up face, barely able to stand on two feet. Our plan is fucked.

“Since freak zombie girl can control metals, I’ll do you one better! Fiberglass knife! Half as heavy, just as sharp,” the man shouts, beaming widely. He looks too proud of himself.

“Still nothing?” the man calls, tightening his grip on Leo, “You’ve seen that I won’t hesitate to kill him. I thought you were loyal. Guess you’re not all you’re cracked up to be, hm? Oh well, we don’t need tiny fire boy anyway, too bad my hand just slipped on this blade. My boss won’t mind. Oh, whoops-”

“Stop!” I shout, and emerge from the grass, limping and exhausted. The man holding Leo is the same one we saw speaking on the phone earlier. He’s tall and muscular with a scarred, pockmarked face and beady eyes. There’s something off about him, sending a shiver down my spine when I look into his eyes. Looks like Estrella was right once again.

When the man sees me emerge, his face splits into an even wider grin, exposing his yellow, crooked bottom teeth. I clench my jaw in pain, fury, and fear.

“Aw, I knew I could count on you, buddy,” he smiles like he knows me, creeping me out even more, “Well, come on, don’t be shy. I don’t bite.”

“Looks like you do.”

“What was that?” he asks, smile dropping instantly as he presses the knife even further into Leo’s neck, “Sounded like an insult to me. You don’t want to do that. I know you’re quite the funny guy, but I’m not a fan of jokes. Unless they’re my own, of course. And if you’re not a big fan of my teeth, you can blame your kind who poisoned my town’s water source and killed our crops. I’d say you have bigger issues than that though. So why don’t you come over here before I make this one shut up forever. I’d be doing all of us a favor, really.”

I bite back my response as I take a few steps forward, thinking about my next move. I could easily end this man’s life with his body’s water content if I wanted to. I promised I would never do anything like that again, though. That would make me just as bad as them.

I take a few more steps forward and notice Leo’s palm turning red hot. Before I can move, he presses it against the man’s thigh and ducks away from the blade. The man screams in pain, gripping his leg with both hands and hopping away. Leo makes a run for it, and I summon another wave with my last burst of energy. The wave sweeps through the men, dragging most of them away before they have time to run. To my annoyance, the creepy guy hops onto the hood of a car and clings on before I can wash him away. A few more get lucky like him as well.

I’ve used up the last of my energy and struggle to stay on my feet. We only have a few seconds to fight back and get out of here.

Leo launches a fireball at the car the creep hand onto and it explodes in a massive burst of orange. Before he can launch another one, two men rush Leo and tackle him around the waist. He goes down with a struggle and I shout in frustration.

“Hazel, Terra, a little help here?”

They come bursting out of the grass, gripping their weapons and I turn back to smile at them in relief. They smile back for a second before their eyes widen and they point frantically behind me.

~~ TW ~~ (pretty intense scene so maybe don’t read if you’re squeamish)

I whip around as quickly as I can and am smacked in the face with a heavy metal net. The extra weight takes out my bad knee and I go down quickly. I try to reach for Riptide in my back pocket, but a man reaches through the net, shoving his hand into my pocket, ripping out the pen, and copping an extra rough feel that makes my cheeks burn in disgust and outrage.

Some of the men laugh and try to touch me, while others kick me mercilessly. I hear the sounds of struggle from Terra and Hazel’s direction and catch them being overrun with men too. Their wrists are shoved into bronze handcuffs before they can escape. That’s when I realize that the heavy net on me is also made of celestial bronze. I couldn’t use my powers if I wanted to.

“Well,” the creepy man in charge approaches, slightly breathlessly, and leans down above me, resting his weight on one hand on my thigh, a little higher than I’m comfortable with, but I can’t move to stop him. I feel utterly powerless.

“That was much harder than it needed to be, wasn’t it,” he sneers, reeking of sewage. His hand slides up a bit more and I try to squirm away. I’m kind of wishing these were monsters right about now.

“Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me,” I growl, trying and failing to escape his disgusting hands. The harsh metal scrapes against my skin as I move, pinning me even tighter to the ground.

“You’re in no position to be making demands, I’d say. In fact, I’d try to be a good little boy and not cause any more trouble if I were you.”

“You’re sick,” I spit, tears of frustration and terror building in my eyes.

“Leave him alone,” I hear Hazel shout, sounding like she is struggling furiously.

“Oh, I’m sick huh? I’m not the one who just tried to drown 20 men with liquid shit!” he screams in my face, noxious spittle landing on me, “You know what, let me show you how it feels!”

“Stop! You already caught us! Just take us to wherever your boss wants us already! You don’t want to leave them waiting,” Leo tries. The man breaks into a smile again.

“Oh don’t worry little boy, this will only take a minute.”

I squirm and struggle to no avail as the man disappears. I’m not sure what comes next, but it can’t be good.

A few seconds later, he reappears in my line of vision with what looks like a 5-gallon water jug from a dispenser. My heart drops into my stomach. He isn’t gonna…

Before I can take a breath, he dumps the water on me slowly, cackling madly. With the celestial bronze net over me, I find that my abilities to stay dry and breathe underwater have left me. I try to hold my breath for as long as possible, but he pours so slowly that I have no choice but to gasp for air. I turn my head to the side to avoid as much as possible but still choke as it enters my mouth and nose.

I can’t take this anymore.

“STOP IT,” Hazel screams and I hear her voice get cut off but what sounds like a hand over her mouth.

“You BASTARD! Stop!” Leo shouts and I can’t stop the tears that stream down my face now. My coughs mix with gags as I swallow some of the water, so violent that my whole body convulses under the net. I’m trapped. I’m drowning. I can’t breathe.

Soon the gags mix with sobs, and I curl onto my side. The water mixes with the snow and residual sewage on the ground, creating toxic fumes that I can’t seem to escape. Finally, the constant stream ends but my sobs don’t. I can’t move. I’m soaked, freezing in the snow, unable to avoid the nasty groping hands.

“Not so fun, was it?” the man sneers and I can only sob pathetically in response. I can’t seem to tell the difference between a gasping breath, a sob, and a gag. Maybe they’ve all meshed into one.

“Please,” I cry, curling in tighter on myself, “I-I’m sorry. Please.”

“That’s better,” he purrs, and I get goosebumps of utter disgust. I would rather face 100 monsters than this man. Sometimes humans are worse.

“Matt, I think that’s enough. We’ve gotta get them to boss before more of ‘em show up,” another voice calls from a few feet away. To me, he sounds like an angel.

“Ugh fine. Grab his hands and put on the cuffs. Make them nice and tight. And put a towel down before you throw him in, I don’t want my truck smelling like shit forever.”

~~ End of TW ~~ (I’m so sorry, I’m not even kidding I’ve been nauseous for 3 days after writing this)

I’m roughly ripped out from under the net, shoved into handcuffs, and thrown into an armored van. I can’t stop the shivers and shudders that rip through my body. Before they can stop me, I lean my head out the back and vomit, some of it splashing onto a guard’s shoes. He shouts in disgust and backhands my head into the legs of one of the seats. Stars erupt in my vision, and I still can’t catch my breath around my sobs. I want my mom.

“Perce…” Leo trails off once he’s thrown in as well, unsure of what to say to me. He’s never seen me this vulnerable and I can’t even make eye contact with him. I turn away from him as the guards close the door, not even bothering to strap us in. I guess they realized we can’t put up much of a fight now anyway.

“I’m so sorry,” Hazel begins, and I quiet my sobs to sniffles that still rack my body.

“I’m going to kill him,” Terra growls, totally unlike her. She sounds uncharacteristically furious. Gone is her usual bubbly persona and understanding nature. This Terra is murderous.

“Percy, are you…” Hazel trails off again, knowing the answer to that question. I remain turned away from them, curled on my side shivering. They don’t try to talk to me any more after that.

I want to scrub my skin raw. I want to take a bath in boiling water and scrub my mind clean of what just happened. Every time I close my eyes, I see grubby hands reaching for me, an endless stream of water splashing onto my face, and Matt’s beady eyes looking at me like I’m one of his possessions.

I’m not sure how they knew about my fear of drowning, but I never thought it would happen to me above ground. I feel like if I curl up tight enough, maybe I’ll be safe from the visions replaying in my mind. Maybe I’d be able to protect myself. If only I was stronger, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

I stay crunched up until the exhaustion catches up to me and I have no choice but to close my eyes and fade into a fitful sleep.

By the time I wake up, my whole body is sore. The car is pulling to a stop and my face feels tight from the salty dried-up tear tracks. It’s difficult to open my puffy eyes under the haze of sleep, but I slowly regain my bearings and remember where I am. The smell in the truck makes me so nauseous that I may throw up again as soon as they open the door.

I finally turn over and spot Hazel, Leo, and Terra, huddled together in one corner of the truck, using each other as a source of strength, warmth, and comfort. They knowingly stay a good distance away from me. I don’t want anyone touching me ever again.

“How long have we been driving,” I croak, my throat scratchy and sore. All three of them look up in shock and shake themselves out of their stupor. I was vulnerable enough earlier – I’m done showing weakness in front of them.

“Uh, not that long, maybe around 3-4 hours,” Leo guesses. He scans my face cautiously like I might break at any moment. This kind of pitying look is exactly why I can’t show people what I’m really feeling.

“Ok,” I sit up but wince when I try to straighten out my knee. It’s swollen and bruised, splotches of purple and green radiating up my leg. The entry hole where the bullet went in is closed and not bleeding but red and inflamed. It hasn’t healed at all. Fuck.

“Shit, that doesn’t look great,” Terra observes unhelpfully. I roll my eyes.

“It’s ok, they’ll probably want to help us heal for whatever they need us for. We’ll be fixed up in no time,” Hazel says optimistically and my heart clenches. She’s too pure for this world.

“I wonder how these guys even found us. What do they want from us? Why didn’t they just kill us?” Leo rambles and Hazel looks guilty.

“It’s my fault. I didn’t think to hide the car accident with the mist quickly enough. People probably got suspicious and alerted the authorities.”

“Hazel, it’s no one’s fault but those monsters,” Terra snaps, pounding a fist against the metal wall that divides us from the driver, “You couldn’t have known you were going to be attacked. We all did the best that we could. And we will continue to do so. We’re better than these assholes, we have morals. We know what’s right. We’re going to get out of here, okay?”

I’m relieved to not have to be the one giving motivational speeches. I’m not sure I have any in me right now.

Finally, the doors are yanked open harshly, and late afternoon golden light streams into the truck. It reminds me of Hestia, and I take a deep, calming breath before I’m thrown out of the van, landing in a heap on some asphalt. The men laugh and I hold back a shout of pain as my knee throbs in agony. They won’t see me cry again.

“Hey, can you guys cool it,” Leo snaps as he’s also dragged out of the van, albeit less harshly, and he lands on his feet, “We’re already complying, you don’t have to be so rough.”

“You four caused me a lot of trouble. Everything smells terrible thanks to this genius,” he kicks me in the side. I glare up at him, not giving him the satisfaction of reacting.

“Can you two get out of there already?” he groans impatiently and harshly grabs Terra by the shoulder. Before she’s fully out of the van, she whips her head to the side, catching his hand between her teeth and chomping down. Hard.

He screams as I hear the sickening sound of something tearing and snapping. She’s slapped in the face so hard that she lands on her butt, but she doesn’t seem to be in pain. In fact, she looks like she’s holding back a small smile. The look in her eyes is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. She looks feral.

“You bitch!” Matt shouts, gripping his hand with his other. His face is blood, red, spit flying from between his clenched teeth as he screams at her.

“You’ll regret that, I promise you! Just for that, you’re first.”

First for what? I don’t think I want to find out.

We are led inside, two guards on each of us, stopping in a tiled white room with a drain in the middle. Before we’re prepared, one of the men shoots us with frigid water so pressurized it feels like it’s coming from a fire hose. We stand and shiver together before we’re forced into another room with plain white clothes.

Thankfully, as we’re stripped of our soiled clothes, Matt is off somewhere else getting his hand bandaged. A shy-looking man blushes apologetically as he helps me into the new outfit. I’m given white joggers a size too big, hanging off my hips, and a plain white T-shirt, somewhat too small. Leo, Hazel, and Terra – all 3 being quite short – are swimming in their clothes.

The fact that we’re forced to dress in their clothes has my skin prickling. This can’t mean anything good. This isn’t going to be a conversation or a trial or even a jail. This feels like the long haul. They are not expecting us to leave any time soon. They’re dressing us like we belong to them now.

Where are we?

Once we’re dressed, I realize that my clothing has no pockets. Riptide is taken from me and is unlikely to come back. Leo’s belt is stolen along with Hazel and Terra’s weapons. We’re completely vulnerable, with no way to defend ourselves except for our hand-to-hand combat training, which Leo and Terra are slightly lacking.

We’re led down a brightly lit grey cement hallway, down 3 flights of stairs, and into a very plain office. The room is bare except for a desk with a single monitor and chair. 5 guards with weapons are lined up against the walls, ready to jump in and protect the man that sits at the desk. Once we walk in, he looks up and my stomach drops.

He has Annabeth’s eyes.

(A/N: wanted to switch POVs here and leave it as a cliffhanger but decided against it. Yw)

“Ah, hello there. I’m Idris. I’m in charge of this operation here,” the man states directly. He’s got dark skin, bright grey eyes, and a no-nonsense air about him that unsettles me. He won’t be provoked. He doesn’t care about how we feel. He’s just here to do a job.

“What operation?” I interrupt, trying to pry some sort of information from him, some reaction.

“The Hellenic Research branch of the Defense Department for the United States Government. We are a highly confidential, underground operation that you should feel honored to be a part of. With our research, we may just one day save the world.”

“From what?”

“You.”

I try to keep my heart rate under control. I’m already sweating from the stress put on my knee while being dragged around but try to maintain a calm demeanor.

“The Hades does that mean? We’re the ones trying to save the world. We prevented Kronos and Gaea from taking over. We don’t pose a threat to the US government,” Leo argues. Idris does not look impressed.

“And how many innocent mortals died while you ran around the world making messes? How many mortals were killed by conflicts that all started because of you? Mortals have been defenseless against you people for far too long. Our aim here is to find out ways to give them a chance to defend themselves. We need to even the playing field here. And while we’re at it, we want to give back to the community with abilities that you four in particular possess.”

“You didn’t have to kidnap us to get us to help. We want to help mortals too. That’s why we are trying to prevent this war,” I try.

“I am sure that’s what you’d like us to believe,” Idris waves dismissively, “Now, enough talk. Let’s begin our research. I believe Matt said Terra volunteered to go first. Isn’t that right? Well, come along. The rest of you will wait in a holding area with accommodations to fit your most urgent needs. That is all for now, you’re dismissed.”

Two guards grab Terra by the arms and drag her away. She looks back at us with a pale face and wide eyes, terrified of what unknown pain awaits her. I try to volunteer to go in her place, but Idris has already tuned us out and left the room. Leo, Hazel, and I are all dragged in the opposite direction to our “holding area” which is a glorified cell with thick concrete walls coated in celestial bronze plating. There are two twin-sized beds against either wall, a rusty metal toilet, and a metal sink that looks like it hasn’t been used in years.

Our guards unclip our handcuffs and slam the door in our faces. The door is thick and heavy, also coated in celestial bronze with a small opening to shove food through, I assume. I massage my sore wrists and try to summon my power to no avail. The celestial bronze surrounding us prevents me from summoning any water.

It's cold, dusty, and smells a bit sulphury from the toilet. As I sit down on one of the hard, thin mattresses and attempt to straighten out my bad leg, the reality of our situation sets in. We are trapped here. We are trapped with mortals who apparently know much more about us than we thought, running tests on us, using us for some sick and twisted revenge, and we cannot even use our powers. How are we ever supposed to get out of here?

It probably won’t take long for people to notice that we’re missing, with the other group waiting for us to catch up, but how will they know where to find us? If this operation is top secret, there’s no way they’ll have any idea where to look. If we don’t get out, both camps will be attacked and so many people on both sides will die. What will happen to my parents? If they know about me, they must know about them. Maybe they’ll come after them. What if we get out and they’re gone? What if they’ve already been taken? What if they kill my parents because of me? What if they think my little sister is like me and try to kill her too? What if-

My frantic thoughts are interrupted by Hazel rubbing circles on my back. The touch should feel comforting, but it does not. I don’t want anyone’s hands on me. I scoot away from her, or as far as I can on a twin-size bed, and hug my good knee to my chest. She looks hurt but tries to cover it up quickly. I feel guilty for a moment but don’t have the capacity for any more guilt.

Idris’s words are also weighing heavily on me. Were all those mortal deaths my fault? I’ve been so careless, not thinking about who my conflicts affect, or the aftermath of my battles. How many people have I hurt or killed? What if we really are the bad guys?

“Percy, it’s ok. Just breathe,” Hazel instructs from a few feet away. She looks at me in concern and I notice that the room is swaying slightly. My breaths come more quickly than I’d like, and my heart is racing. I’ve been to enough therapy sessions to recognize a panic attack. My therapist’s recommendations echo in my mind, and I get up to try and distract myself. Interrupt the cycle.

“I wonder if I can at least heal myself with the water,” I question and turn on the sink. It runs brown for a few seconds before finally turning a mildly yellow stream. Good enough to pass for clean water in a holding cell, I guess.

I run my hands under it, savoring the cool feel, then drip some on my knee. Nothing. I don’t feel the tendons or muscles knitting back together, the skin remains red and inflamed, and I can’t put my full weight on it without it giving out under me. Wonderful.

Flopping back onto the bed with a sigh, I press the palms of my hands against my eyes and try to slow my thoughts. Panicking now is only going to scare Leo and Hazel. You need to keep a calm head to help them get out of this mess.

“I wonder what they’re doing to Terra,” Leo says in a small voice, and I whip my head in his direction. He never speaks like that. I see that his eyes are glassy and remember how close they are as friends. He was the one that introduced me to Terra. It was his idea to throw her a taco party, him that first noticed her affection towards Annabeth, and him that was most supportive when she came out at camp. My heart aches a bit for him, compounding on the worry that I already feel for my friend Terra.

“I’m sure they’re probably just drawing some blood and analyzing it or something. It’s probably nothing too invasive, they just seem like curious scientists,” I hedge, trying to come up with something to placate his mind. I’m not sure it worked.

“Yeah, they seemed a little too curious, don’t you think?”

“Idris kind of looks like a child of Athena. Maybe he’ll be more understanding with his own kind. He probably really likes smart people like you,” I try, and he snorts.

“If he’s anything like Athena, he’ll hate me.”

“Well, should we really be striving for approval from monsters like him? He’s determined to think of us as subjects rather than people anyway, so I wouldn’t even bother,” Hazel says grumpily. I guess being the constant positive one is weighing on her after all.

We wait in the room for what feels like hours, my knee throbbing tirelessly. I’m nearly falling asleep when the door swings open and Terra’s unconscious body is dumped onto the floor in our cell. The door slams shut before we can move, and we all stare at her in utter shock until we remember to check on her.

Leo leaps up from his bed, dropping to his knees by her head and rolling her onto her back. He carefully cradles her head as Hazel kneels beside him checking her pulse and scanning for injuries. She looks mostly unharmed except for a concerning line of blood trailing from both ears.

I slowly get up from the bed, wanting to throw up when my stiff knee bends a bit, and hobble my way over to the thick door. Terra’s extremely pale face is concerning me. She looks sickly. How is that possible in only a few hours?

When I can’t take the questions anymore, I start banging on the door. I pound and scream and demand answers. Leo and Hazel shout at me to shut up, but I ignore them. I hate not feeling in control. I need to know what’s going on. I need to know if she’ll be okay. This is all my fault.

Finally, after about 10 minutes of shouting, a guard rips open the door, grabs me by the collar, and snatches me out of the room. He shoves my wrists into handcuffs and slams the door in Hazel’s and Leo’s shocked faces before I have a chance to say anything to them. Hazel looked terrified.

“So, you think it’s funny to cause a raucous? You things are meant to be quiet and obedient. This is a sophisticated operation we run here, and we will not tolerate noisy, insubordinate creatures,” the guard lectures. This guy looks cocky, pompous, and smarter than the others. Maybe he works directly for Idris.

“What happened to Terra?” I demand, ignoring his rant.

“You do not ask questions here. It is already 6 PM and we are ready to go home. You would not have been subjected to testing until tomorrow, but my colleague Matthew heard your non-stop chatter. Now, instead of going home, we must stay for your testing, so we’ll make it go quickly. In fact, we won’t even ease you into it. You deserve to see what happens when you are disobedient.”

My heart nearly drops into my stomach at the way he talks to me. It’s like I’m not even a human to him, I’m just something that they own. I’m not allowed to have my own thoughts or feelings or ask any questions. Hearing Matt’s name nearly makes me shudder, but I keep up a brave face. I have been through too much to be afraid of a random mortal.

Before I have the chance to argue, I’m dragged down another hallway, past various laboratories teeming with scientists packing up to go home for the day. The fact that they’re not staying behind for this supposed research makes me nervous. Who will be supervising?

We arrive at my answer a few minutes later, in a plain grey room with a large clear cylinder in the middle. The cylinder is closed on the top and bottom with a thick layer of celestial bronze. On the side is a huge panel lined with hundreds of buttons and wires that run up and down the back of the cylinder.

Just the sight of it makes me immediately claustrophobic. Get me away from that thing.

When Matt walks in with a singular scientist, my heart pounds loudly in my chest. Just the 4 of us alone in here. Where is everyone else who wants to do research? Matt and this guard probably have no clue how to interpret results, so where are the rest of the scientists?

“Ah Percy, nice to see you again so soon. Hope you’ve rehydrated after all those tears,” Matt laughs and I don’t give him the satisfaction of reacting. I just look at him steadily, letting him know that I see the kind of monster he is inside.

“Anyway, thanks Tyler for bringing him in. I was going to say screw the program and put an end to his annoying mewling, but I’m glad you finally got him to stop. And proposed such an excellent solution to keep him quiet. They call you the smarter one for a reason!”

“Anytime bro, that screaming was driving me mad. I wouldn’t have blamed you for stopping it, to be honest. This thing sure can talk,” Tyler replies, smirking. This thing. I might be sick already.

“Sure can. Alright, Mr. Scientist, can you hook him up? We’re doing blood draws and power extraction at the same time,” Matt requests. My senses are screaming at me to run away.

“Both? Sir, that is against protocol, as the subject may-” the scientist tries, but Matt’s cool exterior melts instantly.

“It cannot be against protocol if I am ordering you to do so, Mr. Leighton. I am sure your boss would love to hear about how you disobeyed direct orders and tried to sabotage our goal of constant gain of knowledge. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”

“N-no sir,” Mr. Leighton, a small, skinny man who looks to be around his 60s mumbles and scrambles around to grab equipment. I’m roughly shoved toward his cart of tools next to the chamber and my knee nearly sends me crashing to the floor. Tyler’s firm grip on the back of my collar keeps me from falling on my face. They unclasp one handcuff and maneuver my arms, so they’re cuffed in front of me.

The scientist grabs my elbow with shaky hands, rubbing an alcoholic pad against my skin before inserting a needle larger than I’ve ever seen at the doctor’s into the crook of my elbow. I see my blood flowing up the tube and feel a little nauseous.

Finally, without explaining anything, they shove me into the cylinder and close the clear door so they can observe me and attach the tube in my arm to a port inside the cylinder.

“Initiating extraction in 3…2…1…” the scientist counts down and presses a few buttons on the side of the chamber, the machine around me whirring to life. Suddenly, my whole body seizes like I’m being electrocuted. It’s like my body is resisting something and all my muscles tense up so tight that it’s hard to breathe.

Once all of my muscles have tensed completely, they relax instantaneously, and I collapse to the floor. My knee bad knee makes a slight crunching sound when it hits the floor, but I don’t have the energy to scream. My body feels wrong, like I can’t make the muscles work the way I want them to. Everything hurts, but also feels numb. My skin feels like it’s burning and stretching, and my insides feel hot like I just drank from the Archeron.

As my body temperature continues to rise, I see my blood flowing up the tube faster and faster. My head starts to feel a bit cottony and my stomach lurches. I feel hot, everything is burning. I can’t cool off, I’m burning. I maneuver myself to sit on my butt with shaky arms and notice that sweat is forming rapidly on my skin. I’ve never sweat like this before. It’s like my pores have all opened and are just emptying of water.

A sudden wave of nausea has me heaving violently, my empty stomach throwing up pure acidic bile. It quickly runs down the slightly sloped floor into a drain and disappears. I’m still burning – I feel like my insides are on fire. I’m racked with more heaves until nothing comes up and my stomach clenches painfully, pain emanating up my chest and through my ribs. I can’t tell if my vision is blurry because of the sweat that pours down into my eyes or the fact that I feel like I’m about to pass out.

My heart races frantically, trying to push my quickly dwindling blood supply to my numb and tingly limbs that burn with fiery pain. What is happening? I feel like my entire essence is being drained, kind of like my entire inside is being sliced up by Kronos’s scythe. I feel like they’re draining me of my powers.

I’m generating so much sweat now that it drips off my body, flowing into the drain below me. No one can possibly produce this much sweat. Where is it all coming from? Another harsh gag rips through my body and pure water comes up. I haven’t drunk anything, where is all this coming from?

The next heave is so rough that even more water comes up, tinted slightly pink. That can’t be good. I vomit until I feel empty again, my arms quaking so hard that I know I can no longer hold myself up.

For the second time that day, I curl up in the fetal position on the ground and try to squeeze myself into a ball. It’s hard to get a grip around my legs with the sweat still pouring off my arms. It’s coming so rapidly that I can’t even wipe it off. My blood moves more quickly up the tube too, like it’s somehow diluted with water.

I lie there, the room spinning wildly until my vision gets too dark to focus on the room around me. My whole body feels wet, liquid coming from every pore of my being, soaking my clothes, and spilling down the drain, yet I’m still burning inside. It really does feel like I’m being drained of my essence. What are they doing to me?

I hear the scientist outside the chamber fainty, yelling about some rate being dangerously high, tacky cars or something. My ears feel like they’re stuffed with water though, so I can barely hear what is going on. I lie there for a few more minutes, unable to do anything but sweat profusely and hold back some vicious gags. I feel like I’m dying. What is happening to me?

I look down at my hand and am horrified to see how sickly it looks. My veins stick out through my skin, which looks thin and papery. My fingers look like bones, all knobby knuckles, so skinny that they look like they could snap. I must be hallucinating.

With difficulty, I run my hands down my side, shocked to feel the outline of my ribs through my skin. I was not this skinny before. I lost some weight in Tartarus but was able to gain it back quickly, never being able to count my ribs. I must already be unconscious and dreaming. Maybe if I shut my eyes…

A frantic beeping increases in volume, and I squeeze my eyes shut as I try to ignore it. Just a few more minutes. No, Mom, I don’t want to get up yet. Just a few more minutes…

Finally, once my breaths can’t come fast enough to support my heart working twice as hard to supply my body with blood and oxygen, my vision goes black entirely. When I close my eyes for the final time, I realize what is really happening. The celestial bronze. Extraction. Hellenic research.

They really are draining my power.

Hazel POV:

If I could summon any precious rock, no matter how big, I’d raise up a planet, so big and pure and free of monsters. Free of gods, free of monsters, free of evil people, free of anything that wants to cause Percy or my friends harm. I’d raise him a home made of precious jewels, opulent and warm, free of trouble or pain.

I’d invite all his friends and family, filling that cozy home up with so much love that he wouldn’t know what to do with it. I’d give him sweets and let him experience a happy childhood, free of abuse or fear. I’d let him be innocent, happy, and free. There would be no fates on this planet, no one to keep him from being the bright, innocent, loving boy he’s meant to be.

He’d be goofy and giddy, free of the expectations of others, living life to the fullest. He wouldn’t have to be afraid to express his emotions. He’d be an equal, not a leader. Everyone would love him and appreciate him for the kind human he is, ignoring his massive power and focusing on his massive heart.

But I can’t summon a planet. I can’t give him the life he deserves, I can’t get out of this cell, and I can’t protect my friends. I can’t make them happy. I can’t take their pain away. I can’t do anything as Percy hyperventilates in his sleep. I can’t do anything as Leo sits far away, hugging himself, trying to hold it together. I can’t stop the thoughts that race through my mind, and I couldn’t protect my friends.

I couldn’t do anything but stare when they threw in the fragile boy a few hours ago. When the door opened and they tossed him in like he weighed nothing, I could do nothing but stare at the person I didn’t recognize. Thinner than Nico, just as pale, gangly, and sweaty. He had dark black hair plastered to his forehead, a dark tattoo on his forearm, and clothes that hung off his skeletal frame. I stared as he shook with tremors, breathing heavily in his sleep and frowning like he was caught in a nightmare. As I stared at his sharp facial features, it dawned on me who this boy was.

The bony mess on the floor was what remained of my best friend Percy Jackson after the cruel guards dragged him away. What did they do to him?

Finally, like my heart was shocked back into action, I leaped from my spot next to Terra, who regained consciousness a few hours before but quickly fell back asleep. I cradled his precious head, stroking the soaking wet hair from his forehead and placing my fingers against his throat, feeling for a pulse. It was there, beating rapidly like he’d just finished sprinting. And it wasn’t slowing down. It felt desperate and loud, the vein jumping out along the side of his neck with each pulse. His skin was cold and wet to the touch, much colder than a human should ever feel.

I stripped the sheets off Leo’s bed, who stood along the wall looking utterly shell-shocked. I knew Percy wouldn’t appreciate me undressing him, but with his soaking wet clothes, it felt wrong to let him sit there and continue shivering.

“Leo, give me your shirt. I don’t care, you’ll be fine without it. He needs it. Look at him,” I begged, and Leo finally supplied his shirt. He handed it over and I carefully peeled Percy’s off, nearly getting sick at the sight of him.

Tears sprung to my eyes as I took in his emaciated appearance. All along his torso, bones stuck out so harshly that it looked painful. His ribs and collarbones looked sharp, and his stomach looked concave. How could this happen?

Swallowing a sob, I pulled Leo’s shirt over his head and wrapped the sheet around his body for extra warmth. Noticing his pants that hung off his bony hips, I shimmied out of my joggers and pulled them up his knobby knees, tying them tight to just stay up around his waist.

His once tan, smooth skin looked pale and dry like all the moisture had been sucked out of his body. Once I took in his chapped lips, I figured he was dehydrated, so I carefully maneuvered his frighteningly light body over to the sink. I leaned him up against the wall, tipping his head back and slowly dripping the water into his mouth while holding his nose closed. When his body automatically swallowed, I breathed a sigh of relief and poured a few more handfuls down his throat.

After he’d swallowed a few handfuls, I decided to stop and not risk him choking in his sleep. While Leo sat on the bed and leaned against the wall, seemingly not able to move, I picked Percy up like a child, struggling with his long limbs. He felt as light as a child too. I tried to ignore the vertebrates of his spine pressing into my arms as I laid him on Leo’s bed. Leo did nothing but stare unblinkingly at Percy’s suddenly small frame, hugging himself tighter and tighter.

When Percy was wracked with more tremors and shivers, Leo removed himself from the bed and went back to Terra’s side. She was looking better, with color coming back to her cheeks and less frequent whimpers in her sleep.

I left Percy to sleep until his breaths sped up to the gasps they are now. As soon as I notice that he’s hyperventilating, I touch his shoulder and try to shake him away but he’s still unresponsive. Searching for his pulse, I find it pumping even faster than when he was initially thrown in. I try to speak to him and wake him up, but that doesn’t work either.

Eventually, his face scrunches up and I notice a slight gag in his sleep. Panicking, I roll him onto his side, and he vomits over the edge of the bed, pure water splashing against the floor. Great. There goes the last of his hydration. That looked like way more water than I gave him.

His body continues to heave unconsciously until his mouth goes slack again, and his stomach stops spasming. The commotion seems to wake up Terra, who looks much more coherent this time. In fact, she’s so awake that she rolls out of bed, nearly falling on her face, and collapses on her knees in front of the toilet, throwing up just like Percy.

What did they do to them?

She wipes her mouth when she’s done, throwing Leo a small smile who rubs her back comfortingly. As she’s making her way back to her bed, she spots Percy sprawled on the bed behind me and gasps, hands flying to her mouth.

“Oh my gods, is that Percy? W-what happened to him? Why does he look like that? How long was I out? What did they do? How could they…” she sits down dizzily and tries to catch her breath with her head in her hands. Leo puts a bracing hand on her arm, keeping her straight as she tries to regain her balance and let the lightheadedness pass.

“We don’t know. They threw you in here after they did whatever tests they did to you, and Percy wouldn’t stop banging on the door, demanding answers. He was so worried about you, he didn’t stop until another set of guards dragged him away. He was gone for hours, and they came back with him like this. We’re not sure what happened,” I choke, holding back my tears of frustration and confusion. You need to be the calm one. They need you, or they will fall apart.

“I don’t look like that do I?” Terra asks, inspecting her arms to see if she looks as emaciated.

“No, you’re just pretty pale and look really tired. I’m not sure what they did and how it could be possible for him to look like this. When he came in, he was all wet and dehydrated and hasn’t woken up. His heart is racing, and he won’t stop shaking. What did they do to you guys?” Leo asks, grabbing her hand. I’m not sure who it is supposed to comfort more. I grab one of Percy’s cold hands too, running my thumb over his knuckles wishing that he’d just wake up already.

“T-they tried to drain my powers. They put me in this big tube that felt like it was sucking my life away. I could feel my essence being sucked out. It was awful,” Terra trembles but keeps going, “The scientists and guards weren’t happy with the extraction because they couldn’t see any major difference when draining my power. They took me out of the tube and dragged me outside to a really dry field with loads of dead plants. I was instructed to grow them some crops since we demigods are apparently stealing their land and trying to kill them off.”

“That’s ridiculous. Why can’t they just grow their own crops?” Leo fumes.

“They claimed it was our fault, and that I had the power to make up for it. So, for what felt like hours, I was hunched over in the dirt, trying to get wheat to grow in the field. I got the whole plowed area covered after a while, but they demanded I keep going. I felt like I was going to die trying to use my powers after they sucked them out of me, but I didn’t have a choice. I kept going, growing wheat as far as I could until I found myself back here. I don’t know what happened in between, I must have passed out or something.”

“That’s horrible,” I gasp, feeling raging anger for my friend. How dare they abuse her power like that. They could have killed her.

“When they dragged Percy away, they said something about making it go twice as fast,” I remember, and Terra grimaces.

“They must have kept him in the extractor the whole time, draining him of as much power as they could. They told me to be grateful I wasn’t getting blood samples too, so maybe they took his blood,” she thinks, and I remember the small red spot in the crook of his elbow. How could they be so irresponsible? Draining his power and blood at the same time? Are they stupid?

“I just don’t understand why he looks like that,” Leo says in a small voice, “Why would extracting his power make him so skinny?”

“Well… His powers are water… And the human body is over 60% water… Maybe draining him of his power drained his body of water, leaving his muscle and fat stores depleted. I just don’t understand why they didn’t stop when they saw how thin he was getting,” Terra puts the pieces together, looking more horrified with each word that comes out of her mouth.

My hands shake in fury. How dare they. How could they? Who would want to hurt Percy? What kind of sick, twisted person would do this? If this room wasn’t surrounded by celestial bronze, diamonds would shoot up through the thick cement floor. I would bury this place in a tunnel so far down that no one would survive. I’d have Leo burn it all down.

“You okay?” Leo interrupts my angry internal tirade and I shake it off, plastering a pleasant smile on my face for their benefit.

“Yeah, just thinking. I wonder if the other half of the team made it to Mr. Sanderson’s place. I wonder if they were able to convince him to help. I hope Frank caught up with them and they got in contact with Nico again. Maybe he’d be able to help us get out of here.”

“There’s probably some type of barrier to prevent him from shadow traveling in. All the celestial bronze or something. I’m starting to wonder where they’re getting all this gear. Who would have access to so much celestial bronze?” Leo wonders.

“Maybe a goddess parading as a human expert on Greek Mythology,” I remind him.

“I can’t believe she would go to these lengths to sabotage her own kind. She and Moros have what’s coming to them. How are we ever supposed to convince the world that we’re not the enemy from in here? How are we ever supposed to stop this war?”

“I don’t know, Leo. We need to take it day by day. We can’t do anything until Percy and Terra are strong enough to fight or even run. For now, I just want to make sure Percy makes it through the night.”

“You’re right. I don’t know how you do it, Haze. Always staying so calm and positive. You’re a freak of nature.”

“Thank you. You’re so kind,” I roll my eyes. If only he knew. One day, all the things I didn’t say, all the anger I didn’t unleash will explode out of me. I just hope no one I love gets hurt when it does.

Before we can get ready for bed, the fluorescent bulb in our room turns off and we are thrown into pitch-black darkness.

“Bedtime,” a guard grunts and bangs on our door once before walking away. I decide to share a bed with Percy, staying up for most of the night to monitor his breathing. It’s uneven through the night, sometimes getting dangerously slow, then speeding up to rapid hyperventilation.

As I sit with my back against the wall, occasionally monitoring his pulse, I can’t help but think of Frank. I hope he’s ok out there. I hope he isn’t too worried about me.

I love you, Frank.

I pray that he hears me. 

Chapter Text

Frank POV:

Is it wrong of me to wish I stayed shy and invisible?

Going from a boy that no one noticed to a man that people count on is stressful. I see now why Jason and Percy had more wrinkles than me.

They called me baby face, but I just call it a lack of stress lines. I think I’m developing them now as I drive down the road, trying in vain to find any trace of my friends that I was supposed to meet up with.

I was supposed to meet with half of the team at an address that Chiron gave them. When I got there though, I saw a relatively empty property and a guard out front at the gate. Bypassing security entirely for time’s sake, I turned into a gnat and snuck into the giant mansion. Who is this guy? Why is his house so big?

Instead of meeting up with my friends though, I saw drips and trails of blood everywhere. I followed one long trail into a big office littered with bullets. My heart dropped into my stomach as I realized that my friends were probably not there. Obviously, things did not go to plan and people got hurt. I just hoped it wasn’t anyone I know that got shot.

“The group of four with the water kid has successfully been relocated to Idris’s place. Any update on the lightning kid group?” I heard a walkie-talkie go off in another room and flew over there.

“They’re en route to one of Sanderson’s holding centers. One was shot and one unconscious, but the other two are just a little scuffed up. The injured girl will require treatment upon arrival. Once she’s good enough to travel, all four will be transferred to Idris’s place as well,” a guard spoke back into his walkie-talkie.

I nearly lost hold of my gnat form and fell to the floor as a human but regained my composure at the last second. I can’t draw attention to myself. They need me.

I took one moment to gather my thoughts, then came up with a hasty plan. Shutting the door behind me, I zeroed in on the only man in the room. Before he had the chance to yell or grab his weapon, I punched him so hard that he slammed to the floor. Maybe a little harsh, Frank.

Cringing, I stripped him of his uniform, thankful for his large, muscular stature that made his clothes fit me perfectly, and stole his walkie-talkie. Whispering an apology, I stole a duffel bag off his desk, stuffed my clothes into it, along with a few guns, and shoved the unconscious, undressed man under the desk, hoping to give myself enough time to run before he was discovered.

I quickly made my way out of the facility, finding a big armored truck with the keys inside it. I guess you don’t worry about someone stealing when you have so much security.

Avoiding any eye contact with anyone, I drove the truck up to the gate. As soon as I approached, it began to pull open and I tried to drive out without rolling down my window or talking to the guard. To my annoyance, he waved me over and stepped out of the guardhouse to talk to me.

“Hey, where ya headed?” he asked casually. I tried my hardest to look normal and not draw any attention to myself but that seemed to make him more suspicious.

“Just heading over to the holding center to meet the other guards and facilitate the transfer to Idris’s place,” I lied, trying to use any of the keywords I heard over the radio, but it came out sounding jumbled. He narrowed his eyes at me and looked down at the embroidered patch on my jacket. It said Officer Jacobs. I hoped he didn’t know Jacobs because he was a white man with light hair, which I am very clearly not.

“You’re not Officer Jacobs. I eat lunch with him. Who are you?”

Gosh dang it.

“I’m new here. Just transferred over. I’m not sure who the other Jacobs is but my name is Marc Jacobs,” I scrambled, saying the first name that popped into my head.

“Right. And I’m Donatella Versace.”

“Who?”

“Sir, I’m going to need you to get out of the vehicle,” Donatella ordered and put his hand on his holstered gun. I put my hands up in surrender, knowing I could easily evade this man. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.

“I can’t do that. I need to leave now and get to the holding center. It’s urgent.”

“Wait a minute,” he scanned my face and frowned, “You look a little too young to be here by coincidence.”

“I just have a baby face.”

“No, you’re… one of them, aren’t you?” he whispered like I was some sort of terrorist. He didn’t look like he wanted to hurt me either though.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You are! You have that same look in your eyes as the blonde guy. You didn’t come in with them, did you?”

I didn’t see the use in lying anymore. He seemed pretty adamant.

“I’m just trying to find my friends, ok? We aren’t evil, we’re not stealing your land, and we’re not trying to kill you all. We all have a regular human parent who we love. We’re normal people just like you. All we do is kill the monsters that try to hurt you guys,” I said earnestly. If I could convince at least one person that I’m not the devil, it’ll make a difference. He looked conflicted like he was not sure if he wanted to trust me or not. He knows something.

“Look kid, I don’t want to hurt you either. In fact, I don’t think we should be hurting any kids at all,” he whispered, looking around as if someone was watching. They probably were.

“Then please just let me go so I can help them. They’re good people. If we don’t act fast, there could be a huge war that kills millions of people. We’re trying to avoid that.”

“I really shouldn’t be giving you this, but here is the address to the holding center,” he quickly scribbled on a napkin and handed it to me, “Be quick. One of the girls was shot and needed immediate medical attention on arrival. And please, try not to hurt anyone else. Some of my friends were shot today too. Oh, and I heard that some guy named Percy Jackson and three other teens were taken to a testing center in Maryland. You know the guy?”

“Yeah, he’s saved my life multiple times. He’s a great guy. Was Hazel with him?”

“She the black girl? They caught that Percy kid, a Latino with fire powers, a white girl who can grow like crops or something, and a black girl with powers over rocks. Apparently, they put up quite a fight. Nearly drowned an entire fleet with sewage. I can’t blame ‘em, that facility they were taken to is no joke. It’s run by this creepy guy with grey eyes who seems to know way too much about people like you. It’s like an obsession.”

“Do you know where this place is exactly?” I asked. He shook his head.

“No. Sorry kid. I’m sure the people at the holding center do though. They don’t know Officer Jacobs as well as I do, so you might have a chance. Just be careful, they have tons of weapons and special equipment made specifically for you guys.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you guys have like powers or something, right? Idris and Mr. Sanderson worked together to find ways to take those powers away. Apparently, that’s how they captured your friends here. That blonde kid was going to blow the whole place up with lightning if they didn’t.”

My breath got caught in my throat. They can take away our powers? Why would a son of Ares work with someone to target his own kind? What is going on?

“Ok, well thanks for your help. I’m sorry some of your friends were hurt. I know my friends would never attack first, so I hope they’re ok too. And be careful, I don’t want you punished for helping me. If you ever need anything, just call Delphi’s Strawberries and ask for Frank. Word will get to me.”

“Thank you, Frank. Please don’t make me regret my decision. Try to stop more people from getting hurt,” Donatella smiled, and I saw wrinkles around his eyes like maybe he smiled a lot more at home. Maybe he only played the strict, unhappy guard at work. I hoped that was the case. He seemed like a good man at heart.

“I will try.”

“Oh, I almost forgot!” he stepped back into the guardhouse for a moment and came back with his arms full of weapons. I recognized Piper’s Katropis and Annabeth’s drakon bone sword. There were two other weapons I didn’t recognize, both made of the same material. Those must belong to the new girl.

“The other guys don’t know I kept these. I hope they help in some way. You kids don’t seem like bad people. My friends are easily manipulated and I’m starting to think we are on the wrong side. I’ll do my part to help convince them otherwise but I’m not sure I’ll be able to do much. As you can see, I’m already a pretty low position around here.”

“Trust me, I know how it feels. You can have a major impact, no matter where you start. And hey, you’re the first line of defense. I’d say that’s pretty important. Thank you for trusting me. I know it doesn’t come easily. I’ll remember you as the first person to help me. You’ve already made a big impact, so thank you.”

He sent me off with a nod and I followed the directions to the best of my abilities without a GPS, which landed me where I am now.

As I drive around the small city, I don’t see any obviously governmental buildings. Most of the buildings switch between a downtown little restaurant and a plain warehouse. I turn down every side street I can, trying not to draw too much attention to myself or look lost. Finally, down another street, I find the city courthouse, town hall, and police station. The numbers on the buildings are close to the address Donatella gave me but don’t match exactly. I keep driving down the road until I see an unmarked building between the police station and another warehouse.

A man in a similar uniform spots my car and waves me over. Clenching my butt, I pull up next to him and roll down my window like I’m meant to be here.

“Hey buddy, are you one of the guys helping with the transfer?” he asks.

“Yep, just trying to find somewhere to park this big old thing. Can you point me in the right direction? Been a while since I’ve worked out here,” I say as casually as I can, ignoring the sweat that drips down my temple. He doesn’t even bat an eye.

“Yeah sure, it can be kinda hard to find sometimes, don’t worry. Just take a left at the first open alley you see and there will be an underground parking garage on your left. Just pull in there and tell the guys Mike sent ya.”

“Thanks, Mike, I owe you a beer,” I try to sound like the police on TV. Mike frowns.

“I’ve been sober for 3 months dude.”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I just drive off.

Mike's instructions work like a charm, and I get into the parking garage without a hitch. The facility is much larger than I expected, with multiple security cameras scattered around the garage, and keypads next to every door.

How am I supposed to break them out of here?

As I sit in the truck and stare into the dark, shadowy parking garage, I suddenly think of Nico. He’s on a quest right now too. If anyone could help me get in here, it’s him.

I step into the back of the van and find a kit with a flashlight and water bottle. Summoning my inner MacGyver, I manage to make a rainbow and throw in a drachma, requesting to speak to Nico. He pops up in front of me looking completely exhausted and frazzled.

“Nico!”

“Frank? Where are you? Why is it so dark? Did you meet up with everyone else?”

“No, I’m in the back of a van right now. The half of the group that made it to Mr. Sanderson’s got captured and taken to this holding facility. Apparently, one of them was shot and is being treated. The other group was also captured and brought to a testing facility run by a sociopath.”

“Hazel is there? Is she okay? How did this happen?”

“I don’t know, Nico. She’s at the testing place with Percy, Leo, and Terra. I’m not sure how they’re doing but apparently, they fought really hard and still got caught. These people know way more about us than we thought. They have tons of celestial bronze and a method to take away our powers. I’m in the parking garage of the holding center dressed as one of their officers but they’re going to realize I’m a phony soon. I don’t think I can get them all out by myself.”

“Ok… ok,” he looks like he’s thinking deeply, pacing back and forth, “We are having no luck finding Hecate. All we’re finding is tons of monsters trying to eat us. Clarisse can only fight so many of them off. I’m pretty exhausted so I won’t be able to shadow travel everyone out of there. I can probably get Will and Clarisse there and get inside, but I’ll probably be dead on my feet after that.”

“That’s ok, I have this van! I can drive us out and we can make a run for it. We need to head to Maryland next to find the others, but I really need your help.”

“Ok. I’ll try to be there as soon as I can. Stay where you are. Don’t draw attention to yourself. What’s the address?” he asks, and I list off where he can find me, trying to be as specific as possible. In the meantime, I try to make myself as useful as possible and sneak back over to where the guards let me in the garage.

As I crouch below the small room’s window, I try to listen in on their conversation. They’re chatting about what they’re doing after work, and I roll my eyes. One of them has to go home to his wife and kids, which makes the other snicker and call him whipped. The other is planning on going home to watch the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League, calling it peak moviemaking. I’m not familiar with whatever he’s talking about, but it sounds stupid.

“909 Division, this is Sector 615, we have a code red. Perpetrator infiltrated our facility, assaulted an officer, and is now parading as Officer Jacobs. Suspect may be hostile. Watch out for stolen van, tag number 5LU E34. If spotted, shoot on sight. Suspect may be of Hellenic descent, with unknown abilities. Again, permission to shoot on sight.”

They found him. They’re on to me.

The two men are mid-argument about another movie franchise and don’t even notice the radio go off. I nearly collapse in relief. I need to move fast. It won’t be long before they hear the warning.

I creep back to the stolen van and use Piper’s knife to pry off the license plate. I find a similar looking one on a car a few spots over and spend nearly 10 minutes trying to unscrew the plate with no tools other than a dagger. Finally, I’m able to get it off and move it over to my van. This will have to be good enough for now.

Just as I’m about to hop back into the van and keep hiding, Nico, Will, and Clarisse pop out of the shadows in the corner of the garage. Nico sways on his feet and gets dragged along by Will who looks exhausted and pissed.

“Frank! Hey step bro,” Clarisse claps me on the shoulder with a huge smile. She looks beat up but ready for another round. I send her a small, shy smile in return. She’s always intimidated me with her bravado and insane fighting skills. I had fun getting to know her before heading back to Camp Jupiter, getting assaulted, both verbally and physically on the daily. She really has a way of getting you to like her.

“Hey guys! Here, come in and rest for a second. We need to come up with a plan,” I usher them into the back of the van and update them on what I heard over the radio, “So yeah, we need to get in and out quickly before they discover who I am. Here, have some water. I think we should shadow travel inside so I don’t have to ask to be scanned in. That’ll just draw more attention to me.”

Nico takes the bottle I hand him and gulps it down greedily. I hand Clarisse and Will bottles too, but Will is too busy fussing over Nico.

“Here,” I hand Will some nectar that I packed, and he splits it between the three of them. Will’s cuts and bruises fade quickly, and Clarisse looks even readier to bust down the doors of the facility and rescue our friends. Even Nico looks more energized after a few minutes.

“What’s the plan?” Nico asks, back to business. It’s interesting to see that Clarisse gives him enough respect to let him lead.

“We need to move quickly. They’re most likely holding them in a cell somewhere toward the center. I’m not sure if they’ll be together or not, but at least one of them is injured and receiving medical treatment, if that’s not already finished. We cannot leave until every single one of them is out. None of them get left behind. If you’re surrounded, find a way to escape and regroup. We don’t want to find out the extent of their weapons against us or let them see what we can do. We are still trying to remain as peaceful as possible here – we don’t want the press to get in on the conspiracy theories and turn the world against us, okay?” I instruct. They nod along.

“How are we getting in?” Clarisse asks.

“Nico, we’ll need you to shadow travel us in. If they’re not expecting us, it shouldn’t be that hard to get in. Once we’re inside, we’ll split up. Nico and Will, you guys try to find an infirmary and see if you can find whoever was injured. Bring them back to the van and Clarisse and I will meet you hopefully with the other 3 in tow. Try not to kill anyone. Everyone clear?”

“If they have weapons to combat us, will Nico even be able to get us inside?” Will brings up, which I think is a fair point.

Before I can blink, Nico vanishes. He reappears seconds later and looks sweaty and slightly sick. He wraps his arms around his stomach and groans.

“Ugh, yeah there’s some weird thing pushing back but I was able to make it inside. It just doesn’t feel great. I feel like my insides are being ripped up. If we make it quick I should be fine.”

I don’t like the sound of pushing him like this, but I don’t really see another option. This is a risk I’m going to have to be willing to take.

“Ok. Be careful. We only need you to get us inside. Once we get everyone, I can break us out. Everyone ready?” I ask and strap my bag with my friends’ weapons across my chest and grab Annabeth’s sword to borrow as my bow and arrows wouldn’t be very helpful in such tight quarters.

The group joins hands and Nico transports us through the shadows into a dark room within the facility. When the world stops spinning, I notice Nico hunched over in pain, looking like he’s trying to hold himself together. Other than looking pale, he doesn’t seem to be injured but his grimaces worry me. He brushes me off when I ask if he’s ok and warms me that we need to be quick.

Reluctantly, I follow Clarisse down the brightly lit hallway and leave Nico and Will behind. I hope he’s ok. Hazel will kill me if I let anything happen to him.

When we turn down another corridor, we nearly run into a guard who looks confused for a moment. I quickly step in front of Clarisse hoping that my borrowed (stolen) uniform will make him think I work here. He glances down at the name embroidered on the pocket and I tense, but he does nothing but squint in confusion. He must not remember where he’s heard the name, so he just gives me a quick nod and continues wherever he was going.

I let out a breath of relief as I hear his footsteps fading and gesture for Clarisse to continue following me. We walk confidently like we belong here, which is easy for us to do with our heritage. If any of the demigods look like soldiers, it’s us two.

As we get closer to what I imagine is the center of the facility, we pass more and more men who don’t even give me a second glance. Some of them frown at Clarisse’s rumpled outfit but don’t question me. Finally, the hallways open up to what looks like a large lunch room with metal tables and men sitting around chatting. My heart rate speeds up as some turn to look at us, but I keep walking as calmly as possible.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you two around here before,” a short, burly man stops me with a hand on my chest. I look down at it for a second then raise my head slowly and look him straight in the eyes. I raise an eyebrow, trying to mimic one of Percy’s cocky smirks. It feels weird on my face and I’m sure it looks weird too.

“I’m here to facilitate the transfer of assets to the Maryland branch,” I lie and cross my arms, trying to cover my name patch. The man looks me up and down, considering his chances, then seems to back down.

“What about her? Why isn’t she in uniform then?” he gestures to Clarisse, who is dressed in cargo pants and a dirty oversized untucked shirt. If it was tucked in she could maybe pass for army-esque. I decide to try that angle.

“This is Sergeant LaBelle,” I come up with the first name that comes to mind, “She works for the US Army. I gave her a ride after she was attacked by some rogue Hellenic hostiles.”

“I can speak for myself thank you very much,” she grunts, playing along, “Now if you’ll excuse us, I have a meeting with your boss. I’ll be sure to tell ‘em that-” she squints at his name patch, “Officer Roberts held us up. You have a great day now.”

He blanches and doesn’t say anything as we pass. I’m feeling quite satisfied with myself. Clarisse and I make a great team.

We walk out of the lunchroom and down a wider hallway lined with offices. Finally, at the end of the hall, I see a desk with two huge guards typing away at computers. To the left of them is a heavy metal door with a thick glass window. On the wall above the desk, it says ‘Holding Center’ in large black letters. Of course, the door has a scanner next to it so I’ll need to convince the guards to let us inside.

They barely look up as we approach. I have to clear my throat to get their attention and they look up, unimpressed.

“What?” one of them snaps grumpily. Such great service.

“I’m here from Mr. Sanderson’s to help with the asset transfer to Maryland. I was told to grab the assets and move as soon as possible as there was a breach. We are expediting the transfer.”

The guards finally look like they’re paying attention. One of them peers at me suspiciously.

“Those freaks? Already? They just got here today. I think one of them is still in surgery. We haven’t heard anything about the transfer being moved up.”

“Well, I’m telling you now. I need to get in there ASAP or all our jobs are on the line,” I try more urgently, hoping that the threat will make them hasty.

“Ok, um, let me just call my boss and see what’s up. What’s your name?” the taller one asks. I freeze. If I say my name they’ll know that I’m the one impersonating an officer. I decide I don’t have any other options as they can clearly see my name on my shirt.

“Officer Jacobs,” I say tightly, my whole body going tense. I don’t know if this will go peacefully at all.

“And her?” the shorter one says.

“She’s not in the system. She’s a new hire,” I hedge, not knowing what else to say. We’re running out of time.

“Right. A new hire for the most important transfer of the year. I’m sorry, I’m going to need to see some identification-” the tall guard is interrupted by the radio going off.

“I repeat, keep an eye out for a man going as Officer Jacobs. This man is not an officer and should be detained immediately. Permission to shoot if provoked. Hostile may be armed and dangerous, proceed with caution.”

The room goes silent instantly. Both guards look up in recognition, standing still for a second. I look to the side and make eye contact with Clarisse. She nods slightly. We can take them.

When both men reach for their holstered guns, Clarisse and I jump to action. I go for the taller guard, and Clarisse goes for the shorter, more muscular one.

Before he can pull his gun out, I run at him and slam him into the wall. He coughs in surprise then gets his wits back, lashing out with a deadly haymaker straight at my temple. I see it coming a mile away and duck quickly, jabbing him twice in the side in rapid succession. He doesn’t even have time to breathe before I clock him across the jaw, and he goes down hard.

By the time I turn around to see if Clarisse needs help, she’s leaning against the wall inspecting her nails casually. Her man is sprawled on his back with a bloody nose.

“Took you long enough,” she smirks, and I roll my eyes.

“I was trying to not cause lasting damage, unlike you. That guy’s nose is probably broken.”

“Maybe,” she shrugs.

“Whatever, I’m going to see if I can find a key card. Make sure they’re hidden enough that we don’t get caught right away. And watch my back.”

She starts dragging the unconscious men into a corner as I tear apart the desk looking for any semblance of a key card. After rummaging through every drawer and finding nothing, I look at the guards and spot a small white card attached to a retractable lanyard on their jackets.

As I fumble around trying to detach the card, I hear a shout from down the hallway. Clarisse moves quickly, standing in front of me to block the guards’ bodies.

“What are you doing down here? I thought you were going to talk to my boss,” Officer Roberts yells and I hear at least 5 sets of feet behind him. We need to move.

“I am. He said to meet him over here after he figured out something with the assets,” Clarisse tries.

“You mean she. My boss is a woman.”

“Oh-uh yeah, that’s what I said. She.”

“And that would be officer…?”

“I don’t have to answer to you! Leave me alone or I’ll get you fired,” Clarisse shouts, widening her eyes at me to hurry up. My hands keep fumbling with the clasp, so I give up with a huff and pull out Annabeth’s sword.

Officer Roberts steps around Clarisse at the sound and spots me with a sword at a guard’s chest. His eyes widen and he screams.

“Hey!” he shouts, and I quickly slice through the cord, grabbing the key card and standing. I hold my hands up as non-threateningly as I can with a sword in my hand.

The rest of the men see me and draw their weapons, shouting for backup. Before they can even get in the doorway, Clarisse pounces on them, taking down two men in one fell swoop. When Officer Roberts aims his gun at her head, I tackle him to the floor and rip the weapon from his hands. He’s not a small dude by any means, so he tries to wrestle his way out from under me, getting in a few vicious hits to the side of my head.

With my adrenaline pumping, the punches don’t even phase me, and I try to get him to stop fighting me.

“I’m not here to hurt anyone! I just want to help my friends! They didn’t do anything wrong!” I try, but two of the other men swarm me, kicking me in the side and forcing me off of Roberts. Clarisse takes out a third man and spots me on the floor among a mess of kicking feet.

In a stunning feat of athleticism, she comes running and jumps onto one of the men executing a picture-perfect flying scissor takedown. He slams into the floor and goes still.

“Now you’re just showing off,” I scoff, and I hear her chuckle. When another kick lands against my ribs though, I finally get angry.

Before the next kick lands, I grab the man’s foot and yank as hard as I can. He goes stumbling and I sweep his legs out from under him. When he falls to the floor, I’m already on him and silence him with a quick jab to the jaw.

Officer Roberts is the last man standing and he looks ready to retreat. Unfortunately for him, we cannot let him get away. Clarisse happily shoves him my way and he’s down with a single punch. I feel guilty for a moment then remember that they would have shot us if they could.

As soon as I scan the key card next to the door, alarms start blaring throughout the facility. I guess they noticed that we’re here.

Without stopping to think about it, I rip the door open and run down the hall, looking in every cell for my friends. Clarisse runs down another aisle of cells and doesn’t find them either. We run down around 6 aisles of cells, seeing some human prisoners, some teens who look like they could be demigods, and maybe even a few minor gods. We don’t have time to free everyone though, which makes my heart tighten in guilt.

Finally, I come across a thick metal door with two heavily armed guards standing in front. Before they can spot me, I shout for Clarisse to find me in this direction and morph into the smallest big I can manage, which is a fruit fly.

The guards whip their heads around frantically, raising their weapons at my shout but can’t identify where it came from. I fly behind them and wait until I see Clarisse appear at the end of the aisle. As soon as they raise their weapons, I turn back into a human, landing behind them and shove them both with all my might.

Caught off guard, they both fly forward with the weight of their rifles dragging them down. Before they can get back up and shoot, Clarisse and I quickly knock them out. We don’t have any time to waste now.

I scan my key card next to the large door, but it beeps red. They must have disabled the system. Now they know where we are.

I’m not giving up now though. Clarisse and I will be shot if I don’t do something now. My fear grows as I hear more men approaching, shouting orders and firing blindly. The bullets get closer as they appear at the end of the hall, striking the wall next to us. Screw it.

If I can’t scan in, I may as well break in my way. As Clarisse covers me and uses one of the guard’s rifles to shoot back, I morph into the largest elephant I can muster. I see what Nico was saying about feeling something off, as I’m not as big of an elephant as I would usually turn into. Something about this place feels stifling. Probably on purpose.

Without a second to waste, I ram my tusks as hard as I can into the metal door, which I painfully discover is celestial bronze. The impact reverberates around my skull and a pounding headache forms immediately, but I’m not giving up now.

I ram again and again until the door has such huge dents that it looks like it’s concave. On my next hit, I notice the hinges give a little bit. At this point, my head is aching painfully, bright spots forming in my eyes, but I try my best to ignore them.

Finally, after 3 more rams, the door gives in, and I go sprawling into the room as a human.

“Frank!” I hear the ever-familiar voice of my friend Jason call incredulously. I barely catch it over the shouting and gunshots outside but manage to dizzily make my way to my feet and see him behind bars also made of celestial bronze.

In separate cells next to him are Piper, looking bruised and angry, and Annabeth, who looks ready to murder someone. They all look shocked but relieved to see me.

“Hey,” I greet them and slice their cell locks in half with Annabeth’s sword. When they emerge I also notice that they have tight celestial bronze handcuffs around their wrists. Carefully, I grab Katropis and pry off the cuffs as quickly as I can. As soon as Jason’s are off, he claps me on the back happily. He seems to be standing straighter already.

At Clarisse’s shout of pain outside, I run out and take her gun from her, aiming for arms, legs, and anything that I can hit without killing people. Shotting officers in their own facility is bad enough, but killing one? They would never stop hunting us.

I look over when Clarisse grunts and see her holding her bicep, which has a minor graze that seems to be bleeding a lot. We trade places and she goes back into the room, helping free our friends. Jason comes out to join me, looking both righteous and dangerously powerful. He’s someone who does not take well to being disrespected. Now that he has his power back, he wants to show it.

Before I can stop him, he raises both arms and turns his face skyward. He frowns in concentration for a moment before I hear the deep rumbling of thunder coming from outside. In a split second, one of the biggest lightning bolts that I’ve seen from him slices through the roof and the room explodes into a bright burst of light.

I’m thrown back against the wall, causing my head to spin even more violently. The guards are distracted for a moment, many of them thrown around from the blast. Unfortunately for them, this is just enough time for Annabeth to be unleashed.

She sprints out of the room with superhuman speed, drakon bone sword in hand, and devastates their forces immediately. She moves from guard to guard, quickly disarming them and rendering them unconscious with a vicious jab of her hilt.

Piper soon joins her, convincing the guards to fight each other and empty their guns onto the floor. Everywhere they go causes mass panic. Jason flips his coin and begins fighting with a golden sword. Now that we’re all free, the guards have no chance against us. Before long, almost all of the guards are unconscious on the floor, but more keep coming. We need to leave before they come with weapons specifically made for us.

“We need to leave! I have a van, Nico and Will are meeting us with the new girl! Let’s go, NOW!” I shout over the noise and gesture for everyone else to follow me. I lead them back the way we came, fighting at least 20 guards along the way. My head pounds more ferociously as we enter crowded hallways and fight guard after guard.

We burst out of the holding center, running past Officer Roberts and the other guards we fought, through the lunchroom, and nearly plow over Will, Nico, and a girl I don’t recognize. I assume it’s the new girl to the group, but she doesn’t look like what I’d imagine a daughter of Nyx to look like.

This girl is tall and athletic looking with pale skin flecked with moles. Her hair is long and curly, running down her back in a thick, frizzy ponytail. I’d expect her to have dark features like black hair and dark eyes, like Nico, but she looks relatively plain, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She’s obviously pretty, but not in a shocking way. It’s more of a unique, innocent way. If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume she’s just a mortal girl, but there’s something about her that draws you in. Even now, as she leans heavily on Will with a pale, pained face, I can’t help but sense a deep well of hidden, unexplored power.

“Will! Nico! I’m so happy to-woah!” Jason shouts as a grey-looking Nico stumbles into a wall, “Are you ok?”

Nico doesn’t respond. He’s hugging his stomach like earlier but looks like he’s about to pass out. Suddenly he turns around and throws up against the wall, staining it with red. We all gasp at the sight, and Nico sinks to his knees. I finally notice through my throbbing head that there is blood dripping from his ears too.

Without thinking, Will shoves the new girl off him and drops to his knees next to Nico. She takes her hand off the gauze patch on her side to steady herself against the wall and nearly slips on the bloody handprint she leaves behind.

As Will frantically checks on Nico, who continues to cough up blood, the new girl uses her sleeve to try and scrub her blood off the wall, mumbling something about DNA. She looks a little loopy, so they must have given her something. Her knees start to buckle, and she looks confused as she nearly falls to the ground.

“Oh, for gods’ sakes guys, we need to get out of here,” Clarisse tsks and picks the girl up with a small grunt, “Come on Private School, onward and upward.”

Jason helps pick up Nico, who doesn’t seem able to walk for himself, while Will fusses over him and holds his glowing hands over his torso, aiming for all his internal organs, it seems.

When we turn another corner, bullets rip past us, and we duck back behind the wall. Jason, who seems fed up with these people, fires three huge bolts of lightning through the ceiling, nearly bringing the whole hallway down.

“Jason!” I shout, “Calm down! You’re gonna kill someone!”

“They’re trying to kill us!” he yells back, firing another bolt through the ceiling, hitting some guards who raise their weapons.

“Well, you bringing down this place while we’re still in it will kill us too, not just them!”

He ignores me and calls down some more bolts before I lose my patience. The incessant pounding of my head makes it hard to think or see clearly and I shove Jason from behind. He stumbles a few steps before I remember that he has Nico in his arms. He whips around in outrage and summons an icy blast of air through the roof that blasts me off of my feet, taking down Clarisse and the new girl with me. We slam into the floor and Clarisse grunts in pain as her injured arm takes the brunt of her fall.

Luckily the new girl is still too loopy to feel much pain, so she just gets the wind knocked from her. I notice a red patch growing more rapidly on her white turtleneck, though.

“Oh my gods, I’m so sorry-” Jason begins once he sees Clarisse and the new girl on the floor, but Annabeth doesn’t let him finish.

“What the FUCK is wrong with you guys?! Are you serious? In case you forgot, our friends are injured, and we need to get out of here before they kill us all! Get your act together, you should know better than this,” Annabeth chastises and my face burns with shame. She helps up Clarisse and the girl, purposely leaving me on the floor. I deserved that.

“Let’s all just calm down. We can get out of here safely if we work together,” Piper says calmly, and her smooth voice convinces me that she’s right. Everyone nods in agreement.

“Calm,” the new girl echoes, and I glance at her weirdly. She doesn’t notice.

Not giving us a second glance, Annabeth takes the lead and confidently leads us down another, less obvious hallway and somehow manages to get us to the parking garage after only having to fight 5 more guards. She and Piper did most of the heavy lifting anyway, working as a team to stay collected and stop the guards without injuring them.

As soon as we get to the garage, we see that our escape van is surrounded by heavily armed men wearing what looks like celestial bronze coated earpieces. They may not respond well to Charmspeak, so we duck behind another vehicle before they can see us. Luckily, the garage is full of similarly armed vehicles, one of which has a guard sitting inside as a potential stakeout. He’s the perfect victim as Piper and Annabeth tag team him.

Annabeth rips open the passenger door, lunches across the seats, and rips the earpieces out of his ears before he can fight back. Piper then commands him to give us the keys, walk away from the car slowly, and put back in the earpieces as he rejoins his coworkers like nothing happened as to not raise suspicion.

He does what he’s told without a second thought and walks right up to the armed guards around our old vehicle, pulling out his weapon to stand just like them. They look at him weirdly and ask what he’s doing there.

“I thought you were hiding in a van waiting to report any sightings,” one of the men questions, and the guard Piper got to deflects naturally.

“I switched off and was told to join you guys,” he says, and they don’t question him more.

As quietly as we can, we all make our way into the van, laying Nico and the new girl down as gently as possible and climbing in after. Annabeth and Piper sit up front, while the rest of us find space in the back compartment, separated off.

When Annabeth turns the engine on, it roars to life much louder than we’d hoped and the armed guards shout in surprise. I hear the tired squeal against the concrete as Annabeth guns it out of the garage, up the ramp, and through the metal gate arm. We are jostled around in the back but thankfully protected from the barrage of bullets due to the bulletproof metal. Their own products are working against them.

It's silent in the back as we assess our injuries. We trust Annabeth to get us out of this mess with her crazy driving skills and instead focus on Nico who only seems to be getting worse. My headache isn’t getting any better either, turning into a blinding migraine that sends splotches of colors floating across my vision. Clarisse looks more annoyed than hurt, inspecting her grazed arm with a ‘hmph.’ It doesn’t seem to be bleeding much anymore.

The new girl, who I’m finally told is named Estrella looks very pale and dizzy as the struggles to sit up. Clarisse keeps shoving her down and trying to pull up her sweater to look at her wound, but Estrella keeps squirming away.

Will is getting more frantic by the second as Nico coughs and chokes on blood. He tries to put his hands over wounds that aren’t there and just heal something, but he doesn’t seem to know where to look.

“Does anyone have any ambrosia or nectar?! He looks like he’s losing a lot of blood! I don’t know what happened!” Will shouts.

“I… I have some in my bag somewhere, I think… I just- ah my head is… killing me,” I grab my head in my hands as my vision goes blurry. I try to fumble around and find some of the godly food, but I just can’t seem to see straight.

“Let me see,” Jason takes the bag from my hands and rummages around, coming up with what looks like a little plastic bag filled with something.

“Here,” he says and hands it to Will, who nearly cries with relief.

“Oh thank gods,” Will breathes and shoves a whole square of ambrosia down Nico’s throat, followed by a shot of nectar. He monitors Nico for a second, placing his fingers against his throat to measure his pulse and looking a bit calmer.

“Here, Frank, take one,” Jason instructs and hands me a small square of ambrosia. I eat it greedily and my headache clears slowly, my vision coming back more clearly.

“Gods, what was that?” I groan, “My head has never hurt like that before.”

“Probably a concussion,” Jason figures.

“Why?” Will chimes in.

“He slammed his head into a celestial bronze door like 20 times,” Jason concedes and Will lets out a shocked laugh.

“Yeah, then of course you were concussed. Probably a severe one at that. So you had a headache?”

“Yeah. A bad one. I started having trouble seeing clearly.”

“Hmm. Nausea?”

“Yes.”

“Dizziness?”

“Yeah.”

“Most likely a concussion. Are you feeling better now? Can you see clearly?” Will asks, waving his pointing finger back and forth for my eyes to follow. I can do it without a splitting headache, so I’ll call that a win.

“Yeah. Just a slight headache left but it’s getting better quickly,” I say in relief.

“Will, you should take a look at this too. The wound doesn’t look that good,” Clarisse calls him over to look at Estrella, who has finally been flipped on her side with her shirt pulled up. I avert my eyes in embarrassment as some of her bra is on display above a wound that is most definitely reopened.

I’m not sure if it was ever healed, as the skin around it looks raised and inflamed. Her side looks bruised and bloody as the now open wound drips blood down her back. She unknowingly reaches her back to touch it but Clarisse slaps her hand away.

“Can you sit still? You’re going to hurt yourself,” she chides, trying to look annoyed, but I can sense some concern and care behind that. Estrella just groans in annoyance.

“Oh wow, yeah that looks bad,” Will confesses, leaning down to inspect it, “When we found her, they looked like they were stitching her up, but they weren’t doing a very good job at it. I put some gauze to stop the bleeding as we moved her, but it looks like it reopened. They were also taking blood samples rather than giving her more. She was hooked up to an IV, but I didn’t get to see what was inside. It must have had some sort of sedative or painkiller for her to be acting so loopy. She must be reacting this way because they gave her too much of whatever it was being that she lost so much blood.”

“Did they even perform surgery?” Clarisse asks, leaning down to look at the wound, “It looks like swollen.”

“I don’t think they actually did. When we got there, she was on a bed, but I didn’t see any operating table or tools. They could have done it before we got there, but I have a feeling the bullet is still inside.”

“So, what does that mean?” Jason questions. Will purses his lips.

“We’d have to take the bullet out before giving her ambrosia or nectar. If we don’t, she’ll heal around it and her body might start to reject it. Was it a regular bullet? She seems to be bleeding a lot still.”

“I didn’t really have time to notice. Bullets were flying everywhere but the handcuffs they used were celestial bronze. They had the same earplugs made of celestial bronze too. There’s a chance it’s not a regular bullet,” Jason remembers, and we all pale slightly.

“What if it’s celestial bronze?” Clarisse asks cautiously, grabbing both of Estrella’s wrists in her hands to stop her constant fidgeting.

“We’d need to remove it as soon as possible so we can give her ambrosia. If we don’t get it out, it could affect her powers or leech into her bloodstream, potentially killing her.”

The van goes silent at that. Even Estrella seems to somber a bit as if just noticing that we’re talking about her.

“I’m gonna die?”

