“So...remind me why you all are here?”

  Leo, Piper, and Annabeth stood innocently in front of the apartment door. Leo shot a finger gun at him with a small smile. “Just in case you need moral support, amigo .”

  “I don’t–” Percy’s words hitched in his throat.

  Just beyond that door would be Sally Jackson, the best mother in the world. It had been so long since he saw her, but Percy could still see her face in his mind, along with every crinkle of weariness and worry she must have had while he had disappeared.

  “It’s going to be okay, Percy.” Piper gently said, sending waves of calmness and peace washing over him. “She’ll be behind that door, safe and sound and waiting for you. Things will work out.”

  If he was being honest, Percy had always felt a little apprehensive at Piper’s power. He didn’t like the idea of having his mind and actions twisted by alluring words, too similar to how Kronos and Gaia brought so many over to their side.

  But right now, Piper’s charmspeak was genuine and kind, with faith wholeheartedly in her voice. She believed what she was saying, and it had no other purpose but to support Percy.

  Annabeth met his eyes carefully. He could guess her main worry about all this. In a somewhat hushed tone, she asked, “Do you want us to take care of Gabe?”

  Woah. Now, these were some of Percy’s closest friends. They would stand by him, fight with him, maybe even die for him. But as Percy looked over the deadly determination faces of the three, he realized with surprise that they were also ready and willing to kill for him.

  Besides Annabeth. He already knew she would do so if she thought he needed it.

  Percy tried to remember if he ever mentioned the Poker Player to Annabeth. “It’s okay. Just…give me a little space for now.”

  They parted around him, letting Percy ring the doorbell with a shaky hand. It wasn’t long before the door flew open, the smell of peppermint and licorice filling the air.

  “Percy! Oh, thank goodness. Oh, my baby.” Percy barely got a glimpse of Sally Jackson’s relieved face before she crushed the air out of him.

  Percy’s legs trembled as she cried onto his shoulder, letting himself collapse into her arms. His mom was back; he was back with her. Percy felt lighter already, his heavy heart slowly embracing the relief of finally being able to see his mom.

  Later, they told him he bawled his eyes out, but to Percy, it was all a blur. He didn’t know how long they stood in the hallway, drowning in tears. He clung tightly to his mom as she held his head close to her, running her hands through Percy’s hair.

  It felt like years had passed when their sobs slowly began to calm down. “I don’t remember anything after the Minotaur, but…Percy, what is going on? Are you okay?”

  She told him she had appeared at the apartment in the morning. And as soon as Sally had returned, Gabe had told her all about Percy’s new criminal life, blowing up national monuments across the country.

  “Everything is fine, mom.” Percy couldn’t help but smile shakily. Out of everything that had happened, his mortal reputation hadn’t been much of a concern to him. “I cleared things up with the police…didn’t you hear on the news?”

  “No, I had to go to work,” Sally explained, breathing a relieved sigh. “So what really happened, then?”

  Percy trembled slightly, this time with anger. He had forgotten that Gabe made his mom, who had just returned from a month-long disappearance, to go back to work and ‘make up her salary’.

  There was no reason to delay this confrontation. Whatever happened to Gabe, Percy wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. He swallowed back his anger, just for a moment. “It’s a really long story, Mom. Maybe we should talk inside.”

  His mom looked hesitant. She closed her eyes. “He isn’t going to be happy to see you, Percy. The store got half a million phone calls today from Los Angeles…something about free appliances.”

  “Oh, yeah. About that…”

  “Hey, Sally! That meatloaf done yet or what?” Gabe’s slimy voice interrupted from inside the house, making Percy stiffen.

  Sally just sighed, ignoring the call. She turned to his friends standing behind Percy as if just noticing them. “Percy, do you know them?”

  “Oh, right.” Percy quickly gestured at them. “These are some of my friends, Mom—from Camp. Annabeth, Leo, and Piper.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Jackson.” Leo cheerfully chimed in, while Piper waved with her most charming smile.

  Still, his mom looked wary. Maybe she found it hard to believe Percy had friends, with his track record. “More friends? Like…Hazel?”

  Annabeth visibly jumped. “You met Hazel?”

  “Maybe we should talk inside.” Sally decided, reading their looks. “Just…just don’t make him angrier, alright?”

  Leo muttered, “Don’t anger ‘he-who-must-not-be-named’. Got it.”

  She beckoned them to enter, though there wasn’t much to be invited into. Garbage was ankle-deep on the carpet. The sofa had been reupholstered in beer cans. Dirty socks and underwear hung off the lampshades.

  “Welcome to Gabeland.” Percy scowled, glaring at the poker game happening up ahead on the table.

  Turning at his voice, Gabe’s cigar dropped out of his mouth, his face beginning to turn red. “You got some nerve coming back, punk. I thought you were still a criminal.”

  “Well, you thought wrong.” Percy snapped, watching Gabe’s face turn into every shade of red. He stepped close to the man, instinctively taking Riptide out of his pocket. Gabe’s eyes flickered from the pen to Percy to his friends standing behind him.

