Hello all, I know it's been a while since I posted I am sorry about that. I ended up having to rewrite the entire chapter, and a lot of stuff happened in my personal life that just made it impossible. But I saw the review asking me post so I side lined that stuff just to get the chapter out. Thanks for the positive support, I know it's been a while but I appreciate it. Hopefully the new chapter will be worth the wait and I'll try to post the next chapter within the next week or so.

~secrethalfblood

Hpov

I didn't get any sleep.

From the moment I was rushed to the Big House by my siblings, the night was a blur of circular questions and accusations until just thinking about the situation caused a dull ache in the forefront of my brain.

Eventually, Chiron had called another emergency meeting, which was how I'd found myself, bleary eyed, sitting with the other mission regular campers, listening to them go back and forth with the same conversations I'd been hearing for hours, and hurling every insult they could possibly come up with against James and against me.

Now, I'm not saying I'd never done something dumb before, because, well, who hasn't. But I was pretty sure I'd never actually been accused of stupidity before in my life. Now, in the span of a single night, I'd lost of how many people had saddled me with the incurable case of it.

I watched without reacting as another chair was sailed across the room, and connected witt the wall. An Ares brother was yelling about… something. I'd stopped paying attention to the arguments a while ago. I just wanted some time to think…

Chiron had been called away to answer a message from Olympus about forty minutes ago, and I'd hoped I might be able to take a breather. To grab a second alone just to clear my head, but it seemed as if his presence had been holding the hostility at bay. Tensions were rising the longer he was gone, the shouts getting louder and angrier, and I was afraid that if I drew any more attention to myself, it would all be centered back on me again.

I felt Ashton's hand squeeze mine and while I didn't look at him, I returned the pressure.

I wasn't sure when it had happened, or who's hand had reached for who's, but at some point, when I'd been telling the campers the same information I'd felt I'd been repeating all night, I was aware his fingers had interlaced with mine. Suddenly, it the situation had seemed a lot more bearable. Like maybe I'd survive this after all.

"So?" Charlie asked, straightening up as Chiron walked back into the room. He'd been leaning against the wall next to me and the cluster of our siblings, glaring daggers at anyone who dared look our way all night. But now that Chiron had come back, his attention had been diverted. "What's going on? What did they say?"

I didn't know if Charlie had noticed Ashton's hand in mine, and I didn't really care. Right now, it was the only thing keeping the feeling of shame and humiliation from consuming me entirely. It was pressing in from all sides, threatening to take me over all the way down to the core.

"The Big Three have been alerted to the threat posed to their territories and have begun to fortify their defenses." Chiron said sounding exhausted as the room went silent, waiting to hear the news. "They're hoping to catch James if he surfaces within any of their domains, but it doesn't seem likely." He hesitated for just the slightest of seconds before adding. "They're requesting we send Harper to Olympus, they wish to interrogate her about the situation."

"What?" Charlie exploded as a pang of icy fear solidified in the pit of my stomach. Next to me, Ashton stiffened. "Absolutely not!"

"They just want to ask her a few questions." He said with an attempt at keeping his tone reasonable, but even he didn't seem to buy it. "About the library and James. About what she might know."

"Then they can do it here." Charlie said furiously while our siblings nodded in agreement. "Harper already told us everything. They've got more than enough information to work with. If we send her to Olympus, what's the guarantee we'll get her back?"

"Charlie-"

"What does our mother say about this?" he continued sharply and Chiron sighed, somehow, he sounded even more tired than he had before.

"Your mother has no power to stop the King of the Gods. Not when Olympus is threatened." Chiron said, his tone clearly trying to sound reasonable, but Charlie was not having it.

"That's bullshit." he snarled. "What's to stop him from keeping her there and punishing her if they don't find James?"

"Be very careful what you say Charlie." Chiron muttered, and while the words were soft, there was a bite of warning in them. "You don't want to be caught trying to interfere with the Gods and their justice."

"The Gods never want justice." Charlie retorted with venom. "They want revenge. And they'll take it out on whoever they can get their hands on."

"Maybe she deserves to be punished." A voice said from across the room, and we all turned in shock to see Carter, the head of the Hermes cabin and a brother who was very close to James was glaring nastily at in my direction. He was looking at me as if I were a slug, and not a particularly attractive one. "She was stupid enough to sit on this information for years. She knew there was a way to move between the domains and didn't bother to tell anyone."

"I thought it was a myth." I said trying to sound patient, but rubbing my temples all the same. How many times had I been over this? All night I'd been saying the same things over and over again, even past the point of sunrise. "We all thought-"

"Demigods are supposed to be a myth." Carter pointed out acidly. He was tall, but thin as a rail with sharp features, and the sneer he was giving me twisted them in to one of the ugliest expressions I'd ever seen. "So are the gods. But we all know how real they are."

