Allie POV

I was down back in the common room with the rest of the demigods. They were all standing in a straight line. I joined their ranks, standing on the far end next to Daphne. Everyone seemed slightly tense. As much as they praised the Titans, there was some concern in the room.

"You said you weren't coming back until the end of the week," Nikolas commented.

"We heard there was a commotion and had to come back to check it out," A tall woman growled.

It had to be Bia. She stood tall and had a green tint to her skin. Her hair was long and unmanaged. It also felt her force. As she approached me, I could almost feel her power overwhelming me.

Standing next to her was Kratos. He stood taller and I could feel his evil flowing through the room. He led by fear, and I could feel it. These demigods who had been so aggressive before were practically shrinking now in his presence.

"The new demigod, step forward," Kratos ordered.

I gulped and took a step out of the line. I had been able to lie to these demigods, but could I fool the titans as well?

"Maya, daughter of Athena," Bia hissed.

I raised an eyebrow and held my composure. "Yes, though I prefer to ignore my mother's title if I can."

Kratos walked over in front of me as well. I had to crane my neck to look at his head. "You don't like your mother?"

My scowl showed it all. "Who could like a goddess?" but as I said it, I silently prayed for Athena to not smit me. Hopefully, Annabeth spoke to her mother about my situation.

Bia yanked my arm up. I tried not to groan, but it wasn't the kindest gesture. She rolled up my sleeve to reveal my tattoo. "And a tattoo? How did you manage that?"

I gulped. "I almost died in the Titan war, my survival indicated it." I could almost feel my scar burn as I spoke.

"You fought against the Titans?" She said as she released my arm.

"Unwillingly," I continued. "You can't go against the legion unless you want to be murdered."

"Why not join the Titans during that war?" Kratos urged.

I sighed. This was something Annabeth and I had worked up if I had been asked that question. I never intended to use it, but I had to. "There was someone I cared about fighting with the legion."

"Another Roman?" Bia inquired.

"Yes," I said. I tried to remember back to the pain of losing Jake. This had to seem real. "But, he didn't make it," I choked out. I turned angry and resentful. "He died because of the gods. Nothing they can do will ever make it right again."

Bia and Kratos just smiled at each other. I had sold it. That disdain for the gods showed I would do anything against them.

"Welcome aboard." They commented.

The next month was hell. I had to become acquainted with these people. I never participated in anything too gruesome, but I knew the others did. The way they talked about their activities outside of the mansion, it made me sick.

However, through all of this, I was learning. They all had strengths, but weaknesses as well. The only person I hadn't been able to crack was Andrea. She barely showed herself and I was never able to get a read on her. If I didn't soon, she could be the downfall to this whole plan.

Another disgusting development, Nikolas and I had started "dating". I was so appalled at it first, but there was nothing I could do to object to it. I had tried to use the "dead boyfriend" excuse, but that didn't faze him. Eventually, I agreed. Thankfully, I didn't see him much, but I still hated it anytime he wrapped his arm around me or gave me a vicious kiss.

The worst part of all of this was missing Jake and the rest of my friends. I couldn't risk an Iris Message as Agnes could manipulate them. I've seen her multiple times use that to capture unsuspecting demigods and knowing their location. Or she just watches them get eaten by monsters. I shudder every time.

But now after a month, being away from Jake was unbearable. We had gotten so close in these last few months and I felt odd without my engagement ring on my finger. I just wanted him to sweep me up in his arms and kiss me. Over and over again.

I was lost in thought when Daphne snapped her fingers in front of my face. I blinked and got out of my daze.

"Huh? What?" I asked slowly.

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Daydreaming again? Bia and Kratos are back and they've called a meeting."

I took an intake of breath. Ever since first meeting them a month ago, I had only encountered Bia and Kratos once. And that was just to dismiss me and the send the others on a quest. Daphne didn't give many details but said it was a slaughter. Nikolas came back covered in blood. He gave me an aggressive kiss after that and transferred the blood on me. I didn't feel clean for days.