  Sally pulled him back. “He’s not a fugitive after all. Isn’t that wonderful, Gabe?”

  “Bad enough I had to give back your life insurance money, Sally.” He growled. “Get me the phone. I’m calling the cops.”

  Annabeth moved forward and stared him down, her gray eyes blazing with anger. “Just try .”

  “Got yourself a little girlfriend, punk?” Gabe simply laughed. “Another woman to hide behind?”

  Percy and his friends all bristled at that, and Percy's grip on Riptide became deathly tight. Gabe looked at the pen in his clenched fist disdainfully. “You gonna write on me, boy? Touch me and you’ll go to jail forever, understand?”

  “Hey Gabe, he’s just a kid.” Eddie interjected, lazily tossing poker chips into the middle of the table.

  “Just let him go and let’s keep playing.” Another one of Gabe’s friends complained. “It’s your turn.”

  “You know, maybe you sirs should leave the room for a little bit.” Piper cut in, her sickly sweet voice laced with faux wisdom. “This is a family matter, after all. Gabe can miss this round.”

  Gabe’s three friends shared a look, before standing up and gathering the poker chips. Percy suspected they didn’t really want to get in the middle of Gabe’s family drama anyway.

  As they left the door, Eddie said, “We’ll just give you some space. Don’t take too long, though.”

  “Not planning on it.” Gabe growled, not seeming to notice the sudden behavior change. “I’ll be nice. You’ve got five minutes to get your stuff and clear out. After that, I’ll call the police.”

  “Gabe!” Sally protested.

  He looked at her derisively. “He ran away. Let him stay gone.”

  “But–”

  Gabe raised his hand, and she flinched. Percy was about to throw himself at the man before Leo grabbed his shoulders.

  “Let’s go to your room, Perce.” Leo slowly hissed out, his eyes fiery. “Before things get…messy.”

  With great difficulty, Percy let his friends pull him away. When he got into his room, he kicked a used car battery across the floor. Despite the thing weighing at least 35 pounds, it bounced across the ground and crashed into more of Gabe’s junk.

  “He’s been hitting you.” Annabeth immediately said, turning to Sally.

  She hesitated to answer, wringing her hands guiltily.

  “Five minutes, remember!” Gabe taunted outside.

  Leo was apologizing to Percy, saying that he didn’t want Percy to blow up the whole apartment. However, Percy wasn’t listening. His vision was red with anger, but through it, he spotted a familiar package sitting on his bed. Gabe was right; this would be all over in five minutes.

  “Gabe is just upset,” Sally said. “I’ll talk to him later. I’m sure it will work out.”

  Percy’s head jerked up. “Mom, it’ll never work out. Not as long as Gabe’s here.”

  She turned to him, face full of anxious indecision. “Maybe…I can take you to work with me for the rest of the summer. In the fall, maybe there’s another boarding school–”

  “Mrs. Jackson…please, you can’t keep compromising.” Piper gently interrupted. “The jerk has been hitting you. I know you want to protect Percy but…think of yourself for just a little bit.”

  RETURN TO SENDER.

  Percy walked over and picked up the box, all eyes turning to him. “Mom, do you want Gabe gone?”

  “Percy, it isn’t that simple…”

  “But it can be.” Annabeth said. “We can help you.”

  “No, I can’t have you kids do that for me. Not after what you…what all of you have been through. You can’t solve my problem.”

  The urge to do so anyway was stronger than ever. It would be so easy–just slide the box in front of him and open it. Send the drunkard to the Underworld, to drift forever alone or be tortured for eternity. But what right did he have to condemn someone to death, to eternal suffering?

  What right does Gabe have to live? A small, dark voice argued back. Percy tried to ignore it.

  “But I can . One look inside this box, and he’ll never bother you again.” Percy said.

  His mom’s eyes widened, looking at the package. “No.”

  “Poseidon called you a queen,” Percy continued. “He said he hadn’t met a woman like you in a thousand years. You deserve better than this, Mom. Go to college, get your degree, and write your novel. Maybe meet a nice guy and live in a nice house. You don’t need to protect me anymore by staying with Gabe.”

  His mom sighed, her cheeks flushing. “You sound just like your father. He wanted to solve all my problems, to build me a palace at the bottom of the sea.”

  “Doesn’t sound like a bad deal, Mrs. Jackson.” Leo shrugged. “Just say the word, and Gabe will be gone. Easy.”

  “Children…you have to understand something.” She turned to all of them, her warm brown eyes gazing deep into their souls. “If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself. And that goes for all of you too. I can’t let a god take care of me…or my son. I have to find the courage on my own.”

  They were quiet for a long time, and Annabeth moved next to Percy, giving him a significant look. “I agree with that. I think we all can.”

  No one dared to disagree with her. She took the box from Percy, and handed it to Sally. “Then we’ll give the box to you. And what happens next…is up to you.”

  She took it shakily. “Then…where will you go, Percy?”

  “Half-Blood Hill…with my friends.” He smiled.

  “Aw, you do care.” Leo smirked.

