Epov

At the speed of a hellhound, Cass and I made much faster progress than we had walking on our own.

"Gods, how long was I out?" Cass asked from behind me, clearly surprised by our surroundings. "Where are we?"

We were riding through a forest. It was densely packed with pine trees but well lit, their needles softening the pounding of the monster's paws below us. The sky was no longer green, and rays of warm sunlight were poking between the branches.

"No idea." I admitted. "I was sorted of preoccupied with keeping you alive when we got here. Just told our friend here to take us somewhere safe." I continued patting the hell hound's side as we darted between the trees. "She knows where we're going tough. I figured it might speed things up a bit if she gave us a lift."

"She?" he asked and he sounded surprised. The hellhound barked happily. "I hadn't realized." He said apparently amused. "No wonder she was upset with me."

We continued to tear through the woods out running most of the monsters hiding within them and killing the ones that could keep up.

Eventually, the forest started to thin until we found ourselves in a small box canyon with tall, craggy mountains jutting on either side. A small stream cut through the grass and the hellhound slowed as she hit the edge of the woods. She stopped, sniffing the air and looking up at the sky.

"It's been a while," I said shading my eyes and glancing at the sun. It was bright blue and clouds drifted listlessly across it.

While the sunlight was warm, a cool breeze blew over the grass causing it to bend and the water of the stream to ripple. I figured that where ever we were, it had to be elevated. I'd never really been one for hiking but I'd spent enough time on mountains to recognize this kind of air.

"Shadows are back." Cass said as we dropped to the ground. He was looking behind him at his own as he'd spoken, but then glanced at me. "Think that means-"

But before he could finish his question, the hellhound darted into the shade of the forest behind us and vanished.

"Huh." I said with interest, looking at the place the monster had disappeared, then stepping into Cass's shadow.

I found myself behind the tree line just a few feet away.

"We must be through Hecate's barriers if shadow travel's been turned back on," I said feeling a great sense of relief as I walked back to him. "I guess that means we're close."

"Where do you think we should go from here?" he asked.

"She said it was a spring." I said gesturing towards the stream. "My guess is if we follow the water, we'll find what we're looking for at its source."

He nodded and turned to look at it, clearly trying to find the direction of the flow. It was moving towards us from the opposite side of the canyon where the ridgelines met.

He started to walk, but not before taking my hand.

It surprised me for a moment, but I didn't let go. I mean, I guess this was what we'd talked about before wasn't it? Things changing between us? While it was what I wanted, I was sure of that, I guess I hadn't really thought through the logistics of the thing. How our relationship had changed, I guess now because what…? We were in one?

I frowned, but then my train of thought went to a screeching halt as I realized something.

Did I have a boyfriend?

The thought was alien to me and I glanced at Cass, not sure really want to think. Neither of us had actually addressed it. We'd kind of danced around it actually. But he'd said he didn't want anyone else. And I was quickly realizing I didn't either. Not that I'd ever really thought about it much before. In fact, he was the first person I'd really thought about it with. 'Boyfriend' seemed like an inadequate term for such a paradigm shift.

"You ok over there?" He asked nudging me with his elbow, and while he seemed to be looking determinedly ahead, there was a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah." I said frowning. "Why?"

At this his grin grew.

"Well, pardon the relative invasion of your privacy, but your emotions have turned rather sentimental."

I felt my cheek flush.

"Stop doing that." I complained looking away from him, not sure if I was more irritated or embarrassed as he laughed.

"Doing what?"

"Reading my emotions. You never did it before."

"I'm a little more dialed in now." He said amused. "Or maybe you're just a little more willing to share. So," this time he did look at me. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing in particular." I said as we continued to walk. "I'm just not quite sure what to call us," I hesitated before gesturing a little awkwardly between us. "This. You."

"Well I've heard Pretty Boy a fair few times from you." he said with a smirk and I rolled my eyes.

"You know what I mean Cass."

