#andromeda jackson

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Protagonist:

Name: Andromeda Jackson

Age: 18 years old

Race: Greek Demigod

Birthday & Zodiac Sign: August 18th, Leo

Height: 172 cm (5'64)

Timeline: The story begins shortly after the events of "The Heroes of Olympus".

Appearance:

Andromeda has an athletic, toned, and muscular build, the result of years of training, quests, and constant battles since childhood. He also has a tattoo on the upper part of his arm with the initials SPQR …

Her skin has a naturally sun-kissed olive complexion, covered in small freckles scattered across her face, shoulders, arms, and parts of the rest of her body.

She has slightly long, wavy jet-black hair with a subtle blue sheen when the light catches it. Framing her bangs is a distinctive pure white streak that stands out from the rest of her hair.

Her eyes are a striking sea green, one of the most recognizable traits she inherited from Poseidon.

Her beauty is often remarked upon, with many comparing her appearance to that of a Greek goddess.

Although she usually wears comfortable clothing that allows her to move freely, her body is covered in countless scars of different sizes, reminders of the monsters, wars, and quests she has survived since she was a child.

Personality:

At first glance, Andromeda appears to be an outgoing, approachable young woman with a sense of humor that is as sarcastic as it is carefree. She has the peculiar ability to crack jokes even in the most dangerous situations, using humor as a way to ease the tension for both herself and those around her.

She is impulsive by nature and tends to act before fully thinking through the consequences. She would rather trust her instincts than spend hours making complicated plans, something that has saved her life on countless occasions... although it has also gotten her into more than a few problems.

Her greatest strength—and at the same time her greatest flaw—is her loyalty.

Once she considers someone part of her family or her inner circle, she will do absolutely anything to protect them, even if it means putting herself in danger, defying the gods, or bearing burdens that were never meant to be hers.

She possesses a strong sense of justice, but she doesn't always follow the rules in order to do what's right. If she believes a law, an order, or even a god is acting unfairly, she won't hesitate to stand against them.

Despite everything she's been through, Andromeda still tries to believe in the goodness of others. However, years of wars, betrayals, and loss have also made her far more cautious and distrustful. She constantly questions whether she's making the right decisions and carries an overwhelming sense of responsibility for everyone she couldn't save.

Although she rarely shows it in front of others, the emotional exhaustion she carries after so many years of fighting makes her long, deep down, for nothing more than a peaceful life alongside the people she loves.

She is also known for her fatal flaw: loyalty. She is incapable of abandoning someone if she believes there is even the slightest chance of saving them, even when doing so puts her own life—or the success of an entire mission—at risk.

Like's:

The sea and anywhere near water.

Swimming, diving, and surfing.

Sailing, canoeing, and kayaking.

Rainy days and thunderstorms.

Animals, especially horses, pegasi, dogs, and sea creatures.

Nature and exploring new places.

Watching sunrises and sunsets by the water.

Traveling and going on adventures.

Sword training and improving her combat skills.

Outdoor sports and activities.

Reading mythology, history, and adventure novels.

Sketching landscapes during her travels.

Collecting seashells, pretty stones, and souvenirs from the places she visits.

Wearing necklaces, bracelets, or rings with sentimental value.

Photography as a way of preserving memories.

Comfortable, sporty, and casual clothing.

Oversized hoodies, loose-fitting T-shirts, and jeans.

The colors blue, green, white, and black.

Blue food.

Sweets and Sally's homemade cooking.

Burgers, seafood, and Mediterranean cuisine.

Spending time with her friends and making them laugh.

Honest, loyal, and kind-hearted people.

Helping those in need.

Young children and animals.

Hugs and genuine displays of affection.

Quiet moments of peace after an adventure.

Falling asleep to the sound of rain or ocean waves.

Freedom and making her own choices.

Jewelry & Accessories:

Although Andromeda has never been particularly interested in jewelry or accessories, nearly everything she wears holds deep sentimental value and serves as a reminder of the people she loves most.

She always wears her Camp Half-Blood bead necklace, her most treasured keepsake and a symbol of every year she survived as a demigod alongside her friends.

She wears a pair of small seashell-shaped earrings, white with delicate golden details, a subtle reminder of her lifelong connection to the sea.

On her forearm, she wears the shield bracelet forged for her by Tyson, which can transform into a shield whenever she needs it in battle and is something she almost never takes off.

Around her left wrist, she wears a handmade braided bracelet from Estelle, accompanied by two hair ties that she always keeps with her for convenience.

She also wears a heart-shaped locket necklace, containing a small photograph of herself and Sally together, making it one of her most cherished possessions.

In addition, Andromeda usually wears several friendship bracelets on both wrists. Simple and handmade from colorful threads, each bracelet was created together with someone important to her and includes small details, colors, or charms that symbolize memories, promises, or shared experiences between them. Among them are bracelets shared with Annabeth, Jason, Leo, Piper, Hazel, Frank, Nico, and Reyna, each one unique and carrying a special meaning known only to the two friends who made it together.

Family:

Mother: Sally Jackson (Human)

Father: Poseidon, the Greek God of the Seas, Oceans, Earthquakes, and Horses.

Stepfather: Paul Blofis.

Siblings:

Tyson, a Cyclops and son of Poseidon.

Estelle Blofis, daughter of Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis.

Thanks to her father's divine nature, Andromeda has an enormous extended family made up of Olympian gods, demigods, nymphs, satyrs, Cyclopes, and countless other mythical beings. However, since the gods do not possess human DNA, these relationships are considered divine rather than biological.

Abilities:

As the daughter of one of the Big Three, Andromeda is considered one of the most powerful demigods of her generation.

Her abilities include:

Breathing underwater.

Controlling water almost effortlessly.

Commanding seas, rivers, and oceans.

Causing earthquakes.

Healing herself through water.

Swimming at superhuman speeds.

Remaining completely dry even while submerged.

Communicating with sea creatures, horses, and pegasi.

Reading, writing, and speaking Ancient Greek naturally.

Seeing gods, monsters, and other creatures hidden behind the Mist, invisible to ordinary mortals.

Weapon:

Anaklusmos (Riptide)

Andromeda wields Anaklusmos, an ancient Celestial Bronze sword.

When inactive, it appears to be nothing more than an ordinary ballpoint pen, but removing the cap instantly transforms it into a sword.

It originally belonged to the hero Heracles before passing through several owners until it eventually came into Andromeda's possession.

Because it is forged from Celestial Bronze, it can only harm beings connected to mythology, such as gods, demigods, monsters, Titans, Giants, nymphs, satyrs, centaurs, and other mythical creatures. Against an ordinary human, it is completely harmless.

Additionally, the sword is magically bound to Andromeda. If she loses it or someone attempts to steal it, it will always return to her pocket. The only way to permanently separate it from her is if Andromeda willingly gives it to someone else.

Shield:

In addition to Anaklusmos, Andromeda carries a simple-looking bracelet that she always wears around her forearm.

At first glance, it appears to be nothing more than an ordinary metal bracelet with no remarkable features. However, by pressing the hidden mechanism built into it, the bracelet instantly unfolds into a large shield capable of protecting her from even the most powerful attacks.

It was hand-forged by Tyson, her Cyclops half-brother, using his extraordinary skills as a blacksmith. As both a Cyclops and the son of Poseidon, Tyson possesses an exceptional natural talent for forging divine weapons and armor, allowing him to create equipment of a quality comparable to that crafted by the Elder Cyclopes who serve the gods.

Tyson made the shield as a gift for Andromeda before one of her most dangerous quests, hoping that it would keep her safe even when he couldn't be there to protect her himself.

Forged from divine materials, the shield is incredibly durable and capable of withstanding blows from Celestial weapons, monster attacks, and even strikes from divine beings without breaking easily.