  Piper smacked him on the back of his head. “Don’t ruin the moment.

  “For the summer…or forever?”

  He didn’t like putting his mom on an ultimatum, basically but… “I guess that depends.”

  “Five minutes is up, Sally!” Gabe shouted. “And I’m still waiting on the meatloaf!”

  A steely look flared across Sally’s face, and Percy was relieved to finally see it appear. He didn’t need to solve her problems…she had proven it again and again. His mom was in good hands; her own.

  “The meatloaf is coming right up, dear. Meatloaf surprise.” She called back, quickly turning back to the group of preteens. “I’ll be right back, kids.”

  She winked and exited the door. Percy breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing into his bed after sweeping off a few empty beer bottles. He looked at Leo, trying to phrase his words properly. “Um…thanks. For stopping me, I guess.”

  “Believe me, I wanted to see him get what he deserved.” Leo kicked a pile of trash. “But…I didn’t want it to happen to you too. To…to lose yourself in anger. I lost my mom that way.”

  Piper quickly wrapped him in a hug. “You know that wasn’t your fault.”

  “Yeah…but you know what I mean.”

  Percy shared an uneasy look with Annabeth again. What if he really had lost control back there? His powers were more powerful than ever…and more mysterious than ever. If he accidentally let loose…

  “Thanks to you, that didn’t happen.” Annabeth interjected. “Well done.”

  Leo saluted. “Just doing our job.”

  “As your friend,” Piper added meaningfully.

  A crackling sound echoed faintly, like a lake flash-freezing over. Percy sighed contently, leaning back on his bed.

  Piper looked a little queasy. “Wait, so inside that box was really…”

  “The head of Medusa.” Annabeth confirmed.

  “Gross.”

  “Where did it come from?” Leo wondered quietly.

  “Tidings from the gods,” Annabeth said. “You know, since this is before they went all into isolation. They interfere with the mortal world from time to time.”

  Percy yawned. Man, he was tired after everything that just happened. He definitely didn’t get enough sleep on the plane. “Sometimes too much, in my opinion.”

  “Thanks, Hera. ” Annabeth muttered.

  The door creaked open, and Percy was startled at how relaxed she looked, as if the weight of the sky had just been lifted from her. “Come to the dining room, kids.”

  They followed her out, admiring the new decoration smack in the middle of the living room. Leo nodded appreciatively. “Wow…now this is art.”

  Piper smothered a smile. “The unique…ugliness certainly the sculpture’s frame.”

  “I think it could sell for a lot of money.” Percy said confidently.

  As usual, Annabeth was the only one focused on the important things. “Do you need help disposing of the box? We can take care of that.”

  She took the closed box from Sally, already duct-taped over again. “Are any of you hungry? Do you want any snacks or anything?”

  They sat down around the table, cleared of any signs of poker. “We’re okay, mom.”

  Leo looked a little disappointed but didn’t speak up. Piper glanced at the door. “I’ll go get Gabe’s friends to leave. Be right back.”

  “Alone? How?” Sally stood in front of her. “Young lady, you might be a demigod hero but…”

  Percy suppressed a smile. He understood why his mom would be worried, but any regular dude trying to mess with Piper would probably find himself jumping off a building before he realized it.

  “She’s a daughter of Aphrodite. She can charmspeak people to persuade them.” Annabeth explained.

  “Mom, we’ve all faced worse than some drunk poker players.” Percy pointed out, a lopsided smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes on his face.

  She observed him carefully, an indiscernible expression on her face that made Percy a little uneasy. Eventually, she sighed. “Well, I’m still not letting you go alone.”

  “That’s okay. It won’t take long.” Piper reassured, and the two headed for the door.

  It really didn’t take long. Percy tuned it out, but all it took was a few moments of her dazzling voice, and he could hear the shuffling of three bumbling men leaving the complex. Piper sat back down at the table with a pleased grace. Sally seemed more conflicted, eyes darting back and forth between the four demigods.

  “Mom? Are you okay?”

  She pressed a hand to her head. “I’m fine, Percy. I just…are you?”

  He blinked, confused. Her gaze seemed to search his soul, worried but stern. “I can tell you’re hiding something from me, Percy. Was it something from your quest? It’s like you seem…different, somehow.”

  Percy stared back into her eyes, dumbfounded. She knew; she could tell just by looking at her son. How did his mom realize? What did she see that was different? Did she see someone older? Someone who had watched friends and family die, someone who had survived the horrors of two wars, someone who had faced the end of the world?

  Did she see a hero who had failed?

  His heart beat faster, as an irrational feeling of panic surged in him. This was not how Percy wanted things to go. He wanted to relax with his mom, to go back to the simpler times when they could watch movies and go to the beach without monsters or gods bothering them. He didn’t want to expose her to all the chaos, all the failure, all the death. How could Percy burden her more, with all the worry and anxiety he had caused her over the years?

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  His friends watched him carefully, wondering how he would answer. Percy looked to Annabeth for help, and she squeezed his hand. She would have an answer, he knew.

