hey guys! Ok, I'll finally respond to some reviews! Here we go!

Guest: Ill try to make more of a difference between Annabeth and Zoë. I didn't even really notice it until you pointed out how you didn't like it. So, sorry! I'll try to fix it.

Nixi: Sure, you can use Khione in your story. You don't really have to give me credit, because she's just in Greek mythology and in TLH so I used her. Uh, I think Nixi will be with Leo. I also completely missed that last comment, the one about my chapter. What was that supposed to mean?

Traveller: I'm so sorry you had to deal with the Delta computer crash! That's terrible. It must've been awful for you. I hope you somehow got to your destination though!

Ok! Thanks for all the other reviews too guys! I can't answer every single one. :) Alright, I still own nothing, but please enjoy this chapter! :)

Percy's POV

"Our allies are..."

I held my breath. This is it. They'll know I lied to them. Chaos and Zoë (especially Zoë) won't forgive me.

"... The Olympians."

There was a moment of silence. I looked at my two friends, who stood with varying expressions on their faces.

Chaos's jaw was touching the dusty red ground (something I'd advise against), and his eyes bugged out of their sockets. He stammered, "B-but," every few seconds, adding to the lovely screams of torture echoing through the pit.

Zoë stared at the two primordials, seemingly frozen in shock. Her eyes were flaming, holding hate and anger. Yet behind the inferno, I could see sadness. She must not believe that she's getting back to Artemis, to see the moon.

I glanced at the two primordials. They both held perfect poker faces, just as they did when they pranked me into thinking I had failed my friends. Those sons of bitches...

Another moment passed before Zoë got over her shock. She shook her head then stormed over to the two primordials. Stopping less than a foot from the two, she glared up at them. I expected her to start cussing them out, cursing the ground they walk on, punching them in the teeth, ect. Instead, her next move shocked me to the core.

The mighty huntress Zoë Nightshade got down on her knees and begged.

"Please, can you reconsider?" She pleaded from the ground.

If possible, Chaos's jaw dropped even further. I think it might've made a hole through Tartarus. (But to what? What's on the other side? China? Is there even an other side? Maybe it's just more Tartarus.) Even the two primordials weren't expecting that to happen. Their eyes widened to a level that would've been comical if I didn't mirror their expressions.

Pontus tried to compose himself, but he still looked like he'd been sucker punched. He cleared his throat. "And why would we do that?"

The answer hit me all of a sudden. They were testing Zoë, just like they had tested me! I knew what they were doing, but now I have the reason. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Those sons of bitches.

Zoë sat back on her heels, bit her lip, and pondered the answer to their stupid question. Finally, she spoke.

"You need to do that for my friend, Perseus." The two primordials raised an eyebrow, so she continued. "The Olympians screwed him, and all his loved ones, over. They ruined his reputation, saying his murdered his fiancé and betrayed Olympus. His name will forever be a synonym for traitor, murderer, liar, and worse because of the lies the Olympians spread. He needs you se his allies to get back at those that betrayed him and cast him down, to avenge his fallen mother and stepfather, to make the Olympians the the day they ruined his life."

The two primordials were silent for a moment, staring down at Zoë. Then they looked at each other, making it seem as if they were talking mentally with each other. Finally, they nodded.

"Rise, Zoë Nightshade, and reclaim your place beside your friends. You have passed the test," Pontus declared formally.

Zoë did as they commanded. Chaos stepped forwards. "Did you accept Zoë's pleads?"

Pontus and Aether both grinned, snapping their fingers. Instantly they appeared in the clothes I first saw them in, the leather jacket and the navy pin-striped suit.

Aether laughed. "Man, we totally accept Zoë's 'pleads' because we were never allies with the Olympians in the first place!"

Zoë didn't even feel the shock. She just went straight to anger. "What?!"

Pontus waved his hand, cutting off her violent protests. "Yes, Aether is correct. Our actual ally is someone who I believe you'll side with easily."

Chaos narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And who exactly is that? And will we actually believe in this ally's views? Will we see eye to eye?"

Both Aether and Pontus laughed at that. Several minutes passed before they were calm enough to answer. "I'm willing to bet you will," Pontus answered, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. I wanted to groan. They were about to reveal my alliance, and I had no doubt that they'd do it as suddenly and with as large of a death factor as possible.

"That doesn't tell us who this ally is," Zoë reminded them forcefully. From my spot standing next to her, I could see the rage burning in her eyes at being tricked and degraded.

Aether nodded. "No, it doesn't." He looked dead at me and winked. "Our ally is standing next to you."

The three of us gasped. Chaos and Zoë in surprise, me in irritation and slight terror. However, Zoë was standing between Chaos and I. She made a split second decision and turned towards the one of us that she thought was the secret ally.

Let me give you a hint: It wasn't me.

Chaos frowned at her. "It's not me! I would've told you." Ouch. "Besides, I've been with you the whole time!"

The two of them slowly spun around to stare incredulously at me. "Perseus, is what I'm hearing true?" Zoë asked me.

I didn't answer with words. Instead, i shrugged in embarrassment and tried to awkwardly grin, but i think it turned into more of a grimace.

Chaos gaped at me, mouth open. "But why...?" His gaze returned to the primordials. "Why him?"

Aether grinned, enjoying my pain. "He passed our test." He coughed slightly. "And, uh, there's something else." The grin vanished.

Chaos frowned. "What?"

"In private, please," Pontus clarified. He and Aether led a reluctant Chaos off to the side.

Swallowing hard, I turned to Zoë. Her eyes hadn't left my face. Her face hadn't left it's incredulous look. I didn't think she was going to say anything; I thought she'd keep staring at me and wait for me to crack. Apparently, that wasn't her game plan.

In a soft voice, she whispered, "Why'd you lie to us? Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell me?"

I flinched. "Zoë, I... I can explain."

Sighing, she turned away and let her eyes leave my face for the first time in forever. "Explain what? That you were actually hanging with two of the most people deities while I was searching in vain for you? Do you know how worried I was?"

Flinching again, I attempted to tell my side of the story. My eyes stared at her, silently begging her to look at me and let me see her soul through her onyx eyes. "They made me swear that I'd go alone. That i wouldn't tell anyone before or after I met them. The test they made for me was awful. They pretended to be a demigod boy, bloody and wounded in a fight. He was dying. And then he did. That's when they revealed themselves to me."

I sighed, turning my face away and dropping my gaze to the ground. "I do know how worried you were, because I was worried for you too. They tricked me too, saying I failed the test. Saying they weren't going to be our allies. I thought I had failed you and Chaos."

Zoë was about to say something when the three powerful beings returned. All had grin expressions on their faces. And they were all staring at me with an emotion I couldn't quite determine.

"What?" I asked, worried by their solemn faces. "Is something wrong?"

Chaos took a deep breath, facing me. "Perseus, you need to know something."

"What?" I repeated, anticipation and worry rising.

He seemed to brace himself. "We have realized that you possess... The Black Heart."