A/N: This is it. This is the end. Be on the lookout for its sequel. I don't have a title or set release date yet, but I hope to post it soon. I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, and supported me through this story. It has meant so much to me and has inspired me to keep writing. So thank you to everyone. I hope you like the chapter. So for the final time: Please read, review, and enjoy!

Jason POV

"Mortals," Hera muttered in barely concealed rage as she stormed past. "On Olympus! Bad enough we have the half-humans, but full blooded mortals!"

I was inclined to agree with her. Maybe inviting the Cahill family onto Olympus was a bad idea. Gods arguing, monster fighting—everything suddenly paled in comparison to the chaotic battle that was a Cahill family reunion. It wasn't even that they took the whole Greek and Roman gods and mythology not actually being mythology badly. They just happened to loathe each other. There weren't that many of them here, a family from each branch who was immediately related to one of the hostages.

There was one girl, Sinead, who was some type of E-cat? I wasn't sure if that was some type of nickname or not. I hope so. From what I'd learned, each family branch was a descendant of one of the original family members. Who'd name their kid E-cat? She had auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail and was wearing what I would guess a child of Venus and Minerva's children would wear. She had a twin brother Ned with her who was basically the male version of her. Two of the hostages were from their branch apparently.

A smooth talking guy, Ian, who was a Lucian and looked like a young business man (and, in my personal opinion, a snake) seemed to be on friendly terms with Amy and rather close too, but that could be because they each lost a younger sibling that they had been responsible to take care of.

The largest family represented the Thomas branch (the easiest of the family names to remember). They all looked like Mars kids in blue track suits. Their pitbull looked vicious enough to fight Mars' boar too. The youngest girl had a twin that was taken. They all were named after famous politicians too, I noted.

The other group of three people were comprised of a supposedly "wickedly famous" superstar, Jonah Wizard, and his businessman and artist parents. His aunt was also there and far from happy. They were part of the Janus branch, not related to the god of choices.

Currently, they were all shouting and arguing with each other about the hostages, the Vespers, some type of clues, and other insults I assume are based off of some family history. The little boy Amy had called Phoenix that was missing from the last text that Vesper One had sent was from the Janus branch. His mother was Jonah's aunt. She was cornering Amy at the moment, viciously slinging together words into the most malicious blade she could create. Jonah and his parents tried to contain her, but she was a mother on the offense to find answers about her son.

I wanted to go help, but it seemed like Amy was holding her own against her raging family members and any outside aid would not be welcomed. It was something I could relate to—being praetor, I knew that leaders needed to be able to hold their own without any help, especially help from someone outside the family.

The necklace weighed heavily in my pocket. I had slipped the ring on before the meeting, now more like mini war, had begun. I needed to give it to her soon or I might never give it to her and I couldn't go back on my promise to Lady Venus (who was not so covertly glancing at me every few minutes out of the corner of her eyes with a secretive smile that informed me that she knew exactly what I was planning to do today).

"You were right," Percy said, coming to stand next to me. "They are worse than the Olympians."

I nodded. "I caught a glimpse of them when Amy video-chatted them on the plane, but I had no idea it'd be this bad."

Percy snorted. "I think that 'I had no idea it'd be this bad' has been my theme of the entire quest."

I sent him a grin. "You sure that isn't just your theme in general?"

"I prefer to think of my life theme as 'survive and improvise.' I based it off my constant failing of plans and usual placement in life-or-death situations."

"Smart," I commented. "What's that?" I nodded to the envelope in his hands.

Percy held it up, examining the pristine white shield of whatever laid inside. "Aphrodite asked me to give it to you," he replied, passing it over.

I flipped it over to read my name, elegantly written, on the envelope. My stomach, which had been a tornado of aggravated butterflies, seemed to drop out of my body.

Percy clasped my shoulder. "Don't worry," Percy said. "Despite all appearances, she does care about her favorite heroes—just look at what she's done for me and Annabeth." He squeezed my shoulder once before heading off.

Percy and Annabeth did get their happily ever after, well, as much as they could. I couldn't help but think that this was very different though. They had been best friends, fought together, grew up together, and were demigods together. Amy and I had never met before, came from two very different and extremely violent and complicated families, clear-sighted mortal versus demigod, and for all intents we have practically nothing in common that I could tell. My thoughts strayed to Lady Venus's computer saver. Perhaps, Amy and I weren't the only ones who don't seem to go together.

