Camp fire was awful that night. The moment I was anywhere near, Annabeth and Percy jumped to their feet and took one of my arms each, pulling me into a seat between them. The Apollo cabin was already leading the sing-along, strumming guitars around a dim, barely warm fire. On the other side, Mr. D was already in a deep, tense conversation with Apollo, both of whom were ignoring Tantalus, who was smiling coldly as he conducted the music with horrifically bad rhythm.

"What a great night!" he announced as the Apollo guys bowed and moved to sit with the rest of their siblings. "And after a tense day, what better way to cheer us up than with the help of the god of music!" He indicated back toward Apollo, who glanced up long enough to shoot Tantalus a cold look and smile tightly toward his cabin, then turned his attention back to Mr. D.

"Sir!" Annabeth suddenly interrupted, jumping to her feet as confidently as possible. Tantalus shot her a cool look, his eyes drifting toward me irritably. "We have an idea to save camp."

The campers immediately straightened out, their entire attention fixed on us. Behind Tantalus, Mr. D frowned in our direction and Apollo had gone rigid. "We?" Tantalus asked cautiously, his eyes sliding toward me.

"Annabeth and Percy," I answered blandly, elbowing Percy until he stood up. By my feet, Sasha growled quietly, her eyes fixed to Tantalus. Credit to them, a few of the campers sniggered along with her.

"It's the Golden Fleece," Percy blurted, pushing himself up. "We know where it is."

Whispers ran through the camp, and Mr. D's eyebrows rose as Tantalus shifted. "The Fleece can restore Thalia's tree," Annabeth insisted, ignoring me when I shuddered with a gulp. "It can heal the borders, I know it can."

"We don't need saving, girl," Tantalus dismissed, and the campers began complaining loudly.

"Alright!" Mr. D shouted, pushing himself to his feet, and in the same second, everyone fell silent. His eyes narrowed, fixing on Annabeth. "Go on, Annabell. You were saying?"

Annabeth blinked, but I couldn't help smiling slightly. However disinterested Mr. D tried to be, I knew he cared really, and even if he'd gotten her name wrong, he was still standing up for her. For some reason, after a horrible day, something so small made me relax slightly. "The Fleece is in the Sea of Monsters," she explained, shifting on the spot.

Tantalus snorted. "That's a big place, kid," he argued.

"30, 31, 75, 12," Percy blurted. "They're coordinates, longitude and latitude, off the coast of Florida in the Sea of Monsters. We need a quest."

Campers cheered and agreed, clapping loudly and stamping their feet. Tantalus looked uncomfortable and angry all at once, and Mr. D was scanning the crowd in mild exasperation, as though he'd rather be anywhere but here. Apollo, on the other hand, was glaring at me intensely, as though daring me to be stupid enough to join in. I managed a small frown back, but dropped my gaze and kept quiet.

"Very well!" Tantalus snapped, and camp cheered loudly. "But this is a very dangerous journey, and can only be undertaken by the strongest of us." A few campers glanced in our direction again, mumbling about children of the Big Three, but Tantalus wasn't paying us the slightest bit of attention. "Clarisse!" he shouted, and I blinked, stunned.

"What?" Percy snarled irritably as the Ares cabin cheered thunderously loudly, dragging Clarisse to her feet.

She looked as surprised as I felt, but took a steadying breath and nodded sincerely. "I accept the quest!" she shouted, and the Ares cabin roared. At the same time, my heart sank and Percy yelled something I couldn't make out, starting forward as Clarisse snapped back. Annabeth was joining in before I knew what was happening, and suddenly the Athena cabin was screaming abuse at the Ares lot, with the rest of the camp taking sides.

"Percy!" I complained, pushing my way through the sudden mob to pull him away from Clarisse. "Percy, stop!"

"Stay out of this Grace!" Clarisse snarled over everyone else to be heard. "This has nothing to do with you!"

I glared back at her, shoving Percy and a few other campers out of the way to get to her. "Camp might be in danger, but that's my sister dying again, so I dare you to say that again!" I yelled back furiously, and the volume level around us dropped slightly. Her expression shifted. "I know I'm not everyone's favourite person right now, but camp's in danger, and I refuse to let my sister suffer anymore because everyone was too busy arguing, so quit it!"

A few campers muttered darkly, but most of them fell silent, shifting awkwardly on their feet. "Miss Grace, kindly move out of the way and keep quiet," Tantalus snarled at me, in forced politeness.