"You can call me whatever you like Ev, except Mr. Love and Beauty." He said guessing my next few words by my expression and cutting me off.

I grinned.

"As long as we agree that this." He mimicked my gesture. "Is between us, and only us. As long as we're on the same page, I don't care what you want to call it."

I was surprised when I felt a sense of relief go through me at his words. Somehow knowing he wasn't expecting a typical romantic relationship out of someone like me was in a way… freeing. I'd never been in this sort of situation before, and part of me had been worried I wouldn't exactly know what to do. Now, well, it looked like I didn't have to.

I realized how wonderful that was, how wonderful he was sometimes. The grumpy sarcastic guy next to me, who always seemed to know how to make things easier for me. He always seemed to know what to say, or not say in some cases, when I was upset or stressed out. In fact, in a weird way, Cass of all people might have been the person in my life who was the most concerned about me. Sometimes even more than my family and friends. I couldn't believe I was just starting to realize that now.

I glanced at him again and for the second time, a small part of me felt like the word boyfriend just wasn't right. Maybe not enough.

This thought floated in the back of my mind as we walked along the stream. I wasn't sure how long it was before we reached the end of the canyon, but eventually, we hit a waterfall that was pouring into in to a small pool at the mouth of the stream.

"Do you think this is it or…?" Cass asked hesitantly, clearly underwhelmed and I frowned.

It wasn't particularly special. Sure, the waterfall was pretty and the pool was clear, but it was pretty shallow. So shallow that Cass could probably lay on his back and the water might not even cover his face. It was utterly unremarkable, there didn't seem to be anything enchanted about it.

"No." I said shaking my head, looking at the vapor created from the cascading water. Something in the back of my mind was nagging at me, making me think it wasn't the only kind of mist that was here.

It took a few tries, but eventually I was able to peel back a layer of magic and located a recess in the stone.

I dragged Cass behind the water, careful not to slip on the algae that covered the slick rock. The air was cool and damp, and I could feel my senses growing more alert the farther we walked and the dimmer it became.

Finally, I found it. In the back of the alcove, there was a narrow corridor with rough stone walls.

"Any idea what's behind there?" Cass asked anxiously, clearly wary. After everything we'd been through over the last several hours, it was obvious he wasn't eager to just jump right back into the unknown.

"Well, no." I admitted with a shrug. "But if we're lucky, it's what we're looking for."

"We haven't been very lucky recently." He pointed out.

"Then, we're due for some good fortune." I said with a grin, but when he didn't look convinced I took his hand again.

"C'mon." I said pulling him towards the corridor. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"You really need to ask that question?" he asked scowling. "After everything that's happened recently?"

"Lighten up Cass." I said rolling my eyes.

"I'll lighten up when all this is over."

"Then let's go." I said stepping into the corridor Cass trailing a few steps behind.

Cpov

I followed Evelyn between the stone wall and into the crevice, having a harder time navigating the narrow space than she did. After several claustrophobic feet, the darkness began to lighten.

The path started to widen, and suddenly, I found myself stepping into something that looked straight out of a fairytale.

The room was circular and looked like a cross between a temple and a secluded spring. It appeared to be carved out of the mountain itself the domed walls ending in a skylight, perfectly round, through which we could see the sky. Though it let in the sunlight, the spring, which if I was honest, was more of a rock pool, was crystal clear, and glowed a bioluminescent blue. Between us and the water, which extended to the edges of the room, was a small bank of grass and wild flowers whose colors were more vibrant than the flora in and around the Persephone cabin back at camp. Small trees with delicate blossoms were crowded in clusters along the bank, their petals seeming to drift to the ground continually, never running out. The air, which had so recently been cool and damp, was now warm and inviting, and I stepped into the sunlight, investigating our surroundings.

Rock features lined the pool, and a series of massive stones created a natural stairway descending into the water.

"Think we found it." Evelyn said grinning as she also stepped into the sun.

She squinted up at it and I wondered what she was thinking, but before I could ask, she looked at me.