I ripped open the envelope, tugging out the letter. In the same elegant script my name was in, was a note.

Complication only occurs if no one can solve it.

We both know she's worth any complications that may come.

So solve it.

I looked over at Amy, folding the letter and envelope carefully. She was sitting in one of the chairs that had been set up for all the mortals in the throne room. I exchanged the letter for the necklace in my pocket.

She peered up at me, tired but curious. "Hey."

I tried to smile through my nerves. "Hey."

We remained in silence for a few moments until I gathered my courage. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Are we even allowed to?" She asked, seeming surprised.

I shrugged. "I think we're more likely to die staying in the middle of your family war zone than we are outside the throne room."

That got a, albeit small, chuckle from Amy as she took my offered hand. I nodded at Percy as I led her out one of the doors from the throne room. He shot me a smile, turning to talk to Thalia as if he hadn't noticed we were sneaking out of the meeting. For all that people called him a Seaweed Brain, Percy was actually very smart.

Amy and I ended up in one of the many archways that overlooked the main center courtyard of the palace. I turned to face her. She had her arms wrapped around her and a serene look on her face as she looked at the gardens. All the stress and tiredness that had been haunting her for the entire meeting seemed to melt away for just this moment. Now was the time.

"I have to admit something," I said. She turned her piercing emerald eyes towards me both in curiosity and wariness. "I asked you out here because I wanted to give you a gift."

She sighed, brushing back some hair from her face. "Jason, I don't want-"

"No," I cut her off. "Please, I want to give this to you. You deserve it."

I unclenched my hand, revealing the glimmering eagle grasping a lightning bolt in its claws. She smiled shyly, accepting the necklace. She held it by the chain, examining the twirling bird in the breeze. "Thank you."

It occurred to me in that moment that it didn't matter what this necklace-ring combo said. I loved Amy. Nothing was going to change my mind.

I took a step closer and removed the necklace from her hand. "Here. Let me help you with this."

She nodded and lifted up her hair as I moved behind her to clasp the necklace on, letting the eagle glide down her skin until it rested at her collarbone.

I stepped back around with a glance at the ring on my hand.

Amy POV

As Jason moved back around me, I pulled him into a hug. The entire meeting had been so exhausting and upsetting, especially now with the sudden loss of Phoenix. Going for this walk and then getting this beautiful necklace had been the best part of my day so far—entire week actually.

As we pulled away, I noticed he was wearing a ring I had never seen him wear before. "Jason," I said, nodding at his hand. "Your ring is glowing."

He smiled, happy and satisfied with something. "I know. It's supposed to do that."

I decided to leave it at that. Who knew what demigods wore rings for? It was probably private anyway, so I suggested we head back to the meaning. I felt bad leaving the gods and demigods, who are apparently very real, with my family who are also very real and very angry.

Percy met us at the door as we entered, smiling at Jason as if he were proud of him for something. Then again, I hadn't seen them in a bit, so maybe Jason did something spectacular in that time span.

"Hey," he said, turning to me. "Do you wanna try and get your family to calm down so we can attempt to pretend we are productive?"

Jason snorted. "Don't you mean the gods are whining because there's a family more dysfunctional than them?"

"Wait a sec," I protested, trying to hide my smile. "My family isn't dysfunctional! We're just…competitively argumentative."

"Is that what they call it these days?" Percy asked, leading us to the front of the throne room where Percy and Jason's fathers (the Poseidon and Zeus, respectively) were standing and observing my family.

I turned to face my family, not even glancing at the gods or their kids. I was sure I'd lose my confidence if I did. No one was here to stand beside me this time; I had to do this on my own.

What would Grace do?

I caught Hamilton's eye and nodded. He gave a short nod back passing the look to Jonah before rallying his family to sit down. I did the same to Ian who acknowledge me in return and sent the look to Sinead. Within a couple of minutes they all sat down, quiet, but still angry.

Zeus inclined his head the barest degree. You first.

It was a test, I knew. He wanted to see how well I could manage and run my family. I got them under control and sitting—point one.