“No, you’ll be fine. We’re gonna get it out, don’t worry,” Clarisse reassures her. Estrella looks up at her with wide, suddenly frightened eyes.

“I can try to get it out now while we’re still moving, but I run the risk of being jostled and causing more blood loss. She looks really pale already so I’m not sure if that’s the best option. I could also ask us to stop so I can perform a quick extraction but that would not only risk her safety but ours as well,” Will explains, weighing both options.

“Do you think we’ve outrun them yet?” I wonder, and Jason leans over to shout through the divider to the front. Annabeth replies that they’re still on our tail, but we are gaining ground.

“We can’t stop then,” Jason finished grimly. We have no other option. Either wait until we can stop, which may cause lasting damage to Estrella, or do it now and risk further blood loss. The choice seems obvious as we all trust Will’s abilities.

“Do it now,” Clarisse decides. We nod in agreement.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Annabeth, try to drive as smoothly as possible, we’re doing surgery back here!” Jason shouts and I hear Annabeth shout back baffled questions, but we ignore her and get to work.

We gently shift a now sleeping Nico to the back of the van, as far out of the way as we can manage. Clarisse maneuvers Estrella to the center of the van, lying her on her stomach so we can more easily see the sound on her side. The drugs must be wearing off slightly as she whimpers slightly with the movement.

Not having come prepared for emergency surgery, we have nothing to soak up the blood except for one of the extra t-shirts I packed for the trip. Why is it always my clothes?

Clarisse carefully peels off Estrella’s two layers of sweaters, both almost completely soaked in blood, and tries to clean the skin around the wound as much as possible. Jason and I look away uncomfortably. I busy myself by hunting around for more ambrosia and hand my stash to Will, who is pouring water from a bottle over his hands, scrubbing them clean of as much dirt as possible before rubbing in some of my Japanese Cherry Blossom hand sanitizer. (A/N: one of the og bath and body works scents)

“This will have to be good enough for now,” Will says grimly and pulls out a mildly sanitized knife. He places the tip against the wound and Jason and I cringe in anticipation.

“This will hurt for a second, Estrella. Just, um, squeeze Clarisse’s hand or something,” Will instructs, and Clarisse grabs one of Estrella’s hands firmly. Estrella has her forehead pressed against the floor of the van seemingly holding her breath pre-emptively. As Will presses the knife into the wound and hunts around for the bullet, Estrella gasps in pain and tries to wriggle away from the pain.

“Hold still,” Clarisse grunts and sits on the backs of Estrella’s legs to pin her down. She still tries to twist around and shove Will’s hands away, so Jason moves quickly and presses her shoulders down firmly. Will goes a little deeper with the knife and Estrella lets out a piercing shriek so loud and high that I want to cover my ears. Even Nico squirms a bit in his sleep.

Blood streams out of the wound more rapidly now, and Estrella is losing color by the second. Her second blood-curdling scream is cut off by sharp, high-pitched breaths that sound like tight wheezes in her throat. She hyperventilates until suddenly her body stills and her struggling ceases. Clarisse, who barely even knows this girl, has tears welled in her eyes as Estrella’s hand goes limp in hers.

It’s at this moment that I start to second-guess the gods. Are they any better than humans? Are humans any better than monsters?

How can this supposedly beautiful, otherworldly, mythological world benefit at the expense of children? How can we be put through so much pain at such a young age, where even the strongest of us are subjected to tears at the countless horrors we face? How can we be expected to fight for the gods when all they do is hurt us? How can someone like Chiron be ok with sending us off to war? It’s not fair that Lupa has to raise us to be hard and emotionally unavailable.

Are we destined to die so young? How are we meant to survive outside of this world when pain and torment is all we know? Is this all that there is? Why can’t I remember what it was like to not constantly worry about dying?

Will I ever feel a sense of control? What if I died on my own terms? Would that be any better? How can anyone be ok with their children dying for them? How can I ever grow and mature when I know there is always someone who wants to hurt me? How will I ever allow myself to feel or love? How could I ever bring children into this world?

What’s the point?

What is the point?

It seems like at some point along the way I’ve lost the answer to that question. I’m so angry that I don’t even want to think rationally. Maybe one day I’ll remember, but it’s dawned on me that I don’t want to be a leader. I thought it would make me feel less insecure. I thought people would respect me more and I’d be happy.

No one told me that when everyone’s eyes are on you, you feel more insecure than ever before. People respect me for now but look for any reason to doubt me. Any mistake gives them a reason to hate me, to blame me for their problems. It seems like everyone is so angry that they want you to fail.

Maybe my failure would make them feel better about their lives. Really, none of us is the problem. It’s the people at the top. The ones who make all the decisions. The ones who use us and abuse us and get rid of us as long as we don’t serve their needs. Apate and Moros aren’t that far off. Maybe they’re just tired of being used and ignored.

I know who the real problem is.

The gods.

Chapter Text

Estrella POV:

If you knew the world was out to get you, what would you do? No, really. We all think that our lives are shit and that people are out to get us, but what if you knew it was true? Deep down, if you knew that people, monsters, they’re the same at this point, would never stop coming after you until you are dead, what would you do?

If you knew that they wanted you dead because of your heritage? You have no control over that, but you shouldn’t exist. You deserve to die.

I mean that’s what they all think, isn’t it? Some woman who I’ve never even met has destined me for a life full of pain and suffering, never to stop being hunted. And what can I do?

They judge me because of who I am, not what I do. Because some of my DNA is different than theirs, I don’t deserve to live. Never mind the fact that I was raised with humans. No, that doesn’t matter, because I will always be different.

No matter what I do, I will never be good enough in their eyes. I will always remain a monster.

And I always noticed it growing up too. In church, the looks my family would get for speaking Spanish. And they had even less of a difference in their DNA. Still, they would be seen as poor, rowdy, stupid immigrants who are stealing Americans’ jobs and mooching off the government. Of course, the fact that my father was a hard-working pillar of our community, providing care for those who could rarely afford it themselves, working extra-long hours to provide for his siblings and mother did not matter. He didn’t belong here because he was different.

So, we’re born like this, with a fate predetermined for us, and a societal role to play, no matter how minuscule. We have no say about how we’re treated, how we’re viewed, or what we can achieve in life. Because I was born into a lower-class family, I am destined to be nothing, right? The odds of me being more are very slim.

Except, that’s not how my family does things. My dad worked hard to provide me with opportunities that he didn’t have. I got a private education with challenging classes and opportunities for growth. And here I am squandering it. I probably won’t ever finish my last semester of school. Eventually, news will get out that my entire family was murdered, and I’ll be a person of interest. My school will assume I’m not coming back and terminate my records. Forget all the work I put in to get good grades and learn as much as possible. It was all destined from the start, right? I am destined to be nothing.

I am nothing.

So, what would you do? If you knew that nothing you do can make a difference? That your life was predetermined and that you don’t have the same opportunities as other people. If you’re not white or a man or wealthy or educated or born just 2 miles away from your shitty neighborhood, you’re already destined to fail. So why even bother?

I used to have big dreams, like all little girls. I used to imagine myself as the first woman president, or the world’s best singer, or a world-famous actress, or maybe even an award-winning author. My dad told me I could be anything, and I believed him. I wish I could say that if I could go back, I’d tell that little girl to hold on to those dreams, but would I? Why would I bother? Better that she knows what kind of world she was growing up in. If anything, I’d tell her to hold on to her family. It was there that she could be anything. To them, every word she wrote was poetry, every doodle she drew was art, and every word she sang was gospel. She didn’t appreciate that nearly enough.

Why would she though, when it was all she ever knew? She couldn’t know that people didn’t see her like her family did in the real world. She didn’t know that people would hate her without even meeting her. She didn’t know that the world wasn’t designed for her. It was designed by the people that it serves. By the people, for the people.

But not all people.

Not me, not my family, and not the demigods that I travel with. When I saw the looks on the men’s faces who were dragging me from the armored van to a holding center, I realized how wide the divide really is. To look so predatory and careless with a girl they don’t even know…

I don’t remember much else until the drugs they laced me with started leaving my system and the pain of what had occurred set in. I remember feeling like someone was repeatedly stabbing me in the side and I just couldn’t seem to make it stop. My limbs felt so heavy that I couldn’t pick them off the floor. I remember seeing Clarisse leaning over me and wondering how she got there. I didn’t know where I was, how I got there, what was happening, or why I was in so much pain. The pain just got worse and worse until suddenly I wasn’t in a van anymore.

All of a sudden, I was in what looked like a cell with two tiny beds and a toilet. I saw Leo crouching in a corner, hands over his eyes, burns lacing his arms, and Terra sleeping on one of the beds. She looked pale, exhausted, and dirty. Then on the other bed, I saw an angular, skeletal face with black hair partly tucked under a sheet pulled up to his lips, moving slightly with each puff of breath. The rest of the body was covered in blankets and sheets, seemingly still moving with what looked like violent shivers.

Hazel was nowhere to be seen, which worried me. Then I put the pieces together… Terra, Leo, Hazel… That boy under the pile of sheets must be Percy…

“Leo?” I called and tried to walk over to him, but my body seemed to glide too smoothly to be walking. I’m dreaming.

“Can you hear me?” I tried, remembering how I was able to speak to Moros and Nyx in my dreams, but no one responded. I sighed and walked over to where Percy lay. My brain couldn’t seem to comprehend why he looked like that. He looked so different, so worn and tired. What happened to his flawless skin and full lips? His cheeks were hollow and pale, lips chapped and wrinkly. Even his hair looked dull and lifeless.

“Percy… what did they do to you?”

When his eyes opened, I nearly had an aneurysm.

“Estrella…” he croaked and reached a hand up to touch my face. Only, the arm that came up was almost see-through. His sleeping body continued sleeping on. He must be seeing me in his dream as well.

“Percy? You can hear me?”

“Yeah. I’ve been trying to reach you guys in dreams for what feels like days. I’ve been asleep for a long time. I think my body is too weak to wake up or something.”

“What happened? Where are you? The last I remember you were looking for another car at that rest stop… and I think I heard something about you guys being captured but I’m not sure. I was pretty out of it.”

“I’m not sure where they took us, but it’s run by a guy called Idris. I have a feeling that he’s a son of Athena with his creepy grey eyes. He said we’re in this ‘Hellenic Research Center’ or something but I’m not sure where exactly that is. Es, it’s really bad,” Dream Percy confessed.

“What are they doing?”

“Well, we got overrun at the rest stop obviously. Terra and I got shot, and then they put us in celestial bronze handcuffs. I haven’t been able to use my powers to heal myself. Terra managed to piss off this nutjob, so they took her out of this cell first and when they brought her back, she was pale, dirty, and unconscious. She wouldn’t wake up, so I freaked and started demanding answers, which only pissed them off more. They took me out next and started drawing blood, then threw me into some celestial bronze-lined chamber. When they turned it on, I felt like I was dying, like I couldn’t breathe or move. Es, they took my power. Literally sucked it right out of me.”

I gasped in horror and threw a hand over my mouth as I looked back down at his sleeping body covered in a sheet. The body outlined underneath looked much smaller than it should be.

“Yeah, I look terrible… I’m still not sure why taking my powers made me look like that and not Terra, but I assume it has something to do with water,” Percy sighed.

“I’m so sorry…”

“It’s ok, I’ve been through worse,” he joked, but I could sense that something was off. He didn’t tell me everything that happened to him.

“But anyway, enough about me. How are you guys doing? Did you find Mr. Sanderson? Is he going to help us?”

My face dropped even further.

“No.”

“What? Why the Hades not? Isn’t he a son of Ares?”

“Yes. But haven’t you noticed a trend, Percy? You said Idris was probably a son of Athena… The government is working with select demigods to take down the rest of us. The demigods are giving them supplies, important information, and more. Mr. Sanderson was insane. They took our weapons at the gate and stalled us long enough to get the guards and a transport vehicle ready. They knew exactly how to stop us. Before we could fight back, they put those same cuffs on Jason first and he wasn’t able to help. Piper and Annabeth tried to fight back but Annabeth was knocked out by Sanderson, who is quick for his age. Piper took a few down with a gun she stole but was trying to protect Jason and got taken out too. Eventually, they all turned on me, so I made the whole place go dark. They threatened to shoot Piper, so I tried to bargain with them, but Sanderson heard where my voice was coming from and shot me. I don’t remember much after that…”

“Oh my gods,” Percy breathed and sat back next to his unconscious body, “This is really bad… They know way more about us than we thought. How are we going to stand up against the entire US government? What if they involve the rest of the world? Where did they take you guys? What if they attack camp? We have to warn somebody.”

“Well, I assume we’re both unconscious, so I’m not sure how we’re going to do that. I’m not sure where they took us, but I have hazy memories of them saying some holding center. I just remember a lot of pain, feeling hands on me, then getting really loopy. I have a few flashes of Clarisse’s face for some reason, looking down at me, but she wasn’t with us so those might just be dreams.”

“Oh gods… I’m never getting out of here. They’re going to kill me. I pissed off everyone by drowning them in sewage, they’re not gonna stop taking my power until I’m dead. And I can’t do anything about it. They came and took more blood while I was sleeping too. They won’t stop. We’re nothing to them,” Percy rambled, sounding frantic and lost. My heart ached for him.

“Why are they doing this to us? Mr. Sanderson looked disgusted by us too. Maybe Apate got to them…” I trailed off when I noticed my voice sounding farther and farther away, “Percy, I think I’m waking up… I-I’ll try to get in contact with you guys. I’m not sure where I am, but I’ll try to find Annabeth. She’ll know what to do. Just stay strong, ok? We need you. I’m sorry you’re going through this. If we can escape, we’ll break you out. I promise. Keep trying to reach us in your dreams! I’ll let everyone else know-” I was cut off when I woke up with a gasp, frantic and sweaty, unsure of where I was. I felt a faint ache in my side where I remember being struck with a bullet but noticed that it was nowhere near as painful. I slowly rolled onto my good side with a groan and squinted at the dark space around me. I heard fuzzy voices next to my head but was still too groggy to understand what they were saying.

“-not to move too much, okay? We had to stitch you up a bit because the bullet slowed your healing,” someone said. I blinked forcefully until the darkness morphed into shapes and silhouettes, noticing the voice coming from none other than Will Solace.

“Hmm?” I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy. My head was pounding from the blood loss and drugs leaving my system.

“Just be careful. You were looking a little dicey for a second, but we managed to get the bullet out. They shot you with a celestial bronze bullet, remember? Do you know what happened after?” Will asked.

Celestial bronze bullet? Since when does the government have celestial bronze? Then it all came back to me. The bronze handcuffs, the trap, hearing guards talk about our friends.

“They have Terra! And Leo-ah-” I tried to sit up and jerked when I felt a sharp pain in my side. Still not fully healed I guess.

“Woah woah woah, be careful,” Clarisse’s rough voice grunted from behind me, and I swung my neck around to look at her. Her hands were surprisingly gentle as she helped pull me into a sitting position and lean against the wall of the van. I couldn’t tell if it was the blood leaving my head or the moving van that made my vision swim, but I braced my forehead against my fist with a shaky breath.

“Oof.”

“Yeah, like I said, you’ll need to take it slow. Do you know where you are?” Will asked.

“Uhh,” I looked around again, “a van… But you guys weren’t with us before. Did they capture you guys? When did you and Clarisse, and- is that Nico? What’s wrong with him? When did you guys get here? Whose van is this? And who are you?” I pointed to the big burly guy with my lips.

“That’s Frank,” Jason explained, “And they broke us out of the holding center. After you passed out in the van after Sanderson’s the guards took us to a place for holding until they could run tests on us and interrogate us. That guy over there is Frank. You know, Hazel’s boyfriend,” Jason continued, ignoring Franks's indignant whine, “He got Nico, Will, and Clarisse to help break us out. We nearly took the whole place down but managed to escape with some minor injuries. This is one of the vans from Sanderson’s place that Frank stole.”

“You stole a government van?” I asked, baffled, but impressed. Whoever this guy is, he seems like the real deal.

“It was easy enough to get in as a bug. Then I stole this uniform and the guy at the guardhouse told me how to find you guys. We owe him big time. He gave me your weapons back too.”

“What do you mean as a bug?”

“They didn’t tell you?” he looked at Jason accusingly, and I shook my head, “I can shapeshift.”

My eyebrows rose nearly into my hairline as he suddenly turned into a squirrel, then back into a man, gripping his head with a moan.

“Ow, Will, why does it still hurt when I shapeshift?”

“I don’t know, the brain is a fickle thing. Maybe cool it with the showing off, hmm? Let the ambrosia do its thing,” Will chastised, and Frank’s cheeks turned beet red. Clarisse reached across the van and punched him in the shoulder with a laugh.

“So, you guys broke us out? I don’t even remember being with you guys. I have like vague images of men looming over me, but I don’t really want to think about what happened with that. I wasn’t really in any condition to fight back,” I recalled with a shudder.

“We didn’t see much of you either. Once we got to the holding center, they took you out first and whisked you away from us. Piper nearly made their ears bleed screaming at them to leave you alone. We were taken somewhere else – a holding cell with a thick celestial bronze door and concrete walls. Frank turned into an elephant and busted the door down while Nico and Will got you,” Jason noted.

“Wow,” I uttered, feeling both grateful and overwhelmed, “So what happened to him?” I gestured to Nico, who looked beat up as he slept curled up in a ball on the floor.

“He’s had a long day,” Will sighed and tenderly brushed his hair off his forehead. My heart clenched a little at the sweet gesture.

“I’ll say,” Clarisse muttered, “You should have seen him puking blood like the fucking exorcist.”

“HUH?”

“I think it had something to do with shadow traveling into the facility with so much celestial bronze present. It must have caused some internal bleeding or something,” Will ventured, “But I want to see if Annabeth has any ideas. Frank’s headache might be something similar. Maybe they laced celestial bronze into the walls. That could have caused a more intense concussion to people like us.”

“I thought the government didn’t know about us,” I wondered, feeling like I was missing something.

“They obviously know more than they’ve let on,” Jason said with a frown, “What did you mean when you said they have Terra?”

“Oh! Yeah, when I was unconscious, I had a dream that I was in a cell with Terra, Leo, and Percy. They looked really bad, Percy especially. He was talking to me in the dream, looking down at his own body and explaining what happened to them. He said they got captured at the rest stop and taken to some ‘Hellenic Research center’ run by a guy named Idris. Apparently, they’re running tests and draining their power. Percy said they took Hazel for testing before I showed up in the dream, so she’s there too.”

“Yeah… I overheard them talking about the name Idris at Mr. Sanderson’s house. The guard told me it was in Maryland.” Frank nodded grimly.

“Yeah, it really didn’t look good. How long do you think they’ve been there? They got taken probably not long after we left then at the rest stop. What time is it now?”

“That was yesterday… We’ve been driving for over 12 hours, trying to put some distance between us and that holding facility. It’s…” Jason looked down at his watch, “10 AM now. So they’ve been there all this time.”

My stomach dropped. They’ve been locked in a crazy testing center being killed slowly and it’s already been almost a day. What are we waiting for?

“But how long does it take to get to Maryland from where we were? It couldn’t have been that far?” I wondered.

“We can’t just storm in there,” Jason said sadly as I noticed the car slowing down and pulling to a stop, “We stopped at a gas station after a few hours of driving and saw our faces on the news. The government officially labeled us as wanted. They claimed we attacked and killed multiple members of the government and blew up the holding center, which, well… we did.”

“Ok? They already knew our faces anyway. If we tried to break them out, they would have known it was us even before we got plastered on the news. My best friend could die, I’m not just going to sit around!” my voice grew in volume as I grew more agitated.

“In case you haven’t noticed, genius, we’re not in exactly the best shape ourselves. It wouldn’t be very smart to go and get ourselves captured again, now, would it?” Frank questioned, and I couldn’t help but interpret it as a righteous tone.

“So we’re just going to let them die? We have to get them out-” I was interrupted by the two back doors of the van being ripped open. Blinding light flooded the van and I shut my eyes tightly, briefly forgetting my outrage as my headache was suddenly cranked to 1000.

“Potty time!” Piper chirped with false cheeriness, “Oh Es, you’re up! Good! How are you feeling?”

“Fantastic,” I grumbled, my mood turning sour at our circumstances.

“Yeah, you look it,” Annabeth joked, and I sent her a scathing stare, “Sheesh, someone woke up grumpy.”

“Well, I just woke up from seeing your ex and my best friend, or should I say your girlfriend, in a cell, tortured and drained. Excuse me if I’m not cheery that we’re dawdling and not heading in their direction,” I snapped. Nearly everyone around me sent disappointed and disgusted glances my way.

“Ok, first, get the fuck over yourself. Sorry you’re having a bad time, but maybe if you take a second and look around, you’ll notice that none of us are exactly doing fantastic. You have no reason to be a bitch to Annabeth, who’s done nothing but try to help us all, making sure that we got your ass out of the holding center alive,” Piper started, giving me no opportunity to talk back, “And second, if you stop being an impatient idiot for like two seconds, you’d notice that we didn’t have a choice. You’re not the only one worried about your friends, ok? We are going to come up with a plan to get them out, which would be a lot easier if we could all just get along and stop being so selfish and obnoxious,” she scoffed and headed to the gas pump without saying another word.

My cheeks burned with shame as everyone looked at me expectantly. Now everyone is ganging up on me.

With a huff, I shuffled my way out of the van and into the gas station, limping and pressing a hand against my side. I tried not to show how much pain I was in, but my slow pace probably gave me away. No one tried to stop me though.

Tears burned in my eyes as I made my way to the dingy bathroom in the back, ignoring the clerk saying hello and asking if I needed help finding anything. By the first stroke of luck this entire trip, the bathroom that I’m in now was unlocked, so I made my way inside and slammed it behind me. I hobbled over to the toilet and sat down, pressing my fists into my eyes.

I can’t hold the tears back anymore and just sit there trying to quiet my sobs. Too much has happened in the past week and I’m not sure how anyone is holding it together. I can’t imagine living my life like this every day. Between the pain, fear, anger, and shame, I can’t seem to stop the tears that roll down my burning cheeks and drip into my lap. I give myself 5 minutes to get as much out as I can, then get up, flush the toilet, and limp over to the sink.

My reflection looks haggard in the distorted, cracked mirror. My cheeks burn red while the rest of my face and body look pale grey. I splash some of the smelly water on my face and try to scrub away the tear tracks. After a minute, I decide Piper was right. I’m not the only one suffering. If I’m going to make it through the next few weeks, I need to be more patient and mature. This isn’t about me.

By the time I exit the bathroom, my eyes are still red-rimmed, and my nose and cheeks have taken on a rosier glow. I try to comb out my ratty hair and rebraid it, but I know the frizz won’t calm down until I actually take a shower. This will have to do for now.

When I step out of the bathroom, I notice that the gas station has a sudden strange quiet. I hear a hushed voice in the corner and turn to find the clerk quietly mumbling rushed words into his phone. We make eye contact for a brief moment, and he hastily hangs up, plastering on a bright smile. Something about the interaction seems strange but I brush it off. Maybe he’s just weird.

“Find everything all right?” he asks, and I frown.

“I was in the bathroom…”

“Oh right. Do you need help finding anything?” he asks for the second time and my eyebrows raise. Dude is a little too helpful.

“Umm, no I think I’m good. Just looking,” I smile back awkwardly and start browsing the shelves stuffed with candy, chips, and unappetizing granola bars. I spot Takis in the corner and my heart clenches as I remember Leo munching on them throughout the entire ride with Percy and Hazel. Then I see Reese’s and my eyes burn even more, thinking of Terra and her favorite candy.

By the time I finally register the blaring TV talking about some building explosion and start to turn around, the volume lowers and Annabeth walks in. She stutters a step when she sees me and immediately notices that I’ve obviously been crying. Piper isn’t far behind, so I start to apologize before she enters the store.

“Annabeth, I-I’m sorry,” I begin, my throat catching annoyingly and eyes burning, “I shouldn’t have been so rude in the van. I just don’t know what’s happening and lashed out. I love Terra and am so happy you finally noticed how much she liked you because she never stops talking about you and you make her really happy and I want her to be happy more than anything and you too, I-”

“It’s ok,” Annabeth interrupts with a small smile at my expense, “I’m not mad at you. I was just shocked, I should have realized you already knew about us. And trust me, what you’re feeling right now is completely justified, you’ve been through a lot without a break to digest any of it.”

“I know, it’s just… I’m really sorry, I feel really bad for outing you to your friends. It was none of my business and I had no right to do that or take it out on you. You deserve to come out whenever you want or not at all and I-I… I’m sorry, I promise, I’ll go out there and say I was lying and trying to insult you and that I think being gay is an insult or something I just-”

“Es,” Annabeth laughs, and I pick at my cuticles nervously, “You think they didn’t already know? And you really think they would believe you? Come on, you’re obviously not homophobic… I mean if I’m being honest,” she laughs again, “you don’t exactly act completely straight.”

“Wha-” my mouth gapes in shock, “What? What are you talking about?”

“Hey, no judgment here… I saw how you looked at Calypso and Piper. And Percy too, hmm?” she purses her lips like she’s trying to keep a straight face and my eyes nearly bulge out of my head.

“Y-you-”

“I’m just messing with you. I mean, kinda. I’m not going to tell anyone, unlike you though,” she sends me a playful chastising look and cuts me off as I start to apologize again, “Kidding. Come here.”

Annabeth pulls me into a hug and a shocked laugh escapes my mouth, letting the tears burning in my eyes bubble out. Instead, they’re more tears of relief as some of the guilt is lifted off my shoulders. She said what I did was ok, but deep down I still feel the guilt as I know I did something wrong to hurt her that I can’t take back.

“I know everything sucks right now, but we’re going to get them back. Once you learn to trust everyone like I do, you’ll feel better knowing that we won’t give up on our friends. I’m not going to give up now that I finally feel free enough to try loving someone else. Terra isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, ok?” Annabeth rubs a soothing circle on my back then pulls away to let me wipe away my tears. I nod, feeling both grateful and hopeful for the first time in days. She’s right. I should trust them.

But trust never came that easily to me.

I’ve always struggled with relationships because I put too much of myself into them and never feel reciprocated. Terra is my longest friend by far, yet I constantly worry about losing her. How can I open myself up to these people when the possibility of losing them is now so much higher? How can I open up when I know I’m bound to be hurt in the end?

My thoughts are interrupted by Piper dropping a bag of chips on the floor. When Annabeth and I turn to her, we notice her eyes honed in on the TV in the corner. We look up and catch a concerning headline running under video footage of a man being escorted out of a police car.

The news reads, “Tristan McClean brought in for questioning regarding his daughter’s involvement in the recent terrorist attack in Pennsylvania,” followed by images of Piper, Annabeth, Jason, Frank, Clarisse, Will, Nico, and… me. They chose to use my senior photo, a somewhat blurry image of me smiling with a string of pearls and a black velvet sweetheart neckline drape that they made all the senior girls wear on picture day. My hair is straightened, which might make it a little more difficult to identify me compared to my current frizzy curly hair and beaten frame, but it’s pretty obviously me if you look closely.

A clicking sound brings our attention back to the clerk, who has his hands hidden under the counter, looking like a deer in headlights. His eyes flick up to the TV briefly, then right back to Piper. His eyes are wide and skittish as he looks back and forth between the three of us, then outside as if looking for something.

None of us speak for a good 5 seconds, all of us afraid to make any sudden movements. We jump when Frank pulls on the door from the outside and notices that it’s locked. He tries pushing instead but it doesn’t budge. The clerk pales as he takes in Frank’s large frame, recognizing his image from the news as well.

He locked us in here?

Piper suddenly snaps out of her stupor and decides to try and fix the problem.

“Hey, can you unlock the door, please? We’re just getting gas and snacks,” she tries sweetly.

“Y-you’re the kids from the news… You guys killed people,” the clerk stutters and inches even further away behind the register. Again, he flicks his eyes to look out the window as if waiting for something.

“No, we’re just regular teenagers on a road trip. You’re not afraid of us,” Piper says, and the man’s face drops into a pleasant smile. He’s convinced.

“Just regular teenagers,” he echoes.

“Yes. Unlock the door please,” Piper smiles. Suddenly I hear the faint sound of sirens in the distance, and it clicks.

“Piper, he called the cops!” I realize, “He was on the phone when I got out of the bathroom and hung up as soon as I came out. We need to get out of here.”

“Shit,” Annabeth curses.

“Sir, when the cops get here, you’ll realize that the people you saw were not the same as the ones on the news. You’ll tell them you were mistaken. If they asked where we went, you’ll tell them that we went North, okay?” Piper instructs, and he nods along energetically, eager to please her. I feel uncomfortable as I remember the feeling of not being in control of my mind or actions when she used Charmspeak on me but realize that we don’t really have another choice.

Without another word, he unlocks the door for us, and we run (or hobble in my case) back out to the van and jump inside. Jason filled up the tank and is sitting in the front seat ready to take over driving for Annabeth. He must have heard the sirens, so he urgently gestures us into the van before driving off. Frank joins him in the front as Annabeth grabs my hand and pulls me in.

We speed off in the opposite direction of the sirens, heading south on the I-95 toward South Carolina where apparently Clarisse knows some people who might be able to help. In the back of the van, Piper hands out some granola bars she managed to snag before we ran out of the store, but she didn’t get enough for everyone. We prioritize Nico, Will, Jason, Frank, and Annabeth, who seem to be the most crucial to our survival and success, which leaves two extra bars.

Trying to avoid the awkwardness, I suggest that Piper and Clarisse take the last two so no one else has to say it. I’m probably the least useful on this team anyway.

“Here, I’ll split mine with you,” Clarisse suggests, but I brush her off.

“No, really, it’s ok. We need you at full strength,” I argue.

“Estrella, you should eat something. It’ll help with the blood loss – you need nutrients to heal better. Take mine. Doctor’s orders,” Will tries, but we all know he needs it more. Healing everyone is costly, and it shows in his dark eye bags and sunken features. I wonder if he’s had time to eat at all the past 2 days.

“Guys, seriously, it’s fine. I’m not hungry. In fact, I’m pretty nauseous. Better not to waste any on me,” I say to make them feel better, but it’s not much of a stretch. My stomach is painfully empty, but that hunger has shifted to an uncomfortable nausea.

They grudgingly eat their bars as I stare off into space, thinking of what I can possibly say to apologize for my outburst earlier. However, Annabeth beats me to it.

“Es, you can stop moping, none of us are mad at you. If it makes you feel any better, I can tell everyone what you told me,” Annabeth begins, and I shoot her a confused glance. Her face shifts into an evil smirk.

“Estrella wanted to say that she was lying about me and Terra and that she thinks being gay is the worst possible thing on Earth, so she used it as an insult.”

Nico, who is now awake and looking considerably better after eating, and Will’s faces twist into baffled frowns and shoot me weird looks. Piper and Clarisse cough out surprised laughs and Annabeth looks proud of herself with her chin high in the air. My face pales considerably.

“W-wha-I mean- uh- wait- I-I didn’t- didn’t mean it like that. I-I” I scramble, and Annabeth bursts into a fit of laughter, falling back against the wall of the van with a thud.

“What was that?” we hear Frank yell through the divide, and Piper shouts back to focus on the road.

“I mean, yeah… Sorry, I just come from a, uh, religious background and… uhhh, God or whatever, you know? I was just lying about Annabeth, I’m sorry,” I force out, the words feeling like acid in my mouth. The more I explain, the more everyone’s faces twist with repressed laughter and forced seriousness. Nico nods along with pursed lips like he’s really soaking in what I’m saying.

“So… Terra?” he asks.

“Uhm…,” my face burns as I try to think of what to say, “Her choices are her own and God will decide what to do with her,” I spout, referencing some of the homophobic BS I heard in church as a kid. The van goes silent for a second before bursting into raucous laughter at my behalf. Clarisse guffaws and smacks me in the back of the head. I shove her away from me with an indignant “hey!” and she laughs even harder.

“That was very convincing,” Will says kindly, holding back a smirk, “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“Ok, ok, enough,” Annabeth chuckles, “I’m kidding. Es, I told you they wouldn’t believe you. I mean, Piper, you’re observant. You saw how she looked at you when she first met you, right?”

My face feels so hot I think I could catch fire like Leo.

“I mean, I’m a daughter of Aphrodite, it’s hard to miss,” Piper tells me with a sympathetic smile. I’m utterly mortified.

“I-I didn’t even do anything, I just said hi,” I insist, and she sends me a knowing smirk.

“It’s ok Es, did you really think any of us were straight? I mean just look at Clarisse,” Piper jokes, and Clarisse nods.

“I’d say Chris is an outlier in my history of relationships.”

“See!” Annabeth exclaims, “Well, now I outed you, so we’ve even. No more outing people, ok?”

“Wh-I-But… I wasn’t even really closeted anyway… But I really am sorry guys. It didn’t really even occur to me that I was outing Annabeth, I just snapped and said stupid shit like I always do. I promise I’d never do that intentionally and I feel really bad. Ugh, now I’m making it about me, um, sorry, I just mean that I won’t do anything like that again and I really screwed up. I know you probably won’t now, but you can trust me with stuff like that from now on. I get it if you don’t though, don’t feel pressured to tell me anything… You barely know me why would you ever tell me anything personal…? That sounded manipulative, wait, I didn’t mean to-”

“Jesus, girl. We already knew about Annabeth and Terra. Anyone with eyes could tell. Well, maybe except for Percy,” Clarise interrupts, then cringes, “Anyway, she forgives you right?” Annabeth nods in agreement, “See? You can calm down. You’re not a horrible person and you’re not manipulating us, ok? In fact, I’d like to see you try. I’m unmanipulatable.”

“What Clarisse is trying to say is that you don’t have to beat yourself up. And you’re not any less important than the rest of us, so quit putting yourself down. I was hard on you earlier because I know you have potential. I see a lot of myself in you and know that you’ll have a big impact on this team. Don’t sell yourself short. It’ll be easier to trust you if you trust yourself,” Piper tells me, and I can see everyone else nodding along.

“Ok,” I sigh heavily, “I’ll do better. Starting now.”

Clarisse claps me on the back in a friendly manner, but it still nearly sends me sprawling onto my face. I ignore the pulling in my side to not bring further attention to myself.

“Anyway, Nico, how are you feeling? I heard you helped get us out of the holding center. Thanks, guys, by the way. And thank you Will for saving my life yet again. You’re a really great healer,” I switch the subject and Will’s face nearly glows with satisfaction at my praise, like maybe he isn’t thanked enough. I make a mental note of that.

“I’m feeling better, I think. I’m not really sure what happened. All I remember is getting inside and everything went downhill from there,” Nico answers.

“You shadow traveled inside, right?” I ask, remembering how it looked in the attack at camp. Nico nods.

“Mhmm. You might be able to do it too, you know. I think I saw you accidentally step into a shadow and reappear like 20 feet away when you were fighting that dracaena at camp,” Nico remembers, and I frown. Is that what that was? I remember feeling disoriented and confused but forgot about it in the rush of battle.

“I just thought I blacked out or something… So I can just go wherever I want like you?”

“I can’t just go anywhere – it takes a lot of energy. Some days I can go farther than others, but it really takes a toll, and you can even start turning into a shadow.”

“Yeah, he’s not supposed to be doing any shadow travel. He’s on a strict recovery plan. Especially now and after this quest,” Will emphasizes. Nico rolls his eyes.

“Can you teach me sometime? It would be nice to have at least one helpful skill,” I ask.

“Yeah, we can try maybe later today if you’re feeling up to it,” Nico replies, and Will purses his lips unhappily like he’s holding back a response.

“So, what is the plan for today?” Piper interjects and Annabeth looks thoughtful.

“We should think through what’s happened so far. So, Nico, Will, and Clarisse, you guys didn’t find Hecate in Salem?” Annabeth thinks.

“No, there were a shit ton of monsters but barely any trace of Hecate. It was either a trap or they could sense her too. We had to come rescue you guys before we had a chance to fully seek it out,” Clarisse explains while scratching her arm where her bullet graze is healing. Will slaps her hand away.

“Hmm… So nothing on that end so far. Still no mist. This is especially pressing now that the world knows our faces. We need to make sure camp is protected,” Annabeth notes and the air in the van feels a little heavier.

“And Percy, Terra, Leo, and Hazel are captured in a top-secret testing center in Maryland. You said you saw them in your dream?” Piper addresses me.

“Yeah. Percy said they have tons of celestial bronze. He called it a ‘Hellenic Research Center’ run by a guy called Idris. Apparently, he has grey eyes like a son of Athena…”

“This makes no sense. Why would demigods be getting involved with the government that wants them killed? I mean, Sanderson seemed like he hates the gods,” Annabeth frowns.

“Didn’t you guys mention something about a guy named Luke who hated the gods? Didn’t he like start a war?” I remember, but Annabeth suddenly looks closed off.

“Luke made some mistakes but ended up a hero. He didn’t involve mortals in his hatred or try to steal power from demigods or shoot CHILDREN WITH GUNS,” Annabeth’s voice raises toward the end, her face getting slightly redder. Piper puts a calming hand on her shoulder, and I suddenly feel guilty like I’ve said something stupid again.

“She didn’t know, Annabeth. Es, Luke was wronged by the gods but would never have gotten the government involved. He didn’t want everything mythological to cease to exist. He just hated the Olympians. Honestly, although his methods were wrong, his intentions might not have been so hard to understand,” Piper explains calmly but her words carry a heavy and uncomfortable danger that lingers in the silence.

“Anyway, he died, story over. What are we going to do about Prissy and the others?” Clarisse questions.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Obviously, they have methods to stop us. They know about Piper’s charmspeak, they have people looking for us all over the country, and they have weapons to kill and incapacitate us. I think we came into this completely unprepared. We were too late to convince Mr. Sanderson, but there’s got to be some way to show that Apate and Moros, who are somehow pulling the strings, are not who they say they are. We need the world to know that we are not the enemy,” Annabeth rants.

“Easier said than done,” Nico grumbles, used to being seen as bad and untrustworthy.

“You convinced me,” Will says sweetly and gives Nico a quick peck on the lips. Clarisse groans dramatically.

“I’m switching teams.”

“So basically, our next steps are the same,” Annabeth realizes, “We need to find Hecate. Without her, we have no chance. Once we find her, we’ll have to convince her to help us free our friends. In the meantime, we should notify Chiron about what’s happened and see if he has any ideas. Once we get to South Carolina we can get some gear, food, and rest, and figure out a more concrete plan,” Annabeth says definitively. I can see why they put her in charge.

“I’m worried about our friends,” I blurt without thinking and want to crawl into a hole and die. Piper turns to me with a look of pity and sympathy, and Annabeth bites her bottom lip.

“I know. I am too. But the best thing we can do for them right now is prevent ourselves from being captured again. If we act rashly, we can jeopardize everything, and they may never get out,” Annabeth explains patiently. It doesn’t stop my worry. I knew something bad was going to happen, but nobody listened to me.

“You guys didn’t see them… Percy looked like he was nearly dead. Leo looked terrified and hopeless. Terra looked ready to give up. What if we don’t make it in time?” I ask, admittedly unhelpfully as there is nothing more Annabeth could do to help. Sue me for not thinking rationally.

Nico looks anxious at the mention of Percy and sends Will and quick sidelong glance to see if he’s looking. I can see that my words send everyone’s mood even further south, but Annabeth remains steadfast in her decision.

“Those four are some of the strongest demigods I’ve ever met. There’s a reason they were targeted so quickly,” Annabeth explains, urging me to understand, “Don’t you see? They won’t let them die. They want something from their powers, and if they’re that desperate to take it, they won’t give it up so easily. Trust me, our friends are worth enough to them that they won’t kill them right away.”

Her logic makes sense. I’m almost convinced when suddenly Leo’s cowering image pops into my mind and I think of Calypso. My heart sinks.

“Oh gods, we have to tell Calypso…” I remember, terrified of how she will react. Her one true love, who died and came back for her, kidnapped and on the verge of death. I was supposed to keep him safe. I promised.

“Don’t worry about that yet,” Annabeth says grimly, aware firsthand of how quickly Calypso’s emotions can turn, “We can IM her and Chiron when we stop. Speaking of that, who exactly are your friends we’re going to meet, Clarisse?”

“Mateo and Tobi, my half-brother and his friend that are now in the army. I’ve only met them a few times because they’re quite a bit older, but I did them a favor on one of my quests, so they owe me. They live together in a base in South Carolina and gave me this number to call if I ever need anything,” Clarisse explains, rifling around in her wallet and pulling out a small strip of paper. This just reminds me that I left my bag with extra clothing and ambrosia in the van at Sanderson’s house. I can feel my sweater sticky with cold blood against my back and long for a warm shower and new clothes.

For the next few hours, we make idle chit-chat to pass the time and I learn a bit more about each of my friends. Nico is a secret fan of Love Island, frequently having video chats with Percy to binge-watch on weekends, as both Annabeth and Will find the show elementary. Piper and Annabeth frequently meet up for boba and bagels, trying to discover the best in the country. Their current favorite is in a little shop in Hoboken that they venture out to at least once a month. Clarisse brags about her rampant sex life with Chris (very much a bottom) and we all cover our ears in horror.

By the time we pull off again, it’s nearly sunset and we are all starving. We stop at a Buc-ee’s gas station which nearly sends Nico into a coma at the sheer scale of it. Frank also looks slightly overwhelmed but quickly gets onboard when he spots the large tortilla-wrapped hotdog on a stick. Annabeth and Clarisse pick up a peanut butter and chocolate fudge to split, along with popcorn and 4 huge ribs.

Will grabs a balanced meal of fruit, a turkey sandwich, water, and some baby carrots with ranch. Nico frowns at the healthy meal and adds some glazed pecans and sour candy to the cart. Compromise.

Piper and I decide to split an underwhelming veggie sandwich with fruit and chips. I opt for salt and vinegar, while she grabs a bag of sour cream and onion. I also stock up on water as I feel my head pounding from dehydration. Jason grabs the most boring, flattest burger I’ve ever seen and about 20 packets of ketchup. To top it all off, he grabs over a pound of various flavored beef jerky, calling it “the perfect road trip snack.” My nose begs to differ.

On the way out, I snag a few hoodies and sweatpants, suddenly becoming the new Buc-ee’s mascot with obnoxious beavers all over me. I also grab napkins and utensils (like the responsible adult I am) and some ‘beaver nuggets’ to really confuse Nico.

As we stumble back out to our stolen van with our arms full of spoils of war, I suddenly get that nervous feeling in my gut that warns me when something is wrong. I stop in my tracks and wince when Frank runs into my back.

“Wait,” I blurt, and they finally have the sense to listen to me for once.

“What?” Annabeth asks, suddenly serious. Maybe she senses something off too.

“Something feels wrong. I just have this feeling…” I stop when I spot a huge silhouette of a man lurking behind our van in the distance. Is that a cop? Did someone recognize us and tip them off?

“Do you guys see that? Behind our van?” I point out and Nico squints to catch a better view.

“Yeah… That guy is huge…” Nico says and my stomach twists again. I whip my head around and see another huge silhouette walking over to join the other, face tilted up almost like it’s… sniffing the air?

“I smell death,” a third voice booms from our right. Finally, he takes a few steps closer, still cloaked in shadow, but my powers allow me to make out that face that has… one eye?

“Guys I think they’re cyclopes,” I guess, “I only see one big eye.”

Jason bites off a curse that sounds vaguely Spanish, but I assume it’s Latin. Now that I know what they are, it becomes increasingly obvious that they caught wind of our scent and know we’re here. We need to get out of here quickly before the people catch on.

“Annabeth?” Terra’s voice calls, sounding pained and terrified, and my heart jumpstarts. I take off running toward the voice before anyone can stop me, ignoring everyone’s shouts.

“Terra? Terra! Where are you?” I shout, and her voice gets louder.

“Help! Help me! I’m over here!” she shouts again, and I ignore the burning pain in my side, dropping everything in my hands, and sprint off in her direction.

“Tell me where you are! What’s wrong? Are you ok? Terr-mphh” I’m cut off when I feel a heavy weight slam into my back and force me to the ground, slamming me into the pavement. A hand wraps around my mouth, shutting me up immediately.

“Be quiet! That’s not Terra! Terra is in Maryland!” Jason’s voice hisses into my ear. His weight on my back lessens as he drags me behind a short bush off to the side of the sidewalk.

“But I heard her,” I gasp, pressing a hand against my side that is now burning with renewed fury.

“It’s another cyclops,” he whispers, “They can mimic voices. It would have killed you as soon as you showed up.”

As he explains, the adrenaline leaves my body, and my limbs turn to jelly. I’ve embarrassed myself yet again, nearly jeopardizing the safety of my entire group. Why on earth was I chosen to be a part of this quest?

Terra’s voice continues screaming in the distance, much closer than it was before. The cyclops must have heard our scuffle.

“Please help!!!”

I know it’s not her but the pain in her voice brings tears to my eyes involuntarily.

“What do we do?” I ask Jason frantically, “We can’t bring any more attention to ourselves. Anything we do will be twisted to use against us on the news.”

A shrill woman’s scream interrupts us, and we turn to see that the cyclops has emerged from the shadows not far from where we hide and stands in front of a human woman with a little chihuahua on a leash barking madly. The cyclops looks down at the dog biting at its ankles and kicks it away thoughtlessly. The woman screams again when she sees the dog lying motionless about 20 feet away. The cyclops backhands her to shut her up and she goes flying into a patch of pebbles off the sidewalk.

This gets Jason moving, and he sprints at the monster, his weapon materializing in his hand faster than I can blink. While his first instinct is to run at the monster, mine is to run to the woman.

I drop to my knees next to her head, ignoring everything going on around me, and check her for a pulse. Thankfully, her pulse beats steadily against my fingertips and she wakes with a gasp, grasping her head in both hands.

“Are you ok?” I ask urgently, feeling around for broken limbs like my dad taught me. I notice a small patch of blood blooming against her hairline, where she slammed into the small rocks and an ankle that looks slightly twisted and misshapen. She looks disoriented yet terrified as her eyes raise to meet mine, scanning my face as if trying to read my lips.

“I said, are you ok? You hit your head. Can you hear me?”

She nods slowly, her eyes not leaving mine once. Her hands grip my shoulders intensely.

“M-monster,” she gasps, “It had one eye. Oh… mi perro…” she remembers, and tears fill her eyes immediately. I keep her eyes on me, so she doesn’t see the poor creature lying in the road.

“I’m so sorry. You’re not crazy. It was a cyclops. My friends think we shouldn’t tell you, but you deserve to know. You’re not imagining it. But you need to get out of here before more come. They’re after me and my friends, so they should leave you alone, but now that you’ve been around me…. I don’t know. Do you have a phone?”

“P-phone…” she mutters and suddenly remembers that she has one in her back pocket. She shakily holds it out to me. I give her one of my bottles of water in exchange.

“Drink this,” I instruct, holding one of my extra hoodies against her bleeding head, “And try to breathe. If you don’t, you might go into shock. My dad was a nurse, so you’re in good hands, ok? I’m going to call an ambulance. My friends are going to kill me…”

I quickly dial 911 and tell the operator that a woman twisted her ankle and hit her head when she fell. True enough. As I talk, I keep pressure on the woman’s head, and she doesn’t look away from my face.

“What’s your name?” I ask.

“Name…?” she asks, and I nod encouragingly, “Lourdes.”

My heart constricts as I remember one of my aunts who was killed.

“My tia’s name was Lourdes, and she was planning on moving to South Carolina soon too,” I tell her. Now she’ll never get the chance because of me. I’m going to make sure this woman doesn’t meet the same fate.

“You look familiar,” she says loopily, and I brush it off as her starting to lose consciousness.

“I’m from Miami,” I provide, trying to change the subject to keep her calm, “Have you been?”

She ignores my question and stares at me more intensely. Finally, something clicks in her head and her eyes look more focused than ever.

“You’re that girl from the news! You and your friends blew up that government building!” she remembers, and my heart nearly stops. Shit.

“It’s not what you think,” I scramble, “They kidnapped us! They shot me,” I pull up my shirt and show her the wound that annoying reopened when Jason tackled me. The woman gasps.

“B-but you attacked first!”

“No we did not. We went to someone’s house to ask for help and got ambushed. We wanted to talk peacefully and prevent conflicts like these that get regular people hurt. We never wanted anyone to get hurt. If we hadn’t escaped that building, they would have taken us to another facility and tortured us. Just because they think we’re not people. They want to kill us because of who our parents are. We’re just like any of you, except monsters want to eat us.”

“That makes no sense…” she mumbles, frowning in confusion. She can see in my face that at least I think I’m telling the truth.

“I grew up thinking I was normal my whole life. A few days ago, my entire family was killed by monsters like these. I promise you, we’re not out to kill people like you. It’s you guys that we’re trying to protect. I’m so sorry that my being here caused you to get hurt. You didn’t deserve this.”

She looks conflicted but still hasn’t loosened her tight grip on me.

“Estrella?! What are you doing? We need to leave! NOW!” Jason yells and yanks me back by my arm. Many more humans have noticed the monsters and scream frantically, running back into the store for cover.

“Estrella…” the woman mumbles, “Star…”

I shoot her a small smile as I’m dragged off. Jason doesn’t give me much of a choice, pulling me so harshly that it hurts. She puts a hand on her heart and mouths a common phrase my grandma used to say to me before bed – “que dios te bendiga.” It means, “God bless you,” which means nothing to me, but still makes me feel warm inside.

She watches me all the way back to our van where I’m shoved inside. Jason jumps in behind me and slams the door.

“Punch it!” he shouts through the divide at Clarisse and Frank, and Clarisse stomps on the gas, sending us flying out of the gas station and down a bumpy country road. As soon as Jason takes his hands off me, I notice the red marks and shove him back against the wall of the van. He looks bewildered.

“Get your hands off me!” I spit, “What the hell was that? That lady was hurt!”

“I was saving your life!” he shouts back.

“I was trying to save hers!” I cry, and Annabeth and Piper look between us with confused faces, having been too busy killing the other cyclopes to notice what happened to Lourdes.

“You would have died if I hadn’t killed that cyclops. If we hadn’t killed the other cyclops, your friends could have died. She was just one mortal,” he says as if that justifies leaving her to die.

“Just a mortal?” I hiss and the van almost seems darker. Jason pales slightly.

“That’s not what I meant. You know that. I just mean-”

“I know what you meant Jason. And that’s the fucking problem. The ‘mortals’ think we believe we’re better or more important than them, but we’re not! We can’t afford to be careless because more people will die. That woman was hurt because of my stupid ass and I wasn’t just going to let her die!” my voice cracks at the end and I clear it angrily. In the distance, we hear sirens and Piper curses.

“It’s not the cops,” I say, and everyone looks at me, “It’s the paramedics.”

“And how would you know that?” Jason says quietly and dangerously, daring me to say what he already knows.

“Because I called them.”

“You WHAT?” Annabeth exclaims and I stand firm.

“I called them because the woman was hurt. She broke her ankle, got a concussion, and was going into shock. I wasn’t going to leave her to die because of me. I won’t apologize.”

“Guys, let’s just calm down,” Will starts, “We’re all just a little wired right now. It’s just the paramedics.”

“And how will they explain the damage and piles of monster dust?” Jason demands.

“They’ll send more men after us,” Annabeth says, “And you touched the woman. You left your fingerprints on the hoodie and water bottle and her phone!”

“So what?” I argue, once again feeling ganged up on, “They already have my face. I’m already wanted!”

“Now they know where we are you idiot!” Annabeth shouts and I flinch. She has a point. That doesn’t give her the right to talk to me like that.

“It was a risk I was willing to take,” I finish, and both Annabeth and Jason scoff.

“You made that choice for all of us,” Jason bites and my resolve is slowly crumbling. Maybe I fucked up.

“If we let people get killed to protect ourselves, we’re just as bad as them. We’ve outrun the cops before, and we can do it again. I made my choice and I’m sorry it puts us at risk. But arguing isn’t going to solve anything.”

“She’s right,” Will agrees and I nearly hug him on the spot, “If we can convince people that we’re not the problem, we might be able to stop a war. We can show how corrupt the people coming after us are. Let’s just focus on getting to Clarisse’s friend’s place in one piece.”

Nico sends me a small comforting smile like maybe I’m not totally alone in what I did. Maybe some people agree. Will is obviously on my side, and Piper looks uncomfortable with both sides.

We drive down remote, unkept roads for hours until the sirens fade, Annabeth and Jason’s anger with them. We finally pull up to an unassuming apartment complex and park where Clarisse was told to meet. She managed to give them a quick call while we were in Buc-ee’s so they’ve been expecting us.

Now we must hope that they’re on our side.

Chapter Text

Estrella POV:

Mateo and Tobi live in a small, plain 2-bedroom apartment just outside of downtown Columbia, SC about 20 minutes west of Fort Jackson, or the army base they currently work at. The complex is labelled as “luxury apartment buildings” but I can tell they just say that to charge more money because the other 5 complexes we drove by look exactly the same.

When we pull up out front of where they said their apartment is, I see one guy in a military uniform with stiff posture and perfectly shaven dark skin followed by another man looking disheveled and sleepy as he rushes to follow along. The second man is tan and tall, fumbling to pull a wrinkled shirt over his head. My eyes naturally travel down to his torso to see an impressive 6 pack with some black tattoos peeking out around his ribcage.

They swarm Clarisse when they spot her, pushing her around and playing rough. She tries to fight them off as they wrestle her to the ground, but the odds are not in her favor. To my surprise, she manages to get in a cheap shot at the put-together man’s groin and he falls with a groan. Not exactly fair fighting but neither is 2v1. She tries something similar on the other man, but he easily evades her attack, flicking her in the forehead before she can blink, then getting behind her in a textbook chokehold. She struggles fruitlessly for a few seconds before angrily tapping his forearm. He lets her go immediately with a loud whoop and she glares at him.

“Thanks for the help, guys,” she mutters at us, and I put my hands up. I would have stood no chance against them. My movement seems to remind them that there are 6 other people here watching awkwardly. The tattooed one quickly looks me up and down with the victorious smile still on his face. When he looks back up at my face his smile grows a little more mischievous. My eyebrows raise of their own accord.

“Oh right. Hi everyone, I’m Sergeant Smith. Y’all can call me Tobi though. Any friend of Clarisse is a friend of mine,” Tobi says kindly, which looks kind of weird with his stiff, formal posture.

“He’s the goody-goody,” Clarisse gripes but I can see her hiding a small fond smile.

“He definitely is,” the other man laughs as he watches Tobi shake each of our hands in turn, ensuring we look him in the eyes.

“Mateo’s just jealous,” Tobi snipes back, and Mateo’s laughs harder.

“You wish. So, are you going to introduce us to your friends?” he asks Clarisse, his eyes not leaving me. I feel like they’re burning a hole into me so I avert my eyes and pretend that I can’t feel his eyes on me. What’s his deal?

“Sure. This is Nico, son of Hades, Will, son of Apollo, Jason, son of Jupiter, Piper, daughter of Aphrodite, and Frank, your half-brother, is a son of Mars. His dad is way chiller than ours. Well, maybe more deadly but less bitchy, I guess. Do NOT tell Dad I said that. He’s always mad at me for something,” Clarisse goes down the line and introduces us one by one. Mateo claps up Frank once he hears that they’re related(ish) and Tobi gives him a respectful nod, soldier to soldier.

“And you guys probably met Annabeth at camp at least once, right? She’s been there forever. You know, annoying know-it-all daughter of Athena.”

“Yeah! Last time I saw you was when you were like 11, I think. It’s been a minute, how have you been? Staying busy?” Mateo asks.

“You could say that,” Annabeth scoffs, “Just a bunch of deadly prophecies, you know, the usual.”

“Aww well you did always want to get a quest!”

Annabeth gives him a look.

“And this is the new girl,” Clarisse gestures at me.

“New? You definitely don’t look 12,” Mateo jokes a bit suggestively and I pretend not to notice. Ew.

“I’m 18.”

“Her mom doesn’t exactly play by the rules, so she wasn’t claimed until a few days ago. Estrella is a daughter of Nyx,” Clarisse explains and both Mateo and Tobi’s eyebrows rise. That’s right.

“I’ve never met a child of Nyx that isn’t a monster,” Mateo says, and Tobi elbows him. I raise one eyebrow.

“Then don’t get on my bad side.”

Mateo looks a little more subdued and Tobi side eyes him with a hidden smile. The rest of the group snorts at my bold claim knowing how little I know about combat or my powers, but to someone on the outside, it seems like they’re laughing at Mateo.

“Estrella’s from Miami too,” Clarisse tells Mateo, and he looks a bit relieved at the subject change.

“Oh shit, me too! Eres Latina?” he asks.

“Claro,” I say, not giving him much to work with. Can we just go inside? I’m cold.

“Nice! Where from?”

“My dad’s from Venezuela.”

“Ayyy. Soy Cubano.”

“I figured,” I say, making my distaste quite clear. He doesn’t get the memo. (A/N: no hate to Cubans… she’s just not a fan of his brash flirting)

“You ever been with a Cuban before?”

I send Clarisse an exasperated glance, like ‘what is going on?’ and she frowns as if holding back a smile.

“No,” I reply. Mateo smirks at my uncomfortable face.

“Ay pero Mami today is your lucky day,” he says with a thick Cuban accent. Is he fucking with me?

“I’m 18.”

“Bueno. I’m 22.”

I don’t know what to say to that. I stare at him in confusion, trying to determine if he’s really always like this. He sucks.

After about 10 seconds of silence, he bursts out laughing, along with everyone else around me. Oh. He was fucking with me. They all noticed.

“I’m kidding, chama. It’s nice to meet you,” he extends his hand to me, and I take it almost limply, still not finding his jokes very funny.

His hand is warm but rough, nearly enveloping mine. The warmth seeps into my chilled body and I get the sudden urge to put both my hands between his but restrain myself. Weirdo.

“Alright, let’s go inside and warm up while we discuss why I saw my cousin and her friends on the news this morning,” Tobi interrupts and I nearly sigh in relief. He leads us up a flight of stairs and I wince as my exhausted, beaten body seems to creak with each step.

When we make it inside the apartment, I’m expecting the typical bachelor pad with trash everywhere and random banners on the walls, but the apartment is relatively clean. Of course, it isn’t decorated very nicely, with plain furniture and bare walls, but it’s not messy either. It actually smells quite nice, like a mix of Mateo’s cologne that I got a hint of, and some savory dish that’s bubbling on the stove.

We close the door behind us, shutting out the frigid January air and stand around awkwardly. Tobi heads over to the stove and quickly stirs whatever is simmering. Mateo and the rest of my friends make themselves comfortable on the couch and chairs around their small dining table but I feel out of place. I’m exhausted but jittery with anxiety and nerves, so I quietly head to the kitchen and ask Tobi what I can help him with. He tries to shoo me away, insisting that he’s got everything handled, but I insist on helping set the table.

I notice that the pot is full of warming, aromatic chili, so I offer to chop up some green onions as a garnish and set out bowls of sour cream and corn chips while my friends update Mateo on what went down. They don’t need my input – I was unconscious for most of the debacle anyway.

I busy myself cleaning the dirty dishes in the sink, trying to ignore my swirling thoughts as Tobi serves up bowls of chili for everyone. After the chaotic rush out of Buc-ee’s, we lost most of our treasure and my friends are obviously very excited by the idea of a home cooked meal. Annabeth, Piper, Jason, Frank, Clarisse, and Tobi sit in the only 6 chairs around the table and I help bring them their bowls of chili, still feeling like I need to do something. Jason and Annabeth don’t even thank me, probably still upset about what I did earlier, but Clarisse and Piper send me small smiles. Piper chooses to snack on some of Annabeth’s fudge that managed to survive our hasty escape instead of the chili that does have meat in it.

Will and Nico stay on the couch, so I bring them each a bowl and they thank me. I feel eyes on me as I walk back and forth from the kitchen and turn to catch Mateo quickly looking away. I decide to be the bigger person and bring him a bowl too. Without any more crude jokes, he looks up at me with a warm, grateful smile and grabs the bowl from my hands. His teeth are white and straight, and a small dimple forms to the left of his mouth.

I try to convince myself that I’m not instantly attracted to that smile. You’re just tired.

I head back to the now empty corner of the couch and curl up with my feet tucked under me. I pull a pillow into my lap and notice a thick knit blanket behind my head. I want to rub my face against it.

“May I?” I ask Mateo quietly, gesturing my head toward the blanket. He frowns in confusion for a second, then realizes what I mean.

“Oh, yeah. Of course. You don’t need to ask.”

I nearly sigh in relief as I drape it over my body, pulling it up to right under my chin as my friends eat and continue to talk. They begin to fill Tobi in on what happened as he didn’t catch most of the story being in the kitchen. The blanket it warm and heavy, soothing my tired muscles and bringing some much-needed warmth back into my limbs. I still feel dirty and disgusting though, my body begging desperately for a shower. I’m sure I look and smell horrible. Now I’m ruining their nice blanket.

I watch my friends eat happily, still feeling like a bit of an outsider, and my stomach grumbles a bit. I swiped a handful of corn chips as I was helping Tobi, but obviously can’t eat the chili. He doesn’t need to know that though.

My eyes get a bit droopy as my friends drone on, their voices melding into one as my brain begs to just shut down for a little. Nico and Will converse quietly to the side of me, and their hushed voices don’t help with my sleepiness. I try to make myself as small as possible on the couch, hoping that maybe everyone will just forget I exist. Maybe they’ll be less mad.

At some point, I nod off and wake up occasionally, hearing a loud laugh or a burst of conversation from the TV, then fall back asleep. At one point, I jump awake when someone sits on the couch next to me and find Mateo in the same spot across from the couch, and he makes direct eye contact with me. A small smile brings out that dimple again and I try to blink myself awake, but my fatigue and blood loss drag me back to sleep. The next time I wake, someone is lifting my head, and a pillow is placed under my cheek against the arm of the couch. I hear Annabeth and Tobi’s quiet voices at the table still, but don’t stay awake long enough to see who gave me a pillow.

Finally, I wake up again and the whole apartment is pitch black… I’m so confused and don’t know where I am. How did I end up here? Why is it dark? Did I fall asleep? Where is everyone? Did they leave me? Did we even plan on staying the night? What is going on?

I sit up as quietly as I can, blinking furiously to try and clear the sleep from my eyes. Thanks to my mother, I see the room around me and hear Jason’s soft snores from the floor below me. Piper lies with her head resting on his arm, and Nico and Will cuddle on the couch next to me. I don’t see Annabeth or Clarisse anywhere, so I assume they’re in one of the bedrooms. Frank is stretched out on a plush chair, his head hanging awkwardly over the side.

I don’t want to wake anyone up so I try to get comfortable again, but the initial shock of waking up and not knowing where I am sent my adrenaline spiking, and I don’t think I could fall asleep if I tried. I feel a layer of sweat against my back and suddenly feel stifled under the big blanket. I curse myself for falling asleep so early because I’m not sure what time it is now, but it looks like the middle of the night, and I won’t be falling asleep again any time soon.

Giving up, I carefully peel the blanket off me and step over Jason and Piper toward the door outside. As sneakily as I can, I pry open the door and slide out through the small crack, quickly shutting it behind me. A blast of frigid night air hits me in the face and I squint.

The parking lot is softly illuminated by an ambient white light that looks like it has thousands of dead bugs in the bottom of it. The cars sparkle with a thin layer of ice, and the ground looks shiny under the light of the moon. I lean against the second-floor railing, breathing in the fresh cold air, reminiscent of the ice-skating rink at home. I was always terrible at staying on my feet, often resorting to just crawling on my hands and knees. A small smile tugs on my lips as I picture how ridiculous that chubby little girl must have looked flailing around.

I sit there for a few more minutes, face turned up to the light of the moon, almost like I’m soaking up rays of the sun. Now that I know more about my heritage, the night is starting to feel a little more special every day. Even if I want to be nothing like my mother. I can’t help it.

Thinking of her kills my peaceful moment so I sigh and head toward the stairs, hoping to maybe find a vending machine downstairs or something. I don’t have any money but it’s still fun to window shop.

When I reach the bottom of the stairs though, I hear a quiet grunt and a few thumps. I freeze in place and hide behind the corner of the wall, trying to identify what made that noise. I’m probably being stupid, out here all alone, but maybe I can save my friends if I warn them of a monster first.

I’m not getting that feeling in my stomach though, so I peek my head out and decide to head down the breezeway toward the icy grass behind the apartment building. I stop just before I’m visible and spot Mateo whaling on a Bob dummy (the fleshy one with just a head, face, and torso). He’s in a thin, athletic long sleeve black shirt, stuck to his body with sweat, and thick black joggers. His hands are wrapped as he punches the dummy in the face and body. I can’t help but stare as he violently goes at it. He’s precise, strong, fast, and deadly.

His movements are mesmerizing, like someone who’s been doing this for a while. He’s an expert at what he does, which makes sense with his heritage, but it’s shocking to see how different his serious demeaner is from his obnoxious joking. He moves smoothly, switching up stances, ducking defensively (not sure why – the dummy isn’t fighting back you dummy), and occasionally landing a few impressive kicks. No wonder he beat Clarisse easily.

He finally stops after a few minutes and takes a few steps toward where I stand watching and bends down to grab his water bottle. When he stands back up, he spots me and jumps slightly. He quickly recovers and raises a cocky eyebrow.

“Like what you see?”

I scoff and turn away, not having the patience to deal with him. I start walking back down the breezeway, but he catches up to me, grabbing my arm. I yank it from his grasp and give him a weird look, but he winces apologetically.

“Wait! Sorry. I don’t mean to be a jerk. I just get kinda nervous around pretty girls,” he says, looking down at his feet almost… bashfully? I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Is he being serious right now?

“What?” is all I can say in response.

“Sorry. Just, working at the base and living with Tobi, I don’t have a lot of time to meet girls. It’s been a while…” he confesses and I’m suddenly uncomfortable. Why is he oversharing right now? I just give him a weird look, which only makes him continue chattering.

“It’s just… I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry for being weird, I’m not usually like this… You’re just… you know,” he stammers, and I’m growing more baffled by the second. What on Earth is happening?

“Huh?” I say, my patience wavering and confusion growing.

“Sorry. You’re just like gorgeous, you know?”

My eyebrows furrow in bewilderment and I look down at my hideous outfit from Buc-ee’s. My hoodie is rumpled and dirty, and my sweatpants are a little short on my long legs, cutting off just above my ankles. I look like a freak. He must be fucking with me. He blushes at the weird look I give him and shakes his head.

“You know what, nevermind. I’m just being stupid. It was just a joke haha. Got you again. I have a girlfriend anyway,” he mumbles, his heart not in it. I can tell he’s lying and suddenly feel a little bad. Here I go again, not realizing when to stop being a bitch to people. He was giving you a compliment and you made him feel like an idiot.

“Wait, I’m sorry, I just thought I misheard you. I look crazy right now, so I thought you were fucking with me. But thank you,” I say, and now it’s my turn to blush. His face breaks out into a huge, relieved smile and I feel more butterflies fluttering in my stomach. Y’all better calm down in there before you make me make a mistake.

“I was lying, I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“I figured. Good to know, I’ll keep that in mind,” I reply, dusting off my rusty flirting skills. His smile grows a little more confident.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” I tease with a smile, and he rolls his eyes. I like having the upper hand for once.

“Aw come on,” he pouts. He doesn’t need to know about my very limited dating life, or my lack of past boyfriends. Hey, I’ve been busy.

“If you teach me some of those moves maybe I’ll tell you,” I bargain. His grin widens even further. I see a faint hint of a second dimple on his right cheek. It’s not as pronounced as the other, but when he’s really smiling you see a bit of it. I like it.

“You want me to show you how to fight?”

“Hey, I’m new to this. I’ve trained once with your half-sister, and she beat my ass. I want to be a helpful addition to this team, not a liability,” I confess. Now it’s his turn to send me a weird look.

“Is that why you’re out here in the middle of the night? Alone?”

“I just couldn’t sleep.”

“Yeah, no wonder, you fell asleep like 6 hours ago. Frank wanted space on the couch, but I told him to eff off. You looked like you needed it more. You would have woken up with a huge crick in your neck if not for me,” he boasts, and it dawns on me that he was the one that gave me the pillow. That makes the butterflies even more excited.

“I hate falling asleep in front of people. I’m such an ugly sleeper. My dad would always try to take pictures of me, so I stopped sleeping in front of him. I’m surprised I was able to fall asleep near you guys at all.”

“We debated drawing a mustache on you, but Piper glared at me. You looked too peaceful to disturb. Plus, we tried to wake you up a few times, but you were just too tired. Long day huh?”

“I can’t even begin to explain how shitty it was. That’s just one reason why I want you to show me some funky moves.”

“If you call them funky moves again, I’m never showing you.”

“Sorry.”

He walks me over to the punching dummy and demonstrates various punching styles. Since I’m still not as strong as everyone else, he shows me moves that take the least amount of strength but do the most damage. Rather than using my fist, he shows me how to do a palm heel strike at my opponent’s chin. Punch at their throat to catch them off guard and give yourself a few seconds.

As he walks me through the moves, he’s very physical, guiding my arms with his own and I start to feel hot under my hoodie. The frigid air is starting to feel good.

“Ok, that’s some helpful hand-to-hand tips. Now let’s practice with weapons. Let me get mine really quick,” he says and runs back up the stairs to get his weapon. He comes back with both a sword and a spear.

“I’m kind of rusty after working in the base for so long, so this will be helpful for both of us,” he states, taking his sword out of his sheath. I take mine out of the scabbard I dragged along with me and lift it with both hands. It’s still too heavy for me to use comfortably. He notices this and raises his eyebrows.

“So, uh, how many times did you say you’ve trained?” he asks, and I frown. Is it that noticeable?

“Once,” I admit and he sucks in a big breath or air.

“Oh ok. Let’s uh, just see what you’ve got so far.”

I yank the sword up off the ground and get into a wobbly stance. Once I get control of the weight, I stand a little more sturdily, but it’s obviously still not very good. He kicks my back leg a little further out and adjusts my grip on the blade.

“Ok, good. So, Clarisse showed you how to stand. That’s good. Did she show you how to use the sword?”

I swing it at him, and he easily side steps. Before I can blink, he kicks at my hands and my sword goes flying out of my grip.

“Ow,” I whine and massage where he kicked me.

“Your grip was too loose. And you swung way too slow. Your weight was shifted wrong so I could have easily pushed you over and made you fall on your own sword,” he explains, sounding more and more like an army person. I’ve always been kind of afraid of people who go into the army. Like, why? I could never.

“You have to be quick with it,” he says and shows me a quick thrust and retreat. I copy him and nearly tip over forward.

“Keep your weight more toward your back leg for now. Until you gain more strength, you need to focus on not falling over. And stay on the balls of your feet. Good.”

I adjust my stance again and he gives me more pointers. I feel somewhat stronger under the light of the moon, and we keep training until I’m able to make a move and step back for defense before he can cut my arm off.

His sweat glistens on his arms once he rolls his sleeves up and my eyes follow the line of a vein up his forearm into his sleeve… uh, nevermind.

“Now let’s spar,” he decides, seemingly more focused than I am. This is his expertise after all. I take a big shaky breath and push those thoughts from my mind. Get your shit together.

I step back into one of the stances he told me and wait for him to get set up. I decide that surprising him is the only chance I have of winning, so as soon as he raises his sword, I strike. He chuckles in surprise as he nearly loses his grip but recovers much quicker than I’d hoped. I retreat before he can stab me, and his eyebrows raise slightly.

“Not bad,” he admits. Now he’s on the offensive.

He feints to my left, but my gut tells me it’s a trick and I just step back rather than stepping to the right. Turns out I was right, as his next strike would have gone to the right, right where I would have moved. Sneaky.

He sends me a devilish smile at having evaded his trick and comes at me again. This time, there’s no tricks, but he’s so fast and strong that I have trouble evading him anyway. I raise my sword above my head with both hands, trying to stop an overhead strike but my shoulders nearly pop out when my sword takes his hit. I wobble back a few steps, nearly falling on my butt, but manage to stay on my feet.

He's relentless, not giving me a second to catch my breath as he just keeps coming at me. He pushes me back toward the wall and into the shadows. I feel re-energized and block his next hit so sturdily that his sword bounces back. He pauses for less than a second before continuing his barrage. Even in the shadows, I don’t stand much of a chance pressed up against a wall, so as soon as my back makes contact, I decide I need to escape.

My thoughts come so much faster now, clear and cohesive, and so unlike my usual scattered mind. In a split-second, I know what to do and can see the moves play out.

He attacks again, striking out at my side to try and catch me off guard. Knowing that he probably wouldn’t try to purposely stab me in the side, I hedge a guess that he’s not expecting me to move toward that arm. I’m right.

Rather than the sword clanking against the wall to my left, it nicks my hoodie, missing my skin, but it’s enough to get him to start pulling back. That’s exactly what I wanted him to do. He’s recoiling, scared that maybe he hurt me, but I don’t let him get far. While he’s slightly off-balance and between moves, I seize his arm and yank him toward the wall. I spin him behind me so his back slams against the wall and I end up facing him, positions reversed. I can see it all play out now. I’ve won.

That split second of hesitation on my end is my downfall, though. I put one hand on his chest and try to level my sword at his throat, but it’s still too heavy to lift quickly. He doesn’t give me a second to breathe and shoves my arm off his chest, making me lose my balance and fall toward him. Now he’s in control again and I don’t have my weapon up to defend myself. I ignore my burning cheeks as I frantically push myself off of his chest. I try to step back again and point my sword at him, but he sweeps my feet out from under me and I go crashing to the floor.