"Ready?"

"I guess." I said but suddenly finding myself uncertain that I was. I glanced at the pool only to feel my stomach sink, but not sure as to why. "I just have to walk into it?"

"I assume so." She said with a shrug and sitting on the grass in front of one of the rock features and leaning against it. "Hecate made it seem pretty straight forward. I imagine she would have told us if there were multiple steps."

"Yeah you're probably right." I agreed, but I didn't move.

A couple of seconds passed while I contemplated the pool. A couple seconds turned into several, and then into minutes, but I couldn't seem to force myself to take any steps.

"You ok Cass?" Evelyn asked and while I didn't see her expression, I could hear her concern.

"Yeah." I said knowing full well I wasn't. I swallowed trying to control the anxiety that was starting to rise within me.

"Well then what are you waiting for?"

I didn't have an answer for her. I didn't know.

Hesitantly, I approached the edge of the water, wondering why I was so afraid. I knew it wasn't the magic around me. It was so strong, I could feel it vibrating within the air the closer I got to the pool, but that wasn't what was making my stomach clench and my chest tight with fear. No this was internal. Whatever I was afraid was coming from within me, and I didn't realize what it was until I hit the edge of the water and looked down, only to see my reflection looking back at me. My real reflection. Cassian Holt, a Son of Aphrodite without Hecate's curse.

I studied his, I guess my, features, feeling the exact opposite of how I thought I would. Instead of relieved, or excited even, I just felt… empty.

This was the face of the guy who didn't care about anything, or at least wanted to think he didn't. Who manipulated people's emotions for his own amusement, and insulted the people who wanted to be his friends just because he was irritated or bored. The person looking back at me was an asshole who'd hurt so many people, he'd driven a nice, albeit naive, girl like April to extremes all because he convinced her he cared about her, but never actually did. And for what? Because he had nothing better to do? He was angry at the world about something that wasn't her fault? This was the guy who looked at someone like Evelyn, and exploited her insecurities just so he could get what he wanted from her. This guy didn't deserve a second chance. He wasn't me. That was the face of a person I didn't want to be, not ever again. I was disgusted and it was this realization that had me recoiling. Stepping back so quickly I stumbled.

"Cass?" Evelyn asked quickly. "Cass, are you alright?"

I hadn't realized she'd moved until I felt her hand on my shoulder, and in my panic, I was breathing quickly.

"Yeah." I said shaking my head. "Yeah I…"

But I cut myself off, looking at back at the water.

"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked frowning.

"Nothing, I just…" my sentence faded as I continued to stare, feeling more conflicted than I ever had in my life.

I looked at her.

"What if we didn't go back." I said quietly and she looked confused.

"What?"

"What if we didn't go back to camp?" I asked and she raised an eyebrow.

"Are… are you serious?" she asked skeptically, as if she thought I was joking but I nodded.

"Completely."

"Why wouldn't we go back?"

"Why would we?" I asked and she looked concerned.

"Cass," she said slowly, as if she was trying to make me see reason. "You live at camp. All of our friends are there. It's safe."

"You're telling me you can't handle a couple of monsters? You barely spend any time there outside of the summer anyways."

"Let's just pump the breaks for a second." She said shaking her head and raising her palms in the universal 'slow down' gesture. "Where is this coming from? Why don't you want to go back to camp with your siblings and friends-"

"My friends suck Ev, and I'm pretty sure only Angela would really care if I was gone."

"That still doesn't explain why you don't want to break the curse." She pointed out and while I tried to respond, nothing came out.

"It's just," I started trying explain in a way that made sense, a way she could understand. "It's just, what if this messes everything up?"

"What do you mean?" she asked blankly.

"I mean, I'm not exactly sure how you felt about that person." I said gesturing to the pool. "But I don't like him. And I don't see why anyone would, especially you."

"Who are you talking about?" she asked glancing at the water and looking confused.