Although Andromeda usually relies more on her speed and swordsmanship than on defense, she never goes anywhere without the bracelet. To her, it is far more than just another piece of battle equipment—it is a symbol of Tyson's love and concern for his sister, a constant reminder that no matter how far away she is or how dangerous her journey becomes, she will always have a family waiting for her.

Trivia:

Like most demigods, Andromeda has dyslexia and ADHD.

In the world of demigods, these are not considered illnesses.

Her brain is naturally wired to read Ancient Greek before any modern language, while her ADHD grants her exceptional reflexes and reaction speed during combat.

However, these traits made her entire childhood extremely difficult.

She was expelled from numerous schools and boarding schools, suffered years of bullying, and was always labeled as a troubled child, when in reality she was simply trying to survive the constant monster attacks that no one else could see.

She got her distinctive white streak during a quest in which she was forced to bear the weight of the sky. The immense strain caused part of her hair to turn permanently white.

Her favorite food is blue food, especially blue cookies. This tradition comes from her mother, who makes ordinary food blue on every special occasion, even if it isn't naturally that color.

Andromeda's favorite color is blue, and the sea has always brought her a sense of peace and comfort.

Blackjack, a black Pegasus whom she rescued from Kronos's army, is one of her most loyal allies. He is incredibly talkative and sarcastic.

Andromeda has been offered immortality on several occasions.

The first time was by an old friend who had become Kronos's right-hand man. He promised that if she joined his cause and helped overthrow Olympus, Kronos would grant her her father's title, allowing her to become the new Goddess of the Sea.

The second time came after she rescued the goddess Artemis. In gratitude, Artemis offered Andromeda a place among the Hunters of Artemis. Had she accepted, she would have gained near-immortality, but in return she would have had to forsake love forever and remain an eternal maiden.

The final offer came after Kronos's defeat, when Zeus himself offered to make her a goddess so she could rule alongside her father in recognition of everything she had done for both Olympus and humanity.

On every single occasion, Andromeda refused.

Once, she encountered the sorceress Circe, who revealed her fatal flaw:

Loyalty.

Backstory:

Andromeda Jackson was born the daughter of Sally Jackson, a mortal woman, and the Greek god Poseidon.

As with most gods, Poseidon returned to Olympus shortly after her birth, leaving Sally to raise her daughter on her own.

From a very young age, Andromeda never had anything resembling a normal life.

She couldn't understand why she was constantly changing schools, why strange accidents always seemed to happen around her, or why trouble followed her wherever she went. What no one knew was that monsters could detect the scent of demigods and devoted themselves to hunting them.

For years, she also endured the abuse of Gabe Ugliano, her mother's unpleasant ex-husband, who made her home feel just as dangerous as the outside world.

When she was twelve years old, she met Grover Underwood, who appeared to be nothing more than a classmate and eventually became her best friend. In reality, he was a satyr whose mission was to protect her and guide her safely to the only sanctuary for the children of the gods: Camp Half-Blood.

There, she met the centaur Chiron, the activities director of the camp and the former trainer of some of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology. He was the one who first taught her how to fight and helped her understand the true nature of her existence.

At Camp Half-Blood, she also met many of the people who would eventually become her second family: Annabeth Chase, Luke Castellan, Clarisse La Rue, Silena Beauregard, Charles Beckendorf, Nico di Angelo, Thalia Grace, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and many other campers who, like her, had lost the chance to experience a normal childhood.

Over the years, she would also meet Tyson, her Cyclops half-brother; Blackjack, the Pegasus who would become one of her closest companions; countless Olympian gods, Titans, nymphs, Hunters of Artemis, spirits, and every kind of mythical creature imaginable.

However, discovering that she was Poseidon's daughter also meant uncovering a far more dangerous truth.

Poseidon was one of the Big Three, alongside Zeus and Hades.

After World War II, the three gods swore upon the River Styx never to have children again, as an ancient prophecy foretold that a child of one of them would decide the fate of Olympus upon turning sixteen.

That oath was broken.

And Andromeda was born under the shadow of that prophecy.

Over the following years, she faced countless adventures and dangers.

She recovered Zeus's Master Bolt to prevent a war among the gods, journeyed into the Underworld, fought Ares, sailed through the Sea of Monsters, recovered the Golden Fleece, rescued Artemis, battled Atlas, crossed Daedalus's Labyrinth, and ultimately fought in the Second Titan War.

During that war, she lost friends, witnessed the deaths of comrades, was betrayed by people she trusted, and fought alongside her fellow demigods to prevent Kronos from destroying Olympus.

The prophecy was finally fulfilled when she turned sixteen.

The choices she made that day determined the fate of both gods and mortals, bringing an end to Kronos's reign and saving the world once again.

But peace only lasted a few months.

Soon afterward, a new threat emerged.

The ancient primordial goddess Gaea was awakening.

A new Great Prophecy declared that seven demigods—Greek and Roman alike—would have to set aside centuries of conflict between their camps in order to prevent the end of the world.

Andromeda became one of those Seven, alongside Jason Grace, Piper McLean, Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, and Annabeth Chase.

Together, they traveled across the world aboard the Argo II, battling monsters, Giants, minor gods, and entire armies.

During that journey, Andromeda even descended into Tartarus itself, the most terrifying place in all of Greek mythology, surviving horrors that very few beings have ever witnessed and lived to tell about.

In the end, the Seven succeeded in defeating Gaea and preventing the end of the world.

Despite being only eighteen years old, Andromeda had already spent a third of her life fighting.

She had lost people she cared about.

She had been hunted since childhood.

She had borne the weight of two Great Prophecies.

She had saved the world more than once.

And she carried far more scars than anyone her age ever should.

All she wanted was to finally live a peaceful life.

But fate wasn't finished with her yet.

Because very soon, she would find herself in a world completely unlike her own.

A world where monsters would no longer be the greatest danger.

People would.

The World Through Andromeda's Eyes:

Andromeda's world is almost identical to our own... at least for most people.

Humans live believing that Greek mythology is nothing more than ancient stories and legends.

However, reality is very different.

The Greek gods, monsters, Titans, nymphs, satyrs, and every other mythical creature truly exist and have coexisted alongside humanity for thousands of years, remaining hidden only through an ancient magical force known as the Mist.

The Mist:

The Mist is an ancient magical force that blankets the world and conceals the existence of mythology from the eyes of mortals.

Its primary purpose is to alter the perception of ordinary humans so they will always find a logical explanation for any supernatural event.

For example:

If a dragon flies over a city, most people will believe they saw a plane, a helicopter, or maybe an unusually shaped cloud

If a cyclops walks down the street, mortals will simply see a very large man or someone with a physical deformity.

If a monster destroys a building, the Mist will convince everyone that it was caused by an accident, a gas explosion, or even a terrorist attack.

Even photographs, cameras, and other electronic devices are usually affected by the Mist, making it almost impossible to prove that the mythological world exists.

Demigods, certain gifted mortals, and individuals blessed by the gods can see through the Mist and perceive the world as it truly is.

For that reason, while an ordinary person would simply see a busy street filled with people, Andromeda might be seeing gods walking among humans, monsters lurking in alleyways, or nymphs resting within the trees without anyone else noticing.

The Gods:

The Olympian gods are immortal and have existed since the beginning of the world.

Although they still rule over their ancient domains—such as the sea, the sky, wisdom, or war—they continue to evolve alongside human civilization.

Because of this, Mount Olympus changes its location to follow the center of power of the Western world.

It is currently hidden above the Empire State Building in New York City.

The gods are capable of taking virtually any appearance, ranging from their true Divine Form—which is so overwhelming that it can instantly disintegrate any mortal who gazes upon it—to the appearance of an ordinary human.

Although they possess nearly limitless power, they rarely intervene directly in the world's affairs, preferring instead to act through their demigod children or by granting small blessings and assistance to mortals.