I try to catch myself, but the weight of my sword drags me down and I slam into the ground, injured side first. My hip takes most of the impact, but there’s a stubborn rock peeking through the icy snow that hits my healing bullet wound and I gasp in pain. I roll away from the rock, now out of the shadows, and press a hand against my side. The wound is closed, finally starting to scar, but the pain is still fresh, and I feel like I got sucker punched. I struggle to catch my breath through the sudden exhaustion and pain, noticing how a bit of the pain fades when Mateo’s shadow looms over me.

“Shit, are you ok? What happened?” he asks, gentle hands fluttering around my body, searching for the source of pain. Annoyingly, every place his hands meet my skin, I feel almost tingly. My stomach tightens with what feels like excitement and nervousness. Not butterflies. I don’t have butterflies. He’s annoying, remember?

“I’m fine,” I grunt as he helps me sit up. I pull up my hoodie and inspect my side, praying that there’s no fresh blood. The wound is red and bruised, but thankfully it hasn’t reopened. A purple and green bruise is spreading across my back and abdomen though, which looks pretty gnarly. I should eat more iron.

“Damn,” he says sympathetically, inspecting the wound and the crusted blood from Buc-ee’s on the hoodie. He’s probably seen plenty of bullet wounds before. Probably caused a lot of them, too. I shudder when his cold hands touch my skin. He’s surprisingly gentle after just beating the shit out of me.

“Who shot you? Why is it taking so long to heal?” he asks, looking a little miffed.

“That Sanderson dude. And apparently, they have celestial bronze bullets. So yeah, it’s taking a while to heal.”

“Isn’t he a son of Ares? Why would he shoot you?” Mateo looks shocked and confused.

“I don’t know. Didn’t my friends tell you guys? Him and the Idris guys are demigods but they’re working for the government and giving them weapons capable of killing us. I don’t see the point of using celestial bronze bullets, though. I mean, regular old bullets kill us just fine.”

A sudden wave of bewilderment washes over me. In the context of the past few days, this makes sense. But compared to my regular, calm life, this sentence sounds insane. How on Earth am I talking about being shot? How am I talking to a super hot guy who just so happens to be the son of one of the deadliest gods ever? Gods really exist. This is absurd.

“That’s bullshit,” he snaps, “If my dad knew, he’d be turned to ashes. I mean, like, you’re the most innocent out of all of us. I bet no mortals have died because of you. Or demigods.”

“My whole family died because of me.”

That shocks him into silence. My throat feels tight but I’m still numb about it. I haven’t processed that they’re all gone. I’m all alone…

“What do you mean?” he asks cautiously.

“That’s how I ended up at camp. I was with Terra on New Year’s Eve and my whole family was attacked by monsters out of nowhere. They killed them like it was nothing. I couldn’t do anything to stop them,” I say, avoiding his eyes out of shame.

He’s silent for a moment. I kick the rock that I fell on.

“That’s not your fault,” he says quietly. I still can’t look him in the eye. I may not have processed their deaths, but I sure do feel guilt. It’s weighing on me from the moment I open my eyes in the morning to the time I shut them at night.

“If it weren’t for me, they’d still be alive.”

“Hey,” he grabs my hand, “You didn’t kill them. Monsters did. It wasn’t your fault.”

I stay silent. Maybe if I stay quiet long enough, he’ll drop it.

Instead, as my eyes burn and I stare a hole into the snow, a wall of black suddenly obscures my vision and I’m wrapped in a warm embrace. Mateo wraps his arms around me, and my face is pressed against his chest. At first, my arms are up between his chest and mine like a barrier and I just stand there in shock.

Then, as I flatten my ear against his heart, feeling his pulse thrum against my skin, I’m enveloped by his scent. He’s slightly sweaty but it doesn’t smell bad. He smells like a warm wood-burning fire with sage and a hint of musk. It’s comforting.

Eventually, I loosen up and wrap my arms around his lower back. He rests his chin on top of my head and sighs a bit. By the end of the hug, his heart is racing and so is mine. Something about him is invigorating. Just being near him makes me feel riled up and excited. It’s kind of addicting.

Finally, I pull away and send him a small, grateful smile. I’m sure that my cheeks are flaming red again, because when he looks at me a huge grin breaks out on his face. He looks like he wants to move toward me again but resists. I look up at his lips, full and pink as he bites the bottom one. I mirror his actions for a moment and notice that he’s looking at mine too. We make eye contact at the same time and my heart beats three times as fast. There’s a deafening silence for about 3 seconds as we look at each other, both inexplicably intrigued by the other.

I can no longer ignore the butterflies fluttering madly in my stomach and nearly shiver with the sudden feeling. It feels like a mix of fear and excitement. I’m baffled as I realize that the only thing I want to do is kiss him. Kiss him? You JUST met him.

I can’t explain it. I’ve never been so affected by a person’s energy before. I’m not myself.

He’s the first one to snap out of it, coughing slightly and scratching the back of his neck. I nearly sigh in relief at the sudden broken tension.

“I want to show you how to defend yourself against a gun,” he decides and it’s not a bad idea. It’s not what I wanted to do right now… but it’s probably for the best.

“And maybe shoot one?” he suggests, but I shake my head immediately.

“No.”

“But-”

“No. I’m not like them. Fighting with a knife and sword is bad enough. Guns don’t even work on monsters. They’re made with the sole purpose of hurting people. I don’t need to use a gun.”

I don’t realize that I’m kind of dissing his entire field of work, but I feel how I feel. His smile drops a little, but he nods understandingly.

“Yeah,” he sighs, “I felt like that in the beginning. I guess as a son of Ares all weapons are just second nature to me. I like to think of my use of guns as a way of protecting myself and my friends. Sure, people might get hurt in the process, but better them than us.”

His argument makes sense but is inherently flawed. I don’t respond, but I think about how many other options exist other than gun violence. But how do you even go about change when every person coming at you wants to kill you with a gun? It’s impossible. I just wish there was another way, especially when the people in power benefit so much from wars. Don’t get me started.

“I’d like to know how to defend myself. Next time someone comes at me with a gun I’d like to maybe not get shot and killed.”

“That would be ideal, wouldn’t it?” he jokingly agrees.

“Quite.”

“Ok. Let’s start with what to do when someone pulls a gun on you. There is very little chance of surviving once the trigger is pulled, so a moment’s hesitation could mean death,” he explains.

“Lovely,” I reply.

“Here. Say someone pulls a gun on you like this,” he faces me directly and levels a pistol directly at my forehead, the cost metal meeting my skin, “What would you do?”

“Probably die.”

“Maybe,” he admits, “But what if they were just threatening you and didn’t actually want to shoot you? How would you escape before they pulled the trigger?”

I picture the scenario. I think I’d be too paralyzed in fear to realistically do anything.

“Uh… duck?” I guess.

“No. Bang,” he pantomimes lowering the gun and shooting me in the head as I duck away.

“Is that gun loaded?”

“Of course not,” he says seriously and shows me the empty clip. I can breathe a little easier.

“Guns are not toys. They need to be properly secured at all times. I’d never point a loaded gun at you.”

“That’s good to know.”

“So, ducking doesn’t work. What else would you try?” he guides me back on track.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I think I’d be too scared to move,” I confess, and his serious face softens a little.

“Ok. That’s understandable. I’ve seen plenty of recruits freeze. Once you have the skills in mind, it becomes much easier to just implement them. The moment you’re in danger, it just becomes about remembering what you know.”

“So can you just show me?” I prod. I always hated when teachers would ask questions that nobody knew and just keep waiting until someone came to the right conclusion. How about you just teach me first? The silence after each question would drive me crazy and I’d feel like bees were buzzing in my mind, begging for some sort of stimulation. Maybe that should’ve been the first sign of ADHD. I just thought it was because I was impatient.

“Alright. So, someone has a gun pointed at you. If you move, they shoot. If you duck, they shoot. You can’t talk your way out of it, and you can’t run. What’s the main danger here?”

“The gun?”

“Right. The gun. Your priority should be to make sure they can’t fire it. However you do that, that is the most important thing. So, in this situation, how would you make sure they can’t fire it?”

“I mean if I had powers like Hazel, I’d jam the gun,” I try. Mateo shakes his head.

“But you don’t. Now what?”

“Make the whole place go dark?” I wonder. He raises an eyebrow.

“How well did that work for you last time?” he counters.

“Harsh.”

“So is a bullet to the brain.”

“Ok so then what should I do?” I question. I’m getting impatient and the gun against my head is making me nervous.

“Get the gun away from them.”

“Easier said than done,” I grumble.

“Can you just pay attention please? I’m trying to help you.”

“Right, sorry.”

“Ok. First, notice how I’m holding the gun. Right hand on the handle, finger on the trigger. You need to get the gun away from me so I can’t shoot you. They key is to make short, fast movements. You have less than a second to get the gun away or they will shoot you.

“Do this,” he explains, guiding my left hand to hold the barrel of the pistol and my right against his wrist, “With your left hand, grab the gun. With your right, push my hand away and keep ahold of the gun with your left. If you hit it right, their tendon will contract, and their hand will fall limp, so it’ll be easier to rip the gun away. Try it.”

I try what he showed me slowly, wrapping my fingers around the gun and trying to push his hand away. He holds onto the gun stubbornly and pretends to shoot me. I groan.

“Way too slow. You’re not holding hands – you need to smack their arm away before they can pull the trigger. Let me show you.”

He hands me the gun and I hold it reluctantly when he tells me to. I level it at his forehead and notice my arm shake. It’s probably from the exertion of sword fighting but it looks pathetic.

“Ok hold it tight. Pretend you’re fighting for your life and that gun is what’s protecting you.”

I purse my lips, holding back an argument and squeeze the cold metal in my palm. It feels foreign and wrong.

“Ready?” he asks, and I nod hesitantly. Before I even have the thought of pulling the trigger, he hits my wrist so hard that my hand goes dead and rips the gun away from me. The force of his hit nearly sends me stumbling to the side and I massage my bruised wrist.

“Ow,” I complain.

“You had to know what it feels like so you can know how to do it. Now try again.”

He levels the gun at me again and I take a deep breath. I’m usually a great listener and quick learner, but something about him makes me feel stubborn and energized. I want to do other things to him, not wrestle with a gun. Girl, what?

I shake the thoughts from my mind and try to shake life back into my hands. My breaths appear in front of me as a cloud and I imagine I’m back in Mr. Sanderson’s house. This isn’t a joke. I could have died. I need to learn how to protect myself.

I raise my eyes to Mateo’s and look at him intensely. His eyebrows raise just the slightest and I can tell I’ve caught him off guard. Get that gun away from me.

Without breaking eye contact, I jerk my hands up, one grabbing the gun and holding firm, and the other hitting his wrist with all my strength. He grunts as I rip the gun away from him and I turn the gun back around on him.

“Bang.”

His face breaks out into a small smile.

“Much better,” he compliments, patting me on the shoulder. I grab his wrist and twist, stepping back to judo flip him like Clarisse showed me, but he playfully shoves me away with a laugh.

“Damn,” he rubs his wrist, “Not playing around anymore, are we? That was almost perfect. You just need to be sure to move your head to the side of the gun as you rip it away so they can’t shoot you directly. And as you point the gun at them, take a step back so they can’t do the same thing to you.”

We practice again and again until I feel more comfortable and can disarm him quickly. He shows me a few more techniques and by the end I’ve worked up a bit of a sweat. I need a shower more than ever, so once we’re done training, he walks me back up to the apartment and we sneak inside. He nearly steps on Jason’s sleeping form, so I grab his hand to help him see in the dark. He jumps when suddenly he can see colors and light that isn’t really there.

“Woah,” he whispers, “That’s so cool!”

I just roll my eyes at him.

“Can I use your shower?” I whisper back. He nods, then drags me along behind him as he leads me to the small bathroom connected to his room. I spot a sleeping Tobi on Mateo’s bed and figure he gave up his own for Annabeth and Clarisse.

He wakes up as we sneak into the room and squints his eyes in the dark. Mateo shuts the bedroom door and switches on a small lamp that fills the room with warm orange light. Tobi blinks rapidly as we come into view, then frowns at our clasped hands. I let go and smooth back my hair.

“You can go ahead,” Mateo says to me, gesturing to the bathroom, “There are clean towels under the sink.”

“Thank you,” I say gratefully and awkwardly shuffle past the bed into the bathroom. As I shut the door, I get a glimpse of Tobi giving Mateo a weird look. I’m too excited about a shower to put any thought into it.

I snag 2 towels, one for my hair, and one for my body, and hop into the surprisingly clean shower. The bathroom, like the bedroom, is neatly organized and somewhat devoid of decoration. It smells clean and fresh, though, which is so unlike other boys’ bedrooms that I’ve seen. I suppose Mateo isn’t really a boy though.

Nearly crying in relief, I take the first hot, private shower since New Year’s Eve. I shudder as the piping hot water runs down my back and over my sore muscles, bringing life into the limbs that nearly felt frozen. I stand there for about 2 minutes just letting the water heat me up before I actually start washing myself.

My side is still tender and sore, so I wash it gently and try not to move to rapidly as I run my fingers through my ratty mess of hair. It feels almost therapeutic as I painstakingly untangle the knots and matted braid. I roll my eyes when I notice that he doesn’t have any conditioner, opting for a head and shoulders 2 in 1. How does anyone go without conditioner???

I decide it’s better than nothing and lather my hair in the low-quality soap. It does very little for my curls but does get the built-up gunk out. At least it smells fresh, like eucalyptus.

I carefully scrub the dried blood off my side and feel like I’m grieving. I didn’t really have any time to process what just happened to my friends and I, but now that I have a second to myself in a somewhat safe environment, it all comes crashing back. I’m not the girl I used to be just last week. I’m someone entirely new and in a world that is totally unfamiliar to me. The only constant I have is Terra, and she’s not even with me.

I feel the beginning of a panic attack coming on, so I step out of the hot water and lie on a towel on the cold bathroom floor. I elevate my legs for a few minutes to keep the lightheadedness at bay and just try to breathe. These people are your friends. They care about you. They’re not mad at you. These people are your friends.

I repeat it in my head like a mantra, but I don’t really believe it. I had fun with Mateo, but my anxiety has come crashing back and I don’t have Terra or Leo to help me. How am I supposed to fight for my life with these people I barely know? I’m an outsider. They probably all hate me.

These people are your friends. They care-

“Hey, Estrella, are you good in there? The sun is starting to come up and Tobi is making breakfast,” Mateo calls through the door and I sit up suddenly. I blink through the head rush and decide it’s time to stop moping around. No one is going to help you if you don’t help yourself.

I wrap my wet hair in a towel on top of my head and wrap the other around my body. I didn’t bring a change of clothes with me… Idiot!

“Yeah, I’m good! Just getting dressed now!” I call back with a cringe, and he says ok, shutting the bedroom door and leaving to help Tobi. I peek my head out of the steamy bathroom and spot a set of folded clothes on the bed. I could cry. My savior.

On top sits a simple grey knit sweater, a white long sleeve waffle knit t-shirt, black straight-leg pants, and a belt. No underwear, no bra, and all of the clothing is about 2 sizes too large. My gratitude fades slightly, and I curse his kindness that failed to account for undergarments. What on earth am I meant to do?

Still wrapped in the towel, I tiptoe over to his dresser and decide that I am indeed desperate enough to… bor-borrow… borrow someone else’s… underwear…

Feeling like an absolute creep, I carefully rummage around in Mateo’s drawers until I find the dreaded underwear drawer. To my surprise and delight, the drawer is perfectly organized with underwear and socks rolled up and color coordinated. I even see an unopened pack of Hanes boxer briefs and nearly shout with joy.

I rip open the package and steal a fresh pair of underwear, which is thankfully tight and stretchy enough to stay up on me. I’m pleasantly surprised at how much more comfortable these briefs are than panties and thongs. Another thing to curse the gods for…

The pants are too long and loose, so I tighten the belt until the last loop and roll up the hems a bit. The white shirt is extremely baggy, going down to my mid-thigh and leaving room in the sleeves to dangle past my hands. And I’m not a small person by any means. I can’t imagine Terra in these clothes. She’d be swallowed up.

I pull the sweater over the shirt and frown as it also falls past my hands. Even the collar is loose, exposing some of the white shirt underneath. It smells like Mateo though, which does give me a little satisfaction. When I turn around to look at myself in the bathroom mirror, I nearly laugh out loud at my reflection. I look like a teenage boy trying on his dad’s clothes.

Deciding that it’s the best I can hope for. I roll up the sleeves to my wrists and braid back my hair into a slicked back braid bun. I look better than I have in days, which feels refreshing and I get a burst of energy. Even my stomach is on the same page, growling with a renewed appetite.

Before I step out to join everyone, I steal some of Mateo’s deodorant (unfortunately not brand new… we won’t talk about it) and brush my teeth with one of those disposable wisp brushes, once again thanking Mateo for being clean and hygienic.

When I finally rejoin my friends, I feel somewhat like a normal human being again, refreshed from my shower and pleasantly energized from my morning workout. The sun is finally up, meaning it’s around 7:30 AM. I feel better than I have in days, which isn’t saying much, but the apartment seems bright with the morning sun.

I get a whiff of onions and tomatoes, reminding me of Sunday morning arepas with my grandma. I walk into the kitchen and find Tobi scraping some eggs out of a pan, very much reminiscent of the eggs my family makes. Made.

“Good morning,” I greet, deciding to take a different approach today. Last night I was rude and antisocial, which didn’t make a great first impression. Today, I swear to myself that I’m going to have a helpful and positive attitude so I can be beneficial to this team, rather than the weak link. I have skills that can be useful so I’m going to use them.

“Oh hey, early riser, are you?” Tobi replies, eyeing my outfit. I notice a slight downward quirk of his lips before he steels his face back to its usual pleasant smile. Damn. I really must have made a bad impression last night. Tobi noticed.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Didn’t mean to be so rude last night. I was kind of shell shocked and exhausted. And sorry about waking you this morning. Can I help with anything?”

“Rude?” Mateo interrupts, making his way toward the fridge and pulling out a bottle of orange juice, “You practically served us all dinner.”

Tobi sends him a look but turns back to me with a smile.

“As annoying as he is, he’s right. You have nothing to be sorry about. It was nice to have someone help around here for once,” he says pointedly, and Mateo shuffles his way out of the tiny kitchen with his hands up.

“Coward,” I murmur under my breath, and that finally gets a real smile out of Tobi. He sends me a sideways glance and laughs.

“Would you mind toasting some bread? Oh, and I made you some oatmeal! Annabeth mentioned that you’re a vegan” he remembers, showing me a small pot with plain, mushy oats. I don’t have the heart to tell him that the texture of oatmeal makes me gag. I’m too hungry to be very fussy anyway.

“Oh my god, thank you!” I gush and throw two slices of bread in the toaster. While that toasts, I find an apple and peanut butter and ask Tobi if I can add that to my oatmeal. Of course, he says yes, so I try to spruce it up a bit and add different textures that might help me not gag in front of everyone.

Once Tobi and I finish up breakfast, we serve it up to our friends who sit on the floor in front of the TV, watching the latest news update. When I walk in, they look up at me and I watch Piper look me up and down then shoot Annabeth a wild look. Annabeth widens her eyes back and I’m not really sure what that was about.

“Where did you get those clothes?” Frank blurts, somehow missing the social cues of my friends around him. Clarisse smacks him in the back of the head and Nico’s eyebrows shoot up. My cheeks glow red as everyone’s attention turns to me.

“I-I… uh, I wanted to shower so Mateo loaned them to me. We didn’t-I-He-nothing happened though,” I scramble, and Mateo chooses that exact moment to walk in holding my knife.

“Hey, you left this outside- uhh, what’s up guys?”

My friends’ eyebrows shoot up even further and I want to shout at them. They’re being stupid. I can feel their eyes shooting between us as I snatch my knife back and shove it in my boot.

“Thanks,” I grumble, and sit down with my oatmeal, my cheery mood fading instantly.

They must finally take that as a cue to leave me alone, so they start eating their breakfast around the TV and chatting with Mateo and Tobi about a plan for what to do next. Mateo feels like he owes it to Frank to try and help save his girlfriend, and both Tobi and Mateo have heard about Percy Jackson. They’re not going to let someone who has saved so many lives just die.

“And they have my best friend, Terra. She’s all I have left,” I speak up, and Annabeth sends me a sympathetic glance. She’s just as worried about her as I am. I feel Mateo’s eyes on me too and turn to catch his heavy glance. He sends me a small, reassuring smile, which grows when he looks down at my outfit.

“I’ll help. We’re not going to let them die. I promise,” Mateo says resolutely at me, then at everyone else in the room. My heart feels like it’s trapped in a vice both of fear and hope. If I get my hopes up, I’m much more likely to be disappointed. But if I don’t hope, I’ll be trapped in a pit of despair, unable to go on. I don’t have a choice but to keep going.

I shoot Mateo a small grateful smile and he nods back at me. He’s becoming more tolerable by the minute.

The pit in my stomach isn’t filled, but it’s stopped growing for a minute. Maybe we have a chance.

My friends continue discussing the next steps of breaking my friends out of their prison. With their advanced technology and huge number of soldiers, it seems impossible to break in and escape with our friends and our lives.

“I need a blueprint of the building,” Annabeth states.

“Is now really the time for architecture lessons?” Clarisse jokes, and Annabeth sends her a glare.

“Maybe if we know the best way to sneak in, Nico won’t have to kill himself trying and you won’t have to get shot again. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

Clarisse shuts up.

“We didn’t even know this place existed. This is the first I’m hearing about Mr. Sanderson or any of the Hellenic Research. Obviously. They keep that very tightly under wraps,” Tobi says apologetically.

“Yeah, the stuff we do is so far removed from any of that. It’s kinda ironic actually. Us demigods fighting for our country. The country that apparently wants us dead. Makes ya think,” Mateo says, and I feel sort of bad for them. They signed up because they knew they had the ability to help, but if their coworkers really knew what they were, they’d probably be killed or kidnapped.

“But do you guys know where we could possibly find a blueprint? I mean, Mateo don’t you work in the tech side of things? And Tobi, you’re a son of Hermes, couldn’t you just like steal one?” Annabeth ventures.

“You work in tech?” I blurt, utterly baffled that such a big, fit, muscular, dangerous man would work in tech in the army. Make that make sense.

“Uh, yeah. Smarter than I look mami,” he smirks and that removes any sense of surprise and respect that was building on my end.

“Clearly.”

“Well?” Annabeth urges.

“If I knew where to look, maybe, but why would they keep a hardcopy version in our army base? It’d have to be like a heavily encrypted online version, so that’ll fall to you buddy,” Tobi pats Mateo on the shoulder and he frowns.

“I’ll definitely be fired,” Mateo states.

“I know,” Annabeth hedges, “We know how much is on the line for you guys, but we wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary. You’re free to say no, but just think of how many lives are on the line here. Not just Percy and the others, but all of us. Once they harness enough power and figure out how to hurt us, they’ll come after every single demigod on Earth.”

She says they’re free to say no, but I get the sense that she’s not going to take no for an answer. She knows exactly which strings to pull with them, because as soon as she mentions demigods and loss of life, I can see both of their shoulders tense. She’s got them hooked. I’m once again reminded why she’s the one in charge, and how cunning she is. She knows exactly how to get people to do what she wants while making them feel like it was their idea all along.

“I’ll do it,” Mateo decides. I bite my lip to keep any comments in and quickly glance over at Annabeth to see her looking worried and grateful, like she’s about to say that they really don’t have to, again reinforcing the idea that it came from them and not her.

“Are you sure? We can try to find another way that won’t cost you your jobs,” she suggests.

“There is no other way. We’ll be screwed either way. It’s time that we wake up and see that we’re not wanted,” Mateo says, sure of his decision. Nice work, Annabeth.

“So do you think they’d have a blueprint in their system?”

“Maybe. There are a few heavily secured files that I was told to leave alone. I have a feeling they might be in there. It won’t be easy to crack. We’d need to buy some time,” Mateo explains.

“That we can do,” Clarisse says confidently. Jason nods along.

“What about Hecate?” I remember, “Maybe she could help us break out our friends.”

“That’s a good idea,” Mateo says, overly nicely. Not really.

“We looked for over a day and couldn’t find anything,” Nico complains.

“Piper and Estrella might be helpful,” Annabeth provides.

“What?” Piper and I say at the same time.

“Both Aphrodite and Nyx have ties to magic. Maybe you guys could help sense her or even draw her out.”

“So, you’re suggesting we split up?” Piper asks with a frown.

“Yeah. I think we should do Jason, Frank, Clarisse, Tobi, Mateo, and I at the base, and you four go back to Salem to find Hecate,” Annabeth decides.

“Why not split in half?” Will wonders.

“I’ll be with Mateo in the control room, so we’ll need more people to help defend. We know it’ll get violent at the base. There’s no guarantee you guys will run into Sanderson’s men in Salem. I mean, why would you?”

She has a point.

“Works for me,” Nico pipes up, “It would be great if you helped with the shadow travel, Es. I’m still pretty weak.”

“I don’t even know-” I begin.

“I can do a quick run-through before we go,” Nico interrupts, decision made. Alright then.

“Are you getting that feeling?” Annabeth asks me, surprising everyone. I’m shocked silent for a second before I understand what she’s asking. I’m nervous, but I don’t have that all-encompassing feeling of doom that I did last time. We might be making the right decision.

“Surprisingly, no,” I admit, “I just feel like my team needs one more person.”

“Nico and Piper are two of the strongest demigods of our generation. And Will is our best healer. You guys will be fine,” Annabeth decides, which means no one else really gets a say.

“Ok, so what’s the plan?” Piper asks, “You six go to the base and find the blueprint. We’ll go to Salem and try to find Hecate. When and where should we plan on meeting?”

“Let’s meet in Richmond, Virginia. I grew up there, so I know my way around. We’re going to have lots of people on our tail, so we’ll need space to throw them off. Once we meet there we can regroup and plan our next plan of attack. Let’s aim for no more than two days from now. How does that sound?”

Everyone mumbles various forms of agreement, and I can’t help but fear that if things go wrong or they get captured at the base, my best friend may not make it. She’s the only family I have left.

Percy POV:

After hours of torture, I see her. I still haven’t woken and I’m beginning to think that maybe I won’t. I get flashes of Hazel crying. I see Terra attacking a guard that comes in to grab Leo. I see Leo so quiet and unlike himself. And then I get tormented with dreams of everybody I love dying.

Then, I see her.

She appears like an angel, curly hair framing her face and concern plain in her eyes. I see so much pain and fear in those eyes and can’t help but imagine that they’re reflecting my own.

“Percy!” she calls, voice a mix of relief and shock. She rushes to hug me but of course, neither of us feel it in the dream.

“Wise girl.”

Her eyes fill with tears as she looks down at my unconscious body and her mouth pulls into a frown like she’s trying not to cry. I always hated when she made that face because I never wanted her to be anything but happy. I noticed it a lot more the last 2 months as she got more distant, but nothing I did could make her feel happier.

“We’re coming, ok? Just… don’t die on me. You’ll be fine. Everything is fine,” she rambles, and I can tell she’s trying to convince herself. She doesn’t want me to see that she’s scared. She never did.

“I’m fine, Annabeth. I’m just napping,” I joke, and she looks down at my pale, skeletal face. She bites her lip and pinches her eyebrows as she holds back her tears desperately. My heart nearly shatters as I imagine her scared little face as a 7-year-old running away from her broken home. I never want her to feel sad or scared because of me.

“I’ll be fine. I promise. And I don’t break my promises,” I don’t realize that what I say could be interpreted as a dig, and she cringes.

“I do…” she whispers, and the tears finally roll down her cheeks. I want nothing more than to brush them away and tuck her against my chest.

“I promised I’d never leave you. I promised I’d love you forever… I-I’m so selfish,” she cries, burying her face in her hands. She shakes with repressed sobs, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt pain like this. My heart aches for both her and me.

What we had was perfect. She was the best person in my life. I would have – and still will – done anything for her. I’d jump into Tartarus a million times if it meant she’d be happy. I thought we were forever. I thought I’d found my person. I’ll never stop loving her, but I don’t want to be the person holding her back from finding out who she really is. I could never live with myself.

“You’re not.”

“I am,” she sniffles, “I’m so sorry.”

“Please, Annabeth,” I beg, my heart feeling like a bowling ball in my chest.

“I should’ve just ignored it. I should have realized how much I was hurting you. I should have just stayed with you. I love you, Percy. I love you so much and I can’t survive without you. I wish I could just turn the feelings off. You deserve so much better,” she sobs, and I can’t move. I’ve never seen her cry like this. Even in a dream, it feels so real. I can feel her pain magnifying my own.

“Annabeth-”

“I was a terrible girlfriend. How could I do this to you? I’m a terrible person. I should have been stronger.”

“Annabeth, please,” I plead, tears building in my own eyes, “I love you too. You know that. No words could ever convey how much I love you. I’d die for you. I’ll never stop loving you. But don’t belittle what we had by saying that you were a bad girlfriend. You were… are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I could die right now with a smile on my face just knowing that Annabeth Chase once loved me. That she chose me. That she fought for me. You’re an incredible person. You’re strong and brave and beautiful and kind and thoughtful and selfless and so damn smart. You made me the happiest person alive. To be loved by you is something so unbelievably brilliant that I’d be selfish to keep it all to myself. Who would I be to tie you down when you have someone else to share your love with? You’ve given me so much, Annabeth. Now let me give you this.”

“Percy,” she says almost in a low moan, so full of agonizing pain, “You don’t owe me anything. I just wanted to love you like you loved me. I’m so mad at myself. You gave me everything, but it wasn’t enough. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t be the person you needed. But I’m selfish. And I still need you. So don’t you dare die on me. I’d never forgive myself.”

“I won’t. You don’t have to blame yourself. People can’t help what they feel. I understand,” I force out past the lump in my throat. It feels like I’m finally letting her go. I am letting her go.

I feel like someone is tearing a hole in my chest and ripping out my insides. I can’t imagine my life without her. I don’t know how I’m supposed to go on without her support. She was the only person keeping me together after all the trauma we went through together. I still love her so much. It hurts to be near her and not hold her close. My body yearns to be near her and feel the comfort she brings me.

Her chin wobbles as she sees my pain. She can read me better than anyone. I can see that her heart is broken too. How do two people who lived for each other move on? I can see that she’s scared too. She wonders if she’s making the correct choice. I saw how she looked at Terra though. She didn’t make a mistake. As much as it hurts to think, I know that she’ll be ok without me.

“Percy…” she whispers and reaches her hand out to mine. Of course, they don’t touch. But my heart tears a little more at her look so full of guilt, sadness, uncertainty, and love. Our entire relationship flashes before my eyes. I see our ups and downs, our challenges, our victories, our love.

“You gave me the best 7 years of my life. Even when you hated me, I loved you. Thank you for everything. I’ll be ok. I want you to be happy. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she says so quietly that I barely hear her. I nearly fall apart at those words but hold it together for her sake. To hear her say those words I’ve heard so many times before… but now they mean something else.

“Don’t worry about me,” I tell her, and I notice her eyes quickly flick around the room, “Terra is fine. We’ll be ok. I’ll do everything I can to make sure Terra gets back to you.”

“You’ll do everything you can to make sure you both make it back to me. I’m not done with you yet, Percy. I haven’t forgotten what we’ve been through together. I still need you. So you better come back to me. If not, I’ll have Nico kick your ass every day until I die. Then I’ll do it myself. Got it?”

“Got it,” I force a chuckle, knowing full well that my chances are slim.

“We’re coming, okay? Just hold on. And remember, if Idris is a son of Athena… appeal to his logic. Trigger his hubris. Make him rethink his plan. Anything to stall for a little longer.”

“Got it. Channel my inner Wise Girl.”

“Exactly,” she smiles, “You should know how to do it by now. You’re smarter than you look.”

I roll my eyes. Her smile turns wistful.

“I miss you,” she admits. I smile sadly.

“Me too,” I say. She has no idea.

She starts to fade away and I figure one of us is waking up. I try to memorize her facial features one last time. Either way, whether I make it out of this or not, it’ll be like I’ve lost her. As the dream fades to black, I let her go.

When I come to, I’m not immediately aware that I’m awake. I’ve seen this same room in my dreams for what feels like days now. The first thing that tips me off is the sudden pain surging through every part of my body. The second thing is the smell. Nothing smelled in my dream, but now I can smell sweat, dirt, and sulfur.

I peel open my eyes, which is a difficult task in itself, as they’re crusted with salt. As soon as I open them a sliver, bright white artificial light sears my retinas and I squint them shut tightly. A puff of breath escapes my dry lips, and it sounds loud in the silent room. My head pounds furiously with each heartbeat and my eyes feel so hot and dry that they itch under my eyelids.

A shuffling of scratchy sheets to my right catches my attention and I hear Terra’s familiar voice whispering loudly.

“Leo,” she calls, “Leo! Wake up. I heard something.”

I hear more ruffling and a hiss of pain.

“Ah, let go! The burns, remember?” Leo whisper-shouts back.

“I heard something,” Terra repeats, “Look at him. Do you think he’s awake?”

I can hear the undertone of worry in her voice, which makes me feel guilty, so I try my best to seem upbeat and healthy. I severely underestimate how weak I am as I peel my eyes open again and notice the room spinning around me. My stomach turns and I’m wracked with an intense wave of nausea.

“Oh gods! Leo, look! He’s awake!” Terra nearly shouts, and my head pounds more furiously. It takes all my strength not to shut my eyes again and cry out.

I can hear Terra untangling herself from her bed and rushing over to my side, but I don’t even have the strength to turn my head and watch. My bed dips when she sits on the edge and her face appears in my line of vision.

“Hey,” she says, then quiets a little when one of my eyes shuts in pain, “Hey. Are you ok? How are you feeling? Can I do anything?”

Still squinting one eye, I send her a small, close-lipped smile and shake my head. I’m afraid if I open my mouth I’ll puke on her.

“When I woke up, I felt pretty queasy. Do you need the toilet? I can help you,” she offers, and my migraine and racing heart only exacerbate the nausea. It’s all I can do to nod my head weakly and keep up the forced smile.

“Ok, ok. Just hold on one second. Leo, come here,” she directs, and peels off the multiple layers of itchy blankets. As soon as I’m exposed to the icy air I begin to shiver and feel bile rising in my throat. I try to push myself up on an elbow, but my muscles don’t want to work with me.

Terra places her hands under my armpits and drags me up to a sitting position. Just that one motion has my vertigo going crazy and I feel like my eyeballs are shaking in my skull. I can feel the blood leaving my face and only have a few seconds until I projectile vomit on my friends. Leo must be able to tell, because he rushes over and scoops me up, speeding me over to the toilet. Terra supports me as my arms splay across the seat and head dips into the bowl. My legs are curled underneath me awkwardly, but I’m so cold and weak that I can barely feel them.

Terra rubs circles into my back as I vomit watery bile into the toilet and heave until my chest aches. By the end I feel lightheaded and out-of-breath. My head nearly falls into the water, but Terra pulls my back into her chest, where my head flops backward onto her shoulder. I shut my eyes for a minute as I will the room to stop spinning and she wipes my face with one of the blankets.

My shivers calm a little as she wraps me in a blanket and then in her embrace. We stay there on the floor next to the toilet for a few minutes until I have to throw up again. This cycle repeats 3 more times before my stomach finally stops seizing. At this point, I’m close to unconsciousness again, but I hold on with all my strength because I’m not ready to be mentally tortured again. My friends need me. Or maybe I need them.

Terra places one cold hand against the thin material of my shirt, right above my heart as a grounding gesture. I try to copy her breathing and match her heart that pounds against my back.

“Sorry,” I whisper, but it sounds more like a small exhale. I’m embarrassed about being so weak and gross in front of them.

“You have no reason to be.”

Leo comes over to join us and flushes the toilet before sitting in front of me. He wraps my hands in his own to warm them and calm the shaking. I look down and see the blurry outline of burns on his arms, chest, and face. What happened? He’s fireproof.

After a few minutes, I feel much calmer and steadier. The tremors have slowed to occasional shudders and my vision has cleared enough to make out Leo’s stubble.

“You need water,” Terra states, and my stomach disagrees. My brain and mouth are with Terra, though.

“Come to papa, let McShizzle warm you up,” Leo jokes, and Terra hands me over to him. He pulls me over to the wall closest to the sink and wraps an arm around my shoulders to keep me upright. I’m confused when I look down at my arm compared to his and find that mine are nearly half the size of his. He was never very bulky or muscular compared to Frank or Jason, but now my arms make his look like a body builder. I didn’t think what I saw in my dreams was real, but they really did something to me to make me lose a lot of muscle and fat that I couldn’t afford to lose.

Leo holds me up as Terra comes over with a handful of sink water. I lean my head back against the wall and let her pour it down my throat. It tastes rusty and vaguely eggy but soothes my sore, bone dry throat. I get flashbacks of Tartarus as Annabeth poured liquid fire down my throat to keep me alive. This water won’t heal me though. Not with all the celestial bronze surrounding us.

After about 7 handfuls, my shrunken stomach is full and anymore will come right back up. Now that I have a bit more liquid in my system, I feel marginally stronger.

“Thank you,” I manage, my voice raspy and low, “I feel much better.”

I see Leo shoot Terra a quick look, obviously still concerned and disbelieving. She shakes her head imperceptibly. I’m weak, not unobservant.

“Good!” she chirps, and I realize that my headache is slowly fading. She can talk at a normal decibel without hurting me.

“Perce…,” Leo says gently, “What did they do to you?”

He’s obviously more shaken than he let on.

“I’m ok,” I assure him.

“We thought… it looked for a second like you weren’t going to make it,” he says shakily. I lean my head back against his shoulder.

“I’m alright. They just overdid it a little. I’m ok though. I’ve been through worse. This has nothing on Tartarus,” I joke, but it doesn’t land very well because by the end I have to catch my breath a bit.

Terra laughs for my benefit, but Leo just stares at the corner of the room. I’ve never seen him so subdued. It worries me.

“I had lots of fun dreams,” I change the subject, “Friends, family, loved ones… all dying. Super fun stuff. Oh, and I saw Annabeth.”

As expected, Terra perks up at her name, then tries to look demure at my expense. I won’t share what Annabeth and I really talked about for her sake. Maybe also because when I think of it, I feel like a stake is being driven through my heart.

“Apparently, they know we’ve been taken, and they have a plan. I saw Estrella too. She told me they were captured at Sanderson’s house, but Frank, Clarisse, Nico, and Will broke them out. We shouldn’t be in here much longer. They’re coming,” I explain, which significantly improves Terra and Leo’s moods. They don’t need to know that I don’t entirely believe they’ll be able to get us out before I die.

“Oh my gods and they’re both ok? I’ve been so worried,” Terra breathes. I nod and she practically falls against the wall in relief.

“I wonder if Calypso knows I’m in here,” Leo says worriedly, “She’s gonna kill me. I promised her I’d be fine.”

“I think she’ll be more relieved to see you than anything,” Terra replies.

Suddenly, we hear the faint sound of a man shouting in the hallway and footsteps approaching.

“Afternoon freaks! Wakey wakey,” the voice says and Terra and Leo pale instantly.

“Get up,” Terra hisses frantically, “Get back in bed. You have to pretend to still be asleep. They’ve been waiting for you to wake up so they can do more extractions. Hurry! Leo, help him!”

Her urgent voice frightens me, so I clumsily try to force my way to my feet, forgetting how uncoordinated I am at the moment. My arms shake as I push myself up and my knees buckle underneath me. I nearly scream as I fall to my knees and land on the incredibly swollen gunshot wound. I break out in a cold sweat and nearly fall unconscious there and then.

Leo curses under his breath and scoops me up easily. The voice is getting closer and closer in the hallway.

“Hold on a second!” Terra shouts, “I’m naked!”

She presses her body against the door to buy us a few seconds and yanks her shirt off to make her claim more believable.

“What the…? Hey! Get off the door!” the man shouts, and shoves against the door. Terra is too weak to hold it for long, so in 3 large steps, Leo lunges toward my bed and dumps me onto it. Before he can rearrange the blankets, the door is kicked open and Terra goes sliding across the floor.

I shut my eyes before the man sees me and try to regulate my breathing. I hear Leo shouting at the guard and pulling up his pants that he yanked down at the last second.

“What the hell, man? I was pissing!” Leo shouts, trying to draw the attention away from me.

“Yeah, what the fuck? I told you I was naked! I barely had time to cover myself you pervert!” Terra joins in.

“Last I checked, I do whatever the fuck I want, and you things do what you’re told. When I say open the door, you get the fuck out of my way. Understood?” the man spits, and I recognize the voice as the man who dragged me to the extraction machine.

“We’re human just like you!” Terra shouts back and I hear a sharp smack. I assume she’s been slapped because of her sharp intake of breath, but she doesn’t make any noise to give him satisfaction.

“Fuck you!” Leo yells, “You think you’re so strong and manly? A real man would never hit a woman! You’re scum.”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard him so angry.

“Watch it. Try that shit again and see what happens. Maybe I’ll take it out on your friend over here instead of you, hmm?” he says, and I hear him approach my bed. I try to stay as still as possible.

“What’s up with him?” the man asks and drags me up by my collar. I let my head flop back and keep my breathing regular. If I was at full strength right now, I’d strangle him for what he did to Terra. I’d stop his heart without blinking. I don’t care what I promised Annabeth. She left me anyway.

“I dragged him over to the sink and gave him water. He’ll die if we just leave him there. He needs an IV. And rest,” Terra scrambles.

“I didn’t ask you, bitch.”

“She’s telling the truth!” Leo insists. The man gives my body a shake and I just stay limp.

“Then why’s he sweating?” the man notices. My breathing nearly stops.

“I told you, he’s sick! He needs an IV!” Terra shouts.

“Shut up! You speak when you’re spoken to! Or better yet, never! One more time and you’re going straight to the field.”

Terra shuts up.

“Dude, we’re not resisting. If he dies, you’ll have no solution to your constant droughts. You need him. Just let him rest, he almost died,” Leo tries.

“He deserved it,” the man grunts, “And what did I tell you about behaving. See what happens when you’re bad? Your boyfriend gets it.”

A fiery pain erupts in my knee, and I realize that he’s punched it. My eyes immediately fill with tears, so I squeeze them tighter and pray that he’s not watching my face. My breathing hitches a little, but I think Leo’s shouting makes it harder to hear.

“Please! I’m sorry! I’ll do what you want! I’m sorry!” Leo cries and my heart clenches. Whatever they’re doing to him is really weighing on him. I’ve never heard him beg for anything before. He’s not that type of person.

“That’s better. See? Be nice and your boyfriend doesn’t have to get hurt. Alright, Matt, bring her in. I’m bored now.”

I hear a brief scuffle then a small cry as someone is tossed into the room.

“Hazel!” I hear Leo exclaim and rush over to where she fell. She quietly assures him that she’s fine, just tired.

“Did y’all know she can find precious metals? We’re going to be so rich. Idris is going to want to use it all to fund more experiments, but I bet you can negotiate us higher pay, hmm Tyler? Idris likes you because he thinks you’re smarter,” Matt’s nasally voice says.

“And he’d be correct,” the voice I assume is Tyler grunts.

“Still can’t beat me at poker.”

“That’s just luck.”

“You wish. I could beat you with my eyes closed.”

“Exactly. That’s luck. Not skill.”

“Fuck you man, don’t come bitching at me when I win tomorrow night and take all your money.”

“I haven’t bet any real money in months.”

“The hell does that even mean?”

“Just that I’m smarter than you and you’re technically a criminal if you’ve bought anything with the cash you’ve won off of me.”

“You’re joking bro!” Matt laughs and I hear the faint sound of him punching Tyler’s arm. Tyler barks out a laugh too.

“Hey, I’m not dumb enough to bet real money against someone who constantly gets lucky,” Tyler states.

“Damn right I do.”

“You’re nasty.”

“Damn right I am.”

I think I’m losing braincells sitting here listening to this. How did these two doofuses get hired for a top-secret government agency?

A shrill bell that goes off for 3 seconds interrupts their mindless banter, signaling the shift change. They seem to remember that they’re in a room with deadly teenagers and get serious again.

“Alright, see you losers tomorrow,” Matt jeers, “And that skinny prick better be awake or we’re calling off the life support. One last extraction and blood draw then chuck him in the bin. He’s not really very useful just lying around wasting oxygen, now, is he?”

My breath falters again. It’s not sounding good for me… Either I wake up and go back into the extraction chamber and potentially die or pretend to be asleep and go in either way. If I don’t wake up, I’ll die for sure.

“But you guys need him! Surely, he’s more useful alive than dead,” Leo tries, but shuts up quickly when Tyler clears his throat and takes a step toward my bed. Leo apologizes quickly.

“That’s what I thought. Now be good for the afternoon shift or no dinner. You all sure look hungry. Don’t they, Matt?”

“Why waste our food on them? They’re already killing our planet. Twig boy could maybe use a meal though,” Matt laughs and Tyler joins in.

“And they called that kid the most powerful demigod! Hah! Bro looks like a Halloween decoration. I hope he wakes up tomorrow so I can smack that cocky smirk right off his face. Teach him a lesson.”

“That’s the spirit,” Matt cackles, “I told you! Ever since I got sprayed with shit water, I’ve been plotting my revenge. This punk better hope he doesn’t wake up.”

A secondary bell rings, notifying everyone that the second shift has begun. I hear footsteps of another set of guards approaching and pray that they’re less cruel than these two.

“Alright, let’s get out of here.”

“See you tomorrow, freaks,” Matt spits and slams the door loudly.

As soon as we’re alone, I crack open one eye and let out a shaky breath. My knee is throbbing and feels hot. My entire body has begun to tremble again, and I know I need to calm down before I overexert myself. I slowly turn my head to the side so I can see where Hazel fell.

“Haze,” I croak, and she looks up at me with wide, shocked eyes.

“You’re awake!” she whispers, “How are you feeling? You heard what they said? Don’t worry about that, we’ll figure out what to do…”

She pushes herself up onto her hands and knees and I can see her arms buckling beneath her. She’s completely exhausted. Leo helps her sit up and brushes some dirt off her face.

“Fine, don’t worry about me. Come rest, I can get up,” I fret and try to scooch over to give her room to lie down. It takes a pathetically long time for me to shimmy a few inches and I’m breathless again by the end of it.

“Absolutely not. You stay put. You still need rest too. If they’re running more tests tomorrow, you’ll need all the strength you can get. Here, Hazel, let me clean you off a bit,” Terra commands, and I can see a red mark on her cheek where she was hit. My stomach turns and my blood feels hot at the image. I get a flash of my mom when I was younger and shake my head to get rid of the thoughts. That’s the last thing I need to be thinking about right now.

Hazel gets up with Terra and Leo’s help, her legs shaky and weak. Whatever they made her do, it obviously took a lot out of her. She’s stronger than all of us though, as she remains conscious after everything they put her through.

She sways a little as Terra scrubs her arms and hands with water, removing as much dirt as possible. Hazel kicks off her muddy white slipper-like shoes and lets Leo pull off her socks. When they’re done, Hazel looks clean and ready to sleep for a year.

Leo helps me slide over to the side and get under the covers, then holds the blankets up as Hazel slips in next to me. She immediately wraps a leg around mine like a Koala and clings onto me. Her warm body helps calm my shivers and provides me with some much-needed comfort. As she closes her eyes in content, it seems like it gives her some comfort and relief too. I play with one of her bouncy curls, wrapping it around a finger, then unwrapping it, repeating until I get bored or find a more tightly coiled curl.

“You really scared me, Percy,” she breathes against my neck, and goosebumps erupt across my skin.

“I’m sorry,” I say, and I genuinely mean it. I never wanted to hurt any of my friends. She doesn’t deserve to feel concern at my expense. I should be stronger. I’m putting too much onto her.

“I’m so happy you’re ok.”

“Me too,” I reply, my eyes getting heavier.

“Your chest is really bony,” she complains, and puts one of her hands on my ribcage before resting her cheek on it.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize again, wishing I could just give her some comfort for once. She deserves it.

“Stop apologizing. You didn’t do this. I just need you to heal up quickly, ok? I need you. You’re my best friend,” she confesses quietly, and my eyes well with tears. I don’t deserve her. She’s too pure for this world. Her voice sounded so small and innocent just then. Being called Hazel’s best friend is like the highest form of compliment ever. I definitely don’t deserve the title, but I’d do anything to keep it.

“Love you,” I whisper. She nods against my chest. She doesn’t need to say it back. I already know.

Chapter Text

Estrella POV:

Any nutrition from the oatmeal that Tobi made me is completely gone as Nico tries to teach me how to shadow travel. I’d done it once before by accident but have absolutely no clue how to replicate it. I was desperate and confused and it just happened.

“Just picture where you want to go!” Nico exclaims frustratedly. I want to cry knowing that this part of the quest really relies on my ability to help Nico shadow travel.

“I’m trying!”

Mateo stands to the side watching and cringes as I throw up a fourth time. Every time I try, it feels like my body is being pulled apart and dissolved, and that’s if I even manage to do it. So far, I’ve been able to move about 10 feet at most, and with Nico’s help, about 30. He’s struggling to teach me without wasting too much of his power.

“Maybe focus on what you feel when you make things go dark?” Piper suggests, “The power is all coming from the same place… So maybe that could help?”

I take a deep breath and try again. I tug on that rubber band of power and form a wall of darkness in front of me. I step into it and feel energized for a moment and then get worried that I’ll get sucked in or trapped and begin to panic. I picture the snowy hill at the other side of the apartment complex.

When I step out of the darkness though, I’m suddenly engulfed in white. I can’t see, breathe, hear, or move.

Did I just die? Am I in heaven? Is this it? I pushed myself too hard and just… died?

Then the chill begins to set in. My face burns where the white substance meets my skin. I start to choke as it fills my nose and mouth. This isn’t death. It’s snow.

Shit.

I have no idea where I am. I somehow managed to shadow travel away from my friends and am now buried in snow. I have no idea how deep it goes or how far under I am. Then the panic sets in.

“Help!” I manage to scream between mouthfuls of snow. Every breath just chokes me more, so I try to move my hands up to make space in front of my face, but they feel pinned next to me in the heavy snow. Finally, I wrestle them up and try to dig some space in front of my mouth and nose. At first, every time I push snow away, more comes and fills the space. I’m getting lightheaded and know I need to hurry before I pass out and suffocate.

After a minute, I manage to push enough snow away to suck in a few much-needed breaths. It’s dark, but my powers help me see clearly once I scrub snow out of my eyes. Hoping that I’m still in the same state as my friends, I suck in a huge breath and scream as loud as I can. Then I summon a ball of darkness and shoot it upward, praying that it makes it far enough to exit whatever snow I’m in so my friends can see.

My fingers burn so bad they feel like they’re on fire, and my whole body shakes with chills and fear. I’m really about to die right now. Maybe this prophecy really was about Nico and all the trouble I’ve been through the last few days has been for nothing. At least I’ll see my family again…

I think my powers begin to peter out because my vision gets darker and darker…

“Estrella! Can you hear me? Say something!” a muffled voice shouts somewhere above me. I’m not sure if I’m imagining it, but it shocks me to action again.

“I’m here! Help me! Help! I’m down here!” I scream as loud as I can, and my head starts to feel fuzzy. That brings more panic.

“Please!” I shout, my throat clogging up with fear.

“Hold on!” the voice shouts, and the snow above me feels heavier, like something is pressing it down. Then, it feels lighter and lighter until a bit of sunshine starts to pierce through the snow. I catch hazy glimpses of hands digging frantically and shout again.

“Oh gods, Es! Hold on! Can you breathe?” Mateo’s voice calls. I suck in a big breath to shout back but inhale more snow and begin coughing again.

Finally, the hands reach my face and begin to clear the snow. As soon as there’s space to inhale, I take big gasping breaths and try to clear my lungs with big rasping coughs.

“Give me your hand!” Mateo instructs, almost frantically, and I struggle to push the snow away and yank my hand out into the open. As soon as I manage to reach a hand out, he grabs it and I’m pulled roughly from the snow. It feels like the snow is puling me back down as I’m dragged out, but I’m finally freed.

I’m not sure where I am or how I got there but I lie on my back staring at the sun as I take desperate rapid breaths and wait for the dizziness to pass. My hearing goes in and out as I struggle to regulate my oxygen, but as the fuzziness fades, I hear Mateo speaking.

“Here, take off this sweater,” he instructs, and pulls me into a sitting position. I weakly raise my arms, and he pulls the soaking wet sweater off in one smooth move, wrapping me in a warm coat that I assume is his.

I feel hands fluttering around my body checking vitals and ensuring that I am in fact not dying.

“My gods, Es, you scared us,” Will breathes, and places a hand against my forehead. Piper and Nico sit in the snow breathing heavily. Piper, Will, and Mateo’s hands are red, so I assume they were all working together to dig me out. Nico looks slightly winded, so I assume he shadow traveled them all over here once he saw my signal. Speaking of which…

I blink furiously to clear the water from my eyes (definitely only melted snow, not tears…), and look down at the hole I was ripped from. It’s partly filled in already, but I guess that I was almost 4 feet beneath the surface. There’s no way I’d have been able to dig myself out.

As I catch my breath, I notice Mateo’s rapid heartbeat against my back and try to slow my shivers in his embrace.

“Well, that’s the farthest you’ve gotten so far,” Nico deadpans, I assume in an attempt to lighten the mood, but I’m not really in the mind frame for jokes right now.

“Dude,” Mateo says without an ounce of humor, which shocks me, as he usually doesn’t shut up. When I look back at him, he looks shaken and serious.

“I’m ok,” I breathe, and wring out my hair, “My hands are freezing-”

Mateo places both of his hands around mine before I can finish my sentence. He rubs some warmth back into them as I continue to catch my breath.

“How the hell did that happen?” Mateo directs at Nico, still sounding a bit breathless.

“She probably pictured the snowbank and ended up inside of it by accident. Who knows? Shadow travel can be tricky. In the beginning I would sometimes end up in different countries. It takes practice,” Nico explains.

“And you want her to shadow travel to Salem with no experience?” Mateo questions.

“I mean, I’ll be there to guide her. She won’t be doing it herself,” Nico counters, sounding a bit annoyed. He doesn’t like to be doubted.

“I think I panicked,” I admit, “I thought I was going to get sucked into the shadows. When I stepped out everything was white and-” my voice cracks.

“It’s ok. You’re out now,” Mateo says softly and rubs his hands up and down the coat around my shoulders.

“I’m fine,” I repeat, clearing my throat stubbornly, “It’ll be fine. I just need to practice a little more.”

“You should take a break,” Will suggests, “We should get inside and warm up. We don’t need to leave for like 2 hours anyway.”

“Maybe just one more-” Nico begins.

“He said she should rest,” Mateo interrupts. Nico raises an eyebrow, unimpressed.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your part of the quest? You’re not even on our team,” Nico says coldly.

“I’m ok, really I-” I try to change the subject, but Mateo and Nico aren’t finished.

“Shouldn’t you be looking out for your teammates and not endangering their lives?” Mateo speaks over me, glaring at Nico.

“In case you haven’t noticed, we’re always in danger!” Nico snaps.

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look out for your teammates! In case you haven’t noticed, it’s not all about you! She could have died, idiot!”

“She needs to learn how to use her powers to survive. Learning how to shadow travel could save her life.”

“She won’t get the chance if you kill her first!”

“Ok, you’re obviously emotional and I don’t have time to waste explaining myself to someone as thick as you,” Nico finishes, and begins stalking back to the apartment building. Will follows him, trying to calm him down a bit.

It gets awkwardly quiet as Piper, Mateo, and I don’t know what to say.

“It’s cold out here, we should get back inside and get ready to leave,” Piper finally says, and reaches her hands out to help me up. I gratefully accept them and stand on shaky legs.

“Thank you,” I say to both of them. They both smile in return.

“He’s right though, I really should learn,” I say.

“He’s a jerk. You did great. You don’t know how to do everything,” Mateo replies. I send him a small smile even though I disagree. I’m tired of being the weak link. I could be helpful if I learned how.

“Shit, I forgot to call Calypso. Piper, do you want to help me break the news?” I change the subject.

“Oof, that’s gonna be fun,” she jokes, and starts walking back to the apartment complex. I reach a hand out to Mateo to pull him up, but he waves me off.

“I’m ok. I think I need to blow off some steam.”

“Oh, ok,” I say a bit disappointedly, and start to take off his coat to hand it back to him.

“No, no, you keep it. You need it more. I have another,” he tells me. I blush a little and thank him before speed walking to catch up with Piper.

When I reach her side, she wraps an arm around my shoulders. I feel a little uncomfortable, not the biggest fan of physical contact, but wave it off as her trying to be friendly.

“So, what the Hades was that?” she whispers to me once we’re a little distance away.

“I don’t know!” I whisper back, holding back a bewildered laugh.

“Am I crazy or is he like into you? He was definitely shaken up at the thought of you dying!” she gossips, and I still feel a bit like a fraud trying to fit in with the popular crowd. Like, I know I’m not really their friends, but now that someone is giving me attention, I’m suddenly more interesting. Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it.

“Yeah, he’s kinda weird. I just met the dude and he’s acting like he knows me. One day he’s a douche and then suddenly he’s all sweet. I’m confused. I can’t tell if he’s fucking with me or not.”

“From a daughter of Aphrodite, I can definitely sense that there’s something there. Maybe if we survive this, you should give him a chance. He seems nice.”

“A bit of a temper though.”

“Eh, all sons and daughters of Ares have one. It’s normal. He actually seems pretty tame. I’ve heard that their aura makes people crazy passionate and… you know… freaky,” she says the last part almost conspiratorially.

“Piper!” I squeal, my meek side peeking through. I’m all talk, really.

“Sorry!” she laughs, “My Aphrodite is showing. Ew. I need to go throw a football or something,” she jokes.

“Or go grab Jason’s ass again,” I suggest, which makes her gasp, “Yeah, I saw. Hey, you do you. Terra told me you’re looking for a third. I figured you’re the, uh, dominant one.”

“Estrella,” she mock-gasps, sounding a bit like me, “You’re more perceptive than I realized! I gotta keep my guard up around you! Unless you’re looking to be the third…?”

“Maybe another time. Preferably without Jason,” I laugh, finally warming up to Piper a little. She’s actually pretty funny once you get to know her. I just figured she was one of those girls who’s “not like other girls.” I judged her too quickly. I have a feeling that happens to her a lot. That makes me feel a little guilty.

“Aw, well, just holler if you change your mind! Ares children aren’t the only freaky ones.”

“Jesus, Piper!” I laugh. She’s pretty weird, too. I like weird people. They make it easier to be yourself.

“Kidding, kidding! Seriously, though, are you ok after that? That seemed pretty scary.”

“Yeah. I’m just a little shaken up. I get so frustrated with myself because you guys are all so good at what you do and I’m such a weak link. I feel like I’m dragging everyone down. I know I’ve shadow traveled before, but I just can’t seem to get it down, which is so frustrating.”

“I know how you feel. When I first met everyone, I was totally the weak link and was almost getting killed 24/7. I felt like everyone would be better off without me and I was trying to figure out if my memories with the person I loved most were even real. Everyone is so supportive, though. No one here is judging you for not knowing how to fight or use your powers. You’ve been here for like 2 weeks. I had like 6 months before our big quest and still almost died. You just need to be patient with yourself.”

“I’m trying. I just hate being bad at stuff. I’m a perfectionist, so I always think I can be better at everything. I don’t want people to die trying to protect me. I already lost my family.”

“You’re our family now. You’re with us for life. It takes everyone a while to warm up to new people, as you’ve probably felt, but we’d all die for you, no matter what skill you have. You’re doing great. Sorry if I was tough on you yesterday, I’m pretty protective of Annabeth.”

“No, trust me, I deserved it. I can be a bitch and need people to tell me when I’m being unreasonable. Sometimes when I’m overwhelmed, I don’t realize I’m being shitty. Please, feel free to call me out on it. I want to be better.”

“Trust me, I will. I don’t really have a filter,” Piper laughs.

“I noticed,” I joke, “No, trust me, I feel you. Most of my humor consists of just being mean. I’m working on it.”

“It’s ok, sometimes Leo needs a reality check,” Piper quips and we laugh together. I think we’ve really made a breakthrough and are closer to understanding each other.

“What do you think is stopping you from shadow traveling again?” she asks suddenly.

“I’m not sure. I remember what it felt like, but something is blocking me. I just don’t really trust my ability to do it again, I think. After everything that’s happened, it’s kind of hard to trust my body. I feel weak. I’m scared that I’ll get sucked up into the shadows and disappear,” I admit.

“But don’t shadows make you stronger?” she wonders. That makes me pause. Do they? I have noticed that when I’m fighting in darkness or shadows, I get a burst of energy. Maybe she’s right.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” I confess, surprised that he put that together before me.

“I just figured because of your mom, you know?” she tries to downplay her discovery and make it seem more obvious. I get the feeling that she’s been shut down too many times.

“No that’s a really smart observation. I do feel stronger in the shadows,” I tell her, and notice that her eyes light up a bit at my praise. I guess we’re all the same deep down. Everyone likes a bit of recognition.

“So maybe if you think about it that way it could help?” she guesses, “Like, rather than being afraid of the shadows and darkness, what if you let them in and let them make you stronger? Rather than being absorbed, you absorb them, you know?”

I’m shocked. It’s a bold idea, but one that makes perfect sense considering my lineage.

“You might be onto something!”

“I mean, Nico can sometimes overdo it and start to turn into shadow. But your mom is like the goddess of night and darkness, right? She gave birth to Erebus, the literal personification of darkness. Your mom has power over shadows. We know you can create them too. So, theoretically, you probably wouldn’t have the same problem as Nico,” she theorizes. I look at her in shock.

“What?” she asks, looking at me weirdly, almost as if she expects me to call her stupid.

“You’re like kind of a genius,” I tell her, and she rolls her eyes, “No, really,” I insist.

“Ok, Es, no need to be shitty. I was just trying to help,” she brushes me off, assuming I’m making fun of her.

“Piper, I’m not kidding. You’re really smart. People underestimate you because of your mom, right?” she nods, “That’s so dumb! Aphrodite is one of the smartest goddesses out there! No, really. She’s one of the most emotionally intelligent and knows how to read people. That’s not even bringing into account how she can convince people to do what she wants.”

“Also known as manipulation,” Piper grumbles.

“That’s how you choose to see it. I think it makes some of the best leaders. It means you can see the best in people. You know how to apply to what matters to them most. I think that’ll be really important in convincing the public that we’re not the enemy. And weren’t you the one who thought to lull Gaea to sleep?”

“I mean, it wasn’t just me-”

“Dude,” I interrupt, “Just take the compliment.”

I see more of myself in her than I thought. She finally smiles and laughs at herself a little.

“Heh, sorry. I thought you were joking.”

“Don’t count yourself out. You’re probably one of the most important people on this quest,” I realize.

“Ok, now you’re just buttering me up. Says the daughter of a literal primordial goddess.”

“You really don’t know how to take a compliment.”

“Sorry. It’s tough being around Annabeth 24/7. She can make anyone feel dumb,” Piper confesses.

“Oh, I know,” I say, and we share a laugh.

“Thank you,” she finally accepts, “I think you’re way nicer than you think you are. You’re kinda like the opposite of shitty, actually.”

“Wow, high praise,” I joke, and she laughs again.

“I think I’m bad at both giving and receiving compliments. Maybe I should work on that.”

“Maybe. I’ll probably have more to give the more we get to know each other. So you should maybe prepare yourself.”

She pokes me in the side affectionately and I push her away. I’m starting to see why everyone is so close. They really all have things to love about them. Maybe I can let my guard down a little…

“Ok, I think I want to try one more time,” I tell her. I feel much more confident in my abilities with her advice.

“Are you sure? Should we get Nico first?”

“No. I want to do this myself.”

“Ok, just, please don’t picture a snowbank. I can’t dig you out by myself.”

I ignore her and close my eyes. I imagine a rubber band stretching from my belly button and form a wall of darkness in front of me. Taking a deep breath, I step into it.

Darkness consumes me and I begin to panic for a second. The shadows close in on me and it gets so dark that my powers seem to stop working. I’m about to try and escape when Piper’s advice runs through my head. Let them in. Absorb them. Let them give you strength.

I will the shadows to freeze and everything comes to a standstill. I’m one with the shadows, engulfed in darkness, and suddenly, I feel strong. I see the resemblance to my mother as I look down at my skin that seems to glow among the shadows that writhe around my legs and try to creep up my arms. They’re at my command, I realize.

I imagine the shadows propping me up and pushing me forward. I imagine them meshing with me, becoming one, and giving me strength. Then, I picture where I want to go. The shadows take me.

When I really think about it, I can sense where I am within the world. I can feel exactly where I’m headed and know exactly where to stop, kind of like Percy underwater. I decide to stop once I sense I’m in a park about 5 miles away. When I step out of the shadows, I collapse to my knees, all my strength gone, but am shocked to find that I can breathe, and I am not buried in snow.

I look around as I catch my breath and find that I’m in the shade behind a big oak tree, in a park with a hill where children are having a snowball fight. No one saw me appear, so I just observe for a moment. It’s oddly peaceful, with the sound of the breeze rustling the crunchy leaves above me, and the faint joyful shouts of children in the distance. I smile.

Once I feel steady on my feet, I decide to head back as to not worry Piper.

Instead of summoning another wall of darkness, I just turn back into the shadow under the tree and picture the same coordinates I left from. The shadows soothe my tired muscles and do exactly what I think, until I step out right in front of Piper, who yelps in surprise. Again, as soon as I exit the shadows, my strength is depleted, and I sink to the icy ground. Piper kneels with me, staring into my face with a huge proud, shocked smile.

“Oh my gods,” she gasps.

I can only smile as I catch my breath. She was right.

“It worked!” she says, awestruck, grabbing me by the shoulders.

“It worked,” I echo, “You were right. I did exactly what you said. I went to a park 5 miles away! Piper, it worked! I could have gone farther. I could control the shadows. They do what I say.”

“Oh my gods, you did it!” she shrieks, and yanks me to my feet. I grab onto her to steady myself and she jumps up and down with joy. I can’t help but jump along with her.

“You’re incredible! You picked that up so fast!” she cheers.

“I couldn’t have done it without you!”

“We need to go tell Nico!” she shouts, and grabs me by the hand, taking off in a run. I stumble along behind her, body still a bit fatigued and weak.

By the time we make it back to the apartment, I’m huffing and puffing, and Piper looks as perfect as ever. Unfair.

“Nico!” she calls, “Nico! Where are you?”

She drags me down the breezeway between apartment buildings and into the backyard where Mateo and I practiced this morning.

“Nico! Oh- there you are! Nico! She did it!” Piper runs up to Nico and startles him. He looked like he was having a somewhat serious conversation with Will and jumps when we approach. He looks at me somewhat apprehensively, slightly worried that maybe he did push me too hard, but also worried that I won’t get it down in time.

“What?” Will questions.

“She figured out shadow travel!” Piper yells, and I hear footsteps in the breezeway. Piper’s commotion attracted Annabeth, Jason, Frank, Tobi, and Clarisse.

“Why are you yelling?” Annabeth asks, somewhat grumpily. She’s probably stressed about her half of the quest.

“Estrella learned how to shadow travel,” she says somewhat more quietly, but still vibrating with excitement. I blush beet red at all the attention. Annabeth turns to look at me.

“Really?” she asks, sounding a bit impressed.

“How?” Nico asks, relieved and confused.

“It was all because of Piper,” I start, “She realized that because of my mom, I have control over the shadows. I was scared I’d get lost while shadow traveling, but Piper suggested I let them in and let them give me strength. And it worked! I knew exactly where I was and went to a park 5 miles away with energy to spare. I feel stronger in the shadows.”

“Woah,” Clarisse blurts, which is pretty much a high compliment from her.

“Yeah. Woah,” Nico agrees.

“You’re so smart Pipes!” Jason cheers, and Piper sends him a huge grin. I hold back a smile of my own, happy to see her get some recognition. Even Annabeth sends her an impressed glance.

“That’s what I said!” I agree, and Piper shoves me away with a laugh.

“Were there any side effects?” Nico questions.

“Not really. I didn’t feel like I was turning to shadow at all when I was in there. I felt super strong. When I got out though, I felt pretty tired, and my muscles are kinda sore. It took a few minutes to catch my breath but nothing too bad,” I answer. He nods, satisfied. I feel a faint stirring of hope in my chest. Maybe I can be useful.

“Let me check your vitals really quick,” Will insists, and I let him check over me. He claims that my heart rate is elevated, and blood pressure is slightly low, but I remind him that I did just sprint like a quarter mile with Piper. He says that as long as it doesn’t get worse, it shouldn’t be that harmful to my health. Good enough for me!

Annabeth and the others head back up to the apartment to finalize plans and Piper and I step off to the side to finally call Calypso. I’m dreading this conversation.

Piper finds a garden hose and sets the nozzle to the mist setting, spraying an arc directly into a sun ray to create a rainbow. She tells me to hold the hose as she throws in a drachma, then asks someone named Fleecy to show us Calypso at camp.

An image of Calypso appears suddenly, and we see her violently digging in the dirt outside Bunker 9. Her garden has nearly doubled over the past few days, which hints at her current mental state.

“Hey Caly,” Piper calls, and Calypso’s head whips up to see us.

“Gods above, you frightened me, Piper. Hello Estrella, you look tired,” is the first thing she says, and my smile drops into a flat line.

“Good to see you too Calypso. You look unnaturally beautiful as usual,” I deadpan. She finally smiles a little.

“Sorry, I have been a little stressed. Something feels off. Is everything ok? How is the quest going? Why have you not called sooner? Chiron is threatening to send Clover after me because I keep pestering him. Is something wrong? Why are you not back yet?” she rambles, and I grimace before I can stop myself.

“We ran into a bit of a problem, actually,” Piper takes over before I can make things worse, “Mr. Sanderson was actually not a demigod sympathizer and kidnapped us. We managed to escape but got split up from Leo, Percy, Hazel, and Terra a bit earlier. Their car got attacked so we had to split up. They, uh, ummmm… They didn’t meet up with us when they said they would. We heard rumors that they’ve been, um, taken to a testing facility in Maryland. Both Estrella and Annabeth have seen them in dreams, so we know they’re ok. We’re planning to break them out soon. Es, Nico, Will, and I are going to Salem to find Hecate – they didn’t find anything before – and Annabeth and the others are going to try and find a blueprint of the building they’re in so we can make a plan to break them out.”

After Piper finishes explaining, Calypso stays silent on the other end. She stares at us, completely still as she digests the information. At one point, her eye twitches and she bites her cheek.

“Taken?” is all she says.

“Well, yes. We believe they got captured at a rest stop and transported to the facility. Like I said, we’ve seen that they’re oka-”

“How exactly were 4 of the most powerful demigods captured by mortals?” Calypso hisses, deadly quiet.

“Um, well, they’re, uh, they’re aware of what we are,” Piper says, picking her words carefully, “They had more knowledge about the gods than we knew and have been secretly developing weapons to combat us. They have a source supplying them celestial bronze, but we’re not sure who yet…”

“And they have been captured for how long?”

“We believe they got captured the same day we left.”

“Which was TWO days ago?”

“Uhhh, yes. I believe so,” Piper says quietly.

“And now you are wasting another day looking for a goddess that does not want to be found. Rather than rescuing your friends.”

“Well, it’s not that simple. We need her help. There are thousands of soldiers, and we’d get killed pretty easily.”

“Are you not the most powerful demigods of our generation?!” Calypso finally shouts, and I flinch. You promised her. My eyes burn and I try to avoid looking at her.

“Again, it-” Piper tries, but Calypso isn’t done.

“And you! You promised me! Now you cannot even look me in the eye! Do not be a COWARD!”

My eyes fill with tears as she yells. This is my fault. I should have fought harder. I knew something would go wrong.

“I’m sorry,” my voice breaks, “I tried. I should have stayed with them. Maybe I could have helped. I knew something was wrong and-”

“Es, it’s not your fault,” Piper says softly, placing a hand on my back, “None of us could have prevented this.”

“You promised!” Calypso shouts again, and I see the tears in her eyes now, “You promised me. You said you would put your life on the line. You promised.”

“I’m going to fix it,” I swear, “I’m going to get them out. I won’t let him die. I promise-”

“That means NOTHING!”

“Caly, calm down. Estrella didn’t do anything wrong. We were just calling to let you know our situation. We’re working to rectify it now. It’s going to be ok. Leo is one of my best friends. I’m not going to let him die.”

Calypso stands up with a huff, brushing her hands off on her pants and wiping her eyes angrily. Her fingers leave dirty tracks on her face.

“I am coming to help,” she decides.

“No, you don’t-” Piper tries.

“I have decided, Piper. You cannot change my mind. You would do the same for Jason, would you not?” Piper stays quiet, “I will meet you in Salem. I will hunt down that stupid goddess myself if I have to.”

I’m honestly not opposed to the idea of her joining us. I could use another friend, and Calypso has one of the strongest connections to magic out of all of us. If anyone could find a goddess, it’s her. Something in my gut tells me this is the right choice.

“We’re leaving in a little bit. Call us when you’re close and we will meet you somewhere. Nico and I are going to shadow travel to Salem with Piper and Will,” I tell her. She looks back at me and I cringe as I expect her to start yelling at me again.

“You learned to shadow travel?” she asks, a bit of pride in her voice hidden under the anger.

“Just a few minutes ago,” I admit with a small smile. I see her angry demeanor crack for a moment, and her eyes get softer.

“Congratulations,” she says quietly. I smile back sadly. She drops the hard exterior and barely hides the wobble in her chin.

“We’ll get him back,” I assure her.

“I cannot lose him.”

“I know.”

“I love him.”

