-Annabeth
The day after I'd received the IM my brain slowly began to put the piece together. It wasn't a coincidence that this new camper showed up at the same time that a soul had escaped the Underworld. I wouldn't have known which soul Lucas was, except for Thalia. Seeing her willingly hanging out with a boy had narrowed it down to just a few people. Finally, I knew only one son of Hermes that was dead and could sneak out from under Hades' nose.
It really annoyed me when I realized it took me so long to actually see that Lucas was really Luke!
Confronting Thalia about it was the first thing I did when my brain made the puzzle. Of course, that proved not to be an option, seeing that whenever I tried she'd make up some lame excuse and run off. It really hurt seeing my friend like that.
Next, I went to Nico. Though, I could have been nicer about it.
"You knew he was Lucas and you didn't tell me!" I hissed and I stormed over at him. Nico looked up at me with those emotionless black eyes. "I could have helped stop this! Do you know how hurt Thalia will be when he has to leave now?"
"I know this," the son of Hades said, turning his attention back to the scene in front of him. I looked up and saw the Hermes cabin canoeing on the lake, laughing and having fun. Lucas was with them. "I can't just take his soul now, the campers will realize I knew for a while and just hate me more. Plus, I don't want to see Thalia break either. She is my cousin remember?"
I sighed but nodded. "So, what's the plan?" I asked. I couldn't help the smile that came onto my face as I remembered how much fun Luke and I had had canoeing. It was gone only a second later when I remembered how he'd tried to kill Percy, and how he had tried to destroy camp, and kill all my friends. "You're the expert on this stuff," I added, my voice cracking.
"We wait," Nico told me. As I started to protest, he added, "We'll watch his movements until I get word from my father. I will not do anything rash until I know what it is exactly I am dealing with and what my father wishes to do with his soul."
I heard the underlying words. "And until we know if he'll punish Thalia for helping Luke," I muttered. Nico looked at his black shoes, nodding. I sighed. "Then we wait and do whatever we need to protect Thalia."
~A.C.