  But Annabeth looked apologetic. “This is your choice, Percy. I’ll stand by you no matter what.”

  Percy’s eyes darted back and forth, mind racing. It was too late to deny or play dumb. Maybe it was because of her ability to see through the Mist, but Sally wouldn’t be fooled. If Percy didn’t tell her the truth, he might forever shake the trust between him and his mom. She would take it and understand it, he knew; that’s just how awesome his mom was, more so than he could ever deserve. But if he kept hiding it from her…

  (“My greatest fear is you'll never come back. And I'll still be here, wondering.")

  He couldn’t do that to his mom.

  “If you really don’t want to tell me…then at least know I’ll always be there for you.” Sally sounded so understanding and gentle and earnest that Percy almost started talking right then and there. Or start bawling again. “Whatever has happened, I'm here for you. I love you, and if something's happened to either of you, you aren't alone.”

  Piper hummed at that, and she and Leo both looked at Percy meaningfully. It seemed like his mom had won them over already (she had that effect on people). Beside him, Annabeth just smiled supportively and squeezed his hand again. He could feel all their earnest gazes on him, and Percy had to wonder what he had done to deserve such amazing friends and family.

  Just a few simple sentences. Percy opened his mouth, then closed it again. There was an anxious little voice in him telling him to keep hiding, to hold his troubles tightly, and never let the storm out. To not give anyone else such a responsibility.

  Percy firmly told that part of him to grow up .

  Six of the craziest years of his life. How should he even start?

  Maybe with something intelligent, to clearly sum up everything that would happen in the future. Make clear the stakes at hand. Percy could do that, right?

  “I-I’m a time traveler and, um…there’s something big coming. Six years from now, Gaia’s going to wake, bringing everything horrible and bad and eating the world for breakfast, basically.”

  Perfect.

  He fixed his eyes on his dirty shoes, avoiding his Mom’s bewildered expression. “I mean–the giants returned, and they woke Gaia up. Right in the Parthenon…and we couldn’t stop them. E–everyone died, and she destroyed the world.”

  No one said anything, and Percy swallowed thickly. He didn’t want to focus on the flashes of destruction and dying.

  Nico’s form faded from his vision as they dissolved into shadow, the son of Hades swarmed by monsters of all kinds…

  Reyna stood side by side with the last of the Roman Legion, fighting a losing battle all to buy time for the Seven to escape. Their battle cries echo in his mind as they fly away.

  The Hunters of Artemis fell one by one, trampled by giants or swallowed up by the earth. Thalia runs back to the heavy fighting to help her sisters. Percy never saw her again.

  “We failed, Mom. The world ended.” Percy finished quietly. “But we didn’t.”

  She stayed silent for a long time (or at least it felt long to Percy), head swiveling to look at each of Percy’s friends. Each of them had the same grim ashen face, a shared air of sorrow. “All of you…?”

  Sally turned to Percy, looking up and down. She seemed a little lost, and her voice was strained. “But…would that mean you’re…?”

  “I’m still me, still just…Percy.” He pleaded, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. “I’m just older, mentally. I-I’m still your son.”

  She lowered herself to be on the same level as him, brushing his hair back from his forehead. She scanned his face, her eyes slowly welling up with tears. “Your face…only six years, Percy? You seem so much…older.”

  He smiled bitterly. Six years was a short time to have so much happen to him, he supposed. “It’s a long, long story.”

  She sat down by them, the gentle smile that Percy knew and loved spreading across her face. “I’ve got time.”

  His mom looked at him expectantly, surprising Percy with how quickly she accepted all this. He stammered briefly, looking at his friends. Piper nodded so quickly that he thought her head would fall off. Leo seemed to be a moment away from breaking out his celebratory tacos.

  He looked at Annabeth, chuckling uneasily. “I–I mean, where should I even start?”

  “At the beginning, Seaweed Brain.” Annabeth nudged him.

  Percy sighed, playing with his hands. He fidgeted nervously, working up his nerve. He could do this. Everything that happened in his first life was past; it couldn’t affect him anymore…because it wouldn’t happen again.

  “Alright.” Percy breathed in deeply, preparing to spill everything . “Mom…there’s a lot to cover, so I…I mean, look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood…”

  It was nice to be at camp again. To have some normalcy for once. So, Annabeth burned the beautiful shroud that her cabinmates made for her with no small amount of satisfaction. For some reason, Piper was glaring pointedly at her siblings, who looked embarrassed, but she didn’t ask why.

  Soon after, she and Percy swarmed Grover when he got his searcher’s license, lifting him up into the air at a sing-along at the campfire. The party mood was high, even without Leo adding more fires to the flame, literally. For once in a long time, Annabeth could let her guard down and just relax.

  She sang her heart out with Piper, trying to match her impeccable harmony. She threw s’mores at Leo, watching them melt into his hair. She laughed as Percy complained about the canoe races being canceled for the weekend. The campers treated them as heroes, throwing laurel wreaths and a big feast in their honor. And as a perfect conclusion, she went to sleep without nightmares for once.