I followed Daphne down. "And they want me this time?"

Daphne nodded solemnly. "Unfortunately, yes."

I followed her down to the common room. As usual, everyone was already gathered down there waiting. Bia and Kratos were standing in the corner with scowls on their faces.

"The Athena one," Bia called out.

I clenched my jaw playing my part. "Would you stop calling me that? I have a name, one that does not associate with my mother."

"Maya," Kratos lulled. "We have a job for you."
I gulped but tried to hide my dismay. "Finally, I'm tired of being stuck in this house. What is it?"

"There's an event tonight, a gala of sorts," Bia paused. "It's for a company a demigod works for."

"And what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Kill him," Derrek announced. My eyes widened.

"In an ideal world, yes. But we really just want you to send him a message." Bia continued. "You need to show him and all his friends that we can get to them, no matter what their powers."
I raised my eyebrow. "Okay, so what do you want me to do?"

"His wife, she's with child. We want you to attack her, not bad enough to harm the child but enough." Bia finished.

My stomach lurched. "You want me to hurt a pregnant lady? Why not just attack the demigod himself?"

"Unless you want to be burned, I'd suggest you not," Derrek said.

Leo. Oh, gods. They wanted me to go to a party with Leo and hurt Calypso. Over my dead body would I ever do that.

I shook my head. "I didn't share it before, but the Roman I was with, I was expecting a child with him but lost the baby during the battle. I can't attack another woman."
Bia shrugged. "Then attack him. Honestly, I don't care how you do it, just send a message."

"Why not the others?" I asked softly.

"They could be detected if they've set up any traps. Leo Valdez is very handy and I'm sure he's set extra precautions to protect his wife and unborn child. A demigod presenting as a mortal wouldn't set off those traps."

I gulped again. "So, go to this gala and shake up either Leo or his wife?"

"Exactly," Bia confirmed.

So later that night, I was at a gala in Texas. I wore a long grey tulle ground to match my grey eyes (thanks to colored contacts). I had already decided that I wasn't going to hurt Calypso, so that meant I had to mess with Leo. And I had to do this without causing suspicion from the Titans. This would be interesting.

I grabbed a glass of champagne and flowed through the crowd. I gave slight nods and smile to all the passersby, but I had yet to find my target. That's when I saw a round belly in the crowd. Hades, it was Calypso. My best bet would be to ask her where Leo was.

I glided over to her. I very gently rested my dagger against her hip in case they were watching. She let out a slight gasp and her face contorted when she saw me.

"Allie?" she questioned. "Oh, my gods. Why are you here? And why are you holding a knife against me?"

"Just relax," I said softly. "I swear I won't hurt you. I'd never, especially with," I trailed off and eyed her baby bump.

She sighed softly. "Allie."
"It's fine, really. I need to make this quick. Just act scared," I paused as she set her face to scared. "I was sent here to shake you guys up. To show you aren't safe. I swore I wouldn't hurt you, but that was their plan. Gods, if they hadn't sent me for this," I trailed off again. If they hadn't sent me, one of the others would have hurt Calypso or worse. I shuddered just thinking about it. "But I have to talk to Leo. Preferably somewhere secure, so they can't hear or see us. Can you let him know?"

She nodded. "Just please be careful. I know Percy is worried about you and don't get me started on Jake."

I shut my eyes to hold back my tears. "Please, just get Leo."

She rushed off and I began mingling around again. Around ten minutes later, I saw Leo searching the crowd until his eyes landed on me. We locked eyes and he headed into a nearby door. I held my dagger ready and followed quickly behind. I locked the door behind me once I entered in.

"Leo," I said smiling. "I know we don't know each other too well, but I'm glad to see a familiar face," I slipped my dagger back underneath my dress.