Mount Olympus:

Mount Olympus is the home of the Twelve Olympian Gods, as well as many other minor deities.

It is not simply a mountain, but a divine realm existing above the mortal world and concealed by powerful magic.

Only those invited by the gods or those capable of finding the path can enter.

For the vast majority of humanity, Olympus simply does not exist.

Demigods:

Demigods are the children of a god and a mortal.

Each inherits a portion of their divine parent's powers.

However, that same divine power constantly attracts monsters, who are able to detect them through a unique scent known as the scent of a demigod.

Because of this, very few demigods ever reach adulthood.

Most die as children or teenagers.

Those who survive usually do so thanks to the training they receive at Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter.

Camp Half-Blood:

Camp Half-Blood is a secret sanctuary located on Long Island, protected by magical barriers.

It serves as both a home and a training ground for the children of the Greek gods.

The campers live in individual cabins, each dedicated to one of the Olympian gods, where the children of that deity reside. Andromeda lives in Cabin Three, the cabin dedicated to Poseidon.

There, campers learn sword fighting, archery, survival skills, military strategy, and how to master their divine abilities.

They also live alongside friendly mythological creatures such as satyrs, nymphs, and pegasi.

To Andromeda, Camp Half-Blood was never just a place to train.

It was the very first place she was ever able to truly call home.

Camp Half-Blood Bead Necklace:

Among all of Andromeda's belongings, her Camp Half-Blood bead necklace is undoubtedly one of her most treasured possessions. Although it holds little material value, it represents her entire life as a demigod and every year she has survived alongside her fellow campers.

At the end of each summer, the camp's senior counselors vote on the most significant event that took place during that season. Once the event has been chosen, the camp's artisans hand-paint a ceramic bead depicting a symbol that represents it. Every camper who survived that summer then receives one of these beads to add to their necklace, gradually creating a personal record of both their own journey and the history of Camp Half-Blood itself.

By the age of eighteen, Andromeda's necklace consists of six beads:

First Bead: A green trident, commemorating Andromeda's first year at Camp Half-Blood and the moment Poseidon officially claimed her as his daughter.

Second Bead: A depiction of the Golden Fleece, representing the restoration of the magical borders protecting Camp Half-Blood.

Third Bead: An intricate Labyrinth, symbolizing the expedition into Daedalus' Labyrinth and the events that defined that summer.

Fourth Bead: The Empire State Building, surrounded by the names of the fallen heroes written in tiny Ancient Greek letters, honoring the Battle of Manhattan and those who sacrificed their lives to defeat Kronos.

Fifth Bead (Original AU): An olive branch intertwined with a silver owl, commemorating the historic exchange program between Camp Half-Blood and New Rome. That summer marked the strengthening of the alliance between the Greek and Roman demigods through joint training, shared knowledge, and the creation of new traditions, becoming a lasting symbol of unity after years of conflict.

Sixth Bead (Original AU): A white pegasus flying above a campfire, symbolizing the first truly peaceful summer Camp Half-Blood experienced after decades of wars, prophecies, and constant threats. With no great battles to fight, a new generation of demigods was finally able to experience the camp as it had always been meant to be: a home where they could train, forge friendships, and simply enjoy being children. The counselors chose to commemorate that summer because, after everything the camp had endured, peace itself deserved to be remembered.

New Rome:

New Rome is a hidden city located within Camp Jupiter, the home of the Roman demigods.

Unlike Camp Half-Blood, which primarily serves as a refuge and training ground for young Greek demigods, New Rome was built to offer something that very few demigods ever get the chance to experience: a normal life.

The city was founded generations ago by Roman demigods who dreamed of creating a place where the children of the gods could live without spending the rest of their lives fighting or running from monsters.

Thanks to the ancient magical protections surrounding Camp Jupiter, monsters can rarely enter the city, allowing its inhabitants to live in a level of safety that is nearly impossible to find anywhere else in the world.

New Rome has everything one would expect from a modern city.

Its citizens live in houses and apartments, and the city is filled with streets, plazas, shops, restaurants, parks, temples dedicated to the gods, public buildings, and even a university where many demigods continue their education after completing their military training.

The city also features hospitals, markets, public baths, training grounds, barracks, and many other buildings inspired by the architecture of Ancient Rome while seamlessly blending with the modern world.

New Rome is not inhabited exclusively by Roman demigods.

Peaceful mythological beings also call the city home, including nymphs, fauns—the Roman counterparts of satyrs—and other friendly creatures who have chosen to live alongside the children of the gods.

Many veterans of Camp Jupiter choose to settle permanently in New Rome after completing their military service, starting families and building peaceful lives far from the constant dangers of the outside world.

For the first time, demigods are able to imagine a future in which they don't have to draw a sword every single day just to stay alive.

However, living in New Rome does not mean abandoning their responsibilities.

If Camp Jupiter or the world is ever threatened again, its citizens will not hesitate to take up arms once more to protect both their home and their fellow demigods.

To Andromeda, New Rome represents something almost impossible to imagine.

A place where the children of the gods are given the opportunity to grow up, study, fall in love, raise a family, and grow old surrounded by people who truly understand who they are.

A place where a demigod's greatest dream is no longer simply to survive.

Celestial Weapons:

Most weapons wielded by demigods are forged from divine materials.

The most common are:

Celestial Bronze: Used primarily by Greek demigods. It can only harm beings connected to Greek mythology. Against an ordinary human, it is completely harmless.

Imperial Gold: Used by Roman demigods. It possesses properties similar to Celestial Bronze, although it is tied to the Roman tradition.

Stygian Iron: An extremely rare metal forged from the River Styx. It is primarily used by creatures of the Underworld and is capable of harming both the body and the soul of its target.

Thanks to these materials, demigods are able to fight monsters without putting nearby mortals in danger.

Divine Blessings:

Although the gods rarely intervene directly, they occasionally grant blessings or gifts to mortals and demigods.

These blessings can take many different forms.

Some individuals are granted enhanced endurance, others exceptional talent in a particular field, or even protection against certain dangers.

However, every blessing usually comes at a price or depends entirely on the favor of the god who bestowed it.

Likewise, the gods can revoke those blessings if they believe someone has lost their favor or respect.

Monsters:

Unlike humans, monsters do not die permanently.

When defeated, their bodies dissolve into dust, and their essence returns to Tartarus, where, sooner or later, they will reform.

This means that many enemies can return years after they have been defeated.

Because of this, a demigod's life is never truly safe.

No matter how many times they save the world...

A new threat will always arise.

Nectar and Ambrosia:

Nectar and Ambrosia are the food of the gods and one of the most powerful healing methods in the mythological world.

Both possess extraordinary regenerative properties and are used to treat the injuries of demigods and other divine beings.

Ambrosia usually appears as small squares of food, resembling brownies, cookies, or other desserts. Its flavor changes depending on who eats it, always reminding them of their favorite food or whatever gives them the greatest sense of home and happiness.

Nectar is a golden divine drink. Like Ambrosia, its taste changes according to the individual, becoming whatever they find the most comforting.

Even a small amount is enough to close wounds, ease pain, restore energy, and even save the life of a critically injured demigod.

However, both must be consumed in moderation.

Etiquetas:

I eventually found myself on the archery range. It was empty, which was extremely odd. I had never seen it so quiet—Apollo had a lot of kids, and they were all talented archers. You could always count on someone practicing their gifts while the sun was still shining. 

But not today. I guessed that a lot of the campers wanted to go back to their cabins or do something to take their mind off the funeral. I didn’t blame them. 

I pulled out the throwing knives I always kept on my belt—four beautiful bronze blades with golden hilts that glinted in the light. 