"Him!" I said pointing directly at my reflection and again, she arched an eyebrow.

"Cass. That's you."

"No," I said shaking my head. Didn't she get it? "That's who I used to be. And I don't want to be that person anymore. This." I said resting my hand on my chest. "Who I am now, is the person you like. And I like him better too. And I don't want to put that at risk. I don't want there to be even the slightest chance of turning back into that person. Someone who's unhappy, and mean, and well… certainly doesn't deserve someone like you. I don't want to take that chance. And if staying like this or not going to camp can prevent that, then I'm willing to do that." I said softly. "That's what I want to do."

Her expression was hard to read and I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Her to agree? For her to be moved by this declaration? For her to say that that was what she wanted too?

But she didn't do any of that. Instead she sighed in exasperation and shook her head looking down, but when she glanced up, she was grinning.

"You are such a Son of Aphrodite, you know that?" she said, sounding as if she was trying not to laugh.

That caught me so off guard, it effectively train wrecked the spiraling process of my thoughts.

"What?" I asked her smiling grew.

"You're such a romantic. It's adorable." She said still sounding a little amused and stepping closer to me so she could rest her arms on my shoulders and around my neck. "Does it really need to be that dramatic Cass?" she asked quietly. "Things don't have to be so black and white. You don't need to punish yourself indefinitely, or exile yourself from who you are to avoid mistakes you've made in the past."

"But I don't want to be that person again." I said unable to keep myself from placing my hands on her waist.

"Then don't." She shrugged.

"It's not that simple." I muttered in frustration.

"Why not?"

"Because this is the person you like." I said hopelessly and she looked surprised. "I don't want to be someone you don't. Whatever it is you want to call it between us, I don't want to mess it up."

I couldn't mess it up. I wasn't sure I could forgive myself if I did.

She looked at me for a second, and I couldn't tell she was thinking. But eventually, she spoke.

"Can't be much of a relationship if you're this afraid it ending." She said giving me a significant look.

It turned into a smirk, but I didn't find her throwing my words back in my face funny.

"This is different Ev…"

"I'm not so sure it is." She said thoughtfully, stepping closer to me. "And if you think jumping in that water and going back into camp is going to ruin everything, nothing probably should have started in the first place."

I didn't know what to say to this, and she took it as an opportunity to continue.

"You know the person I like Cass?" she asked softly, stepping closer still so my arms slid around her, locking her into place as her eyes met mine. I was surprised to find that I was a little nervous. "I like the guy, who ditched his very pretty date to hang out with the camp outsider on the beach after she'd had a rough night. I like the guy who is happier running into me when I look like a nightmare after a mission than his popular friends at his own party. The one who asked Maya if she was ok when Broderick's sister attacked her, when no one else would. Who isn't scared of me, or Broderick for that matter, even when he could get his ass kicked, but is smart enough to somehow always avoid that." She grinned. "No matter who he insults. He's sarcastic, he's grumpy, but deep down he's a good person. And a nerd." She added with a smirk. "Though he doesn't want anyone to know it. And he rants about people with green shoes."

"Those things were atrocious."

"And you care about them way too much." She said with a fond laugh. "But despite the fact that I'm absolutely certain I'm going to stumble across a 600 page thesis on why green sneakers should be banned from society in a couple of years. I know you care about me more. When we were attacked by the manticore, you were more worried about me than you were about yourself. Which is ridiculous by the way." she grinned. "You are ridiculous. You flirt too much, you make me laugh when I really shouldn't, and you say whatever goes through your head. You are the person that I like. And who you are deep down doesn't change, no matter what you look like."

"So it doesn't matter to you if I lift the curse or not?"

"No," she said with a shrug. "If you don't want to lift the curse because you want to people to leave you alone then that's up to you. But if you don't want to lift it because you feel like you have to hide from who you used to be, well, I think it was you who said you can't just keeping running around hoping to avoid your problems. You shouldn't run from who you are Cass. In any form."

I didn't know how to respond.