“I know.”

“What if they have already killed him?”

“They haven’t. Nico would know. He’s ok. We’ll get him back.”

She stares straight at me silently for a few seconds. I look back. Finally, she nods.

“I will meet you in Salem,” she decides.

Piper chooses not to fight it, and we end the call. I sit on the icy ground with a huff.

“That was harder than shadow traveling,” I state.

“I bet,” Piper agrees, “Don’t listen to what she said. She’s just upset right now.”

“I know,” I say, but I don’t mean it. Calypso was right. I broke my promise. If Leo dies, it’s on me. I’d never forgive myself. Neither would Calypso. I’ve heard what she’s done when promises are broken. She’s guilty about that though. I don’t think she’d curse me.

Piper and I walk back up to the apartment and gather our stuff. Mateo seems to have cooled down a bit and lends me another one of his sweaters. He pulls a tab I didn’t notice before to draw in the waist of the coat and make it fit a little better.

“Thank you,” I tell him, and I feel the attraction between us growing in the quiet room. I’m baffled because I’ve never developed a crush this fast. Maybe Piper was right. His energy is really affecting me.

He takes a step toward me, so I have to look up a bit to look into his eyes, then takes another step forward. He stares at me for a minute, then looks down at my lips. My heart is pounding so rapidly I fear he can hear it. I look down at his lips, the bottom one plush and soft-looking. I want to bite it. Woah.

I think he is thinking something along the same lines because he sucks in a shaky breath and pulls me into a hug instead.

“Be safe in there,” I mumble, muffled by his coat, “You don’t have to risk your life for us.”

“I do,” he replies, resting his chin on my head, “I’m the only one who can find it. I’ll be fine. I trust Tobi and Clarisse. There’s no one I’d rather have my back.”

“But what if-”

“I’ll be fine,” he cuts me off. Neither of us seem to want to let go yet.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I whisper. He squeezes me into his chest a little tighter.

“I know,” he whispers back.

“If you make it back alive… Maybe we can… go on a date or something,” I say softly, and immediately cringe at how innocent and inexperienced that sounded. Mateo shakes a little and in what I realize is a chuckle.

“I’d like that,” he says, almost as innocently. My heart twists in both fear and excitement.

I finally pull away and know that my cheeks must be flaming red. I curse my pasty complexion. I really should tan like my dad.

“Kiss before I go?” he asks.

“Maybe if you make it back,” I counter, deciding to make him work for it, “Then we’ll see.”

He groans.

“Fine. Just know-” he cuts off when we suddenly hear multiple sets of sirens approaching. My heart sinks into my stomach. They found us.

“Go!” I urge him, knowing they have to escape first because they’re driving, “We’ll distract them! I don’t want them to see you and Tobi. Maybe you guys can stay innocent. We’ll say we squatted while you were out at work or something.”

“What? No! You guys-”

“Go!” I shout at him, then rush out of the room, “Annabeth! You guys need to leave now! Piper, Nico, Will and I can distract them!”

Annabeth curses when she hears the sirens, then nods when she realizes my plan is probably the smartest. Their group rushes down the stairs and throws their gear into another stolen van, this one a nondescript white van to hopefully throw the men off their trail. Frank moved the stolen armored van to the other side of the complex to hopefully avoid any blame or suspicion on Mateo or Tobi. We want to hide their involvement for as long as possible.

Annabeth sits in the driver’s seat and beckons for Mateo to join her. He looks conflicted, not quite on board with just running and letting us provide the distraction. I shove him away toward the van and he gives me one more meaningful glance before shutting the door.

The sirens are getting closer by the second, so we lock up the apartment and get our stuff ready to go as well. Before the cops arrive, we want to distance ourselves from Tobi and Mateo’s place, so they don’t put two and two together.

We strap our weapons on and put on our packs before starting to run across the complex. I hear the tires of our friend’s van squeal as they peel off, but we don’t have time to look back. The sirens are in the complex now, getting closer by the second. I fear that some might turn and chase our friend’s van, so I decide we need something to draw the attention to us. I shoot up a ball of darkness and nearly stumble when it taxes my already fatigued body. Piper drags me along and Will shoots off a ball of light.

The sirens get louder and closer, completely disregarding the white van and I can breathe a little easier as I see it turn out of the neighborhood. We successfully caused a distraction but now we need to get out of here. We continue sprinting away from the cops that are now speeding down the street we’re on, but as we turn a corner, we run into a squad car in the middle of the street. We notice officers out front with guns drawn and split up without thinking. Piper and I go to the left of the car, while Nico and Will go to the right.

I can hear cops pursuing us on foot, and 2 more cars driving up onto sidewalks and over curbs to reach us. They must recognize Piper and I from the news, because it seems like almost all of them come after us rather than Nico and Will.

The first shots ring out and I hear bullets whiz past us.

“What the fuck!” Piper shouts, “Stop shooting!” she commands, but it doesn’t work. They must have special earplugs or something.

We sprint into an open snowy field behind the complex and can’t spot Nico and Will. Where did they go? What do we do? My mind is frantic as the bullets get closer. I do not want to get shot again. We need to leave now.

The open field doesn’t do much for our cover and 3 burly cops chase after us, quickly gaining due to my lack of speed and stamina. If we don’t find Nico and Will soon, we’re fucked.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spot Nico and Will crashing through a line of trees at the other end of the field, pursued by 2 smaller, quicker men. Nico is stealthy and quick but is still pretty weak from his earlier rescue effort, so he trips on roots and sticks while Will drags him along.

Suddenly, the gunshots sound much faster, coming one after another without a break. Are they using a fucking automatic weapon???

That’s my sign to leave, so I grab Piper’s hand and get ready to shadow travel away.

“I’m going to get us over to Nico and Will, ok? Be ready to help take those 2 guys out!” I shout over the noise, and she nods back, ready. As the bullets rain down on us, I form a wall of darkness and pull Piper through it. The shadows greet me like a friend, surging around my body and wrapping us both in an embrace. I picture the location of Will and Nico and am surprised to find that I can sense Nico’s darkness from this shadowy realm. I take one more step and yank Piper and I back into the chaotic field, nearly running into a tree trunk.

I stagger without the support of the shadows, but Piper is ready to go. Before they can even hear her coming, she takes out the two mean easily, sneaking up from behind and knocking them out with the hilt of her blade. The other men shooting at us seem confused for a moment as we disappeared into thin air, but quickly turn to where they saw Nico and Will flee. They spot us easily and turn their weapons to the trees. We only have a few seconds to escape.

I’m completely out of breath, the cold air burning my throat and chest cramping. I still haven’t made it to my feet, so Piper yanks me up and pulls me behind a tree, so I don’t get shot. Nico and Will are hunched over catching their breath as well, but the shots are getting closer.

“We need to go,” Piper breathes, “They’re getting closer. Let’s go! Come on!”

I push off the tree and Nico grabs my hand. With my other hand, I grab hold of Piper.

“I know where to go. I’ll guide,” Nico explains urgently, “You just provide support and power so I can keep going. Got it?”

“Yes,” I gasp. The bullets start biting chunks of bark out of the tree we hide behind, so we know it’s time to go. We don’t have a second to waste.

Nico steps into the shadow of the tree and pulls us along. As soon as we step into the darkness, the shadows surge around us again, ready to obey. Icy wind whips around us as Nico sets off at a dizzying speed. I watch the miles tick by in my mind like a clicker and can sense Nico’s energy waning. His form turns shadowy, so I call the shadows to me, and they push us forward even quicker. Like I did for Percy with my see-in-the-dark powers, I shove some of my strength onto Nico, urging the shadows to give him more power but keep his form whole.

It feels thrilling with both of our powers combined. I’ve never felt such a rush of energy and strength and feel like we’re traveling at the speed of light. It feels easy, like I was made to do it. In the span of 5 seconds, I watch our coordinates get closer and closer to Massachusetts until Nico squeezes my hand to signal that we’ve arrived. With one final push of the shadows, we take a step forward and step out into a hazy, snowy town with cold wind and little visibility.

As soon as we make contact with the brick road, my legs give out under me, and Nico goes rolling away like he was shout out of a cannon. Piper and Will both hold their stomachs and hobble around almost drunkenly for a minute.

“Ma che cazzo,” Nico curses, brushing snow off his clothes as he stands. He looks shaky and energized, eyes wild and bright. He doesn’t seem to be turning into a shadow which is good news.

I lie on my back in the empty street, my muscles quivering in exhaustion with wispy strands of black coming from my body.

“I’ve never gone that fast!” Nico exclaims, freezing when he spots me in the road. I feel like I’ve been run over or sucked into a black hole and spit back out.

“Woah,” Piper utters when she sees me.

“Oh no,” Will says, and rushes over to me, “Is she turning into a shadow? Did we push her too hard?”

He observes me for a moment, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I don’t feel like I’m turning to shadow. I feel uncomfortably solid lying on the uneven icy brick.

“No…” he observes, “The shadows seem to be coming from her. Are you ok? Can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” I groan, “Just give me a sec. I’m tired.”

“Estrella…” Piper says, aghast, “You were covered in darkness. It was swirling around you like a ventus.”

Will hands me a square of ambrosia which perks me right up. I finally manage to sit up, my muscles feeling like I ran a marathon last night. I stretch my arms over my head and groan loudly.

“I feel perfectly fine!” Nico raves, “Energized even! That was amazing. How did you do that?”

“I sensed you turning to shadow, so I told them to leave you alone. They energized me and I passed it to you. And here we are,” I grunt massaging my sore neck. That took quite a bit out of me, but I still don’t feel like it affected my life force.

“Can you walk?” Piper asks, and I put my hands out for her to pull me up. She does, and I nearly cry when I put my full weight on my achy legs. After a few minutes pacing back and forth, the ambrosia starts to kick in and the pain fades a bit.

“Yeah, that felt different, Es,” Will admits, “It never felt that fast with just Nico. Or even with Nico and Hazel. That was something else.”

I shrug. I just learned how to do it today. I’m not really sure what’s going on.

“I need food,” I mumble like a zombie, my appetite suddenly ravenous.

“We just got here…” Piper worries, “They already know our faces. Here, eat this apple.”

She hands me an apple from her bag, and I scarf it down greedily. I still feel starving.

“I need more,” I admit, “I’m so hungry I can’t focus.”

“Well, I guess that’s a fun side effect,” Nico says unhelpfully.

“Let’s see if anything around here is open,” Will suggests, “I could eat.”

I want to hug him. If he weren’t into dudes, I’d definitely fight Nico for him. Wait that doesn’t make sense…

“I don’t think we should risk going into public places with cameras,” Piper says smartly, “I think you’re honestly the most innocent looking one, Will. I don’t know how much your face has been on the news, but Estrella and I have definitely been blasted all around. And Nico – no offense – just gives off bad vibes, you know?”

“Ok. I’ll see what I can find. Try to stay hidden for now. In the meantime, try not to deplete our entire food resources.”

I scowl at him. The hunger is morphing into hanger. I’m not sure if I’ve ever been so hungry.

While Will hunts around for some food, we brainstorm some ideas of how to track down a certain goddess of magic. Was she kidnapped? Is she hiding? Does she want to be found?

Piper seems to be getting more agitated by the minute as well, huffing in annoyance when Nico asks questions or provides suggestions that don’t go directly along with her line of thinking. I find myself rolling my eyes at him and wanting to practice some of the punches Mateo taught me. I’m slightly confused because I’m not usually a violent person, but something inside me is just all riled up. I feel a deep-rooted sense of rage that I just can’t explain.

I feel like I’ve been wronged.

“What is wrong with you guys?” Nico questions defensively, “Why are you both so annoyed with me? I’m just trying to help.”

Some of the anger fades at that and is replaced with guilt, but just his voice rubs me the wrong way. I wish he’d just be quiet.

“I don’t know,” I confess, “I’m just hungry and tired and annoyed at the world. Everything sucks so maybe I’m getting my period or something.”

“You were fine like 10 minutes ago,” he points out. I glare at him. He just scoffs and drops it.

The anger continues to build until I feel like screaming. Maybe it’s the hunger and boredom, but I feel like someone is rubbing two Styrofoam blocks together in my brain and I want to scratch my eardrums. Piper looks fidgety and uncomfortable too, face in a permanent frown.

Finally, Will comes back, arms loaded with shitty-looking Mexican food. He dumps the stuff on the ground in front of us – which Piper yells at him for – and tells us what he bought. Without asking, I steal two huge bean burritos for myself, loaded with beans, rice, and guac. I threaten Will if there’s cheese in them, claiming that I’ll shit my pants in revenge, but feel somewhat less angry when I bite into the burrito and find no dairy. Good.

In record time, I consume the entire burrito and start on the second. Normally, I’d be stuffed to the brim after one, but I’m halfway through my second and still feel hangry. When I finish, the hunger pains have dulled, but I’m still not satisfied. I angrily crunch on stale tortilla chips, trying to drone out the incessant screeching in my brain.

I start to imagine myself screaming in anger and then can’t turn the sounds off. They grow in volume until I can’t think of much else. I look over at Piper and see that she’s grumpily picking out little chunks of tomatoes from her burrito and flicking them at Nico. Will is looking at us in slight concern but Nico shakes his head at him. Don’t engage, it looks like he says.

“I feel like I’m going crazy,” I blurt, “I’m so pissed right now. God, these tortilla chips SUCK!”

“Sorry, it was the first thing I could find,” Will claims, “I didn’t have much choice. If you don’t like them, maybe don’t eat them?”

“There’s a suggestion,” Nico grumbles.

“Can you stop being so fucking annoying?” Piper snaps. Nico and Will look between us in bewilderment.

“He’s literally always so moody,” I agree, “Like, the emo phase isn’t supposed to last forever.”

“I’m not even emo-”

“Gods, I feel like bursting my eardrums when you speak, Nico,” Piper spits, “And Will, could you breathe any louder?”

“Literally. Close your fucking mouth, my god,” I add on. I feel like I need to go ham on a punching dummy. Or maybe Nico. Either would do.

“I’m so lost,” Will says, dumbfounded. Nico just shakes his head and raises his hands in defeat. I still don’t know why I’m so mad. I can’t remember if Nico and Will did something to betray me, but it sure feels like they did. I feel like I shouldn’t trust them. My mind is shouting to just run away with Piper. And maybe kill them.

“Oh, thank gods,” Nico breathes, and looks up in the sky behind us. I whip around and spot a massive bronze dragon approaching in the sky. I blink in confusion as it lands on a rooftop and suddenly disappears, blending into the sky. I’m officially going crazy.

I watch the rooftop for further movement and suddenly see Calypso climbing down a fire escape and walking toward us on the sidewalk. She makes it all look so effortless and graceful and I feel a sudden pride for women at Calypso’s ethereal beauty. I feel connected to her.

“Wow, the magic is quite strong here,” Calypso says, as she joins us. She sits down and takes a soggy chicken taco without asking.

“Is it?” I ask, not having noticed anything out of the ordinary. I’m not really sure what magic looks like, but I remember how it felt when Piper used Charmspeak on me. I’m not feeling that now.

“Extremely. Do you not feel it? Many witches were killed here. They are angry. I can hear them.”

Piper and I look at each other in realization. That’s what’s making us so angry.

“I can hear them too. It sounds like they’re screaming,” I realize.

“Yes. They sense our magic and wish to warn us. There is a lot of power here,” Calypso explains.

“Do you think that can help us find Hecate?” Piper asks.

“I believe so. If we follow the source of the magic, we may be led straight to her.”

With that, we pack up our belongings and set out. Now that I know where the anger is coming from, I’m able to disconnect from it a bit, and manage to apologize to Will and Nico who just brush me off, claiming I had no control over my outburst. Calypso takes the lead with confidence, following her instincts and leading us deeper into the city. We pass a few tourists lingering around landmarks and insensitively wearing witch costumes. My anger flares for a moment.

We finally wander into Salem Commons and up onto the bandstand in the center of the park. Calypso closes her eyes in focus and raises her hands to the sky as if waiting for something. Piper and I look at each other, both feeling a little off but not particularly angrier.

Suddenly, Calypso gasps and presses her hands against her temples as if a headache is coming on.

“Are you ok?” I fret, placing a hand against her back. A shock runs through me, with the staticky feeling of magic. Something weird is going on.

“I’m being overrun with magic. They know I’m a different type of witch. I’m not as sensitive to their beckons. They want you and Piper,” Calypso grunts out.

Piper and I look at each other, afraid of what that means for us.

“What do you mean?” Piper asks.

“You need to follow your instincts. They will lead you,” Calypso explains, a bit vaguely.

I don’t like this. My family would kill me if they knew I was involved in witchcraft. I have no clue where they’d lead us or if they even want to help us. The whole thing just makes me feel angry.

“Ok,” Piper sighs, and pulls me along with her. I try to dig in my heels but she’s still stronger than I am. I begrudgingly follow her, getting angrier by the second. I think we’re getting closer.

My ears ring with horrible wails and screams as we near a big, ominous black house. Piper grips my hand tighter, digging her fingernails into the side of my palm. I try to yank my hand away, but she holds firm.

We get closer to the house and the rage and noise becomes almost incapacitating. I feel like I’m being sucked up by a magnet, drawn into something that might not be so good for me.

When we reach the front door, we’re nearly frothing at the mouth, but it won’t budge. A sign next to the door reads, ‘Witch House. Unfortunately, the witch house is closed until further notice due to dangerous renovation conditions.’ Convenient.

The constant barrage in our minds isn’t slowing down, but we don’t have a way in. We make our way around the back and try a back door to no success. Finally, as the piercing noise reaches a painful level, we decide to break a window and sneak in. Piper throws a rock through one of the first-floor windows and hops in easily. I move to follow but cut my hand when I accidentally put it against the broken glass on the windowsill. I notice my blood sizzle and burn away when it lands on the wooden floor. That can’t be good.

We hear a loud clang in one of the other rooms and I nearly jump out of my skin. Something doesn’t feel quite right in here. It feels dark.

I squeeze my cut hand in a fist to try and slow the bleeding, not wanting to accidentally raise an immortal being (Terra told me how Gaea rose) and follow behind Piper as she looks for the source of the noise. I spot a spall plaque on one of the walls, explaining who’s house this is. Apparently, this is the house of the Judge during the Witch Trials in 1692. (A/N: Not naming him because why does he deserve recognition??) Now I understand why the angry voices led us here.

We continue to follow our instincts, wandering around the abandoned home, but weirdly not seeing any signs of renovation. There are artifacts on display, like old tables and chairs, cookware, herbs, etc. In one corner, there is a table behind a long stanchion rope. Another plaque on the wall reads, ‘journals,’ but the table is empty. I look around in confusion and notice various yellowed papers scattered around the room, like a breeze blew them off the table of something. The window is closed though. The room actually feels quite stuffy.

I duck under the rope and tiptoe on the much creakier, older wood, and bend down to inspect one of the pages. On the front is the typical, nonsensical writing of a man with too much power and no one to challenge him. When I flip it over though, I nearly fall backward at the pentagrams and scribbles covering the back. Goosebumps erupt along my skin and my hairs stand on end. Something isn’t right.

“Piper?” I call, worried about the lack of noise. I hear footsteps upstairs and figure they’re her, but don’t have much time to think about it because suddenly the rotten floor gives way and I’m falling.

I land on hard-packed dirt and rocks, and pain shoots up my spine. I gasp, then cough as moldy wood splinters fall on me and mildewy air fills my lungs. As the dust clears, I find that I’m in a dark, cavern-looking room with dirt floors and walls, and a large pentagram scratched in the center. My heart clenches in fear.

I force myself to my feet, ignoring the pain that shoots down my legs and through my spine. I look up at the hole I fell through and want to cry when I see that it’s at least 10 feet above me. There’s no way I could climb out on my own.

“Piper!” I scream desperately. I don’t want to be left alone down here. I can’t. Panic begins to crawl up my throat and my skin prickles with fear. This can’t be happening.

I remember my newfound powers of shadow travel and try to step into one of the many shadows around the room. Something isn’t letting me. It feels like I’m trying to step through a door but find out that it’s a 2D print of a door. Fake.

“You can’t do that here,” a wispy voice hisses, and I whip around, nearly having a heart attack.

“What? Who’s there?” I squint through the suddenly hazy room but find nothing. There’s no one here. I’m going crazy. A grating laugh echoes around me.

“Maybe you already are,” a voice responds to my thoughts, and that’s when I know I’ve lost it. Maybe I hit my head when I fell and am unconscious.

“You’re awake,” a voice whispers right next to my ear, and when I whip around to find what haunts me, a searing pain surges through my body. I fall to my knees in agony and try to hug myself together. It feels like someone is tearing me apart from the inside, with the most minuscule tears possible.

I scream and try to swat away my invisible foe. The pain fades slowly until I feel like I can breathe again. What just happened?

“Daughter of Night,” another voice whispers. I crane my neck around, scanning the room again to find the source of the noise. There’s nothing there.

“Who are you?” I ask, petrified. Fighting huge monsters is bad enough. Trying to defend yourself against something invisible is nearly impossible.

“Don’t you recognize us?” at least 3 disconnected voices hiss, and suddenly I’m surrounded by 3 swirling figures, almost completely transparent and made of smoke. When I squint my eyes, their smoky forms take shape. I see the face of my grandmother on one. On another, I see my aunt. On a third, I see myself. Their mouths are twisted in mischievous smirks, like they’re deviously plotting against me.

I shiver when I make eye contact with myself. My eyes look dark and unseeing, my mouth unnaturally curved and distorted. Then, all at once, they scream such horrific wails that I press my hands over my ears desperately and squeeze my eyes shut. They screech so loud that my eyes fill with tears, and I can feel the vibrations in every part of my body. It sounds exactly like the rage I was hearing in my head earlier, just magnified by about 100.

“Stop,” I beg, but can’t even hear my own voice over their screaming.

“Save us!” they wail, “We are the lost souls of witches wronged. Avenge us!”

“Ok!” I shout, “I can help! Let me help! Just- ah! Please! You’re hurting me!”

Their screams increase in volume, sounding so pained and distraught that tears flow down my cheeks. The frequency becomes so high and painful that I feel wetness growing against my hands that press against my ears.

Then the screaming breaks off a little, sounding a bit more like crying. The spirits around me take gasping breaths, then begin to cry more.

No.

They’re… laughing.

The voices gasp hoarsely and choke on wheezing laughs. I definitely hit my head.

“What...?” I utter, completely baffled. The laughing continues until one of the spirits can catch their breath.

“I can help! Let me help!” the one that looks like me mocks. It imitates me perfectly, almost convincing my brain that it is me. I sit on the floor with my knees tucked to my chest in complete shock, which the spirit takes advantage of. Before I can blink, the wispy figure takes shape and sits on the floor directly in front of me. It mimics my body exactly, down to the horrified expression on my face, bloody hand, and frizzy hair. I stare as it curls up in exactly the same position as me, like a mirror. The only thing that gives it away is the lack of shadows. It’s much too clear to be in a dark, dingy room.

What is going on? Why would the witches want to hurt me? Why are they mocking me?

“Goodness, this one is thick. It must be her mortal side,” my grandma’s spirit double says.

“Mortals always have been easily deceived. It’s so fun to pick out details from their tiny brain and make them forget their wits. I’ve missed this,” ghost-aunt says almost wistfully.

Deceived? Mortals? What are these things?

My head bursts into one of the most agonizing headaches I’ve ever felt. The pain is almost blinding, and I let loose a blood-curdling scream. I feel like someone is scraping my brain with knives.

“Her brain is smooth enough, you shouldn’t make it worse,” grandma chides, and the pain fades. I catch a glimpse of shadow-me’s hand retreating from my head.

“Please,” I gasp, “Who are you?”

“Ugh, fine. I’m too impatient and she probably won’t guess correctly anyway. Let’s just tell her so we can move on,” says spirit-aunt.

“We are Pseudologoi, you invalid. We have existed since before Gaea herself,” my double spits, glaring at me. She looks like she hates me more than anything.

I stay quiet, afraid to say anything else to anger them further. I’m not sure what Pseudologoi are but these ones sure don’t seem friendly. The silence stretches for a few more seconds as they expect me to react.

“I told you she wouldn’t know,” grandma complains.

“We are Lies.”

That’s helpful.

“So, the magic and witches calling us…”

“Lies.”

“And the anger I felt?”

“A lie.”

My brain feels like it’s sizzling, and I’m consumed by rage so intense I want to hurt myself. I smash my bloody fist against the floor a few times until it aches painfully. Then, like magic, the anger fades and only pain remains.

“B-but, weren’t witches killed here?” I ask, trying to ignore my pulsing hand.

“Of course not you fool. Do you think mortals would really be able to decipher a real witch from another mortal? Witches are made to blend in. Only innocent mortal women died. And good riddance. We actually had quite a bit of fun back then. Tricking little fragile men brains is so easy. Eris and Apate really flourished back then…”

Then it really sinks in. I’m fucked. They’re with Apate. I need to get out of here now. This is a trap. Why didn’t I feel it? Where is Piper? Was Hecate ever here?

“Of course Hecate isn’t here,” my double says, “She isn’t lost. She is hiding. If she does not want to be found, she will not be found.”

Their words confirm my worst fears. We were just sent on a wild goose chase looking for a woman that doesn’t even want to help us. How am I going to free Terra. Am I about to die?

“Unfortunately, no,” aunt-double pouts, “Apate asked for you to be delivered to her as soon as possible. She didn’t clarify in what state, though. Perhaps we can have some fun. I am well-versed in ancient torture methods.”

“Is that the truth?” I blurt. They said they were spirits of lies. My question makes them pause.

“Excuse me?” grandma-double hisses, shifting into another mirror of me. Aunt-double does the same. Now they all look like me.

“You said you were lies. Yet you’ve been telling the truth this entire time. Right? You told me who you were, explained what you do, and revealed your deceit. That is all the truth. Isn’t that a bit of a contradiction?” I ramble, trying anything to buy myself some time. Maybe Piper will come back downstairs soon and find me.

“Just because we are Lies does not mean we do not have the ability to tell the truth. Plus, we may be lying about many things. It would be impossible for you to ever tell.”

“Is that true?”

“I-well-yes, of course.”

“So more truth. I don’t think you guys are that good at lying. I bet this is a fake room,” I hedge a guess, and they suddenly get antsy. They look back and forth, debating whether or not to just kill me now.

With an annoyed huff, one of the spirits waves a smoky hand and the muddy walls vanish. I’m in a plain, old-looking room with more wooden floors, an old, flat bed, and a large, latched door with a celestial bronze coating.

“This is where Apate used to sleep during the witch trials. She would haunt the judge’s dreams and convince him that town members were witches.”

“Gods don’t sleep,” I call them out. I always felt like I had a good sense of when people were lying. Terra went through a pathological lying phase when her dad left, which is when I first noticed my talent for detecting bullshit. She would like about the tiniest things and make up stories just for attention. It would drive me mad, but I’m thankful for it now, as I’m starting to see a pattern in these spirits’ words. They can’t say anything fully without adding in a little lie. Now it’s just up to me to determine what’s true and what isn’t.

I wonder if anyone has lied to the Lies themselves…

“I’ve learned all about gods and know that they don’t sleep. I lived in my mother’s palace for a year, and she never once slept. She did talk shit about Apate, though. Ugly loser,” I lie, completely making things up. The spirits gasp dramatically.

“Grandmother would never! I can’t believe we hadn’t heard of this sooner. Apate is kind of plain looking I suppose… But I’ve never heard her called ugly.”

And there it is. They are gullible. And they love gossip. Maybe that’s why false rumors spread so quickly.

“I’m close with my mother, you know. Apate is jealous of me. And she is deceitful. Nyx isn’t going to be happy that you tried to trick me.”

The spirits whisper among each other, sounding uncomfortable and confused.

“Nyx has never mentioned you… Apate did speak of you with venom. She was angry about a lot of things. She didn’t feel heard. She recruited Moros to help her.”

I know that is a lie. Moros specifically mentioned choosing Apate to help him. That must mean the rest of what they said is correct.

“I know how to get out of here,” I lie, and they hiss like they’ve been burned.

“How? A mortal could never know how to get out of here. The room is woven with lies. You should not be able to tell what is real and what is fake. Escape is impossible.”

I know they believe the first sentences are true. That must mean that escape is possible.

“You’re lying.”

“You pathetic mortal, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I have a supernatural power to see the truth. I was blessed by Aletheia.”

The spirits recoil and scream in rage.

“You dare invoke her name in our presence? You think you can lie to us? Those blessed by Aletheia glow with the weight of truth. You would never be able to lie. You would not have fallen for the trick in the floor.”

Shit.

Suddenly the room is full of dry grass that crunches underneath me. I scramble to my feet when I notice snakes slithering toward me. They hiss and flick their tongues at me. One of them snaps and jumps at me, sinking its fangs into my calf. Pain rips through my leg and my knee buckles. I shout as I fall, and the other snakes converge on me. I turn to run away but am suddenly in the center of a flaming pentagram burnt into the dry grass.

The flames glow so bright and hot that my lungs burn painfully with each intake of breath. I’m trapped. I’m going to die. My heart races so fast that I don’t notice the lack of dread in my gut.

“Piper!” I start to scream again, but then I feel like my lungs are being sliced up and I can no longer breathe. I gasp and choke, worried that this may be the end. I try to summon more darkness to shadow travel, but I’m still blocked. When I unsheathe my knife, it goes straight through the snakes like they’re not even there. They’re not there.

Another phantom snake bites my arm and the burning, searing pain still erupts through my muscles. My skin feels like it’s peeling off from the heat of the flames that just keep getting closer and closer. I’m not feeling lightheaded though. And my nerves aren’t fried. I heard that with enough heat exposure, your nerves eventually stop registering the pain. For me, the pain just won’t stop. It’s like a nagging, incessant ripping.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that the door that used to stand on the other side of the room is no longer there. Why would they go to the effort of removing that when they just want to kill me? Why would I even notice it? Why would they care?

I’m not spasming from the snake bites, so they must be lies too. I decide to walk toward where the door was. My entire body lights up with agonizing pain so I know I must be going the right way. It gets so intense that my legs feel weak, but it’s not leaving a lasting impact.

I walk straight through the fire, gritting my teeth and crying as the pain builds so intensely that my mind can’t focus on anything else. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe this is all real and I’m dying. Maybe I should just lie down and accept it.

It’s only when I think of giving up that the anxious feeling returns in my stomach. I’m not dying. It’s a lie.

As I reach where I remember the door being, the pain impossibly continues to build. I’ve never felt pain like this. How can pain this intense be real? It’s not.

I scream again and stumble a step forward but run into something solid. All I see is an empty abyss of blackness past the burning grass, but here I am running into something. This must be the door.

I take a step back then ram my shoulder against the door. All that happens is my skull rattles around in my brain and my shoulder burns.

I look down at my skin and see layers of burnt flesh peeling off. It bleeds and crumbles and is the goriest thing I’ve ever seen. But still, I feel all the pain. Surely if I was this badly burned, I’d be dead. I wouldn’t feel pain anymore.

So, I slam against the door again. Nothing. I begin to feel dizzy and decide to stop using brute force. I don’t want a concussion like Frank. So, instead, I stop.

I stand still and lean against the door and try to ignore the flames that crawl up my body. I steady my breathing and try to slow my heart. I won’t give them the satisfaction. I know this is a lie.

“You’ve failed,” I call, my voice raspy and raw from screaming, “I know this is fake. I told you I can tell when you’re lying.”

My body feels like it’s being ripped apart atom by atom. I’m not sure how much longer I can stand this pain.

“What is behind this door!?” I shout, anger being one of the only things keeping me going, “I know you’re hiding something!”

Then it dawns on me. They didn’t lure me here. They are guarding something. Or someone.

“Hecate is here. You lied. Hecate is behind this door. You failed.”

“You know nothing, child!” the spirits scream in unison, and the burning grass disappears immediately, “You may have seen past our lies, but you cannot open that door. It is impossible. Only we know the way inside.”

“Let me guess,” I spit, “You’re lying.”

Three tables appear before me, and the three spirits stand each behind one table. The first table’s spirit looks exactly like my dad.

“You can try, mortal,” he smiles evilly, “But if you fail, you die.”

A knife appears on all 3 tables, simple, black, and sharp.

“Determine which is the lie and you may live. We will all tell you a fact. Two are true and one is false. In front of us lie 3 knives. To enter the room, you must stab yourself. If you choose the knife with a true statement, you will be poisoned and die immediately. If you choose the lie, you have a chance of surviving, and the door will open.”

My blood runs cold. Either way, I have to stab myself. My odds aren’t great. I have my intuition on my side, which hasn’t been wrong lately, but I stand against the literal personification of lies.

I don’t think I have a choice. If I choose wrong, I die. If I refuse to play, I will most likely still die. My only chance of surviving this is to choose correctly. Weirdly, that calms me a bit.

“Ok,” I agree to the terms. My father stares back at me, unimpressed. He’s first.

“I regret being your father.”

I nearly laugh. This will be easier than I thought. Obviously that is the lie.

In front of the second knife, I see Terra.

“I wish I had never met you.”

The blood leaves my face. That means at least one of those statements is true. But which one? It hurts too much to even think about. Both of my worst fears have been confirmed. At least one of them is probably a lie. Probably.

In front of the final knife, I see my mother.

“I forgot you existed and never want to be a part of your life.”

That one has to be true. She told me herself. If she actually did want to be a part of my life, she would have done it… Right?

I kind of hope this one is true.

My head spins. 3 incredibly hurtful facts. Only one of them is a lie. Which could it be?

I’m leaning toward the first one. My father can’t regret having me. He loved me more than anything. He always told me how proud he was and how amazing I am. He did die because of you.

Tears leak from my eyes. I’m at my breaking point. Between the pain and fear I can’t think clearly. I thought I’d be able to tell but I can’t.

Maybe the second one is false. It must be. How can my best friend wish she hadn’t met me? Does she not feel the same way? Why would she string me along all these years? Why pretend to care about me?

Maybe she just wanted a new family. Maybe she stayed friends with you because she loved your much friendlier family that treated her like one of their own. No. That makes no sense. She risked her life for me. That has to be the lie. You often felt like she was better off without you. You thought your anxiety was annoying her and she would be happier without you dragging her down.

My hand twitches toward the first knife. If I have to choose between trusting friends versus family, I will always choose family. But then my anxiety flares up. As I reach for the first knife, my gut screams NO!

So maybe my dad really does regret having me. I can’t blame him, can I? I’d regret having me too…

Maybe Terra really does care about me. Maybe the day she met me was the best day of her life. Maybe she thanks the heavens for meeting me every day. I reach toward the second knife. The flare of anxiety is like a stab in the gut. It pales in comparison to the pain of realizing that Terra really does regret meeting me.

I didn’t even consider the third knife. Why would that be a lie? My mother was never been in my life. Why would she want to be? I’m weak and mortal according to her. It makes sense that she’d forget I exist. She has so many evil, powerful children that one minor demigod with a man she didn’t even love is bound to be forgotten. Why else would she wait to claim me until I was 18?

But she did claim you. Why else would she even bother? It provided no benefit for her.

Hazy flashes of a dark head of hair leaning over my crib flit through my mind. She was there at one point. I picture my dad and I staring up at the night sky. It always felt like home. I figured it was because of him. Maybe…

Slowly, I reach my hand out toward the third blade. My gut doesn’t tell me off. This one is true.

I drive the blade into the middle of my abdomen. The pain is sharp and hot, spreading out through my chest and stomach. It knocks the breath out of me. I chose wrong. I wait for the poison to kick in. I wait for it to spread. To kill me. To prove one of the other painful statements false.

It doesn’t.

Then I feel like someone has shoved a blade into my heart.

The door swings open.

I’m met with silence. The spirits don’t even try to berate me. Or if they do, I don’t hear them.

I take a few unsteady steps into the room and can’t shake the disappointment that I’m still alive. That should have been the wrong knife.

“You’re bleeding,” a woman’s voice calls. It’s low and dangerous and doesn’t sound completely real. I don’t respond.

“Well? Are you here to free me or not?” she urges, sounding a bit impatient, “Being captured is embarrassing enough. I will not beg to be rescued.”

In a daze, I stumble toward the voice but find nothing. The room is empty. I take another step and trip over something invisible, landing on a cold, hard tile floor.

“Gods above, are you blind?” the woman snaps, then appears right in front of my face. It was her that I tripped over, or her chains rather.

She sits cross-legged on the floor looking impossibly regal while being chained to the tile. Two thick celestial bronze chains around her wrists hold her captive. It looks deceptively simple. A goddess should be able to escape this.

My head spins as blood soaks the front of Mateo’s sweater. Another sweater ruined.

I don’t think I want to get up from the floor. The cold tile feels good against my injured palm, and I bet it would feel good against my cheek. I begin to lower myself.

“What are you doing? Get up! This floor is filthy. Free me this instant.”

“Why?” I ask, not even really talking to the woman. Maybe I’m speaking to the universe.

“Why what?” she snaps.

“Why doesn’t anyone love me?”

Her stern face softens a bit.

“You’re going to bleed out,” she says quietly, “Cut my chains and I’ll heal you.”

“I don’t want to be healed.”

“You cannot rescue your friends without me.”

“They’re not even my friends. They hate me.”

“So you will let them die?” she asks. That makes me guilty instantly. Slowly, I crawl over to the other set of chains and easily slice my blade through them. With one hand free, she grabs my wrist and guides my blade to the other chain. As soon as she’s free, she stands dramatically and glows with power. I curl up on my side and have to shield my eyes so I don’t go blind. For a moment, it seems like she’s just going to leave me there. I don’t blame her.

Then, I feel her presence at my side. She gently rolls me over and points her staff (pulled out of thin air of course) at my wound. Purple magic flows from the tip and flows through the cut, first burning painfully, then almost cooling the pain. When I look back down, I see that the cut has vanished and only the sliced material of my sweater remains, soaked in blood. She snaps her fingers and that is repaired too.

I wish she could snap her fingers and erase any memory of what I’ve just been through from my mind, but at least I know how people really feel about me. Maybe this is better than living in ignorance.

“You should never trust truth from Pseudologoi,” she says, “What you heard may not have been a lie, but it did not convey the entire truth. It never does.”

I don’t have anything left to say. I just sit there silently.

“Shall we go?” she asks and extends a hand to me. I stare up at it, still dizzy and exhausted. I don’t reach up to grab it.

“Oh, come on,” she groans, and reaches down to yank me up. I can’t put up much of a fight against a goddess, so before I can complain, she transports us back to Salem Commons.

As soon as we appear in the bandstand my legs give out again. I don’t have the strength or motivation to keep going. I’m tired of fighting. I want to go to sleep and never wake up again. What’s the point?

“Oh my gods!” Piper shouts, and I don’t even react to the fact that she somehow ended up back here as well, “What just happened? I was just upstairs and then all of a sudden- oh my gods, Estrella! Hecate? What?”

“I sensed you in the house as well and figured I’d bring you back too. It was this one that did all the hard work anyway,” Hecate gestures at me but I don’t even summon a smile. I just stare at a rusty nail poking out of one of the railings. My eyes burn with tears begging to fall but I just try to make myself feel numb. I don’t think I have the capacity to handle all this pain.

“What happened?” Calypso asks softly, kneeling in front of me. I can see in her face that she knows something is wrong.

“The Pseudologoi chose to target her. They thought they could trick her. She overcame their tests and freed me from my chains. That is the last I will mention of it,” Hecate says with finality. That is the extent of her thanks.

“Are you ok?” Calypso asks. I bite my cheek and give her a noncommittal nod. She doesn’t actually care. She just wants to rescue Leo.

“She was bleeding out when she found me. I healed her. She faced a lot of pain,” is all Hecate provides.

That doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Chapter Text

Annabeth POV: (finally!!!!)

I’m starting to regret begging Chiron for quests nonstop. I think I destined myself for an early death. Or at least retirement by 25.

I don’t think people understand that I’m tired. All I want to do is eat bagels and draw silly little blueprints in my quiet apartment. It’ll be even quieter now that Percy and I… Well, maybe now isn’t the right time to think about that.

I’m a planner, sue me.

I was making good progress too. I was talking to someone once a week, learning to control my quick temper and impatience, secretly looking at more challenging architecture schools in California, and even learning how to crochet after my therapist recommended I learn how to do something with my hands other than kill or frantically sketch. I picked it up pretty quickly, too. I mean, my mom did have her weaving phase, so I guess it’s in my blood.

I also started becoming good friends with Terra. Well, “friends” is a stretch. We know how that turned out. I used to meet her after class, where she’d either be hanging around the lake or the sunflower field. I never really noticed her at Camp Half-Blood, but once I started studying at New Rome University, things changed. She’d only really be around during the summer or random holidays, but she caught my attention right away.

One day, I heard Frank dishing out responsibilities, and when he mentioned caring for and cleaning up after Hannibal, the elephant, she excitedly volunteered. I remember seeing everyone’s looks of utter shock and confusion, wondering why she’d want to be anywhere near elephant poop.

Her confidence and sunniness intrigued me, so I may have come up with an excuse to wander into the stables. I told her someone wanted me to study the architecture so I could rebuild it to fit more animals. That wasn’t true, of course, but the thought of more animals caught her attention, and she peppered me with millions of questions.

So, I sat on a bale of hay while she cleaned and just watched her. Under the guise of examining the building, I simply stared at her. I remember a ray of sunshine streaming through a crack in the ceiling and catching her hair. The straight, dirty blonde ponytail seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. I was mesmerized, wondering if my hair ever looked like that. I just thought she was pretty and nice. Then the confusion started.

We talked for over an hour, and she excitedly told me all about her life. She had a best friend in Miami who’s family she absolutely adored. Her mom had her at a young age, so they grew up being best friends. Terra had to take on a more mature role when her dad left, but her mom eventually found another guy that she really liked. Terra didn’t get along with him because he was homophobic and occasionally verbally abusive, so she escaped to Estrella’s house whenever she could.

She volunteered at 2 different animal shelters on weekends and worked in a PetSmart to help support her mom. Her dream was to one day live on a big piece of land with hundreds of rescued animals. She even explained how she came out to her mom first, then Estrella, then her friends. She got lucky. She was already friends with pretty much everyone, so nobody really gave her a hard time. It was kind of obvious that she wasn’t straight to begin with.

The more I listened, the more intrigued I was. She was so open and vulnerable with me straight off the bat, like she already trusted me. I would never disclose so much of myself with someone that quickly. Except, after she told me about her life, I found myself diving into my past, explaining how I ran away, and what I’ve been through. I even confessed the thoughts that I’d been struggling with for months but was too afraid to tell anyone. She made it feel so easy.

Percy had been drifting away once we moved to Camp Jupiter. The war impacted him more than he wanted to accept, which in turn made him miserable. I was struggling myself and didn’t have the capacity to take on all his pain as well. That’s where the guilt started.

I started to feel better slowly, and he did not. I felt bad for feeling happy, like I was rubbing it in his face or something. So, I tried to be less outwardly happy around him, which made things worse. Our pain was just magnified by each other’s until it became too heavy to bear. I’d dread waking up next to him every day because I just wanted him to be happy. His sadness made me sad, which then made him sadder. We were trapped in a vicious cycle and neither of us could tell how damaging it was. He fought with all his might because he loved me so much.

And for some reason, that made me resent him.

In some convoluted turn of events, me seeing him hurt himself because he loved me angered me, because I loved him too much to see him in pain. I just wished one of us would have the courage to address that we had some glaring issues in our relationship that were straining it more and more each day. Neither of us wanted to let go, so we stayed in the toxic cycle until I began to lash out. I’d snap at him at least once a day, upset at his lack of self-care, which in turn would only hurt him more.

I hated myself for causing him pain but hated him more for letting me hurt him.

So, I’d sneak away, telling Percy I was out with a friend and go see Terra. At the time, that was all she was. I’d never felt anything for a woman before, so I was shocked when feelings slapped me in the face like a brick. Poor Jason really didn’t get enough sympathy.

I first realized when we were having a picnic next to the sunflower fields. She packed sugary, processed snacks that she grew up with, most of which I’d never had. I grew up wanting to take up as little space as possible with a stepmom who thought refined sugar was the devil. Then I came to camp where the only processed food was stolen by the Stolls. I was too good to ever take any from them, afraid that maybe my mom was watching. So, I packed fruits and veggies and a turkey sandwich on sprouted grain bread. I figured that as a daughter of Portunus, she’d be a big fan of sprouted grains, but she explained why she opts for more processed food, which kind of broke, and then mended my heart.

She explained that her dad used to take her to random fields and teach her about grain. He used to make her try each type raw, which she obviously hated. Then, after he left, she blamed herself. As a picky, chubby kid, she thought he left because she wouldn’t eat what he wanted her to. She thought she did something wrong.

Her mom, now having to provide for Terra by herself, began to buy the cheaper food options, most of which were processed and sugary. Terra had to grow up quickly, packing her own lunches and taking care of herself while her mom worked. Of course, as a child, she opted for the yummiest snacks, which of course were also the unhealthiest.

This contributed to her weight as a kid and led to a lot of bullying. At first, it really dragged her down, but Terra’s bright personality cannot be held back for long. She leaned into her crazy, funny, bubbly side and made everyone either love or hate her. There was no in-between.

There was still a part of her that blamed herself for her father leaving, which made healthy, freshly picked foods like grains or vegetables unappealing to her. The other part of her, that fierce, energetic kid that was forced to grow up so quickly yearned to come out.

And unlike so many of us, she held on to that inner child. She cared for it and fed it whatever it wanted. She leaned into her favorite things, never quite outgrowing Disney or that energy that made her hard to keep up with. Rather than dulling her shine for others, she lives her life unapologetically and eats whatever the hell she wants. She deserves it.

It was in that moment that I finally understood her. I know exactly what it feels like to be your own parent at a young age. I let go of that little girl quite a long time ago, shutting away her emotions and desires in order to survive.

When I look at Terra, I see one of the strongest and most courageous people I’ve ever met. She is so unapologetically herself that it inspires me. It made me realize that I don’t have to follow the societal norms that women face. I can be loud and take up space and do stupid things that make me happy.

So, I ate one of her Oreos and smiled as it melted on my tongue. It was incredibly sweet, to the point that my face pinched up in confusion, which made her fall to the ground laughing. Then, she took a bite of my sandwich and wrinkled her nose in disgust. After a second of chewing, she tilted her head to the side in surprise when she realized she actually didn’t hate it.

This felt like a breakthrough, as we both acknowledged that we’re safe in each other’s presence, free of any societal standards or expectations. She is free to be goofy and loud, but also relax without having to use humor as a constant defense. I’m free to unwind a little and not have to constantly be in charge. I’m also free to take charge when I want to, but she’s not constantly clueless without me. We both know how to care for ourselves, which makes an interesting dynamic where we can lean on each other and care for each other without one person taking on too much work.

After that day, I felt more confusion than I ever had in my life. As a daughter of Athena, I was stumped. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about Terra. There was one time that Percy was having a panic attack, and all I could do was think of Terra. It took all my self-control to not smile. That really tipped me off that something was wrong between us.

Then, I started to stare at Terra a little too long to be casual. I loved to watch her smile in the sun. It made me feel warm and bright inside. I thought that was normal between friends. Then I noticed the little white fleck on her front tooth from drinking coffee. I love that fleck because it shows every time she smiles. Then I started to look down at her lips when she’d talk. I’d trace the shape of them in my mind, imagining what they’d feel like against my own.

Then I realized I was in fact NOT straight. I mean, obviously.

And that scared me. I stopped showing up for our meetups and started avoiding her. I was overrun with guilt about Percy. How could I have feelings for someone else? He’s in so much pain and I’m laughing with a girl I just met!

I’m not gay, I love Percy. I like boys. You just have a little “girl crush.” That’s totally normal. It’s not romantic at all.

How is it fair that I’m out here developing feelings for someone else while Percy could never have eyes for anyone else? That makes me a horrible person, right? I should just ignore it. It’ll go away.

It didn’t. I saw her a few weeks later by accident and we reconnected like nothing had changed. All that work I put in to distance myself was gone within the first 2 minutes. I fought so hard to prove to myself that I didn’t like her like that, but I failed. When she told me that she had to go back to Florida for the fall semester, I felt the first sign of fear. Months without her? It sounded awful.

We had one last girls’ night before she left, where I cooked dinner and she set up the living room for a movie. Percy was in the library studying hard to do better in his classes after I told him off for his poor grades. He was studying hard for me.

And I was with Terra.

We ate dinner and watched a light-hearted movie. She leaned her head on my shoulder and my stomach filled with butterflies. That’s not supposed to happen with friends. And in a split second that haunts me to this day – both as one of the best moments of my life, and one that I regret the most – I kissed her.

It was a quick peck in the spur of the moment, and I did it without thinking what it meant. How it would change things.

As soon as it happened, I felt sick with guilt. My relationship with Percy was pretty much over on my end, but he still held on so damn tight. And I kissed a girl… While he was out studying to be better for me.

I was disgusted with myself.

But why did I enjoy it so much? Why did I want more than anything to do it again?

Her cheeks burned red after it happened, like she knew I didn’t really mean to do it. She looked like she wanted to kiss again but held herself back for my sake. I wanted to kiss her again too.

So, she left for school, and I stayed with Percy. I never told him what happened between us because I didn’t want to hurt him even more. I didn’t even understand why I did it. I didn’t want to accept it. I didn’t know what it meant. What would my friends and family think? How could I do that to Percy?

For those few months after she left, I was miserable. My hatred toward myself manifested in a harshness and resentment toward Percy. I could see the pain clear in his eyes when I’d pull away from his kisses or laugh a little less at his jokes. I started spending more time on campus just to avoid going home and being alone with him.

Yet, both of us just refused to admit that something was wrong. I could see him struggling to keep up in school and hear him waking up in the middle of the night every day. I used to wake up to comfort him when he woke up trembling from a nightmare. But, as time went on, I stopped having so many, and he did not. He was haunted by what he’d been through every night, and I just wanted him to be ok.

The guilt of what I’d done convinced me that I didn’t deserve to be his girlfriend, so I just stopped waking up when he did. He always tried to be quiet as to not wake me up, but sometimes I’d still hear him. Eventually, if I’d wake up when he did… I’d just pretend to still be asleep. That should have tipped me off that things were close to over.

I was a terrible girlfriend. But I still loved him so much. I just couldn’t be there for him when he needed me. I was hurting too, and I needed someone to lift me up. As dearly as he tried, he couldn’t be what I needed him to be. And that broke me. It broke him too.

I let him go in my mind long before I ever had the heart to tell him. I only stayed with him for his benefit because I was convinced that if I couldn’t make myself love him, I didn’t deserve to ever feel love again. I knew deep down that Percy Jackson was the only boy I’d ever love. I’d never love another man like I loved Percy, or like he loved me. He was… is perfect.

I’d give anything to just go back to how things were. I wanted to love him like he deserves, but after everything we’d been through together, I just couldn’t.

So, I just figured I was destined for a life without love. Maybe I’d done something to anger Aphrodite, worn one too many muscle tanks or granny panties, and she’d decided I was never to feel love again.

And I was right. I’ll never love another man as much as I loved Percy. But I didn’t consider the fact that my next love might be a woman.

During Christmas, Percy and I went to New York to go spend some time with his mom. She was the only person at the time that could give him the love and support that he needed. And she knew that something was off between us. I could see that she knew.

I was so terrified that she’d hate me. I was scared that she’d throw me out or curse me for not being in love with her son anymore. She was like a second mother to me, one who I was not ready to lose.

When Percy started watching TV with Paul, she pulled me outside and gave me a glass of red wine as she sipped one herself. We sat outside in the falling snow in silence for a few minutes, neither of us sure of what to say. I was like a second daughter to her as well.

“Annabeth,” she began, in that soft, motherly, no-bullshit voice that only Sally Jackson can pull off, “Take it from me, a woman who has been in many relationships where the love faded long before we ever broke up… Please… Let him go. He loves you so much, but I know he’s hurting too much to be a good boyfriend to you. And I can see that your heart just isn’t in it anymore. As much as I love him, he needs to just feel the pain. The longer he holds on, the more hurt he’ll get. I don’t want him to hurt anymore. I just want my happy boy back…”

She stayed so strong out on that fire escape. She held back her tears and looked at me so fiercely that I broke down. I could see how hard it was for her to say.

“I feel so guilty,” I confessed, “He’s done so much for me… He jumped into Tartarus so I wouldn’t be alone. He gave up everything just to be with me. Why can’t I just do the same for him? Why can’t I be there for him when he needs me the most? I love him so much that it hurts. I just don’t think I’m in love anymore.”

That was the first time I’d ever said it out loud. And my gods, did it hurt. But confessing it to Sally made me feel like Hannibal was just lifted from my chest. I felt lighter than I had in weeks.

“I know,” she smiled sadly, brushing away one of my tears and pulling back my hair, “I know, honey. And that is ok. But please… don’t lead him on. I know you don’t want to hurt him. But telling him will hurt a lot less in the long run than staying in a situation where neither of you are happy. And don’t worry, just because you two won’t be together anymore doesn’t mean you can’t come over for tea whenever you want. You and I have been through a lot together too.”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t be a better girlfriend to your son,” I cried.

“Oh, sweetie… You were the best girlfriend I could have ever hoped for. Most people don’t have anything that even comes close to what you two had. The fates are cruel and punished you two more than most. It’s hard to come back from that. No one blames you for wanting something new. I would never hold that against you.”

“I’ll tell him. Soon… I promise. I just want him to have a good Christmas. I can give him one last special holiday.”

“Oh, Annabeth…,” she finally sniffled a bit and wrapped me in a tight hug, “You look brighter. Did you meet somebody in your classes? Is that what made you realize you wanted something else? Another boy?”

I debated lying and not telling her about Terra, but I figured it was good practice for coming out to my friends. I trusted Sally more than I trusted most.

“Well… I didn’t-I wasn’t-umm… yeah,” I stuttered, unsure of how to admit it, “I met someone. Percy doesn’t know. I didn’t want to hurt him.”

“Is he a demigod?” she asked, a little too excitedly for a mom of the boy I was about to break up with. She really is an amazing friend to me.

“It’s uhh, well… it’s a she,” I whispered, like I was saying something dangerous. I stared out at the New York skyline for a few moments with bated breath, waiting for Sally to just say something. When I finally built up the courage to look over at her, I found her beaming, the fairy lights on the balcony reflecting off her bright white smile in the dark. Her eyes looked glossy and wet.

“Tell me about her.”

I launched into a lengthy explanation of how I met Terra and when I started noticing my feelings. She smiled the entire way through. She almost looked proud.

“I don’t know if it’ll be anything like being with Percy or if I’m making a mistake or if I even really like girls, I mean the thought never really occurred to me… I don’t think anything could ever come close to what Percy and I had so maybe I just shouldn’t even try. I mean, what if I’m just not meant to be in love? What if I hurt her like I hurt Percy?” I rambled. Now that I’d said it out loud, I realized that maybe I’d rushed into things. What if Terra doesn’t even like me back? What if I’m breaking up with Percy over nothing?

“It won’t be like being with Percy. It will be entirely different. You’re right – what you had with Percy was one of a kind,” she explains, and my heart drops, “But that doesn’t mean this can’t be just as wonderful. Maybe it will be the best relationship you’ve ever had. Maybe it won’t. There’s no way to know unless you try. Just don’t put too much pressure on it. You and Percy faced so much pressure to be perfect. How about you just let yourself enjoy this one? Ignore what everyone says and just let yourself feel. Feel whatever you need to feel. Let yourself feel and hurt and change and grow. Annabeth, you deserve love more than anyone. Don’t sell yourself short. You’re incredible. Terra would be lucky to be loved by you.”

I burst into tears again at that and let myself be held by Sally. I didn’t think I deserved her sympathy and love after everything I’d done to her son, but she loved me as one of her own anyway.

“I’m sorry Sally. I wish things could have been different.”

“Don’t apologize. You made my son so incredibly happy for the past 7 years. You were pretty much all he talked about. I loved seeing you two grow up together. You are always welcome in my home, Annabeth. My son would probably not be here without you. I still love you,” Sally said, and kissed my forehead. I wrapped her in a hug that was probably too tight, but my emotions and love overwhelmed me.

“I love you too. Thank you for being so understanding. You’re an amazing mom. I wish I had someone like you growing up. Percy is so lucky.”

“Oh, baby… You’re going to make me cry into my wine. You’re a sweet girl. An amazing woman. Don’t beat yourself up about this. You can still be there for my son. Just, not like you were before.”

“I don’t think I could ever be away from him for long. I’ll always love him. I promise, I’m always going to look out for him. He won’t be alone.”

“Thank you. That means a lot. Now, let’s go back inside before we freeze. Thank you for confiding in me. I know it took a lot of courage. Your secret is safe with me.”

So, we both stood and wiped our tears before heading back inside the cozy apartment. The rest of the holiday went by smoothly and we had a great time. Most of the time, I was overwhelmed with nostalgia, gratitude, sadness, and love. Knowing it was probably the last time we’d celebrate together as a couple made me reflect on all the good times we’d had and everything we’d been through. No matter what happens, I’ll always love Percy.

My emotion manifested through kindness and love toward Percy. For one last holiday, I gave him all the hugs and kisses that we’d missed out on the past few months. He smiled and looked at me with so much love that my heart nearly shattered. I probably should have been distancing myself so the breakup wouldn’t come as a shock, but I just couldn’t resist giving it my all one last time. I wanted him to know how much I loved him and how happy he made me.

By the end of the trip, I felt satisfied. Percy looked happier than he had in months, so I knew he’d make it through. With the support of friends and family, he’d be ok. It was time I did something for myself.

And when I stepped foot into camp, I almost second guessed myself. Terra hadn’t arrived yet and everyone kept asking me how Percy and I were doing. I lied to all of them, saying our relationship was great. I couldn’t bear telling them the truth.

Then, she arrived, disheveled and banged up, but strong as she helped her friend get to the infirmary. I didn’t even know she had arrived until I met her best friend. When I heard that she’d been scratched by a Keres, my heart dropped, and I wanted to throw up. I held it together for the entire conversation when all I wanted to do was run to Terra and see if she was ok. I lied and told Estrella I was going to sleep. She didn’t know that I snuck out as soon as she left to check up on Terra and make sure she was ok.

I tiptoed over to the cabin Terra always stayed in and found her sleeping peacefully. Her bunk was directly under a window, so when I peeked in, I saw her face partly illuminated by the moon. She looked like a cherub. I was finally able to breathe when I saw that she was perfectly fine, which just confirmed what I’d been afraid of.

I was falling in love with this girl.

The way she selflessly cared for her friends, the way she always put people first, and the way she smiled when she finally saw me the next morning…

I knew I wasn’t making the wrong decision.

(A/N: listening to “she” by Dodie and crying as I reread this :’) Annabeth and Terra are so sweet. They make me not regret breaking up Percabeth <3)

That’s why I’m fighting so hard right now. I didn’t go through all this heartache for nothing. I’m not losing Terra now. Someone needs to give the fates a big fat FU because I’ve been put through enough. I’m tired of my loved ones being taken from me. Is it too much to ask for a quiet life? Don’t I deserve it after everything I’ve been through?

These questions race through my mind as we pull up to Fort Jackson (ironic name if you ask me). Throughout our entire drive, Mateo and I came up with a plan. I jumped into the back of the van right before we pulled up to the guard gates and updated my friends on the plan. Tobi jumped into the passenger seat so they wouldn’t suspect anything. They usually carpooled into work together.

The guards asked them a few questions, but we got lucky, and they didn’t ask to see what was in the back of the van. Apparently, Mateo arrives with big loads of fancy new tech occasionally, so the guards were more excited about what goodies they might get. I heard them discussing some form of tablet and tuned out as I reran through the plan in my head.

Mateo and Tobi walk in like normal. Mateo goes straight to the control room and pretends to work like normal. Tobi goes to a back door and lets us in. I go to the control room to help Mateo. Tobi and Frank watch the left-wing hallway. Jason and Clarisse watch the right. They all try to stay hidden as to not tip anyone off. Once Mateo inevitably trips the security on the encrypted files, we have about 5 minutes before we’re entirely overrun with soldiers. I’m the last line of defense to make sure Mateo gets what we need to get. Tobi then sneaks us back out of one of his favorite, somewhat hidden passageways. Perks of being a son of Hermes. We get in the van and drive off, blueprints on a flash drive to be plugged into one of Mateo’s personal laptops. Study the blueprints on the drive up to Richmond and come up with a plan to rescue Terra, Percy, Hazel, and Leo. And try not to die in the process.

It seems easy enough. With our luck though, things will surely go wrong.

Anticipation is running high as we drive through the gates. Jason looks quiet and serious, Frank looks pale and tired, and Clarisse, of course, just looks ready and excited. She was made for this. We’re eerily silent as Mateo drives us past the barracks and toward the main facility. It feels like if we speak, we’ll get caught, even though nobody would be able to hear us. The closer we get, the more paranoid I get. I feel like somebody is watching me, which, in a white van with no windows seems unlikely.

When we finally pull to a stop, we stare silently at each other, fully aware of the fact that one of us might not make it out of here alive. It’s a risk we’re willing to take for our friends.

Mateo and Tobi are basically giving up any hopes they had of a normal life. They know the importance of what’s coming up, and they selflessly volunteered to help. As someone who just longs for a normal life, I know how big of a sacrifice that was. To get to the age where you think you’re finally safe, then have to give it all up…

That’s why I fight so hard. Once this is all over, the US government will be exposed, and Tobi and Mateo will get their jobs back. Everyone will realize that they were the heroes all along. They were the ones fighting to protect the people of this country.

Be realistic, Annabeth.

Mateo creaks open the back doors of the van and pretends to rummage around with equipment as he reiterates the plan. We all acknowledge our parts and assure him that we’re ready. He looks nervous and a little sweaty, which doesn’t boost my confidence much.

We’ve got this.

“I’m going inside now. I’m gonna clock in like everything is normal, chat up a few coworkers, and then get to the control room. Tobi will provide a distraction, then open up the back door for you. I’ll disable the cameras so you can sneak in. That’s all we can do. It’s up to you guys to not fuck this up, ok? If you get seen by a soldier, we’re screwed. I’m sure almost everyone here knows your faces, so, don’t fuck around. It’s your responsibility to get to the door unseen and get inside. Got it?”

He talks to us like children, which I suppose some of us technically are, but we’ve been through more than most of the men here. It rubs me the wrong way, but I brush it off. He’s just nervous.

“Go,” I urge him, “We’ll be fine. Be safe.”

He nods and rushes into the building. We sit in silence for about 10 minutes, until we think the coast is clear. I crack open the door and peek my head out, scanning the surroundings and trying to pinpoint where we need to go. I see the main facility in the distance, farther than I had anticipated. It looks like Mateo parked in the parking lot, rather than pulling around to the door we needed to get to. Why he didn’t think to mention that, I’m not sure.

“We’re a good distance away, guys. There’re a few cars parked around us but I don’t see anyone inside them. I see the side door but I’m not sure how we’ll get there unseen. I think we’ve given Mateo enough time to shut off the cameras… As long as we stay low and duck between the cars, we should be good. Frank, can you be our lookout? Maybe a bird or something inconspicuous so you can watch and warn us if someone is coming,” I plan, and Frank looks disappointed but not surprised.

I’m honestly not sure why he doesn’t like using this power to aid our team. He always seems disappointed when we ask. If I had useful powers like that I would never stop. I’d be so happy to be the point person for the team. I could be so useful.

He mumbles something incoherent before turning into a robin and flying away. I watch him soar up to the roof of the building and perch on the ledge. He isn’t giving us any signals yet, so I assume it’s safe to come out.

We carefully climb out of the van and crouch down low behind a big black pickup truck with stickers of guns all over the back window. I pray we do not run into this person. (A/N: was gonna say man but decided to be more gender inclusive. We all know gun truck is a man though…)

We creep forward slowly, ducking behind trucks and vans whenever someone drives down the aisle we’re hiding in. Frank chirps a few times, and we suddenly hear voices approaching.

“Call your squad. We should go help investigate. Maybe it was an illusion. Maybe they’re still there,” a man grunts, voice getting louder as he approaches.

“Do we really want to deal with the FBI? They’re such pains in the asses. Like, dude, we’re technically on the same team. You don’t have to be a dick just because you paid more for school than I did,” another man complains. The FBI? They’ve gotten the FBI involved now? Shit. They’re going to go after our families next. I hope my dad had the sense to hide when he saw me on the news. I should call him.

“But they claimed to only see 4 kids. Where were the others? What if they’re still there hiding? Maybe it was all just a distraction,” the first man questions, and they’re so engrossed in their conversation that they walk right past us without looking. They don’t realize that we’re right under their nose.

“You really think those kids are that smart?”

“They escaped a top-secret government facility. We don’t even know what they do there, Josh. The government only keeps the most dangerous stuff hidden. We have no clue what those kids are capable of. Maybe they’re trained assassins. Maybe they’re from Russia.”

The other man scoffs, “Yeah right, dude. Piper McClean is with them. You know, daughter of famous movie star? Why would she be working with Russia?”

“Exactly! The famous rich ones always have ties to Russia,” the first man theorizes, sounding like a crazed conspiracy theorist. Their voiced get quieter as they walk further down the parking lot and into a truck a few feet away. We wait for them to pull out and drive off before resuming our trek.

My mind is whirling. This is getting way more serious than I’d ever imagined it could. With the entirety of the US and law enforcement on the lookout for us, I don’t see how we can ever win. How can we ever convince them that we mean no harm when we’re constantly forced to defend ourselves. It seems fruitless.

Don’t think like that. You have to move.

I gesture for everyone to follow me once again. We continue making our way through the parking lot so painfully slowly. I peek my head into the aisle and see that we have about 4 cars left before we have to sprint across the street and sidewalk to reach the door.

My heart races as we get closer. I don’t need Estrella to tell me that this isn’t going to be easy.

“Shit! What? Are we getting hacked? WHERE IS MATEO?” a burly voice shouts from the sidewalk in front of the door. My stomach drops. His radio mumbles something back sounding urgent.

“I swear to God, the second I go outside for a break… WHAT? The HRC blueprints? Nobody is supposed to know about those…”

My mind whirls. HRC. Blueprints. Shit. Mateo agreed to wait for us to get in before trying to steal the blueprints. What is he doing? He’s going to ruin the entire plan!

“Guys,” I whisper, “We have to get in there now. Screw the plan. They’re already on to him. We have to go help.”

Their faces all become serious, reminiscent of the faces I saw on them during one of our many battles. It still catches me off guard sometimes. We’re too young to have war faces.

We wait for the man to rush inside before following. I gesture frantically for Frank to join us, and he dives down instantly.

“You heard all that?” I ask.

“Yep. Let’s go.”

I lead the way, creeping up to the door and testing the handle. Tobi must have done his part because it’s not locked. I’m worried that he didn’t come to open it for us though. I hope he’s okay.

As soon as we step foot into the base, I’m instantly overwhelmed. Men rush around with an obvious sense of urgency, but it seems like only a few know why.

“There’s shit overflowing from the second-floor toilets, sir!” one man shouts.

“Sir, there was a breach in the armory!”

“Someone set popcorn on fire in the break room microwave, sir!”

So that’s what Tobi’s been up to.

Nobody seems to be yelling about a break in cybersecurity. So far it only seems like the man on the radio knew. We have time. But we need to hurry.

The hallways are busy and it’s a wonder we haven’t been questioned yet. Mateo outlined where to find the control room, so I try to follow my memory to the best of my ability and pray that I don’t lead my friends into a massacre.

I miss my invisible hat more than ever, but I haven’t seen it since our bags and supplies were stolen at Mr. Sanderson’s house. You hear that mom? Bad man stole my hat. The hat you gifted me. Your favorite daughter.

I know she’s not listening.

When we turn the final corner, I almost slam into the man from outside who is walking straight in our direction. He hasn’t spotted us yet, so I yank my friends back and shove them into a men’s bathroom without looking where we’re going. Of course, it’s even busier than the hallways and at least 6 pairs of eyes look up at us when we enter.

“This is the men’s room,” one of them begins, “Wait. You guys look familiar.”

Shit.

“Sorry, wrong room,” I blurt, and turn around to leave.

“Wait,” another man calls, “He’s right. Something… Holy shit! You guys are the kids from the news!”

That’s our signal to book it out of there. Our shoes squeak against the smooth tile floors as we sprint out of the bathroom and down the hallway. When I look back, I see the men from the bathroom pursuing us, hands on their holstered pistols. At least they’re not shooting…

The first gunshot is so loud in the cramped hallway that it echoes and reverberates off the floor and walls.

“Split up!” I shout, “I’m going to help Mateo! You know the plan! Frank, hopefully Tobi will join you. If not, just shout and I’ll come out to help!”

I don’t look back as I rush into the control room and find Mateo typing furiously.

“What did we agree on?” I shout, and he jumps. I slam the door behind me and bolt it, then barricade it. No one is getting in, and Mateo isn’t getting out unless I let him. And I’m debating not letting him.

“I-”

“We agreed that you’d wait for us! We were trying to be inconspicuous! Now they know we’re here! My friends could die because of you!”

It’s true. Mateo and Tobi gave us all protective equipment and spare uniforms to try and blend in, but we obviously don’t belong here. Even bulletproof gear won’t protect my friends from an entire army base. He was foolish.

I’m most worried for Jason. Tobi gave us all pistols to help defend ourselves, but the only Clarisse, Frank, and I have ever trained with one. Jason has never even touched a gun. How is he supposed to protect himself?

“I’m sorry! I ran into some issues. My coworkers got suspicious, so I had to hurry. We don’t have much time.”

“Yeah, I know. We heard a man on a radio talking about the HRC blueprints being stolen.”

“What did he look like?”

“I don’t know, a little taller than me, pretty muscular, full arm sleeve tattoos. Bald head.”

“Shit. That’s my boss. He’s the one who told me not to mess with these. He’s going to know it was me. Why isn’t he breaking down this door right now?”

It’s a valid question. Why, if he knew that only a few people had the capability to access these files, did he not come straight here? Why was he walking back toward the exit when we came inside? Why isn’t he doing anything to stop us?

“Where is Tobi?” I ask, “He didn’t come to let us in.”

“He’s been busy setting off distractions. I can look and see where he is… Aw, fuck,” Mateo curses when he pulls up the CCTV footage from inside the building. My eyes quickly scan each box, seeing my friends fighting desperately outside, men rushing around, brown water flowing steadily out of a bathroom, and… there! I see Tobi shoved up against a wall with Mateo’s boss holding a gun against his head. The boss looks up at the cameras with an eyebrow raised as if saying, “what are you gonna do now?”

He knows we’re watching. He knows how to get to Mateo.

And it works. Mateo stands so abruptly that his chair nearly goes flying. He takes a step toward the door but my body is in the way. He’s significantly bigger than me, but I know how to handle things his size. I shove him back from just the right angle that he goes stumbling toward the desk.

“Don’t. You started this mess, so you better finish it,” I growl, any pretense of choice for him gone in an instant. I don’t care what happens, he IS going to get me those blueprints. I don’t care what he says.

“The fuck? He’s gonna-”

“I’ll handle it,” I spit, “Get those blueprints. Now. You better be done by the time I get back.”

He sends me the most venomous glares I’ve ever seen, but I’ve seen it all before. He’s like a child who didn’t get what they wanted. I don’t care. Go cry about it. I have other things to worry about.

“Get. Back. To. Work,” I command, emphasizing each word. I don’t even wait for his reaction before shoving aside the desk I pushed against the door and storming out of the room.

The hallway is utter chaos, but I’m so annoyed that it feels right. Clarisse and Jason are holding their half of the hallway easily. Frank is trying his best but looks fatigued and worried.

“Annabeth!” he shouts, “I’ve been calling for you! I need backup. Where is Tobi?”

“About to die,” I provide unhelpfully, and walk straight past Frank. He shouts questions at my back but covers me thankfully, shooting at anyone that raises their gun at me.

In such close quarters, some of the men put away their weapons and try to swarm me. They’re all much bigger and more muscular, but they’re not children of the war goddess.

3 men come at me at once and I nearly falter, but then I picture Terra and Percy’s exhausted faces in that holding center. They’re going through hell every minute of the day but are still holding on in hopes that we can rescue them. I’m not going to dash their hopes. I’m not finished with either of them.

If Tobi dies, we’ll never get those blueprints. So, with the end goal in mind, I take out the first man that rushed me easily. He comes straight at me, head lowered like a bull. All it takes is one well-places kick to send him crashing into the wall, unconscious. One down.

A second man comes at me, a bit more wearily, so I take it as a sign to advance. Rather than waiting for him to attack, I pounce and rake my nails across his face. It was unnecessary, but I’m in a rush and I’m still mad about how easily Sanderson took me out. I’m not weak.

The man grabs his eye and screams in pain, so I elbow him in the stomach. When he hunches over to catch his breath, his face meets my knee, and he goes down. The third man gives up and points his gun at me, but I’m already moving. Before he can even get his stubby finger on the trigger, I bat the weapon out of his hands and sweep his legs out from under him. Rather than wasting any more energy on dramatics, I just kick him in the head and continue down the hallway.

I’m not exactly sure where Tobi was, so I pick up my pace a bit, secretly hoping he hasn’t been killed. He’s actually a very sweet guy. I spent hours talking strategy with him last night. He’s lived a tough life and doesn’t deserve to die because his best friend is an idiot. I’m not recognizing the hallways around me from the video, so I head for the stairs at the end of the hall. I take out a few more men along the way, but it seems emptier down here.