"Shut up toothpick." Allison snapped, glowering at Carter, who looked surprised she said anything. "Don't act like you're on the side of the Gods here. You just want to blame Harper so you can pretend your brother isn't a traitor."

"James had been pumping the camp for information ever since he got here." Terry agreed. "We think he already knew about the library's existence, he just didn't know how it worked, and no one ever thought twice about it because they didn't know what he was talking about. People had already noticed him disappearing for hours at a time, turning up with odd injuries, and not just after missions. It just so happened Harper was the only one who had the answers he was looking for."

"And he targeted her the moment he realized that." Charlie growled.

This was true of course. In hindsight, it seemed so obvious with the way James always wanted to know what I was reading about and always asking me questions about the history of the mythological world. And like an idiot, I had answers for him. I'd always been willing to answer anyone's questions if I knew the information, and to find out everything I could if I didn't. James had played me like violin letting me do all the heavy lifting for whatever he was planning. And like a sucker I'd completely fallen for it.

I shook my head and put it in my hands, unable to stand it anymore.

I should have known. No matter how angry the other campers were with me, or what they might say, it was nothing I hadn't said to myself. They might have been angry with me, or thought I was an idiot, but I was certain it was nothing compared to how much I hated myself.

"I'm sorry, but where is your proof?" Carter asked angrily, turning to Chiron. "It's not like the Athena campers don't have a reason to be mad at James right now." He paused and I assumed it was to glower at me again, but I didn't look up. "Don't you think it's a little weird that only one of them knows anything about this supposed doorway between the kingdoms of the Gods? And it's the one who has the most reason to hate James? Maybe he caught wind of what they were up to and bailed before they could frame him for whatever she's been up to all along."

At this, I looked up, indignant.

"Harper hasn't been up to anything." Terry said annoyed. "She just likes to read. It's not her fault she just happened to read something James was after."

"Yeah?" Carter asked in an annoyingly sarcastic tone. "Well from what I can tell, the only thing James is guilty of is walking out on a bad date. Personally," he sneered again. "I don't blame him."

"Do you wanna die?" Charlie asked stepping aggressively towards Carter, but to my very great surprise, Ashton snatched a ping pong paddle from the table we were all gathered around, and whipped it at Carter's head.

It connected with a solid 'thunk' and he covered his mouth, looking shocked at the red that covered his fingers as he inspected them.

"Say one more thing about Harper, I dare you." Ashton spat, apparently unaware of the wide-eyed expressions he was getting from around the room. "Because the next time, you'll swallow your teeth."

Shock rang through me at his expression, and it was so strong, I nearly forgot the situation I was. That wasn't like him at all.

"Ashton. What. The hell." I muttered glancing at him, but Allison laughed and Tamera said.

"Nice shot." A hint of approval in her tone.

"Enough." Chiron said, commanding the room's attention and while the others turned to face him, Ashton was still giving Carter an evil look. "There is a significant amount of evidence that James was in fact, trying to retrieve information about the library. The Hecate cabin has come forward and admitted to the fact that James had paid them to place an enchantment on a gift for Harper that would compel those under its effects to speak the truth."

"Yeah, and it nearly killed her." Charlie grumbled, but the statement was largely ignored.

"It influenced a number of people who can all testify to its effects." Chiron continued, and my mind was thrown back to the day of my allergy attack. How I'd been unable to stop myself from blurting out information I knew I should have kept to myself, and how Ashton had shouted at Charlie. "But we're not here to establish blame." He continued before anyone could argue. "We're here to establish what we know, and where to go from here. And if anyone has any information I implore you to come forward."

"Well isn't that why they want to talk to Harper?" Chase asked then put his hands up defensively as Charlie, Allison, Tamera, and Ashton all glared at him. "What? I agree with you." he said in exasperation. "I don't think Tiny Davis did anything wrong. Look I liked the guy, but if anyone's seen how manipulative James can be, it's me. But that's what the Gods said they wanted to talk to her for, isn't it?" He shrugged. "Information? Maybe they know more about the situation than we do. Maybe they have different questions to ask."

"Yeah, but we're not gonna send her to Olympus." Charlie said as if he were insane while I mumbled.

"Tiny Davis?"

I wasn't that short...

"Right Chiron?" Charlie pressed, ignoring me and glancing at the centaur, but when he didn't respond, the color seemed to drain from Charlie's face and a sense of unease swelled within me.