  Annabeth let herself feel as young as she now was, almost like a kid again. There was no need to worry about Gaia’s next move, about safe places to hide, about which of her friends was injured this time. Her biggest worry was making sure Leo didn’t go overboard on his firework display, the little pyromaniac that he was.

  She and her friends all gathered on the beach, and Annabeth not-so-inconspicuously snuggled close to Percy as the show began. The lights exploded into life-like frameworks: Hercules killing the Nemean lion, Artemis chasing the boar, and George Washington crossing the Delaware.

  They may have been Greek, but they were still Americans.

  “I wish our friends could see this.” Piper admitted, the shining lights reflecting off her multicolored eyes.

  “Maybe they have their own celebration,” Percy murmured, holding Annabeth close. “I hope Hazel is doing okay…”

  She didn’t like thinking about Hazel, all alone while Annabeth was having fun surrounded by friends and family. It made her feel irrationally guilty, like she was at fault for her friend still being in the Underworld. She chided herself internally. You can’t solve everything, remember. “According to your mom, she’ll be alright. We’ll get her out soon.”

  Grover showed up as a firework depicting Mt. Olympus exploded above them. He looked older, almost high-school age. His smile was bittersweet, as he tugged his rasta cap awkwardly. “I’m off now. I just came to say…well, you know.”

  Percy gave him the same smile. Annabeth paused, wondering if she should interject. If Grover left now, he would find the Golden Fleece but get captured by Polyphemus. She could stop him now and save him a lot of trouble…but Annabeth didn’t want to keep him from his dream. One day, her satyr friend would actually find Pan, and this was just one step to that moment.

  Sighing, Annabeth got up and hugged him. “Keep your fake feet on, Grover. And please, please be careful.”

  “I’ll say.” Percy murmured, joining the group hug. “You got enough tin cans for the trip? And your reed pipes?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Jeez, you two.” Grover grumbled, but he didn’t sound annoyed.

  They let him go, and Grover straightened. He looked nothing like the runty boy Annabeth had first met when she was seven. Her friend slung a backpack over his shoulder and smiled confidently. “Well, wish me luck.”

  “Wherever you’re going, I hope they make good enchiladas, G-man.”

  He grinned and clapped Percy on the shoulder. “And I hope…whatever you two are dealing with will go well. And when you’re ready to tell me…”

  “We will.” Annabeth assured, giving him one last hug.

  Grover turned and headed back through the dunes, the trees closing around him. Annabeth knew he would be alright, she did; but it was hard not to worry. “We’ll see him again.”

  After that, July began to fly by. Annabeth devised more strategies in Capture-the-Flag. It was a lot easier than she remembered, so Annabeth supposed the enemies that she had to face over her last life were at least good for something. Her plans took down the other team (usually led by the Ares cabin) again and again and again. People accused her of cheating, but Annabeth didn’t really understand it.

  To her, it was just simple tactics, so she just ignored the wide-eyed looks of awe and disbelief while she laid out her plans to her team each week. Even her siblings seemed shocked after a particularly effective distraction or trick that would leave the other team looking like fumbling fools.

  She supposed she was a genius, after all.

  From time to time, she’d see Luke training or overseeing his cabinmates. Annabeth largely ignored him and tried to avoid him as much as possible. As if distancing herself would lessen the pain when he betrayed her again.

  Fail to save the one you wish to redeem.

  Annabeth didn’t want to admit how much she had pondered on this line, with it sometimes keeping her up far too late at night. A selfish part of her tried to think that maybe Luke wasn’t the one the prophecy was referring to; they had a lot of people they wanted to save, right?

  At least there were many other things to occupy her time with. Like helping Leo in Bunker 9, or canoeing with Percy. She and the other head counselors designed the camp’s summer bead (an easy choice, honestly), and she even got the chance to start talking to Chiron about the possibility of adding new cabins.

  Maybe that will help us not have so many people desert this time.

  Annabeth pushed the thought of what was coming into the corner of her mind, settling back into the camp’s routine. It was a privilege she hadn’t got to experience in far too long.

  The last day of summer arrived all too quickly. The head counselors handed out the summer bead, the trident symbol shimmering in the etching. The campers cheered and partied in commemoration of the quest, showering Annabeth and Percy with applause in the last campfire gathering of the summer.

  When Annabeth returned to her cabin that night, she pulled out a letter from her desk and reread it once more. It might have been foolish to consider it, but after going through so much, when knowing what would happen in the future…her arguments and resentment with her father and stepmother seemed almost silly.

  (“I have an uncle and cousin in Boston. My dad and my uncle don’t get along, some old rivalry, I don’t know. It’s stupid what keeps people apart.”)

  She set the letter down, next to the plane ticket to Virginia that rested innocently on the desk. Her dad had sent them on very short notice, surprisingly eager to have her home, and Annabeth wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

  She didn’t write a letter to him this time. Every time she tried, her hand refused to move the pen. How could Annabeth write down anything with how much she knew now, with what would happen in the future because of her?

