The campfire leaped higher as the campers celebrated. The fire reflected whatever mood the campers felt, and this was a good night. The flames leaped at least thirty feet in the air tonight and it was a mixture of colors - all happy. Purple for Dionysus, pink for Aphrodite, green for Demeter, black (although I didn't see how that was a pleasant color) for Ares and Hades. There was even blue for Poseidon. The sing-a-longs continued for a while. A new song had been added about last summer's triumph. New half-bloods didn't seem to understand the meaning, but I didn't think it would be long before they did. It may had been last August, and it was June, but camp was still buzzing about it.

"You okay?" Annabeth asked, sliding in next to me. Looks came from the Athena cabin, but mostly newbies.

"Yeah," I said, "why?"

"You aren't really doing anything. Even Tyson is singing along."

Is was true; the big guy sat next to me, clapping his hands and singing. He sounded like a choked penguin, but it was a definite improvement on my singing.

"Yeah, well, I'd sound worse than Hades when he finds out that Demeter is staying permanently."

She smirked. "Only that bad?"

I slipped my hand into hers. I could've sworn that the flames jumped a bit higher. She leaned her head against my shoulder and sang along. Now, usually nymphs and Aphrodite's daughters sang well (Hephaestus's children especially sounded like dying robot turtles) but I'd never noticed how Annabeth sang. Maybe it was because we weren't technically "dating" before, so we weren't really this close, but her voice was really beautiful. It wasn't "mystic" like the sirens, but it was still nice.

After the sing-a-long, campers slowly left to go to their cabins until only Annabeth and I were left. Grover and Juniper walked along the beach together, just happily. I remembered a time when it wasn't possible to have so much happiness around camp. Back in August, I'd heard the last Great Prophecy, claiming that I would die in a week. Now, I had Annabeth next to me, as we watched the peaceful fire crackle and the couple on the beach. Before I even knew what was going on, Grover and Juniper leaned in and kissed. Annabeth made a small, happy noise.

Then she coughed.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She leaned back. "Yeah. Probably just the smoke."

I doubted it. There wasn't much smoke being emitted from the fire, and viruses tended not to get in through camp borders, unless someone came in sick. Still, I knew basically everyone here, and nobody was coughing.

She coughed again.

"Annabeth-"

"Seaweed Brain, really, I'm okay!"

"Okay, Wise Girl."

She sighed and watched Juniper and Grover more. Once, she had mentioned to me that they were a "cute couple", though I didn't understand what that meant.

Again, she coughed, then tried to hide the labored breathing that came after.

"That's it," I said, standing up, "I'm getting Chiron."

She didn't let go of my hand. "Don't! Please!"

"Why? You're sick!"

"He can't know. Please?"

Annabeth attempted to pull me back down, but her usually strength just wasn't there.

"Annabeth, why can't he know? He's been training heroes for centuries. At least tell me!"

She sighed through her nose. "I can't."

"Why?" I demanded.

"Because... it involves Nico. And... you know how dangerous children of the Big Three are!"

The last part seemed tacked on, like she was trying to find an excuse.

"What did Nico do?"

"That's none of your business."

"Are you going to tell me anything!?"

"Percy, I would if I could! Really!"

"Then do it."

"Nico wouldn't like that... I'm sorry."

I regretted instantly what I said next. "Why, because you're seeing him?"

Anger flashed dangerously in her stormy gray eyes. "You've got to be kidding me. I can't believe you don't trust me!"

"You don't trust me! You won't tell me!"

She let go of my hand and shakily got up, stomping to her cabin. That's the last I saw of her for the night.

I glanced up at the Big House. Should I go and risk the truth? Or should I risk Annabeth's health? As I was walking toward the big house, a giant figure appeared in front of me and made a gruesome noise. I heard a voice in my head, You shouldn't have come here! I felt for Riptide in my pocket, and uncapped it, wondering how in the world a monster left the forest.