My dream about Nico was not the last dream I shared with him, in fact I dreamt of him most nights. Sometimes we would sit and talk for seemingly hours, other times our connection would only last a few minutes, but each time, I felt like I was getting closer to him. I did my best to try and help him, but words could do little for a boy out in the world all on his own. He did open up to me more and more, however, telling me what was happening on his side of wakefulness, and I was shocked to find that he had somehow managed to find his way into the Labyrinth that Luke was so desperate to navigate. I warned Nico immediately to be careful and wary, and by no means let anyone follow him because it seemed that he could at least stay somewhat safe. He'd learned to shadow travel, though most of the time he somehow ended up in China, so when I had a dream of him in a strange place with oriental rooftops and bright lights, I couldn't help but laugh. I told him to explore and have fun, because being able to travel the world by just jumping into a shadow was an amazing gift that he needed to take advantage of whilst he still could. Plus, if he was in China, Luke couldn't get him as Kronos had ordered. The Titan still wanted Nico for his army, though it was now a smaller matter of importance compared to other things.

I worried about Luke too. Sometimes I talked to Nico about him, admitting that his health was deteriorating and that he was growing increasingly afraid of something but he wouldn't tell me what. All I knew was that it had something to do with what Kronos had planned for him, and that only made me all the more worried. Nico tried to console me, patting my shoulder and telling me that it was going to be alright. Almost every time we shared a dream he would offer to come rescue me, and I'd smile sadly and tell him that I couldn't leave yet, but promised that if I ever did need a hero to come and save me, he'd be the first person I'd call. This always seemed to cheer him up. He wasn't looking any better, still skinny and growing paler and paler each time I saw him, but his eyes would light up whenever he saw me, and now every time we met in our dream he'd run up and throw his arms around my middle to hug me. He was just the cutest little cousin ever. I adored him. He kind of reminded me of Tyson, though I would then think of him and miss him terribly. Nico was getting good at reading me, I'll give him credit for that, because each time I missed someone he'd ask who I was thinking about and I'd tell him.

We talked about my mom, Tyson and everyone else I missed, though I skirted around Percy because he was still sensitive about that particular topic, and Nico would promise to carry messages if ever he came across any of them. We'd talk about everything, though it was rather alarming to hear that someone called the 'Ghost King' had taken Nico under his wing and was now helping him to train and develop his powers. Whenever Nico talked about him I grew suspicious, so I advised Nico to learn what he could but never make any binding promises, and to be careful of what he said otherwise he could find himself trapped doing the bidding of some ghost. I'm not sure if Nico really understood the danger, but he at least promised to be careful. He'd then look at me with a distant smile and say that he wished we could meet in person, so I promised him that one day we would and that I'd give him the biggest hug ever and force him to eat a feast of lots of tasty food, because he was still far too skinny. Then we'd wake up, and I'd have to wait until the next time I dreamed of him to see him. In my mind I was fairly confident it was Hades who was causing us to share dreams with one another, though I couldn't understand why. What did he want from me? There didn't seem to be any reason and no demands from the King of the Underworld came, so I just carried on as I had been and hoping that it was the right thing to do. Maybe Hades just didn't want his son to feel so lonely. It made me like the guy a whole lot more.

Since Hades had such a similar feeling to Kronos, being surrounded by death and darkness, it meant that he could act upon my dreams without being noticed. Or at least, Kronos didn't seem to have figured out that I knew exactly where Nico was, and little by little I was feeding Nico bits of information that I had learned from being on the ship, even if he didn't realise it. I dropped it in so casually and naturally, it seemed like a part of our normal conversation, but I hoped he'd eventually catch on, so that he could take my messages at least to Chiron. If Nico knew what was happening, then he could warn the others. Unfortunately the thing I wanted to find out most was kept completely secret from me, because Luke wasn't that careless. I wanted to know who his spies were in the camp, but no amount of snooping made it clear, and he never let any names slip. I was determined to find out, however, and always kept my ears peeled even when I was seemingly listening to music. I was always listening.

Aside from all the spying and listening, I grew deadly afraid for Luke. He didn't sleep much anymore, and if he did he had nightmares and not always because of Kronos. I'd hear him in the night, lashing out on the couch so I'd get up and go to him, hold his hand to try and calm him down. Most of the time I'd then sit with him, letting him rest on his head on my lap so at least he could doze for a bit. He was starting to tell me what Kronos was planned, when he was too tired to be defensive and keep things from me, and when I finally knew the truth, it terrified me. Kronos wanted to imbue his spirit into Luke's body and use him as a vessel, to lead his army to attack Camp Half-Blood to burn it all to the ground. I was so horrified I couldn't speak. "Lils?" Luke's weak murmur drew my focus down to him, realising that I'd stopped stroking his hair so I resumed.

