Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians and any of it's characters.

Chapter 1: Gretchen's POV

I was standing in a grand throne room. It would have been beautiful except for the constant reminders of the dead. A woman was sitting on a gorgeous throne of flowers. She had an impatient look on her face, but still was beautiful. She had long black hair and a light gown that appeared to be made of many changing flowers. She had a bright glow about her. She looked up as a man entered. He was pale, with dark sweeping robes covered with the terrified, tortured faces of the dead. He had an annoyed look on his face, like he'd rather be doing something more pleasant. His hair was an oily black mass and strangely familiar black eyes peered into the darkness behind me.

"Step forward," he commanded. I didn't move a muscle but someone else did. A boy, about two or three years older than me stepped out of the shadows. He had short, black hair that looked like it was normally spiked but had deflated because of lack of grooming for a few weeks. He had dark bags under his eyes like he hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. Cuts and bruises covered his face and arms and his jeans and orange t-shirt were tattered and worn.

"We have much to discuss, but first, would you like something to eat? Drink? You must be hungry after all this traveling and fighting." As the man spoke, ladies with sunken in holes for eyes and papery, transparent skin glided out of the shadows with platters of delicious looking food and drinks. I had a bad feeling about it, though. I wanted to shout out a warning to the boy not to eat it but I couldn't speak. The boy grabbed a delicious looking pomegranate and began to eat.

I waited in anticipation for something to happen. The boy to start choking or hopping around sprouting warts or something. All that happened was the dark man smiled cruelly and once again I wondered why his eyes were so familiar.

I woke with a start to find myself safe, in my room with a warm summer breeze blowing in from my open window. I sat up and looked in my mirror beside my bed. I gasped. I realized why his eyes were so familiar. They were mine.