I scan the image in my mind of the CCTV footage and remember a small 2 in the bottom right corner. That must mean floor number. I race up the stairs and peek my head out of the stairwell to see if I can spot Tobi. I hear the familiar man’s voice first, giving away their location. When I look to my left, I see the man holding the back of Tobi’s shirt so tightly that it nearly chokes him. He gestures madly at the camera as he shakes Tobi around, shouting about terrorists and gods.

“I bet this freak is one of them too, isn’t he? I called up a friend at the HRC and sent him your two names. Let’s see if he’s responded yet.”

Mateo’s boss pulls out his phone and begins to search through his messages. I need to strike while he’s distracted.

I step out of the stairwell into the relatively empty-looking hallway and level my gun at the man holding Tobi hostage. He’s still looking down at his phone, so I aim at his chest and click off the safety. Right as I press down the trigger, my head explodes in blinding pain, and I’m thrown to the floor. I head a man’s shout of pain and look up through blurry eyes to see Mateo’s boss falling to the floor grabbing his knee. I missed, but good enough.

I raise a hand to my head and find it covered in blood. When I turn around to see who hit me, I see a tall, slender man with a fully extended baton. He pulls his arm back to hit me again, but I easily trip up his long legs. He goes crashing to the floor right next to me, so I don’t even have to get up. Perfect!

I still can’t see straight so I fumble around until I’m on top of him, pinning his skinny arms. They just let anyone into the army now, huh?

Before he has a chance to get in another shot, I bring a (non)lethal elbow down on his temple and he’s knocked out cold. I roll off him and groan as the room spins. I feel blood dripping down my scalp.

That’s going to make my hair SO hard to wash.

I fumble around in my pocket for some ambrosia and angrily stuff a cube into my mouth. Can’t believe that rookie snuck up on me.

The room comes back into focus, and I watch Tobi land one more punch on Mateo’s annoying boss, rendering him unconscious as well.

“You ok?” I call out.

“Yeah, fine. You?”

“Eh, just concussed.”

“Amazing. That’s…” Tobi trails off as he picks up his boss’s phone. His eyes scan the screen, reading rapidly.

“What?” I question, forcing myself back on my feet. I still have a touch of vertigo and a rocking headache that isn’t helping the anger I’m feeling. I breathe through it and let it pass. Anger isn’t a real emotion. It’s a reaction.

My therapist and I have been working on my temper, and we’ve found that I react best to logic. If I can make sense of it, I can let it pass.

Tobi is frozen as he stares at the screen.

“What?” I ask again and walk over to his side. We really don’t have time for this. Frank could be dead.

I look down at the screen and my heart sinks instantly. My anger dissipates at what I read. It’s replaced with sadness.

‘Tobi Smith, 23, son of Hermes. Mateo Rodriguez, 22, son of Ares,’ the phone reads. The next line is the full address of their apartment.

They’ve been discovered. They can’t go home now. This is our fault…

You don’t have time for this.

“They have our moms’ names on here too. They know all about us. How will we ever…? I don’t-I…” Tobi rambles, seemingly in a state of shock. He isn’t supposed to be like this. He’s a soldier. He’s the put together one. Why am I always the one having to get people back on track.

“If we stay here, we’ll get killed. Mateo will get killed. We need to move. Our friends need our help,” I urge, and Tobi turn to me slowly as if in a daze. His mind must be going a million miles an hour.

“Tobi,” I snap, putting on my hard face, “Let’s go. Our friends will be overrun any second we need to get back.”

He nods slowly, still not quite looking at me. That will have to do.

I grab his arm and drag him down the hallway toward the stairs I raced up. No one has come to attack us yet, which only worries me more. That must mean they’re all focused on my friends.

My theory is proven correct as soon as we leave the stairwell and turn the corner. The hallway is jam-packed with men shouting and shooting and fighting. I spot Frank firing at some of the men with his left hand, his right arm hanging limp. He’s drenched in sweat now and looking kind of pale, which worries me instantly. Tobi and I can’t shove past all these men to get to him. We need another way in.

“Tobi,” I whisper, pulling us back behind the corner, “Is there another way we can get to them? They’re surrounded on both sides. Can we get into Mateo’s room from the outside?”

“Maybe… the windows here are bulletproof, so it would be hard to break in. Opening the seal would trigger the alarm system,” he thinks, suddenly looking more alert. I must have activated the Hermes side of his brain.

“Do we care if the alarm is triggered? They already know we’re here,” I question.

“That’s true… Hmm. Ok, let’s do that then. Come on,” Tobi says, and now it’s his turn to lead me. He breaks into a sprint, turning back the way we came and maneuvering his way through the facility flawlessly. The Hermes children at camp were always some of the fastest, and even in my pretty active shape I have a hard time keeping up. He runs through a few offices and finally out of a door that leads outside.

We burst out into the chilly air and run along the side of the building. We’re about to turn a corner when Tobi stops so suddenly that I run into his back.

“There’s men trying to break in from the outside.”

I peek my head the corner around and look. I see 3 men with large rifles and a crowbar trying to force their way into the room through the window. They seem to be struggling so Mateo must have locked it but that can’t hold them for long.

“Ok, so let’s take them out,” I say like it’s obvious. Sure, they’re big and have dangerous weapons, but I’ve been a soldier since I was 7 years old. How many of these men have gone to Hell and back?

“But-I-they-I know those guys,” Tobi scrambles, “They’d take our heads off.”

“Tobi, are you not a son of Hermes? Are you not faster than them?” I ask, but he looks conflicted, “Ugh, just knock out the guy with the crowbar and start working on the window. I’ll handle the other two.”

Without waiting for his response, I round the corner and go for the man with the biggest gun. Before he has a chance to even think about raising it, I’m on him. Without a second to waste, I bat the gun from his hands and kick it to the side, hoping I don’t accidentally set it off. I punch him straight in the nose to disorient him then have to turn around as the other man yanks my ponytail.

He drags me to the floor violently, and I know I’ll have very little chance of escaping his grip. I grunt in pain as he yanks me around, and then decide to just anticipate his movements and go there before he can pull me. On his next yank, he tries to pull my up by my ponytail, so I stand up quickly and bring a knee into his crotch as I go. He coughs, the wind forced from his lungs and tries to drag me down with him.

Instead, I jab my knuckles into his eyes, and he screams. As he claws at his face, he lets go of my hair and I just barely avoid a gunshot from the other man who had enough time to get his senses back. The shot is so loud that my ears ring and my headache grows more painful, but it misses me. His nose is so bloody that it runs into his mouth and down his throat, so I can see him struggle to breathe clearly.

As he coughs and spits more blood, I pull out my pistol and fire off two quick shots, one in the shoulder that holds the gun, and one in his leg. Not enough to kill him if he gets medical treatment soon, but enough to keep him from coming after us again. The other man is blinking furiously, still unable to see past the blurriness that I inflicted, so I take pity on him and butt him across the head with the handle of my gun.

When I turn back to Tobi, I see that he took out the smaller man with the crowbar and is jamming a knife into the bottom seam of the window where the lock is. His head has a large bump from where I assume he maybe took a hit from the crowbar, but it doesn’t seem to be slowing him down.

I could 5 seconds before the window opens with a small pop and he shoves it up the rest of the way. The alarms blaring in the building get a little louder and dissonant, only adding to the chaos of the men shouting and gunshots.

I climb through the window with urgency, running past Mateo without even sparing him a glance and burst into the hallway. The ceiling has a small crumbling hole in it, about the size of a coffee table that goes up 3 floors until I can see the sky. That wasn’t there before…

Then I spot Jason raising his knife up toward the hole and calling down a massive bolt of lightning that hits his blade and shoots out, hitting at least 6 men. That’s why that’s there.

Clarisse is covering him, fighting like a deadly whirlwind, annihilating anyone that gets in her path. I think their side of the hallway is fine. I don’t think I want to get anywhere near them.

Frank’s side, however, is quickly being overrun with men. He lets loose a huge trumpeting screech in his elephant form as he takes another bullet in one of his big legs. His right front leg is already dragging concerningly, so I run over to him, shouting his name, and grabbing one of the big rifles left behind on the floor next to an unconscious man. What a safety hazard.

When he spots me, Frank turns back into a human and slums against the wall in pain. I chuck him a square of ambrosia before opening fire on the men that thought they could hurt my friend. The weapon is heavy and cold in my hands, feeling utterly evil. I feel like I’m being corrupted just by touching it. There is no honor in a weapon like this.

But I’m desperate.

The men frantically retreat when they see their comrades falling from external, non-fatal wounds (I’m not a monster), and take cover behind the corner Tobi and I were hiding behind not too long ago. That gives us a moment of respite, so I rush over to Frank and inspect his wounds. His right arm is still limp in the socket, and I notice a trail of blood against his dark jacket. He must have been shot and ripped some crucial ligaments. Hopefully with ambrosia he’ll heal up like normal. The wound in his thigh is closing rapidly, which gives me some relief.

“Come on, let’s get to cover,” I say, and throw his good arm over my shoulders. My back screams as I heave him up, but I ignore the pain. He’s hurting more than you are right now. Get it together.

“Cover me,” I instruct, and hand him my small pistol. As the men stick their weapons around the corner and try to hit us in the back, Frank shoots off a few more rounds right next to my ear. I stumble a step as the ringing triggers more vertigo but shake my head to try and clear it and continue walking. We finally reach the control room and I drag Frank inside, setting him down gently on one of the office chairs. I’m slick with sweat and notice that my entire body is shaking. It’s probably adrenaline. Just keep moving.

I round on Mateo who is still typing madly. Tobi stands over his shoulder watching.

“Tobi, go help Clarisse and Jason before they’re shot in the back of the head. I don’t care if they’re your coworkers, they’ll kill you too,” I command, and he files out of the room without a word.

“I’m almost done,” Mateo assures me, and I raise an eyebrow. He better be. Of all the people to be in charge of hacking why did it have to me Mateo? He’d be a major help holding off these men right now.

“How much longer?” I ask, looking down at his laptop. I see lines of code flying by and most of it means nothing to me. Leo would be a huge help right now.

After a few lines go by, I recognize some patterns and guess what Mateo is doing, but it shouldn’t be taking this long. My half-brother Idris must have had something to do with this encryption.

I lean down to look a little more closely and notice a particular phrase repeating again and again. I count on my fingers for 30 seconds and see it flash by 12 times.

“Mateo, what does that mean?” I ask, pointing out the phrase as it scrolls by a 13^th time.

He squints at the screen and reads for a moment.

“I don’t know. I think it’s just nonsense. It’s not relevant to the encryption,” he says, which only makes me more curious.

“If it’s nonsense, why would it be so prevalent in the code. Think about it! I think it means something,” I state, writing down the letters on a pad of paper. They really do look like nonsense. They’re a mix of consonants and vowels making absolutely no sense. And it’s not short either.

It reads:

XmwtzijinsymjjhmtjxtkmnxytwdxxjhwjyhtwwnitwxNqnsljwfsjsnlrfynhuwjxjshjnsymjfssfqxtkLwjjhj

I can see why Mateo overlooked it. It looks like somebody smashed random letters on their keyboard by accident.

Then I think about what it’s encrypting. And who it’s from. Children of Athena are notoriously prideful. Why would Idris be any different?

My mind races, thinking of various codes and decryptions. Is this a different language? Is it an acronym? No that’s a super long acronym.

Then it hits me like a disrespectful slap in the face. He really thought he was clever…

It’s a Caesar shift. The most basic cipher known to man. It took 800 years to learn how to crack it, but once they did, it became one of the easiest to decipher.

I scan the code flashing by one more time, searching for anything that stand out to me. This time I count for a minute. The code pops up 5 times. Then the rest of the code seems to repeat.

I smirk.

“What? Did you figure out what it is? Does it actually mean something?” Mateo asks, and I can barely hear him over the shouting and violence outside. Frank watches us from his chair and I spot a hint of pride hidden on his face as he looks between us. He knows I’ve figured it out.

“It’s a Caesar cipher,” I explain, “The easiest trick in the book. He basically threw the answer in our faces. The letters are all shifted by 5. So, if we just rearrange them a little they should give us…”

I write out the alphabet and count backwards for each letter, the words unfolding before my eyes. It reads:

ShroudedintheechoesofhistoryssecretcorridorsIlingeranenigmaticpresenceintheannalsofGreece

I space the letters out and form a sentence that reads, Shrouded in the echoes of history's secret corridors, I linger, an enigmatic presence in the annals of Greece.

“A riddle,” I announce. Mateo and Frank groan. This riddle could be any number of Greek figures.

“Try Athena,” I tell Mateo, hoping it’s the obvious answer. He types it into the encryption key box and the entire screen flashes red. We have 2 more tries before we’re locked out forever.

I curse and wrack my brain for another answer. So far, I’m not impressed with Idris. His methods are gaudy and elementary and far too easy to crack. So, who would he choose as the key?

There’s only one answer that keeps repeating in my mind. Our mom. It has to be. But if Athena isn’t the answer, maybe it’s Minerva? No… No proud child of Athena wants to accept that side of their mother. Maybe…

“Try Pallas,” I instruct, and Mateo types it in. I hold my breath as the screen loads. Finally, the screen glows white with a small symbol flashing. I grit my teeth when I notice that it’s the symbol for Pallas. Below the symbol reads, “Hellenic Research Center.”

Their logo is the symbol of Pallas. He was really flashing the code in our faces all along. What an idiot.

Mateo clicks on the logo, and it expands into a wide blueprint of the facility.

“Ok, go help Tobi. I’ll download it. Frank, get ready to move. We’re going to need to be quick. Mateo, warn the others that we’re almost ready to leave,” I demand, leaving no room for questioning. He nods and jogs stiffly out of the room.

I jam my flash drive into the laptop and wait the agonizing few seconds as it downloads. The sounds of shooting and shouting outside the room increase in volume and I pray that it’s our side coming out victorious. We need to move. We can’t hold off an entire army base for long, and we’ve already been inside for over 10 minutes. It’s not long before we’re overrun, or reinforcements arrive.

As the blueprints download, I rummage around the other files in desperate hopes of finding an address. After filing through about 7 unlabeled files, I find a map, clearly marked with the location of the facility. Who would clearly mark out the location of a top-secret facility and leave it locked under such an easy encryption? I see why pride gets us killed.

I download the map to the flash drive as well and eject it. I stuff the USB in my zipped pocket and turn back to Frank. He looks pale but determined. This isn’t his first brush with death.

“Ready to go?” I ask him. He nods. I stand up and nearly tip over, my center of balance still out of whack. I brace myself on the desk for a moment until the spinning subsides then rush over to help Frank. He asks if I’m ok, but I ignore him. We don’t have time for this. I debate the best way out but decide that trying to fight through the men in the hallway will only lead to more violence and injuries. Better to risk being out in the open than guarantee more pain.

I help Frank over to the window and lean him against it.

“Can you step out on your own?” I ask.

“Yeah, I’m fine Annabeth. Go get the others,” he brushes me off and starts climbing out the window.

I rush back out to the hallway and shout my friends’ names. As soon as they hear my voice, men direct their guns at me, and bullets eat away at the walls next to me. I stumble back into the control room, stunned. That was way closer than I thought.

My call did the trick though, because my friends all run into the room and shut the door behind them. Jason looks dead tired, while Clarisse looks ready for round 2. Her face is bruised and swollen, one eye only open a slit, but she’s still smiling. Mateo and Tobi look relatively unharmed, although Tobi’s welt on his head looks a bit bigger. I push them toward the window and barricade the door one last time to buy us a few seconds.

I’m the last one out and I nearly fall face first into the snow. My legs feel wobbly beneath me, but I assume it’s just exhaustion and adrenaline competing. The wind is so cold that it stings my eyes, and they blur with tears. I blink furiously to clear them so I can see where I’m running but they just don’t seem to want to focus.

I realize that I’m falling behind my friends and breathing way more heavily than I should be. I can’t seem to catch my breath or run in a straight line. I feel drunk, like Dionysus spiked my lemonade again. Athena almost revoked his godhood for that.

“Annabeth, come on!” Jason shouts back at me but he sounds far away. I’m still running but it feels like the snow has gotten deeper or something because my feet seem to drag more with each step. Jason’s running back to me now, grabbing my arm and dragging me behind him.

“I’mcomin,” I try to say but it comes out sounding slurred. Jason’s blurry face looks back at me in concern, trying to decipher what’s wrong with me. He puts his hand on my back to usher me along but curses when it comes back covered in red. I squint and frown, trying to make out what’s all over him, but before I can comprehend what’s happening, we’re flying.

I blink again and notice that his arms are under my back and legs, and he’s holding me up as we soar past the trees to catch up to our friends. I feel like every time I blink, I’ve missed crucial moments because I have no idea what is happening. I hear faint pops in the distance and Jason swerves mid-air, flying in a more zig-zag pattern.

The next time I blink, we’re diving down toward the ground, a bit fast for my liking, and land quite harshly. As soon as we touch down next to our van, Jason’s legs give out and he somehow lands on top of me. I weakly shove him off me and he groans, his energy completely spent.

“Whoa!” Frank exclaims as we land right in front of him. Clarisse curses and rushes over to us. Without an ounce of struggle, she hefts Jason up and tosses him into the back of the van. Then she leans over me.

“Shit, what happened to you Miss Princess?” she asks, but I can’t really see her clearly as the whole world spins violently. She picks me up a little more gently and lays me down on the floor or the van, shutting the door behind us. The pops outside are getting louder, which my brain slowly interprets to mean closer.

“Drive!” Frank shouts through the divide, and suddenly we’re off. I feel like I’m floating through space and being jostled by asteroids as the van speeds out of the base. Clarisse pours some nectar down my throat and over my stomach, which confuses me. That’s not how you consume nectar…

“Frank, put some pressure on it,” she instructs, and then my abdomen burns like someone is poking me with a sword repeatedly. I try to sit up and see what’s hurting, but the spinning still hasn’t subsided.

“Ow, what-”

“Quiet. Eat this,” she demands, and shoves a tiny morsel of ambrosia in my mouth. I guess she doesn’t want to overdo it. As soon as I swallow it, I feel a bit more coherent but slightly feverish.

“No more,” I mumble, my eyeballs feeling hot. She places a hand on my forehead then nods.

“Yep. No more. Just rest. Tobi will throw them off our tail. Hermes kids are great at evading law enforcements,” she says, trying to distract me from the pain. As my head clears a bit more, I realize that I’ve been shot, and Frank is applying pressure to the wound. I honestly have no clue when that could have happened because I never felt the pain of being shot but I guess I just had too much adrenaline. I also think my concussion was more severe than I first realized.

“Did you get the flash drive?” Frank asks. I second guess myself for a minute. Did I?

I fumble around in my pockets for a second and can breathe again when I feel the smooth plastic object in my palm. I pull it out and hand it to Frank.

“Here,” I say, “You keep it safe. I trust you. You have the most experience keeping important objects safe.”

He smiles at me, happy to be trusted with such an important task.

“You rest, now,” Clarisse tells me, “I’ll wake you when we’re close to Richmond. We want you full strength so you can come up with another master plan to break Prissy out of prison.”

“They’re not in prison,” Frank corrects.

“It’s basically the same thing, Elephant Man. I think they’d prefer prison at this point,” she shoots back. Frank looks a little sad, probably thinking about Hazel. Clarisse claps him on the shoulder, which is basically the closest thing she has to affection.

Having Clarisse around for a quest is actually quite refreshing. She never gives me a hard time when it’s important and is honestly our best team player. She pretends to be mean and grumpy all the time but honestly has one of the most positive attitudes of all of us. People don’t give her enough credit. She’s matured since the Titan War and doesn’t try to please her dad 24/7 anymore. I won’t count her out. It’s because of her that we met Mateo and Tobi and have an opportunity to get our friends back. Hades, she even broke me out of that holding center.

“Thank you,” I say to her sincerely, and she scrunches her face up. I know she’s doing it to hide how much she liked it.

“You really did hit your head, Blondie. Saying thank you all of a sudden? Unheard of. Should I be worried?” she jokes but squeezes my shoulder as a form of appreciation. She really doesn’t get enough credit.

I close my eyes and let dreams of Terra overtake my mind.

We’re coming.

Authors Note (I ran out of characters for the end of chapter note lol):

Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Finally an Annabeth POV! She's been desperately waiting because oh boy did she have stuff to say.

This chapter was so fun to write. First I got so freaking mushy writing about Annabeth and Terra. I'll admit, Terra is based on my wonderful best friend, so writing about her finding love made me feel so warm and mushy and happy bc I love her so much <3 I listened to a lot of Dodie in the first part where Annabeth meets Terra, then "Jacob and the Stone" by Emile Mosseri during the sad Percabeth parts and the beginning of Annabeth's talk with Sally, then back to "She" by Dodie when Annabeth tells Sally about Terra because it got super cute again (I cried). The rest of the chapter I listened to a lot of dramatic music like The Son of Flynn by Daft Punk (Tron soundtrack goes hard for writing dramatic scenes, just saying). [read the rest in end of chapter note] ->

Chapter Text

Calypso POV (lets gooooooo feminine RAGEEEE)

Must the fates taunt me further? Was a lifetime of misery not enough for them? Will Zeus ever allow me to be happy?

When will I be free from the pressures of the male gaze? Will I ever be more than what they think of me? And oh, does he think of me often.

I side with my family, and I am destined for a life devoid of love. I cannot help but wonder what my life would be like if the Titans had won. Would I be an all-powerful titaness?

Doubtful.

The Titans were just as cruel.

I should not be thinking this way. It is a recipe for disaster. Perhaps I will be locked away for eternity this time. If my love dies, I might as well be.

I have always yearned for a mortal lover. Their fragile lives give them such a zest and passion for love because they have so much to lose. The gods refuse to admit it, but they cannot help but be entranced by them as well. Us immortals will never feel the frantic desire backed by the knowledge that out time is ticking down.

It is exhilarating. Yet, only the male gods can take their mortal lovers. They abduct them, trick them, seduce them, and force them to give up their lives. Sometimes that love is reciprocated, but most times it is not. Zeus had countless mortal lovers, from Ganymede to Europa. Nobody said a word when he held them captive and subjected them to his will. And quite often, these mortals were punished for being taken advantage of.

Take Callisto, tricked, abducted, abused, and then turned into a bear to try and stifle Hera's rage. Then, she was killed by the one woman she trusted, the one she swore an oath to. Hera got her revenge like always, tricking Artemis into killing the so-called wild beast. Callisto faded into the night, broken and mistreated, with nothing to show for her brief relationship with an immortal. One cannot even call that a relationship. Relationships must be two-sided.

And one could blame Hera, claiming that she is much too emotional, much too rash. Perhaps that is true. But no soul is more emotional than her husband's. He cannot control even the simplest of his urges, acting on impulse, hurting whomever he desires, and casting his wife to the side. Because of him, women are pitted against each other, as if he is not the problem behind it all.

I saw through it all along.

On that island, I longed for a mortal to love. To love me. I thought their love would take away some of the pain. I thought the shame of my upbringing would fade away if someone could just love me regardless. And maybe it would have. At least for a little while.

But us goddesses are not to take mortals lovers. That would be impure. Scandalous. How could we expect to take a mortal hero for ourselves? No, those male mortal lives are worth more than our own.

I got a taste of that intoxicating feeling when Odysseus visited my island. After years of solitude, I went mad for his attention, tripping over myself to please him. I worked day and night to earn his praise. I lost myself during that time. I did not recognize his signs of disinterest until it was too late. I was blinded by desire and became just as bad as Zeus. Once I recognized the darkness that tainted my mind and saw the hurt in Odysseus's eyes, I was disgusted with myself.

All I wanted was someone to love me.

He could not do that. I offered him immortality and lured him into my bed, praying to some all-powerful being somewhere out there in the ether to just let him love me back. But why would he love a monster like me? When I saw – really saw – the way he looked at me, my heart shattered.

I set him free immediately and gave him everything he needed to get home. His wife was missing him. Who was I to take another woman's love just because I cannot find my own? From that day forward, I vowed to never force a man to love me. I hated myself for becoming exactly like the man who sequestered me on that island.

Never mind the fact that Odysseus kept women of his own. He valued their lives as little as Zeus valued mine. But, for some reason, his wife was of utmost importance to him. I would not stand in the way of that because I know exactly what it feels like to have your love ripped from your arms.

For decades, I hid myself away, speaking only to the animals on my island. My hatred toward myself grew with each passing minute. It is hard to love yourself when you have turned into the thing you despise the most.

What I do not speak about is the fact that my self-hatred does not hold a candle to the loathing I feel for Zeus. Just the sound of his name breeds a hatred so deep and intense that sometimes I feel feverish at the thought of his death. I hefted thousands of minute curses on Zeus throughout my time on that island. I cloaked them in darkness and prayed to the Night, the one woman he fears, to protect me. It was reckless and mindless but brought me great satisfaction.

Hearing rumors of slight mishaps and misfortunes on Olympus, instances of Zeus sneezing during a speech, or anything that made him look as doltish as I viewed him brings a sinister smile to my face. I hide that smile behind an innocent doe-eyed look because that is exactly what they all expect from me. Only Leo knows about this. I do not keep anything from him. And as much as he fears for me, he knows better than to try and get me to stop. Hades, even he sometimes has trouble hiding his distaste for Zeus. He must be more careful because he cheated death once. He has a Zeus shaped target on his back already.

But no one else knows of the hatred that poisons my blood. They do not know of the dreams that plague my mind, the gruesome depictions of the day that Zeus finally falls to some foe.

They do not know that I see her in my dreams, driving a chariot of stars and shadows into his throne room and forcing him to cower at her feet. She leaves her children behind because she does not make them fight on her behalf. She stands before him like a pillar of blackness, piercing the air with the same eerie emptiness of space. She smiles when his pupils expand like black holes fueled by his fear.

And no one moves to challenge her.

I smile along, hidden in the shadows of the dream, soaking up the fear that radiates off Zeus in waves with a fierce sense of pleasure. The dream always ends with her driving a bolt of darkness and moonlight through his heart, reminiscent of his master bolt. When he gasps in pain and surprise, the color leeching from his lips, I wake, blood pumping and pupils dilated in exhilaration.

I do not speak of these dreams in hopes that they may one day come true.

And when her daughter appeared, beaten and meek, I saw my opportunity. I befriended her instantly, taking her under my wing and making her feel welcome. I lowered her defenses with Leo's humor and comforted her when no one else would. I thought she would be like her mother, so cold and righteous and powerful, but she was not. Estrella was soft. She was warm and shy and so painfully kind that I felt my plans crumbling. I genuinely fell in love with her sweet disposition and knew that I could never use her like the gods used so many mortals before.

Instead, I vowed to protect her. I swore that no god or man would ever make her feel like she was powerless. I would work with her to develop her powers and learn to defend herself, all while providing the comfort and company of a companion that I so desperately longed for on that island.

Zeus would fear this girl. He would underestimate her of course, viewing her tenderness as a weakness. Nobody knows that I see who she really is.

Estrella will be the end of Zeus.

But do not misunderstand me. Estrella is not a pawn of mine. She does not work for me or carry out my deepest desires. She has wormed her way into my secretly bitter heart and anchored herself there. She hands over so much of herself like she does not value her presence. She does not know the damage she has repaired within me. It is slow, rotten work, something that she is probably unaware she has even done, but it has indebted me to her for life. She brings me comfort that I did not think possible, noticing when traumas of my past rise to the surface. She promised to keep my Leo safe just to make me feel better. I had never loved a friend more than in that moment. She swore to put her life on the line for him, to protect my love, willing to die to make sure that I did not have another love stolen. I had never felt more understood.

She did not know that Leo and I previously agreed to protect her life with our own. We had both cheated the lives the fates destined us for, and he trusted what I saw in her. That does not mean I was ready to hear about Leo's capture. What began as a simple quest, turned into a massive, confusing turn of events that had me questioning every thought in my mind. Was I willing to lose what I have with Leo for a girl I just met? Would I put the love of my life on the line to seek retribution on Zeus?

That confusion manifested as anger and disappointment toward Estrella. I knew the potential she had, the capacity for greatness. I knew that if she knew how, she could have protected Leo easily. This knowledge combined with frustration at myself filled me with even more rage and provided me with a definitive answer.

I was not willing to lose Leo.

I would put my own life on the line to ensure an end to Zeus's reign of terror, but I would never sacrifice the purest of souls to do so. Leo is worth more than a million of Zeus. Zeus could never even dream of possessing an ounce of the kindness, empathy, intelligence, bravery, or selflessness that Leo has. Me, though... I am already ruined. I am as rotten as the whole lot of them. Let me preserve the last little bit of goodness left in this wretched world.

I am willing to take them all down with me.

I cannot help but let my mind swirl with the possibility of a life without Zeus as I watch Will treat a shell-shocked Estrella. I am not sure what happened in that house, but something has shaken her tremendously. The fact that I sent her and Piper in there makes my stomach twist with guilt. I swore to protect her. What kind of guardian am I?

"Does this hurt?" Will prods, pressing two gentle fingers against Estrella's lower back. She does nothing but stare at the ground a few feet in front of her crossed legs and tremble. Her eyes look empty yet overwhelmed.

"Estrella?" he tries again, moving his head into her line of vision. She drops her eyes even further to avoid eye contact. I stand back with my arms crossed keeping an eye both on Estrella and on Nico and Piper who chat with Hecate off to the side. Hopefully Piper can garner some sort of agreement in which Hecate helps rescue Leo and the others.

"Estrella, I'm getting concerned. Are you in any pain? Can you hear me?" Will urges, obviously noticing that she must be in some sort of shock. She just shakes her head imperceptibly.

"No pain at all? How about if I press here?" Will asks again, moving down her spine with a frown. Estrella just shrugs hopelessly.

"Hmm. I'm sensing a fractured vertebrate in L4. Do you feel tingling or numbness in your legs?" he asks, and she shrugs again. Will sighs and places his palm against her back, eliciting a healing glow. She sits still, not showing any signs of relief or pain. She shows nothing.

"Does that feel better?" he asks, but Estrella has stopped listening and stares off into the distance with a faraway look.

Will stands up with a huff and walks over to me. I raise an eyebrow as he approaches.

"What is wrong with her?" I whisper.

"I'm not sure," he says frustratedly, "She's obviously in shock. Hecate said something about a lot of pain endured... She should have been in agonizing pain with a fractured vertebrate, but she didn't even look fazed. I think her pain receptors might have been overwhelmed or something."

"Is that possible?" I wonder.

"Sometimes. Mostly from extreme trauma. I'm just concerned that she might not be in the right frame of mind to shadow travel again today. And Nico can't do all of us on his own."

I frown. He is probably right.

"Maybe Hecate could transport us?" I suggest. As soon as I finish the sentence, a bright flash of light nearly blinds us, and Will and I turn to find Hecate gone.

"What-" Will begins.

"She was meant to help us!" I shout. I see Estrella flinch out of the corner of my eye and feel guilty instantly. Her eyes are glossy with unshed tears and her cheeks and nose rosy from the cold. She looks so innocent.

I feel my anger rising instantly, still on edge from the rush of magic I felt earlier and round on Nico and Piper.

"Calm down," Piper coaxes, "It's fine. She said she will meet us at the testing center when we need her. She gave me this key that will summon her when we break it."

"I wanted to speak with her," I groan.

"She said she needed to go and try to fix the issue with the mist before Zeus condemns her for negligence," Nico explains, still looking a little wary of me. I do not think he has ever trusted me after what he heard about Annabeth in Tartarus. I have apologized countless times, but Nico just does not seem fully comfortable around me. Understandable.

"And what are we meant to do now? Estrella cannot travel in this state!"

"Maybe I can talk to her," Piper provides, "I can calm her down a little."

"Do not manipulate her," I snap.

"I wasn't going to, Caly," Piper says, hurt, "I was just going to see what I could do to help... I don't want to manipulate anyone, you know what."

Piper's words finally strike a chord and I let loose a heavy sigh. Leo and I have not been apart for more than a day since he rescued me from that island. I am wound up tight without him and am bringing it out on those around me.

"I am sorry, I misspoke. Please help her, Piper. If anyone can, it is you. I am worried about Leo and said something I do not mean," I apologize, and Piper sends me a small sad smile in return. My words obviously hurt her, but she understands my pain as well.

"We'll get him back. I promise," Piper says softly and wraps me in a quick hug. I give her a little squeeze in return.

As she slowly approaches Estrella, I turn to Nico and Will.

"We need to find somewhere to spend the night. We can leave for Richmond early tomorrow morning. I think everyone needs a little rest right now," I decide, "Can you two figure something out and report back?"

"Sure," Nico accepts, "Is she ok?" he jerks his head in Estrella's direction.

I follow his line of vision and hold back a frown as Estrella avoids Piper's eyes and wraps her arms around herself.

"I am not sure," I say honestly, "I do not know what happened in there, but it must not have been good. She is strong though. She will pull through. Piper and I will get through to her."

Will and Nico nod and head off to find somewhere to sleep for the night. I am hoping they can find something indoors with limited security cameras, because Estrella already looks quite cold. Sleeping outside will not do her any favors.

I head back over to the bandstand and observe Piper speaking gently.

"You are safe. You are healthy. You are ok," she assures Estrella, whose chest rises and falls a little more rapidly. When Piper places her hand on Estrella's forearm, Estrella jumps.

"You are ok," Piper says with a little more conviction, and some of the tightness goes out of Estrella's shoulders but the tremors do not stop.

"Are you cold? Do you want my jacket?" Piper offers, and Estrella offers nothing in response. Piper does not wait any longer and strips off her coat, draping it over Estrella's shoulders anyway.

"I am not going to hurt you. This is real, I am here, and you are safe. Do you understand me?" Piper urges, slowly placing her hand on Estrella again. Estrella cringes away from the hand until it touches her arm, where she stares at it. She stares at the hand, tense and motionless for a few moments until she realizes that Piper, in fact, is not trying to hurt her.

"Can you feel my touch?" Piper asks, and Estrella's eyes move up to meet hers finally. Piper gives her a small encouraging smile. Estrella's eyes look cloudy and not all there. She looks back down at the hand for a moment, then nods hesitantly.

"Does it hurt?" Piper questions, and Estrella considers that for a moment, like it is a question she does not fully understand. Eventually, she shakes her head. That is a good sign.

"Do you know where you are?"

Estrella's eyes flick around the bandstand and the park surrounding it.

"Park," she says, almost breathlessly. It is so quiet that Piper has to lean in to hear her.

"Right! We are in the park. Outside. We are not in that house anymore. We are outside. You are safe," Piper continues reassuring Estrella, whose eyes fill up with more tears.

"What are you feeling right now?" Piper asks, trying to understand what has Estrella so shaken up.

"I'm fine, Piper. I know I'm outside. I don't feel like talking," Estrella says, and it comes out so heavily that my heart constricts. She is not just shell-shocked. She is sad. So sad. Her usually bright eyes look heavy and half-lidded, like she does not have the energy or the will to fight against gravity anymore. Her shoulders are slumped, her posture bent, and her lips slightly downturned. She looks defeated.

"What happened in there? I was upstairs looking around and suddenly I got locked up there. I was screaming for you to help me, but I didn't hear anything until Hecate showed up and transported me away. How did you free her?"

"I told you; I don't want to talk about it," Estrella sighs.

"But are you ok? Did you get hurt? Was Hecate locked up or something?" Piper continues, and I can sense Estrella getting flustered.

"I'm fine, Piper. Please, just... let me process. I'll talk about it later. I'm tired. I just want to sleep."

I get the feeling that those words mean she wants to go to sleep and potentially not wake up in the morning. I have felt that way before.

"Well, Caly and I are here if you want to talk. That's what friends are for. We're here for you."

"Friends... right, yeah," Estrella mumbles, which leaves both Piper and I confused. What did that mean?

"Everything is going to be ok. We will leave for Richmond tomorrow morning and come up with a plan to get your best friend back. I am sure she is missing you more than anything," I pipe up, and Estrella finds my eyes. She looks almost sad and distrustful as she scans my face. At first, her face shows a faint hint of familiarity and fondness, but it then shifts to a blank mask.

"Yes, I'm sure she is," Estrella mutters and slowly pushes herself to her feet as Will and Nico approach. She wobbles a bit and winces, her body obviously stiff and sore, but as Will gets closer, she smooths down her hair and tries to look more presentable. He raises his eyebrows at her suddenly more coherent state.

"You're feeling better?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired," she says tersely.

"Ok, I'll check up on you tomorrow morning and make sure you're good to travel," Will notifies her, "But in the meantime, let's get some rest. Nico and I found an unoccupied cabin in the woods. It looks rickety and old but should be good enough for the night."

The idea of rest after such a long day sounds so nice that we follow them without a word. Estrella lingers at the back, trailing behind us a little. When I slow down to let her catch up, she slows down too. Strange.

Nico and Will lead us downtown toward a well-known nature trail in the forest. We walk about for a little, pretending to be hikers, then turn down a thin, hidden trail that could easily be missed by pedestrians and tourists. After about 10 minutes of walking downhill through a winding, overgrown path with hidden roots occasionally tripping us, the trees begin to thin a bit until we reach a small opening with a rundown cabin on a snowy slope. This must have been here for quite a while. I feel a faint lingering of magic, which must indicate that witches hid here centuries before.

"We found this place a few days ago when we were on the hunt for Hecate. It must have been residual magic that drew us here," Will explains.

"Yes, I sense it too. It is quite old, but I do sense magic in the foundation of the cabin. There is a faint mist lingering here. Perhaps Hecate has begun her work," I ponder.

"Why would there be mist all the way out here- oh..." Piper cuts off when we open the front door. Inside the seemingly ramshackle shack is a surprisingly clean and warm cabin. The floors are creaky and somewhat splintered but not moldy or rotten. The furniture is bare and dusty but not completely falling apart. For something so old, it is obvious that some sort of magic being lived here. Whether it was children of Hecate, followers, a sorceress, or something entirely different, the cabin is better than we could have hoped for.

There is a small semi-functional kitchen, a worn-down couch and fireplace, and one bedroom with a plain bed. We decide to let Nico and Will share the bedroom, so they have a little privacy while Piper, Estrella, and I share the main room with the couch. Will sneaks out and buys some simple groceries for a quick dinner before bed while Piper sets up the fireplace and Estrella watches, eyes empty and zoned out.

After being out in the cold for most of the day, I decide to make a warm, hearty soup for dinner. Will buys ingredients for a quick Minestrone. Estrella sits on the couch staring at her hands in her lap, so I ask her to help me chop some of the veggies. I hope this might help cheer her up as she loves to cook, but when I ask, she looks at me with such despair and heartache that I almost rescind my offer. She looks like she clearly does not have the energy to cook but does not want to tell me no.

She blinks a few times before pushing herself up off the couch and limping over to the kitchen to help. When I see how beaten and tired, she looks I immediately regret asking and know that she is going to try and help no matter what. I try to send her a small smile, but she will not meet my eyes.

"Can you please chop the onion? Just small cubes, please. If you feel tired or need help, please just tell me. I do not want you to overexert yourself anymore, ok?"

"Mhmm," she says noncommittally and grabs a small wooden cutting board, probably much too old to be sanitary. After rinsing it off, she grabs a knife and sets up in the corner, trying to take up as little space as possible.

"You can have that whole counter to yourself," I reassure her, "I just need the stove."

She nods but does not move from her position. I sigh and begin opening the cans of cannellini beans and tomatoes over the sink. Estrella begins on the onion, and I hear the steady rhythm of her skilled knife cuts. I honestly could learn a few things from her. I became pretty reliant on the servants on my island to prep and cook for me. When I chop, it is not very pretty. Estrella's knife cuts are always uniform and perfect, while mine are often rushed and uneven. She once assured me that it all tastes the same anyway.

Estrella finishes the onion pretty quickly and looks a little more level-headed, so I give her celery and carrots as well. Maybe asking her to help was not a bad idea after all. She gets into a rhythm and her eyes clear a bit of the fog that was clouding them. When I turn back to the sink to drain the cans, I notice that the sound of chopping has stopped.

I turn around and see her back stiff and straight. Her head is bowed so I walk over to her and peek over her shoulder. She holds her shaking hands in front of her and just stares, frozen as blood drips from the index finger on her right hand. I see a small cut just below her fingernail, not too deep or big but just in the right spot to bleed more than a regular nick.

"Es?" I ask, but she does not move. She stares completely still and just watches the blood trail down her finger into her other hand. Her breathing sounds somewhat shallow and elevated so I realize she must not be fully here.

"Does it hurt?"

Again, no answer. A small puddle of blood is forming in her other hand, threatening to drip into the food, so I grab her by the shoulders and lead her to the sink. I turn on the faucet, still shocked that it works after all this time, and run some cold water over her finger. As soon as she feels the water wash the blood away, she seems to come to again, apologizing much to my annoyance.

"Sorry," she breathes, still displaying shortness of breath, "Sorry. It just slipped. Sorry. I'm fine. Don't worry."

She squirms away from my touch and wraps her finger in the hem of her shirt to staunch the bleeding.

"Do not be dense," I snap, which probably was not the right way to go about this, "You will ruin your shirt. Give me your hand," I demand. She looks hurt and embarrassed but tries to hide it behind a tight-lipped smile.

"Heh, sorry. I'm fine, I swear. It doesn't hurt at all. It's nothing."

"Stop apologizing, Estrella. You did nothing wrong. Let me help you. It will hurt more if you do not deal with it now. If you leave it, it will fester and grow infected and cause you more pain in the end," I explain, hoping that she hears the real meaning of what I say.

She lets me grab her hand and run it under the water again. As I wash it out, she chews at her upper lip and looks incredibly annoyed with herself.

"Must you be so hard on yourself?" I ask, my heart aching for her. I just want the sweet, strong-willed Estrella back. Estrella was never a pushover.

"Sorry. I just wanted to help. I'll get out of your way."

She tries to pull away again once I have wrapped a bandage around her finger, but I do not let go of her wrist.

"Stop. You are not in my way. You were helping. You are much better at chopping than I am. Plus, I just like being in your presence," I admit. Rather than getting the smile from her that I expected, she bites her lip even harder and swallows a thick lump in her throat. Her eyes clearly display hurt and distrust. What happened to her?

"It's ok. You don't have to lie to make me feel better. I know you're just trying to help. I'd be a bigger help out of your way. I'm sure everyone would appreciate that," she says, and I hear her voice getting shaky toward the end.

"Estrella, what-" I begin, but she waves me off.

"I'm fine. Obviously, I'm still a little shaken up. I don't want to drag you guys down with my bad attitude. I-I'm gonna get some air," Estrella says, her voice breaking toward the end. Before I can get another word out, she wraps herself in her oversized coat and rushes out the front door blinking furiously. I think I hear a muffled sob when the door slams shut but her footsteps quickly recede and the sound fades.

I turn and look at Piper who sits in front of the fireplaces having watched out entire exchange silently. We have the exact same shocked and confused looks on our faces.

"Should I go-?" Piper wonders.

"No. Let her be alone for a while. It seems that is what she wants," I decide. Piper frowns but doesn't disagree.

"I'm kind of worried," she admits. I nod.

"Me too," I confess, "Are you sure you did not hear anything in that house?"

"No, I just went upstairs and got stuck up there. I thought she left me or something. I didn't hear anything until Hecate got me out. I've seen Estrella scared and anxious and overwhelmed before but this is different. She's never like this."

"She has been introduced to it all too quickly. Any sane person would be overwhelmed by now. Maybe she just needs some time to process. We must not push her to talk to us. That will only make her recede further."

"I can, you know, talk to her if necessary. Just to take away a little of the pain. I'm starting to get to know her more and I really care about her. I don't want any of my friends to be in pain."

"Maybe... if nothing else works. I do not want to betray her trust. I just... I thought we were closer than this. She confided in me. I did as well. Now she is acting like we were never friends."

"Maybe she's just tired. She'll be fine. She always is."

I nod and resume my cooking. Estrella does not come back. The cabin fills with delicious scents of bright, acidic soup and smoky firewood. I set the table and call Nico and Will to join Piper and I at the table. Estrella still has not returned and I begin to worry. I trust that she is smart enough to stay hidden, but her scent is easily strong enough to draw monsters to her. Every day that she develops her powers her scent only increases. And after being around such powerful demigods all day, she is bound to smell.

If I go out looking for her, it will look like I do not trust her. But if I do not go out and she has been attacked by a monster, she could die. After everything she has been through today, I am not sure if she could take on more than one monster.

Nico assures me that she is not dead, so I just decide to let her stay out there. She will return when she is ready. She has avoided monsters for the first 28 years of her life. I trust that she knows how to avoid them now as well.

We eat our soup in near silence, worried about Estrella and our friends. Are Leo and them still ok? Did Annabeth and the others get the blueprints? Nico also assures me multiple times that Leo is still alive. My mind whirs, wondering if Nico would really be able to tell from so far away when they are held in a facility that blocks magic and godly abilities. We should not go down that path of thought. Just trust Nico.

After dinner, Nico and Will clear the table and do the dishes. I go outside under the guise of getting more firewood but secretly scan the woods for Estrella. I do not see any trace of her except for a faint line of footsteps in the snow leading away from the cabin. I try to see if I can sense any monsters but thankfully do not. With a heavy sigh, I collect some more dry logs and head inside. She will come when she is ready.

It is still quite early, but the sun has set quite a while ago. I worry about her alone in the dark. 

You are worried about a daughter of Nyx out at night?

Perhaps I am overthinking, as Leo likes to say. Like he can talk.

I leave the last portion of soup on the stove for Estrella and begin setting up the living room for the night. Piper sets up the couch with pillows and blankets, but it is much too small to fit more than one person. I find some extra pillows and blankets in a closet and shake out the dust. I do a quiet enchantment under my breath to banish any mold that could potentially make us sick and heat up the fire a bit.

Finally, as I am about to blow out the candles and try to find a comfortable position to sleep, Estrella sneaks in through the front door. Piper is already fast asleep on the couch and does not wake up at the sound, but I immediately whip around and breathe a sigh of relief. Estrella cringes when she sees that I am still awake.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you wait for me."

"I had a lot of my mind. I would be awake either way. Come sit, I will warm your soup. You must be cold. Sit in front of the fire," I command and she just frowns as she does what she is told. I take her coat and wrap her in a blanket. She reaches trembling hands toward the warm fire and lets out a relieved sigh. Rather than making her wait for the ancient wood-burning stove to heat up again, I warm up the soup with a quick incantation and bring her the now steaming bowl. She tries to claim that she is not hungry, but I ignore her and shove the bowl into her hands. She can be stubborn if she wants but no one will be able to say that I did not try.

I decide to give her some privacy as she still seems to not want to speak to me and pretend to sleep. I curl up on the floor with a pillow and a few blankets while regulating my breathing. My mind moves much too fast to fall asleep now. How can I sleep when I know that my favorite person is suffering so much at the hands of another demigod? I would do anything to see mi amor. I would trade places in a heartbeat. I would shut myself away on Ogygia for another 1000 years if it meant that my Leo would be safe and happy.

I replay my favorite memories for about an hour before Estrella finally lies down on the blankets I set up for her. Hopefully she will get some sleep.

Another hour passes by, and I still have not fallen asleep. I hear occasional sniffles and movement from Estrella who apparently cannot fall asleep either. After one more hour, my eyes finally shut, and I am sucked into a dream with Leo. We are back on Ogygia discussing our future plans together. I feel the same excitement and hope that I did back then. Leo's eyes are bright with rambunctious energy and laughter, just like I remember. Just like I love.

I am about to laugh at another one of his jokes when I am awoken by a frustrated sigh from Estrella next to me. She huffs as she throws the blankets off her and grabs her coat before surging back out into the night. I think I catch tear tracks on her face illuminated by the moonlight before the door slams shut.

I decide enough is enough and choose to get up and follow her. If I do not get to enjoy peaceful dreams of Leo, she does not get to storm off and be alone.

I grab my heavy jacket and tie it right around my waist before stepping out into the frigid night air. I close the door much more gently as to not wake the others.

The forest around the cabin is quite and surprisingly serene. Light snow falls through the breaks in the trees and crinkles as it hits the ground. I find Estrella sitting on the steps leading up to the door staring up at the stars. Her chin trembles as she angrily tries to hold back tears. Her shoulders shake with repressed sobs, and she looks so small that my heart breaks.

Without a word, I sit next to her and wrap my arms around her. She lets out a groan that sounds more like an agonized moan.

"I'm sorry," she sniffles, her voice breaking immediately, "I didn't mean to wake you up. I'm sorry. I'm fine."

I lean my head on her shoulder and do not respond. She brings a hand up to her mouth to try and keep it a sob and hide her face from me. Her eyebrows pinch together with the effort of holding back a massive wave of despair and her eyes well with more tears.

I rub her back to try and soothe her trembling body.

"I am your friend. You do not have to hide from me," I tell her earnestly. She accidentally lets a broken sob escape and I squeeze her a little tighter. Maybe she just needs to know that I am here.

"I am here. I am not going to leave you, even if you try to make me. I am right here."

She finally gives up and breaks down. She brings her knees to her chest and cries loudly with her head pressed tightly against them. I hold on to her arm with one hand and rub her back with the other. She hiccups and sobs with such an intense sadness that tears spring to my eyes as well.

I let her cry for as long as she wants. I feel relieved that she trusts me enough to be vulnerable with me. Or maybe she just cannot hide the pain any longer.

I sing a soothing song under my breath to take some of her pain and let her feel my closeness. She cries harder at my voice. I cannot help but be reminded of Niobe, yet another mortal woman who was wronged by the gods.

She had 14 children that she loved dearly. In a lapse judgement, or so the stories say, she bragged that she was better than Leto because she had more children. I am sure that she did not say this exactly because the gods and titans are so finicky and dramatic, overreacting to the slightest words. When Apollo and Artemis heard what Niobe said, they killed all 14 of her sons and daughters in a fit of rage. Then Niobe's husband died. In one fell swoop, Niobe lost her entire family.

This is yet another story that the historians claim demonstrates the dangers of hubris. As someone born before the gods, I know the truth. This is not a story of righteousness and justice. It is a story of murder and pride. It is a story to highlight the strength and power of the gods. It is meant to instill fear into the mortals' hearts and force them to behave. Niobe was not an arrogant fool.

She was a loving mother. She was proud of her children and loved them more than she loved herself. She had always dreamed of having a big family. She struggled to have children for years, much to the disappointment of her husband. Afraid of letting him down and potentially being alone, she came to me.

She begged me to help her. She knew how I longed for a family and had heard of my powers of sorcery. After seeing her desperation, I took pity on her. I saw myself in that longing for a loving family. I was in hiding, knowing that Zeus was still looking to punish me for not betraying my father. In one last act of defiance against the gods, I blessed her with fertility. I sang of happy families, easy births, and healthy babies.

Her sudden fertility gave me away. People noticed her sudden pregnancies, one after another. By her third child, Zeus found me. He dragged me by the hair, kicking and screaming in front of the gods to determine my fate. I had heard of what they made my father do. I was terrified that I might be subjected to the same torture.

Instead, the gods laughed at me and claimed I was too weak to be a useful slave. They said all I was good for was finding my way into their beds, which was a complete lie. I refused Zeus's advances a few hundred years prior when he was but a mere teenager, seeing his arrogance and childishness immediately. He did not take kindly to my rejection. He spread venomous rumors about me, tarnishing my reputation and preventing any other man from approaching me for anything other than sex.

With a satisfied smirk on his face, he sentenced me to a life of loneliness. The other gods, also hearing the rumors Zeus spread, found this punishment hilarious. They laughed in my face and cast me aside like I was nothing.

In the coming years on Ogygia, I heard whispers of Niobe's pregnancies. My blessing worked a little too well and she gave birth to 14 children. I hoped that it would not bring her too much attention, but I fear that her punishment might have had something to do with Zeus's hatred for me.

A few months later, I heard of her family's murder. I cried that night, mourning her dreams that mirrored my own. I had hoped that she would get to live out her days with a beautiful family. I wanted her to have what I never would.

Niobe was ruined. She fell apart, heart ripped straight from her chest. Seeing her children killed right in front of her shattered her mind. She cried for a month straight. The gods wanted her to keep living with the punishment as an example of what happens when you challenge Olympus. After hearing her wails of despair for days on end, the gods became annoyed.

In what the history books call "an act of pity," Zeus turned her into a rock. We all knew why he really did it. He did not want the mortal woman whose life was ruined for fun to ruin the tranquility on Olympus. He wanted to shut her up.

Only, trapped in that rock form, Niobe still wept. Her tears sprung from that rock like a river. She cries to this day, tears streaming down a limestone cliff face at Mount Sipylus. I am yet to visit her, but I am not sure I will be able to handle the pain and rage that will become me when I see what the gods have done to her.

I swore to myself that I would end her suffering one day. I still have not acted on that promise, swept away with my own worries and desires. Yet another thing to make me more of a monster. I am just like those gods that renege on their promises to visit their children.

I will be here for Estrella in this moment though. I will not let her be swallowed by the pain that this life brings.

"Tell me what is hurting you, Estrella. Let me help you," I say soothingly, coaxing her out of her shell.

"You can't," she moans, choking on another sob.

"At least let me try. I do not want you to feel so much pain alone. I can help," I say, trying to hide the slight edge of desperation in my voice.

"Why would you want to? You don't have to keep pretending to be my friend. It just hurts more. I know I'm awful to be around."

"Why would I lie? What good do I have to try and fake befriend you? That makes no sense. I thought we were friends. Do you not want to be?" I ask. She finally raises her head and looks at me with red teary eyes.

"Of course I do. I always do. No one else ever does," she sniffles, sounding small and young. My heart constricts.

"I do."

"I don't believe you."

"Why not?"

"I... I-I... Why would you want to? I'm a terrible friend. I'm selfish, rude, blunt, and constantly have a bad attitude. I broke my promise to you and let Leo get captured."

"That was not your fault. I should never have put that blame on you. It is not your responsibility to protect Leo. You are so new to this world, we should all be protecting you. I do not blame you for Leo getting captured. There was honestly nothing you could have done."

"I knew something bad was going to happen... I tried to tell them, but nobody listened. I should have tried harder. I should have been taken, not Terra."

"You are learning. You are growing. You are still new to this. It was not your fault. I am worried about Leo, but I would never choose to put your life in danger to protect him. Neither would Terra. She would never want you to take her place. She cares about you too much," I explain.

"Terra wishes that she never met me."

I nearly laugh out loud. I have seen the way Terra and Estrella rely on each other. They are platonic soulmates. Estrella's words are ridiculous.

"Of course she does not. Why would you say that?"

"That's how I got Hecate out. When Piper and I got separated, I fell through the floor into a musty room. I thought I was alone but suddenly the room transformed, and I was hounded by Pseudologoi. They tortured and tricked me until I was able to see through their lies. I saw a door in the distance and my gut told me that it was important because of how the Pseudologoi seemed to be protecting it. When I got closer, they bombarded my mind with the agonizing pain of fire and snakes. I knew that the pain was not real, but it was so debilitating that I almost gave up. It felt like my mind was going to shatter," Estrella finally describes what happened back at the house and wraps her arms tighter around herself at the memories. I want to swaddle her in a blanket and lock her away where no mythological creature or god can reach her.

"I finally made it to the door and refused to back down as they fried my entire body with pain so intense that I nearly blacked out. Once they realized that I was not going to give up, they gave me a test. If I could determine which one of them was lying, I'd be able to get through the door by stabbing myself with a non-poisonous knife. When I saw the first two Pseudologoi morph into my dad and Terra I felt like I really had a chance. The third one was my mother. My father told me that he regrets being my father," she explains, her face pinched tight with pain and sorrow. Tears stream down her cheeks and she angrily wipes them away. I am confused because obviously that is the lie.

"Then my best friend told me she wishes she never met me."

My heart sinks at the realization. One of those statements from the Pseudologoi must be true. Must it though? Who is to say that the Pseudologoi are capable of telling any truth whatsoever. If so, it surely is not a full truth.

Estrella tips her face up to the night sky as if soaking up rays of the sun.

"My mother told me that she forgot I existed and does not want to be a part of my life."

Harsh... But not hard to believe.

"Can you guess which two were true?" she asks me, sadness turning into a quiet anger and hopeless depression. I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I realize why she has been so withdrawn. I do not even have to guess. I know the answer.

"You do not know the whole truth," I try, honestly lost for words for once. I do not know how to comfort her in this instance. How does one recover from this knowledge?

"And I suppose I never will," she laughs darkly, "Since my dad is dead."

She is not looking for comfort right now. She is angry. So, I stay silent.

After about a minute of silence, I look over and find her leaning back with her head tilted up at the stars. She looks confused yet quietly hopeful.

"Do you think it's possible that she might want to be in my life?"

Her small, innocent voice makes my eyes burn.

"Nobody can tell you except for her, Estrella. But she would be stupid not to. If I were her, I would be tripping over myself to watch over you. It would take all my strength to not be in your life," I tell her, and she looks at me like I am speaking a different language. Like she does not believe me.

"Why do you say shit like that? Does it make you feel good about yourself? Is it some sort of sick joke? I feel like the entire world is in on some joke and I'm the punchline. Every time I think I understand, I'm back on my ass with everyone laughing at me."

"I do not understand what you mean," I frown, unsure of what I said that made her upset. I can tell that she is angry, but I do not know why.

"Calypso, I know you're not stupid. Well, neither am I. I know that I'm really hard to like. I wish I could be all bubbly and nice to everyone like Terra is, but I'm not. I really try but I know I'll never be as good as her. So, I don't know why you're pretending to like me when you obviously don't."

My mouth gapes. Does she always think this way? How can such a caring person hate themself so much?

"You are right," I admit, and she looks at me with hurt, "Terra is like the sun. She is bright and warm and calls so many to her because of who she is. It is impossible to dislike her. That must be very difficult to live up to."

"What-"

"I am not finished. It is impossible to live up to her shine. If you try to be like her, you will only end up in her shadow. But you, Estrella, have a light of your own. You are like the moon. You may not shine as bright during the day, but in the darkness, you are like a beacon. People are drawn to you just as they are to the sun. But those that stare at the sun for too long go blind. The moon is gentle and captivating, drawing the attention of all the nocturnal creatures. It is smaller and less intense, but shines just the same. Just because you are different does not mean that you are less. I, for one, love to watch the moon as it blooms my moonlace."

She is silent for a moment, and I catch a slight tremble in her chin.

"S-so you're not lying?" her voice is small.

I grab her face and make sure that she sees my sincerity in full force.

"No, Estrella, I am not."

"You don't think I'm annoying or selfish or mean?"

"No. And even if you were, I would still see you. You would shine beneath all of that because you are good, Estrella. And you are allowed to feel unpleasant things. You are allowed to be angry or hurt or sad. You are allowed to make decisions for yourself that benefit you and nobody else. This is your life. I just feel lucky that our paths touched. I would be a fool to not see that."

She takes a shaky breath and sends me a teary smile so beautiful and raw and luminous that I just wish someday she can see how others see her. She deserves to know why she is so special. And in my entire existence I have never felt so sure of another woman. I have seen the world and the beauties it has to offer, both mortal and immortal, and never did I think I would find a woman that touches my heart in the way Estrella has in our short time knowing each other. In the soft, hidden recesses of my heart, she has wormed her way in and anchored herself to stay. If we survive this, I will make sure that she feels the love she deserves. She will never have to wonder if she is worthy of our friendship because I will make it known as long as I remain on this earth.

"We will figure this out together," I tell her earnestly, "Whatever those partial truths meant, I will be right alongside you."

"Thank you," she whispers, choked up with emotion, "I don't know what I did to deserve this, but I feel so lucky to know you. I just never thought you'd feel the same way."

"From the moment I saw you, I knew you were different. They used to say that true lovers were made of one human with four arms and legs, split because Zeus thought they were too powerful. The two halves spent their lives searching for their other half, or their soulmate. I am so grateful to have found Leo, but I do not think we are cut from the same human. I believe the theory was misinterpreted. I choose to believe that these perfect humans split in half led to powerful friendships, where both people have a level of understanding so deep and strong that they become platonic soulmates. The Greeks valued Philia above all other types of love. I never thought I would find someone like you."

"What if it's a trick?" she asks, "I mean, I barely know you."

"I know enough."

"So, you don't think what the Pseudologoi told me is true?"

Her question gives me pause. I have never actually met those spirits before, but I have heard enough to know what they do. Do I believe what they said? Honestly... yes. I have seen the regret plain on Terra's face multiple times.

"Not the entire truth. I think they meant to hurt you in any way they could. But... I can see where Terra is coming from. Or at least I can assume."

Estrella's look is of betrayal.

"I only mean that sometimes I feel the same way. As much as I feel seen by you, I do sometimes feel like you were destined for a life of pain and misery just by coming near me. The best thing for me to do would be to tell you to leave me and never come back. I assume that Terra occasionally feels that same guilt. It is becoming clear that you are destined for something more though, so I know it is not entirely my fault. Yet, I am selfish, and I chose to stay in your life. Like I said, this is your life. You must be willing to take risks for your happiness. Nobody will do it for you."

Finally, it seems as if I have broken through to her. She is very perceptive and can see the meaning of my words. Terra may wish she had never met Estrella, but it is obvious that she chose to ignore that guilt for love. As I also plan on doing.

It is not a concrete argument, but it is a small spark in the void of Estrella's sudden darkness. She was sinking, searching for anything to keep her afloat. Now she has a spark with the potential to grow into a raging inferno, banishing the darkness that the Pseudologoi plunged her into. I just hope our friendship gives her the oxygen to keep that flame burning.

"Thank you. I hope one day I can be as good of a friend as you have been to me. I don't deserve it," Estrella says, wiping her cheeks. I send her a disapproving glance and she smiles, embarrassed at herself. She knows how I feel about those type of statements. Estrella deserves the world and more.

"Sorry, I just feel so weak compared to you guys," she admits, getting up from the steps to kick around some of the snow, "I mean, I'm trying my hardest to catch up, but I don't think I'll ever be as strong as any of you."

A noise in the forest draws her attention for a moment and she squints to find the source but apparently does not see anything, so I keep speaking.

"You do not know it yet, but from the beginning I saw your potential. I told you right away that you were destined for greatness. You have no idea the power you hold. Take what you have just been through, for example. You saw through the lies of the Pseudologoi, spirits made entirely of lies. You withstood the pain they inflicted upon you and freed Hecate all on your own. That is not easy. I do not think many of us could have done that. Do not forget that you are special."

"I just wish I-ah!" suddenly as Estrella walks past a thicker tree, she is grabbed around the waist and yanked out of my sight. I am on my feet immediately, moving toward her and shouting her name. I stumble over rocks and roots hidden in the snow as I try to follow the sound of her voice. The sound leads me further into the dense forest, where the moonlight is blocked by the tangled branches above. Soon, I can barely see my own hand in front of my face.

"Cal-mmph!" Estrella's voice is muffled but I can still hear her struggling and shouting for me beneath a heavy hand. I never even saw what grabbed her.

When a heavy weight slams into my back, I go crashing to the forest floor and get a face full of snow. Something heavy pins me down but I wriggle frantically and manage to flip over to face the creature above me. A somewhat small cyclops who looks relatively young and inexperienced looms above my face, breathing rotten, putrid breath that assaults my nostrils. Estrella's sounds of struggle seem to be getting farther away and I am not sure if these monsters want to eat or capture us. Either way I must help her.

I hear a shout of pain and try to look in that direction, but as I turn back to face the monster above me, my cheekbone explodes in pain and my right eye fills with tears. Through my blurry vision, I see another sloppy fist coming toward my face and dodge it.

"Get off! What are you-ow!" I hear Estrella shout, and then at least two voices tell her to shut up. She needs my help now.

It seems that I was not the only one distracted by her shouting, as the cyclops above me with my arms pinned looks in her direction as well. His brief lapse in focus gives me an opening. As he looks back down at me to growl in my face, I slam my forehead into his nose with all my strength. He pulls back with a cry and brings both hands to his now bloody nose, leaving my arms unpinned.

Fool.

I rip a small knife from my belt and shove it up straight beneath his ribcage where I hope his heart is. I do not miss, as before the monster can even cry out, he bursts into dust. I am on my feet again, shouting for Estrella who I can still hear fighting and screaming. Between the darkness and blood dripping into my eyes from my forehead, I cannot see where I am going and run into yet another fist. This one catches me straight in the nose and I crumple to my knees as my nose crunches.

"Caly!" Estrella shouts, which reminds me that she can still in fact see in the dark, "Duck!"

I do not even hesitate, dropping to my stomach in the snow. Something whooshes past my head, just barely parting my hair. I hear whatever it was embed in a tree behind me.

"You missed."

I jump back to my feet, ignoring the blood gushing from my nose, and blindly feel around for the weapon that missed me. To my surprise and immense pleasure, I find a long spear embedded in the rough bark. Before whoever hit me can retreat, I swing my newly acquired weapon in a wide arc and smile when I hear a grunt of pain. I push them back with vicious stabs, aiming for any noise that my ears pick up.

"You idiots, she cannot see as well as we can! Just kill her already! And tie up the other," a woman's voice hisses, sounding vaguely snake-like. At this, Estrella's struggling increases. I hear a slap and a groan, followed by a soft thud, as if someone landed in the snow.

Another weapon flies at me, but I hear it just in time and manage to shift away just in time. It nicks my arm but is not enough to take me down just yet. Blood from my nose fills my throat and I spit it in the general direction of whoever threw the weapon. I smirk as the woman screams in outrage.

"Get-ah! Get off!" I hear Estrella growl and hear the faint sound of her pulling her blade from her boot. She swings it so harshly that it sings through the air, and I can just barely see the lighter flecks on her knife glowing in the darkness. She must get one good shot in as I hear the monster burst into dust. There must be more monsters here than I thought, as I hear at least two sneaking up behind me. I mutter a quick incantation, casting out my magic like a net to tell me where my enemies hide. Although I cannot see, I can sense them.

One monster sneaks around my right side, trying to catch me off guard, while the other approaches head on. Sensing that the one on my side is quicker, I throw my spear at the monster in front of me to buy time, then launch myself at the monster to my side. To my disappointment, I do not hear the other monster turn to dust.

The smaller, quicker monster is caught by surprise but not for long. I attack violently, my body fueled with fear and rage. Estrella seems to be fighting aggressively as well, as I hear the woman wail in pain and dissolve.

I tackle the smaller monster to the ground and stab it repeatedly until it crumbles beneath me. The larger monster roars in anger and before I can turn to defend myself, it wraps large hands around my throat and yanks me into the air. Immediately, my oxygen is cut off and I cough desperately as I feel my throat close. My arms and legs begin to go numb as the monster squeezes harder and I am scared that my neck will break with any more pressure. My eyes bulge as the blood in my head searches for somewhere to go.

With the remnants of my magic, I sense a smaller creature approaching rapidly. I cannot believe that this is how I will go out. I close my eyes as the second creature gets closer, ready to accept my fate.

Instead, as my lungs seize, painfully searching for oxygen, I realize that the quickly approaching figure is Estrella. A breeze rustles the leaves above us, allowing a crack of moonlight to shine through and illuminate Estrella as she leaps onto the back of the massive cyclops holding me. I briefly see that her hands are tied with rough rope as she wraps them around the monster's neck and squeezes tightly.

Her weight and momentum catch the monster off guard, and he stumbles, dropping me in the process. I cough and gasp as oxygen rushes back into my lungs, spitting a massive glob of red blood from my mouth. I am not sure I will ever get used to seeing that color come from me. In the few moments it takes me to regain my bearings, the monster does as well. It reaches behind itself and manages to grab hold of Estrella's long ponytail. She shouts in pain as the cyclops yanks her head roughly, nearly ripping her over his shoulder.

Before I can blink, a pool of blackness swallows them both up and spits them out a few feet away, where Estrella plants her feet against a tree and pushes off, sending them both sprawling to the ground. I lose sight of them in the darkness but hear the scuffle of them grappling. I know Estrella does not have a good chance of winning with her hands tied, even with her ability to see in the dark. After a few seconds, I hear the dull thud of a punch landing and Estrella cries out. Rage boils in my stomach and I get back to my feet, stumbling toward where I think they fight. I call upon a breeze to scatter the dense leaves above us to allow even the smallest amount of visibility.

I just barely get a glimpse of a dazed Estrella being thrown 10 feet and crashing against a thick oak tree. The crack of bone makes me flinch and Estrella falls to the ground at the base of the tree, motionless. Ignoring the monsters that now turn on me, I sprint to her side and survey the damage. The skin on her left temple is cracked and bleeding heavily, and her left arm is pinned underneath her, bent at an unnatural angle.

I recite a quick healing verse, just enough to stop the bleeding and she stirs with a small, pained whimper. When she sees my face, she looks both shocked and relieved before the pain sets in and she grimaces. I place a hand on her uninjured arm and suddenly the entire forest erupts in light so bright that I have to squint. Except, when I squint, the brightness does not dim. No, not brightness... Just a sudden absence of darkness.

I am shocked to see that at least 6 other Cyclopes and Dracaenas lurk in the shadows. We are severely outnumbered and down one fighter. When I look back down at Estrella, suddenly clear without darkness, my anger twists and expands in my stomach. Between her bruised face, ruined ponytail, wrists rubbed raw from the ropes, and broken arm, my anger seeps into my muscles like poison, devouring any sense of self-control. I feel power swirling deep inside, desperate to escape and kill anything that comes close. This time, I do not hold it back like I usually do.

I let it go.

In a blast of light that illuminates the forest even further, I let my power loose in a massive explosion of energy. The 3 monsters closest to us disintegrate immediately and the others are blown back, colliding with trees, and dying on impact. The biggest cyclops is blown back to harshly that he takes a tall tree down with him, creating a massive crash and an opening in the tangle of branches above. Moonlight illuminates the massacre, reminding me of why I do not let that much power loose at once.

It seems one of the monsters got lucky and escaped my wrath as Estrella suddenly lets loose a bloodcurdling scream. I whip around and find a wiry dracaena attempting to drag Estrella away, claws sunk into her shattered arm. I snarl at its boldness and stupidity, pouncing on it and ending its life with one merciless stab through the neck. It does not even get to scream before bursting into a cloud of golden dust.

My head swims with the effort of expending so much power at once and my legs go out from under me. As I fall, I catch a glimpse of Estrella's shocked and slightly wary face. I do not have time to explain myself as I fall unconscious not 3 feet away from her.

Now she knows what you really are. 

Chapter Text

Leo POV:

My name is Leo Valdez. I am from Texas. I am 18. I am a demigod. My name is Leo Valdez. I am from Texas. I am 18…

Deep breath, Leo… In and out…

Uh… 5 things I can see…

Rusty toilet, celestial bronze coated walls, camera in the corner, locked door, and… the burns on my arms.

No, Leo, think of something else. Ignore those.

Uh, Hazel’s muddy shoes.

Ok, 4 things you can feel.

Itchy sheets, the cold floor against my bare feet, a pulsing headache, and… the burns on my back.

No, not those. I can feel a dryness in my throat.

3 things you can hear.

Terra’s quiet breathing as she sleeps next to me, the leaky sink dripping, and guards chatting in the hallway. Probably plotting my death.

Dude.

I hear the creaky mattress as I shift.

2 things you can smell.

Easy. Body odor and sulfur. Someone should really call a plumber out here… If only I had my toolbelt.

1 thing you can taste.

I can taste remnants of the dirty water they let us drink. And the nasty film that’s forming on my teeth from lack of dental hygiene.

Too much info?

I sigh. My heart is still racing. I don’t know if it’s from the heat exhaustion or just a good old panic attack. After visiting Charon briefly I’ve been blessed with those. Sometimes I wonder if I’d have gone through with it all if someone had read me the terms and conditions. I needed one of those really long medicine commercials with thousands of possible side effects. Itchy palms, blurry vision, diarrhea, seizures, impending sense of doom, death… Maybe I would have reconsidered.

Oh, who am I kidding? The love of my life only for the price of mildly debilitating anxiety?

What a bargain!

I wonder how long this anxiety will last.

I mean, I’d probably have anxiety by this point anyway. Like, look at all my friends. They’re all kinds of messed up. Fighting an entire war before even getting a driver's license can do that to a person.

Fighting any war at all will do that to a person, Leo.

I shrug, agreeing with myself. He’s got a point.

The bed creaks again and I cringe. I’m the only one awake right now, after quite an eventful day. Percy finally woke up for a bit, Hazel nearly died, and Terra flashed an officer. Big day, indeed.

I, however, spent most of the day cowering in a corner. See, I’ve grown kind of attached to my girlfriend, mi amor, mi vida…

And don’t even get me started on the fun little experiments they’ve been running on me here. Fire never steered me wrong before, but now… Ed Sheeran from Hell (the creep called Matt) and Rambo (or Bimbo as Terra likes to call him) managed to find some way to make fire hurt me! What a revelation! (I’m sad)

Well, I’m giving them too much credit. I’m sure their steroid-loving, poker-playing, not-letting-the-water-get-in-between-their-butt-cheeks asses had nothing to do with the discovery. Someone with an IQ over 3 must have been responsible for that. Probably Mr. Idris Elba himself. I’ll be sure to thank Annabeth if we get out.

You know that’s not happening.

Little Leo is getting a little morbid up there. Chill out, buddy.

What frightens me most is the fact that they’ve had me work on some top-secret projects, utilizing my building/fixing/mechanic/engineer/fashion model/chef skills to further their mission. (I’m so talented)

Jokes aside, I’m not stupid. I mean, obviously. They wouldn’t expose me to top-secret material if they planned on letting me live…

I haven’t exactly told my friends about that little caveat. Instead, I’ve been wallowing in self-pity and slowly descending into madness. With Percy on the ropes and everything else going on, it just didn’t seem like the right time to talk about it. I mean, maybe they have a better chance of surviving. Sure, they seem to hate Percy and Terra even more than me, but maybe they’ll decide they’re too dumb to be helpful and will set them free.