"No, no," Mr. D yawned. "The kid stopped the shouting, that's got to be good for something. Besides, she's given me an idea."

"Dionysus," Apollo complained, tilting his head back and muttering irritably to himself.

"Stay out of it, kid," Mr. D snapped back, his eyes on me. "You've caused enough trouble." Apollo's jaw locked, but he said nothing, watching his cabin turn away in discomfort. "Acacia Grace, I believe it's time for your sixth test."

In the time it took for my heart to stop beating, my eyes bulged, my jaw dropped and every single one of the campers gasped in unison. Sasha was snarling off to the side, tensed on her feet and trying her best not to get involved. I could see campers exchanging looks, probably wondering what the other five tests were, but my mind was whirling. Were the gods not even bothering to hide the tests anymore? Now I was being given them publically?

Mr. D ignored the stunned reactions and the dark looks he was getting from Apollo and met my gaze. "You're going to accompany Clarisse on her quest," he told me, and I saw Clarisse's face fall. "Since it's your sister's life on the line. Go with her, and make sure the Fleece gets back here to save camp. Agreed?"

I hesitated, shuffling on my feet as everyone turned to stare at me. The Ares campers were glaring at me, as though daring me to be stupid enough to agree, while Percy and Annabeth seemed to be thinking the same thing I was. If I agreed, I'd annoy Clarisse and the rest of camp, but if I didn't, the Olympians would most likely decide I wasn't doing as I was told and kill me. Either way, I was doomed.

But, at least this way, I had a chance to save Thalia.

Taking a ragged breath, I nodded. "Agreed," I replied weakly, my shoulders sagging slightly. All around me, the campers started to mutter darkly, narrowing their eyes in anger.

Mr. D snorted. "Good," he said shortly. "Apollo, take the two of them to see the Oracle."

My chest constricted sharply, but Apollo climbed to his feet with an angry glare in Mr. D's direction. The camp director ignored him entirely, yawning widely again and settling back down. Slowly, I followed Clarisse after Apollo, trying to ignore the way everyone else's gaze was fixed on us. Sasha snarled, but leapt to my side faithfully, her fur on end.

I will accompany you, my lady, she assured me. You will not be alone.

"Thanks, Sasha," I mumbled. "But I need you to wait at the cabin."

Sasha hesitated, her eyes fixed on Apollo. My lady, I do not believe that to be a wise idea, she said slowly.

"Probably not," I shrugged. "I'll be back soon." Nudging my fingertips, she whined slightly and bolted off across the grass toward the common area.

Apollo shoved the door to the Big House open and scowled back at Clarisse. "Attic," he instructed dully. "Consult the Oracle and if you come back in one piece, you leave in the morning."

Clarisse glanced at me with a tight frown, but nodded and bowed her head respectfully, moving to take the stairs. Apollo watched her go, drumming his fingertips against his thighs for a moment. I found I couldn't look at him, hovering by the table awkwardly. But he said nothing, right up until he heard the door click shut upstairs. Then, in one swift movement, he'd shut the door to the Big House then strode to stand in front of me, uncomfortably close with one of his hands wrapped around my wrist.

"You can't go on this quest," he frowned down at me, his voice quiet and soft and his chest inches away from mine.

It took me a few minutes to find my voice, my mouth dry and my eyes hovering uncertainly on his lips. "I-I have to," I managed.

He shook his head, shifting a fraction closer. "We're talking about the Sea of Monsters, Acacia," he muttered, his voice shaking. "Do you have any idea how many heroes have been killed searching for that Fleece?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I complained, rolling my eyes.

"Stop it," he growled back.

I shuffled slightly, trying to pull back, but his grip tightened. "We know exactly where the Fleece is, Apollo," I pointed out quietly. "We not searching for it, we're collecting it, that's all."

He shot me a dark look. "Nothing is ever that simple with you, Ace," he sighed under his breath. My breath caught in my throat, and his gaze became more intense, fixed on my face. "The Sea of Monsters is no place for the daughter of Zeus. And you aren't even taking that Poseidon kid with you." His expression darkened.

"Percy?" I blinked. "What do you have against Percy?"

Apollo scowled, hesitating a moment. "The two of you . . . you're very close," he pointed out as casually as possible.

My cheeks were suddenly burning. "Percy's like my brother," I insisted immediately. "He's not . . . I mean, we're not . . ."

