It was strange staying in the castle instead of the grove yet here they were. The whispers of the ghosts were like soft hisses to their ears and the scratching of the skeleton walking across the floor was unnerving. With the war between Sparta and Athens still going on, Nico called for everyone to stay in the castle after Luke noticed the opposing armies setting up blockades at the kingdom's borders.

Ariadne had raged not willing to give up her comfort, but she was also recovering from two deadly poisonings from Prince Hyacinth. Will had been working overtime getting her healed just for her to go back out and unleash whirlpool after whirlpool against the two kingdoms. She and Thalia had sat atop the deadly storms laughing their butts off whenever someone got to close. Thalia had taken to showcasing her archery skills as she ran across the waves striking down enemies.

Nevertheless, Percy practically forbidden his sister from fighting again instead charging her with a speedy recovery and focusing on the kingdom's economy. Which would be funny if it were for the awkward silence that issued whenever Luke came to give his reports on the border while Ariadne tried to desperately pretend, he didn't exist.

Katie was at the point of just finding a way to tie the two of them together to work out their issues. Travis knew that Ariadne had never forgiven Luke for the deaths of the other campers and that's not toe even mention the ones that she was close friends with.

Speaking of Katie, Travis turned to look out his window at the giant flowers creating blockades around the kingdom. They were as big as Typhon. The daughter of Demeter was reclining on the largest one in the middle for her turn of border control. Which they didn't really need anymore after Thalia's gate of lightning. Or Nico's walls of shadows and the undead. Or just simply Clarisse herself [that had been a strange day when Spartan warriors recognized the essence of Ares that ran through her veins. They had bowed to her in reverence.]

Katie's flower bombs dropped poisons just as deadly as the ones Hyacinth hit Ariadne with if the way random Athenian warriors were dropping to ground screaming and clawing at their faces. Katie's smiled turned a little sinister as she raised her arms to the heavens. Little men and women made of wheat and grass built into the air. It was different than the little helpers he was used to see cabin four kids using at camp. These were darker and more bloodthirsty. Every person they attacked, the little monsters would drink their blood and gain height.

For all his bravery and natural slyness, Travis was kind of scared to see what cabin four had notated in their power roster. And maybe it was just him, but Travis had never felt safer than having the daughter of the harvest watching over them.

In that stuffy and drafty castle, Travis shifted around in his bed before letting himself fall asleep.

It had been a weird morning from the start. Ariadne had woken up early for one thing. The sun hadn't even risen yet, but her senses kept screaming at her that something was going on. She bypassed the walker that Beckendorf crafted for her at Will's behest making her way to the throne room. She held onto the wall for support stumbling along the way until she felt something cold yet solid grip her wrist.

She jumped a little in shock before her gaze connected with Luke's. She ripped her arm away as if she had been burnt. Clenching her jaw, she tore her gaze away from him before attempting to continue down the hall.

"Aria, please," the spirit begged the girl continued to ignore him. She didn't want to hear anything he had to say. "Just hear me out."

Ariadne scoffed quietly yet in the silence of the hall it could've been as loud as a scream, "I think I heard everything you had to say when you tried to kill my brother on multiple occasions."

She couldn't see it, but Luke flinched away from the iciness in her voice, "I know and I'm so sorry about that. But Ari—"

"But nothing, Lucas Castellan. Nothing you say will bring back any of the dead. It won't change the fact that we could've filled almost two graveyards with the amount of people that died from your useless decisions."

"That's not fair, Ariadne. Our parents—"

"Are shitty parents. Yeah, what else is new? It still doesn't change anything. I wished all of us including me stopped trying to reduce these otherworldly beings to fit our primitive mortal mindsets. You chose the right choice in the end. You didn't choose Kronos, but that doesn't change the fact a lot of people had to die before you came to that realization. And even then, you still would've continued if Chase hadn't gotten hurt. She gets hurt and suddenly, your big brother of the fucking year. Where were you when Chris was literally insane? Where were you when Trav and Con needed you? When I needed you? The camp treated you like a big brother and I get that you didn't want the responsibility because I sure as hell didn't… want to know what I did that you didn't? I trusted my friends and I accepted their help."