"Let me do it." I said to him bravely though I could hear a tremble in my own voice. "I'll be the vessel. Don't throw yourself away like this, Luke."

"I have to. It's his command." Heat gathered at my eyes as I started to cry silently, too frightened and angry to be able to do anything else. My chest felt like it was being wrenched open and clawed apart as I struggled to breathe for a while, knowing exactly what this would mean for Luke. One way or another, he would die. "It's alright. I made my choice and this is the consequence. If I don't do this, he'll hurt you."

"Then let him! I don't care. Let him torture me to death, I'd rather that then let you give yourself over to him. What else has he ordered you to do? Surely he wouldn't want to enter the body of a half-blood, what if you somehow get killed, what happens to him then?" Turning himself onto his back, I felt Luke gazing up at me as he started to brush away my tears one by one, dabbing at them with the corner of his sleeve.

"He's ordered me to go the River Styx and bathe there so that my body becomes invulnerable. That way, I can't be killed." Dread hit me like a truck and I grasped at Luke in desperation.

"You can't, that's…that's…" I didn't even know what to say, feeling hopeless and unable to do anything to make things better for Luke. I started to tug and twist at my bracelet. "I'm sorry. You told me that Kronos would do this because the other plan failed…he lost his General to lead his armies, so now he's going to lead them himself and he's going to use your body to do it. This is my fault, all my fault!"

"No, no it's not Lily. It's mine. I should have known better than to throw my lot in with him, but now it's too late to turn back. At least this way, my soul will shatter and I won't be subjected to eternal torment in the Fields of Punishment. At least I'll escape that." Oddly this did not improve my mood. Neither of us slept that night and it showed on our faces the next morning, both of us haggard with dark circles under our eyes. I didn't know what to do, and with a painful pang I realised there was nothing I could do. Both of us were powerless to stop this, agonising as it was to admit it. Snowstorm had heard a little of what we'd said and comforted me when I'd cried into her quietly, hidden by her wing until I couldn't cry anymore. In those moments I kind of wished that someone would swoop in and save us all. I'd even settle for dad if it meant this would just all be over. Sometimes I would think about him, even without meaning to, curled up somewhere in darkness just thinking. I ran over my entire life as I began to contemplate if it had been worth living, and I knew that it had been. Sure dad had abandoned us, but he chose us the greatest mom in the entire world who gave us the best childhood anyone could ask for.

Maybe that's why he never came back, because he knew mom could handle it. This then got me thinking about other things. Even though I was blinded and cursed by Zeus, I wondered why the water of the ocean had tried to snatch at me. Although dad had hesitated, he had reacted at some point, and afterward he must have felt guilty because he gave me my bracelet that would protect me from monsters, covering my scent so that I wasn't so noticeable. He'd helped out Percy, too, I'll give him credit for that, and although it had been Hermes who had given me Amaryllis, I had a feeling it had been dad who had crafted it especially for me. It was superior craftsmanship, so I could only imagine the best had worked on it. Probably the Cyclopes blacksmiths in the forges under the sea. Then there was that memory. The sight of a warm smile, almost shining, and a feeling of joy and love as strong arms held me close. I could almost imagine the tickle of someone's beard, and wondered if perhaps that had been dad, if he had come to see Percy and me when we were still young. Anyway, I thought long and hard, and as I remembered all the good things about my life and how happy I'd been with my family, how much I had loved the camp, all the friends I'd made since and how strong I had felt at times when I should have been quaking in fear, I felt my resentment slowly dissipate. It didn't entirely vanish, but it was no longer as potent, and I felt better for it.

Hearing someone come in, I looked up from where I was sat and quickly rose from the floor, growing defensive until I realised it was just Luke. "We need to go somewhere." He told me shortly, making me frown at him and ask where. "Land. We're heading back to land. Or at least, I need to go and I'm not leaving you alone here, especially with Kelli. She hates you and will probably eat you the moment I leave." With a grimace I knew he was right, but this still didn't answer my question. Sighing at my persistence as Luke moved about the room moving things, I listened as he then came over to me. "We…have to go see my mom. I need her blessing before I can go to the River Styx." I balked, because I never really heard Luke talk about his mom before. If it ever cropped up, his voice was always cold and bitter. "We'll be flying. You can take Snowstorm, as long as she promises not to fly off with you, otherwise you'll both be hunted down."

"She won't, I promise." Turning my head, I heard Snow already rising to her feet, saying that it was about time because her hocks were starting to fall asleep and her wings could use a good stretch. "What about you? Your last pegasus didn't like you at all. How are you going to fly?"

