Thalia was the first to snap herself out of her stupor. She dragged us to an old dump truck she had spotted at the side of the road and shoved us inside. She began driving west. "The skeletons are still out there," she reminded ud. "And we do have a deadline you know."

Thalia sat up front with Zoe, and Percy and I sat in the bed of the pick up truck.

"So what was your family like? I mean, they must have been pretty bad for you to get a new family," Percy broke the silence.

I turned to him a raised an eyebrow. "I'm gonna ignore the insensitivity of that statement because you don't know any better. And I did not get a new family, as you so kindly suggested I did. The Potters were ever my family. Potter Manor was never my home. The Hunt will always and forever will be my home.

"In the Wizarding World, a Dark wizard by the name Lord Voldemort wanted to kill my twin brother and I. While my parents were out and we were being babysat by my grandparents, Voldemort killed them before turning his wand on us. He tried to kill me and couldn't, and the backlash of the magic killed him and exploded part of the house. A falling piece of rubble gave Erik, my twin, a scar on his forehead, while the curse gave me a lightning shaped scar on my hip from where I had been hit by the surse," I explained.

"After that, Everyone hailed Erik as the boy-who-lived and I was pushed into the corner. If I did something better that Erik, I was beaten. I was never give any gifts, and the servants were the ones to look after me.

"In school, I was sorted into the house of the cunning and ambitious. But my parents looked through the world in rose colored lenses. If you weren't in the house of the brave, you weren't a good person. If you were in the house of the cunning, you were evil. That was my family.

"It didn't help that I could speak to snakes. t's considered a Dark gift, and when I was accused of attacking students, I was disowned. I was put into an abusive house where I was forced to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs. There were chains in the basement and I was starved."

I closed my eyes, lost in the bad memories.

"My third year of schooling was torture. Everyone still thought I was behind the attacks the year before, so many tried to kill me throughout the year. After my final exams, I packed up my stuff and camped out in the woods nearby. I was there until my fourteenth birthday when Zoe found me and brought me to the Hunt."

I turned to face Percy. "There's a reason I would do anything for the Hunt. They gave me a family and a home, and I would never betray them."

I shrugged. "So that's my sucky family and life."

Percy looked down, thinking. "I originally didn't like the Hunt because you guys tore apart Bianca and Nico. Now... now, I guess it isn't so bad." I nodded. "Most girls have nothing left when they join. Cases like Bianca's were pretty rare."

The truck pulled to a stop and Thalia climbed out. The tire blew out when she slammed the door and she cursed.

We had stopped at the edge of a river. I dug out my dust and looked at the information given. "The trail leads upstream," I announced.

"There's a path," Zoe pointed to a goat trail. I raised an eyebrow. "We might want to go further upstream. I don't think we'll make it." Zoe shrugged and nodded.

We came across a canoe rental shop. We took two and Percy left a couple drachmas on the counter. I sat with Thalia in a canoe and Percy joined Zoe.

I watched the nymphs as they pushed the canoes upstream. Thalia trailed her hand along the water, brow furrowed. "Do you ever regret it?" she asked suddenly.

"Regret what?" I asked. She shrugged. "This. Everything."

I nodded slowly, understanding at what she was getting at. "You mean joining the Hunt." She didn't answer but kept her eyes trained on the water.

I shrugged and dug out one of my hunting knives. I studied it in the morning light, tilting it this way and that. "Never," I told her. "Do you regret sacrificing yourself for your friends? The Hunt is where I belong. No ifs, ands, ors, or buts. It's home, it's worth it, and it's freedom. It's not for some people, of course, but most of the time, those who join never want to leave."

Thalia nodded thoughtfully. "I just..." she bit her lip. "I'm just having second thoughts about turning Artemis down when I ran into you guys a few years ago."

I smiled, understanding what was going on. "I see. You want to join and you don't know if you'll wish you hadn't. I totally understand. But, Thalia, I'm not you. You might feel differently. Just think about it, okay? This is a big choice."

Thalia nodded again and we fell into a compatible silence.

The canoes came to a stop and I frowned at the dam in our way. Thalia and I climbed out and the canoes drifted back down stream. "The trail leads that way," I pointed to the dam.

"Hoover Dam," Thalia said. "It's huge."

"Seven hundred feet tall," Percy commented. "Built in the 1930's."

"Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States."

Zoe started at them. "How do you know all that?"

