I AM SERIOUSLY SOOO SORRRRY! I totally forgot all about this haha... So here is a chapter and I promise I will upload next week! Woooooo! Thanks for reading!

"Rachel said a prophecy." I say dryly after I've cried all my tears.

"I know." Nico replies, shifting awkwardly under my weight.

I don't dare to move. My body aches. My breakdown left me sore and exhausted. The cool breeze has me leaned into Nico, my head resting on his chest, his shirt covered in my tears and snot.

But he never complained.

"We'll take extra precaution tonight. I got something that might-"

"Nico," I interrupt and sit up. "I can't stay here another night."

He crinkles his eyebrows. "What do you mean? I got everything planned, I think I can make a difference tonight."

Shaking my head, "It won't work."

"We progressed last night!" He argues.

"No we didn't." I reach my fingers out, he flinches under my touch as I tilt his chin to the side. There is a cut above his eyebrow, about two inches long. A slight bruise is forming near the left temple and he acts as If I haven't notice his limp.

"I'm not blind. I've hurt you."

He pushes me off. "It's nothing compared to the pain I've felt before." He stands. "You're not going anywhere."

My lips purse tightly until they are white. I stand with my arms crossed. "You can't make me do anything."

Nico's jaw clenches. "If you go out you might hurt somebody!"

"Well if I stay, I'll hurt someone! So it doesn't matter!"

He opens and closes his mouth as if debating on whether to say something or not. Frustrated, he runs a hand through his hair. Finally, Nico says, "Please don't leave."

"I have to do what is best for the people here."

"Your not going to..."

I look down. "No."

No. I'm not going to kill myself. I was so close to going to the Fields of Punishment last time, if I suddenly reappear to the judges again, I will forever be in torture. And for that, I may be selfish, I may be a coward, but I don't care.

I'm going to find a way to change my fate. I read something before in my dads old books, something that may be able to save me. And with the help of the prophecy, I know just where to go.

Without giving him a second look, I push past him and head towards the Hades cabin.

The sun is already starting to set. I rush past the Stolls, who tease me about Nico. I ignore Christene who bugs me about ditching her and I try not to scream as several campers gossip about the new prophecy.

After stealing Ambrosia from under Nico's bed, I run smack into the son of Poseidon and the daughter of Athena on my way out.

"Whoa, there," Percy says, steadying me. "What's the rush?" He eyes my bag and I pull it further up my shoulder, not meeting his eyes.

"Oh, I'm just heading towards the infirmary. My forehead is bothering me." I gesture to the butterfly stitch on my forehead.

Annabeth raises an eyebrow. I can already see the gears turning in her head. The prophecy. How I randomly showed up. My bag. The tension makes my neck itch and I let out a cough.

"Is Nico in there?" She asks, looking over my shoulder. I try to block her view. I don't need her seeing the disaster of Nico's cabin from last night.

"No," I step outside and close the door. "You might want to check the beach. Pretty sure that's the last place I saw him."

They nod. "Chiron is holding a meeting about the Prophecy. We need all the Head Counselors there. If there is anyone who knows anything about Nyx's children it would probably be Nico."

"Oh?" I brush a strand of hair behind my ear. "Why do you-?" The lack of brightness outside stops me mid-sentence. I'm going to have to leave as quick as possible, get as far away from the camp as possible. Without another word, I take down towards the woods, not even caring that Percy and Annabeth realized I lied to them.

I head east, trying to form a plan that would get me to my destination as fast as possible.

My feet crunch the fallen leaves as my pace picks up. What if I climbed a tree? Maybe I wouldn't be able to get down when I turn? And If I fall out, at least I would only hurt myself and not the others.

There's shuffling of feet that are not my own and suddenly I find Nico walking besides me, looking as normal as can be.

I stop abruptly. "What are you doing?"

He blinks. "Following you."

"No you're not!"

"Yes, I am." He replies, mocking my tone.

"I already have a plan. You coming would screw it all up!" I throw my arms in the air to emphasis.

He raises an eyebrow. "And what exactly would your plan be, Killer?"

Ignoring the nickname, I hold my head high, "I'm going to speak to Ananke."

Nico's eyes widen in surprise. Then he laughs without humor. "You can't be serious!" In response, I stare blankly. "Oh come on, Mackenzie! What the heck do you expect to say to her? Ask her politely to not make you a villain?

Yes. "No!" I answer quickly. "I don't know! I'll beg on my knees if I have to. She's the only one that would be able to help me. Who's better to talk to than the goddess of fate and destiny?"

He sighs. "This is dangerous. Nobody even knows the location of Ananke. No one has ever seen her before."

"Her daughters have."

"And?"

"I'm not telling you my plan!"

Nico groans. "Can you just get it through that thick head of yours I actually want to help you with this? Mack, I'm your friend, okay? I'm coming with you."

A friend. I haven't had a friend since Rose, and that really really scares me. Though, my heart craves a friend. It desires a person to be there for me. "I'll put you in harm. I can't go through that again."

"You let me help before. Let me help again."

"The prophecy-"

"A dumb prophecy doesn't scare me. I'm an experienced fighter. I'm coming with you no matter what. Together we'll change this prophecy, change your fate."

I bit my lower lip. "Okay," I turn on my heel, advancing down the woods. "Okay." I repeat, not wanting to meet Nico's eyes, scared of the feeling I feel inside.

I've never had somebody care for me before. It all just feels so weird, almost fake. If it's not for the crunching of leaves behind me, I would of thought it was all my imagination. It wouldn't have been the first time my mind has played a trick on me.

Just to be sure, after a few minutes of scary silence, I ask, "Have a plan for tonight?"

Nico grabs me by the wrist and twirls me around, a serious look on his face. It's then I notice the bag hanging around his shoulder, glass bottles clanking inside. His hand reaches in the bag. "Yeah, actually I do. I did my research. Please don't freak."

When his hand reemerges from the the bag, my eyes squint to read the worn ink on the bottles. Some sort of liquid is inside, half full, and swooshing back in fourth as Nico hands it to me. A cork sticks out the top and I pull it off. A strong odor blows into my nose, making me instantly shove the cork back on.

Something is familiar about the smell.

"Every heard of binge drinking?"

THAT IS PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA, NICO HA. WHERE DO YALL THINK HE GOT THE BOOZE FROM HAHAHAHALOL

ANANKE= The goddess of Destiny and Fate. She is the mother of the Fates!