The next day went as normal as it could after the bomb I dropped on the Nerd Herd. Me and Damien walked and had breakfast together before we went on our separate ways to get to our first hour. Dragon pushed me hard during training and had me spar with a sixth former by the name of Malcolm. I had stayed to Malcolm's level for most of the sparring but I started to get exhausted. I managed to move in with the disarming maneuver at the last minute. I didn't realize at first but Dragon had the rest of the class watch as I sparred with Malcolm. Once I had siarmed them Malcolm held out his arm and we shook forearms. I was congratulated by everyone else and Dragon had me teach everyone else the disarming technique I used. Dragon took me aside around the end of class and talked to me one to one on where I could Improve on my technique. It reminded me of camp and Chiron and well it was nice and made me forget for a little while the chaos that was brewing. In fact everything seemed to go really smoothly till third hour. Professor Penthesilea was reading the fourth chapter of A Night to Remember "You Go and I'll Stay a While", everyone was listening as per usual and then Elliott started to cough.

A part of me hoped it was just a cough nothing more- but it continued and the sound started to change. I mean it went from a dry allergy cough to a wet sickness cough. I started to smell something ironie- that's when I froze. I recognized the smell and gripped my book tighter. I bit my cheek as I tried to convince myself it was my mind being paranoid but his coughing got worse and I turned to look at him.

As soon as I turned to look at him, I saw the blood. Elliott wasn't slouched and sleeping. He was sitting straight up, staring at his hand- covered in his own hand. He coughed again- more violent and wet the last. More of his blood shot from his mouth.

"Get Neferet!" Professor Penthesilea commanded as she jerked open one of her desk drawers taking out a folded towel. She moved down the isle quickly to Elliott and the kid closest to the door took off.

Utter silence fell as the whole room watched as Penthesilea made it to Elliott just in time for his next cough. Elliott held the towel to his face as he coughed, hacking and gagging. When he removed the towel blood was running out of his nose, bloody tears ran down his face, and blood was streaming from his ear.

"N-no!" Elliott said with so much emotion it made me feel sick. "No! I don't want to die!"

"Sssh," Penthesilea said in a soothing voice pushing Elliotts hair away from his face. "Your pain will end soon."

"But-but, no I-" Elliott protested in a desperate tone that made my heart wrench, he was interrupted by another round of bloody coughs. The room smelt of iron and my leg started to shake.

Then Neferet walked into the room with two powerful-looking vampyre men. They carried a flat stretcher and a blanket; Neferet was carrying only a vial filled with milky-colored liquid. Immediately after they came in, Dragon almost bursted into the room. Neferet handed Dragon the vial, she moved behind Elliott to put her hands on his back and his coughing subsided.

"Drink this quickly, Elliott." Dragon said gently, and when Elliott started to shake his head he quickly added, "It will make your pain end."

"Will-will you stay with me?" Elliott said weakly and I lowered my eyes feeling tears forming in my eyes.

"Of course," Dragon replied, sounding an awful lot like Chiron which caused me to shake holding back tears. "I won't let you be alone for even a moment."

"Will you call my mom?"

"I will."

It was quiet for a long moment, but I heard the scuffling of putting someone onto a stretcher and the sound of shoes walking on the hard floor. I opened my eyes again and saw Neferet standing in front of us all. I noticed how deathly silent everyone was and I swore everyone could hear how loud my heart was beating in my chest. Then after another moment of silence Neferet spoke to us. "I could tell you that Elliott will be fine-that he will recover, but that would be a lie." Her voice was like a commanding officer as she spoke, yet it was smooth and calm. "The truth is his body has rejected the change. In minutes he will die the permanent death and will not mature into a vampire. I could tell you not to worry, that it won't happen to you. But this would be a lie, too. On average, one out of every ten of you will not make the change. Some fledglings die early in their third former year, as Elliott. Some of you will be stronger and last until your sixth former year, and then sicken and die suddenly. I tell you this not so that you will live in fear. I tell you for two reasons. First, I want you to know that as your High Priestess I will not lie to you, but will help ease your passing into the next world if that time comes. And second, I want you to live as you would be remembered if you would die tomorrow, because you might. Then if you do die your spirit can rest peacefully knowing that you leave behind an honorable memory. If you do not die, then you will have set the foundation for a long life rich with integrity." I noticed Neferet turned to look directly at Zoey. I hoped it was only because she was Zoey's mentor. "I ask Nyx's blessing comfort you today, and that you remember death is a natural part of life, even a vampyre life. For someday we all must return to the bosom of the Goddess." She then walked out and closed the door behind her.

Penthesilea worked diligently to clean up the spatters of blood that stained Elliott's desk. When it was all clean she led a moment of silence for Elliott then picked up the book from where she'd left off. I couldn't listen but I acted like I was. I just kept going back to the titan war and all the people who counted on me that died during that time.

I assumed things would go on as normal- but I then quickly learned that it was unusual for two kids to die so close together, so everyone was unnaturally quiet for the rest of the day. Lunch was silent and I had picked at my food rather then eating it. I could tell Will and Annabeth knew I hadn't taken Elliott's death well- or I had reacted to it in a way which emotionally/mentally drained me. With all the silence I started to get lost in my thoughts again. I thought of Zoë and Bianca- I thought of Lee and Castor- I thought of Charlie and Selina- I thought of everyone who died during these past years. I watched my fork pick at the food in silence and didn't really even rejesture when Damien tapped my shoulder as It was time to continue with our classes. I couldn't focus at all getting lost in my thoughts.