They had shown up on my doorstep last November with my name on the package, and Percy had been extremely jealous. I reminded him that he didn’t use throwing knives, but that didn’t seem to change his mind. The only thing accompanying the gift was a small piece of pristine white paper, no bigger than a business card, with a beautiful, golden and shimmering symbol of the sun on it, almost like the one in Tangled. I looked down the empty hallway, shrugged, and picked up the package. I waited a few days before opening them, just to make sure it wasn't some sort of trap, and found that they were perfectly balanced and fit in my hand exactly. I still hadn’t found out who sent them, but I had an inkling of an idea. 

I still wasn’t fantastic at throwing knives—Percy and I were notoriously bad at ranged weapons—but I had gotten a lot better in the last year. I usually hit the target, and one out of every fifty or so times I would hit the bullseye. I considered that an impressive improvement. 

Cady had insisted I train in the weapon in case my sword ever got knocked out of my hand, she said a demigod should never be caught defenseless. I didn’t need to worry about losing my weapon anymore, thanks to the gift from my dad, and even without a sword I had learned to wield my abilities enough to always be able to defend myself, but what started practical soon turned comforting. I usually gave up on anything that I wasn’t immediately good at, but I had decided to stick with this one, and it was nice to see my hard work was starting to pay off. It felt good to have something to work at, something I had to struggle in. Something I could see improvement in—it gave me a sense of control over my life. Which, as a demigod, didn’t come often.

I had just loosed my first knife when a rustling in the grass behind me made me whip around. 

“Juniper!” I called when I saw the elfish face. “You’re lucky I didn't have that knife in my hand anymore.” 

“I know!” she squeaked. “I’m sorry, Angie.” She stood up from where she was crouched in the grass. “I shouldn’t have been sneaking, but I need to talk to you.” 

I gave her a curious look. Now that she was closer, I could see her eyes were tinged green—chlorophyll from crying, I told myself. 

“Is this about Grover?” I tried to keep my voice gentle, but she let out a small sob at the mention of her boyfriend’s name. 

“The naiads told me that you were going through Chiron’s reports this morning and there was a report from a protector in Canada and he mentioned Grover in it.” Her words came rushing out, getting closer to hyperventilating by the second. 

No secrets here, I thought. Those naiads are the worst gossips. 

“I did see a report, yes. It was talking about how—” 

“Can you come with me, Angie?! I can’t be away from my tree for too long.” Even though she asked me a question, she didn’t wait for an answer. She grabbed my wrist and started dragging me towards the woods, and I gave up any hope I had of retrieving the golden knife stuck in the target. 

She didn’t stop running until we had come to a small clearing near her tree. I could see Zeus’ Fist standing tall in the middle of it and the sight sent a shiver up my spine. It had been a full year since the Battle, a full year of tension and loss and war. The clearing was a reminder of my first few weeks at camp, and a reminder of how far I had come. But it was also a reminder of my failures. 

“Now, what were you going to say about Grover?!” Juniper looked so hopeful, I didn’t know how to break the news to her. 

“Well, the letter didn’t exactly say anything about him.” 

“What?” 

“It was from a protector, Gleeson Hedge, I think, asking for Grover’s help. It was addressed to him. I don’t know why it ended up here.” 

“But—” Juniper looked like she was about to cry again when a voice startled both of us. 

“Ah ha!” I turned to see an old, fat satyr waddling towards us with surprising speed. He had a smug look on his goatish face. “It is obvious he has run away from his duties, abandoned us all. Trust me, nymph, you are better without that traitor.” 

Juniper’s green skin took on a red hue, and I wondered what it would look like for a tree nymph to fly off the handle. I didn’t know Grover well, I had only spent a little time with him last summer, but I knew he was Percy’s best friend. I knew he was brave, and funny, and was there for my brother when no one else was. In short, I knew I wasn’t going to put up with this old goat talking about him like that. 

“That’s not true, umm, whoever you are.” I snapped at him. 

“Whoever I am?!” He sounded utterly offended. “And just who are you?” 

“This is Angie Jackson!” Juniper announced proudly. “Percy’s sister.” 

The satyr’s nose crinkled. “Of course I should’ve guessed by her impertinence.” 

If I knew what that word meant I was sure I would’ve been offended. 

“Nice to meet you…” 

“Leneus! Lord of the Wild and Member of the Council of Cloven Elders!” 

I only caught about half of what he said. 

“Oh, alright. Sounds important.” 

He let out an aggrieved huff and stuck his nose in the air. “It is important, thank you—” 

His sentence was cut off by a small boy in black jeans and an aviator's jacket appearing out of nowhere. Leneus let out a scream. 

“Whoa, am I interrupting?” The pale boy looked more tired than I had ever seen him, and the sight of him made my stomach drop. On one hand I was glad that the conversation with the angry satyr had come to an end, but on the other, I knew what him being here meant. I knew what was about to begin. 

“Hey, Nico.” 

He gave me a small smile. “Hi, Angie. Nice to see you again. Know where Percy is?” 

I had gotten used to that question in the last year. “No, sorry.” 

“Will someone explain to me what's going on?” the satyr asked in the most annoying voice possible. Juniper ran and hid behind her tree. 

“Sorry, there’s usually no one here.” Nico said in a sheepish voice. “I came to see Percy.” 

The satyr let out a huff and rolled his eyes. “I have heard far too much about that upstart today.” 

I was about to tell the old goat off when a large hellhound came bounding through the trees and barrelling into the clearing. I reached for my necklace instinctively and was about to pull on it when I saw the glimmering collar around her neck. My hand relaxed as Mrs. O’Leary ran up to Nico and began to lick his face excitedly—which is quite the sight when the dog's tongue is almost as big as the boy. The son of Hades broke into a wide smile, but Leneus and Juniper weren’t as pleased. 

I was too busy laughing at the sight to see the boy jogging behind the hellhound, but when Nico perked up and nodded to someone behind me, I spun around. My heart beat a little faster when I saw who it was. He cracked a smile when he saw me, but his expression was immediately replaced with confusion. I understood why—he was walking into a strange quartet. 

"Will someone—what is this underworld creature doing in my forest!" Leneus began shouting, waving his arms and trotting on his hooves as if the grass were hot. "You there, Percy Jackson! Is this your beast?"

"Sorry, Leneus," Percy said. I swore I could hear the faintest hint of laughter in his words. "That's your name, right?"

The satyr rolled his eyes. "Well, of course I'm Leneus. Don't tell me you've forgotten a member of the Council so quickly. Now, call off your beast!"

Mrs. O’Leary let out another bark, shaking the ground a bit. Nico had found a tickle spot right behind her ear. 

The old satyr gulped. "Make it go away! Juniper, I will not help you under these circumstances!"

Juniper turned toward my brother. "Percy," she sniffled. "I was just asking about Grover. I know something's happened. He wouldn't stay gone this long if he wasn't in trouble. I was hoping that Leneus—"

"I told you!" the satyr protested. "You are better off without that traitor."

Juniper stamped her foot. "He is not a traitor! He's the bravest satyr ever, and I want to know where he is!"

Percy had just opened his mouth, probably in protest, when the hellhound barked again. Leneus’ knees started knocking. "I . . . I won't answer questions with this hellhound sniffing my tail!"

Nico looked like he was trying to not crack up. "We'll walk the dog,” he volunteered, “Won’t we, Angie?" He turned towards me with an expression that told me he wasn’t asking. I pushed away the feeling of cold dread that crept up my spine whenever I was around him. 

“Umm, sure!” Percy looked uneasy as he shot me a cautious glance. I nodded at him, and he looked back to Juniper. Percy and I were getting better at communicating without words, twin stuff, I guessed, and I knew what he was trying to tell me—be on your guard. It’s not that we didn’t trust Nico…but as children of Poseidon, we had to be a little more careful around the other kids of the Big Three. Especially since Hades didn’t like Percy all that much. 

He whistled, and Mrs. O’Leary took off like a shot to the other end of the grove. Nico raced after her, and I took that as my cue to follow. 