"There are plenty of others to fly." This didn't exactly make me feel easy, and even Snowstorm whickered uncomfortably. Gods, I hope Luke hasn't been feeding pegasi to the drakon. Thankfully though my fears were unwarranted, as the pegasi were for the half-bloods so that they could use them in upcoming battles. Luke had a new mount, though it perked up when it realised I was near and whickered to me, his voice jumping into my head.

'It's true! The daughter of Poseidon really is here! Wow, Guppy is not going to believe this when I tell her!' I giggled at the rather giddy tone of the pegasus, then laughed more when Snowstorm nipped at his tail and scolded him for speaking to me so informally, telling the younger pegasus to have some respect. Luke asked me why I was laughing so I told him the pegasi were arguing, but revealed nothing more. It was glorious to fly through the air, even in the throw of a storm. I felt so liberated that I stretched out my arms and allowed the wind to blow through me, laughing and beaming as Snow started to loop and weave, doing some aerial tricks for my entertainment until I was dizzy. As she had promised she didn't kidnap me anywhere, following after Luke and his pegasus who I learned was called Cosmo. It didn't take long for us to reach land, and then it was just a matter of going back to Luke's home in Westport. To be honest I was surprised we made it there in one piece, since the sky was Zeus's domain and not only was Luke an enemy of Olympus, but I was the daughter of the sea god. Maybe we were being hidden and protected by something so Zeus couldn't see us. I wasn't eager to find out or tempt the Fates.

Snowstorm let me know when we were starting to descend, describing to me a shabby looking house which seemed to be the one Cosmo was aiming for, so I prepared for the landing and when Snow's feet touched down, I shifted in my seat to roll with the impact as she cantered forwards before coming to a halt beside Cosmo and Luke. "We're here?" Luke said nothing and I could practically feel the tension that rattled around him through the air. He did not want to be back here at all.

"Wait outside. I'll be out soon." Knowing better than to argue I dismounted from Snowstorm and moved around to the front of their faces as Luke stalked off. I listened to him move up the path but he must have stopped and waited outside the front door for a long time, because it was a while before the door finally opened before slamming shut behind him. I stroked the pegasi, Cosmo nuzzling my hand and laughing like it was Christmas whilst Snowstorm snapped at him to act professional in front of me. I stayed quiet and contemplative, waiting for Luke to come back however when I heard a scream rip through the air, I whirled around and stiffened, freezing for only a brief moment before charging after Luke, Snowstorm yelling to me to tell me where the path was and how to reach the door as well as how many steps there were on the porch. It hardly mattered, I jumped them all and drew Amaryllis which Luke had returned to me again and held the sword aloft as I burst through the door.

"Luke!" I cried out for him as the woman continued to scream, but I sensed no monsters, only Luke pleading with his mom to calm down. I came upon a kitchen which had a stale, mouldy smell and almost tripped over the ragged carpet, tumbling through the door into the kitchen where Luke turned on me.

"I told you to wait outside!"

"Someone's screaming bloody murder and you expect me to stay put? Grow up Luke!" I yelled back as I remained on edge, nervously glancing around. "Who…who is that? Is that…your mom?" He didn't answer me but turned to his mom who seemed to be shaking a chair and trying to rip it apart. It was awful, like pure madness and chaos breaking apart her vocal cords as I warily sheathed my sword and stood there helplessly until all at once she stopped. I felt insanity suddenly look upon me, and it was terrifying.

"You!" The woman suddenly cried out and I knew she was pointing at me, even as Luke tried to grab her and keep her from me. "It's you! You! You are the one!" She howled and I stepped back instinctively as I felt her swipe at me from across the table, Luke still holding her back. "You're the one! You're the one!" I'm the one 'what'? Did Luke have to grow up with this? Alone? He'd talked to me a little about it, but hearing it for myself I could only imagine what a small boy would feel to hear his mother going crazy and screaming in fits whilst trying to shake you to death. I was practically an adult and I was terrified of her. Luke was begging for her to stop but she kept on howling, long nails clawing against the table and scraping them raw as I shuddered, thinking that I should leave because clearly my presence was upsetting her. "You are doomed, girl, doomed! You will be his ruin, stay away from him!" A clawed hand swung again however I reacted on instinct and caught her wrist, where Luke's mom suddenly froze as I felt her stare continue to press against me.

"Whose ruin? Who are you talking about? Do you mean Luke?" I asked but it was like a switch suddenly flipped in her head. Luke's mom went soft and lax, speaking in a dreamlike haze as if she were the nicest woman in the world.

