Percy had trouble sleeping that night. The evening interrogation left him on guard and uneasy. The room they had set him up in didn't help matters. It was too big, the bed was too soft, and Percy found himself feeling very vulnerable. He ended up sneaking out to the stables and bunkering down with Blackjack. Which turned out to be a good idea, seeing as Blackjack was causing all sorts of ruckus until Percy arrived. Percy awoke at first light and was more than eager to leave. Zoe seemed just as eager, but King Hades had other ideas. He invited them in for a far too big breakfast in Percy's opinion. Percy ate quickly, not really wanting to be in Hades' presence longer than he had to. As he was walking back out to the stables, he became aware of a presence following closely behind him.

"You didn't sleep in your bed last night." Nico chimed.

Percy was in little mood for conversation, so he just flatly answered, "Nope."

"Was it not nice enough? I picked it out myself." Nico looked worried.

"It was too nice." Percy again answered flatly. "Besides, Blackjack gets antsy in new places. We slept better together."

"That is so cool." Nico exclaimed.

Percy ignored the statement as he entered the stables. Blackjack looked as antsy as Percy felt. He went to work putting on his saddle.

"I have a favor to ask of you." Nico shuffled his feet. Percy raised an eyebrow. "I know Bianca's a hunter now and has probably learned all sorts of stuff, but will you please keep an eye on her. Make sure she is safe." He looked at him pleadingly.

Percy took a deep breath. "If we are going into as bad of a situation that I think we are, I don't know if I can." Nico looked up at him with a sort of broken expression. Percy gave in. "But I will do my best." He sighed, wondering what he had just gotten himself into.

Nico smiled, "Thanks."

Percy finished saddling Blackjack as quick as he could. As soon as everything was set to go, Percy led Blackjack out. The hunters were still getting ready. "I'll see you tonight, then." Percy called.

Zoe nodded in response. That was all Percy needed before he got on Blackjack and urged him forward. Blackjack didn't need to be told twice, he was off in a flash. Soon they were surrounded by fruit trees and then fields of grain. Percy only slowed when he saw a cage suspended over a lake close to some trees laden down with fruit. There in the cage, frantically reaching toward one of the branches of fruit, but not quite reaching, was Tantalus. As soon as he spotted Percy he started calling out frantically, "Please. I beg of you. Just one piece of fruit." Percy wasn't interested in hearing any more of his begging and urged Blackjack forward again.

With Blackjack racing, it didn't take long for him to reach Epyra's border. He continued to urge Blackjack, trusting completely in him. They rode all day, and only stopped just short of sunset or else the hunters would never have time to set up camp. He was just finishing his dinner when they arrived, circling his encampment astride their horses. Blackjack ignored them and continued munching on the grass.

"Report." Zoe snapped, while looking down at him from her horse.

Percy just shook his head. "Nothing yet. Do you know how much further it is to Othrys?"

"Another day's ride." Zoe got off her horse and became uncharacteristically somber.

Percy nodded in response and started cleaning up his dinner.

"May . . . may we use your fire?" Zoe asked hesitantly.

Percy raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"It's just that it's been a long ride and . . ."

"No, no. I mean yes. Of course. Help yourself. We'll move elsewhere." Percy awkwardly started collecting his things.

"You can stay." Zoe replied as she sat tiredly by the fire.

"I wouldn't want to break some kind of rule or anything." Percy quirked an eyebrow.

"You're fine." She said as several other hunters sat at the fire. "For a male, you sure know a lot about our rules."

Percy shrugged as he continued to put his things away in Blackjack's saddlebag. "My mother wanted to join and sometimes told me stories about them . . . uh, you."

"Why didn't she join?" Bianca asked.

Percy wasn't quite sure how to answer her and stared at her for a moment. "Umm, I was born?"

"Oh," she blushed, "right."

"She must have been an amazing woman, to have raised such a respectful male." Thalia looked at him oddly.

Percy met her gaze. "The only one in all Olympus." Percy could feel tears pricking his eyes. "Excuse me. I need to check on Blackjack." Percy got up eager to leave. "The fire is yours."

Blackjack was tearing up some grass close to a clump of trees. Percy gave him a couple of pats on the side of his neck before petting him. He then made his way over to a tree and made himself comfortable against it, settling in for the night.