You think they’re going to set the most powerful demigod of our generation free?

Wishful thinking, Leo. Wishful thinking. Maybe if I had a metal spoon…

Stop it.

I resist the increasingly tempting urge to rake my nails down my arms and itch the slowly scabbing burns. I’ve never dealt with burns of my own, but Terra assures me that scratching, especially in my current state of filth, will surely lead to infection. Burns suck. I feel like my skin is stretched so tight and everything feels hot. Like, my whole body burns with a fever as it fights to repair itself. It kind of makes me feel guilty for all the creatures I’ve burned before. I’d hate to go out like this.

As Calypso often reminds me, I had no other option. She thinks if she repeats it enough times it’ll get through my thick skull. Her words exactly.

I’m not sure.

As much as I laugh and joke, most people don’t know about the heart-wrenching guilt that keeps me up at night. After meeting so many good monsters, my silly brain decided to question my every kill. I know that most, if not all, of the creatures I’ve killed were going to kill me first if given the chance, but I can’t help but wonder if maybe they weren’t always this way. What if certain circumstances led them to side with Gaea? What if they were forced into it? Am I any better if I kill them?

As you can see, I have very healthy before-bed rituals that lead to plenty of restful sleep.

I know I’m probably not the only one of my friends to feel this way. I’m sure somewhere in Percy’s stupidly loyal and kind heart, he probably feels the same guilt, if not more. I don’t know how he keeps it all hidden. Especially after Annabeth left him.

I think I’d just head back to my buddy Charon’s place if Calypso left me. She’s my anchor. Without her, I’d be an absolute disaster. After everything I’ve been through, she holds me together. When I feel like giving up and burning the world down, she’s there with soothing words and reassuring touches. I’d give anything to feel her beautiful, soft carita again. The thought of her makes me want to push through the pain. Through the loneliness and fear. Just the slight chance that I’ll see her again.

I stare into the dark corner of the room, trying to ignore the shapes and shadows my paranoid, exhausted brain conjures. It’s just Percy, Terra, Hazel, and I in here. No one else. Just us.

Eventually, I give up on falling back asleep. I’ve survived on much less sleep before. I’ll be fine.

The exhaustion is wearing on me though, as every voice or noise in the hallway makes me jump. After ignoring it for a while, my heart stops beating so rapidly, and I just slouch against the wall. The floor is cold below me, cooling the burns along my legs that itch and ache.

The scientists ran so many tests on me that I lost count of the burns lacing my body. First, they drew blood and tried to find out what made me resistant to fire. While those two scientists were analyzing my blood, two more came in and began physical examinations. Bimbo insisted that they keep the celestial bronze handcuffs on, so obviously, my fire retardance did not work. I was instantly burned all over as they literally shoved me into a wall of flames. I nearly lost my glorious curls!

I’d never felt a pain like that before and was instantly reminded of my mother’s death. I’ll be needing to work through that with my therapist soon. Maybe she can do an in-prison visit. She is a daughter of Hermes after all. Maybe she could break in…

The night passes by excruciatingly slowly as I try to do anything to fall asleep. I count Bufords and Festuses, try to pray to my dad, watch Percy and Hazel sleep, making sure their chests continue to rise and fall, and most annoyingly, listen to any noise I can hear outside of our cell door. Nothing works so I just give up and lie down on the cold, hard floor and stare up at the ceiling. I stay there until the shift change bell wakes up my friends with a jolt. It must be 6 AM now. Doofus 1 and 2 will be back soon.

“What are you doing down there?” Terra asks, her voice scratchy and sleepy.

I glance up at her and shrug. My eyes feel so droopy and dry that I’m sure I look awful right now. We all do so what does it matter? We have more important things to worry about. Like the painful growling in my stomach. And Percy, who still looks weak and pained. His knee looks worryingly swollen and red after being aggravated by Bimbo last night. He must have told the other guards about our “insubordination,” because no dinner came. Percy needs food, that much is obvious. Now that he’s awake, he needs way more food and water than we’re getting. His gaunt, hollow face looks too sharp with the harsh shadows the overhead lights cast.

“Just reconsidering my life choices,” I joke, but there’s too much truth in it to land well. I’m sure we’ve all been doing that recently. Percy grunts out a pitiful excuse for a laugh, trying to make it seem like he found it funny. The laugh does not reach his eyes. They haven’t for a while.

When I force myself into a sitting position, my back creaks and twinges. Now I am reconsidering even more life choices.

“Your burns look like they’re starting to heal a bit,” Terra muses, leaning over the edge of the cot to inspect my forearm. She’s right – the previously open patches of raw skin have scabbed over. They burn less but make me feel stiffer when I try to move.

“What did they do?” Percy wonders, sounding both exhausted and angry. His eyes burn into mine, as if he can kill them through me.

“Don’t worry about it. Just some light experimentation,” I brush off, not wanting to rehash the traumatic details, “Nothing like yours, Slenderman.”

His face falls at the nickname and I curse myself. Why did you say that you idiot? Why can’t you shut up for like five minutes?

“Sorry,” I sigh, unable to hide my exhaustion as well, “Just kidding. You look great, Percy. Way more alive than yesterday.”

“Thanks,” he snaps, my words only digging me into a deeper hole. I decide shutting up is indeed my best option.

I look down at my hands folded in my lap, awkwardly playing with a loose string on the hem of my shirt. When I look back up, I find Hazel staring at me with her eyes narrowed as if in thought. I sit up a little straighter, spine going straight under the weight of her gaze. She doesn’t need to worry any more about me.

She looks up and down my arms and legs, monitoring the injuries and biting her lip. I shift again, uncomfortable in the awkward silence, but Hazel doesn’t say anything. She eventually looks away, but I can see the worry on her face. She sees something I’m trying to hide. Maybe I’m not doing a very good job at it.

“Do you think we’re gonna get breakfast?” Terra changes the subject, sitting up in her cot. Her cheekbone is painted with purple and red bruising from yesterday. It turns my stomach to acid and burns away any appetite I may have had.

“Hopefully,” I grumble, trying not to glance over at Percy. I fail. He catches my look and frowns.

“What are we gonna do about their threats?” Terra remembers, suddenly sounding much more solemn than before. I think being locked in here is taking its toll on all of us. The weight of feeling powerless is suffocating.

“Are you feeling better today? Strong enough for another extraction?” I ask, not brushing over what we know will happen. Percy pales at the thought and I can see the self-righteous side of him fighting to lie.

“Yeah, I’m feeling better today. Honestly, though, I’m not sure. I was at nearly full strength last time and thought I was going to die. If they go that hard again…”

“They won’t,” Hazel spits, sounding very unlike herself, “They need you. If they kill you, they’ll have to kill me too because I won’t give them a single freaking thing.”

I gasp dramatically at her strong use of profanity and put a scandalized hand over my heart. She blushes and glares at me while Percy stifles a small smile.

“Sorry,” she says meekly, “It’s just… How can a place like this exist? How could Idris turn against his own blood? It makes no sense.”

None of us have an answer for her.

“We’ll get out soon,” says Terra. I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her. I love her but she just hasn’t seen what we have. She hasn’t been exposed to the true darkness that these quests bring. Both at us and within us.

Percy tries to sit up and hisses in pain. Hazel helps him lean against the wall next to their bed and I notice a splotchy redness in his cheeks. He tries to flex his injured leg and his face goes grey instantly. Hazel pulls the blankets back and grimaces when she inspects the wound. I can see the bruised, inflamed skin from here.

“Percy Jackson,” Hazel fusses, “We asked how you were doing, and you didn’t think to mention that your knee is doubled in size. And you feel feverish.”

“I didn’t really notice a difference,” he grits, leaning his head back as he breathes through clenched teeth, “It hasn’t stopped hurting, and I didn’t notice a big difference, so I thought that was an improvement. And I was freezing before, so I just figured I was finally warming up.”

I bite back a retort. He’s obviously not well but come on. How can someone be so clueless? I can see why Annabeth frequently got annoyed with him.

Hazel signs exasperatedly and Percy begins to look more worried and annoyed with himself, trying to fight through the pain.

“N-no, I swear, it’s fine. I’m probably just nauseous from lack of food,” he stutters. Great. Another symptom he didn’t mention earlier.

“We need to call the doctor,” Hazel sighs, “Maybe they’ll push back the extraction.”

“Right,” I mumble under my breath and Hazel glares more fiercely at me this time. I get the memo. Enough, Leo.

At that exact moment, the door to our cell is ripped open by Mr. Ron Weasley who grins wickedly. Percy doesn’t even have the chance to pretend to be asleep before the ginger guard storms into the room.

“I knew I heard voices,” he snarls, “And well, would you look at that? Yo, Tyler, you owe me $20! I told you the bratty one was faking it!”

Bimbo comes stalking into our room with a sneer.

“Fine, Matt. But you still owe me $150 from our previous bets. That’ll make it $130 now.”

“Hey, I’ll take what I can get.”

“Since you’re obviously fine, let’s just get this over with. Maybe we can fit in 3 extractions today, hmm?” Tyler gets right up in Percy’s face with a dangerous smile, “I don’t like being lied to, Perseus. And I hate losing. So, you’re gonna come with me right now and explain to Idris why you made us waste precious resources waiting on you. This operation isn’t free, you know.”

Matt watches with a smirk as Tyler grabs Percy tightly by the collar of his shirt and roughly drags him from the bed. Percy tries to pry his hands away, to which Tyler releases one hand and hits him across the face with a loud smack.

“Don’t you ever put your hands on me, filthy freak,” Tyler spits as Percy’s head snaps to the side. Percy looks back up at him, cheek red and eye watering, with a barely restrained anger. I can see the muscles clenched tightly in his jaw as his eyes narrow to slits. He knows better than to respond.

“You’d have thought he’d learned his lesson by now,” Ed Sheeran sneers, looking at Percy with disgust. Tyler drags Percy to his feet and shoves him toward Matt. Percy tries to catch himself by putting weight on his bad leg, which immediately crumples beneath him. He collapses to the floor and lands hard on his knees, only further aggravating the injury. Under the immense pain, his arms give out too, and he nearly falls on his face.

This all happens in less than a second, but I watch in slow motion, the sounds around me fading into an incessant buzzing. I hear Hazel scream I think, but I can’t take my eyes off of Percy. He sucks in rapid, pained breaths that whistle concerningly in his lungs and forces himself to a sitting position. Grabbing his knee in agony, I watch his face go grey again and know what’s coming next.

Before Matt can scramble away, Percy leans over and vomits pure bile and water over his shoes.

“GOD DAMNIT! THESE ARE ONLY A MONTH OLD!” Matt screams. He kicks off the soiled sneakers and punts them straight at Percy’s head. Percy manages to dodge one of them but gets clocked with the second. It’s a pathetic sight, one that fills me with rage, but for some reason, I can’t move.

Now in his socks, Matt stalks forward, getting as close to Percy’s face as he dares.

“I’m going to kill you,” Matt says almost manically, his voice shaking with anger. As he raises a fist to strike Percy, I hear Hazel’s cry over the ringing in my ears.

“Please! He needs a doctor! Look at him! His knee is infected!” she sobs, then takes a deep breath and steels herself, “Won’t Idris be upset if his prize subject dies of something as easy to cure as an infection? It will be you two that he blames, not us. He’s not stupid. He needs Percy.”

Matt only snarls in her direction, but Tyler, the smarter of the two sees her reasoning. He chews on the inside of his cheek as he stares at Percy in disgust, then huffs out an angry breath. He knows she’s right. Before Matt can attack Percy, Tyler grabs his arm and pulls him away.

“Go get the doctor,” he orders, “And see if you can find a janitor. Now.”

“But-”

“You can do whatever you want once the doctor looks at him. Idris wanted them alive. Now go.”

With one more poisonous glance at Percy, Matt storms out of the room, feet slapping hilariously against the cement floor.

“Thank you,” Hazel whispers, and I think I see Tyler’s harsh mask falter for a split second, softening at her voice. He has the same dark skin with closely shaven curly brown hair. I must have imagined it though, as when I look back at his face, the same cold, angry mask remains.

“Don’t speak unless spoken to,” he says, but I don’t hear the same force behind the words. He almost looks tired.

“You better get your shit together,” he hisses at Percy, “Or Idris won’t bat an eye when Matt kills you. Next time, I won’t stop him.”

I can’t be imagining this. That almost sounded like a warning. Like maybe he didn’t want that to happen.

Before I can think too hard, he saunters out of the room and slams the door behind him.

Hazel leaps from her bed and crouches at Percy’s side. I feel like I still can’t move.

“Thanks,” Percy manages through his rapid breathing. He still looks pale and gray, but between the red handprint on his cheek and the hugely swollen knee, it’s clear that he’s worse off than we thought. Hazel grabs him under the arms and lugs him back to the bed, lying him down and ignoring his complaints and assurances. He tries to convince her that he’s fine, but she has none of it.

Terra busies herself with the pillows and blankets, nearly shoving me off of my cot to strip the sheets and roll them into a ball. She gently places the pillow and sheets under Percy’s knee as her best attempt at elevating it. He sends her a pained smile and she, like Hazel, brushes him off.

He glances over at me, and his eyebrows pinch upward in what looks like concern. I blink rapidly to try and break out of my daze and realize that there are tears in my eyes. I send him a hasty smile and rack my brain for anything to help break the awkward silence. I try to ignore the guilt that is eating my insides. You didn’t even attempt to help. Coward.

“Well, at least we got a free pair of shoes,” I try. Terra whips around to stare at me like I’ve grown two heads. Percy sends me a small grimace that is probably meant to be a smile, and my guilt only builds. I want to roll my eyes at myself.

“I don’t know, maybe we can use them. They have laces!” I realize and decide this is my best method of distraction. I’ve been craving something to do with my hands, so I run the foul-smelling shoes under the foul-smelling sink water until I’ve decided they smell marginally less bad. Once they’re clean-ish, I wring them out as best as I can and tear out the laces. I’m left with over six feet of string, which has endless possibilities. My mind whirs with possibilities of what I could make. Could I make something to help us escape?

Don’t be stupid.

The sneakers have 6 metal eyelets each that could also possibly be made into something. They’ve been very careful about not giving me anything to potentially pose a threat, especially as a son of Hephaestus, but by some stroke of luck, Tyler forgot to take the shoes away. Maybe he figured we’d be too exhausted to do anything with them.

I get to work prying the eyelets out with my suddenly brittle fingernails. I’ve never had issues with my nails, but the stress and lack of food and celestial bronze have made them weaker. Many of them crack and split as I jam them under the metal eyelets and try to pop them out. In my focus, I barely notice the soft knock on the door before it is slowly pushed open.

I hastily shove the wet shoes under the bed and try to hide them. My heart sinks as I expect Matt to come bursting inside, but instead, the shy, old man called Dr. Leighton peeks his head inside. Immediately, his nose wrinkles at our smell but he stills his face into a professional blank mask. I hear Tyler and Matt arguing in the hallway and tense up, as does the doctor.

“Come on man, let’s go see if lost and found has any more shoes. Dr. Leighton won’t take long, will he?” Tyler’s words are clearly laced with a treat toward Dr. Leighton, who nods rapidly. I hear their voices fade as Tyler leads Matt away and feel my shoulder droop in relief. The doctor seems to breathe more easily as well.

He opens the door a little wider and wheels in a medical cart full of supplies. I hungrily eye the needles, bandages, and basic surgical tools. They are foolish to leave us alone with these things.

If you steal a weapon, they’ll know it was the doctor’s fault.

That thought kills my excitement instantly. Am I willing to put this seemingly innocent man at risk for a feeble attempt at escape? He doesn’t seem to want to be here any more than we do. I’m ashamed of how heavily the “yes” flashes in my mind.

Without a word, Dr. Leighton heads over to Percy. First, he pulls out a thermometer gun and points it at Percy’s forehead. It flashes red and the doctor hums in his throat. Next, he pulls out a stethoscope and places the cold metal against Percy’s back, to which he flinches away.

“Stay still,” the doctor orders, “Deep breath in. And out. Hmm.”

We watch in silence as he continues to examine Percy. After listening to his breathing, the corners of Dr. Leighton’s lips pull down just the slightest.

“Is he sick?” Hazel pipes up, and the doctor jumps as if he forgot we were here as well. He has dark circles under his eyes and pronounced wrinkles on his forehead and eyes. Despite his quiet demeanor, his face still looks quite kind.

He turns to me, quickly looking down at my burns, then studies Hazel and Terra as well. With a hasty glance up at the camera in the corner of the room, he wheels the cart over to Hazel and Terra, handing them something quickly. Then he does the same for me. I look down to find a small, high-calorie protein bar in my hands. When I look back up at him, he’s already back with Percy.

“Eat. Quickly. Hand me the wrappers when you are done,” he instructs without turning around. I have a feeling this is not what he was told to do. Hazel, Terra, and I don’t hesitate, unwrapping the bars with ravenous hunger and devouring the much too-small snack in minutes. By the time we finish, Dr. Leighton is pulling out a syringe and a small vial.

“Anesthetic,” is all he says to Percy. Percy looks hesitant but doesn’t flinch away when the doctor carefully inserts the needle above his knee and pushes the plunger down. Then, he hands Percy a rather large pill and a small bottle of water.

“Antibiotics.”

Percy swallows the pill with some difficulty and then chugs down the water greedily. As we watch, the doctor rubs an alcoholic wipe across Percy’s knee and pulls out the surgical tools. Percy’s eyes grow wide as the doctor brings the knife to his skin.

“I am going to take the bullet out.”

Percy nods quickly and I wince as the doctor opens a small incision at the bullet wound. We watch with rapt attention as the doctor meticulously digs around with the forceps. Percy presses his lips together as he feels the strange, painful sensation. The anesthesia probably hasn’t kicked in fully yet.

The doctor finds the bullet and pulls it out carefully. Next, he begins stitching up the skin and finishes with a large bandage around his knee.

“I cannot do much to heal the fractured patella,” the doctor admits, “I will stabilize the leg as much as I can, but it will not heal unless you keep your weight off it.”

“I don’t have much choice, do I?” Percy shoots back. The doctor doesn’t respond, just sending him an apologetic frown. The knee is wrapped again with another, thicker layer of bandages until Percy’s leg is stiff and straight.

Finally, Dr. Leighton quickly assembles a makeshift IV, hanging the bag precariously from a bolt in the wall. I assume they would not let him give us an actual IV stand as that could potentially be used as a weapon. Smart.

Percy doesn’t even blink as the IV is inserted into his elbow and taped down. The bag of fluid looks somewhat milky and is much larger than others I’ve seen before.

“HPN, antibiotics, and pain medication,” he explains quickly, “High calorie and should fight the infection. Drink water. Get rest. Elevate the leg.”

He puts his hand out hastily for the wrappers as we hear Tyler and Matt approaching again. He shoves the wrappers in his pocket right before the door swings open.

“Thank you,” I whisper. He nods quickly and tosses a small tube onto my bed. I look down and find a mini burn gel, like Neosporin. As Matt storms inside, I hide it in my waistband and try to appear nonchalant.

“The fuck? So, he pukes on me and gets special treatment? I never agreed to this,” Matt complains, gesturing at the IV bag on the wall. It seems the pain meds are working already as Percy leans his head against the wall and fights his heavy eyelids.

“He had a severe infection,” the doctor explains calmly, “I simply administered antibiotics so he would not die and removed the bullet to prevent further infection. He should keep weight off the-”

“I don’t give a shit, he’s not here for vacation. These are terrorists. Go behind my back again and you’ll regret it,” Matt interrupts, fuming.

“Yes, sir,” the doctor replies.

“When can he do his next extraction?” Tyler asks.

“Whenever we want, Tyler, this guy doesn’t tell us what to do!” Matt snaps. The doctor’s face falls at the mention of another extraction.

“He is quite weak at the moment…”

“That’s not what he asked,” Matt spits, “When will whatever you gave him wear off?”

The doctor looks hesitant as he answers.

“Well, I suppose he will be more coherent in 4 to 6 hours. Though I would not recommend another extraction today.”

“Are you deaf? We didn’t ask for your recommendations. Get out,” Matt commands. The doctor doesn’t hesitate, wheeling his cart out of the room without another word. Matt whirls on Terra, who doesn’t even blink at his sharp glare. She just stares right back at him.

“You,” Matt barks, “Get up. Let’s go.”

With a quick glance at Percy, Terra gets to her feet quickly and walks out without struggling. I catch a tremble in her hands, but she stands strong and brushes past Matt without a word. He grinds his teeth and slams the door once Tyler and he exit the cell. As soon as the door slams shut, I feel like I can finally breathe again.

For the first time since being locked away, I begin to feel a dangerous spark of hope in my chest. I don’t say it out loud for fear that it will be extinguished like everything else I’ve tried, but Percy is looking better already. Slumped against Hazel, he breathes more steadily. His skin looks less papery thin with the liquid flowing through his veins and he almost looks peaceful as he drools on Hazel’s shoulder. Hopefully, he isn’t in pain anymore. If only the doctor could sneak us some ambrosia.

As we wait for Terra to come back, I rub the tiny tube of burn gel over nearly every square inch of my body and relish the cooling effect. My mind stays on Calypso the whole time, just wishing I could hear her voice for one minute.

By the time Terra comes back, she once again looks exhausted and pale. I’ve lost track of how many times she’s been experimented on, but I know it tallies higher than any of us. It’s starting to show too, with a thinning of her usually plump midsection and arms. Her clothing fits looser than before, and her hair looks greasy and tangled. She still hasn’t lost her smile though. I don’t know how she does it.

She’s the shortest of all of us, but her aura still feels like it takes up most of the room. She refuses to back down to the guards or anyone who threatens her.

A few more hours go by as Terra sleeps, and we do not receive any lunch. I’m not really surprised. Eventually, Percy’s pain meds begin to wear off and he wakes up slowly. At this point, the IV bag is empty, so Hazel helps him remove the needle and uses the residual tape as a makeshift bandage. He has more color than before, which is a good sign, and Hazel says his forehead doesn’t feel as hot. Now he just shivers. We assume his fever must have broken at some point and his body is now fighting off the residual bacteria and pain.

I can see the pain clear on his face as he tries to maneuver his way around the small room, building his strength in preparation for his upcoming extraction. He gulps down as much of the sink water as he can stomach and then just returns to the cot to wait for the inevitable return of Bimbo and Ronald McDonald.

This time, it’s only Tyler who comes in and orders Percy to come with him. He’s significantly less talkative as he watches Percy struggle out of bed and hop toward him on one leg. He doesn’t move to help though, just crossing his arms and watching impatiently. Hazel tries to plead with him, and he only sends her a fierce glance. When he leaves, he doesn’t shut the door as hard as he usually does and does not shove Percy. I’m not sure if I’m imagining things or if he’s suddenly less terrible to us.

Finally, my lack of sleep catches up to me and I lie down next to Terra. I don’t remember falling asleep, but I wake to the commotion of the cell door opening and Hazel shouting. Terra literally shoves me out of the cot and dumps me onto the dusty floor. When I finally blink the sleep and dust out of my eyes, I see Matt push Percy into the cell. Percy lands roughly on his side and weakly drags himself away from Matt.

Hazel springs out of bed and stands in front of him protectively, daring Matt to advance. As sweet as she is, there is just something about her that can seem menacing even without weapons. It’s rare that we see that darkness emerge, but now, as Percy bleeds below her, she looks powerful and enraged. Matt just sneers and takes a step around her to kick Percy in the leg.

“Hey!” Hazel shouts and shoves Matt back with both hands. Immediately, I’m on my feet with Terra, ready to pounce if Matt attacks Hazel. Without warning, he backhands her so hard that she trips over Percy and lands in a heap. I think I hear Tyler say something in the hallway, but I only see red as I tackle Matt around the waist. He’s much heavier and bulkier than me, but I manage to catch him off guard.

He hits his head against the wall as he falls and I use his momentary distraction to my advantage, digging my knees into his shoulders and slamming my fists into his nose over and over again. The ringing in my ears escalates into screeching but I can’t seem to stop myself.

Bright red blood, only just a few shades lighter than his hair flows from his now-broken nose and through his teeth. Something inside me rejoices at the sight. I want him to hurt. I want him to bleed.

I shift one of my knees to get a better angle but mistakenly let off the weight pinning his arm down. My vision explodes with light and splotches of black when something heavy slams into my head. Suddenly I’m on my back, my head pounding and the room spinning. Another heavy weight slams against my ribs and I struggle to breathe.

“Stop!” a voice that might belong to Terra pleads. Two more voices shout, and another hit lands against my stomach. I curl into a ball to try and protect my vital organs but no more hits land. I blink furiously to try and clear my vision and see Tyler dragging Matt out of the room. Matt looks rabid, nearly foaming at the mouth as he screams and spits in my direction. To my satisfaction, it looks like he might be missing a tooth.

“You’re dead! You’re dead! You better count your fucking minutes because tomorrow, you’re done for!” he screams all the way out into the hallway. When Tyler slams the door shut, the screaming becomes quieter, but I can still hear him for another 30 seconds or so. Or maybe that’s just the ringing in my ears.

“What the fuck was that, Leo? Now we’re screwed! He’s gonna kill you! Why would you do that?” Terra cries, hitting my shoulder with weak punches. Through my blurry vision, I think I see tears rolling down her cheeks. I grab my head with a groan and try to force myself to a sitting position. When I pull my hand away, of course, there’s blood. I feel some dripping down my scalp but it doesn’t feel too severe, so I hope most of the blood on my hands belongs to Matt.

“They’re gonna kill me anyway,” I mutter, tired of pretending.

“Maybe! But maybe not! Our friends are coming for us. We’re supposed to be stalling for time and staying alive! Why would you provoke the most unstable guard here?”

“They were going to kill me anyway, Terra,” I repeat.

“What do you mean? They need us alive obviously!”

“They’re not finding my powers very helpful or necessary. They gave up on the extractions already. They exposed me to top-secret information so I could build stuff for them. They wouldn’t show me that if there was a chance of me getting out of here alive, okay? Is that too difficult for you to understand?” I snap. The cell goes silent. I glance over Terra’s shoulder and find both Percy and Hazel staring at me.

“What?” Terra’s response is suddenly quiet.

“They’re gonna kill me anyway. He hurt you guys and I got tired of sitting back and watching. He doesn’t have the right to be like that. I won’t go silently. If they’re going to kill me, I might as well fight back while I can.”

With a sob, Terra pounces on me and squeezes me in an extremely tight hug. My ribs shriek at the pressure and a totally manly grunt of pain escapes me. (I whimpered)

“Sorry,” she pulls back, wiping her face, “Are you ok? Here, lie down on the bed.”

“I’m fine.”

“Leo…” she sucks in a shuddering breath and fixes her face into a teary scowl, “They’ll have to kill me too. I won’t let them… You’re not going to die. You’re gonna go home to Calypso and open up your shop and leave this shitty life behind. You will not die here.”

Tears well in my eyes at her conviction, and the disbelief that fills my heart. She means well but I don’t see any of that coming true anymore.

“Me too,” Hazel joins in, leaving Percy’s side for a moment, “I’ll fight for you like you do for us. We’re not leaving here without you. So, stop being an idiot, ok? You’re just as important as the rest of us.”

My heart aches at her words. Ah, the ever-familiar feeling of being lesser than my friends. In a place like this, I just can’t help but feel that way. What can I honestly contribute?

Terra can control some animals and grow grains, Hazel can control metals, the mist, shadow travel, and countless other things. And come on, Percy is Percy Jackson. He can literally pull water from himself in emergencies. He’d be crucial in preventing droughts. Hazel can make anyone rich. Terra can prevent famine. Prometheus already gave mortals fire. What could they possibly need me for?

Dr. Maria will kill me if she finds out I’ve been thinking this way.

“We need you,” Percy rasps, his voice no more than a whisper. His pasty, gaunt face is lined with concern, even with the split lip and left eye swollen shut. Seeing him, so broken and weak, barely hanging on to his consciousness, yet still worried for me breaks my nonchalant mask. The tears spring forth before I can stop them and roll down my cheeks. Terra grips my shoulder like a lifeline. The fear, pain, sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness that I’ve been hiding come pouring out to my friends. I don’t want to die. I want to see Calypso. I want to be with my friends for at least another 10 years. Preferably not in this cell, but I’ll take what I can get.

I’m not ready to leave them.

To nobody’s surprise, we are not given dinner. Once Hazel began cleaning Percy’s wounds, he passed out and hasn’t woken up since. Whatever they did wiped him out. Terra seems better after sleeping but still hisses with every movement. Hazel’s face is mildly swollen because of Matt but she stays awake at Percy’s side, monitoring him like a hawk. Terra falls back asleep at some point, but my nerves keep me up. Hazel and I speak quietly for a little until the door is wrenched open again and Tyler enters without a word.

His face is cold and emotionless as he approaches my cot. I’m ashamed to say that I try to scramble away, but he grabs my wrist with a vice-like grip and yanks me to my feet. I try to dig in my heels but he’s much stronger than I am, even if I wasn’t malnourished and injured. Terra wakes up with a gasp when Hazel starts questioning Tyler and grabs my other wrist to anchor me.

“Let. Go.”

He speaks quietly but without room for argument. Terra narrows her eyes to slits and grips on harder.

“What are you doing?” Hazel asks, her voice shaky. She rises to her feet as well.

“Let go. Don’t make me say it again.”

Hazel keeps asking questions to no avail. Terra does not release her grip in my arm. This is it. They’re going to kill me. My friends will never see me again. I look at both of them, pleading. They look back, their eyes wide with terror. Terra’s chest rises and falls rapidly, her breaths shaky and afraid. Hazel clenches her jaw and stares at Tyler in defiance. He looks anywhere but at her. Weird.

“Where are you taking him?” Terra asks, giving my arm a yank toward her. Tyler doesn’t budge and all that happens is that I feel like my shoulder might pop out. She holds my arm with both hands and presses her feet against the floor. She isn’t letting me go without a fight.

Tyler gets fed up and rips a gun from the holster at his side. With a terrifying click, he levels it at Terra’s face. To her credit, she doesn’t even blink.

“Do it,” she dares him, not taking his eyes off him. I can feel her arms trembling, but she holds firm.

“I’m not letting go,” she whispers, and I see tears pooling in her eyes.

“Please, he was just trying to protect me!” Hazel pleads, “Take me instead! It was my fault!”

“Shut up,” he hisses at her. Then he points the gun at Percy, who lies unconscious and utterly vulnerable. My heart leaps in my chest. No!

He clicks off the safety and presses his finger tighter on the trigger. A million images flash through my mind in an instant. Annabeth crying, Hazel attacking Tyler, a blue shroud being burned, Sally screaming. It’s all too much.

Hazel steps right in line of the gun, her eyes wild and angry.

“Don’t.”

He sighs and points the pistol straight at me. My breath freezes in my chest.

“I will kill him right here if you don’t let go right now. And then I’ll kill Percy,” he threatens Terra. She glares at him for a few moments, calling his bluff before deciding it’s not worth the risk. With an apologetic glance, she releases her grip on me. There’s nothing I can do.

A somber sense of calm washes over me. This is it. At least he has the mercy not to do it in front of them. I did this to myself. Now I just have to hope my friends have the chance to escape.

I’m sorry, I mouth at them as I’m pushed out of the room. The last thing I see before the door closes is Terra’s crestfallen face, tears streaming freely, and one hand outstretched toward me.

Tyler bodily drags me down the hallway and shoves me into a much smaller, barer cell with nothing inside. Not even a bed. No toilet, no sink, nothing. The floor and walls are coated with celestial bronze, to the point that it almost feels suffocating. There are no lights or ventilation other than the 3-millimeter gap beneath the door. Tyler leans down to speak menacingly in my face.

“You stirred up quite a bit of trouble earlier. Matt is more furious than I’ve ever seen him. I had to convince him not to break back in and kill you on the spot. I’m his friend but my words only go so far with him. Don’t put me in that position again. I don’t owe you things shit,” he mutters, barely loud enough for me to hear him. Kind of like he doesn’t want anyone else to hear him. His clenched fists shake with rage.

“You’re going to stay in solitary confinement until we decide what to do with you. If I were you, I’d shut up and pretend I didn’t exist. You don’t want to exist for what Matt has planned.”

With that, he slams the door shut and bolts it before I can reply. Why did he warn me? Why does he look so angry?

With the small crack under the door providing next to no light, the cramped cell is nearly pitch black. The air feels musty and heavy, settling heavily in my lungs. I blindly feel around for the wall and lean my back against it.

My head spins, thinking of every possible way they could kill me. When will they decide? How long do I have? What can I do? What will Calypso think? Is Terra going to get herself killed? How much longer will I have to stay in here? Will they let me out to go to the bathroom? Will they ever feed us again? Am I going to die in here? Will my friends forget about me?

The silence presses in until my thoughts seem to reverberate in my ears. I can hear my racing heart beating in my eardrums. Not knowing what will happen next is almost worse than being led to my death.

I’m sorry, mi amor.

Estrella POV:

Between the pain and shock coursing through my body, I can’t seem to move. As I lay on my side attempting to catch my breath, I stare at Calypso’s unconscious form in front of me. She’s bruised and battered, with blood dripping from her forehead and nose. Even disheveled and filthy, she manages to look ethereal and beautiful. It’s slightly unnerving.

Especially after I saw the extent of her power. Never have I seen a demonstration of strength like that, even from Percy or Jason. With a wave of her hands, she managed to kill everything around her with pure energy. I shudder at the image. That could have been me. No, she would never.

I feel guilty as soon as the thought crosses my mind. She would never judge or fear me for my dark powers. How is it fair that I question her after she selflessly saved my life? She was the first person to reassure me that dark power does not make you inherently evil. As long as you do what is right.

And she did. She fought with all her might to protect me from whatever those monsters were trying to do. Who knows what would have happened to me if they managed to drag me away? They tied my hands and tried to surround us so we couldn’t escape. Without Calypso, I’d probably be kidnapped. Or dead.

Still, as I watch her chest rise and fall, I can’t help but feel intimidated. I didn’t know she was so deadly. Not only her powers but the rage and violence I saw in her. She looked like a different person. Like a vengeful goddess.

She saved your life.

And why? To my shock, she admitted that she thinks we are destined to be close friends, but I still barely know her. As happy as I was to hear it, after having felt something different as well, I was still quite taken aback. What would Terra think? How is any of this possible? Is there such a thing as fate? Am I just using Calypso to fill the void that Terra’s words ripped open in me?

My mind whirls frantically, filling me with nauseating guilt. Or maybe it’s the concussion. Either way, I can’t seem to think straight and grow more confused by the second. The snow is beginning to seep through my clothing, bringing on a round of violent shivers that only aggravate my injuries further. I haven’t tried moving yet so I’m not sure how badly I’m hurt, but if the level of pain I’m feeling is indicative of anything, it isn’t good. I need Will.

“Caly,” I groan, trying to roll off my throbbing arm to no avail. My chest hurts too. And my back. And my head. Calypso doesn’t stir, so I curse under my breath. Up to me, I guess. Either freeze and die, or crawl back to the cabin. I’ll take my chances with option 2.

After 5 minutes of agonizing maneuvering, I manage to force my way to my knees. My left arm hangs limply at my side and my head spins rampantly. I feel cold and dizzy with the increasingly familiar sensation of blood loss.

I manage to brace myself against the trunk of the tree next to me with one arm but don’t have the strength to get to a standing position. If I try to crawl to the cabin, I will surely fail. My body will give up and I’ll probably just keel over and die in the snow. Dramatic.

I still feel some remnants of power pumping through my blood with the quickly-leaving adrenaline and cling to it like a lifeline. Shadow travel is my best option right now. I close my eyes and imagine the darkness pooling beneath me as I did with the monster earlier. I grow dizzier by the second as it solidifies until I fall through it. Rather than walking in the shadows like I normally do, I almost tumble through the blackness. The shadows guide me along, at my beck and call, but my head is scrambled, and I can barely picture where I want to go. I picture the dusty cabin bedroom I just barely got a glimpse of and try to guide myself there. When I feel like I’m close enough, the shadows open up and almost spit me out.

I fall face-first into a brittle, splintered bookshelf and can only yelp as the shelves collapse on top of me, spilling heavy books, random knickknacks, and other oddities. The crash sounds deafening in the silence, and I hear Nico and Will scramble out of bed.

“What in the world?” Will cries, tearing the blankets off his tangled legs. I choke on dust and hiss in pain as my skin is splintered by tiny flecks of wood and bruised by sharp book corners.

“Owww,” is all I can manage, my head pounding intensely. My vision flickers for a moment.

“Estrella?” Nico questions, stepping closer to investigate. I don’t have the energy to untangle myself from the mess and just try to blink the debris from my eyes.

“Mhmm,” I hum back, scrunching up my face as another agonizing wave of pain passes through me. I don’t know how I’m still conscious. I suppose this pales in comparison to what I went through with the Pseudologoi, but this pain is real, and I need help now. So does Calypso.

“What happened? Are you ok?” Will asks, kneeling down next to me and avoiding the mess.

“Can you… get Calypso?” I whisper in Nico’s general direction, my vision too blurry to fully make him out, “In the woods… Residual darkness you can… track.”

He disappears in an instant, melting into the shadows in the corner of the room. Will carefully moves a few heavy books and shelves from on top of me and grumbles to himself. I think I catch something like “even cuddle for 5 minutes,” but in all honesty, I could be imagining it.

“Hang on, I need light. Can barely see you,” he mutters and steps away to light a precariously balanced oil lantern. It’s surprisingly bright compared to the pitch-black forest, and I squint my eyes as my brain screams at me.

“What?” he speaks to himself as he takes in my injuries. He still doesn’t seem fully awake but switches to his doctor mode anyway. Thankfully, he can tell that I am in no condition to explain what happened and just sets out on healing me. My head thumps backward against the wall as I let the relief flow through my body. I close my eyes and try not to flinch when he pokes and prods at my injuries. When something snaps in my arm I wince and bite back tears.

At some point, I hear Nico return and my mind briefly returns to my worry for Calypso before another sting of pain forces me to focus on myself. I lose track of time, eyes drooping with exhaustion, and fall in and out of restless sleep. Each time my head lolls, a rod of pain lances through my skull. Will leaves my side to deal with Calypso for some time, but his hands on my head briefly wake me up again.

I feel like I’m in and out of a dream as my body slowly heals. The next time I wake, I’m on the couch and Piper sleeps on the floor where Calypso and I previously laid. My body feels marginally better but is still heavy with aches and pain. I feel warm inside and fall back asleep.

When I finally come to, the cabin is bright with cool morning sunlight. It streams through the windows, catching patches of dust and small wisps of smoke from the furnace in what almost looks like a solid light grey curtain. I stare at it for a moment, wondering how on earth I got there and why my arm is in a sling.

As I grow more aware of my surroundings, I hear Piper and Calypso speaking quietly in the kitchen and birds chirping melodiously outside of the hazy old window. It’s almost too peaceful. I’m utterly lost.

It takes me a few minutes to remember how I got here and what happened yesterday. Wow, what an eventful day. Almost died at least 4 times. Who’s counting though?

As I remember what I learned from the Pseudologoi, where my best friend is, and how dire our situation is, it almost feels wrong to have such a beautiful morning. The sky is a pale blue with only a few streaky clouds. I see icicles glistening on the lip of the roof above the window, and snow glittering on the branches of trees. It’s lovely.

I sit up slowly, groaning at the soreness present in my entire body. I feel like I ran a marathon, then got hit by a truck, then fell off a cliff. In other words, I feel fantastic.

Calypso and Piper’s conversation halts immediately as I look over at them, instantly jealous of how gorgeous they look. The two of them could take over the world if they wanted. Pretty privilege is real, and they most definitely deserve it. Even with small weary bags under their eyes and tangled hair, they look so annoyingly beautiful. I remember why I play both fields. How could you not?

Calypso’s face is perfectly healed, with not one trace of a struggle last night, besides the slight slump in her shoulders. She looks tired, but you wouldn’t guess that she nearly killed herself with power the night before. Piper, on the other hand, looks like she slept a little too well. She looks like she got in a fight with her pillow and won, her clothes wrinkled and frumpy, and her hair sticking in every direction. I can still see the outline of the pillowcase on one cheek.

“You’re up!” Piper chirps, padding over to the couch. I scoot over a little to give her some room, but she still sits uncomfortably close, her arm brushing mine, “How are you feeling? Last night was crazy! I woke up when you destroyed that bookcase and found you covered in blood. Then Calypso came back, and Will looked so stressed out. I didn’t even know you guys left. Caly told me all about it, that must have been scary. I mean, you could see but it sounds like they were targeting-”

“Why not let her wake up a little first, hmm, Piper?” Calypso calls from the kitchen. When I meet her eyes, I try not to falter after what I watched last night. She saved my life. You should be grateful.

Still, something about the whole situation gives me pause. How could she keep that amount of power hidden? To kill 6 monsters at once… It was scary.

She must see the debate on my face because her smile falls slightly. Guilt surges in my chest and I try to wipe any hesitation from my face. I’m so grateful for her support and I need to snap out of whatever is bugging me. You can trust her.

“Sorry, just a little disoriented. I don’t exactly know how I got here,” I force a breathy laugh. Calypso nods understandingly, but I can see the hurt linger. Idiot. You can’t do anything right.

Will walks out at that exact moment, looking just as disheveled as Piper, but much less rested. In fact, he looks grumpy and annoyed at the world. Nico trails along behind him rubbing his eyes and yawning. When Will spots me sitting up, he sets his shoulders and stomps over to the couch. He nearly shoves Piper away as he takes her seat next to me and begins scrutinizing me. I feel suddenly self-conscious under his gaze, but he doesn’t say anything or make any indication of noticing. Piper leaves to join Nico and Calypso in the kitchen, and with Will’s un-sunny disposition, I kind of wish that I could join them as well.

“How are you feeling?” he grumbles, not even trying to mask his annoyance. He’s completely justified in being annoyed at me as I put myself in danger multiple times after he told me to rest and then made him heal me in the middle of the night. I don’t blame him. Instead, I feel immense guilt. It manifests as a tight heaviness in my sternum, right below my collarbones.

“I’m really sorry about last night,” I blurt, shame painting my face an embarrassing shade of crimson, “I should have listened to you and kept myself out of danger and just rested so I didn’t jeopardize Calypso’s life or the wellbeing of this group. It was selfish of me to do that and to ask you to heal me after being so stupid. And I’m sorry I disregarded you and Nico’s privacy like that. I couldn’t really control where I was going.”

Will’s annoyed frown slowly morphs into a baffled, bewildered expression. As I ramble, he opens and closes his mouth like he wants to say something but can’t find the words. Finally, he interrupts me.

“Woah woah woah, what? I meant like how are you feeling physically…”

“I know, I-I just wanted to apologi-”

“Why??? I’m not mad at you. I just wanted to check up on you,” he puzzles, looking at me quizzically. After the emotional rollercoaster that was yesterday, I feel especially volatile today and already feel tears threatening to fill my eyes. I take a breath to steady myself.

“Sorry,” I apologize again, “I just felt guilty about everything that happened yesterday. I didn’t mean to impose on your privacy and take advantage of you, you know? I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me so far. I mean, I’d probably be dead if not for you.”

“Most definitely,” he agrees, still looking quite confused, but mildly pleased, “But that’s my job. I don’t have much else to bring to the table, unlike you guys, so I try to do as much as I can. Selfishly, healing you guys makes me feel good about myself too, so don’t feel guilty. And trust me, as a demigod, you’ll get used to a lack of privacy pretty soon. I haven’t had privacy since I was claimed, unfortunately.”

“Well, I want to be sure that you guys feel comfortable around me. I need to respect those boundaries and be more of a team player. And I just wanted to say thank you for being so patient with me. I know I’m a difficult patient. I trust your word and I’ll do my best to follow your advice. I’m sorry for making you do more work than you need to.”

His eyebrows raise as he takes in my words, but his grumpiness seems to fade. Instead, he sends me a small smile and shakes his head.

“You don’t need to apologize, Estrella,” he tells me quietly, “But I accept your apology. If only your friends could think the same way. The amount of injuries we could prevent if only people heeded by advice… Anyway, don’t worry about it. Seriously. And thank you. I don’t feel like you invaded my privacy if that makes you feel better. As soon as I saw you, I knew you had no control over where you went. In fact, I’m not sure how you were even able to move with your injuries. How are those feeling this morning?”

I look down at my sling and try to move my arm. It feels stiff and weak with a dull ache, but I’m able to straighten it a bit past 90 degrees. Will nods as he watches, then feels along the joint and forearm, lips pressed together in concentration. I notice that his palms look slightly red and irritated for some reason. A small burst of healing light lessens the ache in my arm but Will hisses under his breath. He shakes out his hands and frowns.

“Are you ok?” I ask, watching him wipe his hands on his pants. He just waves off my question and inspects my temple where I can feel blood crusted in my hair. The skin is healed over and pain-free, but I can still feel the residual nausea of a concussion.

“Your arm was severely fractured but after I set it last night it should heal up pretty quickly. Try not to move it. You also had a fractured rib and strained muscles in your back that should be fully healed by now. With the blood loss, we gave you quite a bit of ambrosia last night and didn’t want to overdo it. You should be good for a little more now,” Will explains, reminding me of each of my injuries. As he points them out, I feel an ache in each spot, unsure of whether it’s just my mind or if they actually still hurt.

Pain has become so common the last few days that I’ve begun to doubt if any of it is real.

“I tried to convince everyone to delay our trip another day so both you and Nico could get some more rest, but they shut me down,” he glares in their direction, and I figure that must be part of why he was so upset this morning, “So don’t overdo it, ok? If we get to Richmond and find our friends in trouble, we’ll need you to be able to help. Don’t push yourself. Let Nico help.”

I nod, ready to act on my promise and heed his instructions. He leans in a bit closer and lowers his voice.

“But please… don’t let him tire himself out either. He’s always trying to do too much. He really scared me when we were breaking you guys out,” he whispers to me. I meet his eyes and see the slightly desperate edge in them. I’m sure I’d feel the same way about someone I loved like that.

“I’ll do my best,” I promise, “I won’t let the shadows try to become him. They’ll listen to me.”

“Thank you,” he breathes, and his shoulders loosen just the slightest bit. I frown as I realize just how stressed he looks. He looks as beat up and exhausted as I feel.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” I ask as quietly as I can, not wanting to embarrass him. I narrow my eyes just the tiniest bit to let him know I see something. He chews his cheek as he considers his response before glancing at the kitchen and making sure nobody is listening. It seems as if Calypso has given Nico the task of washing fruit, and Piper heckles him by the sink. Calypso stirs a pot of something on the stove with no indication of listening other than her stiff posture. She could be straining to listen, but after what I’ve learned about her, I doubt there is much I could do to make her stop listening.

Finally, Will gives up and decides to talk. I figure it’s easier to tell me things as I feel more like a stranger. There’s less consequence of telling me secrets because who would I tell?

“I’m fine,” he begins, glancing out the window rather than looking me in the eyes, “I just… It’s been a lot of healing. I think something about healing the wounds inflicted by weapons meant to hurt us is hurting me too. I feel… weaker? Like, I’ve worked on multiple warzones, healing hundreds of people without this ever happening.”

He turns his palms face up and I see the full extent of the redness. His hands are inflamed and puffy, and look slightly clawed, almost like they’re cramping. They shake as he tries to straighten out his fingers and he clenches his jaw.

“How long have they been like this?” I whisper, leaning closer to inspect the skin. It feels hot to the touch.

“I’m not sure. In the spur of the moment, I didn’t notice it much, but when I healed Nico first it felt tingly. Kind of like I fell asleep on my arm and got pins and needles. Then I healed you and the tingling kind of shifted to the burning that it is now.”

I hiss in sympathetic pain for him and cringe.

“Sorry,” I wince.

“They haven’t really gotten worse since. It just feels like the burning hasn’t stopped. I feel it more when I’m healing obviously, but it’s not intensifying. I’m just not healing as quickly as I should be. I’ve just been doing a lot of healing others recently,” he explains, ignoring my apology. I grimace again at the thought of how many times he’s had to heal me in the last few days. Too many.

“Well, we need you more than anyone,” I say seriously, and he scoffs, “So maybe you should take your own advice and rest. No more healing without ambrosia or nectar. I can help with basic first aid too. My dad was a nurse and taught me a bit.”

He nods, seeing that I might be right.

“I’ve taught Nico some as well,” he adds, glaring down at his palms, “But you’re probably right.”

“Nurse’s orders,” I joke. He salutes me and hands me a square of ambrosia. I’m not in too much pain so I split it and give him the other half. As we cheers each other I can’t help but feel like maybe I’m making a bit of a breakthrough.

Each time I think I’m making progress though, my brain tries to tell me that everyone else is pretending to like me. I feel like we’re both acting in a play, and I didn’t get the full script. Soon enough I’m going to find out that my character is the butt of the joke, and everyone is laughing at me, not with me.

Will sends me a small smile and gives my shoulder a little squeeze as he gets up from the couch and tries to sneak up on Nico. I try to reassure myself that this is in fact real and that maybe not everyone hates me. With what I learned yesterday though, that is yet to be determined.

My stomach sinks again at the thought, but I force it from my mind. Even if Terra wants nothing to do with me, I’m not going to leave her to die. I’m going to do everything in my power to save her. And if I’m going to be a team player, I need to ignore my self-pity and depression. These thoughts benefit no one.

“Let us eat and discuss today’s plan,” Calypso suggests from the kitchen, and we all join her at the rectangular table. I fold my legs under me as I sit on the rough wooden bench next to Piper and wrap a blanket tight around my shoulders. Piper gives my shoulder a friendly nudge and I lean into her purely for warmth. Definitely not in a mild form of affection. I’m not the touchiest person, but Terra’s absence has left a surprising urge to be near others.

Calypso lugs a steaming pot of cinnamon oatmeal to the table and doles out heaping portions to all of us. Even picking up a spoonful of the gluey mixture makes my arm quiver, highlighting just how weak I am. Calypso and I lock eyes across the table, and I clench my fist to try and still the slight tremors. She watches me for a second longer, trying to read the thoughts on my face. I try to hide them behind a blank mask to prevent either of us from getting hurt. I’ve never been very good at hiding my thoughts.

She does the same, picking up a spoonful of oatmeal and jamming it in her mouth with slightly less of her usual grace. Something is bothering her too. Maybe it’s me. Probably.

I get lost in my thoughts again as the table discusses the plan for today. Will and Calypso agree to sneak out before we leave to find more suitable, less bloody clothing for us to change into before heading to Richmond. Nico and I are instructed to hydrate and build our strength before the short journey, and Piper decides to discretely check and see if the mist is back.

While they’re gone, Nico goes about packing up our stuff and I take an abysmally cold shower outside in the snow. The cabin has a rusty makeshift shower that must be filled with freezing water from the well a few yards away. It takes me 8 trips before I decide that it will have to be a quick shower as I’m already shivering.

I precariously dump the buckets into a dirty trough trying not to immediately spill them over my head. Once my arms tremble so violently that I almost drop the 8^th bucket and the trough sounds nearly half full, I strip out of my (Mateo’s) ruined clothing and wiggle my way beneath the improvised showerhead. The provisional shower is merely a large trough with holes poked in the bottom hoisted up just high enough to let someone short crouch beneath.

When I remove the plank covering the holes, frigid water begins to trickle down. I know I have 5 minutes at most before the water runs out, so I squat so low that my quads shake and waddle my way beneath the stream of water. Immediately, an unintentional yelp escapes me, and my body is covered in goosebumps. Nico hears my whimpers and comes out to make sure I’m ok, but I shout for him to go back inside and avert his eyes.

I just barely catch his pale cheeks flush before his shaggy head of black hair disappears around the corner. I’m not sure who is more embarrassed, but I know without speaking that neither of us will ever utter a word about this. Nico seeing me naked was not on my bingo card for this year. And we’re not even a month in…

With frozen fingers, I hastily scrub crusted blood from my body and attempt to untangle the nest that I once called hair. It proves fruitless and I give up, wrapping the matted mess into a wet bun that drips cold water down my neck and makes me shudder intermittently. By the time I finish, Calypso and Will return with Piper not far behind, the latter whistling suggestively as I hide behind Calypso and yank on clean undergarments. When my toes feel like they will fall off at any second, I shuffle my way inside and finish dressing in front of the furnace. I try to ignore the fact that Nico now refuses to make eye contact and Piper simply will not stop. As a shy, rather self-conscious (I’d say normal) person, this is like my nightmare.

Piper laughs as I unroll my turtleneck up to my chin, so I summon a small puddle of shadows beneath her feet and dump her into a pile of snow outside. She shrieks when she lands, and I hear Nico chuckle under his breath involuntarily. I whip my head to look at him incredulously and he holds a small smile on his face for a second before averting his eyes again. Seeing his smile, no matter how small or hidden, feels like a coveted thing. He looks almost angelic with his smooth pale skin and gracefully long limbs.

I hide my own smile as Piper stalks back inside brushing snow from her hair. I raise my eyebrow innocently at her and she glares at me.

“I see your powers are progressing,” she sneers, and I give her an innocent shrug.

“Learned about that one last night,” I provide, rubbing my hands together in front of the furnace. Nico drops a thick pair of socks on my shoulder and tosses another log into the fire.

“Well, I’m so glad to see that you’ve mastered it already.”

“Could be useful,” Nico adds, to which Piper sends him a scowl.

“Thanks, Nico,” I say as I pull on the socks and lace up my surprisingly worn pair of boots.

“Yep,” he says over his shoulder, then tosses me an orange to snack on before we leave. It seems like we’ve come to an unspoken agreement to look out for each other with our powers intersecting so closely.

If only I could talk to ghosts too… Maybe I could say goodbye to my family.

I peel the orange with fingers that are yet to thaw completely and don’t protest when Piper steals one of the segments. I was expecting it. I toss one half of the orange back to Nico who looks like he might refuse but reconsiders when he sees my face. He reluctantly pops one piece into his mouth, and I turn back to the fire, satisfied. I feel like my abuelita pushing fruit on people. She would get so mad if I ever tried to refuse her cut-up frutas.

I’m sure if I hissed “cómetelo!” at him, he’d probably still understand with his Italian background. I’ll keep that in mind.

“Alright, are we all ready to go soon?” Will asks as he and Calypso trudge back inside, their cheeks flushed from the biting cold. Calypso lugs a bronze suitcase behind her, which I realize must be the bronze dragon she arrived on. In favor of sticking together, we decided to just bring the dragon with us rather than have her travel to Richmond alone. I wanted to argue that she is plenty capable based on what I saw last night but I kept my mouth shut. I’d prefer to have us with us in case things go south in Virginia.

“I’m ready,” Nico announces, handing Will one of the bags we managed to ~borrow~ and stuff with our old clothes and basic snacks, “Are you good to go, Estrella?”

At my name, I push myself to my feet and yank on a pair of gloves. Piper helps me pull my good arm through my coat, then zips it over the other arm in a sling. I won’t need it for shadow travel anyway so might as well keep it warm and cozy.

“Yep,” I reply, and we gather in the kitchen. We’re not sure what to expect once we arrive so we take a moment to compose ourselves. Piper managed to reach Jason through a somewhat blurry iris message earlier, where we learned that they successfully managed to infiltrate the facility and get the blueprint they needed. Annabeth was injured but recuperated during their long drive to Richmond, lengthened by their efforts to lose their pursuers. Their drive took double what it needed to as they turned to winding surface streets and a roundabout journey so as to not broadcast where they were headed.

When Piper spoke to them last, it sounded like they had dodged most of the people following them but attracted much more attention during their escape than planned. This time, we most definitely looked like the enemies, as we were breaking in rather than out. Now it will only be more difficult to convince the public that we are not a threat. Now that the entire nation is on high alert, Richmond will be difficult to remain unseen in. Annabeth assured us that she knows how to remain hidden, which we don’t doubt.

They listed off a set of coordinates to meet at which would usually be useless to me, but with my newfound powers in the shadows, provide a helpful guide.

“Will and Piper, you must be prepared to fight if necessary once we arrive. This many powerful demigods in one place are bound to draw attention, whether that be monsters or mortals. We must remain vigilant. I will not be caught off guard again,” Calypso instructs, looking angry yet solemn. The closer we get to rescuing our friends, the more difficult it will be to remain calm and rational. We must keep our heads.

“I will. And Jason knows we are coming. He’ll help us if anything goes wrong. It’ll be fine. We’re almost there, Caly. We’ll get him back,” Piper assures her in a soothing voice. Like usual, her words sound like they are spoken into law. She speaks the truth, no matter what she says. She could convince me to end my life right now and I wouldn’t bat an eye. It’s kind of terrifying.

Calypso just swallows heavily and nods. Nico grabs my good hand while Piper grabs onto my shoulder. Will grabs hold of Nico’s other side, and Calypso completes the circle, grabbing both Piper and Will’s hands. We all meet eyes feeling grim yet determined. We were granted a rare respite with this cabin. Going forward, there are no guarantees that we make it out alive. We may not survive the night.

My body is flooded with adrenaline and anxiety at the thought. I feel like Moros is breathing down my neck, painting my mind with a thick layer of doom. I don’t know how Percy and the others do it. To be subjected to this awful feeling, to know that your life is in danger yet you must push forward regardless… it’s draining. It’s horrific. I cannot imagine putting myself through this willingly. I never signed up to be a soldier. I am not made of stone like these people around me. I am made of cotton. I would be so easy to destroy.

They haven’t destroyed you yet.

I quiet my mind with a deep breath and look over at Nico. He looks stony and prepared. I can almost see my inexperience and tension reflected in his eyes. He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze and I shoot him a tight-lipped smile. Ready? he mouths. I give him a curt nod.

I slide my eyes shut and call to the shadows. I pull on that elastic band of power inside of me and can feel the weakness, kind of like it’s been stretched out of shape and hasn’t been given time to tighten fully. It takes extra effort to feel the same tension that gives rise to power, but after a second or two it comes, the air in front of us condensing into a wall of dark, wispy shadows. I keep my eyes closed to maintain concentration and let Nico guide us into the darkness.

The shadows fall over me like a veil. My tired, sore muscles resist for just a moment before I once again absorb them. I feel some of them clinging to Nico stubbornly, trying to infiltrate his mind and body but I call them back to me. I try to part the shadows that block his way and let them propel us forward but already my entire body burns with exertion. If not for the added strength, I would sink to the floor.

Nico must feel my growing weakness because he pulls my arm closer and grips me more tightly. I allow him to pull me along as I focus on the shadows and our location in relation to the world around us. As my exhaustion grows, my body begins to fight the shadows for control. My power weakens and my body mistakes it for something foreign, trying to expel it. I shudder as my body fights itself and a few of the shadows escape back to Nico. I can sense that they don’t like being manipulated by anyone other than my bloodline.

Finally, we approach the coordinates Annabeth provided and I give Nico two warning squeezes. With one final push, I draw the shadows from him as he pulls us back into the overly bright daylight. Our aim is slightly off, and it feels like the shadows spit us out into a dirty alleyway lined with trash. I trip over an old blue plastic crate and go crashing to the floor, dragging Piper down with me. Nico doesn’t let go of my hand soon enough, so I’m left without a way to catch myself, falling face-first into a dirty pile of slush with Piper landing on top of me.

I must black out for a moment because when I come to, I’m face up, my face clear of mucky ice water. I blink in confusion and try to sit up before Will pushes me back down.

“Wait, just lie still for a moment. Catch your bearings. Let your body recuperate for a moment,” Will demands, and I realize that I’m still shuddering violently. My muscles burn like I was frozen solid and then dunked into a vat of boiling water. My head pounds and throbs and my injured arm feels like it may have been aggravated when I fell on it.

Will tips a canteen of nectar against my lips and I try to drink in moderation. My stomach growls and twists with such an intense hunger that I have to close my mouth so I don’t try and chug the nectar. The buttery, coconutty drink soothes my sore throat and calms my stomach just the slightest bit.

“Is Nico ok?” I ask Will, letting him help me to a sitting position. My head spins so I sit still until it clears a bit. I feel totally wiped out.

“Yeah, he’s fine. He’s just a little winded, but still nothing nearly as bad as usual. I wish you could always shadow travel with him. You’re like a charger for him. He can push himself and not do much damage to his body. Thank you for keeping him safe.”

I close my eyes and nod, relieved. I was worried that my lack of control over the shadows in the last few moments could have really hurt him. Thankfully I was able to wrangle them back just enough for him to escape unharmed.

I scan the alleyway around me and see Nico sitting on the crate that tripped me, sipping from a bottle of water. Calypso stands nearby, arms crossed as she monitors our surroundings. Piper stands at the end of the alley poking her head around the corner to probably search for Jason.

The other end of the alley is dark and cold. I feel a slight warning as I peer into the darkness, squinting to make out the lumpy shape peeking out behind a dumpster. With a twist in my stomach, I realize it is a sleeping bag.

“Will,” I yank on his pant leg, and he leans down to hear me whisper, “I think there’s someone over there. I see a sleeping bag.”

I point into the darkness, and he looks back at me in confusion. I remember that the others can’t see as well as I can. I’m worried that we may have just disturbed a homeless person who was just minding their business. In the freezing cold.

Maybe we can offer some of our snacks and blankets…

Using the wall for assistance, I push my way to my feet and nearly topple over. Will provides a steadying arm that I cling to as I take a step closer to the dumpster. My heart sinks further when I see a dirty, worn-down stuffed bear with one eye missing at the foot of the sleeping bag. Please don’t be a child…

With another step, we round the corner of the dumpster and come face to face with what at first looks like a huge, muscular child. With his hand on me, Will can see through the shadows and tries to pull me back with a gasp. I hold my ground, frozen to the spot as the child and I regard each other.

No, not a child. Not a human one at least. A young cyclops with a wide, round eye staring at me in fear. I stare back, noting the fact that its legs are tensed, ready to pounce if necessary. Another stuffed animal is clutched tightly against its chest. I can’t seem to move as we watch each other.

Two monsters, innocent in their own right, taught to hate the other, waiting to see who will attack first.

Will tugs on my arm again but I shake him off. This creature did not lure us here to kill us. That much is obvious. We have stumbled upon its home. We are the intruders.

“Give me your backpack,” I whisper at Will, gesturing for the bag on his back. He looks at me like I’m crazy. I widen my eyes back at him and he acquiesces. The young cyclops watches me cautiously as I kneel with the bag and unzip it slowly. A low growl sounds in the back of its throat as my hand disappears into the bag, so I meet its eyes again and slowly draw out a bag of apples.

We have no reason to be enemies. We struggle just the same under the weight of the gods. What good does it serve to kill each other? I am not destined to be a heartless killer. Neither was this creature. Why must we default to those roles? I won’t.

Next, I pull out a small, flimsy blanket that will probably provide very little protection against the cold. I suppose it’s better than nothing though.

“What are you doing?” Will hisses through his teeth. I ignore him.

“Sorry for disturbing you,” I whisper softly. The Cyclops still hasn’t taken its eye off me. It hasn’t moved to attack me either. When its nose twitches slightly, I can tell that it recognizes our scent as demigods. For a moment it looks conflicted, then looks down at the bag of apples.

When it looks back up at me, I still can’t fully read its intentions, but I can sense that it wants the apples more than it wants to try and fight us.

Finally, I let Will pull me away, toward Jason who finally found us. When Jason spots Will, he heads in our direction and claps his hand against Will’s loudly. I’m about to warn him to be quiet when suddenly the dumpster is shoved away so harshly that it takes me out at the knees and almost squashes me against the wall. Jason sees me go down and looks around questioningly, finally landing his eyes on the Cyclops. It must have been startled by the sudden loud noise echoing through the alley, as it stands on its feet gripping the stuffed animal while breathing heavily.

When it sees Jason, in all his Zeus-like glory, the cyclops’s eye widens further, and it bares its teeth in fear. I try to wiggle my way out from behind the dumpster to put myself between them and hopefully de-escalate the situation, but I’m stuck. The Cyclops must hear my struggle because it takes a step toward me. Jason sees this and must think that it wants to attack me because he pulls out his coin and turns it into a sword within a split second.

Cornered, the cyclops pounces at him, swinging clumsy fists and tripping over itself. It is obviously not very skilled yet and just wants to defend itself. I try to shout and distract them, but Jason ignores me and swings his sword in a dangerous arc. The Cyclops gets lucky and manages to dodge it, slamming Jason against the wall. It takes Jason less than a second to retaliate, switching his sword to his other hand and thrusting it right through the poor Cyclops’s heart.

It doesn’t even have a chance to cry out or beg for mercy before bursting into dust. Jason doesn’t even look phased as he brushes dust from his sleeves nonchalantly. He doesn’t even see the stuffed animal fall to the floor. I do.

Angry tears well in my eyes as I see a plush whale discolored with dirt and grime lying in a puddle, discarded just like the innocent Cyclops. It too is missing an eye.

Will and Jason finally manage to move the heavy dumpster just enough to help me wriggle free. I ignore Jason’s words as I kneel in front of the makeshift settlement that was once sheltered by the dumpster. The wall is decorated with messy scribbles of multiple cyclopes, one that sort of resembles the one Jason just killed, two larger ones that I guess must be parents, and a third that is around the same height as the first. It doesn’t look like there is another Cyclops that lives here, so maybe this one was an orphan. Maybe its family was killed too. Maybe it was the last one, fighting desperately to stay alive and carry on the bloodline.

Or maybe it was displaced from its family. Maybe it was just settling down here for a while until it could find its family. Maybe they’re waiting for their child to join them somewhere. They won’t see the day anytime soon. From what I’ve learned about monsters reforming, there’s a chance they’ll never be reunited. And what a cruel fate that is.

This creature didn’t deserve to go out like this. How typical of us humans to stumble into places we do not own and kill anything that challenges us. This creature did nothing to disturb us. It did not want to kill us. It probably just wanted somewhere warm to rest for once. It probably wanted to sleep through the night without having to worry about being killed. Maybe it wanted a nice full belly for once so it could exist without pain. Maybe it wanted to be different than the world expected it to be.

We are just as bad as the worst of them.

We are no better than the monsters that attack us for purely existing. At least some of those want to eat us. They have an excuse. What excuse do we have? Another life wasted, and for what? What purpose did killing this creature serve?

I’m sure Jason probably thought he didn’t have another choice, but that’s what he was taught to believe. Through years of torment and training, he was taught that hesitation means death and that to kill first is to survive.

But what if that’s not true? What if hesitation is the first step toward peace? What if that split second changed the course of nature and we just decided to live and let live? Who are we to decide what gets to live or die? How does that make us better than any of the things we fight against? What are we fighting for? In the end, what comes of our victory? What does our victory look like? More oppression of those we think are lesser than us? More freedom won from the stolen rights of others?

I’m struggling to see what good comes from fighting this war. When all we want is the freedom to survive, why do we let those in charge strip that from us? Why must we give our lives, the one thing that we should have control over, to appease the wills of people that have never felt the weight of oppression? If my freedom is won by stealing it from others, I’m not sure it’s worth having. I surely don’t deserve that. And neither do they.

Who decided that the monsters were the ones in the wrong? They’re not the ones constantly toying with mortals. They, like us, are bound by the wills of those more powerful than them. I’m sure they don’t even know why they should want to kill us. We lost the plot long ago. Now the fighting is pointless. We are on the same side.

With shaking fists, I reach out and grab the filthy stuffed whale. I wring out the water and stuff it into Will’s bag along with the unused blanket and apples that the Cyclops never got to taste. I remember the excitement clear in its eye as it examined the fruit. A whole bag just to itself! Maybe humans aren’t so bad…

We were quick to prove it wrong.

“What are you doing?” Jason repeats, tapping me on the shoulder. I hand Will his bag back and stand up to glare at Jason. He stands about 4 inches taller than me, but I raise myself to my full height and can barely restrain my anger. He takes a slight step back as he sees me seething.

“Estrella…?” I hear Piper question. Calypso must have come back to investigate as well as I can hear her gentle footsteps.

“That cyclops was a child,” I bite out, barely able to form words in my anger and devastation.

“What? Now you’re mad about that? Honestly Estrella, you need to grow up. That Cyclops would have killed you the first chance it got. Hades, it tried to kill me!” Jason retorts, looking defensive and dismissive. It’s impossible to convince people who were raised a certain way that they may be in the wrong. It is up to them to see it for themselves. In this case, Jason is not ready to.

I grind my teeth together to keep from shouting. I don’t have enough energy for a full-blown argument right now, and I feel my tears threatening to spill in my frustration.

“It wasn’t going to kill me, Jason. We stumbled upon it by chance. It wasn’t following us or trying to kill us. It got startled by a loud noise and was prepared to defend itself. We are in the wrong. I hope you know that.”

By the end, my tears begin to fall and my voice fades to a harsh whisper. I turn away before he can see me cry more and walk away from the last place the Cyclops was able to call home.

Calypso catches up to me and links her arm through mine in a show of support. She bumps her hip against mine and I give her arm a squeeze.

Yet another death to weigh on my conscience. That creature did not have to die, plain and simple. I’ll remember that as I think about who I’m truly fighting for. 

Chapter Text

Annabeth POV: 

I wake to the feeling of the van pulling to a stop. My eyes feel puffy and heavy as I peel them open, only to be greeted by the sight of Clarisse grinning in my face.

"We're here," she whispers almost conspiratorially. I blink up at her in confusion wondering how I got here and why my body feels so sore. I give an unintelligent grumble in response, and she smirks. It takes me a few seconds to regain my bearings and rub the sleep from my eyes.

The back door of the van is pulled open and Tobi sticks his head in. He looks weary and worried, but healthy enough. When he sees me awake, he breathes a sigh of relief.

"Oh good. Are you feeling better? We're in Richmond now but I need your help finding a place to lay low while for a while. We've got a bit of heat on us right now, but I managed to lose most. We need to ditch the car though. It's probably on every cop's radar," Tobi rambles. It still takes me a moment to absorb everything he's saying but I nod and sit up slowly.

"You guys were supposed to wake me before we got here," I gripe, "We could have had a plan by now."

"I know," Tobi acquiesces, "But we agreed that you needed as much rest as possible. Plus, Mateo pulled up the map on your laptop. We have a pretty basic plan forming. We just need your fine-tuning."

"Let her wake up a little, gods," Clarisse interrupts to my surprise, and opens the doors of the van further for some fresh, crisp air.

It's even colder up here than it was in South Carolina, but already the scents are bringing me back to a not-so-pleasant childhood. Muddy, icy water from the James River, antique wood and brick buildings, and even the faint scent of manure from the farmlands outside of town. I could find my way home from here just from memory. It makes me shudder.

By some coincidence, we're already quite close to one of my old hideouts. When I first ran away, I hid in abandoned buildings close to home. It was scary for little young Annabeth to be all alone in crumbling buildings full of graffiti and teenagers up to no good. Many times, I'd be awoken in the middle of the night by hushed laughter and flashlights of explorers and criminals. I didn't know how much danger I was really in but never managed to get caught due to my speed and evasiveness. I saw what happened to other kids on the run though...

Thalia and Luke found me in an alleyway not far from where we currently idle. I refuse to revisit that place. The memories of Luke are still too much. Even after Percy, the pain is fresh. I used to feel guilty for feeling that way. Terra was the one to convince me that I'm not a bad person for having loved a person who did bad things. I loved the memory of him, not what he became. Terra's lack of jealousy is helping me work through the pain because now I feel it freely. But with Terra's life in the balance, I won't be making any pitstops to rehash old trauma. We can do that once she's back with me.

"Ok," I sigh, and step out into the chilly night air. It's still dark but there are cars on the freeway so I assume it must be early morning.

"I used to hide out in this abandoned hydroelectric plant. It's only like a 15-minute walk from here. Should we ditch the car in the woods?" I suggest, trying not to pay too much attention to the memories that still hold that childish terror.

"Ok perfect. You guys stay here. I'll find a good hiding spot for the car and meet you back here," Tobi says while scratching the back of his head. I probably scared him and Mateo off during the infiltration yesterday afternoon. Maybe I was a little harsh...

Mateo almost got Frank and you killed.

"You should probably stretch your legs for a little, so you don't get blood clots," Frank pipes up as he clambers out of the van. I resist the urge to roll my eyes at him and shift from foot to foot.

When a blast of frigid air hits me in the face I shiver and pull my mostly ruined coat tighter around myself. Frank somehow looks even bigger with his large coat on, almost like if the Michelin man joined the army and wore black instead of white. Leo wouldn't hesitate to laugh at him...

While Frank paces around the van, Jason plays with his sword/spear, polishing and priming both weapons, then even cleaning the coin itself. He must be nervous about something.

I watch Mateo clamber out of the front seat with my laptop tucked under his arm. When we make eye contact, he nods like a soldier would, and I nod back, my eyes slightly narrowed. After yesterday, I'm not sure what to think about him. Something about him rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's just his resemblance to Ares. Children of Ares usually have a harshness to them that Mateo just seems to lack. Even Estrella seems enamored by him.

I just wonder when that aggression will show up.

He sends Tobi a small smile as Tobi drives the van into the woods off the side of the road we stopped on. I watch the van move deftly through the trees until I lose it in the shadows.

I get lost in memories of this city until Tobi reappears through the trees.

"Done?" I ask when I spot him. He nods easily.

"There are some conveniently placed logs and branches to slow them down and make them reconsider searching the forest."

I nod, satisfied, and pull back my shoulders. Time for me to step back into that leadership role I used to crave. It's gotten a bit old if I'm being honest.

"Great, thanks, Tobi. Hopefully, that'll buy us some time until Nico and the others rejoin us. We need to formulate a plan as soon as possible, so let's get going," I declare, and it feels like I'm performing. All I want to do is hide and cry like 7-year-old me.