  It wasn’t until late August that Annabeth finally made a knee-jerk reaction to call her dad. He had actually picked up, and when his voice flooded out of the speaker Annabeth had a firsthand understanding as to why Percy broke down so hard in front of his mom. They apologized and cried and argued and cried some more. Frankly, Annabeth was a little embarrassed she got so emotional.

  But a week later, the letter with the plane ticket was handed to her by Chiron. She had waited so much longer to contact him, but her dad still came through.

  (“Please remember, you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe.”)

  This was her second chance to improve things with her dad and family. She shouldn’t waste it.

  The next morning, she woke bright and early to finish packing. Annabeth took her bags and headed to Half-Blood Hill, where her friends would meet her soon. Annabeth sat down at the base of Thalia’s pine tree, listening to the morning song of the birds.

  “Am I making the right choices, Thals?” She knew her friend couldn’t hear her. But knowing that the daughter of Zeus was still alive in that tree… “Should I be trying harder to save Luke?”

  Today was the day that Luke would betray them, the day he would declare war on Olympus and Camp Half-Blood. She buried her head in her hands. “Ugh…I can’t do this again.”

  A weight fell next to her, and she lifted her head to see Leo. “You okay, Annie?”

  “Don’t call me that.” She shoved him lightly. “Just…mentally preparing myself for everything.”

  He nodded. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.”

  “Okay.” Leo didn’t push and just changed the subject, which she appreciated. “So, are you staying at Camp year-round?”

  She bit her lip. “No…I decided to go home and live with my dad for the year. We don’t have the best relationship, but…”

  “Yeah.” Leo smiled sadly. “You don’t give up on family so easily.”

  Of the four of them, Leo was the only one staying at Camp for the year, with nowhere else to go.

  “You won’t be alone, Leo. We’ll IM and visit when we can. And you won’t be alone here.”

  “Right, because Clarisse is a real sweetheart to hang out with in the fall.” Leo snorted, cheering up a little. “Still, it gives me more time to work on stuff in the Bunker. When you guys get back, I’ll have a whole slew of gadgets and trinkets for you all to play with.”

  “Hopefully ones that don’t explode, you mean.”

  “That happened one time–”

  “One time?!”

  A bubble of laughter escaped her, causing her to break down into a fit of giggles at Leo. It wasn’t long before he joined her, and their voices mingled into a symphony of laughter.

  As if being summoned by their chortling, Percy and Piper finally appeared, walking up the hill. “Hey guys!”

  Leo grinned. “Kinda late, huh?”

  “Hey, I woke up on time. I heard you two laughing from down there.” Piper elbowed Percy. “So I went to go wake him up.”

  “I didn’t oversleep!” Percy protested, but it wasn’t very convincing with drool still hanging out one side of his mouth.

  Annabeth decided to save him before Leo could start teasing him. “Percy, you’re going to live with your mom?”

  “Yeah.” Percy seemed content with it now, with no trace of the hesitation he had just a few weeks ago. “I have to make up for all the time I spent gone.”

  And will be gone . That last line went unsaid, but Annabeth still sent a mental curse to Hera.

  Leo snapped his fingers, his expression brightening. “Hope you don’t mind me dropping in once in a while. I gotta know if her cookies live up to what you say.”

  “Oh, they do.” Percy grinned back, before realizing something. “Wait, you’re not allowed to leave camp unauthorized.”

  The younger boy ignored him. “What about you, Piper?”

  A big, dopey smile broke out across her face. “I’m going to live with my dad. In San Fransisco. So, um, I might see…you know.”

  Annabeth raised an eyebrow. Piper was a bit too giddy at the prospect, like she was a pining schoolgirl experiencing her first crush. Her relationship with Jason was already well-established…maybe something changed?

  “Don’t get too close, Pipes.” Leo looked a bit quizzical too, shooting a glance at Annabeth. “The Romans might end up chasing you away.”

  She wasn’t deterred. “Can’t be worse than the paparazzi.”

  A car engine vroomed nearby as Argus drove the camp’s shuttle bus to the base of the hill. The bottom compartments opened up, ready to be filled with luggage. On the other side, voices began to rise as the first few campers began to haul their suitcases up the hill. In a few hours, the shuttle bus would leave for the airport.

  “Well...it was a fun summer.” Piper breathed out. “I’m glad I came.”

  Leo nodded. “Never really got to experience so much last time.”

  “Yeah, since you were always working on the Argo II.” Annabeth pointed out. “I know you have your projects and stuff, but don’t forget to relax, okay?”

  “Righty-o, Boss.”

  As the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, campers began to pass by them to load their stuff. As they passed, many greeted Annabeth and Percy.

  And Piper, too. Her siblings hugged her as they walked by and surprisingly, Clarisse gave her a firm handshake too. Perhaps less surprisingly, every other boy would stop as they passed and wave at her specifically. “See you next summer, then?”

  “Of course. See you, Jerry.” Piper smiled sweetly at the Apollo boy, leaving him to walk down the hill red-faced.

  Percy whistled lowly. “That’s like the fifth dude. Aren’t you popular?”