When we finally caught up to the hellhound, she was sniffing around some boulders the way she did when she was about to, uh, relieve herself, so Nico and I gave her plenty of space.

“You’re nervous about what comes next.” Nico spoke, his voice grim. It wasn’t a question. 

“Yeah.” I couldn’t meet his eyes. 

“It’s the only way, Angie. The only way Percy has a chance against Luke.” 

I knew he was right. But that didn’t stop me from hoping. “What if there is another way? Maybe there’s something that I can do—” 

“Angie, how many times do we have to go over this?” 

I snapped my head towards him, desperation filling my eyes. “Everyone keeps telling me the same thing! But I won’t give up on him! Not until—” my voice broke and I took in a sharp breath. “Not until I can’t fight anymore.” 

Nico’s eyes softened, and he looked more sad than usual. Which was saying something. “I understand wanting to hold on to him. Trust me, I do. but you have to let go. You have to believe when people tell you this is his fight. The things that are coming…” he got a faraway look in his eye, like he was looking through me into a scary future. “We’ll need you.” He focused on me again. 

Nico was always saying strange things. Being a child of the underworld, he spent most of his time underground, talking to ghosts. And ghosts could see more than livings could, sometimes even into the future. Nico always knew more than other demigods, but he had learned quickly that most of the time, those things were for him alone. It was almost impossible to get information out of him. 

“Everyone keeps saying that, too. But it doesn’t make me feel better.” 

Nico cracked a small smile, and I noticed the way it made his dark eyes shine. When he didn’t have a permanent scowl on his face, he actually looked pretty kind. “I know. But give it time—sometimes the only way to understand something is by going through it.” 

I considered the small boy, and decided he was much too wise for a twelve year old. 

Mrs. O’Leary, finished with her business, bounded up to us and nearly knocked me over. We pet her for a little bit before Nico turned his head in a curious way before announcing, “Let’s head back.” 

I didn’t question him. 

We reached the clearing in time to hear my brother say, “I've got worse enemies than overweight satyrs." 

"Good job, Percy.” Nico said as he walked up to him and Juniper. “Judging from the trail of goat pellets, I'd say you shook him up pretty well."

Percy gave him a weak smile, and I could tell he knew why the son of hades had come calling. "Welcome back. Did you come by just to see Juniper?"

Nico blushed. "Um, no. That was an accident. I kind of…dropped into the middle of their conversation."

"He scared us to death!" Juniper said. "Right out of the shadows. I heard that Angie got a note about Grover when she was going through Chiron’s reports, but it didn’t say anything helpful.” She sounded so dejected, but immediately perked back up. “But, Nico, you are the son of Hades and all. Are you sure you haven't heard anything about Grover?"

Nico shifted his weight. "Juniper, like I tried to tell you…even if Grover died, he would reincarnate into something else in nature. I can't sense things like that, only mortal souls."

"But if you do hear anything?" she pleaded, putting her hand on his arm. "Anything at all?"

Nico's cheeks got even brighter red. "Uh, you bet. I'll keep my ears open."

She nodded glumly. "I hate not being able to leave the forest. He could be anywhere, and I'm stuck here waiting. Oh, if that silly goat has gotten himself hurt—"

Mrs. O'Leary bounded back over and took an interest in Juniper's dress.

Juniper yelped. "Oh, no you don't! I know about dogs and trees. I'm gone!"

She went poof into green mist. Mrs. O'Leary looked disappointed, but she lumbered off to find another target, leaving Nico, me, and Percy alone. The atmosphere immediately shifted into something tense and dark. My brother turned to face me, putting a hand on my shoulder. 

“I think I need to talk to Nico alone for a bit. Stay here?” 

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. “Yeah, okay. Just…just don’t leave without saying goodbye.” 

His eyes got sad. “I won’t.” He ruffled my hair a bit, and this time, I let him. Nico gave me a small smile, his face still a shade of red, before the two boys turned and walked deeper into the woods. 

I sat in a small meadow that was on the edge of the clearing we had been standing in, passing the time making and unmaking small flower crowns. Katie Gardener had taught me how to make them, although mine were never as good as hers were. I knew I should be doing something more productive, like practicing my throwing knives, running sword drills, or even working on strengthening my abilities, but I couldn’t make myself do any of that. It all felt too heavy. Just as I was about to get up and walk back into camp, assuming Percy had forgotten about me, he came running back into the clearing. 

“Angie?” 

I made my way over to him quickly. “Are you leaving?” 

I could tell by the look in his eyes that the answer was yes. 

“It’s time.” He didn’t have to say more. 

I threw my arms around his neck and didn’t try to stop my tears from soaking the shoulder of his orange Tshirt. He held me close, smoothing my hair and whispering some comforting words that I wasn’t paying attention to. Before long, he pulled away. His eyes were red and wet. 

“Don’t go.” 

I knew it was selfish of me to say. I knew it wasn’t fair. I knew he didn’t want to be anyone’s martyr just as much as I didn’t want him to die. He didn’t ask for any of this—and he didn’t need any more reminders of how close to the end he was. 

“I have to, Angie.” Percy sounded exhausted. Now, just the two of us, he let his shoulders slump and there wasn’t a trace of a smile on his face. 

“You know It’s the only way to stand a chance against Luke. If he’s invincible, then I have to be, too.” He continued. “We’re no match for the Titan army. You know that. This comes down to me and Kronos.” The words sounded like they were coming from someone else, his eyes faraway and distant. I recognized them as the ones Nico had told him, almost a year ago. 

“But it’s not fair!” I sounded like a petulant child, but I didn’t care. “It’s not fair that it has to be you.” 

Percy sighed like he was disappointed I was only now figuring this out. “It’s not.” He admitted. “But the life of a demigod isn’t fair. Especially for a child of the Big Three. It’s…it’s just our fate.” 

He tried to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear, but I flinched away from him. 

“But I don’t want to lose you! I can’t lose you! I don’t know how to—” the words caught in my throat, a sob taking their place. I dissolved into tears, and before I knew it, Percy’s arms were around me. I didn’t try to fight him. 

“Can I tell you a story?” 

It was such a strange thing to say that it caught me completely off guard. 

“What?” My voice cracked. 

“A story my mom, our mom, told me when I was very small.” He began. “And one I’m sure she would’ve told you. It’s the reason why she named me Perseus in the first place.” 

“Because he was a hero?” 

Percy chuckled. “That’s what I thought at first, too. But no. Because, against all odds, he is one of the few heroes who managed to find his way to a happy ending.” I thought about that for a moment. His happy ending was living a life with the person he loved, Andromeda. I wished that could be true for Percy and me, but the thought felt too far away to reach. 

“When he was a very little boy,” Percy continued, “he and his mother were placed into a wooden chest and cast out into the sea by a very angry king. Alone. Afraid. And at night, his mother would whisper in his ear: ‘Hold fast, Perseus. Brave the storm that was made to break us, for we are unbreakable. As long as we have each other.’” 

Percy whispered as he smoothed my hair. My breathing began to steady. 

“As long as we have each other.” I echoed. “Don’t go where I can’t follow.” 

Percy chuckled, probably remembering the time I forced him to watch all of the Lord of the Rings movies this past year. I had always loved that quote, and after he heard it, it had become our mantra.

 “You’re such a nerd.” There was a smile in his voice. A comfortable silence fell over us as we held onto each other, not knowing when either of us would get to hug our sibling again. When he spoke again, his voice was low and gentle, but very sure. 

“So…hold fast, Angie. That’s what mom said to me when I first came to Camp, when I was figuring all this out. Hold fast. Brave the storm.”

“Hold fast.” I echoed, wanting the words he was saying to sink into my heart and find a permanent place there. 