Without waiting to see if they're ready, I turn on my heel and lead them through downtown Richmond. I avert my eyes when we pass familiar alleyways, shutting out any painful memories or flashbacks of feeling betrayed and abandoned. You have family now.

We head straight into the forest north of the James River until I can hear water flowing over pebbles and sheets of ice cracking against each other. During this time of year, the water is shallow and solid enough to cross on foot. It's still more treacherous than coming from the rocky southern side though, so I pick out a path and instruct them to follow.

It takes us longer than I hoped to get to Belle Isle, with Clarisse and Jason slipping on ice, Frank falling through a thinner section of ice and landing in chilly water up to his mid-calf, and Mateo insisting that we stop to make sure Frank's toes don't fall off due to frostbite.

"We're more likely to be spotted by tourists or monsters," I hiss, beckoning them after me. I can see the scraggly trees and familiar Belle Isle walking trails. As of yet, I haven't spotted any tourists, as the park is typically barren until sunrise, but I know from experience that monsters and explorers lurk in the darkness.

The small island looks abandoned and empty, but it holds a rich, dark history that drew my father and many other historians to study it over the years. First Belle Isle was a popular fishing spot for Native Americans, then stolen by English colonizers and used for a nail factory. Later, granite was quarried here until its history got even darker. Confederate soldiers turned Belle Isle into one of the most notorious centers for prisoners of war. There still stands a Confederate gun monument on the south side of the island, and a Civil War cemetery to the left of where we make our way onto the land.

I feel tense already, and each car that whips by on the Robert E Lee Bridge makes me jump. It feels like I hold my breath until we're all finally under the cover of the trees. I take a quick headcount and let loose a breath as Frank wrings out his sodden socks and Mateo dumps water from the mostly water-resistant boots. Hopefully, they won't hold on to too much moisture because we have to keep moving.

Tobi – ever the reliable soldier – stands at my shoulder, vigilantly scanning the trees for any sort of threat. Clarisse and Jason look at me like they're awaiting further instruction, but I turn away from their heavy gaze. I'm not sure why I volunteered to lead us here, to Richmond, knowing what the history does to me. This place always made me feel unsettled. Especially now, with such a large bounty on our heads, I feel the pressure of constantly staying on my toes. There won't be peace for a while, but I learned to accept that long ago.

I raise an eyebrow as Mateo bangs Frank's boot against a rock noisily. A few drops of water come out, but I wonder if the noise is worth the risk.

"Done?" I ask. I think I see a little flicker of annoyance cross his face before he goes back to a blank soldier's mask. He straightens up and hands Frank the boot before stepping closer to me. I don't flinch or back away under his gaze. He's not the young teenager I met a few times at camp anymore. But I'm not the little girl he met either.

"Good thing she never met Henry, huh?" he directs at Tobi, who smirks only a little, "He'd drive her crazy instantly. He only really worked well with patient people," he turns back to me, and I see what he's doing. Now I'm the bad guy, and he's funny and relatable.

"Yeah, I guess patience isn't my forte. It's a good thing you're so patient then, isn't it?" I shoot back, making it sound friendly and good-natured. I think he catches the underlying meaning of my words because he frowns only slightly. I don't trust you.

The moment is quick though, and before I can blink, he's suddenly that handsome, friendly goofball that we met in South Carolina. It doesn't seem like anyone else caught our invisible back and forth, which only makes me question myself. Maybe you're reading too much into it. Maybe he's a nice guy and you're just too wound up. He did help you guys out when he didn't have to. He probably lost his job to help you guys. He's been so nice to Estrella.

Give him a chance.

"Ok I'm ready," Frank interrupts, boots back on his feet. I don't hesitate, venturing further into the trees without a second thought. When we finally pass the gunpits, I know we're close. We only ran into 2 monsters, which Mateo killed skillfully. So maybe he isn't inept, I'll give him that. He's obviously an experienced killer, one who maybe has a weak spot for his close friends.

As I expected, when we stumble upon the abandoned hydroelectric plant, a few flashlights flitter about inside. I stop so suddenly that Tobi slams into my back, my body flooded with sheer terror. It takes me a moment to remember that I am not a child anymore. I don't have to run. I could fight all of them blindfolded and still win.

Mateo is the oldest-looking one out of all of us, so I instruct him to scare them off. Tobi straightens out his coat and hands him a flashlight in what almost feels like an intimate moment of friendship that makes me want to look away. Mateo shoots him a small mischievous smile then schools his face into an overly serious façade. We hide behind trees and watch him stalk up to the building, flashlight on.

"Hey," he calls in a deep voice, in what I assume is his impression of a security guard. It's a little obvious to me, but I can see how others might be frightened by it.

"This area is off limits. Vacate the premises immediately or the cops will be on their way," Mateo booms, and we hear multiple voices curse and footsteps skitter out toward the river. I think he made a good choice going into the army rather than the police force.

He searches the inside of the building while we wait outside, then reemerges to beckon us in. His face is split with a wide, proud smile which makes me want to roll my eyes. Be patient, Annabeth. He's here to help you guys.

My unease only grows as Jason helps me over one of the rusty ledges and into the dilapidated building I once hid in. There's even more graffiti on the walls than there was before, but I spot some of the familiar faded markings from my childhood. I remember the night a group of rowdy teenagers roused me with a jolt as they jumped through one of the open sections in the wall. They giggled boyishly as they spraypainted an obnoxiously large Superman "S" on a lower section of the wall. I felt my heart in my throat as I fled, leaving my sleeping bag and meager rations behind. It was a cold night, shivering in my damp clothing that was soaked as I trampled through the river in my haste. It wasn't long after that Thalia and Luke found me.

"You didn't tell me you've been here before," Clarisse jokes at Jason, pointing at the large S on the wall. That breaks me out of my reverie, and I find myself holding back a small smile.

"Jason doesn't believe in graffiti," I quip, remembering his distaste that he made clear during one of our trips to New York.

"Well, it's right here," Clarisse throws back, misunderstanding my use of "believe." This time I actually do snort.

"You've never seen graffiti before? I thought you were from San Fran," Mateo piles on. Even Tobi smiles now as Jason flounders.

"Yeah, there's like so much graffiti near Camp Jupiter. And Camp Half-Blood. I mean, I think the Hermes cabin is full of it too. Honestly Jason, maybe you need a better prescription," Clarisse continues.

"Yeah, it definitely is," Tobi adds with a smirk.

"What? Guys, I've seen graffiti before. Obviously. It's just not my... uh, favorite type of art, per se," Jason scrambles, nose wrinkled at the jumble of words on the walls around us. I find the word "bitch" quite fitting and point at it with a smile like 'hey, that's you!' while blinking innocently at Jason. He scoffs and rolls his eyes, crossing his arms as he walks away all stiff-backed. We laugh at his retreating figure, glad that he's able to take a joke and play into it.

I give everyone a moment to explore before I settle down into a somewhat secluded and hidden corner where we can set up camp until Nico and the others join us. I call Tobi and Mateo over to join me so I can learn about the plan they made without me. Finally, Mateo hands me my laptop with the flash drive still inserted.

They let me sit in silence for a few minutes as I peer over the blueprints and commit the address to memory. This is where they hold Terra and Percy committing unspeakable acts. My own blood turned against the two people I care for most. It feels almost poetic.

I fought Luke so hard, gave my whole life to my mother in absolute devotion. I thought her other children knew as well. Who knew that they could be corrupted so horribly? Who knew we held such a capacity for cruelty? I guess the quest for knowledge knows no bounds. I've felt a similar pull many times before, been tempted to push my morals in light of just a little more wisdom. I was just strong enough to know when to stop. Percy might have played a hand in that as well.

I have a lot to thank him for.

"Ready to hear the plan?" Mateo interrupts my thoughts, his voice quiet and respectful. I take a deep breath and nod.

The three of us run through the plan for about 10 minutes. I interrupt often, asking clarifying questions and poking holes in their logic. How will we break in without setting off an alarm? How will we know where to find them? What if that door is reinforced? What if we're caught off the bat? What is plan B? What if our friends aren't in a condition to help us fight on the way out? What do we do after we've escaped? What if Hecate doesn't agree to help us?

Mateo and Tobi are surprisingly patient with me, remaining professional and focused. It's a bit of a relief after the doubt that had been building in my stomach. These two will hopefully be a great asset. They won't know these men as well as the men in South Carolina. They know where they messed up last time. They know how important this rescue mission is. They will not fail.

Then, we flesh out the details. How will we get around so many mortals and get our friends out? How should we split up? How will we communicate? What area makes the most sense to hide our friends? What traps will my half-brother have in place?

By the time we finish, my mind is spinning. My heart thumps with adrenaline. This might just work.

I tweaked quite a few details, picturing what I would do if I desperately wanted to keep us out and our friends inside. With the guise of night, we might just be able to pull it off.

"Guys, come hear our revised plan," I instruct Clarisse, Frank, and Jason, who currently spar in one of the wider open sections of the hydro plant. They stop at once, sensing my combined dread and excitement, and sit next to us until we form a circle around my laptop. I give them a second to examine the blueprints and then dive into the plan. Frank and Jason look serious and focused, but Clarisse nods along with a wicked grin. She's like me. The thought of victory energizes her.

They ask a few questions, but the plan remains steadfast. We have a plan B, C, and D in case things go wrong, which they inevitably will. I can feel an energy building inside this small circle and my heart soars in a sudden overwhelming gratitude. These people around me have been through so much, and yet, like me, they are determined to rescue their friends, no matter the cost. We will all lie our lives down. We are much more prepared than we were in South Carolina. We will not fail. We cannot fail.

The sun has already risen when we finish going over the plan. We'll need to find a new place to hide out for a while, as tourists will undoubtedly come flooding to Belle Isle once the park opens. Citizens in this town keep up with the news. Our presence will not go unnoticed.

Jason steps outside to IM Piper and tells her to meet us near another one of my favorite hideouts – the abandoned Southern States Silos. It's a relatively short walk from Belle Isle along old train tracks. We walk in relative silence as we pick our way across the tracks. I keep replaying the plan in my mind, searching for something, just any small detail that I might have missed. If this all goes wrong, I'll blame myself. I can't lose Terra or Percy.

When we reach the abandoned silos, I'm once again filled with residual childish fear, but also a bit of wonder and excitement. The sheer size of this place amazed me as a child, and I would often come to marvel at its architecture and structure.

I lead my friends up a rusty, unstable ladder, past the abandoned train cars and trolleys, and into the filthy, empty large main room. Large structures for siphoning, sorting, cleaning, and anything else you could think to do to grain fill the rooms. The occasional hole in the floor reminds me to be cautious.

Once we're inside, we head down an internal set of stairs and wind through hallways until I stumble upon one of my old hiding spots where I remember hiding my favorite stolen book. Still, after all these years, the book remains hidden behind a crumbling section of a wall. The pages are warped and dusty but still hold the words that brought me comfort on lonely nights.

My eyes burn as I flip through the pages, full of countless annotations and questions. I found it in one of the abandoned cars outside one night and fixated on it for days. To a normal person, this book, the 1991 Farmer's Almanac, would be completely useless and dreadfully boring. To little Annabeth though, it read like a fantasy novel. I remember poring over those weather predictions, wondering how many were accurate, reading about planting zones, imagining cooking the recipes with my dad and frowning at the zodiac sections.

I was obviously a very curious child, and when ADHD children of Athena are starved of attention and education for long periods of time, they relish any morsel of wisdom they can get. By the end of the week, I memorized the predicted weather patterns and used them to guide me in predicting future weather patterns. Obviously, I was not very accurate. For a while though, I almost got the hang of it. Then I got spooked one night when I heard voices of grown men and ran, not remembering to grab the book I loved so dearly.

Now that it's in my adult hands, it looks so small and pathetic. Tacky lettering, inaccurate predictions, and just plain silly astrology.

Why do I miss it?

"Annabeth?" Jason asks, and I look up from my book, realizing everyone else is looking at me, awaiting further instruction.

"Hm?"

"I said I'm going to go outside and wait for Piper. Mateo volunteered to come as well. Are you coming?" he repeats.

"You guys are staying?" I direct at Tobi, Clarisse, and Frank, who nod.

"Yeah, I haven't slept yet, so I was hoping to fit in a quick nap," Tobi answers, shooting a quick glance at Mateo that almost looks... angry? I'll dissect that later.

"Better to not attract as much attention with all of us out in the open I think," Clarisse adds, "I'll keep a lookout for monsters from up top, and Frank will stay with Tobi."

"Ok, Frank, can you keep my laptop safe?" I ask, and hand him the machine that holds the key to finding our friends. I already have the address memorized, and my friends know the plan, but I'm not taking any chances. He reassures me with a single nod, placing the laptop in his lap.

"We'll bring back some food," Jason reassures them as he backtracks the way we came in. Mateo stays close on his heels, and I'm left to follow. I'm not mad about it.

The breeze feels refreshing and clean as we step out of the old building full of stale, dusty air. I remember hiding in some of the alleyways around here, so we walk through Old Manchester looking for any place to nab some food. Mateo might not be plastered all over the news as much as Jason and I are, so we send him into a little corner shop to get sandwiches and snacks.

"Are you ok?" Jason asks me once we finally have a minute to ourselves. I turn to him with a slightly defensive questioning look, and he raises his hands in defense.

"Hey, I just mean after everything that happened. You could have died yesterday. What happened? Why didn't you tell anyone you were hurt?" he asks. I turn away to hide my face and pretend to scan our surroundings.

"I'm fine. I needed to keep everyone on track. Frank almost died because we were so unorganized. We need to take this seriously. It feels like nobody understands how serious this is. If we don't clear our names, we'll never have normal lives. We'll be on the run until we die. Or we'll just be killed outright. We're not just fighting by the rules of the immortals anymore. We're against the whole world at this point. I feel like I didn't even get to rest after the last prophecy, and now we're facing something bigger than ever before, the mist is down, our friends are captured and might already be dead-"

"Take a breath," Jason reminds me, and I suck in an exaggerated sigh with him doing the same, "I understand how you're feeling Annabeth. Things seem more dire than ever, I get that. It's totally unfair that we're forced to fight again, you and Percy especially, but you're not in this alone. We know how serious this is. Mateo and Tobi put their lives and futures on the line because they see how important this is. Even Estrella, the one person with no knowledge of this world, can see how important it is for us to fight. You don't have to take everything on your shoulders again."

"I know," I take a deep breath again and try to steel my mind, "It's just... Last time Percy and I were apart for this long... Even if we're not together anymore, I can't lose him. The thought of losing him... I-I-"

"We're not going to lose a single one of them. Not Leo, not Hazel, not Percy, and not Terra."

At that, my eyes burn, and I have to clench my jaw to keep my chin from showing how terrified I really am. I'm filled with guilt instantly. The thought of losing Terra fills me with even more terror than losing Percy. It shouldn't be that way. I've been through hell with Percy, I should have been a better girlfriend and just stuck with him. Maybe this is my punishment for being so greedy.

"Annabeth...," he trails off when he sees the redness in my eyes. The stress is weighing on me, no matter how much I try to push it down. My body will fail before I ever stop fighting for her, and for him. I need them both.

"I'm fine Jason. I just need to get through the next few days, and we'll get them back. Then we can worry about all the other stuff," I mutter, but I don't sound convinced. And Jason doesn't look it either.

"Just... Let me help. Remember, we've been through hell together too. Not the literal one, but I was there when you were searching for Percy. I fought right alongside you. I helped you plan, helped you lead. It doesn't have to be all on your shoulders. I'm not as stupid as you think."

"I don't think you're stupid, Jason," I mumble, "Now you're just fishing for compliments."

I meet his eyes with a small, sad grateful smile and he rolls his eyes.

"It's going to be ok," he grabs me by both shoulders and gives me a playful little shake, "We have a good plan. We're stronger than we were last time. We know what to expect. Now we have Calypso on our side. We have two experienced demigod adults from the literal army. And Piper told me they were able to get Hecate on their side. Apparently, Estrella is getting stronger. Who knows how powerful she could be? And we have you. Probably one of the strongest demigods I've ever met. And one of the best people I've ever met. We will come out of this on top like we always do."

I give his hands on my shoulders a little squeeze in thanks. Then I remember one of the reasons I've been feeling so stressed.

"Do you trust Mateo?" I ask, and Jason furrows his brows in confusion.

"Yeah? Why wouldn't-"

"They only had egg sandwiches since it's so early," Mateo interrupts us as he steps out of the shop with his arms full of foil-wrapped sandwiches, cold water bottles, and a few crumpled-up napkins, "Es is vegan, right? I asked the guy at the counter, and he said there's a little vegan restaurant not far from here. I'm gonna get her something. Jason told me she was a little injured last he heard from Piper. She needs some protein to get her strength up."

Jason shoots me a look like, 'see?'. My cheeks burn a little as I realize he must be right. Maybe I'm overthinking things because I'm stressed. Mateo really does seem like a sweet guy.

"I want to be there when they arrive," Jason says, sending me a sly smile, "Piper should get here any minute. How about I go wait for them and you guys pick up some more food?"

"Actually-" I start, but Mateo speaks at the same time.

"Sounds good. Just wait for us there and we'll walk back to the silos together," Mateo proposes.

Any of the appreciation I was previously feeling for Jason vanishes and I try to kill him with my eyes. He just sends us one more casual smile and spins on his heel to head to where we told our friends to meet us. Mateo sends me a small, almost shy smile and I school my features back into the classic Annabeth resting face. He frowns a little.

"So which way is the restaurant? Let's be quick. I don't want to attract too many monsters," I give him an expectant look and he straightens.

"Sure yeah, he said it's just down this road right before East 12th Street."

"Perfect, I know where that is. Do you need help carrying anything? I can take a few sandwiches. Thanks for paying by the way," I say in my attempt of extending an olive branch. I don't like being proven wrong. I should be happy that he's a nice guy, not wish that he was aggressive so I could just be right.

Being right doesn't make you a good person automatically, Annabeth.

"Of course," he sounds almost chipper, "And yeah thanks, these waters are freezing. Could you fit a few in your coat pockets?"

I take a few bottles and stuff them into my deep pockets until I'm weighed down and can't fit anymore. I even manage to fit 1 into the back pocket of my jeans. You need to do more squats.

We walk in silence for a bit, but I can feel him itching to want to say something. Finally, he cracks.

"I'm sorry, but did I do something to like offend you or something earlier? I just feel like we somehow got off on the wrong foot. I really respect everything you've done and been through and I just want us to be good teammates."

I grind my teeth to avoid frowning at his words. He really does have good, honorable intentions. I need to lighten up.

"No," I sigh, "I'm sorry if I've been cold. My girl- my-uh friend is in that terrible place. And my ex-boyfriend. I'm worried that we won't be able to save them, and it'll be all my fault. I promised Percy we'd get them out. And Terra wasn't even supposed to be on this quest. I should have fought harder to get her to stay behind. She's Estrella's best friend. She wouldn't let Estrella come on the quest without her. She was supposed to stay with me..."

He doesn't say anything. He just looks at me, waiting for me to continue.

"Sorry, uh, I'm just stressed. After everything we went through with the last prophecy, I thought I'd finally get to live my life. I guess that's too much to ask."

"Of course it isn't," Mateo reassures me, his voice pensive and soft, "You're an incredible fighter, Annabeth. Your friends need you. And you'd do anything for them. So, it's unfair that the universe keeps throwing you guys into trouble like this. All of this is fucked. And poor Estrella. She's so sweet and innocent, she doesn't belong in a world like this. Like, they really couldn't find anyone else? They had to choose the girl who doesn't know how to fight at all? The one that was raised thinking she was normal? I thought Percy made the gods promise to claim their children sooner."

"He did. Some of the gods acted on their promise. We can't really expect the same of Nyx though. I'm shocked she even claimed her at all. I'm still trying to figure out why..."

"And I don't doubt that you will," he chuckles, "You're probably the smartest person I've ever met. Can we start over? I'm not sure what went wrong but I want to be someone you can trust."

I chew on my cheek as I consider his words. He sounds truthful.

"Ok."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry if it seemed like I didn't trust you. I have a hard time trusting people after everything I've been through. And to be honest, you kind of blew it in South Carolina."

"I know," he sighs, "I froze up. That never happens to me, so I wasn't sure what was happening. I've been with Tobi since... I think since I was 11. He's been through everything with me. We're brothers. And seeing so many of the guys I consider close friends trying to kill me... I just froze. And I fucked up. That's on me. I'm sorry I put you guys in danger. I'm honestly really embarrassed about it. That's not me though. You can trust me. I won't freeze up like that again."

We stop in front of the vegan restaurant that is just now opening. A man inside pulls chairs from on top of tables and places them on the ground, while another ambles around in the kitchen. I put my hand on the door handle but don't pull it open just yet. Mateo looks down at me.

"Good. Because the next time you get in my way, I won't hesitate to step over your body," I threaten, and his eyes widen, "But I hear you. You've given up a lot. Know that I am eternally grateful and will fight for you like any of my friends. If we make it through this alive, you'll have a lifelong friend and ally. I'm not a little kid anymore – my alliance is worth quite a lot these days."

"Understood. And same for me," he says with a smile.

Same to which part?

"We should hurry before the cameras have a chance to plaster our face all over the city," he reminds me, and I remove my hand from the door. I let him do the ordering as I watch the face of the worker, scanning for any hint of recognition. It's a boy in his teens, bleary-eyed and not fully awake. We must be the first customers of the day.

"Can I get one lentil burger?"

"Uh... sure. One... lentil... burger...," the boy mumbles as he types something into the tablet in front of him, "Any sauces?"

His speech is incredibly slow like he just took a hit of a blunt in the back. Based on the smell on his clothes, my guess is most likely spot on.

"What sauces do you got?" Mateo asks, squinting up at the menu above.

"Uhh... um, we got... I think we got like ketchup... uh, mustard probably... Hang on man, let me go check with my coworker."

"Ah, you know what? That's fine can-" Mateo begins, but the boy is already disappearing back into the kitchen. I roll my eyes and look back at the fridge in the back corner. I see some prepared fruit cups and my favorite brand of protein bars.

"Nice," I whisper to myself and grab a few. By the time I return to the counter and dump my spoils, the boy has resumed his sauce tirade. His coworker shouts additional sauces from back in the kitchen.

"-right, yeah, chipotle mayo... We got this vegan cheese sauce-"

"Alright, can we just do no sauce?" Mateo interrupts, patience waning.

"No sauce...? Man, that'll be kinda dry..."

"How about some chipotle mayo on the side? That way we can add, if necessary," I intercept, exasperated with the slowness of this conversation.

"Side... of... chip... mayo...," the boy types in, and Mateo looks at me with a face that can only be regret, "Ok, that'll be $12-"

"We also have this stuff here," I remind him. He looks down slowly and nods with his mouth never fully closing. Mateo lowers his eyelids in an imitation of the boy and feigns sleep. I pinch my lip between my teeth to keep from laughing at the absurdity of this interaction. We managed to find the one person who will not recognize us but is slow enough to let the cops wander in and stumble upon us.

"Oookay... That will be $32.50."

Mateo nearly throws the cash in his face. His friend is thankfully a bit quicker and only leaves us waiting for about 2 minutes before he hands us the deceptively heavy burger in a biodegradable box.

"Enjoy," the boy at the counter calls, voice completely monotone and uninterested. Mateo and I can't help but share a laugh as we step back out into the frosty morning.

"Thanks again. I owe you," I say, referring to the food he purchased.

"Nah, don't worry, I got you. Camp never really gave us enough money for quests. And who knows when I'll ever be able to really spend money like this again. Maybe just... never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing, I just...," he trails off looking shy. I look at him expectantly, urging him to go on.

"It's stupid," he says dismissively. I roll my eyes.

"Whatever."

"Could you... could you put in a good word to Estrella for me?"

I stop so suddenly that I nearly skid on the icy sidewalk.

"What?" I utter, surprised and thrown off.

"Never mind, I knew it was stupid..."

"Wait, I just- what? You want me to talk to Estrella about you? You think she cares what I have to say? I met her only like a few days before you did..."

"I mean, why wouldn't she care about what you have to say? Everyone does. You're Annabeth."

"You really like her? You guys barely know each other."

"I know, I know. She just seems like the type of girl that doesn't fall easily. She's mysterious to me. I'm curious. I want to get to know her better. I feel like your word could go a long way," he kicks a small patch of ice on the sidewalk.

I frown to myself as I keep walking. Do I even want to be involved in whatever they have going on? I'd prefer to mind my own business...

"I guess I can put in a good word. I don't want to be involved in anything though. What you guys do is between the two of you. It's up to her whether she wants to get to know you more. I don't want any part of it," I tell him. He bumps my shoulder with a laugh.

"I know, Annabeth, jeez. I'm not asking you to lock us in a room together. I'm just saying a word or two from you will just remind her that I'm a good guy."

"Sure, Mateo. Whatever."

"Thanks!"

When we turn the corner to head down the alley we told Piper to meet us in, I nearly run straight into Calypso and Estrella. Estrella looks way different from the last time I saw her. With one arm in a sling, her hair pulled back into a tight bun, and dark bags under her eyes, she almost looks smaller. She looks like she aged about 2 years in the short time she's been away.

It also looks like she's been crying, her nose and cheeks red. Calypso looks a bit worn too, like maybe they didn't get as much sleep as they should have last night. It seems we were not the only ones to have a difficult time.

"Oh, hello," Calypso breathes, her arm looped through Estrella's non-injured one, "We just ran into Jason. There was a little scuffle with a Cyclops."

"Which he caused," Estrella spits, her voice venomous and distraught, "An innocent child cyclops was killed because Jason can't control himself."

"Wait what? What happened?" I question, but Calypso shakes her head imperceptibly.

Estrella is about to launch into an explanation when Mateo steps forward and interrupts her.

"Are you ok?" he asks. She is so upset that she's trembling, and Mateo's question only makes it worse.

"I was fine! The monster was not a threat! It did not need to be killed!" she shouts, and more tears leak from her eyes.

"It attacked me!" Jason shouts back from the alleyway and Estrella looks murderous. She clenches her fists so tightly that her hands shake, and her bottom jaw juts forward as she grinds her teeth. Her eyes look dark. I almost flinch as I realize that she slightly resembles her mother.

"She had a long night. And a long day before that," Calypso explains, giving Estrella's arm a little squeeze, both as reassurance and to make sure she doesn't launch herself at Jason. I widen my eyes at her, like 'what is happening?!' and Calypso just shakes her head again. To my surprise, Mateo looks calm and understanding.

"You're right, Jason should have read the situation better," he starts, "You have a bigger heart than all of us. We are trained to kill or be killed. It might take us some time to unlearn those habits."

I'm shocked silent. He somehow managed to say the perfect thing. Estrella's face falls, fills with guilt, and looks empty of the rage that filled it only seconds prior. Tears well in her eyes again and she buries her face in her good hand.

Mateo takes another step forward and wraps her in a hug as Calypso untangles herself and comes over to me.

"This is so fucked," Estrella sniffles. I couldn't agree more.

"I know. I'm sorry. Jason is trying his best. People like us have been through more than you know."

"I'm sorry," she replies, response muffled by his shirt. She sounds truly devastated by the whole situation.

"I should go apologize," she says when she pulls away.

"No, you-" Calypso begins, but Mateo beats her to it.

"Let's just cool off for a bit. Things aren't all bad. Look, I got you a lentil burger," he says, popping open the box to reveal the mediocre food. She stares at it for a second, eyebrows pinched upward in the middle, then sends him a small, confused smile.

"He insisted that we walk an extra 5 blocks to get it for you since the other place we went to didn't have anything vegan," I pipe up, and shoot Mateo a look saying, 'this is the good word I put in for you.' He grins back.

"Really?" Estrella asks, sounding disbelieving, "Why?"

"He's a nice guy," I finish. She looks at me – I mean, really looks at me – and back at Mateo. It looks like my words actually did have an impact. She looks more trusting and comfortable already.

"Thank you," she says, her voice small and shocked. I see Calypso hide a small smile out of the corner of my eye.

"Anytime," Mateo replies, wrapping an arm around her, "Come on, I want to show you the river. Here," he dumps the rest of the food into Calypso and my arms.

"Wha-ok... You know where to find us. We're going over the plan in an hour, ok? If you're not back by then I'll send Tobi after you," I tell him, and he shoots me a grateful smile. Calypso and I watch them walk toward the river leaning against each other and chatting. It makes me nostalgic for the time Percy and I first started liking each other. What an exciting, dizzying feeling...

"That boy is quite skilled at making her see things from his perspective," Calypso comments passingly as we watch them get further away. Her tone is objective and neutral, but something about her words seems to hold the slightest apprehension. I look at her from the corner of my eye, but she stares straight ahead.

You're reaching again, Annabeth. You like him now, remember?

"Yeah, he really likes her," is all I reply. Calypso nods.

Estrella POV:

My heart beats in tune with our footsteps as we walk toward the river. I can hear water rushing, and smell the slightly briny, earthy riverbed. We walk through Old Manchester, past abandoned warehouses, art galleries, restaurants, and apartments until we reach the Mayo Bridge.

"That's where we're meeting later," Mateo points out, and I look over at the large building to our right. It looks like two different buildings collected by a smaller one, lined with graffiti and large, obnoxious letters saying, "Southern States." It looks out of place among the bustling skyline of Richmond, so old and midwestern.

Between the building and the river stretches a floodwall that I guess is between 20-40 feet tall, also covered in graffiti.

"What is that?" I wonder, trying to pinpoint why they'd keep an ugly abandoned building in what seems like a prime location. It must hold some sort of historical significance. Everything seems to hold some fort of significance here, as the sidewalk we stumbled upon is apparently an old slave route that runs at least 5 miles along the river. It's weirdly rundown and mostly unpaved though, so I'm not sure how I feel about a prevalent Confederate state during the Civil War honoring this trail. How good were their intentions in keeping this trail marked? Why is it so unkempt?

"It's an old grain silo, I think. Annabeth went on a tangent about it earlier, but it was a lot," he admits, and I snort. Annabeth can be hard to follow when she gets in the zone.

"And it's safe to go inside?"

"Mostly. It's definitely not nice in there, but as long as we're careful it should be fine. She knows her way around inside so it's our best bet of hiding from authorities."

I trust that Annabeth wouldn't knowingly put us in danger. If she says it's safe, I believe her.

"Here, let's sit," Mateo suggests as we find a somewhat flat rock on the edge of the river. It's high enough to be dry but is still cold to the touch. I let him grab my hand and help me up onto the rock. From up here, you can see the tops of the tall buildings of downtown Richmond peeking over the frozen trees and bridges crossing the river. The breeze is active during what feels like a pretty heavy cold front, and small sections of the river have transparent sheets of ice that ripple and crack against one another. It is so different from what I knew in South Florida, so absent of the constant green and oppressive humidity that I just sit there and take it in for a moment. I notice that Mateo is silent, and when I glance over at him, I find him looking right at me.

"What?" I smile, feeling self-conscious and embarrassed. His eyes are soft as he smiles back. I think I see a line of concern between his eyebrows too.

"What happened in Salem?" he asks quietly, and I freeze. I don't want to relive it. I've been through more pain in the last 24 hours than I have been in my entire life. My smile falls and I wrap my coat tightly around myself.

He scoots close enough to where our bodies press against each other. I can feel his warmth through my coat, and it radiates up my arm, through my blood, and sends shivers through my body. I want to move away, hide in my cocoon, but something about his presence makes me want to stay awake. I want to be around him. I shouldn't. Not after everything I've been through. But I do.

"It was awful," I admit, my voice just barely a whisper, "I thought I was going to die... Multiple times."

He somehow presses even closer, and wraps a heavy arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. I feel silly as I lean in closer, letting him hold me, but something about it just feels right. He doesn't prod further, just staying silent and waiting for me to continue.

"There were these spirits... They told me that my dad regrets being my father. And...," my voice breaks as I think of Terra again, "And that Terra wishes she never met me."

"That's not true."

"But it is," I reply, voice shaking, "If either of them was a lie, I would have died. I would have been poisoned and died. I'm only here because they're both true."

"What do you mean?"

"The spirits made me choose. They told me two true statements and one lie. In order to get Hecate, I had to choose correctly. Then I had to stab myself with whichever knife I chose. If I chose wrong, the knife would have been coated in poison and I would have died. I chose correctly though," I explain, and I feel a phantom pain in my abdomen. I curl my legs up to my chest and press in a little tighter to Mateo's side. He gives me a comforting squeeze.

"You were stabbed?" he asks, shocked and angry.

"I didn't have a choice; I would have died either way. Either from the pain or from a knife."

"Why did they make you do that? Why couldn't someone more experienced like Piper or Calypso do that? That's just dumb," he scowls out at the river and I'm not sure what to say. I think he's being protective of me.

"I'm not sure," I confess, "I'm not sure why any of this is happening. It might have just been chance. Or maybe it was the fates or whatever you guys call them. I think I must have done something to piss them off."

"No you haven't," he growls, "You're innocent. You're young and naïve and don't belong in this world. It's not fair that they've dragged you into this. You're basically just a mortal."

I want to remind him that my mother is one of the primordial goddesses but decide now isn't the time. He's just trying to protect me.

"I'm ok," I reassure him, "I'm right here. Mostly in one piece."

He sighs and I feel kind of guilty like maybe I've upset him.

"I was really worried," he replies, and I think I feel butterflies in my stomach. I look up at him, scanning his face, and find that his eyes are earnest. His jaw ripples as he stares at the trees, and I just watch him. He's so handsome that it's intimidating. With his sharp jawline, rigid nose, dark eyebrows, and deep-set brown eyes, he looks rugged. His bottom lip is plump and slightly red from him chewing on it. (A/N: picture Theo James if he was Hispanic lol)

When I look back up at his eyes, I notice that he caught me staring at his lips. I bite my own when I see him look down at mine. When our eyes meet again, his darken and my heartbeat doubles instantly.

"It seems we both made it back alive," he breathes, referencing our previous conversation before we went our separate ways. He asked for a kiss, and I told him maybe if he made it back alive. Now that we're back together, it feels like something has changed. He missed me. I'd be lying if I said he didn't cross my mind while I was away. Even through the pain I endured, the image of his face sent my pulse spiking.

"I was worried too," I whisper. The wind seems to die away as the world hones in on only him. Nothing else exists for a moment as he stares at me, and I stare back. When his pupils dilate, my breathing speeds up, as does his. He looks back at my lips and leans his head down toward mine.

Nothing else matters as I tilt my chin up and let his lips touch mine softly. I close my eyes and the only sensation I feel is his lips against mine. They're soft and luscious, expertly moving against mine in a dizzying rhythm that makes my body feel like it's engulfed in flames. I kiss back, raising my good hand to his face. I place my palm against his jaw, feeling the stubble scrub against my skin. I can feel his muscles working beneath my hand as he brushes my lips with his tongue.

I inhale shakily through my nose and breathe in his scent. He smells like faint woody aftershave mixed with the earthiness of the river next to us, and a bit like the icy smell of snow from being outside for a while. It's not perfect, but it's intoxicating coming from him.

He angles himself toward me and places one gentle hand on my waist, the other behind my neck. I shudder as his warm hands trail along my body, ever so gentle, but invigorating, nonetheless. I bring my hand to his curls and grab a little handful at the nape of his neck. He smiles against my mouth, and I nearly shudder again.

I lose track of myself as we deepen the kiss, wondering how I've ended up here. Honestly, I need the distraction after everything that's happened. I just didn't think it'd be so glorious. I forget Estrella entirely as I try to fuse myself with him. I'm not sure how much time has passed when we finally break apart for air.

You barely know this man, what on Earth are you doing? one side of my brain shouts. The other shouts, why did you stop?!

I can't stop the grin that spreads across my face when I see his cheeks blush pink. I'm sure my face is as red as a tomato right now, but I don't care. He watches me smile, face serious and eyes soft.

"You're really beautiful," he tells me, and I have to hide my shock.

"You're just saying that because you want another kiss," I shoot back. He shakes his head.

"No. I know we just met but I feel like I've known you forever. Something about the way you carry yourself is so captivating, I can't imagine my life without you anymore. I feel like being with you elevates me somehow, like I'm living a dream."

My stomach lurches with even more powerful butterflies. I've never had anyone say such things about me. I'm not sure how to respond.

"I want to know more about you," I say, "Where you grew up, when you were claimed, what your family-"

He cuts me off with another kiss. I'm caught off guard but go along with it because I still feel dizzy from the last one. Something about him just draws me in. I feel like I'm caught in a whirlwind and haven't been able to breathe since I met him. I've never been so affectionate with someone I've just met. It's unlike me.

I laugh and push him away gently with a palm on his chest. He plants a few more kisses on my lips.

"Stop," I laugh, "Come on, what was your childhood like? What do you do for fun?"

"That's not important right now," he complains and leans in for another kiss. I oblige of course but pull away after a few seconds. He groans.

"It is to me," I pout, "I feel like I barely know you. If I'm gonna keep kissing you, I need to know who I'm kissing."

"Fine," he sighs and draws me in for one last kiss. We stay that way for a few minutes until he finally pulls back and launches into an explanation about his childhood and family. I tuck myself into his side again as he talks. I can't keep the small, satisfied smile from my face. He squeezes my shoulder and pauses.

"Here, you should eat. You need calories to heal faster. I wanna make sure you're getting the nutrients you need," Mateo fusses, handing me the veggie burger he bought me and a bottle of water. By now it's ice cold, but I don't tell him that.

"You didn't have to go out of your way to get me this," I state, but the fact that he thought of me makes me feel warm inside. Especially since no one else likes you. No, that's not true. Terra loves you. She'll explain when you see her. If she doesn't die.

"I'll always be the one thinking of you."

My heart flutters. At least I'll have Mateo.

"Thank you," I say sincerely, and take a bite of the cold, somewhat soggy burger. It pales in comparison to Calypso's cooking but it's still surprisingly good for what it is. My stomach was starting to cramp from the exertion the last shadow travel put on my body, so I feel content as I munch on the burger and listen to Mateo talk about himself.

I learn that he grew up pretty close to his mom until her dad died and she became an alcoholic. She was verbally abusive, narcissistic, and manipulative, which Mateo struggled to accept after being so close to her during his childhood. Alcoholism is a dangerous, tragic disease that affects many more people than just the alcoholic. My heart breaks for him as he describes having to watch his mother choose alcohol over him again and again. He kept trying to get her help, which only pushed them farther apart.

After a few years of abuse, Mateo looked for family on his dad's side. His sniffing around almost got him killed until he stumbled upon camp and was claimed by his father. Ares isn't the most caring father figure, which left Mateo scrambling to try and impress him for years. He found that neither his mother nor father could support him, so he had to raise himself quite early on. A year after showing up to camp, Tobi showed up and they became fast friends.

Tobi came from a very conservative family that was heavy on religion. They tried to hide his godly side from the church and the extended family, which only made Tobi feel bad about himself. He was taught to pretend the gods don't exist, which made him struggle when monsters came around and his demigod instincts kicked in. His family called him horrible names and said he was a worshipper of Satan. He tried to hide who he was for years, but monsters kept finding him. When a monster almost killed his mortal half-brother, his mother went beserk and "cast" him from their home. Tobi was left with nowhere to go and was homeless for about 6 months before a satyr found him and brought him to camp.

Once Mateo and Tobi met at camp, they quickly bonded over their dysfunctional families. Both of their mothers chose things over them, no matter how hard they fought. Mateo's mom chose alcohol and Tobi's chose religion. Both boys were cast aside, made to feel unimportant, and forced to fend for themselves. Throughout their childhood, they were partners at camp, never far away from each other at any given time. Tobi was good at blending in and often made his way over to the Ares table at meals, and Mateo snuck into the Hermes cabin for movie nights.

Hearing about Mateo's rough upbringing makes me guilty about complaining about anything ever. My life has been smooth sailing compared to his. Then he and Tobi joined the army and served in active duty for over a year. Mateo had to see many of his friends and comrades die in battle just at 19. Tobi stuck with him through it all and now they're like brothers. It makes me miss Terra more than ever, but I don't say that because for some reason I feel like he deserves Tobi more. After everything he's been through, he deserves all the support he can get. Maybe one day I can be someone to support him too.

I lean my head on his shoulder both because I'm exhausted but also in a show of solidarity. I'm not going anywhere.

We sit there, huddled together against the wind until Mateo looks down at his watch and curses.

"Shit, we should go meet the others. I lost track of time," he explains, pushing himself to his feet. He reaches both hands down to help me up and I groan when I realize my legs have fallen asleep.

"Ok," I yawn, "Let's go."

"Wait," he stops and wraps his arms around my waist, "One more kiss."

I roll my eyes but oblige. He opened up about his past. That's a big deal. I feel closer to him already.

This kiss is a bit fiercer, his lips smashing against mine almost hungrily. He lights a fire in my blood, and I think my entire body would blush red if it could. His passion makes me want to kiss him harder, so we just increase our rhythm.

His lips move down my neck, sending shivers through my entire body. I let out an involuntary gasp and he laughs under his breath. My knees feel like they're going to give out as he bites and sucks the sensitive skin under my jaw. I forget my arm brace entirely, wrapping both arms behind his neck and pulling him even closer. When I shiver again, his lips find mine once more. I feel like I'm in a windstorm, unable to find my bearings or remember where I am.

When he finally breaks away, I'm breathless and shaky, and honestly unsure of what just happened. My legs feel weak and I kind of just want to rip his clothes off.

What just happened?

I stutter as I try to find something to say but he just laughs at me and tucks me under his arm, leading me toward the silos. I cling to his jacket, so I don't trip over myself, stumbling along like a fool in a daze.

"It looks like your arm is healed," he chirps, a sly smirk breaking out across his face. I still can't find the words to respond. He leads me to a rusty, caged ladder fixed to one side of the building.

"You go first, I'll be right behind you. Let me know if your arm starts hurting and we can find another way in," he instructs. I just do exactly as he says. Thankfully, he was right, and my arm no longer hurts. I'm able to make my way up without falling off and he shows me the way inside. I follow because I'm still not quite sure what's going on.

When we finally find our friends, I'm sure I look completely disheveled and windswept. Piper doesn't bother to hide her shock, her mouth falling open when she catches sight of us. I look over a Mateo and find his lips swollen and red. I'm mortified when I realize I probably look just as bad, if not worse.

I shakily try to smooth back my hair and avert my eyes when I find Tobi glaring at Mateo and I. Shit. Did I do something wrong? Does he think I forced Mateo into something? Are we late?

"Guys, Private School is going public with the PDA," Clarisse announces as she steps inside from a ladder that leads to the roof but quiets when she sees that we're already inside. I didn't think I could blush further, but my cheeks feel boiling hot.

"Oops," is her only form of apology before she plops down onto the floor next to Frank and starts devouring one of the leftover breakfast sandwiches wrapped in foil.

Annabeth and Jason look over at me with shocked faces like they can't believe I could do such a thing. I want to hide behind Mateo. Like they've never kissed anyone before.

Will and Nico look generally unbothered in their corner of the room. They're usually in their own world anyway. Calypso avoids my eyes, but she almost looks annoyed? Or maybe disappointed? I'm honestly not sure why they're giving me such a hard time and not even looking at Mateo.

"You guys were kissing just out in the open?" Annabeth asks like I've lost my mind. I open and close my mouth as I try to find something to say, but Jason adds on.

"You do realize we're on the run, right?"

"T-there was no one around," I assure them, "I looked!"

"Our friends are captured. We're supposed to come up with a plan to rescue them and you're just out there running around like an idiot?" Jason questions, and Piper shoots him a look. I'm baffled at their response.

"Annabeth said we were going over the plan in an hour," I flounder, wishing that Mateo would just speak up for me. Again, why are they not questioning him?

"I didn't say you should go around acting oblivious in public," she counters, and I raise my arms in confusion.

"We weren't oblivious," I argue, "There were no people around. I wouldn't put you guys in danger like that. Or myself."

Piper looks like she wants to stand up for me but stays silent at Jason's side. I look up at Mateo for help, but he stays silent too.

"Ok, wow guys. I'm sorry. I really didn't think we were being irresponsible or anything, but I guess I got caught up in the moment. I'll be more careful," I tell them, shame and embarrassment making me want to crawl into a hole and die.

"You need to get your mind straight. Remember why we're here. Terra, Percy, Leo, and Hazel need us. We don't have time to mess around," Annabeth lectures and I nod in agreement.

"I know, Annabeth. Terra is my best friend. I want to get her back more than anything. I'd never- you know what? You're right. I'm sorry. I got distracted and I shouldn't have. It's my fault. What's our plan? How can I help?"

She looks somewhat satisfied and calls everyone to sit around her laptop for the final plan meeting. Feeling betrayed, I leave Mateo's side and sit between Piper and Calypso. Mateo looks like he wants to say something but sits over by Tobi instead.

You need to stay focused, Estrella. If Terra dies it will be your fault.

"I'm sorry," Piper whispers in my ear, "They were really harsh. And it's not your fault. It takes two people to kiss. I don't know why they blamed you."

I send her a small smile but turn back to the laptop to see what Annabeth displays for us. I feel like a child who just got in trouble but try to push away the cagey, defensive feeling to focus on saving my best friend.

"These are the blueprints of the facility our friends are currently held in," Annabeth begins, gesturing at her laptop, "There are four wings: North, East, South, and West. In the middle is a heavily fortified courtyard. Down here is the basement that holds power generators, storage, and old files. The East Wing is where our friends are most likely held. There are 20 separate cells lining that hallway, reinforced with celestial bronze to dampen our powers."

"So, they could be in any one of those cells?" Nico asks, peering over Annabeth's shoulder.

"Yes. It will be up to us to remain stealthy yet quick enough to find our friends before attracting the attention of all the guards with knowledge of how to kill and incapacitate people like us."

Everyone nods in agreement.

"Idris apparently has a few demigods working for him as well. I'm not sure if he is working for Apate or if he has some ulterior motive. That's why we need to capture him and bring him into questioning. I'll get to that later.

"The West Wing contains the research labs. This is where they run tests, draw blood samples, and store most of their newer findings. One of our main goals should be to destroy as much evidence and research as possible while we're there. Make it as difficult as possible for them to continue their operation.

"Over here is the North Wing with all the administrative areas and the central command center. This is where we'll need to disable security and any other traps Idris has set for us.

"Finally, the South Wing holds the armory. They most likely have weapons made of regular materials and celestial bronze in there. It is guarded by humans and apparently, some automatons that Idris was able to source. That will be a common theme around there. He may be a child of Athena, but he likes to set traps."

Annabeth stays silent for a moment to let us process her words before diving right back in.

"Alright, now listen up because this plan has a lot of moving parts," she begins, "We will split into multiple teams to be efficient and stealthy. Acquaint yourself with your teams because you need to be able to work together seamlessly.

"First, our number one priority is our friends, obviously. But, in order for us to be successful we need to destroy the armory before they have a chance to grab the weapons that will kill or incapacitate us. That team will include Piper, Tobi, and Will. Piper, you will need to charm as many guards as you can before they know what is happening. Will and Tobi, you will need to use your speed and stealth to locate any of the explosives they possess and use it against them. Light anything and everything up and get out. Once you've done that, regroup and meet at the rendezvous point for phase 2."

"How will we get in undetected?" Will pipes up, "I mean, I'm fast but I can't outrun security cameras. I know Tobi is a son of Hermes, but we'd need some sort of distraction in order to get inside."

"I wasn't finished," Annabeth continues, "Before you three get in there, Calypso, Mateo, and hopefully Hecate will work on disabling any technological and magical barriers from the North Wing. Once cameras are down, destroy their equipment and meet back at the rendezvous point.

"Now both of these teams are crucial, and we want to avoid detection for as long as possible. To help with this, Estrella will shadow travel one team into the South Wing, and Nico will shadow travel the other team into the North Wing. Both of you are needed for later phases, so drop them off and leave immediately. They can find their own way out."

"But the last time Nico tried to shadow travel around that much celestial bronze he-" Will begins, but Annabeth cuts him off again.

"I was getting to that," she snaps, "Hecate and Calypso will first work on dampening the power of their celestial bronze. You can do that right?"

"Yes. It will take some time and a lot of power though. I will be quite fatigued," Calypso admits.

"Well, it's a good thing you'll have the goddess of magic helping you, isn't it?" Annabeth shoots back.

"Chill, she's just being honest," Piper reminds Annabeth, who seems tense and stressed, understandably. She's getting snippy with us, which isn't conducive to a healthy team dynamic. Maybe people wouldn't ask so many questions if she explained things in a clear fashion. Annabeth takes a deep breath and loosens her shoulders.

"Right, sorry. Thank you," Annabeth directs at Calypso, who just inclines her head.

"Anyway, once the celestial bronze is dampened, Estrella and Nico shadow travel in and out. Then both teams will do their jobs and make their way back to the rendezvous point. And before you ask, there will be a distraction to draw attention away from both teams and facilitate their escape.

"Causing that distraction will be Jason, Frank, and Clarisse. You guys need to think of something when we get there, whether it's a lightning storm, dragon, explosion, etc. It needs to be big and impossible to ignore so the other teams can do their duties and escape without getting caught. Nico and Estrella, keep an eye out for distress signals from either team. If they get caught up, it'll be up to you guys to get them out.

"While all that chaos is going on, we will regroup at our rendezvous point and begin Phase 2. These are the most crucial moments. In Phase 2 we will reconnect with our friends and prepare for our escape in Phase 3.

"In Phase 2, Calypso and Hecate need to continue dampening the celestial bronze and find ways to discombobulate both the guards inside and the automatons. I'm sure Hecate won't help as much as we want her to, so we need to ask her to capture Idris as soon as possible. She will hopefully catch him and drop him at the rendezvous point for Nico and Will to restrain and watch. You two need to ensure that he does not escape, for he will be crucial in clearing our names.

"We will have one team infiltrating the East Wing and one in the West Wing. Estrella, I am counting on you to get both teams inside. We will attack at night, where you should be strongest. I want you to cloak us with darkness as we sneak in on foot. Do you think you can handle that?" Annabeth asks me directly and I pale. She isn't being condescending or rude. She is being entirely serious, which makes me even more nervous. She is counting on me for a huge role. Will I be able to deliver? There's only one answer when it comes to saving my best friend.

"Yes."

Annabeth scans my face for a moment, looking for any hesitation or hint of weakness. She must not find it because she gives me a single nod before turning back to the laptop.

"Good. The team in the West Wing will consist of Piper, Frank, and Tobi. You guys need to destroy any research you can find and keep an eye out for any test subjects that may be getting experimented on. Most of the people in this wing will be mortals, so keep casualties to a minimum, especially because most of the scientists will not pose an immediate threat to us. Once you've destroyed as much as you can, meet up with the East Wing team in the courtyard. If you're finished before us, come over to the East Wing and help fight off the guards and automatons that will inevitably flock to us.

"Now, the East Wing team. The East Wing team will consist of Estrella, Clarisse, and myself. We will once again use stealth to infiltrate the wing and find our friends. Calypso, it is crucial that the celestial bronze is weakened at this point because I want Estrella popping in and out of cells in search of our friends. Clarisse will hold off most of the guards, and once Estrella finds our friends, I will find a way to open the door."

"Isn't that a lot for her?" Mateo raises, voicing the fear I have in the back of my mind. Annabeth expects a lot from me. Sure, she's playing up to my strengths, but I'm much weaker than all of them. She doesn't expect me to fight, but will I be able to maintain enough strength and power to do all that she asks?

"For whom?" Annabeth asks, impatient.

"Estrella," Mateo says like it's obvious.

"She would tell me if she thought it was too much, would she not?" Annabeth replies, looking over at me. I glance back and forth between them. I'm not sure what to say.

"I'll do whatever it takes to rescue my friends."

"Of course she will," Mateo argues, "But are you going to let her kill herself so you can save your girlfriend? Estrella's health and safety is just as important."

"Of course it is," Annabeth spits back, patience wearing thin, "Don't underestimate her. If she says she can do it, she can do it."

I feel like my parents are arguing.

"If she's going in, I am too," Mateo announces. Annabeth rolls her eyes and groans.

"You already know this plan, Mateo. I told you like 3 hours ago, and you agreed."

"That was before I knew how much you were asking her to do."

"Well lucky for us, you and Jason are plan B. If things go wrong, you guys are our backup. Before that, you two will be causing more distractions. If you get called inside, Nico will take over causing a distraction. Call ghosts, summon skeletons, split the earth, do whatever, I don't care as long as it lures more guards outside.

"Once our friends have been rescued, get out as soon as possible. Meet at the rendezvous point one final time. From there, Nico and Estrella will shadow travel us to our vans. We will need to steal two vans once we get to Maryland. They will have trouble tracking us with all the shadow travel, but it will be a lot for Nico and Estrella. Once we get into the vans we will split equally, with Will and the most injured in one, everyone else in the other. We will drive West to throw them off our trail and not lead them to camp. Once we get far enough away and Nico and Estrella have gained enough strength, we will shadow travel to camp and regroup."

Annabeth finishes the plan, and we sit in silence. This is real now. This is happening. We are going to willingly infiltrate a highly secure, top-secret government facility. We could very well die or be captured ourselves. I'm willing to do that if it means Terra can be saved.

"I'm going outside to try and get in contact with Hecate. Rest, eat, and do whatever you need to do to be prepared to leave in 2 hours. We will shadow travel to Maryland, find the vans, and drive the rest of the way to the Hellenic Research Center. We will not fail," Annabeth says and storms out of the room. I can almost feel her anxiety palpable in the air. I decide to follow her.

She walks so quickly that it's difficult to keep up. I toss my sling aside as I chase her down the ladder. As soon as she's outside the building she leans against the wall and turns her face up to the sky with her eyes closed. I feel like I'm intruding on a private moment as she breathes steadily and mumbles to herself.

"Um, Annabeth?" I say like a scared child. She takes one more deep breath before opening her eyes and turning to look at me. She looks exhausted. She looks as worn as I feel.

"What, Estrella?"

"I, um, just wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to let you down. I really look up to you and just want you to know that you can count on me. I know I'm weak and-"

"You are not weak, Estrella," she corrects me, and it feels like she's scolding me, "Don't let anyone make you feel like you are. You have more power than all of us, I know it. You just haven't learned how to use it yet."

"I'm trying to learn. I want to be someone the team can count on. I want to be able to protect myself. If I knew how to use my powers when my family was attacked maybe I could have saved them. If I could do it all over, I would."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I just- Annabeth, I don't have a family anymore. I don't have a home to go back to. I don't have anything. I learned that Terra wishes she never met me. I have nobody. And when I'm with Mateo, I feel protected. He makes me forget my problems and wants to protect me. I'm completely lost, so it feels good. But please, don't think for a second that I'd choose him over this mission. I'm willing to give up my life for Terra. Maybe then I'd see my family again..."

Annabeth steps up to me so quickly that I flinch backward. She grabs my shoulders.

"Don't say that. Don't. Listen, I know what it's like to think you have no one left. My family didn't treat me well. My mother only loved me when I was doing what she wanted. But I found my family in you guys. Fighting for people like you gives me purpose. I've found love, more than once. You are not alone. There are people that want you here. Trust me, I want to find Terra as much as you do. But don't be reckless in giving up your life. You are important. You don't even know how often Terra talks about you. She'd never forgive herself if you died for her."

"I don't know if I can do it," I admit, my voice barely a whisper. Annabeth's face hardens.

"I would not have chosen you if I didn't think you could do it. I know you can. And you do too. Listen to your body. Is it telling you that you will fail?"

I pause for a moment, looking for that tell-tale feeling of anxiety in my gut. It's not there.

"No."

"Exactly. You don't have to prove yourself to us, Estrella. Just your loyalty was proof enough. Then you proved yourself in Salem. You are strong. You're resilient. And you're loyal. Never underestimate the power of those qualities."

My eyes burn but I bite back the tears. I need to show strength right now.

"I'm sorry if it seemed like I wasn't focused. It won't happen again," I repeat. Annabeth shakes her head.

"I was too tough on you. You can do what you want, be with whoever you want. I just don't want you to forget that you're powerful on your own. You don't need someone to make you feel weak or protect you. Look how far you've made it on your own."

"Thank you. I hope one day I can have even a drop of your strength. You're a great leader. This plan will work. We're going to see Terra again. And I'm so happy that she found someone as kind, caring, smart, and strong as you are."

"Thank you, Estrella. I'm going to call Hecate now. Would you like to join? You were the one who rescued her after all."

I nod. Annabeth forms a rainbow and tosses a drachma in. As we catch Hecate up on the plan, she thankfully agrees to meet us in Maryland. She cannot promise complete involvement but will do what she can. It will be enough. It has to be enough. 

Chapter Text

Estrella POV:

One night, after one of my especially harrowing panic attacks, Terra came to my house crying. Her stepdad insulted her weight and threw homophobic slurs at her while her mother just watched. I was home alone, my aunts and grandmother away on a religious retreat, and my father working an overnight shift. 

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, and that I was about to die. My brain tried to find any reason to convince me that I was going to die, diagnosing me with a brain tumor, then a fatal heart problem, then just tried to convince me that I was so crazy that I would eventually kill myself. I felt like the world was crashing down on me while I was just safe in my home. 

A knock on my bedroom door nearly sent me into a conniption. Someone was there to murder me — I was sure of it. I had gotten into the paranoid habit of locking every door in the house, including my bedroom door while home alone, so at least I had a warning before my death. 

I stayed silent, hand clasped tight over my mouth as tears blurred my vision, and pretended I wasn’t in there. Another knock came and I fumbled around for any weapon I could find. I settled on a heavy metal water bottle and tucked myself into the corner of the room facing the door. 

“Es? Es are you in there?” Terra’s voice called through the door frantically. It sounded shaky and thick, and my fear escaped me instantly. Instead, I was filled with embarrassment and frustration. What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you so paranoid? You’re going crazy.

The knocks became harsher and louder — more desperate. As I untangled myself from my hiding spot, the banging got so loud that it sounded like the door was going to cave in. 

“Estrella?! Are you ok?! Es? Oh gods-”

“One sec,” I called, wiping my face of my ashamed tears, and put down the water bottle, “Sorry, I had headphones in.”

When I opened the door, it became difficult to breathe as a wall of Terra crashed into me. She wrapped herself tightly around my midsection and let loose a few sobs. Her hair looked like it had glitter in it, so I just assumed she was using the shimmery body spray I bought for her birthday. 

“What’s wrong?” I asked, worried by her abrupt tears. She held me tighter for a few more seconds, and I rested my chin on top of her head. 

“My stepdad kicked me out, so I was on my way here and-and I just had this feeling something bad happened and when you didn’t answer I-I-I-”

I pulled back to look down at her face and noticed that she was shaking in my arms. Her face and clothes were kind of glittery too. 

“I’m fine,” I reassured her, but my voice cracked right as I said it. Then her face softened as she took in my splotchy face, and I felt instantly guilty for not comforting her when she needed it.

“What happened-”

“I’m fine,” I said more resolutely, “I’m right here. Are you ok? Your stepdad kicked you out? What happened?”

She narrowed her eyes at me, sensing that something was wrong, but I only focused on her. I pulled her with me to sit on my bed. When I gave her my blanket, she wrapped it around her shoulders and leaned against the wall next to the bed. 

“He was really grumpy after work, and I shouldn’t have said anything… He just kept coming after me. He wanted me to get mad, so he started insulting your family and I lost it. I told him to eat shit,” she admitted, a teary smile pulling at her lips. My mouth fell open. 

“You what? Why would you do that? You don’t have to defend me; I don’t care what he thinks about us. I’ve heard it all before,” I told her, leaning against the wall next to her, so close that our bodies were pressed together. She leaned her head against my shoulder. 

“No one is allowed to talk bad about you or your family. No one. You guys are my family.”

“Why don’t you just move in with us?” I asked, rehashing a conversation that we’d been having more and more often since her stepdad got more aggressive, “I’ll get rid of my desk, and we can get another twin bed for you. You’re here all the time anyway. He doesn’t deserve to have you in his life. You deserve better.”

“I know,” she sighed, and I felt tears wetting my shoulder, “I just can’t leave my mom. He treats her like shit too and she never stands up for herself. Who would defend her when I’m gone?”

“That’s not your responsibility. You’re supposed to be the child, not her-”

“I know, Estrella. You know I can’t just let it happen though.”

“Then tell her to come here too. Tia Lourdes loves your mom. I bet she’d let her stay with her in her room for a while,” I suggested. Terra sat up and sent me a small sad smile. 

“I bring too much drama with me. I don’t want to subject your family to that. Plus, I don’t want to put you guys in danger, uh, with my stepdad and all.”

“Tia Lourdes would beat his ass if he ever tried to step foot into this house,” I laughed, picturing the sight. 

“Well, Tia Lourdes is even shorter than me, so I don’t know how much help that’d be.”

“Hey, you’ve never seen her sticking up for her siblings. She can be vicious. I wouldn’t want to fight her.”

“I know. Me neither. Still, I don’t think it’d be a good idea. As much as I’d love to leave his ass behind and live with you guys, I can’t do that to my mom. She refuses to leave him.”

“I know,” I replied, my throat suddenly tight with a lump. I hated seeing her in that situation without being able to do anything to help her. I wished I could force her to stay with me. 

We sat in silence for a few moments as my chin wobbled with unshed tears. After my panic attack, I was feeling especially vulnerable and emotional. Finally, a shaky breath escaped me, and Terra looked back up at me. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice delicate and soft. It only made the tears come faster.

“I hate seeing you in pain because of him,” I admitted, tears dripping down my cheeks in droves, “I-I wish I could do something to help.”

Terra wrapped her arms around me again, burying her face into my shoulder. 

“Aw, Es… I love you,” she cried, wetting my shirt further, “But it’s my problem to worry about. You do more than enough. Having you in my life is all I could ask for.”

My body shook as I held back the sobs. Not only was I hurting for my friend, but I was also hurting for myself. I felt like the anxiety was driving me insane. I had to stop playing volleyball because of it. My grades started dropping. My family members began to worry but I pushed them away. I felt hopeless and confused. Was the anxiety always that bad? It shouldn’t feel like this. 

“Did you have another panic attack?” she asked all of a sudden, and my stomach dropped. Am I really that bad at hiding it?

The first sob escaped me at that point. Then another followed. That was answer enough for Terra. She squeezed me tighter and sobbed right along with me.

“I’m sorry this is happening to you,” she whispered into my shirt, holding on to me like her life depended on it, “I wish I could do something to help.”

That just made me cry harder. I should have been the one comforting her in that moment. Here I was, panicking about nothing, while she had a very real threat in her life causing her pain. I thought I was a horrible friend. I thought she deserved so much better than me. 

We held each other for hours, crying until our eyes were puffy and sore, and our heads pounded with dehydration. I made us tea and we snacked on my abuelita’s dry cookies until our eyes felt too heavy to keep open. That night, we fell asleep together in my little twin bed, her sleeping like a starfish and taking up most of the room, and me pushed up against the wall. I was uncomfortable and squished, but my heart felt so much warmer and calmer just being in her presence. I didn’t have nightmares of death or destruction next to her. 

Right before she fell asleep, she whispered something to me. 

“You’re not weak for wanting to protect yourself. Don’t doubt what you’re feeling. You are so smart and capable. You’re so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

I laid there for an hour, tears burning my eyes as she snored away next to me. I wished she could see herself how I did. Strong, beautiful, caring, sweet, and so incredibly bright. Every day that I saw her felt like the best day ever. Seeing her always turned my day around instantly. We could have fun doing anything. She didn’t deserve the way her stepdad treated her. I wished she could see how much she was worth. 

As I sit in one of the abandoned trolleys outside the silos mentally preparing myself for what is to come tonight, the memory of that night pops into my head. With the knowledge I’ve acquired over the past few weeks, it dawns on me that I wasn’t imagining it all. I really must have been in danger that night. Terra must have seen a monster on her way to me and thought maybe it had gotten to me first. That’s what the glitter on her was. That’s why she was so worried. 

My heart constricts as I begin to wonder how many times she saved my life without me knowing. I probably wouldn’t be alive without her. 

Maybe that pressure is why she wishes she never met me.

“There you are,” Calypso says, appearing in the doorframe of the trolley. I jump in surprise, and she smirks. I scoot over a little for her to join me and she does.

“You scared me.”

“My apologies. I wanted to speak with you before we left,” Calypso admits, and I watch her chew her lip in worry. It looks totally unlike her usual poise. 

“What’s up?” I ask. She frowns and I see that her eyes are slightly glossy. 

“You must be worried about Terra,” she supplies, eyebrows pinched together, “About the rescue mission and whether you will be able to save her.”

My face morphs into one of confusion. Of course I am. I want to throw up just thinking about it. That’s why I’m out here alone. Yet, somehow, I hear my father’s voice in my mind. 

You are strong and brave, mija. You can do this. You won’t fail because you’re you. 

I wish it was real. 

“I am,” I admit, “If this fails, I’ll feel like it’s all my fault. I’m not ready. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready. But… I’m going to give it my all. I won’t stop until our friends are safe. Terra saved my life countless times. It’s my turn to return the favor whether she likes it or not.”

Calypso nods thoughtfully, looking like her mind is somewhere else. She looks panicked. 

“And if you fail?”

“It won’t matter because I’ll be dead. I won’t stop fighting for her until I’m dead. I have nothing to lose, Calypso. My family is dead. Terra is incarcerated. I’m not afraid to die anymore. I’m not going to stop.”

She nods again, eyes unfocused. I’m not sure if she’s even hearing what I’m saying. I grab her hand and give it a squeeze. I don’t think she’s really asking about me. I think this is her roundabout way of asking for support. I won’t hesitate to give it to her. 

“And Leo too. I won’t stop until he’s safe. He was the first one to welcome me to camp. He saved my life too. I owe him. Annabeth’s plan will work. We have no other choice,” I reassure her, my voice gaining a false strength to help convince her. 

“But what if it does not?” she whispers. I look over and see that her eyes are full of tears. It breaks my heart. I want to take away her pain. 

I pull her hand to my chest and hold it against my heart. 

“Feel,” I tell her, “Feel how steady it is. Can you feel it?”

Tears fall as she nods.

“Do you trust me?” I ask her. I already know the answer.

“Yes.”

“And you trust my powers?”

This time she hesitates only slightly as she debates with herself. 

“Yes,” she decides. 

“They tell me when something bad is going to happen. Right before we split up and Leo got captured, my gut told me something was wrong. I felt it so strongly, but I had no clue what it meant. No one knew what to think so we went our separate ways. 

“I don’t feel it now. Something is telling me that this will work. We are going to pull this off. No matter what it takes,” I tell her, imploring her to look right into my eyes. Her lip trembles as she searches my eyes for any hint of doubt. After about a minute, she takes a shaky breath and pulls back. She wipes her face and squares her shoulders.

“Good.”

“We’ll get him back.”

“We will,” she agrees. She gets up to leave but stops to look back at me.

“One more thing,” she remembers, “You like this Mateo boy?”

I blush as soon as the question comes out of her mouth. I think about the kiss we shared outside, the warmth that flowed through my body. He makes me crazy. I’ve never fallen this fast. He makes me feel safe. I know he’ll protect me. 

Yet, he left me to defend myself against my friends as they questioned me and not him. He didn’t stand up for me. 

He’s not perfect but neither am I. 

“Yes,” I tell her, and am surprised by my answer. It sounded so certain coming from my mouth. I really do like him…

“Ok,” is all that she responds.

“That’s it?”

“Yes. This is your life. You are free to love as you choose. I am happy that he makes you happy,” she says, but I can’t help feeling like there’s something else she’s not saying.

“But…?”

“Nothing, Estrella. You know yourself better than I do. Just… remember your own strength. You rescued Hecate by yourself. You outsmarted the Pseudologoi. You have survived this far because of your strength and skill. No one else’s.”

I think I can guess what she’s getting at. 

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel safe and protected,” I argue. 

“Of course not. Seeking solace and assurance is a common desire in relationships. Just remember what really makes you feel safe. Do not forget your strength or rely on someone else to protect you. You are more than capable. Those who aim to protect aim to control. Your autonomy is your shield – hold it close.”

With that, she leaves me. 

My mind spins. What does that mean? What are she and Annabeth getting at? Why can’t they just let me be happy for once. I deserve to feel safe. I want to feel wanted. Nobody has ever made me feel like Mateo does. 

Now is not the time to think about it; it’s almost time to leave.

Percy POV: 

My head throbs when I wake. Sobs and sniffles ring out around me and I can’t quite tell if they’re real or just the beginning of another sick dream. It’s been wonderful to know that the celestial bronze around us is not impenetrable to traumatic nightmares. At least I can always count on that.

I can tell that my body is failing. It becomes more difficult to wake with each passing day as my heart struggles to pump my limited blood supply. My blood feels thick and slow in my veins, and I’ve lost so much muscle and weight that I can barely stand. I see the way everyone looks at me. I’m dying and they all know it. 

Even Tyler had trouble looking at me the last time I saw him. Maybe not the best profession to be in if death weirds you out, buddy. 

The constant throbbing in my knee is one of the only reminders that I’m alive. If not for that, I’d happily just close my eyes and…

“Percy?” a small voice whispers near my head. Slowly, I peel my dry eyes open and have to blink heavily to clear the blurriness. 

Hazel kneels on the floor by my bed with her fingers on the inside of my wrist. Huh. I didn’t notice that before. Oh well. 

I send her as wide of a smile as I can muster without cracking my dry lips. It isn’t much. 

“How are you feeling?” she asks shakily. I consider her question. I’m definitely not great, that’s for sure. But most of the worst pain has sort of faded and my head feels… quieter.

“Fine, Haze,” I rasp, and she frowns at me. Evidently frustrated with me, she kisses her teeth and turns away from me. Great, I’ve already managed to upset her. 

I make eye contact with Terra across the room and notice that her shine has begun to dull. She held on longer than any of us, but I see some of her optimism and hope fading. Even she cannot hold my gaze. 

Oh well.

“Sorry,” I grunt, and when Hazel turns back to me she has tears in her eyes. She looks so angry with me. I’m not sure what I did. 

“Why are you apologizing?” she asks, her voice exasperated, “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Dunno,” I reply, “You looked sad.”

My voice sounds a bit slurred and I find it hard to move my bottom lip enough to get words out. When I run my tongue over it, I realize that it’s about twice its normal size with a split in the middle. Oh, that’s why.

“I’m not sad,” she sighs, “I’m fine. I’m going to get you some water. You need to drink.”

“Not thirsty.”

“To be entirely honest with you, Percy,” she walks away, “I don’t really care.”

Fair enough. 

When she comes back, she just about spills an entire handful of water onto my face. Less than half of it makes it into my mouth but I swallow and realize that my throat is quite scratchy. She repeats this until my shrunken stomach threatens to burst. 

“No more,” I gasp, when my stomach clamps painfully, “Gonna vomit.”

“Ok, just turn on your side so you don’t choke,” she instructs, and helps me roll over. Now I face Terra, who bites her bottom lip and refuses to look at me. I don’t want to vomit anymore and irritate my throat further, so I choke it down and direct all my energy into keeping the water in.

As I lie there in silence, I notice a distinct lack of chatter from a certain someone. 

“Where’s Leo?” I wonder, partly to distract myself. He must be in the extraction room. 

Except, my words seem to have a profound impact on Terra and Hazel, who both look at me with devastated eyes. 

“What?” I ask, and have to swallow when the anxiety causes water to creep back up my throat. Why are they looking at me like that?

“You were asleep…” Terra begins, but can’t seem to finish. Hazel looks pissed. 

“After he attacked Matt, Tyler came in and dragged him out,” she hisses, “He threatened to kill both you and Leo if we didn’t let him go.”

My mind whirls. Let him go where? Where did they take him? Did Matt get to him?

“Is he…?” I ask, and my question hangs in the air. 

“We don’t know,” Terra sniffles, “Tyler hasn’t told us anything. We haven’t seen him since. I don’t know if-if…”

“If they killed him,” Hazel snaps.

My stomach sinks and I begin to feel lightheaded. I cannot lose another friend. Panic fills my blood and I have to clench my mouth shut. 

“Are you ok? You look really pale,” Terra asks, and I nod my head stiffly, shutting my eyes as nausea wracks my body. 

Hazel places a hand against my forehead and hums. 

“Super clammy,” she comments. Thanks Hazel, I definitely didn’t notice. 

“Do you want us to help you to the toilet?” Terra asks, and I shake my head. I think if I move I will immediately lose all the water I just consumed. Instead, I take a few steadying breaths and wait for the nausea to pass. 

Once I’m more confident that I can keep everything in, I look at Hazel. 

“Matt is sick,” I whisper, “He would want Leo to suffer for what he did. He won’t just kill him right away.”

It’s not a very strong hypothesis, but it’s the best I can offer right now. I’d say the chances of Leo still being alive are 50/50. Matt is a sicko, but I know he hates taking care of us. One less of us would surely satisfy him. So would hurting us, though. We just have to hope that the fates are on our side. Surely they aren’t that cruel… Why let Leo come back to life only to die in a place like this? It would make no sense. Yet, I’ve heard plenty of stories about their cruelty. I wouldn’t put it past them. 

“Yeah. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse,” Hazel breathes.

*TW: Thinking about death (slight ideation)*

She’s right. None of the outcomes are looking good for us. If I didn’t have to worry about my possible death hurting Annabeth, I think I’d maybe just give up. The gods have wronged so many people that I’ll never get a break. They’ll just keep coming for all of eternity and other demigods will fill my place, fighting for gods who don’t care if they live or die. I’m just another cog in the machine. Easy to replace, easy to break. 

And as I lie here, I can almost feel my muscles dying. I can feel my heart struggling to keep beating. Sometimes when I get really sleepy, it just feels so easy to stop breathing. Forcing my lungs to take another breath just seems like so much effort. Why, when I know that living brings so much pain? 