"So," she said softly, her dark eyes meeting mine. "What's it going to be?"

I had my answer, but my brain seemed to be short circuiting at the moment. All I wanted to do was look at her. She must have seen it in my eyes though, because when she leaned closer and I tried to kiss her, she put her finger on my lips.

"Go finish the mission Pretty Boy." She said amused.

The next thing I knew her palm had connected with my chest, and I felt myself falling back until suddenly, I crashed into the water.

It wasn't cold, and from the moment I was submerged, it felt as if time had slowed. As my body sank, I felt a warmth spreading over me as I fell deeper into the pool, being enveloped in the magic that had saturated it. Immediately, I felt as if something toxic was being pulled out of my body. A poison I hadn't realized was there until the water siphoned it from me. I glanced up at the distorted image of the skylight above, surprised by the fact that though I'd been taken by surprise, my heart wasn't racing, and my lungs weren't burning for air. I hit the bottom of the pool feeling weightless, suspended in the water, bobbing a few inches above the stone floor. The longer I stayed, the more I became aware of the fact it wasn't just the curse that was being lifted from me. I hadn't realized how heavy it had been, until it was finally being removed, but the fear that had gripped me so tightly as recently as just a few minutes ago was draining from me too. I closed my eyes, enjoying this strange sense of peacefulness as bubbles darted around me.

I wasn't sure how long I stayed there, in this weird quasi conscious state, but I eventually opened my eyes when I heard my name.

"Cass?"

It was Evelyn's voice, but it was muffled and warped by the water. I glanced up to see what looked like a distorted image of her was leaning over the pool, clearly trying to keep an eye on me.

I should to get back to her. I didn't know how long I'd been here, but was probably worried.

I pushed off the bottom off the pool and broke the surface, taking a deep breath and shaking my head trying get some of the water out of my hair.

Wait a second.

I ran my fingers over my head only to find it had grown back. I touched my face to find it was smooth, the acne and scars gone. I glanced down in to the water rippling around me but it was too unsettled to see a reflection.

I looked over at Evelyn who was standing anxiously by the shore, her eyes locked on me.

She looked worried and I wondered how long I had been underwater.

I splashed over to the steps and walked to her, expecting some sort of reaction, but she hesitated.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You look weird." She said quietly and I touched my face again.

"I do?" I asked in surprise. "How so? Did something go wrong?"

I turned to turn back to the water to glance at my reflection, but she shook her head, taking my face between her hands still examining me cautiously.

"No, you look like you." she said frowning. "It's just, you do and you don't. You know?"

"No." I said honestly. "What do you mean?"

"You look like you did back at camp." She said. "You don't look like the person I've gotten accustomed to seeing lately. I think I'm just getting used to it."

She didn't look disappointed which was probably a good sign. In fact, it was like she didn't quite to know how to react. She seemed to be trying to look past my features, as if searching to see if in my time in the water had changed anything else about me. But then her eyes met mine, and slowly, a genuine, truly beautiful smile crossed her features.

"Like what you see?" I asked grinning.

"That's you alright." She said exasperated, starting to step back from me. "That's my Cass."

I laughed and caught her, dragging her back to me.

"I'm pretty sure I was always yours Ev." I said quietly, kissing her before leaning my forehead against hers and grinning slightly as I said. "Just ask Angela, she'll tell you."

"Did Cassian Holt have a crush on the Underfreak?" she asked looking up at me, her eyes going wide as she pretended to be scandalized.

"Don't call yourself that." I said with a scowl but I felt it soften as I continued with. "And yeah, he did. A big one. Even if he didn't realize it. Still does actually."

She laughed then let out a surprised yelp as I picked her up in my arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked still laughing. "Put me down."

"Nah, don't feel like it." I said so distracted, I didn't notice the figure scaling down the walls.

She didn't either.

"You are ridiculous."

"I won't argue with that." I said unable to keep myself from grinning. "But you love it."