The next morning, Blackjack woke Percy early. Percy moved quickly and quietly so as not to disturb the hunters as he saddled Blackjack.

"You're up early." Thalia walked up to him as he finished latching the straps.

"Blackjack is eager to get going." Percy said as he threw on his saddle bag.

"Blackjack or you?" Thalia narrowed her eyes at him.

Percy didn't answer. He climbed on Blackjack. "See you tonight." He urged Blackjack forward, and like a shot he was off.

Last days ride. Percy thought to himself. The terrain turned hilly and then rocky. It was late afternoon when Blackjack slowed to a stop. There was a smell of campfires burning. Percy got off and cautiously headed through the brush and up the hill before him. What he saw over the top of the hill, made his mouth go dry. Laid out in the valley before him was a massive army. "There's at least a hundred thousand. How are we going to get past that? I don't even know where the princesses could be." Percy mumbled in awe. He watched soldiers mill around campfires. Some were practicing fighting. Others were starting fights. Percy noticed that there was no one uniform. He saw a few Olympian uniforms, some Ares' uniforms, and uniforms from each city in Olympus. "How do they tell who is on their side and who is not?" Percy wondered. Then an idea struck him. He made his way back to Blackjack, and began rifling through his pack. He found Annabeth's knife and pocketed it. Soon he came across what he was looking for. Percy had almost forgotten about the insignia he ripped from the dead soldiers body. He placed it over his right chest, like he had seen on the other soldiers.

"Blackjack. I need you to go back and find the hunters." Percy hoped the stallion understood him, as he rubbed some dirt on his face and uniform. "Guide them away from the road and remain hidden." Percy put his helmet on, hoping it would obscure his face. "I'm scouting ahead." Percy faced the direction where the army lay and took a deep breath. Blackjack gave him a nudge before wandering back the way they came. "Right. Hopefully, I'll see you soon."

Percy didn't really consider himself stealthy. He looked more like a crawling crab among the shrubbery than anything else. It didn't help that he slid halfway down the hill covered in shale. But whether it was by luck or because the army was not really looking, he entered the camp undetected. He tried to act nonchalant, despite his heart hammering in his chest. But to his surprise, no one gave him a second glance. He listened to snippets of conversation about swords and armor or meals being cooked as he wandered, when he spotted the large fortress. Orthys, Percy guessed. he began walking in that direction, still keeping an ear out for any mention of the princesses. Percy could see the gate in the distance when he heard his first conversation about the princesses.

"I don't know why they can't let us in on the fun. Serves the royal brats right." One soldier sneered.

"I'm not one to question General Atlas orders, but at least we get to watch them suffer." The other soldier replied.

They were walking toward the mountain, and Percy was eager to hear more. The place they were headed toward was a popular place as it got more and more crowded, the closer they got.

"Bets!" A greasy looking soldier yelled. "Come place your bets. A hundred to one that the blond one doesn't last the hour."

Percy pushed through the crowd. His heart raced at the first glimpse of curly blond hair. Then he saw what had attracted the soldiers. He was angry and disgusted. There stood Annabeth and a dark haired woman who he presumed to be Lady Artemis. Their ankles were cruelly chained to rocks, while they were forced to hold up a beam that was preventing the opening to a cave or mine from caving in. Percy could see Annabeth's legs and arms shaking from the overextended effort. Lady Artemis seemed to be in little better condition. He almost drew his sword right then and there.

"Break it up. Break it up." A voice rang out over the others, causing Percy to stay his hand.

Percy looked to who had spoken when he saw a large soldier followed closely by Castellan and another man who was large and screamed power. As soldiers began leaving, mumbling how they were too soft on the royals, Percy tried to find a place to hide to see what was going to happen. He couldn't help but wonder what Castellan was doing here, when all reports said he was still in the south.

He slide behind a tent, pretending to fiddle with his armor, as he heard the large man chuckle cruelly, "Have we learned our lesson yet?"

Neither girl responded, all their effort focused on the beam.

The large man, who was clearly in charge, motioned to Castellan and the large soldier. They drug large heavy posts over to the opening and put them in place to hold the beam up, instead of the girls. As soon as they were in place, Annabeth collapsed to the floor, unmoving. Artemis fell to her knees and shakily crawled over to Annabeth. Castellan checked on Annabeth. "She'll live." Castellan breathed. Percy wanted nothing more than to cut off Castellan's hand for even daring to touch her, but knew his chances of escape were low if he revealed himself.