 I had only known Percy for about a year, but in that time, he had become a part of my soul. The thought of losing him tore me apart. Every fiber in my being was screaming at me to hold onto him forever, to never let go. I wanted to beg him to take me with him, plead to take his place. 

But I knew it was no use. In that moment, I knew I wasn’t strong enough. But Percy was. 

And more than that, I knew Percy would never let me. This was a journey he had to take on his own, and I would just have to find some other time to save him further down the road.

I let go of him and looked into his sparkling eyes, identical to mine. 

“You can do this.” I put all the power I had into my words. “I’ve never believed in anyone more than I believe in you.” 

He managed a smile. “I’ll see you again.” 

“I know you will. We are unbreakable, as long as we have each other.” 

I swore I saw tears begin to pool in his eyes, but I didn’t say anything. He pulled me into another hug, tight and quick, before letting go and messing up my hair. And this time, just this once, I let him. 

“Thank you for coming so quickly.” Chiron began, his tail swishing. “There has been a…development.” He turned to Annabeth, a sight I had seen many times this summer, and the blonde girl knew what to do. I don’t know when it had happened, but I realized in that moment how much of a leader she had become for us. The other campers may have looked to Percy, but the counselors looked to Annabeth. 

“Percy left me a message.” She said simply, and all the air left the room. “It was…vague, but one thing was clear—it’s time.” 

For a few seconds, no one spoke. And then everyone started talking at once.

”What did he say?” Travis demanded. 

“Time? Like, for real?” Jake Mason yelped. 

I shared an uneasy look with Cady, whose face was hard and would’ve been impossible to read for anyone else. I looked around the room—every counselor was present, even Silena, except for Clarisse. I got a sinking feeling. 

“Heroes!” Chiron shouted, stomping his hooves. The room went silent. “We must act quickly. Annabeth,” he turned to the daughter of Athena. “Please continue.” 

“Percy said to meet him at the base of the Empire State Building as soon as we can…” she took a shaky breath and shot a nervous glance to Chiron. He nodded. “All of us.” 

“The whole camp?” Micheal questioned. 

“And leave us defenseless?” Connor countered.

”We’re gathering at Olympus?” Katie spoke over them. 

“I know it seems unwise!” Annabeth shouted, quieting the chaos. “I don’t fully understand, either. But…I trust Percy. We trust Percy, don’t we?” She looked to me, which I didn’t really notice until every other head turned towards me, too. I swallowed the lump in my throat. 

“Of course.” My voice sounded more confident than I felt. “If Percy has a plan, it’s one I’ll follow.” I took a shaky breath. “To the end.” 

The counselors straightened up and gripped their weapons. Their eyes shone with new determination. I could only stand their gaze for a few moments before turning back to Annabeth. “Lead the way, Wise Girl.” 

Annabeth cracked a smile, but her eyes were sad. “Mobilize your cabins. Prepare for anything. Everyone, and I mean everyone over ten, is leaving in thirty minutes, max.” There was a moment of tense silence while she made eye contact with each of us. “Understood?” 

There were nods and murmurs of agreement. 

“Good.” 

She turned to Chiron. 

“Now is the time to summon your courage.” He spoke. “For your parents. For Olympus. For Camp Half Blood. You are ready, heroes.” He gave us a sad smile. “May the fates go with you.” He spoke a blessing over us in Ancient Greek. “Now go!” 

His sudden shift in tone jolted me out of my fear and spurred me into action. The counselors began scrambling out of the room, talking excitedly as they went. I caught Cady’s arm as she tried to rush by. 

“If I don’t see you before—“

”Stop talking.” She cut me off before pulling me into a hug. “I’ll be with the archers, with Michael.” She pulled away as the words tumbled out of her mouth. “Will is taking the medics.” I tried to ignore the tears brimming in her eyes. I tried to ignore how badly she was trying to force them away. 

I found myself nodding as I tried to quickly process everything she had said. 

She was going with the archers—not the medics. She was incredibly talented with a bow, one of the best in the Apollo cabin. I knew that. But she was a better medic. She had been given unique gifts by her father, and the fact that Chiron had chosen to put her with the fighters made my stomach drop. The reasoning was clear—we needed all the help we could get. We needed fighters—not healers. 

“That’s good.” I said firmly. I saw something in Cady’s eyes set. 

“It’ll be okay.” I didn’t need to ask how she knew I was so worried. “We’ll win this.” 

I attempted a smile. “We have to.” 

We held each other’s gaze for a moment that stretched beyond time before I pulled her into another hug, quick and intense. Who knew what was about to happen? Who knew what we would face, how long we would be fighting? 

Who knew if we would ever see each other again? 

“Cady, whatever happens, I just wanna say…” the words caught in my throat, but I forced them out. “Thank you for being my friend.” 

I heard as she stifled a sob against my chest. She took a breath like she wanted to say something, but then stopped herself. She didn’t speak again until she pulled away, and when she did, her face was determined. Her cheeks were wet, but her eyes were dry. 

“I’ll see you on the other side.” 

“Either in this life or the next.” 

I knew we shouldn’t, with everyone hurrying around us and the conch sounding outside and everything so tense, but we laughed. Just for a moment, but it was enough. 

“Gotta reach Elysium somehow.” Cady said with a shrug. I laughed again, so I wouldn’t cry. 

“Cadence!” Micheal Yew’s voice carried over the chaos of the room. I barely caught as she rolled her eyes at the sound. 

“Hold fast, Angie.” Cady said with finality. “You’re ready for this. Step out of the shadow.” 

I didn’t have to ask her what she meant. 

“We’re gonna be okay.” My voice was desperate, more like a question than a statement. She smiled at me. 

“Yeah, we are.” 

And with one last squeeze of my hand, she disappeared out of the rec room doors. 

We were all assembled on Half Blood Hill in thirty minutes exactly, loading up into the three white vans that would take us into the city. Annabeth and some of her siblings were directing campers, shouting seat assignments and making sure everyone had everything they would need. I was watching a fight break out between a child of Athena and a child of Apollo who was adamant she needed two extra bows with her, when a voice behind me made me jump. Spinning around, I saw the young, expectant face of a little girl with curly, strawberry hair and freckles dotted along her cheeks. I smiled at her, and the tense, terrified expression she wore softened. 

“Hey, Marigold. What’s up?” I bent down so that I was at eye-level with her. I knew she was eleven, but she felt younger. Or maybe I felt older. 

“I can’t find Andrew. Or Emily. Or Katie.” I recognized the names of her siblings. “Can you help me?” 

I tried to keep my face steady, being careful to not show her how much she was breaking my heart. 

“Of course.” I took her by the hand, the one that wasn’t clutching a small dagger with vines swirling around the hilt, and walked over to the son of Athena who was still yelling at the Apollo kid. He hardly batted an eye when I took the clipboard out of his hand to check the seating assignments. 

“Here, bus three, with the rest of the Demeter kids.” I smiled down at her and ruffled her hair a bit. “Do you want me to take you there?” 

She nodded, barely meeting my eyes. 

“Mari! There you are!” Katie shouted as we neared the van, scooping the small kid up in her arms. I made it a point to ignore the tears in her eyes. “Haven’t even left camp yet and you’re already scaring me half to death.” 

“It’s okay, Katie.” Marigold said in a soothing voice. 

“Were you scared?” Katie asked as she cupped the small girl's face in her hands. 

“A little, but then I found Angie. And I knew I’d be okay.” 

I felt my stomach drop as Katie smiled up at me. Percy was so good in these situations, so good at being a leader. I was counting down the minutes until we were all reunited and he could take up that position again. 

A single choice shall end his days…

Who would they all look to when Percy was gone? Me? I felt my hands start to shake, and was thankful when I heard Annabeth’s voice call out across the hill. 

“All demigods to your vans! This is your final call! To the vans!” 