Luke growled, and Ariadne swore she was looking at the titan possessed version again. She reached inside of her for the power of the sea ready to kick his ass as if she was a water bender from the northern water tribe. "They let Talia die! Turned her into a tree as if it were going to make it any better. That she had to die because of their little tug of war."

Ariadne sneered, "And you tried to kill my brother. Didn't I mention that already? My twin brother. And I swear if the next words out of your mouth is about how Mercury was a shitty dad then I'm sending you back to the Netherworld."

"He left me with that woman! She was insane. Always yelling about my fate."

"Gee, I wonder why. And that means nothing. My dad left me with an emotionally absent mother and an alcoholic, abusive, pedophilic stepfather, and a twin brother that was 50% oblivious to the things going around him. I love Percy with all my heart, but I'm tired of living in his shadow. And once I thought I found a place to flourish on my own, guess what? I was right back in his shadow because you didn't know how to deal with daddy and mommy issues like the rest of us."

The two of them scowled at each other looking as if they were back in their regular time. Where they were once again on opposites sides. Where one wrong word would lead to the two of them once again battling despite the love that Hermes had for them both.

"You seem to think that your family ended with Annabeth and Thalia. But Lee would've sold his soul to the Christian devil if it meant you never betraying us. I told you before that you had been my hero. Maybe not the Luke that I knew. Maybe it was the guy from the stories Lee told me. The one who would've broke his own leg if it meant that none of the other campers gotten hurt. That's the Luke I had a crush on. I don't know who the hell you are."

She left him lingering there as she continued her way down to the mess hall or the throne room whichever she came across first. She knew she needed to go the throne room, but she was starving. And she was still feeling a little feverish so she may need to go to the medical wing also. She didn't flinch this time when Beckendorf appeared at her side with a motorized wheelchair. It kind of made her miss Chiron also even if she had never been too overly fond of the immortal teacher either.

"We have a guest," her friend muttered as he led her away from the throne room and back towards her quarters. "Silena is entertaining them while she ordered everyone else to change into proper attire. I'm pretty sure her words to Nico was that he either wore his kingly attire or she was going to sew it in his skin with barbed wire."

Ariadne laughed lightly, "I knew there was a reason I loved that girl."

They passed the area where Ariadne and Luke were having their argument. The other spirit was gone, but her mood dropped a little just from thinking about it. "I overheard you guys argument. I want to say thanks for sticking up for the rest of us."

"I'm hearing a but."

The spirit huffed a little laugh, "But I do think the two of you need to sit down and actually talk to one another. Not talk over each other or talk at each other. Talk and listen to what you both have to say."

"Becks, I've said all I needed to say to him."

"Well what about Connor?"

"What about him?"

"Are you going to finally talk to him about the crush he's had on you for literal years?"

Ariadne dropped the armor she had just grabbed. "WHAT?! There is no way Connor has had a crush on me for years and I didn't notice. He always liked Chase."

"Looks like Percy wasn't the only sibling that was oblivious," were his last words before he faded out the room.

No way. It just wasn't possible. Connor liked Annabeth. It didn't make sense.

She shook her head. That was something to think over later. Preferably never because it didn't make sense, but she knew it was going to haunt her thoughts. Damn Beckendorf. He always did this. Just dropped bombshells onto the group and watch everyone flounder. And people thought that Silena was the mastermind behind everything. Please, she only stoked the flames of the chaos he had already wrought.

Ariadne gasp when the feeling of pure rage and battle lust clawed its way through her veins. She nearly snarled from the power of it. It was almost familiar yet so different. There was something wilder about it. Something that hadn't been tempered by age.

Ares.