  “I’ve been making friends .” Piper emphasized, looking exasperated. “Don’t get the wrong idea.”

  “...I would never.”

  They watched the last cabin inspection happening below, the campgrounds shimmering in the August heat. Percy checked his non-existent watch. “I think it’s about time.”

  They grew serious quickly. “Are you sure about this? We could still go with you.”

  “It’s alright.” Annabeth reassured her friends. She took out her invisibility cap. “We’ll be fine. We’ll try one last time to convince him…and see what happens from there.”

  Though she tried to sound confident, Annabeth felt the dread rise inside her. She had a sinking feeling about all of this. Luke…

  “Let’s go.” She shoved down her feelings and put on her cap.

  Percy headed to the sword-fighting arena, and Annabeth followed him with her knife already in her hand. Luke’s knife. The same one that would eventually stab him in his Achilles’ heel, her cursed blade reaping his soul–

  Don’t think about that. Focus.

  In the arena, Luke was whirling around with his strange mixed sword. She couldn’t help but shudder as he disemboweled a whole row of dummies, covering the arena grounds with scattered piles of straw and armor. In front of her, Percy gulped. Luke was still a scarily incredible swordsman, just like they both remembered.

  “Percy.”

  “O-oh, hey. I was just going for some last-minute practice.” Percy cleared his throat, gesturing weakly at what was now a poor excuse for practice dummies.

  “Oh…sorry about that, then. We’ll build new ones in the summer, I guess.”

  Percy eyed his sword warily. “New sword?”

  “Oh, this?” Luke turned the blade in the light, letting it glint wickedly. “This is Backbiter. One side is celestial bronze, the other is tempered steel. Works on mortals and immortals both.”

  A hot feeling of betrayal surged inside her, the first of many to come. That sword would become Kronos’ scythe one day, and would be used to attack and kill her friends. She could feel Percy tensing as well, though he hid it well.

  “I didn’t know they could make weapons like that.”

  “Well, it is one of a kind. They probably can’t.” Luke sheathed his sword. He smiled slightly at Percy. “I was going to look for you, actually. What do you say we go down to the woods one last time, look for something to fight?”

  Percy hesitated, for good reason of course. They had both been keeping their distance from Luke, but it wasn’t as if the demigod was actively seeking them out either. The sudden friendliness must have felt a little suspicious in retrospect, or at least that was Annabeth’s best guess.

  She was probably right. At this point, Annabeth could read her boyfriend like a book.

  “Um…”

  “Drinks are on me.” Luke pulled out a six-pack of Cokes.

  Ah. So that was how he got Percy last time. It all made sense now.

  Percy’s eyes darted around. “Ah, well…sure, why not?”

  They walked down to the woods, looking for monsters to fight. Percy quickly downed a Coke as the heat began to bear down on them, and Annabeth was really tempted to snag one for herself at this point. They stopped at the creek, sitting down under a shady spot. There was a long silence as no one said a word.

  Under the shade, Luke’s scar looked deeper than usual, and his hair seemed gray. “You miss being on a quest?”

  “...Some parts of it.” Percy admitted. “You?”

  Here it was. Luke’s true thoughts…ones that Annabeth rarely had a chance to hear.

  “I lived at Half-Blood Hill year-round since I was fourteen. Ever since Thalia…you know. I trained and trained, and never got to be a normal teenager.” His face wrinkled into disgust. “Then they threw me one quest, and when I came back, it was like, ‘Okay, ride’s over. Have a nice life.’”

  He crumpled his Coke can and threw it into the creek, splashing Annabeth’s invisible shoes. “To heck with laurel wreaths. I’m not going to end up like those dusty trophies in the Big House attic.”

  “Are you leaving?” Percy asked cautiously, a hand surreptitiously going to his pocket.

  “Yeah, I am. I brought you down here to say goodbye, Percy.”

  Luke snapped his fingers, and a scorpion crawled out of nowhere. “I wouldn’t try anything. Pit scorpions can jump up to fifteen feet. Its stinger can pierce right through your clothes. You’ll be dead in sixty seconds.”

  Annabeth shifted forward slightly, getting closer to the bug. Her lungs burned in her chest and her eyes were stinging as Luke talked, but she ignored it as she clenched her knife tighter.

  “You’re the traitor.”

  “I saw a lot out there in the world, Percy.” Luke apathetically said. “The darkness gathering, the monsters growing stronger. All the heroics, it's just being pawns of the gods–it’s useless. They should’ve been overthrown thousands of years ago, but they’ve hung on, thanks to us half-bloods.”

  He didn’t know how hard that would hit them. Percy noticeably flinched at the words pawns, and Annabeth's knife trembled. Didn't Luke have a point? Annabeth had already wasted one life cleaning up after the gods, letting them use her and her friends as chess pieces for their battles. They seemed to take turns to use them for their schemes, without caring that they were their literal children, not their pawns. Too often had Annabeth been disappointed in the "wisdom and goodness" of the gods. It was so easy to be spiteful of the Olympians, and she couldn't find it in herself to blame Luke for that.