The daughter of Athena spoke with authority, finality, the gravitas of a military commander. And yet, no one moved. Her voice rang out over the silence, as if the words magically froze everyone in place. The younger campers squirmed and held onto their siblings. The older campers looked over the fields, the woods, the circle of cabins, the lake, the big house, with a somber longing. A nostalgia for something they hadn’t yet lost, but knew they were about to. Some held hands. Some leaned their heads onto their friends, siblings, significant other’s shoulders. Silent tears fell down hardened faces. 

And then a small voice began to sing. 

It was Lyric, Cady’s little brother. He was young, but not too young to come fight with us. Just barely twelve, if I remembered correctly. He had been at Camp Half Blood since he was five, and this life was the only one he had ever known. 

He was clutching Cady’s leg as if he never wanted to let go. The melody floated over the hill like a golden thread, filling all of our minds and hearts with a sense of peace and purpose. The words were old, the melody ancient, and yet I understood every word—the heritage from my father translating the Ancient Greek as it wove its way through the grass, danced with the flowers. One by one, the other children of Apollo began to sing along, and even some older campers who knew the song from years around the campfire. It was a song of bravery, of heroes and valor and fighting for one’s home. It was a song of courage, a blessing. It was a prayer for safety. A prayer to return home. 

The song ended, and the only sound was the breeze blowing through Thalia’s branches. 

“It is time.” Chiron’s steady voice broke our trance. We all loaded into the vans in silence, double-checking our armor and weapons as we went. I played with the shells of the necklace my father gave me, fiddled with the solitary camp bead on its thick cord. I was riding in the van with Annabeth and her siblings, and we all watched out the windows as we crossed the threshold of camp. I saw the trees and houses and berry patches blur by, my head jumbled with everything we were about to do, everything we had done. I stole a glance at Annabeth, but she was so focused I didn’t dare interrupt her thoughts. Especially not now. 

I found myself, surprisingly, praying. To Hestia and Apollo, two gods I felt always looked out for me, but mostly to my father. I knew he was busy fighting his own war below the surface, but something about having a connection to him made me feel stronger, more at peace. Even if that connection was only one-sided. 

We were almost to the Queens-Midtown tunnel when Annabeth’s phone rang. There was a collective gasp, and she flipped it open faster than I’d ever seen anyone answer a call. I knew who it was before she spoke—there was only one person who would be calling Annabeth at a time like this. 

"Percy, where have you been? Your message said almost nothing! We've been worried sick!" My heart clenched at my brother’s name. He really did it, just like my dreams told me—he survived the Styx. 

I heard his muffled voice on the other end, crackling with the reception and his puberty, but I couldn’t make out the words. 

"We're on our way like you asked, almost to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. But, Percy, what are you planning? We've left the camp virtually undefended, and there's no way the gods—"

More muffled words, quick and sure, and then the line went quiet. Annabeth stared at the phone in her hands. 

“He hung up on me.” Her voice was a mix of shock and anger. 

I couldn't help but let out a laugh. For a terrifying second, I thought she was going to lunge at me. And then her face broke into a wide grin and she doubled over. Her siblings followed, and soon the whole van dissolved into giggles. 

“I only know one person who would be stupid enough to hang up on Annabeth Chase.” Malcolm finally got out between fits of laughter. 

We hadn’t talked about the prophecy much before tonight. We hadn’t talked much about the war either. This whole year, most of our conversations had been focused on the happier side of being a demigod—if that was even a thing. Talking about training and myths and sharing stories about all the adventures Percy had been on. Even when we were fighting empousai on the elevated train or demon pigeons in Central Park, we could always find something to laugh about. Whenever the darkness did come up, Percy would get quiet and pull away. And I didn’t like to see him like that. So I tried not to mention it. 

“When I was younger,” he continued, “I wished it wasn’t me. I wanted it to be Thalia, or even Nico, for a while. But then last summer, something clicked. I knew it had to be me. I knew I didn’t want anyone else to have to carry that weight, to have to go through it.” 

“We don’t know what it all means, Perce.” Even I didn’t believe my own words, and I was quiet for a long moment before continuing. “And…” 

“And?” 

“And…it might not be you, after all.” 

“It is me.” 

“But it might—” 

“A single choice shall end his days—” 

“That might not be about you!” 

“It’s me because I choose it. I won’t let you take it for me.” 

“And you think I want to let you take it for me?” 

He was quiet, as if he had never considered that before. 

“Do you think it's been easy for me to watch you go through all this?” I continued, the words running out of my mouth before I could think about them, before I could stop them. “You have no idea how hard this has been. Seeing you waste away, retreat into yourself. You think I didn’t notice that you’ve hardly eaten the past few months? That you haven’t been sleeping? You think it's easy for me to know you’re at home while I have to be here, pretending that everything’s okay? That everything’s normal?” My breathing was becoming ragged. “You have no idea how badly I want to take it all away from you! I don’t—” my voice broke, " I don't want to lose you. Not after I just found you.” 

I didn’t know when I had started crying. 

When Percy spoke again, his voice was low. 

“Angie, I know. And I don’t want to leave you. But…” He took a deep breath, “But I know it's me. I can feel it.” 

I hated it. I hated it more than I had ever hated anything. 

But I knew he was right. 

We sat in silence for a long time. 

“Angie, I need to tell you something—” 

“Percy, please, I’m tired.” 

“I need you to listen to me, Andromeda.” He had never called me by my full name before. “I need you to hear this.” He waited for a protest that never came. “The only reason I can even begin to be okay with this is because I know I’m not leaving anyone behind. Not really. Mom, Annabeth, Rachel, Grover, Tyson, our friends at camp—I know they’ll be okay. When I’m gone, I know they won't be alone.” 

Every word felt like a dagger in my heart. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“They’ll have you, Angie. When I’m gone.” 

“You are not going to die, Percy. Don’t talk like that.” 

“But I might! And if I do, I need to know they’ll be okay. I need to know you’ll watch over them, you’ll be here to lead them.” 

“I’m not a leader, Percy.” My voice sounded weak.  

“But you are.” His voice was so sincere, I almost believed him. “You may not see it yet, but I do. They do. One day, they’ll look to you. And when they do, you'll be ready. I know it.” 

The thought of that almost scared me more than the thought of losing my brother. 

I felt desperate and terrified and angry and terrified. People kept telling me this, kept saying I would be something someday, something I knew I could never be. Something I knew I’m not. I was starting to get tired of hearing the lies. 

“Well that’s not going to happen because you’re gonna be okay.” 

I heard him sigh in the darkness, long and sad. He was quiet for so long, I thought he had fallen asleep. 

“I will be okay. And you will, too.” 

“Percy?” 

“Goodnight, Angie.” 

I bit my tongue and choked back a sob. 

“Goodnight.” 

But I didn’t shut my eyes for a long time. 

Breakfast next morning was quiet and depressing. Percy and I hardly spoke, and the sky was gray and overcast. That was unusual—the magic of camp usually kept rain and bad weather away. It was as if things were so dark, so heavy, so sad, not even magic could stop the clouds. Everyone knew what was coming and people kept glancing at the path to the campfire—and it wasn’t for a sing-along. 

Percy’s morning chore had been to go through Chrion’s reports, but I knew how much he hated doing that. I told him he could go with Annabeth as she inspected the cabins, since she hated that chore, too, and I would go through the reports for him. He seemed grateful, giving me a sincere smile and a hug before jogging along the path to catch up with the daughter of Athena. 

I didn’t love going through the reports, either, but I didn’t hate it as much as Percy. Plus, it was worth it to make his life easier—if only by a little. I knew he hadn’t gotten to see Annabeth much that summer, and I knew how much that was bumming them both out. I walked down to the canoe lake, sitting on the beach and letting the waves lap at my feet, and began to go through the stack of papers next to me. 