"You can't be serious." He said quietly.

"It might be the only choice Charlie." He said softly, and I noticed, he didn't seem to want to meet Charlie's gaze.

"No." he said shaking his head, anger creeping back into his tone. "It's no choice!"

"It's just some questions, it might not even-"

"We can't let them get a hold of her!" He said and there was a hint of desperation to his voice. He sounded scared. "You of all people should know!"

I looked at Charlie, wondering what he meant by this, and I could tell I wasn't the only one. The statement in and of itself wasn't all that concerning, but the way he'd said it, made it sound like both Charlie and Chiron knew something that we didn't.

I glanced at Ashton, to see if he had any idea what Charlie was talking about, but he looked as confused as I was.

I was just about to ask what the hell was going on, when suddenly, there was a flash and the noise like a cannon being fired that rattled the windows in their panes.

I felt myself, and everyone else in the room, pushed back, away from the pillar of light that was now emanating from the center of the room.

Blinking rapidly, I forced myself to look at the figure that had taken form inside of the glow.

The woman was tall and striking, with long black hair, and the air of something powerful, other worldly that seemed to simultaneously magnetize but also terrify everyone in the room. She wore a long toga, as well as a bronze battle helmet, and in her hand, she held a spear. Her grip on the weapon was relaxed, but I had no doubt, in less than a second it would run through an enemy's armor if she so desired, as I was sure it had before and doubtless would do again.

'Mom.' I thought a little warily as her eyes swept imperiously over the room, before landing on me.

Their color was familiar, a stormy gray, and as sharp as a razor, as was the look she was giving me. And while I would recognize her power in any form, I'd never known it to be this cold. This calculated. This… cruel. And while I had to stop myself from flinching away from her, Charlie looked as if he'd been sent a lifesaving reprieve.

"Thank the Gods." He said shaking his head. "This is perfect timing. Chiron's lost his mind. He's actually thinking of sending Harper to Olympus." He said gesturing towards the centaur before glancing back at our mother. "Tell him he's lost his mind."

But Athena didn't return the smile he was giving her, and she didn't address Chiron.

"Speak not now my child, for I have little time and much to explain."

"But-" Charlie started in surprise.

"Be silent Charlie." She said and while her tone was calm, there was a glint of steel in her eyes not even Charlie was oblivious enough not to notice. "I've spoken to the King about the situation with the Hermes boy, and he's agreed to allow my daughter a chance to remedy her mistake." She said dispassionately, her eyes falling on me again, and though before when I'd seen her, they'd so often gazed at me with affection and pride, now, now they just looked disdainful, even cold. I felt ice creeping through me. "Her careless lack of judgement has brought danger to all corners of this world, to mortals and immortals alike."

"But it wasn't her fault." Sabrina said quietly.

"Wasn't it?" Athena said coolly, glaring down me and I felt as if I wanted to shrink to the subatomic level, to a point where she could no longer see me. "Were it not for her, would not only Olympus, but all realms of this earth be vulnerable to a single demigod? Had she had more discretion with the information she'd held, would we be in this situation?" Her voice had risen with anger, and the room started to tremble with her words. "My children are supposed to be the gatekeepers of wisdom in the mortal world, not the instigators of chaos. The situation must be dealt with."

"But we don't even know where James is." Terry said a little desperately.

"Perhaps not." She said her tone as hard as iron. "But you know where he will be." She turned back to Charlie and I. "Lord Zeus and I have agreed. Ten days will be given in order to contain this disaster." She continued as slowly, a rising sense of horror grew within me, but her words continued to fall over me like weight after impossible weight. "By the end of which, the threat to the Gods and their realms must be eliminated, or Harper must face the consequences of her actions."

Panic was closing in on me, dimming my vision as if I were in a tunnel, some place dark and silent, watching as the light at the end of it got further and further away.

"No!" Charlie said shaking his head. He sounded frantic now, more than I'd ever seen him before. His eyes had gone wide and he seemed legitimately terrified. "No. I can find James." He bargained. "I'll find him and bring him to the Gods. Harper can tell me-"

"This was Harper's doing Charlie, not yours." She angrily and the weight of her gaze seemed immeasurable. "She must be the one to make things right. Hers is the lesson to be learned. But why must you act ignorant? You knew this day was coming."

"Mom." He said desperately. "Just let me go. I'll do it. Please."

"Harper Davis has ten days to restore the balance to the realms of the Gods." She said brutally, ignoring Charlie's pleading. "If she is clever, she may not need even that. But should she fail, she must suffer Olympus's wrath."

"But-"

"Ten days." She repeated, looking right at me as she did. "I would use them wisely."