  But Annabeth didn't have a choice right now. She knew what would happen by siding with Kronos. Destroying the gods and replacing them with the Titans wouldn't improve their lives, it wouldn't help her friends. It would kill them. And Luke, like many others, was too blind in his hatred and resentment to see them.

  Percy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “You don’t have to do this, Luke. We can still change things. You don’t have to listen to your dreams–”

  “So you have been dreaming about him.” Luke triumphantly interrupted. “Lord Kronos. He spoke to you. You should have listened.”

  “He’s just using you, brainwashing you. He doesn’t care about anything but himself.”

  “Using me?” Luke haughtily retorted. “Look at you, Percy! Running around, doing your father’s dirty work just to clear your name? Your talents can be better used to serve Kronos.”

  “So you’re here to recruit me?”

  Luke seemed to think about it. “...No. Too dangerous. You know how it is, Great Prophecy and such. You should have died in the Underworld, Percy. So now, you’ll die here.”

  “Just like Thalia?” Percy pressed. “Who gave her life for you, and this is how you repay her? What about Annabeth? You’re just going to abandon her like that?”

  “Don’t speak of them!” Luke suddenly shouted, his voice shrill. “The gods let her die, and they have to pay for it! I’m doing all of this for Annabeth!”

  “By starting a war and raising Kronos?!” Percy indignantly shouted back, quickly growing defensive after he mentioned her name. “How many of the kids here would have died if I hadn’t gotten the bolt back, Luke? How many of your siblings?”

  Luke flinched at that, and Percy lowered his voice slightly. “Think of what you’re doing. It’ll devastate them, Luke. It’s not too late. You can still turn around.”

  “No. No.” Luke backed up a step, shaking his head violently. “It is too late. Kronos’ plans are in motion. He will rise, and the Olympians will fall. And I can’t have you changing that, Percy.”

  At that, the scorpion lunged. But with her heart pounding in her ears and her chest feeling like it would burst, Annabeth lunged to intercept, slicing it in half straight out of the air. She ripped her hat off and glared at Luke with fire in her gaze and tears in her eyes. “I...heard everything."

  Luke’s face dissolved into shock, frantically trying to process everything. “A-annabeth?”

  "Luke…don’t do this.” Annabeth choked back a sob. "If you do this, you'll break...you'll break our family. You promised, Luke. Thalia wouldn't want this at all."

  Luke stumbled back as if he had been shot. He stared down at his sword, and Annabeth prayed to the gods that he would come to his senses. They watched him cautiously as he silently reconsidered everything. Then, Luke’s head jerked up and to the side, his face scrunching up in pain.

  Kronos is speaking to him. Annabeth’s heart dropped as Luke’s face hardened. “Family...that won't ever happen if the gods are still alive. I'm doing this for us, Annabeth. And Thalia would be on my side, if she were still alive. ”

  Annabeth’s eyes widened. “That’s–!”

  “You didn’t know her as long as I did, Annabeth!” Luke declared. “And because of the gods, you never will!”

  He slashed his sword in an arc and was swallowed up by a ripple of darkness, leaving nothing but the trees and flowing creek.

  “He ran away.” Percy slowly said. “M-maybe it’s because he knew he was wrong...maybe there’s still hope for him?”

  Annabeth collapsed, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. She was distressed that her presence didn’t change Luke’s mind…but she was also very angry. For one, how dare Luke say that Thalia would be on his side?! Thalia would never side with the Titans, with the monsters that killed, and pillaged, and destroyed everything in their path. Doing this for her?! How could he be so stubborn, so foolish? Did he not care about their family at all?

  Was Luke really destined to fall?

  “Hah...Let’s not get our hopes up.” She muttered, stabbing her knife into the ground.

  Percy knelt down to her, his expression guarded. “Really? You used to be a lot more…”

  “Supportive of him? Hopeful? Naive.” Annabeth stood up bitterly, breathing shakily. “Things have changed.”

  He looked at her for another moment, then wrapped his arms around her. “It’s going to be okay. We’re together.”

  Annabeth tried to not sniffle, but it was no use. It was one thing to know about it, but experiencing it for herself was unimaginably painful. Still, Percy was with her, keeping her grounded. He probably wasn’t doing well either with Luke betraying him again, but he stayed strong, helping Annabeth pull through this. She kept her eyes closed tight, wanting to stay in his embrace, safe and protected forever.

  Her heart had been shattered again, but she and Percy were together. That…that was enough.

  A horn sounded in the distance, Chiron’s call for the last campers to leave. They wouldn't even get time to grieve, it seemed. Annabeth struggled to her feet. She couldn't be leaning on Percy more than she had to. He needed her, too, with everything that was coming for them. For everything that would happen in the future.

  So together, they left the woods and headed for the Big House. Chiron was sitting on the porch, and he looked up at them with no little confusion.

  “Children? You two should be at the bus, ready to go…” He trailed off, reading their expressions. “What happened?”

  After a moment, Annabeth sighed. “Before we go…Chiron, we need to talk. We have some very bad news.”