Surprisingly, he engulfed me into a hug. "That's from your fiancé and BFF," his smile softened. "Allie, what's going on? Why are you here? Are you okay?"
I shook my head. "Leo, it's awful there. They come back from missions covered in blood. I've found most of their weaknesses, but they are all so powerful besides the fact. And they don't care about what they do or who they hurt." I shuddered. "And now they are expecting me to do the same."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"They sent me here to hurt Calypso," I began, and Leo's jaw tightened. "But of course, I would never. They want me to shake you up. And I don't want to hurt you, Leo, I can't. Yet somehow, I need them to trust me."

"I see your wheels turning, what did you have in mind?" he asked slightly concerned.

"I need you to burn me," I said.

His eyes went wide. "There's no way in Hades I would ever do that. Your fiancé would kill me and I'm sure Percy would do the same."

I shook my head. "You have you. Preferably, look like I got a few swings in, but nothing that a little ambrosia can't fix."

Leo shook his head. "But Allie, ambrosia won't fix you. What happens when you get backed with burns and they try to heal you?"
I gulped. "Daphne, she's one of the demigods there, but a good one, she can help. She'll take me back to our room and there," I bit my lip. "Let Nico know to bring Percy. He's mentioned he's getting better at his water healing powers. He can fix me up."

"Um, I'd hate to remind you, but isn't your fiancé the healer one?" Leo asked.

"He can't. If he sees me like that, he'll want me out immediately."

"And Percy won't?"
I shrugged. "At first, of course, he will. But he'll understand, I'm counting on it."

"If only you're sure," Leo gulped.

I held out my arms. "Burn me up."

Percy POV

I swung at another dummy and knocked its head. After all these years you'd think we would get more sustainable dummies.

"You trying to kill all of the camp's dummies, seaweed brain?" Annabeth asked.

I smiled and turned around to my girlfriend. "No, just a few."

Annabeth wrapped her arms around me. "Are you doing okay?"
I sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine, why?"
"Percy," Annabeth turned around, so she was facing me. "I know you miss Allie. It's okay, you can tell me."

I sighed, defeated. "I know she can handle herself, I just never pictured her as part of my world, and now she's out on the frontlines and I'm just here."

Annabeth let out a sad smile. "I know it's hard for you, but Percy, I can think of another person who's having a really hard time with it."

I took a sharp breath in. "Jake. I know, it's just always weird being around him. When I'm with him, I feel like I don't really know who Allie is. He makes me feel inferior."

Annabeth laughed. "Percy, that's okay. He should, he's her fiancé. They've known each other since they were twelve."

"Like us," I smiled and gave her a light peck.

She rolled her eyes. "Jake's in the archery range. And Percy? He's really great, just get to know him more."

I sighed but obliged. I headed off to the archery range where Jake was firing off near perfect shots. Another thing he was perfect at and I wasn't. I know it sounds like I'm jealous of him, and to an extent I sort of am. I love Allie, not romantically, but in a deep friendship. It feels like he stole her away, even though I know it was great for her.

He fired off another shot and then turned around. He let out a quick smile when he saw me and set down his bow. "Hey Percy, what brings you here?"

I sighed, not really knowing how to approach it. I rubbed the back of my neck. "I was just talking to Annabeth, and, uh." I sighed again. "Man, I know it sounds weird but Allie's one of my best friends, and I know you guys are together, so it must be way harder for you but," he cut me off.

"You miss her," he finished for me.

I nodded. "She's been gone for over a month and we've had no communication from her. I just wish I knew if she was alright."

Jake's smile faltered. He took a shaky breath. "I know. You don't know how much I wish I could just see her, even just hear her voice to tell me she's okay." He smiled. "Just to hold her in my arms again."

"Why did we let her go off to this quest in the first place?" I asked him.

He laughed. "It wasn't our choice, once Allie has her heart set on something, she'll do it."

"I know," I laughed lightly. I sighed thinking about what to say next. "And man, I know you've had a hard transition back. Do you maybe want to hang out today? I know you've been training a lot, as a distraction, I have too. But it may be nice just to be a person today."

Jake's shoulders instantly relaxed. "That, that actually sounds really nice. I'd like that Percy."