"I know you are in pain," I started, looking at each branch in turn. "We all are, but we need to remember that the Vespers didn't go after just one branch. They went after our family. We cannot be and are not just Lucian, Janus, Thomas, Ekaterina, and Madrigal. We are Cahills, we are family, and we are being attacked."

"My son is dead," Leila stood, angry and upset. "I can't get him back."

"Maybe he isn't," I argued, not really believing in it, but needing a hope to grasp on to. "Vesper One never said specifically that he was dead. Maybe he got away, but the Vespers don't want us to know."

"It's impossible!" she snapped back.

"Now wait a minute," Jonah said, standing up too. "If there's a chance he's still alive, then I want my cousin back." He turned to me. "Count me in for whatever crazy scheme you got."

I nodded to him as he and his aunt took their seats again, grateful that someone stood for me.

"This is our battle. We need to fight it." I looked around the room. "But it wouldn't hurt to have a little help." I paused, checking quickly with a sideways glance that Zeus didn't want to take over for a speech of his own. I did not want to get blasted by a god because I kept him from making a speech. "I propose we continue with our original plan of a two prong attack, but instead of fighting on my own, following Vesper One's orders—I take the fight to him." I looked around at the gods who'd shown up to the meeting. "The gods of Olympus, from what I've been told, believed in the Cahill family once. If they still believe in us, then I'd ask for the location of the Vesper base holding the hostages." I looked to the demigods, to Percy, to Jason. "And I'd ask their kids if any would stand and fight with me, so my family's efforts could be put into researching the threat and protecting what's left of our family." I looked back to my family. "I'd also ask my family to believe in me and each other for just a little longer, so that we can get our family back safe."

I took a step back, letting my plea settle over the group.

Hamilton shoved himself up. "I'll do it. They took my little sister. Nobody gets away with that."

Jonah stood next. "I want to find my lil' cousin." He said, staring down his aunt as if daring her to object to anything he was saying. "For better or worse, I want to find him."

Sinead and Ned pulled themselves up. "Do you want us to stay at the house still?" Sinead asked. I nodded. We all looked at Ian.

He rolled his eyes, heaving an exaggerated sigh as he stood up too. He spread his arms with a sarcastic smile like he was saying Tada. I'm part of the idiot club too.

I turned towards Percy and Jason. They shared a look. Percy threw an arm around Jason's shoulder, turning to me with a grin. "'Course, we'll help."

We all turned to Zeus. He stared me down, probably trying to be imposing but I had lived through the clue hunt and Isabel Kabra when I was only fourteen. The king of the gods had nothing on my psychopathic relative.

Clearly seeing that I wasn't backing down, Zeus cleared his throat, making sure he had the attention of the entire room. Percy was rolling his eyes from behind Zeus' back. It would have made me laugh if this moment did not possibly dictate the future of my family's lives.

"I believe this is a time for a prophecy," The king of the gods looked over at an attractive blonde guy. He looked familiar, as if I had seen him in the middle of a crowd somewhere.

The Big Easy holds the path set in stone

To the Labrynth of Quandries four heroes shall traverse.

Each warrior shall face their most hated curse.

The Queen of Unity must fight alone

To battle one thought dead, the betrayer of his own.

"What does that even mean?" Madison asked.

"Yeah!" Eisenhower yelled (can it be called yelling when it's his normal volume?) "We want actual help, not some of your prattling poetry!"

"I may be able to help," Hazel spoke up from her spot beside Nico and a Chinese looking guy named Frank. Everyone turned to her. "The Big Easy—I think it means New Orleans." She looked at the ground. "They used to call it that back when I lived there."

The room fell into silence, like the reminder that Hazel lived there was something sad and rarely mentioned—a time of darker days.

"That's good." I said. "That's good." I looked at my family. "I have a place to start."

"You mean we have a place to start," Percy corrected, tossing an arm around my shoulder. "Right, Sparky?" I looked to my other side where Jason was nodding his head. How long had they been standing there? "Hazel, you want to come?" He asked.

She nodded, walking over to us. "I'm in."

I looked at my family, then my friends. This was happening. We were going to find the hostages, going to win, going to take down the Vespers once and for all.

Grace would be proud.