"Annabeth," Percy explained. "She liked architecture. She was nuts about monuments."

"Sprouted facts all the time," Thalia noted. "So annoying. I wish she was here."

Percy nodded sadly. "We should go up there. For her sake. Tell her we've been."

"You are mad," Zoe decided. "But that is where the trail goes. So sightseeing it is."

"There's a snack bar inside," Thalia told us as we walked along the dam.

Percy raised an eyebrow. "You've been before?" She pointed to the angel statues at the entrance. "To visit the guardians."

"Let's go to the dam snackbar," Zoe suggested. "We should eat while we can."

A smile broke out on my lips. "A dam snack bar?" "Yes," she nodded. "Why?" I shrugged. "Nothing. I'd like some dam french fries."

Thalia cracked a smile at that. "And I have to use the dam restroom."

Percy snorted. "I want to buy a dam t-shirt."

Zoe frowned. "I do not understand."

Maybe it was the fact that we were exhausted and emotionally high strung, but we burst out laughing. "I need to get some dam water," I forced out in between my laughs.

"And I," Thalia gasped. "I need to get a dam taco!"

The smile suddenly melted off Percy's face. "Did I hear a cow?" The notation was so absurd, I immediately stopped laughing.

"A dam cow?" Thalia chuckled. "No," he shook his head. "I'm serious."

He then shook his head. "Nevermind, it's nothing. I'll meet you inside."

"Percy," I started uncertainly. "Go," he said waving us away. "Trust me, I'm fine. I just... need to do something."

We gave him unsure glances over our shoulders as we walked inside Hoover dam.

"What's up with Percy?" I asked Thalia. She shrugged. "No idea. What do you guys want?"

"A salad," Zoe said. I shrugged. "I really don't care."

We crossed the room to an empty table and sat down. "What is up with you?" I hissed quietly. "Is it that we lost Bianca? Or that you're going to your first home? Huh? Because I'm worried about you, Zoe. You're my sister and I've never seen you so defeated!"

She studied her hands in front of her. "I-" she cut herself off as Thalia came with our food. I began eating my burrito and observing the snack bars for possible monsters.

The doors burst open and Percy ran in. "Leave," he gasped out. "Leave now!"

"We just got our burritos," Thalia complained. I cursed in Ancient Greek and pointed out the window.

"He is right," Zoe agreed and we stood up. The doors opened again and two skeleton warriors stepped out.

I looked at Zoe. "Melody," she warned me. "Melody, I know that look. What are thy-"

"BURRITO FIGHT!" I shouted and flung my own at the nearest head.

It knocked the skull clear off and the rest of the kids began going crazy. We ducked under flying drinks and chips and made it to the elevators.

I jammed the button as a skeleton leaped for us. It's hand was cut off by the door with a satisfying crunch. "Ew!" Thalia said. "Ew, it's still moving!"

And sure enough, the skeleton's hand groped around and somehow leapt off the floor and attempted to strangle Percy. I grabbed it and stomped on it, trying to crush it to dust. It just seemed to spring back up everytime.

The elevator doors opened and we ran out into the sunlight.

The skeletons surrounded us and I cursed. "Melody," Zoe told me urgently. "Now would be a good time to try any tricks."

I pursed my lips and nodded. I dug around in my back, muttering to myself while Thalia took up her shield and Percy raised his coat.

"Basilisk venom? No way to shoot it... could dip arrowheads in it... but then again, it's burn through the metal... some type of fire? Greek fire? No control... control... control!"

I stood up and drew my wand. I was going to need better control for this.

"When I tell you to," I told my friends. "Get ready to run. I don't know how long I can hold it. I might not make it."

"Do not say that!" Zoe protested fiercely. "You must make it!"

I gave her a sad smile. "Hellfire's not easy to control. It can consume the caster."

Thalia's eyes widened. "Hellfire?! Melody, what-"

"FRYNDEFIRE!" I shouted as I raised my wand in the sky.

A huge column erupted from my wand, catching the skeletons in the blaze. Sweat dripped down my forehead and I dropped to my knees in exhaustion. I forced myself to focus on the fire and fought back. "Go back," I hissed. "Go back!"

I was a daughter of Poseidon. I was strong. Water always wins. I was no about to let a few sparks keep me from my family.

As suddenly as the appeared, the fire was gone. In the skeleton's place were piles of ashes. I slumped over on the ground as the world spun around me. I was vaguely aware that I was steaming.