"Take them back to their cells. They'll think twice about leaving our hospitality." He chuckled darkly.

A couple of soldiers grabbed each of Artemis' arms and led her away. Another two grabbed each of Annabeth's arms and started dragging her limp body between them. Then Luke stopped them and took her from them, carefully picking up her body and carrying her bridal style back toward the castle. Percy couldn't help the sneer that appeared on his face. He followed them at a distance, right into the fortress itself. Once in the castle he thought he lost them until he saw them being taken up some narrow steps that clearly were leading up to a tower. Percy didn't follow, instead he made his way back.

He stopped when he heard two soldiers complaining loudly. "I understand that the king wants Artemis for himself, but keeping the Athenian Princess as bait is just trouble. I heard the stallion breaths fire and steals your soul after just one look."

The other soldier made a grunt of agreement. "Castellan is just using that as an excuse. He wants her for himself, make no mistake about that."

Percy had heard enough. He left and made his way as quickly as possible out of the encampment.

He found the hunters gathered at the top of the hill that he first observed the army from.

"I could have shot you." Zoe deadpanned. "You didn't look like you were trying to be stealthy."

Percy ignored the jab, removed his helmet and shakily ran a hand through his hair. "Thanks for not killing me."

Thalia narrowed her eyes at Percy. "What did you see?"

"Good news is: they are still alive." Percy let out a wry chuckle.

"What's the bad news, besides the massive army in our way?" Zoe demanded.

"They're not doing so well." Percy breathed shakily. Then he began telling them everything he saw and heard. Zoe let loose a string of curses about exactly what she would like to do to the enemy's manhood. Percy felt himself close his legs discreetly, lest she turn her attention toward him. Thalia had stopped her glaring at Percy and instead was looking determinedly toward where Othrys lay. "We have to get them out of there." Percy finished.

"How do you propose we do that?" Thalia challenged. "There has to be at least a hundred thousand soldiers there."

"Yeah, but they sure are full of themselves. No one gave me a second glance. I walked right into Orthys itself. No one gave me a second glance." Percy didn't share his suspicion that it remained open as a trap for him and Blackjack.

"How did you do that?" Zoe looked and him incredulously.

"This." Percy pointed to the insignia. "There are so many types of uniform from all over Olympus and some I've never seen, that the only way they can tell themselves apart from us is this insignia."

"They can't afford new uniforms or armor." Zoe concluded.

"I'm pretty sure they don't have our uniforms among them." Bianca speculated, looking down at her silver armor.

"You're right." Percy admitted. "They don't. So we'll have to get some for you to blend in."

"So are we really just going to walk through the front door?" Bianca asked incredulously.

"Bianca, has a point. The smaller our numbers the better chance we have to go unnoticed." Percy thought out loud.

"Some of the hunters could sabotage some of their supplies and cause a distraction to clear a way for us to escape." Zoe suggested

"Good idea." Percy admitted.

Zoe gave him a strange look before giving orders to her hunters. "Thalia and Bianca are with me and Jackson to rescue the princesses. Phoebe and Naomi, get your teams together and do what you can to sabotage the camp. Try to time it for an hour after we part, and join us in our escape."

Once everyone had their orders, they waited until it would be dark enough. Blackjack looked especially antsy. "Wait here." Percy whispered to the stallion. "You'll draw too much attention. If all goes well, we'll meet up once we get out."

Blackjack had other ideas and shook his head firmly. They were starting to draw the hunter's attention now.

"Look," Percy tried whispering again, "I don't like it any more than you do, but everything depends on me not getting recognized. They obviously are trying to kill us, and everyone so far has recognized me because of you. It would be very difficult for you to enter that camp without a harness and not get recognized, then the whole thing would be blown. Stay here!"

Blackjack stomped his hooves in a way that reminded Percy of a toddler throwing a fit.

"You're not going and that is final." Percy said maybe a bit too loudly.

Blackjack stomped off toward the road. Percy felt he had won and went to go back to the hill to wait with the others. He noticed the hunters staring at him.

Feeling self conscious, he replied defensively, "What? Haven't you ever seen anyone argue with their horse before?"