So, the next few hours we just walked around camp and talked. I actually really liked Jake, as Annabeth had predicted. He was down to Earth, and we were able to talk about things lightly. We both had pressures put onto us at camp and bonded over that.

"So, Allie refused to let you heal her?" I asked.

Jake nodded. "Yes, and like you know, she's stubborn. Even if she had a cut, all I wanted to do was make her feel better. One time she broke her arm in a war game and being a mortal, it would have taken a long time to heal. I sort of healed it in her sleep because I couldn't stand seeing her in pain."

"But doesn't it cause you immense pain?" I asked.

Jake shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. I know Allie's told you, but I would die for her. During the battle at mount Orthros, when she was stabbed through with a spear," he paused. "It hurt so bad to see her like that, to know she was dying. It was probably the worst physical pain I've gone through healing her but losing her would have been more painful."

I nodded. "I get that. Annabeth fell into the edge of Tartarus. I couldn't pull both of us up, so I went with her."

Jake's eyes went wide. "You were in Tartarus?"

"Yeah, not a time I like to remember though. But like you said, the pain of losing her would have been too much. Tartarus was a piece of cake compared to what that would have been."

I looked off into the distance and saw Annabeth approaching. I hadn't even realized it was night time. Jake and I had talked all day. Annabeth came and gave me a peck on the cheek.

She then leaned in to whisper against my ear. "You need to go to the ocean. Like now, Percy." Her voice was so urgent, but she kept a calm composure. What was going on?

"Hey Jake," Annabeth put on a brave smile. "Could you show me some of your archery skills? I'm always wanting to learn more, even if archery isn't something I use often."
"Um, yeah, okay," Jake said. "I had a good time today, Percy. We should do this more often."

"Totally," I said still curious what was needed by the ocean. Was there a monster? If so, why wasn't Annabeth off too?

Annabeth leaned into me one more time and pleaded with her eyes. "Hurry," she mumbled.

I started off to the beach. The urgency in Annabeth's voice came back to mind and I began to sprint there. Whatever it was, it was very important. Once I arrived, I realized how very important it was.

Sitting in the sand was Nico holding someone. Also, there was Leo standing nearby. What was he doing here? That's when I saw that the person on the ground had burn marks all up their arms.

"Leo, did you burn someone?" I asked.

"Percy, don't get mad. She was the one who asked me to do it. I tried to keep it controlled, but it needed to look bad," he finished.

As I approached, I realized that the girl had on a scorched dress. Her arms were covered in marks. I made it around her and realized who it was.

"Allie!" I called out and ran to meet her the rest of the way. My expression darkened. "What the Hades happened?"

"Percy," Allie managed back meekly. My heart melted. Her voice was so weak. "I told him to. I needed them to trust me, and they trust me now. The only problem is the ambrosia. Someone's covering for me back at the mansion, but I need to get healed."
"I can go get Jake," I said beginning off.

"No," Allie called out. I stopped standing up. "You said you can help people with your water powers?" I nodded slowly. "Just heal me, please."
"Allie," I said. "Jake will want to help you."
"No," she emphasized again. "It'll hurt him. These burns were hell, Percy. I didn't go through them just to see Jake in pain because of them. Just heal me in the ocean and I'll be on my way. He can't know I was here."

"He misses you so much Al," I said.

Her smile dropped. "I know, Perce. I miss him too. But I'm so close to a breakthrough. They trust me now, I just need to get healed and go back."

Reluctantly, Nico, Leo, and I helped Allie into the ocean. She screamed out when her burned flesh hit the salt water. She quickly bit her lip as to not draw suspicion, but I could see blood pouring out. I had to work quickly.

I willed the sea to flow through my hands and onto her skin. Slowly, the water began to repair her broken skin. Her blistered flesh was healing. I could tell she was still in a large amount of pain, but a small sense of relief passed over as well. It was working.

It took five minutes to get her fully healed, but it was done. We helped her back out and I dried her off. She looked almost as good as new, only a slight pink tinge to her skin.
"Percy, thank you." She said. "Like really, thank you. But I have to reiterate, to all of you, no one can tell Jake. I love him, but if he found out I got hurt, and this bad," she shook her head. "You just can't tell him."