I’m tired. 

But Annabeth.

We promised we’d never leave each other. She already left you. 

Even though a small, bitter part of my brain tries to convince me that she won’t care if I die, I know how devastated she would be. We’ve been through far too much together. I can’t do that to her. I can’t let her ruin her chance at love with someone who can actually make her happy. 

So, I keep breathing. It’s an arduous task, and it grows more difficult the more often they drag me into that horrible chamber. I don’t think I have any power left for them to take. Yet, somehow, they manage to draw it out of me. 

I feel dehydrated from my very core. Even my bones feel brittle. Hopefully what they stole from me helps innocent people. I doubt that’s what they’ll actually use it for, though. It’s much more likely they’ll try to find some way to use it for war. That’s all they want, isn’t it? More power. More land. More oil. More money. More. 

The next time I’m thrown in the chamber, I don’t even remember how I got there. My mind is so scrambled and blurry at this point that all I have are brief flashes followed by blankness. I remember screams, pain, and then suddenly I’m waking up inside the chamber from hell, vomiting and sweating. Sometimes, they stupidly try to interrogate me about how to capture other demigods. Even if I wasn’t almost entirely incoherent, there’s no way I’d tell them anything useful. 

I think Matt knows this. Maybe that’s why he advocates so heavily for it. At least then he has an excuse to hurt me. It’s so easy now, too. My skin feels papery thin and splits with the mildest hits. I think one of my ribs is definitely broken as well. It all kind of blurs together. 

They’re getting tougher on Hazel and Terra, too. Hazel’s pure heart is cracking and she snaps more easily now. Of course, whenever I wake up, she’s there fussing over me, but she gets irritated easily. Terra cries a lot. At least when I wake up, she does. I’m not quite sure what goes on the rest of the time I’m dead to the world. By the looks on their faces, it’s not good. 

We don’t see Leo again. None of the guards answer our questions, so we start to lose hope. 

That is, until the first explosion rocks the building. 

Estrella POV: 

After Nico and I shadow traveled the group to Maryland, we spent the rest of the afternoon resting, eating, and trying to regain our strength for what lies ahead. While we waited, Tobi, Piper, and Jason managed to find 2 vans to get us to the rendezvous point. The drive was short and tense as the sun sank below the horizon. Nobody wanted to talk much, so I just sat there and reran the plan through my mind until it was cemented up there. 

Now, as the night sky darkens, we strap our weapons to ourselves and try to mentally prepare. The possibility of death is high tonight. Not everyone here is guaranteed to survive. This may be the last time I’m seeing them. 

Finally, Annabeth pulls us into a huddle. There is a deafening silence tonight, no breeze or cricket in sight. It almost feels darker. I feel invigorated. My muscles feel taut and ready to pounce. I could run a marathon right now.

“Stick to the plan. Do not get captured. If anything goes wrong, signal Estrella or Nico and they will get you out. If not, make your way back here and we will regroup. Don’t panic. Don’t hesitate. A moment wasted could mean your death. Do you understand?” Annabeth asks, looking each of us in the eyes once. The energy feels intense in this circle. Everyone is tense but ready. 

“Alright. Estrella, get ready to jump. Get in and out as quickly as you can. Keep your eyes peeled for any help signals. Piper, Will, and Tobi, you know what you have to do.”

“Destroy the weapons and get out,” Piper reiterates. Annabeth nods.

“Good. Nico, you get Mateo, Calypso, and I into the North Wing and get out.”

“Got it,” Nico says, expression firm and serious. He is ready for battle. I’m sure I look as panicked as I feel, eyes wide and face pale. Stealth will be my friend. If I get caught, I’m as good as dead. 

“Jason, Clarisse, and Frank, get to work on the distraction. Make it big. Make it impossible to ignore,” Annabeth instructs. 

“Yes ma’am,” Jason acknowledges. 

“Lady Hecate, can you please dampen the celestial bronze now? Please hold it until Nico and Estrella return. Then, if you can, please join Calypso and Mateo in the North Wing to help disable their security and magical systems,” Annabeth asks politely, and Hecate raises an eyebrow at her. She doesn’t like being told what to do. 

“I will do as much as the fates allow.”

“Great,” Annabeth snaps, the stress making her short. I send Hecate a desperate, grateful smile. My livelihood is in her hands. If she doesn’t dampen the celestial bronze, my insides will be ripped to shreds.

“Everyone ready?” Annabeth asks, linking hands with Nico. The rest of their team does the same, so I grab Piper and Will’s hands. Tobi completes the circle and I feel my power building in my stomach, begging to be unleashed. 

“Yes,” we echo, voices strong and determined.

“Let’s do this,” Annabeth breathes, and I take that as my cue. I pray that Hecate is doing her job and pull my team into the wall of darkness I create. The shadows are excited to see me. They can sense my nerves. They whip around us, making the air cold and biting. I make them push us forward until it feels like we are moving at the speed of light. 

My next step is on the solid linoleum floor of the armory. The room is empty, but I can hear voices by the doorway. When we pop into existence, the automatic lights click on, and I curse in my head. We didn’t take those into account. 

“Huh?” the voice in the doorway says, and we crouch behind one of the shelves. 

I hear Annabeth’s voice in my mind urging me to get out and meet back at the rendezvous point but Piper has my wrist in an iron-like grip. I try to shake her off, but she yanks me down. I’m about to argue with her when I notice that two other men walk into the room. 

“Somebody in here?” one of the men calls. I cringe.

“I don’t know man, sometimes those lights are finicky. Sometimes they just turn on randomly.”

“I dunno, I just have a bad feeling tonight. My wife tried to make me stay home today. She swore something bad was going to happen. I told her to stop listening to True Crime before bed.”

Footsteps approach us and Piper’s nails dig into my skin further. Will looks to her for directions, while Tobi’s hand inches toward his pistol. Piper presses a shaking finger against her lips. 

When the guard finally rounds the corner of the shelf, he stutters a step as he catches sight of us. I can tell that he recognizes us immediately. He reaches for his weapon but Piper pounces on him.

“You didn’t see anything. The room is empty, and the lights went off on their own. You think it is time for a break. Tell your coworkers to go with you,” she hisses into his ear. He flinches away from her but does not shoot us. I can see recognition flicker in his eyes, but he turns and walks back toward the other guards. 

He leans in and whispers to one of the guards. Then he walks over to the other and does the same. I peek my head around the corner as they speak and my stomach lurches with anxiety a split second before they look over at me. I catch a glimpse of something we failed to notice before. 

The guard has bronze earpieces in his ears. 

Shit.

I barely pull my head back behind the metal shelf before the quickest guard whips out some sort of advanced weapon and shoots. Electricity crackles through the air and lights up the shelf we had been hiding behind. I wasn’t touching it, but Piper was. The shock ripples through the metal, into her body, and consequently, into my arm that she had been holding. 

Her body spasms immediately, muscles locking up and eyes rolling into her head. My arm freezes up too, twitching painfully for about 10 seconds. As Piper collapses to the floor, I’m dragged down with her. My arm is caught beneath her, and I can hear the weapon charging up for another round. 

I whip my head around searching for Will or Tobi to help Piper but notice that Tobi is no longer with us. Will looks caught off guard but recovers after a second and helps lift Piper off me. She’s stopped twitching but lies a little too still for my liking. Will places his hands on her to begin healing, but I remember what he confided in me about his powers needing time to recover. 

“Stop,” I rush, and grab a square of ambrosia from my pocket, “Give her this. I’ll get her out of here. Remember what we’re here to do.”

He looks flustered for a moment before his training and experience kicks in. This is nothing new for him. He gives me a quick nod and forces the ambrosia into Piper’s mouth. After a few seconds she starts to stir, but it’s much too slow. I still don’t know where Tobi is but I’m feeling panicked. Maybe I should just get us all out of here and have someone else do this part. 

You’re so much stronger than you realize, Terra’s voice echoes in my mind. 

Ok. You can get through this. What’s the first priority? Get Piper out. 

Easy enough. 

“I will be right back,” I tell Will, “Find Tobi.”

It doesn’t take long for us to find him, as I’m getting ready to shadow travel Piper out of here, I hear sounds of a scuffle break out near the doorway. One of the guards falls unconscious and another shouts in surprise. 

There’s Tobi.

Will runs off to help, so I grab Piper and jump into a shadow. I don’t want to head to the meeting point just yet. We haven’t failed our part of the mission. Why worry everyone else?

I aim for the snow outside of the building, a few feet off to the side so we won’t be seen immediately. From what Annabeth told me, this should be one of their blind spots. They don’t have guards stationed here so Piper should be ok to recover for a minute or two while I help Will and Tobi with destroying the armory. 

I forget about the possibility of motion sensors still being online.

That little missing piece of information is why I’m so caught off guard when a massive blast of water knocks me off my feet. My hands are full of Piper, so I fly face first into one of the frozen trees and split my eyebrow. Blood fills my left eye immediately and water fills my lungs as the water just won’t seem to stop. 

What on earth is happening?

I try to shove Piper as far away as I can before the force of the water increases. It slams into me relentlessly, so strong that I’m propelled against the ground and dragged along like a snail in the snow. I can’t catch my breath without getting a mouthful of snow, water, or snowy water. I feel like I’m being power washed, and my skin burns from the sheer pressure. 

Did I do something to piss off Poseidon?

Every time I try to make my way back to my feet, the water pushes me back down. I feel like it’s following me like a heat-seeking missile. Finally, when I’m pinned against another tree and the water threatens to wash off my skin, I realize that trying to fight is pointless. My only way out is to use my powers. My head spins without oxygen and I begin to panic. 

You have a job to do. 

I close my eyes and study the darkness for a moment. Then I picture a similar darkness opening up beneath me. Nothing happens. My lungs scream for air. 

Terra needs you. 

Being so close to her but not being able to have her safe beside me fills me with rage. I’m not drowning on solid ground. I can go wherever I want. Whenever I want.

Finally, the familiar elastic feeling in my stomach returns and I feel wind whooshing past my ears as I fall through the shadows. I travel maybe 50 yards away and pray that the water doesn’t follow me. 

The shadows spit me out with about 20 gallons of water. I cough and gasp for air as I sit up and find that I can finally breathe without inhaling entire lungfuls of water. The blood from my eyebrow still flows down my face and I have to scrub it out of my eyes along with the water and dirt. After a few seconds, a blurry image of the snow around me forms. 

Where is Piper?! my mind remembers frantically. I force myself to my feet and whip my head around. Finally, I spot her, confused and drenched, stumbling toward me. I hear a whirring from the roof of the building and spot the source of the water. 

A massive turret, brand new and shining sits on the corner of the roof of the armory. It whirs as it turns toward Piper’s stumbling form, and I can hear it charge up another round of water. It’s unnatural. The size of that turret could never generate enough power to drown me. How could they create such intense water pressure?

I don’t have time to think about it as it clicks into place and begins its second attack. It seems I don’t have much choice. I need to get Piper to safety and get back to my friends.

My shadow travel feels like second nature at this point, and I appear beside Piper in a split second. Before the water has a chance to drown me again, I disappear into the shadows. She needs a second to regain her bearings and get ready for phase 2 of the plan, so I take her back to the rendezvous point. 

Annabeth nearly runs me over with her frantic pacing, but I don’t have time to explain. I hand Piper off to her and get ready to go back for Will and Tobi. Before I can though, she lunges and latches onto my arm.

“Wait, what-” Annabeth begins, her face contorted with confusion and concern. 

“I have to go get Will and Tobi. Piper got electrocuted or something. We gave her one square of ambrosia so she should be good in a bit. I’m gonna help them blow up the armory and be right back,” I notify her, not leaving room for discussion. She stutters, her face livid as she tries to decide what she wants to yell at me for first. 

“You’re bleeding,” she points out, surprising me with the concern in her words, “I need you for phase 2. Be safe and get back as soon as you can.”

With that, she releases my arm and lets me go. I’m shocked. She doesn’t want to argue either. She’s not mad, she’s terrified. I can see it now. 

“I’ll be right back,” I promise, and disappear before she has the chance to worry more. 

I pop back into the armory and feel an uncomfortable resistance as I pass through the wall. My insides feel like they’re being squeezed for a second, and when I finally make it into the room, I feel like the wind was knocked from my lungs. I’m terrified for a moment of what I might have just done.

Is what happened to Nico last time happening to me? Did I just fuck up my internal organs?

I scan my body for a minute, searching for an intense pain but don’t find it. It must have just been resistance. Calypso must be tiring. I need to hurry. 

When I peek out from behind another one of the shelves, I see Tobi wrestling one of the guards on the floor. It seems as if 3 more joined after I left. Already, 3 lie unconscious on the floor near the doorway. The guard with the electric gun is still fighting, shooting round after round at ever evasive Will. 

Tobi glances over as another electric lock on one of the weapon cases is fried from the electric blast and almost seems to smile. This is what he wanted. The more locks fried, the easier it will be to break in and set off explosions. 

It’s brilliant. 

That guy on the floor has a wife at home waiting for him. He’ll die if you set off explosions.

I frown as I realize the implications of our actions. They might be comfortable with that on their conscience but I’m not. 

Tobi spots me as I step out from behind the shelf and frowns at my state. I pay him no mind. He only has 1 or 2 more guards to take out, so I don’t have much time. 

I set my sights on the man with the True Crime loving wife and appear next to him. Before Tobi can guess what I’m doing, I disappear into the shadows and aim for the basement I remember seeing on the blueprints Annabeth showed us. 

I stumble out into the basement with the man’s wrist grasped in my hand. I do the same thing over and over until all the unconscious men are locked in the basement away from where the explosion will take place. When I pop back into the armory a final time, Tobi rounds on me.

“What are you doing? You’re going to tire yourself out! We need to hurry and destroy the equipment like Annabeth said,” Tobi shouts. His hands move of their own accord as he fiddles with the locks on cabinets and drawers, opening anything and everything. I already see a pile of what looks like high-tech explosives.

Will sits against another cabinet on the floor, his leg stiff and twitchy. I don’t see the man with the electric gun anymore, so I hope he’s not coming back.

“If I can prevent unnecessary deaths I will,” I tell Tobi, who’s face softens immediately, “They have families. Maybe children. I won’t rid a little girl of her father.”

Tobi looks at me with what looks like respect. I’m uncomfortable with the attention and try to rush the process. 

“Well? Are you guys almost done? We need to get out of here like now, ” I remind them. 

“Yeah, one second,” Tobi tells me, “I just need to arm these last two. When they go off it should create a chain reaction. They have some crazy stuff in here. I’m glad we’re getting rid of it. Nobody should have that much power.”

I can’t help but agree as I scan the weapons around me. Huge, automatic guns, celestial bronze bullets, nets, handcuffs, unfinished automatons, all in one place. I wouldn’t mind ridding the world of a few hundred guns. No matter how many I destroy it’ll never be enough. 

Will struggles to his feet with a few grunts and groans, and limps over to us. His leg seems to have a bit more range of motion, but still not enough to be very useful. I also wouldn’t mind getting rid of other weapons that can do that to people. It was pretty brave of Idris to leave all of these weapons in one place like this with so little security. It almost felt a little too easy. 

Of course, that’s when the man with the electric gun returns. He’s without the same weapon but holds a keycard in his hand menacingly. I notice the tremor in his arm as he observes us. He’s afraid of you. 

I can’t tell if that makes me feel better or worse. 

“Don’t move. If you type in one more thing, I’m locking you in here. You don’t even want to know what Idris has put in place for intruders. Once I scan this keycard, there’s no getting out,” he threatens.

“And what about when we blow the place up with your friends inside?” I bluff, knowing where his friends really are. The man’s eyes fill with tears, and he looks both furious and devastated. This is his job. He thinks he’s doing the right thing. 

“They knew what they were signing up for,” he decides, voice shaking with resolve. That saddens me. I decide to keep him talking to buy Tobi more time. I catch him typing out of the corner of my eye. I decide to play the nice approach. Maybe that’ll work better. 

“We’re not your enemies,” I try, my voice soft, “My dad is human just like you. He is-he was a nurse. He saved lives. We’re not going to kill your friends. They’re not in here. They’re safe.”

He narrows his eyes at me, completely distrusting. 

“I swear.”

“Good,” he growls, and slams his card into the panel next to the door with a vindictive smile. Tobi, who I didn’t even notice leave my side, lunges at the man, but doesn’t reach him in time. The door slams in his face and the lights shut off instantly. A flashing faint yellow light begins pulsing in the back, opposite the door, and a monotone robotic voice fills the room. 

“ Initiating emergency lockdown. Execution imminent .”

Tobi curses and scrambles back to the interface he was fiddling with. As he frantically sets up the explosives, I hear a faint hissing emanating from the crack between the wall and ceiling. I don’t see anything, but I can hear it. What worries me more is the fact that I can’t smell it. The most toxic gasses are invisible and don’t have a scent. My stomach lurches so intensely with anxiety that I hunch over in pain. Will thinks it’s my imminent death and curses. 

“We need to get out!” he shouts, fingers digging into my bicep. I’m in too much pain to speak but I am in full agreement. The feeling only grows more intense, and I know we’re going to die soon. 

“Almost… there,” Tobi grunts, and finally a small countdown emerges. We have 30 seconds before the whole room goes up in flames. I’m sure whatever gas Idris set up will only make the explosion worse. He must not have accounted for that. 

“Are they connected?” I grit out, referencing the other explosions in the room. Tobi quickly checks each one and nods. 

“Are you ok?” he asks me, face lined with blatant concern. He must think I’m dying too. It’s difficult to explain that it’s just my body warning me like crazy. 

“Yes… grab on, let’s hope Calypso is… still weakening the celestial bronze,” I pant, and form a wall of shadows in front of us. Will grabs my other hand. I’m worried at how transparent the shadows are beginning to look. Tobi was right — I am tiring myself out. 

I don’t have time to worry about that, I decide. Hesitation means death for real this time. I pull Will and Tobi into the darkness with me and feel like I’m trying to push my way through a literal wall. The shadows suck against my body, trying to pull us all through the wall but the celestial bronze is almost back to normal now. It fights me, trying to keep me locked in that room of certain death. 

My gut screams at me, reminding me of the timer and of what’s at stake. If we all die now, the chances of saving Terra become very low. Gritting my teeth, I force myself through that wall. I feel like I’m compressed into a line of atoms and all the breath is forced from my body again. This time, when I step back out into the night air, I collapse right where I land. Not 5 seconds after we reappear at the rendezvous point, the world is rocked with a deafening explosion. The resulting heat melts the snow around me and warms me slightly. 

Annabeth and the others are knocked off their feet as well from the blast. 

I lay on my back, unable to suck in just one breath. Instead, it feels like the air is being continually pushed from my lungs, resulting in a concerning groaning noise that I can’t control. I curl into the fetal position and try to breathe but it’s just not working. 

“Estrella?” Annabeth’s voice appears near my head, but I can’t respond with anything but the wheezing groan. 

“Breathe,” a soothing voice coaxes at my other side, and a hand rubs my back. I still can’t just suck in a breath. My lungs refuse to cooperate. 

“What’s wrong with her?” Annabeth asks. I wish I knew. 

“Come on, just breathe. You’re ok,” the voice I realize is Mateo’s says. He keeps rubbing circles into my back. Why can’t I just breathe?

“Estrella, come on!” he sounds a bit more panicked, “Breathe! Come on!”

He brings his other hand around to my chest and puts a reassuring pressure against my sternum. His hand against my back becomes a bit more aggressive, pounding until finally my lungs seem to remember their job and let me breathe. My breaths come in desperate, painful gasps, and the world spins around me. I can hear Mateo let out a relieved sigh and Annabeth dabs a wet cloth against my eyebrow. Someone pours nectar down my throat, and I lie there until my vision goes back to normal. 

Will helps me sit up and places a hand against my back, feeling my breathing. 

“You got the wind knocked out of you. You should be ok in a minute or so.”

“You scared me,” Mateo breathes a shaky laugh and I lean against him. 

“Sorry,” I reply, “Couldn’t breathe.”

“I gathered.”

“What happened?” Annabeth asks as soon as she decides that I’ve had enough time to catch my breath. My hands shake as I try to smooth back the wet hair plastered to my forehead. Mateo takes them and squeezes them between his own hands. 

“I think the celestial bronze is almost back to normal or something. I felt like I was trying to squeeze through a tiny crack that wasn’t even there,” I explain, failing to put into words how it felt. 

“Your heart rate is concerningly high, Estrella,” Will notifies us, much to my annoyance. It’s not like I didn’t already know that. I just didn’t feel the need to share with the others. 

“I’m fine. Just out of shape,” I counter. Annabeth stares at me.

“And your blood pressure is much lower than it should be. I’m not sure if you should continue. You tired yourself out and you could risk injury if you keep pushing,” Will instructs, and my stomach clenches. That’s not an option. 

“Annabeth, trust me, I’m fine. I can do this. It’s nighttime. I’ll be back at full strength in no time,” I plead with her. I can see the cogs turning in her brain, debating whether she’s willing to put my health at risk. I think we both know the answer, but she’ll never admit it. I need to convince the others that I can do this.

“How do you know that?” Mateo butts in, “Have you ever tested that? What if that’s just a theory and it’s not even true?”

I send him a quick glare. 

“What does it matter? You guys need me and I’m going either way. You can’t stop me, Will. So either we stick to the plan or I’m going in there myself,” I declare, voice much stronger than I feel. Annabeth chews on the inside of her cheek and Will gives her an exasperated look. 

“You’re not really considering letting her go back in there. You can’t be serious,” he scoffs, shocked that she isn’t shutting me down. Annabeth looks guilty and overwhelmed at his questioning, like she knows she has no other option. 

“I mean, I could-” Nico begins, but Will cuts him off immediately. 

“Nico Di Angelo, if you don’t shut your mouth right now, I’ll do it for you,” he snaps. Without meaning to, he confirmed what I already knew. They are willing to risk me. I’d be upset if I wasn’t on the same page. 

“Will, it’s fine. The ambrosia already kicked in. We just need to make sure Calypso or Hecate stays on top of the celestial bronze and I’ll be fine,” I tell him to try and ease some of the guilt suddenly present on his face. 

“You guys are so fucked for this,” Mateo spits, standing up stiffly and walking away to pace by the tree line. I watch him, guilty for making him afraid but still not willing to change my mind. We’re running out of time. They already know we’re here. Our friends will be harder to get to than before. I don’t have time to waste. 

“I’m sorry if any of you guys disagree but we need to leave now,” I urge, jerking my head at the building with sirens blaring. We’ve lost any form of stealth and need to make our next move before our friends are transported. 

“She’s right,” Annabeth admits, looking stressed, “They know they’re under attack. Who knows what other security measures Idris put in place? We need to get our friends out before they’re locked away forever. If I were Idris, moving them would be my top priority.”

“Then let’s go,” I beg, standing up and brushing the snow off my pants. They’re soaked so it doesn’t do much. 

“I’m coming too then,” Mateo announces, and I decide not to argue with him. Honestly, we’ll probably need his help. 

“Whatever, Mateo. Stay out of my way and protect Estrella,” Annabeth snaps, turning to Piper, “Break the key Hecate gave you. We need to move on to phase 2. She needs to regain control over the celestial bronze if we have any chance of pulling this off.”

Piper nods and throws the key to the ground at her feet. When she stomps her boot onto the key, I hear a snap and a small burst of purple light emits before the remnants of the key disappears. Less than 30 seconds later, Hecate appears, chin up and cloak slightly wrinkled. She looks perturbed. 

“You summoned me?” she urges, impatient. Annabeth steps forward. 

“Phase 2 has begun. We need your help. Can you please dampen the power of the celestial bronze for a few minutes as we break into the facility? Calypso must be growing weaker because Estrella barely made it out. Would you be able to help?” Annabeth asks, turning up the respectful act. There’s just enough doubt in her words to make Hecate want to prove herself. Classic immortals.

“You question my power?” Hecate replies, eyes dark and narrowed. I catch Annabeth’s lips twitch before she puts on a desperate, concerned face.

“Of course not, milady. I simply plead for your assistance. We need your magical prowess. I grow worried since Calypso was unable to maintain the bronze for long.”

“I am much more powerful than that lowly titaness. People should learn to stop underestimating me. Zeus especially,” Hecate gripes. 

“Show them how powerful you are, milady. These people are working with the ones who captured you. I want to make sure they don’t do it again.” 

“They will not,” Hecate growls, and I can’t help but be impressed by Annabeth’s manipulation skills. To manipulate a goddess so effortlessly… I try not to imagine her doing that to Terra. She wouldn’t.

With a wave of her hand, Hecate sends a massive sheet of magic at the smoking building. Nothing seems to happen, so we all look at her expectantly. She looks back with a proud smirk. 

“The celestial bronze in the walls won’t be able to impact you anymore. I placed another enchantment on it to counter the magic that restrains your powers. You will have to manage the rest of the automatons and magical weapons on your own though. I can only intervene so much.”

A wave of relief so powerful that my knees nearly buckle rushes through me. She disabled the celestial bronze. We might actually be able to pull this off. 

The pit of anxiety in my stomach shifts to anticipation. It’s a small switch that makes all the difference. The darkness has reinvigorated me, and I shiver. There’s nothing stopping me now. 

“Thank you,” I breathe, and my friends bow to Hecate. I clumsily follow their lead and she nods.

“You have faced tremendous pain to make it this far. You mustn’t let yourself be led astray. Trust in your abilities and you will go far,” Hecate directs at me, and my eyes widen at her attention. I think I see her glance at Mateo, but I must be imagining it. All I can do is nod in response. 

“Lady Hecate, we thank you. Your generosity will never be forgotten. If you seek further retribution, I invite you to capture Idris and let us give him the fate he deserves,” Annabeth adds. Hecate purses her lips and flares her nostrils in disgust. 

“I will do this merely as punishment for his involvement in my capture. This will be the last of my involvement in this matter. Do not ask for anything else, you devious girl.”

Annabeth beams but lowers her head respectfully. She knows her place and she’s gotten what she wants. 

Hecate disappears the same moment a massive arc of lightning streaks through the dark night sky. The thunder is deafening and just loud enough that we barely hear Frank’s cry of warning. A large eagle dives straight at us, turning into Frank at the last moment. He lands, crouched to one knee, while breathing heavily. 

“They know we’re here. They are assembling troops as we speak. We need to go now,” he pants. I inhale through my nose and square my shoulders. Transporting Annabeth, Frank, Clarisse, Piper, Mateo, and Tobi will not be easy. I’ve never traveled with so many people at once and my energy is already depleted. 

For some reason, Annabeth seems to trust me. Maybe she sees how much I’m willing to give to get Terra back. I think she’s the same way.

“Alright, Phase 2. You know the plan. Piper, Frank, and Tobi, destroy as much research as you can. Keep casualties low,” Annabeth reminds them, and they nod. They know what to do. 

“Mateo, just stay out of my way, got it? You pull that shit you did in South Carolina and I’m leaving your ass behind.”

My eyes nearly bulge out of my head. Mateo doesn’t engage, merely grinding his teeth together. I can see that she’s poking and prodding, waiting for him to explode. He’s getting tired of her antics. I think he’s justified. I would be annoyed too. I’m not sure why she would be so disrespectful to someone who’s trying to help but then again, I don’t know what happened while I was in Salem. 

“Got it,” he smiles tersely. I grab his hand and squeeze. His shoulders soften a little and he surprises me with a quick kiss. I jerk back, shocked that he would kiss me so publicly when it’s obvious that some people have problems with us kissing earlier. Everyone but Clarisse looks shocked as well. My cheeks flush and I smile embarrassedly. You don’t have time for this. 

“Estrella, you know your part, right? Get us in, stay out of my way, and pop in and out of each cell until you find Terra and the others. Then get us out,” Annabeth directs at me.

“Got it. Does Jason know the signal to come help?” I ask, glancing over at the boy wielding lightning like a lasso and creating a distraction. He occasionally sends huge bolts into the roof of the facility, blowing large chunks of the concrete inwards. I just hope no one gets crushed. 

“Yes, I told him you’d send up a ball of darkness. Can you manage that?” Annabeth replies. Another responsibility she’s entrusted me with. 

“Yes.”

“Good. Team 2, when you’re done destroying research, we will most likely need your help fighting the soldiers in our sector. We’ll be swarmed quickly as they expect us to go there first. If you can draw some of them away from us, we’d stand a better chance. Hopefully Calypso will be able to help as well. Nico, Will, be ready for Hecate when she comes back. We need Idris alive.”

Will watches me as Annabeth speaks. I briefly make eye contact with him but quickly look away when it looks like he wants to argue. I will not listen to what he has to say. 

Instead, he leaves Nico’s side and puts a hand on the center of my chest. I try to step away in confusion, but he steps with me. 

“Wh-” I begin, but Will frowns in concentration. He hisses when his hand begins to glow but keeps it steady. I try to move away again but his other hand grips my shoulder. His healing light flows into my chest, lighting up my nerves and filling me with a burst of energy. My muscles feel alive, and my heartbeat feels stronger.

“Listen to your body,” he warns me quietly, “Don’t be a fool and risk your life unnecessarily. You are a part of this prophecy. Don’t put one life above the lives of millions, Estrella. You are not stupid. You know the weight of your involvement. It doesn’t end here. It’s not that easy.”

His words hit me like a truck. When he pulls his hand back, I nearly stumble away from him. Mateo still grips my hand and looks between us in confusion. Again, I don’t have time to interpret the meaning of what just happened. 

“I’m ready,” I announce, once Will’s back at Nico's side. Piper seems to have regained her bearings and looks just as determined as the rest of us. She joins me on my other side, grabbing my hand tightly. I squeeze her back, sending her a small, nervous smile. 

The rest of the two teams form a circle, joining hands with Piper and Mateo, and look at me expectantly. I take a deep breath, savoring the ease of it after some ambrosia and healing power from Will. The cool night air elicits another shudder, and I can feel my heartbeat thrumming in my neck. 

In a moment of desperation, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, summoning the will to try and plead with my mother. 

Mother, I know you are listening. If you really wanted me dead, I would be. Please, give me the strength to pull this off tonight. I am in your realm. My friends need me. Don’t let me tarnish your name with my weakness.

I’m honestly not sure if she can hear my thoughts. It’s worth a try. And just taking that moment to breathe has steadied my nerves slightly. My muscles are exhausted, but my mind is sharp. I can feel a mass of power coiled in my stomach, writhing in anticipation. It wants to be set free, almost like it senses the night sky above. I wonder if this is how Percy feels underwater. So much potential energy just begging to be let loose. 

“Be ready to defend me,” I warn them, “I’ve never traveled this many people.”

“It’s not much different,” Nico pipes up, “It just feels like you’re wearing an extra heavy backpack. Just stay focused.”

“I’ve got your back,” Annabeth reassures me, and I know she’s being honest. She’d never let anything happen to me before I found Terra.

“Here we go,” I breathe, and close my eyes in concentration. My senses seem to dull until the world around me is nothing but a quiet stillness. The crashing thunder and lightning fades away and the flashing lights darken until everything is black. A cool, familiar breeze brushes against my face as I step into the shadows and lug my friends along with me. 

Time seems to warp as I race us toward the courtyard in the center of the 4-winged facility. It takes less than a second, but I can feel my powers working to pull us all through the darkness. My next step lands on solid brick and I don’t stumble. The walls posed no trouble for me. In fact, I feel more energized than before. 

It’s already dark in the courtyard but I make it darker. Spotlights shine down on us, but I dampen them. I pull darkness from all around me and give it mass. It pools around us like an ominous fog, and I cover us in it like a blanket. We are invisible. All the human eye would be able to see is a cloud of darkness.

Even then, the guards are tipped off. Shouts arise from the lookout above and lasers point through the fog to no avail. They couldn’t shoot us if they tried. The shadows would eat their bullets. 

“Stay low,” I whisper. My friends squint back like they can’t see me. Only Piper and Mateo, the ones in direct contact with me can see what I see. Or a manufactured version of it. The others are as blind as the people above. When I look up at Mateo, he looks pale and slightly afraid. I don’t blame him. 

Even though I’m confident I can protect us against those bullets, the lasers that pierce through the fog worry me. I can only keep this up for so long. I just figured he’d be more used to these kinds of high stakes situations. 

“Estrella, go now and drop them off near the lab I showed you on the map. Come back as soon as you’re done,” Annabeth instructs, and I release Mateo’s hand. He starts to object but I hush him immediately. Just because they can’t see us doesn’t mean they can’t hear us.

I guide him over to Annabeth and Clarisse and lead them to a somewhat hidden corner. I leave the fog up around the entire courtyard as to not attract attention to one specific area. Then, I grab Frank, Piper, and Tobi and urge them forward. 

I try to visualize the blueprints Annabeth showed me but under the stress of the situation I find my mind blanking. I push forward solely using my instincts as my guide. These hallways are weirdly quiet and empty, which worries me. Is this a trap? Are the rest of the men all in the East wing blocking our access to Terra?

I don’t have time to think about it. Already my muscles are quaking with the effort of maintaining the darkness and my skin feels clammy with sweat. I keep us cloaked until we turn a corner and face a dark hallway empty of people other than the occasional harried scientist. Flashes of white lab coats rushing around catch my eyes, but they never catch sight of us. They must have a mission of their own. 

I finally stop when I pass a white door with a gold plaque reading, “Laboratory 1.” I hope there aren’t many more. I’ve done my job, now they must do theirs. 

I let go of Piper and Tobi’s hands and call the shadows back to me. Right on command, they surge toward me like a vacuum and flow right through my skin. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the feeling. Already, my quaking muscles feel taut and strong. 

We are entirely visible to anyone that may turn into the hallway, so as they blink in disorientation, I shove them into the first lab. 

“Good luck. Fuck this bastard over. Make all this shit pointless,” I growl, then turn on my heel and step into the shadows. I reappear in the courtyard without missing a beat. I’m starting to get the hang of this.

I don’t even feel like I’m in my own body as the night sky welcomes me back. I suck in a huge breath and feel reinvigorated as the stars twinkle at me. 

Some of the braver men begin to venture into the manufactured shadows and fog, and to my surprise, I can sense their location. The shadows feel like an extension of me. They do what I want and report back when people go stomping through them. Idiots. 

A dense clump of men swarms into the courtyard when they realize the fog isn’t deadly and block the entrance to the East Wing. My friends thankfully remain unbothered in the corner but a group of 2 men are quickly approaching. 

I appear at Annabeth’s side and grab her hand. Instantly, she can see the men approaching and reaches for Clarisse while I grab Mateo. Before they have a moment to question it, we’re racing through the shadows and reappear in a brightly lit hallway. We’re past the group of men at the entrance but they were definitely expecting us.

Men with automatic weapons and high-tech-looking armor line the hallway, each standing in front of a door. We must be in the cell block already. The hallway looks endless though, each door coated in celestial bronze and shut tightly. As soon as we pop into their line of vision, the men’s heads turn to us and at least 20 guns are pointed at us immediately. 

To my utter horror, some of them have night vision goggles strapped to their helmets. My stomach drops. There are more doors in this hallway than I could possibly search before my friends are overrun. I drop the shadows in the courtyard and some of the strain lessens. I’m ready to turn the whole place dark but I don’t want to hinder my friends as well. 

In such a tight space, we stand no chance against automatic weapons. Swords will do nothing. I kind of wish I stole some equipment before blowing it all up. 

Mateo has a gun of his own and raises it back at the men, but one highly skilled demigod still won’t make a difference. We need Jason. 

Before the men fire at us, I launch a dense ball of darkness up at the ceiling. The men flinch and click off their safeties, but the ball passes harmlessly through the roof and nothing happens. Then they frown. 

“That’s it?” one of them asks. Then all hell breaks loose. 

A massive bolt of lightning cleaves through the ceiling and rains debris on some of the men. Another bolt follows, exposing us to the chilly night air. A powerful gust of wind surges through the hole and whips dust and debris around. Some of it slices up the guards, pinging against their helmets and armor and leaving ugly scratches. 

To my satisfaction, I see a goggle or two fly off and shatter. I take advantage of their confusion and pop up behind one of the men with goggles. Before he even notices I’m there, I rip the night vision equipment off his helmet and disappear. I do the same to another before appearing behind Annabeth and Clarisse and handing the gear off. 

Jason flies through the hole he’s created and throws a web of electricity at the nearest guards. They go down twitching and their weapons go haywire. The rest of the guards turn their focus to Jason, so I hastily rip the armor from the closest guards and shove it at Annabeth and Clarisse. Annabeth grabs me by the shoulders and implores me to hear her. 

“Quit wasting time. FIND THEM ,” she commands, and I nod. Mateo grabs some gear for himself before the guards remember we’re here as well. The second they begin to open fire, the entire hallway is plunged into darkness. I hear multiple shouts of surprise, including Jason, and I curse myself. He didn’t have any gear. 

I hear multiple sets of footsteps approaching rapidly from the other end of the hallway behind us and remember why I needed to keep the fog going. It slipped my mind and now the illusion has dropped. They know it was a trick. 

Annabeth finds my eyes with her goggles on and shakes her head at me. 

“Estrella, do what you came here to do. We’ll handle it,” she tells me, and I don’t argue. 

I begin the arduous task of popping into each cell, each holding prisoners of various states. Some look strong and ready to break out, while most look starved, sick, or old. I try my best to seem friendly, grabbing their hands to allow them to see, and either transport them outside where it’s safer, or drop them in the hallway so they can fight with us. 

I know Annabeth will want to kill me for not following directions but there’s no way she actually expects me to just leave them in there. 

The first cell I break into holds a single old man. He looks frail and exhausted as he lies shivering under a thin blanket. He obviously cannot see me when I appear in his room, but I can tell that he still has keen senses. His eyes snap open and his head turns to where I stand.

“I’m Estrella. We’re breaking our friends out of here. I’m not supposed to help you but I’m not going to leave you in here. Can you walk?” I whisper, and the man pushes himself to his elbows shakily. Rather than doubting me, he nods. He’s clever. 

“I don’t have time to take you far,” I tell him, “I’m going to drop you off in the woods. Unfortunately, that’s the best I can do for you.”

He rises to his feet and he’s dangerously unsteady. I try to ignore the rotten smell of body odor and urine, but it brings tears to my eyes. I have a feeling this won’t be the worst I’ll see. 

“Take this,” I hand him my emergency drachma Annabeth gave all of us, “Do you know how to Iris Message?”

“Yes,” he grates out, leaning heavily on me as I grab his hand. 

“Ok, good. Call Chiron and ask for help. They’ll send reinforcements to help you guys. Maybe there’s a safe house around here. If not, maybe they’ll take you to a camp that’ll be safe.” 

“Thank you,” he whispers, and I rush us out to the forest. I mark the latitude in my mind and wish him good luck. 

“I’m going to bring you more people. Don’t get caught.”

I disappear before he can respond. I pop back into the hallway outside of the first cell door and nearly get taken out by a rogue bullet. Mateo stands dutifully outside the door and tackles me as soon as I appear in front of him. Before I have the chance to stand back up he’s already taken down 3 men. 

“Are you hit?” he screams in my ear, and I shake my head. 

“I’m fine!” I shout back, heart racing, “I’m going into the next cell. They weren’t there.”

With each cell, I find weaker and weaker people. I don’t even bother explaining who I am to the next few as I feel time running out. I trust that the first man will help explain what they need to do once they’re in the forest. 

My body is slick with sweat as I work. My heart races like I’m sprinting but my breaths come evenly. I can maintain this for a bit longer. 

The next cell holds two people. One looks weirdly familiar. 

When I appear in front of them, it’s clear that she can see me too. The one that can see me is short and thin, with slick black hair to her jawline and pale white skin. The other is taller and athletically built, with dark brown skin and small overgrown frizzy braids that fall to his cheekbones. 

She spots me instantly and grabs his hand protectively. Her eyes are narrow and distrusting, and his are slightly afraid. 

“You can see me,” I observe. The boy jumps but the girl just narrows her eyes further. She doesn’t say anything, and I can’t put my finger on why she looks so familiar. 

They don’t look as weak as the others. Maybe these two could help fight.

“I’m Estrella. My friends and I are here to break out our other friends. I’m not supposed to be helping you, but I won’t leave you locked in here. What are your names?”

The girl’s eyes widen when I introduce myself. She takes a step closer to me and examines my face. 

“Estrella? Minji,” she whispers, her eyes not leaving my face. Memories come flooding back of my elementary school friend who moved suddenly in 5th grade. Minji, a quiet, shy girl who would come over to my house and play videogames with me. Her family was Korean, but she never let me come over to her house. She said her parents were strict. 

“Minji? W-what are you doing here? Minji from Saint Matthew’s Catholic School? You look so different,” I gasp. Finally, she smiles. She looks more confident now. She used to be girly and conservative. Now she looks older and more masculine.

“I don’t know. They said they think I’m a demigod or something. They’ve been running tests on me to see what I am. What are you doing here?”

“Oh my god,” I gush, and wrap her in a tight hug. She stiffens, from what I assume is stress and fear. 

“I’m a demigod too. My mom is Nyx. I just found out the other day.”

She gasps, but the shock doesn’t reflect in her eyes. She’s probably too overwhelmed to process this all. I know I was. 

“I don’t have time to explain right now, but there’s a group of people in the forest who can help. Is he a demigod too? Can he help fight?” I gesture at the boy and Minji shakes her head. 

“He’s a son of Pax. He doesn’t fight. I’m unclaimed.”

He frowns at that but doesn’t say anything. I want to groan. My friends need help.

“Ok, I’ll take you to the forest. Get to Camp Half Blood.”

I drop them off without waiting for questions. 

The next cell holds a tall, strong-looking man. He’s probably around his mid 40’s, with black hair peppered with streaks of grey. He doesn’t see me, but he knows something is up as soon as I’m in the room. 

“My powers are back,” he announces, stepping toward me. 

“We deactivated the celestial bronze,” I tell him, wincing when I hear shouts of pain outside the door. 

“Are you with them?”

“No.”

“Are you going to let me out?” he asks. I can see rage and excitement in his eyes. I have no idea who this man is, but he looks like he knows how to kill. 

“Will you fight with us?” I respond. He smiles.

“Yes.”

That’s everything I need to hear from him. I transport him to the hallway and hand him off to Mateo. 

“Get this man some goggles and let him fight,” I tell Mateo, then disappear again. My muscles begin to burn with each jump, and I can feel shadows swirling around me. The next few rooms have stronger warriors, all of whom agree to fight. I hope none of them die because of me. 

Each time I step back into the hall, it gets more crowded and chaotic. Bodies litter the floor and bullets fly in all directions. Mateo looks a little more beat up each time I see him, but I try not to focus on it. I’m running out of time and energy and still haven’t found my friends. 

I fall into a routine as I methodically check each cell until one silent room catches me off guard. I don’t sense anyone in there, so I get ready to head to the next when a heavy arm pins me against the wall. A metal hand squeezes into my shoulder so tightly that I scream. 

When my eyes clear, I stare into the soulless face of an automaton that jams its thumb up underneath my collarbone until my knees start to buckle from the pain. Then, it slams its hollow forehead into my nose so hard that my head snaps back against the wall and blood gushes down my face.

I’m seeing stars but know that I don’t stand much of a chance locked in here by myself. So, with the automaton latched on tightly, I let myself fall backwards into the shadows and slam onto the floor of the hallway with the robot on top of me. The force of the fall and the weight of the metal creature on top of me snaps my collarbone with an audible crack. Another scream rips from my throat and Mateo shouts my name. 

People continue to fall around me, but I can’t focus through the pain. Finally, Mateo gets his arms around the automaton’s neck and pries it off me. I grasp at my shoulder in agony and try to drag myself away from the commotion. Unfortunately, the commotion is all around me and I nearly get stomped on. 

Mateo grunts as he grapples with the automaton but none of his weapons do any damage. His fists bleed as he tries to pound its face in, but the robot doesn’t skip a beat. A quick shot to Mateo’s jaw sends him sprawling to the floor with a shout of pain. He’s quick back up to his feet but I can tell that he’s disoriented, and his legs look weak. 

Ignoring the fiery burning in my chest, I fight my way to my feet and rip my knife from my boot. As the automaton continues its tirade on Mateo, I sneak up behind it and drive the blade into the back of its skull. 

Idris must have been smart enough to not put the important inner workings up there, as the robot doesn’t even stumble. Instead, it rounds on me again, grabbing hold of my injured shoulder and squeezing. I try to scream again but only a pained wheeze escapes me. I desperately stab blindly at the machine with my other hand, but the grip never loosens. 

Mateo appears at my side and tries to pry its fingers off me, but the hold is too tight. My body flushes hot and then cold and my head starts to feel fuzzy. Don’t pass out don’t pass out don’t pass out.

The pain grows so intense that my thoughts become senseless, and the room becomes brightly lit again. My powers fail me, and I can’t do anything but cry out. 

Now that the room is fully lit again, we’re back at a disadvantage. The sounds of fighting pause just for a moment before the men begin shouting and reforming their ranks for a more organized attack. I’m a sitting duck pinned up against the wall and the guards know it.

Bullets start flying in my direction and I watch in horror as Mateo steps in front of me. I have just enough strength left to throw up a wall of shadows in front of him that absorbs their bullets. The automaton pins my other shoulder against the wall and my head slams back. I can’t hold the shield any longer. 

I’m about to give up and let the bullets kill me when a streak of lightning arcs through the men shooting at us. Their bodies seize up and they fall on one another. Another bolt of electricity strikes the automaton, but it doesn’t falter. Instead, it conducts the electricity straight into me. 

I screech as my vision turns white and my heart palpitates. My entire body burns, and my muscles turn to jelly. As my body goes limp, my forehead thunks against the chest cavity of the automaton and I hear Mateo shouting. My vision fades in and out along with my hearing, but I remain pinned to the wall. 

I’m not sure how long I stay that way until the automaton loses power and hinges in on itself. No longer held up, I collapse with it and get tangled up with the now stiff, heavy metal limbs. Mateo pulls me away from the mess and carries me into an empty office littered with bullet holes and scattered papers. 

He lays me down on the desk and shouts questions at me. My brain doesn’t seem to be functioning properly, so he shouts at someone else who shoves a square of ambrosia down my throat. Calypso appears in my line of vision, her eyes wild with rage and power. Her forehead creases in worry as she takes in my appearance. 

“You’re ok,” I slur, my words heavy with relief. She nods quickly. 

“You are too. Take a second to breathe,” she instructs, and I watch a line of blood dribble down her temple. I remember what I’m meant to be doing and try to sit up but my head spins. 

“Sit still,” she commands, and I do as I’m told. She murmurs something in a language I don’t quite understand but my dizziness fades. My collarbone still burns, and my muscles feel swollen but at least I can see clearly. 

“Did you kill the robot?” I ask, and she surprises herself with a laugh. 

“Not quite. Although, they will have a very difficult time turning it back on. That was a vicious one. They just keep coming.”

“Thank you.”

“Do not worry,” Calypso replies, then she leans in close, “I know what you are doing. I know that you want to do the right thing. We cannot save every one of them, Estrella. You will never make it that far. We will be overrun any minute.”

“Some of them are just little kids,” I whisper, and my voice breaks. I know she’s right. I can feel the clock ticking down. I can feel my power dwindling. I just can’t bear the thought of leaving them there. Their faces will haunt my nightmares.

“I know. When this war is won, we will set them free.”

“What if they kill them first? What if we don’t win and they never get their chance to be free? What if they die alone in there?” I ask, tears leaking out of my eyes. Her eyes look misty too. 

“If we don’t rescue our friends, they will die either way. We need to focus on the mission,” she reminds me, and I bite my lip to keep it from wobbling. With my vision blurry with tears, I nod. I need to remember what I’m here to do. I can’t let my friends down. It’s time to be selfish. 

“Remember your strength,” she whispers, then leaves as Mateo reappears at my side. He dabs a cloth under my nose to soak up some of the blood. Already, my body feels less broken. I’m ready to find my friends. I need to be ready. 

“What are you doing? You need to rest for a moment,” Mateo frets as I finally sit up. He tries to push me back down, but I grab his hand gently. Even with the obnoxiously large goggles on his face, he still looks gorgeous. I peel the goggles off his face and smirk at the red marks they left. 

“You look like a bug with those on,” I laugh, and he looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. 

“Estrella, you’re not going back out there.”

“We both know that I am, Mateo. Don’t try to fight me on it. I need to find them.”

He scoffs angrily. He knows there’s no convincing me. 

I plant a quick kiss on his lips and hop down from the desk. My legs are still wobbly and weak, but it will have to do. The ambrosia will kick in eventually. 

“I’m gonna kill Jason,” I joke, attempting to smooth down my staticky hair. It doesn’t work, obviously. 

“Be careful, please. I’m worried,” Mateo replies, voice subdued and honest. I look back at him and send him a small smile. He wraps his arms around me and presses me into his chest. I stay there for a moment, listening to his heart beat steadily. When I push him away my collarbone pops back into place painfully and I gasp. 

“Ow,” I whine. Then I roll my shoulders and stand up taller. 

“You’re insane,” he laughs, then kisses the top of my head, “I’ve got your back. Go find your friends.”

I nod, then continue my search. My heart breaks a little more as I pop into a room and find anyone but my friends. Each face lights up with hope when they see me, and I hold back tears as I leave without taking them with me. I’ll never forgive myself for this. 

I go through maybe 15 more cells, each holding people that I don’t know. After every jump, my legs start to weaken and my heart races desperately. My breaths quicken and soon I’m panting. After my 20th jump, my legs give out and Mateo catches me just before I hit the ground. He can feel my racing heart through my sweat-soaked shirt and looks desperate. 

“Es-” he begins, but I cut him off. 

“I can keep going,” I pant, and stand back up. The guards’ numbers only seem to increase the further down the hallway I get, and they fight more viciously. You must be getting close. 

I decide to switch up my strategy and bypass this hallway entirely. On Annabeth’s blueprints, there was a smaller hallway branching off this one at one end, so I tell Mateo where I’m going and hop both of us there. I spot Annabeth fighting her way toward us and she looks like she wants to tell me something. 

She gets held up by a large muscular man with greasy red hair and a face to match. He wraps an arm around her neck and tries to choke her out but she’s way more trained in hand-to-hand combat than this man is. Without missing a beat, she drops to a low squat and steps backward. The man is caught off guard as she pulls on his arm with more strength than he expects. 

I grin as I watch him flip over her head and slam harshly into the floor. She’s on him before he can blink, one knee pressed into his stomach and the other on one of his arms. He’s quick and strong, and grabs hold of her long ponytail immediately. He yanks roughly and she nearly falls off but catches herself. 

Another man tries to attack her from behind, but Mateo shoots him in the leg, and he goes down screaming. Getting impatient and angry, Annabeth reaches back and unsheathes her dagger. Before the man can rip any more of her hair out, she shoves the blade down into the center of his abdomen and jabs it up toward his sternum. He gasps, then chokes as his lungs fill with blood. The grin melts off my face.

She steps off him like it was nothing and adjusts her ponytail. My stomach lurches and I have to swallow the bile that creeps up my throat. The man lies there dying, and I can’t do anything about it. Something tells me I shouldn’t anyway. 

“Matt!” another man shouts from a few feet away and pulls his gun on Annabeth. Before Mateo can take him out, the man shoots at Annabeth. She just barely avoids getting her head blown off and manages to escape with a minor graze on her shoulder. Before the man can fire again, she whips him across the jaw with the handle of her blade. He crumples before her, and she doesn’t even watch him fall. 

As she steps over Matt, he latches on to her ankle with a bandaged hand and trips her. She laughs when she lands on her knees and pries his hand off, squeezing the injury tightly. He screeches in pain, sounding like a squealing pig, and she rises to her feet again. Before he can try anything else, she pulls her foot back and kicks him in the head so hard that I can hear the hollow thunk through the gunshots. 

He does not move again. 

I think I just watched Annabeth Chase kill a man. 

“We’ve got to be close,” she pants as she approaches, “There’s something here they’re trying to protect.”

“She’s fading fast, Annabeth,” Mateo says, surprising me. Annabeth’s eyes scan over me and my injuries. 

“Can you do this?” she asks me directly. Honestly, I feel like I could pass out any moment. My stomach is roiling and my head pounds from the exertion and electrocution. My collarbone aches. Still, I nod. 

“We’re close,” I agree, “I can feel it.”

“Es…,” Mateo tries to argue, but sees that I will not budge.

“I’ll be fine, Mateo. I promise.”

Annabeth joins Mateo in defending me between each jump. The guards near this end of the hallway are burlier and dirtier fighters. Mateo and Annabeth look more injured each time I return. As I get more exhausted, I forget which rooms I’ve already been in, entering some 2 or 3 times and reliving the torture of seeing their hopeful faces. 

Mistakenly, I end up in a secluded, dark staff room. Only one man sits in here, not fighting with his coworkers. He’s tall, muscular, and handsome, yet his eyes watch me like a snake. As soon as I appear in front of him, he rips out his gun and clicks off the safety in one smooth motion. I put my hands up and try to get ready to jump but I can’t catch my breath. I lean against the wall behind me, and we watch each other. For some reason, he hasn’t shot me yet. 

“You just appeared out of nowhere,” he observes, and I raise an eyebrow. Or at least try to. My face is still quite twitchy after Jason’s shock. 

“You haven’t shot me,” I respond. He frowns like he’s not quite sure why either. 

“Should I?”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t.”

He laughs at that. It’s a short, bitter laugh. He seems upset at something. Maybe himself. 

“Why aren’t you fighting with the others?” I ask. 

“Just taking a break.”

“Oh. Don’t let me interrupt.”

“You’re on the news, you know.”

“Yeah,” I sigh, “Never been a wanted fugitive before… I didn’t even do anything. I’ve never hurt anyone.”

“Yeah, you don’t really seem like the type. No offense.”

“I think I’d be more offended if you said I look like a fugitive.”

“I suppose.”

“You don’t really look like the type to kidnap and torture kids… I guess people can surprise you,” I state. This man looks pitiful. I don’t think I’m in much of a pitying mood though. This man doesn’t deserve sympathy for what he’s been a part of. 

“I didn’t sign up for that… I just wanted to get revenge for my half-sister. She was so innocent. 13 years old and killed in broad daylight one day. They said it was a robbery gone wrong. They never caught the guy. Witnesses said he was the biggest man they’d ever seen. Someone said it looked like he only had one eye.

“I searched for months trying to find who hurt my baby sister. No one could give me any answers. I got so desperate that I started to believe the rumors about monsters and Greek Mythology. I found some contacts and tried to learn as much as I could. I finally managed to get in touch with a Mr. Brunner who I was told knew a lot about the subject. He blew me off for months. I finally got so impatient that I drove out to the address of Delphi’s Strawberries. There was nothing there. 

“Finally, once he heard I’d been sniffing around, Mr. Brunner called me. He was so dismissive. I told him my sister got killed by a monster. He told me they don’t exist. I’d heard that monsters don’t attack regular people often, so maybe my sister was different. I didn’t know her dad after all. I read about demigods and safe places for them. They supposedly had special burial processes with shrouds and all that. Mr. Brunner refused to listen. He brushed me off. 

“I begged for some sort of closure, some sort of answer. Some sort of explanation as to why my sister had to die. Who would want to hurt such an innocent, sweet little girl?” the man asks, and angry tears fill his eyes. I feel wetness growing in my own. 

“I thought I was going crazy for months. After years of searching and hoping, I gave up. People die in mysterious ways. People kill innocent people all the time. Maybe my sister was just one of those numbers. For the next year and a half, I didn’t hear anything. Rumor must have spread about my digging around, because I got contacted by a suspicious blocked number. On a whim, I decided to answer. The man told me he heard about my sister. He called her by her nickname. 

“They told me what I’d been wondering for years. She was killed by a Cyclops because she was an unclaimed child of Ares. She didn’t even know she was different. She wasn’t violent. She never hurt people or got into any trouble. Ares never even cared enough to claim her so she could be safe with other people like her. They told me Mr. Brunner lied to me. They explained how the gods manipulate and lie constantly and would screw over anyone to get what they want. They told me of the toxicity of the Olympians and how poorly they treat mortals. 

“I’m not the only one here with a story like this. So many of us have lost people we love because of the gods. Idris himself told me I’d be making a difference here. That I’d be preventing more useless deaths. I didn’t sign up to hurt kids. Especially not when they look like my sister…”

I stay silent as I absorb the magnitude of what he’s said. This is so much bigger than us. This pain runs deep. It goes back centuries, millenniums. Wherever the gods go, they cause carnage and destruction. They leave behind shells of mortals they deem useless. How can we convince such deeply angry people that us demigods are not the enemy? How can we show that we’re on their side? How can we prevent such a massive war when the gods refuse to change?

“I wasn’t claimed until a few days ago. I went about my life thinking I was normal. I never understood why I was so scared all the time. I thought I was crazy too. Turns out monsters were always right around the corner. If not for Terra, I’d be dead. You people have her here,” I hiss. I try to be sympathetic to him, but my anger runs deep too. I won’t excuse his behavior because he was wronged. He has free will. 

“I know where she is. Is that why you guys are here? Is that why so many of my friends had to die? Is that why Matt is bleeding out in the hallway?”

My heart turns to ice. He knows where she is. Stay calm. Keep him talking. 

“I am not a part of that. I could have let your men die in the explosion earlier. I saved their lives because they don’t deserve to die. Neither do we. You people are in the wrong. You are. Not me. ”

He stares at me for a moment, debating the honesty of my words. He must see some truthfulness because he purses his lips. 

“I don’t want either side to die,” he admits. 

“Me neither. I’m trying to prevent that.”

“Why do you get to live but my sister didn’t?” he whispers. My stomach sinks. Don’t feel sympathy. They have Terra. 

“I don’t know,” I admit, “I’m sorry you lost someone so pure. She sounds amazing. She didn’t deserve to die. You deserve closure. You won’t get that here. I’ve broken out at least 6 little girls today, probably younger than your sister was. You don’t get to hurt them because you want answers. You won’t ever get the answers. You will keep searching until you die. And you’ll hurt others in the process.”

“I wanted to be an astrophysicist. I got into MIT. She was so happy for me. She said she wanted to visit me when it was snowy.”

My heart shatters a little more. 

“What’s stopping you? You don’t have to be a part of this anymore. We’re going to destroy it all. You seem like a smart guy. Can you help me save my friends? They don’t deserve to die here. They’ve fought their whole lives to protect people like your sister. They don’t want to take anything from you. They’re fighting for change.”

 “I’ll show you where they are.”

“Thank you,” I breathe, “What’s your name?”

“Tyler.”

“I’m Estrella.”

“I know. Again, you’re all over the news. They say you murdered your entire family.”

His words hurt so bad that I suck in a sharp breath through my teeth. 

“That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. Honestly, how stupid are people to believe that? I would-” my voice cuts off when a lump clogs my throat.

“It’s not all bad though. There’s a senator from South Carolina that swears you saved her life.”

“Really? Who? I don’t know any senators,” I reply, shocked. 

“Her name is Lourdes Ramirez.”

My jaw slackens as I remember the woman with the dog at the rest stop. I’m not sure if I saved her life. If anything, I put it in danger. I just called the ambulance for her. I had no clue she was a senator. If she can get more of the government on our side…

“Oh.”

“You know her?”

“Tyler, we don’t have much time. Your men are going to overrun us if we keep standing around,” I remind him. He sighs. 

“Right. Follow me.”

After a steadying deep breath, we step out into the hallway. The sound of fighting is jarring and does not help my pounding headache. Tyler pulls out his gun and scans the hallway. When Mateo spots him, he raises his gun and puts his finger on the trigger. Tyler notices and does the same. Before they can kill each other, I jump between them and put my hands up.

“Mateo, stop. He’s going to help us!”

“How do you know he’s not leading you into a trap?” Mateo asks. Tyler scoffs. 

“Is there really any need for that? If I wanted to let you all die, I’d just leave you fighting here in the hallway. They’ll pick you guys off one by one,” Tyler snaps, and I bite my tongue. If not for the fact that he agreed to help us, I’d be highly tempted to slap him. Him choosing to help us does not make him a good person. Mateo looks suspicious. 

“We don’t have a choice. I’m tiring,” I admit, and Mateo’s face softens with worry. 

“Ok. Let’s go. Annabeth! Come with us. Get Clarisse,” Mateo steps in, wrapping an arm around my waist for support. His other arm holds his gun out. 

“Already here,” Clarisse grins, lips bloody and swollen. She looks beat up but exhilarated. I’ll never understand her. 

Tyler takes the lead and Clarisse watches our rear. Mateo and Tyler work surprisingly well together, both of their training meshing nicely. Anytime someone gets close one of them takes them down quickly or Annabeth steps in. She’s incredibly violent and efficient, but also knows how to avoid intense conflicts with select moves. I’m in awe as I watch her. I’ve never seen such a display of destruction from someone who seems so put together and kind. I’ll never get on her bad side. 

It takes us about 10 minutes to fight our way to the end of the hallway and by the end we’re all dripping sweat and blood. I threw up a few shields of darkness when men shot at us and definitely feel the effects of overusing my powers. I keep getting flashes of black across my vision and my skin feels cold to the touch. 

When Mateo shoots a man right in front of us and blood splatters the wall, my stomach twists painfully and I vomit straight onto the floor. My head swims when I look down at the mess and see streaks of blood and something black. That’s not good. 

“Shit,” Mateo curses, and takes a little more of my weight, “You’re so pale.”

Annabeth joins my other side and wraps an arm underneath Mateo’s. I think I hear her whisper words of encouragement but I’m not sure. I’m not done yet. I won’t stop until Terra is out of this hellhole. 

“They’re through here,” Tyler announces, and scans a keycard next to an ordinary-looking door. It opens up into a room that was not on Annabeth’s blueprints. 6 more doors line the walls of the room. Each door is heavier and larger than the others, reinforced with double the celestial bronze and heavy-duty locks. Each door has a keypad with biometric scanners. 

“Which one are they in? I’ll get them now,” I rush, hearing gunfire getting closer. Just a few more jumps. I can do this. 

“You can’t. Each cell is programmed for certain individuals. If someone not in the program tries to break in or out, they will be fatally electrocuted.”

My stomach twists again. We are fully reliant on this man. The man who just isn’t sure which side he’s on. The man who only cares about revenge. 

“So… Are you one of the individuals?” Annabeth asks, looking between Tyler and the door warily. 

“I am,” he responds. That sets my nerves on edge. 

“…Tyler? Can you open the door please?” I ask, entire body shaking. Mateo pulls me in a little tighter. I’m freezing. 

Tyler glances back at me, eyes conflicted. I can see his emotions at war in his mind. His duty to who he thought were the good guys, and his duty to his sister. His desire to be a good person and his desire to get revenge in any way he can. This would be a good opportunity to lock us in here and get his coworkers back on his side. With us locked in here, our friends wouldn’t stand a chance. The war would be over before it even began. No more mortals would have to die. 

Or at least that is what he was taught to believe. He really has no clue the wrath of the gods. 

Annabeth catches on to my line of thinking at the same time. She lunges back at the door we came through and curses when she finds it locked. Mateo spins around and tenses up when he sees what Tyler has done. Slowly, he raises his pistol at Tyler’s head and clicks off the safety. 

“What have you done?” Mateo growls. I watch his finger twitch on the trigger. He is itching to pull it. 

“Tyler?” 

“This room will electrocute you as well if you try to escape without me.”

“Tyler… please,” I beg, my legs threatening to give out. We were so close. 

“I always thought I was the good guy. I just wanted to feel in control for once.”

“I don’t blame you. You did what you think is right. But Tyler, please, look at what you’re doing. There are kids here. Kids. This can’t be the right side,” I plead, imploring him to look at me. He can barely meet my eyes. Coward. Kill him. 

My anger grows as each second ticks by. My thoughts turn poisonous. I feel like a caged animal. I will strike. 

“Let us save our friends,” Annabeth says, eyes full of desperate tears. She looks like she’s ready to snap. 

“…hello?” a small voice pipes up through the door. It’s extremely muffled and almost inaudible, but Tyler hears it. His face pales. 

“Hello? What’s going on? Annabeth?” the voice continues, and Tyler’s breathing speeds up. 

“Hazel?” Annabeth shouts, “Hazel? Is that you? I’m here! I’m gonna get you out!”

“…hurry. Percy isn’t doing good.”

Annabeth gasps like someone punched her. 

“Annabeth is there?” another voice joins in, and both Annabeth and I let loose a sob at the same time. Terra. 

“I’m here,” Annabeth cries, and I can’t say a word. I’m afraid if I open my mouth I will vomit again or cry like a baby. 

“Tyler?” Hazel’s voice asks through the door. She sounds small and scared, and Tyler cracks. 

Before any of us can blink, he slams his hand against the scanner and the door pops open. Out tumbles Hazel, dirty, bruised, and exhausted. She lands at Tyler’s feet, and he carefully helps her up. When she looks up at him, he looks away. I see tears shining in his eyes. 

Now that I see them together, I see why she reminds him of his sister. They have the same chocolatey skin and light brown hair. 

In a split second, she realizes what’s happened and what Tyler has sacrificed to let her out. 

“Thank you,” she says softly. She looks afraid of him, which makes my blood boil, but she also looks hesitantly trusting. If anyone could forgive him, it would be Hazel. Tyler doesn’t respond, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he holds back the tears building in his eyes. 

Annabeth doesn’t seem to feel the soft moment, instead pushing past both of them and bursting into the room. When the door slams against the wall I get the first glimpse I’ve had of Terra in days. In a split second, as Annabeth slams into her midsection, she looks for me first. We lock eyes and my knees buckle. 

Mateo manages to keep me up with an arm around my waist and when I look up, I see a small smile pulling at his lips. We found her. 

I try to take in every single aspect of her appearance. I memorize her face like it’s the first and last time I’ll ever see it. She looks so tired that my heart clenches. My beautiful, bright best friend, Terra, forced to dim her light because of an evil man. Idris better hope Hecate kills him. 

As I wait my turn to hug her, entire body shaking, she jerks her head over at the cot next to her. My eyes follow her motion and my blood chills when I spot Percy, or at least what is left of him. I can’t even describe the crushing emotion that crosses his face. 

First, when he spots Annabeth, his gaunt face transforms into one of hope and relief. Then, when he notices that Annabeth is not focused on him, his face falls and the disappointment is palpable. He looks so utterly drained. My anger and sadness grow in tandem as the rush of emotion gives me one last rush of adrenaline. We’re not free yet. 

We have our friends but-

“Wait, where is Leo?!” I realize, my stomach lurching at the thought of him being dead. Calypso would unravel. I’m afraid of what she would do to herself. He can’t be dead. He can’t be. 

Their silence sends me into a state of panic so severe that I sway on my feet. My stomach gurgles but I swallow down the bile. I can’t stress them out any more than they already are. But Leo…

“I-I don’t- He attacked Matt and… Tyler! What did you do? Is he dead?! Oh my gods…,” Hazel rambles, and gets so lightheaded that she has to slide down the wall and sit on the floor. Clarisse gives her a steadying hand. 

“He’s not dead,” Tyler clarifies, about a minute later, “I put him in solitary confinement so Matt wouldn’t kill him. I told the other guys to look after him, but I haven’t seen him since.”

“I’m gonna kill Matt,” Terra growls, and Tyler’s face falls. 

“Matt? Is he a ginger guy?” Annabeth asks. When Terra nods confusedly, Annabeth smiles. 

“I think I already did then,” Annabeth announces, acting shy and embarrassed like it was some sort of accident. I’m starting to think my friends have some serious mental issues. 

“You what?” Terra gasps, and Annabeth shrugs, “He was the guy who abused us. He tortured Percy and hit me multiple times. Hey, so did you,” Terra glares at Tyler. Annabeth whips around, ready to pounce, but Clarisse steps in surprisingly. 

“Guys, we should really get going. We left Jason fighting those guys alone,” she points out. How did I miss that? 

“Nico sent some ghosts and skeletons to help, last I saw. Plus, there’s all those people Estrella let out,” Annabeth sends me a chiding look. I look up at the ceiling. 

“How did you do that?” Terra wonders. The last time she saw me I had no idea how to use my powers. I’m not sure I even remember that girl. 

“Guys,” Clarisse reminds us, and we snap to action. 

I rush over to Terra on wobbly legs and wrap her in the tightest hug I can muster. My collarbone and various other injuries scream but I ignore it. The pain of losing her would far outweigh these temporary injuries. Annabeth doesn’t move far away, but glances over at Percy who still hasn’t said a word. I watch her crouch by his side out of the corner of my eye, but don’t focus on her for long. 

I’ve dreamed of hugging Terra every night and I can’t stop the tears of relief that dribble down my cheeks. I can feel some tears drip on my shoulder and realize that she’s crying too. We tremble in each other’s arms. I have no idea the extent of torture she was exposed to, but we can discuss it later. 

“I was so worried,” I whisper, and she squeezes me tighter.

“I’m ok. I’m right here,” she whispers back, and I’m instantly guilty at the fact that she’s consoling me after everything she’s been through. It should be the other way around. 

Yet, as relieved as I am, my treacherous brain has to ruin the moment with one thought. She wishes she never met you. 

Instantly, my tears dry, and the hug feels too close. I am a leech to her. I am selfish, obnoxious, mean, and not wanted. Her hands feel looser around me. Maybe she wanted to let go a long time ago. I release her and mutter an apology, to which she frowns. Annabeth is back at her side, so I avert my eyes and step back. When I look back, she looks confused, but obviously wants to be with Annabeth. She does not regret meeting her. I mean, how could she?

I glance over at Percy, and Terra motions for me to be with him again. Help him, she mouths. Oh. She feels stifled by you. She doesn’t want to be around you. She wishes she never met you. 

When I hear Percy wheeze, I realize how serious his condition is. I rush to his side and lean down a bit, so I block the harsh light that makes him squint. He peels open one eye and scans my face. It takes him a second to register who I am, which worries me tremendously. 

“Hi,” I smile, trying to stay calm for him. He returns the smile in a pained grimace. 

“Ready to go?” I ask playfully, and he rolls his eyes, “Can you walk?”

He immediately looks defeated but tries to fight his way up anyway. He struggles with the multiple blankets piled on top of him. I help peel them back and swallow another gag when I see the state he’s in. Skinny doesn’t even cover it. 

Skeletal. I’ve never seen anything like it. Even through his clothing, I can see the angular outlines of bones. His cheeks are hollow and sunken, and his eyes look deep-set in his skull. With such papery thin, almost translucent skin, it looks like his bones are ready to pierce right through. I help him pull his shirt down when his concave stomach is on display, and he looks mortified. I try to remain encouraging, cracking jokes and not staring at anything for too long. 

Just the simple act of sitting up has him panting and wheezing. His lungs sound like they’re rattling with each intake of breath. I grab his wrist to steady him but secretly check his heartbeat against my fingertips. It’s rapid and uneven. 

“Hey, you know Hecate disarmed the celestial bronze? I bet some sink water would taste extra yummy right now,” I suggest, and a smile tugs at his lips. 

“… could heal my knee,” Percy rasps, and I barely catch it over the rushing in my ears. I still feel like I could pass out as well, but I ignore it. Percy plants his feet on the floor finally and attempts to stand up. As I expected, his body is too weak to support his miniscule weight and he almost topples forward. I manage to catch him just in time, but I think I hurt both him and myself. 

My shoulder aches under the impact of slamming into his ribs so we cry out in sync. Even though he’s much lighter than he should be, I’m almost dragged down to the floor. My muscles are exhausted to the point of quivering when I’m sitting still. Mateo rushes over and begins fussing over me but I push him toward Percy. 

“Help me get him to the sink,” I plead, looking over at Percy who has now slumped over on the bed. Just that bit of exertion and he’s already in and out of consciousness. He’s worse off than I thought. I look down at his knee and find a blood-soaked bandage stuck to the skin. There’s no way he’d be able to walk either way. 

Mateo has never met Percy, so he seems a little uncomfortable picking him up. He keeps shooting me weird looks but it’s obvious Percy needs help. When I give him pleading eyes, he finally obliges and gently scoops Percy out of the cot. I hobble alongside them and help guide Percy to the ground next to the sink. Annabeth and Clarisse tend to Terra and Hazel in the meantime while Tyler stands around awkwardly. 

Once Percy’s against the wall, I turn on the tap and frown at the color of the water. It smells awful. My nausea returns with a vengeance not only at the smell but at the fact that my friends were treated worse than animals. Terra looks like she hasn’t had a proper meal in days. I clench my fists for a moment to stop them from trembling. I need to keep my cool. 

I plunge my hands under the cold water and try to scrub off the dirt and blood before gathering a small cupful in my palms. Don’t think about Leo. Don’t think about Calypso. Keep your cool. 

Mateo helps me prop Percy’s head back and I pour the water into his mouth. Thankfully, he swallows on his own and just the slightest bit of color returns to his cheeks. I keep my fingers on his wrist and monitor his heartbeat, which seems to strengthen a bit. After 3 mouthfuls, his eyes open and he looks around, discombobulated. I don’t think he’s fully there. 

I shoot Mateo a worried look, my eyes burning with terrified tears. Mateo sends me a small sad smile and nod, then rubs my back comfortingly. I allow myself one second of comfort, leaning my head against his shoulder. Then I remember Jason and the others. We need to get out of here before the ARMY, SWAT, or police arrive. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re already here. 

“Is he stable enough to be moved?” Annabeth asks, looking straight at me. She refuses to look at Percy, out of what I assume is guilt. I look down at him, eyes barely open but breathing steady, and decide this is the best it will get for now. 

“I hope so,” I admit, “Here, Percy, drink this.”

He doesn’t put up a fight as I pour one more mouthful down his throat. I hope he’s in less pain now.