He lifted an eyebrow, but his lips tugged at the sides. "I know," he admitted. "I just needed to hear you say it."

My eyebrows pulled together. "What? Why?"

He shrugged. "It's harder than it should be, keeping away from you. Even if you do have an amazing ability to insult me better than anyone else."

Again, my cheeks flushed. "I- I'm sorry, I-"

"Stop," Apollo winced, shaking his head and taking both my hands in his. "Forget about it. You're lucky Percy was there, though. I'd have had to drag you off that archery field myself otherwise." I blinked at him, my heart pounding oddly, and he smiled wryly. "You still don't understand, do you?"

I stared. "Understand what?"

Pursing his lips, he pulled me closer, until one of his arms were wrapped around my waist. "I'm starting to think nothing I say is going to answer that question," he murmured, and I shivered in his hold, my eyes fixed on his lips again. I watched them twitch in relief, before he tightened his hold on me and lowered his lips to mine.

I wanted to say that I put up some sort of fight. That I realised this was complete madness and that kissing a god, however amazing the experience, was only getting myself into more trouble. But I wasn't remotely that strong. Apollo's kiss rendered me helpless, and in the same second, I felt myself kissing him back, my hands resting on his chest and my heart pounding. His hold was warm and comfortable and safe, and being with him was sending me lightheaded. Suddenly, I was sure that however wrong this was, this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

He pulled back, grinning, leaving me to take a ragged, shaky breath, my eyes still closed and my hands rested on his chest. "Did that answer your question?" he murmured quietly, his breath trailing across my ear and down the side of my throat, making me shudder against him.

I gulped hard, tightening my eyes to try to force me to think straight. After a moment's pause, it still wasn't working and I could hear Apollo chuckling dryly at me. My eyes fluttered open, my heart squirming strangely in my chest, and I met his gaze cautiously, shivering at the sight of his eyes shining brighter than usual, his lips curved into a wide smile.

"I'm going to take that as a no," he smirked, tightening his hold again and lowering his lips to mine. Once again, I crumbled, my hands in his hair as he kissed me deeply. Feelings and emotions I'd never felt before rushed through me in a wave so confusing, it was almost painful. All that made sense to me in that moment was that being in Apollo's hold made me happier than I'd ever been before.

Someone cleared their throat behind me and I leapt out of his arms, my heart jumping into my throat. Scowling irritably, Apollo latched a hand around my wrist, refusing to let me move any further.

Clarisse stood on the bottom step, with an expression somewhere between shock, awkwardness and confusion. "Sorry . . . for interrupting, erm, Lord Apollo," she said cautiously.

"It's fine," he said shortly. "You got the prophecy?" Eyeing me in confusion, she nodded slowly. "Good. You can speak to Acacia in the morning."

"Oh, no," I protested with a worried choke, shaking my head and trying to yank my hand away from him unsuccessfully. "I should get ready." Unable to think of anything else to do, I shot a pointed look in Clarisse's direction and she frowned, reluctantly taking a breath to agree with me, but Apollo held up a hand in front of her and waved her away.

"You can speak in the morning," he repeated. She closed her mouth again and hurried out of the Big House without looking at either of us.

"What did you do that for?" I complained loudly, frowning at him. It didn't help at all to see that he could do nothing but smirk at me. "Gods, what is wrong with you?"

Laughing, he pulled on my wrist and made me stagger back into him. I flushed furiously as I caught myself against his chest, my hand over his heart. "She won't tell anyone because she needs you on this quest," he muttered. "And I finally got you to stop panicking for a minute, which means you're not going anywhere."

I squirmed in his hold, trying to think straight as my heart raced, pounding pathetically in my chest. He grinned at me. "This is a bad idea," I mumbled, making an feeble attempt at getting out of his arms.

"Only if we get caught," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Clarisse just walked in here."

"And she'll have forgotten about it by morning," he shrugged.

"I doubt that," I sighed heavily.

"Trust me, Ace," he winked, leaning closer. "She won't remember. Now I'd really like to stop talking about all that because we only have a few minutes before Dionysus gets bored and comes back. In fact, I'd like to stop talking entirely."

I felt my cheeks burn red again, but he just grinned, lifted a finger to his lips to silence me, then kissed me again, just as passionately and intensely as he had the first two times. Immediately, my shoulders sagged and I melted, only vaguely aware of how much more difficult this was going to make my already hard life.