When sixth hour came along my day got a little better, Lenovia put me in charge of a 'stubborn' stallion named Mars. I would have smirked at the name if my mind wasn't bombarding me with everything I did wrong. I cleaned Mar's stall and I guess Mars could tell that I was not in the mood to talk because he just watched me and stayed close. After I was done I started to groom him, he nuzzled me so often which caused me to smile. By the end of class I didn't even realize it was going to be over. I put up the things for grooming and headed to the dorms. When I got close to the oak I saw everyone was waiting. I walked over and Annabeth was the first one to walk over to me. She hugged me tightly and I hugged her before walking over to the others.

"What's going on guys?" I asked them and Stevie Rae spoke up.

"I'm worried about Zoey." Stevie Rae said then went into a full story about what has happened between her and Aphrodite. And what has happened between her and her ex.

I bit my lip thinking. "She really wants to do this alone? Even when she knows Aphrodite is out to get her? And Aphroditie really hides her visions?"

Stevie Rae and the others nodded, I tried to think of a way maybe to convince Zoey that doing this alone was not a good idea. But as I was thinking the others went back to thinking out loud getting input from everyone. Soon I noticed Zoey was walking this way so I cleared my throat a bit. Everyone then went silent as they saw she was walking over too. I realized everyone looked guilty and looked to the ground.

"What?" Zoey asked, then made a noise, then I could feel her stare on me. "Percy what is going on?"

"We were just waiting for you." Stevie Rae said for me, but her perkiness was all gone.

"What's wrong with you?" Zoey asked in a hateful tone, which I knew wasn't meant to be hateful.

"She's worried about you," Shaunee explained.

"We're all worried about you," Erin continued.

"What's going on with your ex?" Damien asked in such a tone it caused me to look at Zoey.

"He's buggin', that's all. If he didn't bug, he wouldn't be my ex." Zoey said and I noticed she struggled to look us in our eyes. Especially me, Annabeth, Nico, and Will.

"We think I should go with you tonight," Stevie Rae said which surprised me.

"Wait- Zoey, we think you should take your circle with you tonight." I said and looked Zoey directly in her eyes.

I saw panic flood her face and then say her expression twist. "No."

"Zoey, it's been a really bad day. Everyone is stressed- I had a break down during lit. Aphrodite is out to get you. It makes sense that you should have your circle with you tonight," I said and ignored the stares I got from the rest of them.

Zoey stared at me and then looked away then looked back at me. "You say I've been chosen to be a hero right? And you all say that I have power that will someday make me your High Priestess?" Everyone nodded at her with eger smiles and I saw Zoey's expression soften but then turn cold. "Then you need to listen to me when I say no. I don't want you there tonight. This is something I have to deal with. Alone. And I don't want to talk about it anymore." She said then turned around and stomped away from us.

We all looked at us and knew we needed to come up with a plan, we all had a bad feeling about tonight.

Within a half an hour we had moved to the small creek on campus coming up with a plan to help Zoey. Everything told me her circle needed to be with her. We sat together and discussed it for a long while. Then Stevie Rae piped up.

"I-I could offer to be the refrigerator…" She said softly and Shaunee and Erin narrowed their eyes.

"No." Shaunee said, putting her finger up.

"Way." Erin continued doing the same thing.

"I'm sorry- refrigerator?" I was confused and extremely concerned.

Damien then looked at me, "That what they call the fledgling that they get the blood from for their rituals."

"I thought we weren't allowed to drink blood from anyone?" Nico asked and this time Annabeth spoke up.

"Any human. Fellow fledglings are fine as long as it's consensual." She explained everyone then turned back to Stevie Rae.

"That way I can know where the ritual is, and tell you guys, and then we can be there if anything goes wrong- and Elliott was their refrigerator." Stevie Rae explained we all got a bit quiet before Nico spoke up.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be the refrigerator. You're a part of the circle. WHat about one of us?" Nico asked looking between me, Annabeth, him, and Will.

"It can be me." I immediately said and Will shook his head.

"They won't have you be the refrigerator- it would become a scandal. Immadgent the riot that would happen when Percy Blofis, the third former fledgling who is in the running of becoming a sword master, was the Dark Daughters refrigerator." Will said then Annabeth looked at Will.

"Out of you and Nico who is more compatible to lose blood." She said then looked at everyone, "It can't be me, I'm Aphrodite's roommate."

"Scandal…" Damien said and we all nodded.

Will took Nico's arm and his hands started to glow slightly and everyone sucked in their breath that hadn't seen Will use his powers before. "I am, sorry love."

We went silent and I let out a shaky breath, "I feel bad about anyone but me being the refrigerator- but I agree I can't be the one because they won't agree to it. But sense you can heal, I would feel much better if you offered yourself rather than Stevie Rae."

Everyone nodded and Stevie Rae did too. We all stayed quiet and then Stevie Rae spoke up again, "So we are going with my idea? But replacing who is the refrigerator?"

We all nodded and then Damien spoke up, "For Zoey, for our High Priestess."

We all then exchanged numbers and it was time to engage in our plan.