"Love is a strong word there, Pretty Boy." She teased.

"I stand by my statement." I said arrogantly, only because I knew she would roll her eyes in the way that ended with a smile, and my comment was rewarded.

"I would ask what you know about love, but considering who your mother is, it's probably a lot."

"Well, I do know some things about it." I agreed setting her down and taking her hand. But I was realizing it had very little to do with who my mother was, and almost everything to do with the girl in front of me. I wanted to tell her that, but knew I couldn't.

'Not yet at least.' I thought.

I expected this to shock me, maybe even scare me a little but wasn't totally surprised when it didn't. If anything, I was excited.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked shrewdly, as if she knew I was keeping something from her.

"Are you sure you want to know?" I asked and she hesitated, clearly weighing her options.

"What do you think?" she asked, apparently, for some reason, deciding to leave the decision up to me.

"Probably not right now." I admitted. "But maybe eventually."

'Hopefully.' The romantic that Evelyn found so 'adorable' whispered in the back of my mind.

"We should get back to camp." She said and I was pleased to hear that her tone was a little regretful. "We've been gone for a while, who knows what's been happening. Gods know I wouldn't put it past Micah and Broderick to kill each other going this long without us running interference."

"You're not wrong." I said with a nod. "You're right, we should probably go."

I turned and began walking out of the sun from the skylight to the shadows that hugged the walls. I'd just started to wonder what the reactions from the other campers would be when we showed up hand in hand, when everything went wrong. Quest level wrong.

Evelyn let out a cry of pain and surprise as I felt her hand ripped from mine.

I turned feeling my body go cold as a massive, shadowy figure came into view. In the split-second I had to assess in the situation, I hadn't recognized what had grabbed her, but I saw Evelyn's eyes go wide. She was jerked back but not before her boot connected with my chest. The kick was heavy and sent me flying in the opposite direction falling back into the shadows.

Everything went dark and cold, and when I came out the other side. I was alone.

"Ev?" I asked quickly as a familiar smell of grass and summer overwhelmed me. My senses were still realign from the unexpected jump. I was on all on all fours trying to catch my bearings.

I heard voices, but even in my confused state I knew it was too many. I looked around desperately hoping to hear hers. But it wasn't there.

"Evelyn?" I asked desperately pushing myself to my feet ignoring the teenagers clad in orange t-shirts, even the fact that they were familiar faces.

"Ev!"

People had frozen in their tracks. They were whispering now, I knew it was about me but I didn't care.

"No, no, no, no." I muttered in a horror, running my fingers through my hair fear closing in on me cold and terrible.

I was back at camp. She wasn't here. She'd done it again. She'd sent me through on my own.

"Ev!" I shouted turning again knowing it was useless. She was gone. And I didn't even know what had taken her.

"Cass!" a voice shouted sounding terrified and I looked around wildly, only to be blinded by a mane of blonde hair and tackled into a hug. "Oh my Gods what happened to you? Where have you been? We've been worried sick!"

I pushed Angela away.

"Where is Chiron? I need to find him." I said panic clawing at me, threatening to break me down and tear me apart. "Get everyone ready. Broderick, Vivian, Mandy, Andrew, everyone you can. We have to go back. We have to find her."

"What- What are you talking about?" Angela asked sounding concerned. "Find who? Cass, what happened to you? You look like you've been through a war zone! What's been going on?" she paused and looked at my side. "Where did you get a sword?"

But before I could respond, a cold voice called above the crowd.

"Where is Evelyn?" It was hostile, but it was also shaking.

Everyone turned and parted as a group of kids walked towards us. It was the Underworld campers, all of them. They were behind Micah and Maya who looked horrified.

I couldn't answer. Words had abandoned me but they didn't seem to need them. I was sure it was written on my face.

Maya, dropped Micah's hand and put her own over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes as Micah stood there looking shaken. His hands clenched into fists, enchanted flames burst around them as he glared at me, his expression one of pure hatred.

"What did you do?"