Clarisse and Markos re joined Annabeth, Markos keeping his distance from her, he was fully clothed now but still a haunted look in his eyes. After a few moments Percy turned with a small smile on his face

"We're going to Hawaii" he announced

He was met by stunned silence,

"What?" Clarisse and Annabeth said in unison, both looking at Percy in disbelief.

"The Hippocampus he saw giants on one of the smaller islands of Hawaii" he paused for a moment "They had a giant jar" he clarified

"You serious?" Clarisse asked

And so the four found themselves riding across the ocean at full speed on the iridescent hippocampi, Percy lead the way with Annabeth behind him, Markos and Clarisse on the second that Percy had summoned from the ocean. He didn't seem too happy with two children of Ares on his back, Markos naturally repelled all animals apart from the ones sacred to Ares, it didn't bother him though he was never one for pets. What did bother him was the way Annabeth's hands rested on Percy's sides, the way she would hug to his back when they launched over waves, but all the anger and jealousy melted away when he saw the beaming smile on her face. When she was splashed playfully by the hippocampus or they leapt so high from the surface of the water a beautiful smile would spread across her face. It had been a long time since he had seen her smile like that, her eyes would light up as they were crinkled by the smile that crossed her amazing features.

Markos had a long time to think on the way to Hawaii, he thought about Annabeth mostly, he wondered if she was happy with Percy, if she was truly happy. He wondered if she missed him or even if she had thought of him at all over the pass two years. He closed his eyes, then he took a deep breath and looked over to her, of course she's happy with Percy.

Though he would never admit it aloud Percy was a good guy, better than most, a little naive but he was also a hero of Olympus who didn't lose it and stab his girlfriend. Markos shuddered as the memory flashed back into his mind, the blood that drenched her clothes, the red on his hands, how pale her skin became, how cold she was.

He was a monster, Annabeth had tried to fix him and he had technically killed her, just like how he killed Cassie all those years ago. He had decided then he didn't deserve happiness, but Annabeth came into his life and turned it upside down in the best and the worst ways. And yet again he had ruined it all again, if they did find Ares and some how survived then he would return to his cabin, he wouldn't put anyone through that again, he was toxic.

"Markos, Look" Clarisse yelled above the wind, Markos focused on where she was pointing, in the distance they could see an island "They took Ares to Hawaii? For what a honeymoon?"

They continued their journey towards the land when Percy called out to them

"They say that they saw the giants round by the mountains just over there" he pointed to a rocky cliff face it was riddled with caves and other openings "Looks like we will have to search for them"

"There must be hundreds of openings" pointed out Clarisse with a huff

Annabeth studied the cliffs as they grew closer "We only have to search the ones that are large enough for the giants to get in and out of, my guess it's going to be close to sea level"

"Why?" asked Percy

"Would you want to lug a god in a huge jar up the side of a cliff" she joked, poking him in the ribs

He smiled at her "I guess not" their earlier argument all but forgotten, Percy was good like that, he never held grudges and was quick to forgive. Annabeth wondered why she couldn't love him, in almost every way he was the perfect guy, she shook her head and dismissed the thought, she had to focus on the quest in hand.

They had the hippocampuses swim close to the cave entrances one by one, trying to judge which was their best bet, but as they moved to a large entrance the sea creatures whinnied and back away

"Whoa boy" Percy exclaimed

"What's wrong with them?" called Markos as he held on and stopped Clarisse from slipping off

Percy spoke to the Hippocampus but all they said was 'danger, not good'

"I think we found our cave" he petted the side of the creature calming it "They don't want to go near it"

"Question Jackson" everyone turned to Clarisse "How are we getting over there if they won't go near the entrance, children of Ares don't do well in oceans"

A small smile made it's way onto Percy's face "Let me worry about that"

And in no time at all the last of the four surfed their way onto rocks, although Markos's landing was not the most graceful, he stumbled onto the rocks and rolled onto his back. Before he could yell at Percy there was a loud and low rumbling overhead

"Zeus is getting wise to Ares absence, we need to hurry" Annabeth said, she turned to the cave and a shiver ran down her back

Percy extended a hand to Markos "Sorry that's my bad" he seemed sincere, so Markos accepted his hand, taking a deep breath

"No worries" he said and they too faced the dark and damp cave

"Anyone got a light?" asked Clarisse as she drew her spear, it became full sized in her hand. Markos dug into his pocket pulling out a light, Annabeth noticed it was engraved with the initials 'C.R.S' she averted her eyes as Markos realised she had noticed, he then rummaged through his pack pulling out the board shorts that Aphrodite had put him in

"Jackson can you get us some drift wood"

In less than a minute they had two flaming torches, Annabeth took one and Percy took the other.