"Oh my gods," Thalia gasped. Through the haze, I looked up to see the manticore from the school standing above us, surrounding us with mortals and monsters alike.

The last thing I heard before drifting off into unconsciousness was reverent praying.

...

My eyes opened miles above the ground. I blinked to clear my eyes and I squinted at the ground below.

"We are in the Sierras!" I heard Zoe call from next to me. "Haven't we hunted here before?" I muttered sleepily.

Zoe cast me a disbelieving look. "Go back to sleep."

I nodded and my eyes closed without my consent.

...

When I woke up again, we were landing in a city I recognized as San Francisco. The metal angels that carried us (wait, what?) left us by the docks where a man ran away, screaming about metal men from mars.

"Nereus," Percy said. "That's what Apollo told me to do. Visit the old man of the sea.

"Old Nereus, eh?" Zoe made a face.

"You know him?" Thalia asked.

Zoe nodded. "My mother was a sea goddess. Yes, I know him."

I snorted. "Mom's away? Dad's busy? And who do they call to babysit little Zoe? Why the old man of the sea! He's the perfect choice!"

Thalia chuckled and Zoe shook her head in exasperation. "Unfortunately, he is never hard to find," Zoe explained to my brother. "Just follow the smell."

"The smell?" I raised an eyebrow.

Zoe sighed. "Come. I will show thee."

She dragged us over to a Goodwill drop box and outfitted Percy in a ragged flannel shirt, jeans three size too big, bright red sneakers, and a bright, rainbow floppy hat.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but I'm afraid it was a futile attempt. "Yup," I managed. "Really inconspicuous."

Zoe looked proud of herself. "A typical male vagrant," she told us.

Percy frowned. "Great. Why am I wearing this again?"

"I told thee. To blend in," Zoe smiled. She was enjoying herself way too much.

The Lieutenant dragged us back to the waterfront and pointed down the docks. "He will be down there," she explained. "He never goes very far from the water. He likes to sun himself during the day."

"Sneak up and act homeless," I suggested.

"Yes," Zoe agreed. "You will know him. He will smell... different."

"Great," Percy grumbled. "And then what?"

"Grab hum," Zoe said. "And hold on. Do not let him to tell you about the monster."

"We've got your back," Thalia told him. She picked a clump of fuzz off his flannel shirt and made a face. "Um, ew. I don't want your back. But we'll be rooting for you!"

I nodded to him and he started down the docks.

As we watched Percy look for Nereus, i dug through my bag and pulled out a small square of ambrosia. I chewed a small bite and immediately felt better.

Zoe nudged me. "Melody, you are never attempting to control Hellfire again. Ever."

I shrugged. "My magical core's pretty depleted. I won't really be able to do any magic until sunset at the earliest. Even then it'll be stretching things." Zoe nodded and a commotion down at the docks caught our attention.

Percy was wrestling with a man who looked like the dark side of Santa Claus. I gagged. "Zoe, I pity your babysitter," I said and ran down the docks to Percy.

"Oh no! Not the water!" Percy shouted and Nereus rolled into the sea.

The water bubbled us and Precy appeared, riding the dorsal fin of a killer whale. He waved as he dove past. A few minutes later and Percy collapsed on the dock, holding a still struggling Nereus.

"You got him!" Zoe said.

"Great," Nereus moaned. "Witness my humiliation! The normal deal? You'll let me go in exchange for your question."

"Hold on," Percy protested. "We've got more than one question."

Nereus cackled. "One question per catch! That's the deal!"

Percy looked at us and back at the old man, thinking hard.

"Okay, Nereus," Percy sighed. "Tell me about the monster that could end the gods. The one Artemis was hunting."

Nereus cracked a moss filled grin. "Oh that's too easy! He's right here!" With a small pop, Nereus turned into a goldfish ans dove into the sea.

"Wait," Thalia looked where Nereus had said. "What is that?"

"MOOOOOOOOOO."

"Um, Bessie," Percy smiled uncomfortably. "Not now."

I looked down and saw a half cow and a half serpent. I blinked and rubbed my eyes. Yup, still half cow half serpent. I was officially tired enough to hallucinate.

"He said his name is not Bessie," Zoe said. "He said it is the Ophiotaurus."

"Serpent-bull in Greek," Thalia said. "But what is it doing here?"

"Mooooooo."

"He said Percy is his protector," Zoe translated. "And he is running from bad people but they are close."