There was another flash of light, another enormous crash, and then she was gone.

There was a full minute of silence in which no one seemed to know what to say.

Charlie was shaking, as if he'd been rocked to his very core and while I expected the gravity of my situation to hit me sometime soon, something within me had seemed to go numb.

"Harper?" Ashton asked quietly, but I shook my head trying to sort through my thoughts.

Maybe it was because I'd gotten no sleep, or because this was too big of a thing to deal with and too many things had happened in just the span of a few hours but, what else could we have expected really? Wasn't this the way things had to be? The way, deep down, I'd known they'd end up all along.

My siblings were whispering to each other, as were the rest of the campers, but Chiron didn't give them much time to come to their own conclusions no matter what they might be.

"Well." He said calmly. "I guess the direction is clear."

"No, it's not." Charlie answered darkly.

He'd gotten over his shock apparently, and it had transformed into anger.

"Charlie…" I started feeling exhausted, but he didn't seem to want to listen.

"I don't care what mom said." He snapped. "Harper, you can write what you remember down and give it to me. My team will go after James and-"

Instantly, our siblings went into an uproar.

"This was a direct order from our mother." Terry said, while Sabrina, who was close to tears, picked up for him.

"Are you trying to lose her favor for all of us?"

"You don't understand…" he said running through his hair, I was startled to see they were trembling. "If Zeus, if he gets his hands on Harper. She's going to die."

"Don't be so dramatic Charlie." I said in exasperation, trying not to roll my eyes. This was so typical of him… He was always freaking about everything.

But his face had gone white again, and the shaking had gotten worse. He didn't look angry like he usually did when he thought I was in danger. This was terror.

"I'm not-"

"Enough Charlie." Chiron said, and while most everyone was looking at him like he was crazy, Chiron wasn't. He looked worried. "You cannot ignore a mandate from the Gods. Harper must be on this quest."

I frowned at the wording because usually directives given from the Gods or the camp weren't normally considered quests. They were missions. The only time the word quest got thrown around was when there was a prophecy involved.

"Yeah, and if you're planning on pissing off the Gods." Chase said unexpectedly from across the room. "I'm out. You can drag Ashton along if you if you want," he said gesturing towards Ashton besides me. "But I'm not eager to go against either Zeus or Athena's will."

"Well she can't go without a team." Charlie said looking a little relieved, as if this settled the matter. "Harper's never been assigned to leave the camp. She can't go alone. She wouldn't stand a chance."

"We'll take her." Allison said as she and Tamera raised their hands in unison.

"You barely have any mission experience lug nut." One of Allison's brothers said smacking her upside the back of her head.

"But I've got plenty." Tamera countered, casually punching the guy in response. He went flying. "And I would love for an excuse to get my hands James." she continued a sadistic smile making it's way to her features. "Before the Gods get a hold of him."

She turned and looked at Chiron.

"I'll lead the mission."

"What? No." Charlie said indignantly, as if this possibility hadn't occurred to him.

"Well then what do you suggest?" Tamera asked snidely. "If you won't go with her, and you don't have a team to go in her stead."

"I'll go." Ashton said out of nowhere, and the entire room went silent.

"What?" Charlie asked, and I was surprised how much fury he could put into a single syllable.

"I'll go with Harper." He continued, and while he looked a little uncomfortable with the amount of incredulous attention he was attracting, he looked certain all the same.

"Ash, you can't be serious." Charlie protested in disbelief.

"Look, you want to go," Ashton explained, clearly trying to sound patient but a hint of exasperation escaping nonetheless. "And Harper has to go. If Chase isn't willing to come, then with Harper added we've got a team."

"No we don't." he said angrily. "Because Harper's not leaving. She's not going anywhere."

"That's enough Charlie." Chiron said then looking at Ashton. "I approve of the temporary team formation. If Charlie refuses the position, you have permission to bring Tamera on board."

"Excellent." Tamera said, cracking her knuckles with a sort of evil pleasure.

"Chiron." Charlie said in disbelief, he sounded betrayed.

"It's decided." Chiron continued, his voice hard, but his eyes seemed to be telling a different story. It looked like regret. "Ashton, Harper, figure out your team then come to my office for a briefing."

He turned and started walking out of the room towards his office, and slowly, the others started to disperse, all discussing everything that had gone down in hushed voice.

"This is a mistake." Charlie called after him. "Chiron, this is a mistake and you know it."

He paused for a moment, and by his guilty expression, I thought he might look back over his shoulder. But he didn't.

"Start preparing your team Ashton." He said quietly. "I want you ready to leave by tomorrow morning."