There were messages from demigods, nature spirits, and satyrs all around the country, writing about the latest monster activity. They were pretty depressing, and my ADHD brain kept drifting off and wondering if I had made my bed before the inspection that morning.

Little battles were raging everywhere. Camp recruitment was down to zero. Satyrs were having trouble finding new demigods and bringing them to Half-Blood Hill because so many monsters were roaming the country. Percy’s friend Thalia, who led the Hunters of Artemis, hadn't been heard from in months, and if Artemis knew what had happened to them, she wasn't sharing information. I decided not to share that with Percy—he didn’t need more to stress about. 

I took a break from reading and looked out to the water. Usually the sight of the shimmering blue was enough to take away any bad mood I found myself in. But lately, the water had just been making me sad. It reminded me of everything good, which just made me think of everything that might be taken away from me soon. It reminded me of my brother, and everything he’d taught me, and how he had been drifting further and further from me, from everyone. It made me think of how I might lose him in a few days.

It also made me think of my father, which always brought up complicated feelings. I had decided last summer that I did love my dad—and I decided to believe he loved me, too. Even if he didn’t show it very well. Even if I had felt abandoned by him all my life. Even if I felt like he chose Percy over me. Maybe even loved Percy more than me. 

He’s a god, I had to remind myself. The god of the seas. The seas that cover seventy percent of the world. It’s amazing he even talks to you at all. 

Especially now, since he was fighting his own war and had been for a year and Percy and I weren’t allowed to help at all. 

It would be nice if he talked to me more, though. 

A wind blew past and picked up one of the papers in the stack. As I scrambled to save it from the gentle waves, I realized it wasn’t a paper, really, but a huge maple leaf with a hand-written note scrawled on it from a Satyr in Canada. 

"Dear Grover,

Woods outside Toronto attacked by giant evil badger. Tried to do as you suggested and summon power of Pan. No effect. Many naiads' trees destroyed. Retreating to Ottawa. Please advise. Where are you? 

—Gleeson Hedge, protector."

I felt a tightness in my chest. I didn’t know Grover well—I had met him a couple of times at camp last summer and hung out with him whenever he was in New York throughout the year, but I knew how important he was to Percy. The two had an empathy link, and though I would never tell anyone, I had always felt like a shred of the chord that connected the two of them was also somehow connected to me. I wondered if it was because Percy and I were twins—we had begun to joke that we were the same person in two different bodies. The same soul split in two. 

I had heard stories that demigod twins were different. Special, even. And sometimes, when I knew exactly what Percy was going to say before he opened his mouth, or I got a cut on my arm sparring and I watched as Percy winced at the exact moment, I wondered if what they said was true. 

I tucked the maple leaf in my pocket and made a mental note to give it to Percy. No one had seen Grover in two months, and I knew it was weighing on him. 

I heard heavy footfalls stomping along the paths from the strawberry fields to the lake, and the sounds of someone angrily kicking the plants as they passed. I hoped there were no satyrs or children of Demeter around to see the destruction I was sure was happening behind me. I had taken my shoes off and was letting the water lap against my feet, heightening my senses and giving me a pretty good idea of who was stalking towards the water. 

I heard her stop and gasp when she got to the edge of the sand, right when I would’ve been in her view, and then I was positive about who it was. 

“What did he do this time, Annabeth?” I didn’t even bother to turn around. 

I heard the footsteps trudge through the sand. My suspicions were confirmed as the blond girl plopped down next to me, keeping her eyes on the water. 

“Everything!” Her voice was tight, like she was trying very hard not to cry. Knowing Annabeth, I figured we only had about thirty seconds until she lost that battle. 

“How did inspections go?” I tried to keep my voice light, but it didn’t do much. Annabeth let out a groan. 

“Fine. You got a three.” 

“Damn. Did I forget to make my bed?” 

“And Percy’s clothes were on the floor.” 

I nodded and we sat in silence for a bit, neither of us looking at each other, until Annabeth spoke. Her voice was small and tired. 

“I’m just…so scared.” 

I finally turned to her, and I saw streams of tears running down her cheeks. 

“I know.” 

She let out a sob, hanging her head and surrendering to her sadness. I placed a careful hand on her shoulder, and when she didn't pull away, began to rub her back. We had only known each other for a little over a year, but that can be a very long time when you’re a demigod. 

“Why don’t you tell me what happened?” I said, doing my best to keep my voice calm. 

She took a few shaky breaths and sniffled before speaking. “Percy and I got in a fight.” 

I nodded, even though my brain was screaming, duh!

“We had finished inspections and were walking back to the Big House when he brought up a dream he had. A dream about Rachel.” 

She said her name as though she was the one trying to destroy all of Western civilization and not Kronos. I actually liked Rachel a lot—she was cool, funny, chill, and artistic. Plus it was super refreshing to have a mortal friend during these times. But I knew why Annabeth didn’t like her. It wasn’t that hard to figure out. So I kept that to myself. 

“What did he see?” 

“She drew pictures. Pictures that she shouldn’t know about. Pictures that make me very worried.” 

“Pictures of what?” I knew that Rachel loved to draw, and I knew how good of an artist she was. I also knew she was clear-sighted, and could see through the Mist just as well as demigods could. 

“Luke as a kid, just before he ran away. The Empire State Building surrounded by an army, Typhon on his way to destroy it.” She said those words with such little emotion, like she was talking about what she had for breakfast. Like they didn’t hold the weight of the world. 

“What could it all mean?” 

Annabeth buried her head in her hands. “I have no idea.” 

“Well, they must be important.” 

She looked up at me suddenly, her eyes red and puffy, but harsh and stormy. The only eyes that scared me worse when they got like that were my brothers. “That’s what Percy said.” 

I took a deep breath, knowing I needed to be careful with what I said next. “What else did you talk about?” 

Her eyes softened a bit. “He asked me what I would do if I were Kronos, and I said I would use Typhon as a distraction, a way to get the gods away from Olympus, and then attack it directly.”

“Well, yeah. Obviously that’s what he’s doing.” 

“Except Zeus won’t listen to us.” 

I waited for a peal of thunder that never came. 

“And then I told him that we would just have to be ready to defend Olympus and Camp when the time came, with or without the gods. And then he made some stupid comment about his soul getting reaped, and I said we should’ve never told him the prophecy because he always runs from things when he's afraid, and he didn’t like that very much, and then I—” her voice broke, and she took a sharp, shaky breath in. “And then I called him a coward.” 

If anyone else had admitted that to me, I would have drowned them in the lake. I let her words hang in the air, taking them all in. It was so clear she wasn’t just talking about the battle ahead, and it was equally as clear that Percy had no idea what she meant. Or maybe he did—but knowing my brother, he wouldn’t do anything about it. Not now. Not when he thinks his days are numbered. 

“And then I said that if he didn’t like our chances, and didn’t like our company, he should go on that vacation with Rachel.” 

She sounded so miserable, and when I looked over to her, her face was streaked with tears. 

“But you didn’t mean that, did you?” 

Annabeth choked back a sob. “Of course I didn’t.” 

I pulled her into me, letting her cry into my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her. We were the same age—well, her birthday was about a month before mine—but she had always felt so much older. So much wiser. At first, I thought that was just because she was the daughter of the wisdom goddess. But then, after getting to know her, I realized that was just her. 

She was always so strong, so put-together. She always had everything figured out, everything under control. She was everything I wasn't, everything Percy wasn’t. I looked up to her. I went to her with my problems and she always had the answers. Seeing her so broken, so lost and confused and unsure, made me feel like my whole world was spinning out of control. I racked my brain for the perfect thing to say, but then I heard Cady’s voice like a whisper in my head: 

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for someone is just be there for them. 

“It’s okay, Annabeth. Just give it some time. We still have time. He’ll be okay.” 

Sometimes they don’t need words—they just need you.