"Wait," I turned to my brother. "You know this cow? Start talking."

Percy told us about Long Island Sound and fishing nets and Hoover dam. I lowered my head and pinched the bridge of my nose when he was done. "Okay," I sighed. "Okay. We can work with thins. Any ideas?"

"I am such a fool," Zoe said suddenly. "I know this story."

My eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Me too! The prophecy and the war and the sacrifice and the burning entrails!"

Thalia. "Okay, I didn't get half of that. Say it again."

"In the first Titan war," Zoe explained. "A prophecy came to be that whoever sacrificed and burned the entrails of the Ophiotaurus would have the power to destroy Olympus. He was killed, but before the etrails could be burned. thy father, Zeus, sent an eagle to snatch them away."

"But Bessie?" Percy asked, still in denial. "He's too cute!"

I sighed and shook my head. "It's like I said, Percy. It's always the innocents to be the first to go."

Thalia patted Bessie on the head. "The power to overthrow the gods," she muttered. "That kind of power... it's huge."

"Yes, my dear," a voice with a heavy french accent said. "And it it a power you will unleash."

I drew my bow and cursed at the manticore from Westover Hall.

And of course, he had to gloat. "Oh this is pairrr-fect," he said. "Long ago the gods banished me to Persia-"

"And cue the heart breaking backstory that no one wants to hear, the gloating, the belief that he will ascend, yadda, yadda, yadda, and... he tries to kill us," I interrupted.

Thorn growled in annoyance and motioned at the mortals behind him. Zoe and I fired at Thorn and Percy grabbed Thalia, dragging her along.

"Zoe," Percy said. "Tell Bessie to dive down and stay down." "Moooooo," the Hunter translated and we moved out of the way as a mortal fired a gun.

We made it to a kiosk with wind chimes and crystals where Zoe turned to Percy. "Jump into the sea," she told him. "Call on thy father for help. You can escape with the Ophiotaurus."

"No," Percy shook his head. "I'm not leaving you."

"We need to get word to Camp then," I said.

Percy uncapped his sword and slashed at a crystal. A spray of water hit Thalia and I tossed Percy a drachma.

I turned an kept shooting arrows as Percy exchanged hurried words with Dionysus. Suddenly, the smell of grapes filled the air and the mortals went mad as Thorn was choked to death on vines.

I turned to the Iris Message and bowed to the god. "Thank you, Lor Dionysus," I said gratefully. "Oh I like this one," he mused. "She has manners."

He exchanged some words with Percy and slashed through the message.

Percy looked at Zoe. "What did you mean you know where to go?"

My sister wouldn't look out of place in the Underworld. "The garden of my sisters," she said. "I must go home."

"Zoe are you-"

"I am positive," she cut me off. "But we must deal with the Ophiotaurus."

"We need a car," Thalia said. "But the Ophiotaurus," I protested.

Thalia snapped he fingers in realization. "The Ophiotaurus can appear in different bodies of water, right?" Percy nodded. "Well, yeah. So?"

"So? So we can coax him to Long Island Sound and Chiron could get him to Olympus!"

"But he was following em," Percy protested.

"He will need a guide," Zoe looked at me. "But Lady Artemis!" I protested. Zoe shook her head. "This is an order, Sister. You are a daughter of the sea god. You can breathe. Please, Melody, do not fight me on this. Go."

I blinked back tears and hugged her. "Please come back to us," I whispered in her ear. "We need you."

She smiled at me sadly. "Melody, when I first met you, you were already so strong. Now, you have grown stronger. It must be this way. Stay safe." I smiled. "You too."

And with that, I dove into the sea.

...

"Chiron!" I called after I made it out of the water. "Chiron!"

I ran to the Big House after telling Bessie to stay.

I opened the porch door and ran to the living room. "Chiron, we need your help," I said. Chiron looked up from the card game and Mr. D snapped himself another Diet Coke.

The third person who was playing looked up and I gasped.

One shall be lost in the land without rain.

Lost. Not dead.

Bianca di Angelo was alive.

...

Oh my gods, guys, I am so sorry! Midterms caught up to me and I had so much homework and studying and I just didn't have time.

And yeah, Bianca's alive. I always thought her death was really unfair. You get to see why next chapter!

Thank you all who favorited, followed, reviewed, and added this story to their community! I appreciate it all so much!

Review, review, review!

~mirasecret