"Hello dear, I'm May, Luke's mom. How nice of you to visit, are you Luke's girlfriend? Would you like a cookie?" So stunned by this sudden transformation my grip slackened on May's wrist so she pulled it away and stuffed what felt like a burnt cookie into it. Only later did I realise that she'd asked me if I was Luke's girlfriend. She hummed to herself, shuffling around and moving things that sounded like baking trays. I'd listened to my mom bake and cook long enough to be able to tell the sounds apart, however Luke grasped hold of his mom in order to make her listen to him.

"Mom, I need your blessing so that I can go to the River Styx and bathe in it. It's something I need to do. You understand? Will you give me your blessing?" He asked her desperately, though I was unsure if it was out of desperation to leave or urgency to fulfil Kronos's wish. May seemed to be drawing a blank.

"Bathe in a river? Why would you want to do that, sweetheart?" Hearing him grow frustrated, Luke asked again for her blessing. This time May seemed to understand as she stopped humming and answered him sweetly. "Of course, Luke. Of course you have my blessing. Have fun with your swimming, alright? Make sure to be careful." I listened to his sigh, releasing his mother so that she could return to whatever she was making. I hoped it wasn't more cookies. Realising that I was still holding the one she'd given me, I didn't have the heart to put it back so I slipped it into my pocket as Luke came breezing towards me in a rush to get out, spinning me around and pushing me by my shoulders.

"You're not going to say goodbye?"

"What's the point?" I felt it was cruel, but I don't think May was even fully aware that we were really here. She was talking away now as if someone else was with her and I caught the name Hermes even as Luke ushered me out the door and back into the open. I felt so sad for May, her insanity being the source of a great deal of Luke's anger towards the gods. "I didn't want you to see that."

"I can't see." I pointed out lamely but Luke didn't laugh and I winced, because it was a poor joke. "Sorry, I know what you meant. I'm sorry, Luke. I didn't know…well I just didn't expect it to be like that." Beside me he was tense so I sought out his hand in order to take it, brushing my fingers against his before coaxing him to loosen his grip so that I could stand with him for a moment. "We could still do it, you know." I whispered to him, lowering my voice so that only he could hear me. "Run away I mean. Right now. We can take the pegasi and escape. Snowstorm would take me anywhere, and Cosmo would understand. He'd drop us off somewhere then Snow will take us the rest of the way. We'll hide somewhere they won't think to look, the Sea of Monsters maybe? There should be at least one island not populated by sorceresses, Sirens, Cyclopes or carnivorous sheep." Gripping his hand tightly now, I gave a little tug to pull him around to face me. "I'd even beg my dad to hide us under the ocean somewhere. I don't care what I'd have to do, I'd find a way to protect us both. Protect you." Hearing me sound so determined, I sensed a saddened smile as Luke then leaned into me a little, giving my fingers a squeeze.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying I'll protect you?"

"Hey, lay off. I'm trying to be heroic here and you're stealing my thunder." Giving a wry smile, I felt my stomach and chest grow knotted and heavy but light at the same time, fluttery with warmth as I felt the sudden urge to be nearer to Luke, to throw my arms around him and hold him close. I kept myself under control, though. "I mean it, Luke. We could do it. If anyone in the world could do it, it's us."

"We can't, Lily. You know they'd find us eventually."

"But when? In a week? A month? A year? We might even get a decade before they find us. At least we'd had a chance at freedom, maybe even be happy for once without gods breathing down our necks and monsters hounding us. Maybe we could even chill in the Underworld for a bit, or the Labyrinth. There has to be a way." But Luke just continued to look at me sadly, as if thinking that I was sweet for trying but knowing that it was impossible, and that I was merely clinging to a false hope. I didn't care even if we only lasted a few days out there together. I felt it would be better than handing over our bodies and souls to a Titan that was determined to destroy everything we knew and cast a shadow upon the world. In my eyes, I'd rather have the gods ruling than Kronos, because clearly there was a reason he had been overthrown in the first place and it was not just because he had eaten his kids.

"But could you leave everyone else behind? Your mom and Percy?" A chill shuddered through me as I realised he was right. If we ran away we could never show our faces again. I'd have to abandon my mom and my brother, Tyson and Nico and everyone else. At first the thought was terrifying and I instinctively rejected it, but then I stopped and thought about it, and an even more terrifying feeling arose from the depths of my being.

"I could." I breathed as I gripped onto Luke as tightly as I could. "I'd do it. I'd do anything for you." Clearly having taken him by surprise, I felt his hands jump and he took a step back from me as I remained standing as tall as I could make myself in a façade of courage and confidence. However Luke felt about my declaration, I never found out because Luke kept himself guarded from me, aware that I was good at sensing emotions, and took a long time in order to steady his voice so that when he next spoke, it was level and unrevealing.

"Come on. We should go." At the very least, I knew I'd affected him. Somehow.