"We won't," Nico said for us.

"Okay, now Nico, please bring me back," she said plainly.

"Wait, what?" I asked. "You were just hurt so bad; don't you want to stay?"

"I do," she insisted. "But I can't. I'll be back soon, permanently. I just need to finish this." She came and gave me a hug. "Bye Percy." And with that, she was off.

A moment later, Nico was back. He looked slightly exhausted from all the shadow traveling, but otherwise okay. I turned to Leo, who was looking pretty apologetic.

"Percy, we obviously need to talk," he began.

I nodded. "We do."

We decided to head back to the Poseidon cabin where Annabeth was already waiting for us. She stood up quickly from my bed and approached us.

"How's Allie?" she asked.

My jaw tightened, but thankfully Nico answered for me. "She's better, considering everything."

Leo stood off to the side, and I don't know what came over me. I charged at him screaming. He took a step back and Annabeth and Nico grabbed my arms holding me back.

"What the hell Leo?" I screamed.

Annabeth wrapped her arms around me. "Percy, you need to calm down. But yes, Leo, please tell."

He sighed. "It all happened so fast. I was at a work event when Calypso came up saying Allie was here. Of course, I was really confused but I found a secure location to talk. She explained how she had been charged with coming to shake me up. She said," Leo closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. "She said they had wanted her to hurt Calypso."

"Leo," Annabeth released her grip on me.

"She, of course, did not. Instead, she said something had to come from this, for them to trust her. It was all her idea, but she said if it looked like we had gotten into a fight, it would make them trust her."

"So, you charred her?" I asked.

Leo nodded. "I'm not happy about it, but she insisted. She said she would come back and you would heal her. Not a perfect plan, but a necessary one."

"Let's just hope this works," Annabeth mumbled.

Leo nodded. "Being burned is so painful, I can't even imagine her choosing to do that."

I gulped. "Thank you, for helping. But I'm just going to need some time. I can't think of Allie having to put herself in situations like that."

"Of course," and Leo and Nico left the room.

I sat on my bed, head in my hands. Annabeth came from behind and rubbed my back. "What are you thinking, Seaweed brain?"

I turned to my beautiful girlfriend. "I'm thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my arms. Even in Tartarus," I shivered slightly thinking of it, "we were together. I can't imagine being away from you. I think back to how you must have felt when Hera put me in camp Jupiter, and I can't imagine."

"Sometimes we have to do things, Percy. Even if our loved ones have to pay a price as well," she said.

I nodded. "But tonight, I'm going to show you how much I love you."

Annabeth blushed. "Percy."
And that I did.

Allie POV

"You're back!" Daphne exclaimed.

I took a deep breath. My night had been in a whirlwind. "I am."

"And you're okay?" she questioned.

I smiled. "As much as I can be. Being burned isn't the most fun thing in the world."

She stared at me and I could tell she was using her powers. "You miss Jake. You were so close, and you didn't get to see him."

I sat on my bed. "I know. If I had, I could not have come back."

"But you saw Percy. You don't have the same connection with him as you do with Jake, but you do have a deep connection," she commented.

I nodded, "And now he is going to be even more worried about me."

Daphne was going to say something when our door opened and shut abruptly. In walked Andrea and she locked the door behind her.

"Show me your arms," she demanded very frantically.

I gulped. Her tone was off. I lifted them up. "They're a little pink, but not burned. Nothing a little ambrosia couldn't fix."

She dropped my arms. "Ambrosia didn't fix those."

I tried to keep my composure and I could tell Daphne was trying to read Andrea. "What do you mean?"

"The heal marks," she began. "They aren't from ambrosia. They would be ones from healing by water. Do you know a child of Poseidon?"

"What are you talking about?" I questioned.

"I know you aren't who you say you are. You're not a demigod."

Thank you for reading! Sorry, I haven't posted in a while, but I'm excited about this chapter. Please leave a review!