Hurriedly fixing her armor clothing, Ariadne slid back into the wheelchair and sped off to the throne room. She made it just as her brother and cousins appeared. Thalia and Katie helped her out the wheelchair so she could meet the god while standing on her own two feet. The spirits that standing guard at the doors announced their presences.

The god sat upon Nico's throne looking even more fiercer than he did in their own time. He kind of reminded her of Bakugou from that anime in their time of course he was more attractive than the animation. His power washed over them all and while the others were struggling to hold back their base reactions to it, she and Clarisse only closed their eyes and relished in the feeling. Even so, she still had to shake Clarisse a little before the other girl became drunk off the power of it.

Meanwhile, Ares only watched them amused. His eyes kept straying back to his daughter but that didn't mean he didn't get any entertainment out watching the others struggle. Ariadne was so taken by the power he gave off that she almost didn't notice the refuges littering along the sides of the throne room. Women, men, and children alike. Clearly, it was those that prayed to the god for protection as the war continued.

"I must say I was pleasantly surprise to know that there were such powerful children being hidden away from the eyes of the Olympians. One being my own daughter, "the god started with a cruel yet playful smirk on his face. Even though she knew how the god treated her best friend, this was version she knew dearly. The official heir to the throne of Olympus being the first born of the king and queen. The one where justice, honor, and love where legitimate reasons to call forth the spirit of war that made up his essences. Before corruption and greed and power made him into the being that the others knew.

This was the version Aphrodite spoke so highly of and the only version that shown itself when around the goddess. She couldn't forgive the Ares of their time for the treatment of her brother, let alone her best friend. But this one had done nothing wrong. This one was more than likely to fight that version of himself for even thinking of laying a hand against his own children. "I am very curious though. I do not recall giving any mortal my seed yet here you stand before me. It is only because of the Morai decree that I do not demand any other answers."

She knew the others were unnerved by this side of the god. It was why she stepped forward and dropped into a traditional Atlantean bow before the god. She could feel his interest peak alongside the feeling of another watching the proceedings.

The other Olympians must be studying them.

"We are grateful for your presence, mi 'lord. I am Ariadne of Castellan. Daughter of Poseidon. One of the appointed advisors to King Nicholas."

It felt like the weight of the world had been placed on her shoulders once she confirmed what they already knew. Guess it wouldn't cause any problems anymore of anyone saw the royal family symbol on the twins' tails.

"Rise, godling. I come seeking a… hmm a favor."

Ariadne rose slowly but kept her head and body angled in a sign of respect, "We would honor beyond belief to assist thee, milord."

The god smirked at the demigoddess letting his gaze roam over the others in the room. They tried to copy her stance a little, but it was clear that they fell short of the mark. The only two who even resembled a proper and respectful bow without being bent towards the floor would be the young king and the other child of sea. His own daughter floundered a little before she gave up and looked at hm slightly in the eye. Just slightly to where it wouldn't be disrespectful but if he turned his head a certain way, then their gazes would be locked.

"These are refugees from both Sparta and Athens. You shall take them in and show them the divine hospitality that Dionysus has been bragging about your little kingdom. Do take care good care of them. They are gifts from the gods."

"We shall do so with great pleasure, Father," Clarisse spoke for the first time. Ares looked her over. She was different than his other daughters. He could see it so clearly just in the way she held herself. She was strong and could take of herself, but there was also this weakness in her. This chip in her armor that made her vulnerable. She had a good team surrounding her, but it was clear to Ares that she would need more protection. After all, he let nothing, and no one hurt his kids.

He smiled gently at her and the others nearly reeled back at the weirdness of it all, "I know that you will, my daughter. With that being said, we shall spar sometime. Let me know when you are ready. You also, daughters of the sea, sky, and harvest. I have never had the pleasure of fighting female halfblooded children of the kronides. A fight against you, Ariadne, would be highly entertaining seeing as you are the first halfblooded child of Uncle Poseidon. See you soon."

With those last words, the god disappeared in a harsh flame and Ariadne could've wept. Her body ached with pain as she turned towards the others, "Well that went well."