Quicker update and longer than most, so I guess that sort of makes it a double bonus.

Before you read the chapter (or, it doesn't matter if you read this, I know how boring Author's Notes can be), there are a few things that are similar to the PJO book and many things that are different. The parentage of Eros (in Greek mythology) is pretty much left up to debate. Two speculated fathers are Ares and Hermes. Most people choose to portray him as a son of Ares and Aphrodite, but I addressed him as the offspring of Aphrodite and Hermes. It fit better for the story.

If there are any mistakes that are overbearing or distracting, please feel free to let me know. Hope you all enjoy, and feedback means a lot.

Disclaimer: I'm not Rick Riordan, so I don't own the Percy Jackson series or any of its characters.

A Lovely Messenger

Hermes sulked in front of his fountain, his face displaying great shame as he glanced at the image of his son, Luke. His son was on board the Princess Andromeda, smirking smugly as monsters passed him by. Luke Castellan. What had become of his boy?

Even from a young age, Luke had been haunted. His mother was plagued with visions of the future—of what would eventually happen to her son. Luke didn't understand, and Hermes knew that. But, the boy didn't want to understand, either. The demigod had turned his back on the gods long before he thought Thalia had been sacrificed. He was born to be a traitor. It was his destiny.

But, destiny…it could be fought. Hermes knew that it was risky tampering with the Fates, but it could be done. After all, Odysseus had returned home after being cursed to spend eternity sailing. Luke could fight for good again. He could once again worship them and treat Hermes with respect. It wasn't too late for the boy. The Fates may have picked that life for him, but he would always be in charge of his so-called destiny.

"You stare at your son any longer and you'll burn a hole through that boat," a voice jibed from behind Hermes. The god of travelers turned to see his son Eros standing behind him, smiling. He looked back to the image of Luke, refusing to respond. "Hermes."

Eros sighed, taking a seat next to him. He was in his teenage form—white slacks and a porcelain tank shirt—and Hermes was slightly glad for that. It was awkward talking to a small child in a diaper, after all. The god of love adjusted the quiver on his back as he gazed off at the Princess Andromeda. It was a long while before he decided to speak to Hermes again.

"You want to save him."

It wasn't a question. Eros had already known. The god had a knack for seeing feelings, whether they were of love or not. Wings shimmered on the god's back, before they appeared physically. Eros was getting ready to depart.

"You can't do it yourself, you know," Eros said, standing and patting his father's shoulder. "Mother will be upset with me, I know, but why don't you let me take care of things?"

"Eros," Hermes warned, not bothering to elaborate. Hermes knew exactly how Eros took care of things, and he wasn't for it.

"There will be no meddling of love," Eros claimed, rolling his eyes. "Not everything I do pertains to my domain. I propose a quest."

"A quest?" Hermes screeched. "A quest? By the gods, boy, what do you pray this will accomplish?"

"Much," the god of love chirped, smirking. "Thalia's tree has been poisoned, yes?" Hermes nodded slowly, tensing up at the mention of the girl. "Naturally, as Lord Zeus has announced it is affecting her, the demigods will wish to cure the tree."

"Go on."

"The Golden Fleece."

Hermes, despite his downtrodden mood, felt a small smile flicker across his face. He had always labeled himself a hopeful immortal, as he was prone to being inspired and dreamed as much as any mortal. As soon as the words exited Eros' mouth, Hermes started to believe that the plan might just work.

"You want Thalia and Percy to travel to find the Fleece, and run into Luke?" The god of travelers asked, amusement shining in his eyes.

Eros nodded, flipping his curly blond hair from his face. "Of course! Who else could best convince Luke? We can get the children of the Big Three to try and reason with him."

"Why do you care so much to help me, son?" Hermes asked, growing slightly suspicious. It wasn't every day that a god of love offered help to him, of all immortals.

Eros shrugged. "I represent love. One thing I value most is family. No matter how irritating they get, no matter how many times one of them ruins your day, no matter if they have angered you, they are always there for you. You never turn your back on family."

Hermes nodded slowly, letting the information sink in.

He would never turn his back on Luke. He couldn't. Luke didn't think he was cared for, but he was. Hermes had made wrong decisions in the past, but he didn't plan on making any more. He wanted to save his son, but he knew he couldn't do it directly. He would require the assistance of the two most talked about demigods on Olympus. Thalia Grace and Percy Jackson.

Percy shoveled up a bird corpse with a disgusted scowl, tossing it into one of the many giant wheelbarrows in the field. He and Thalia had spent the entire afternoon collecting dead Stymphalian birds, and they only had a few more left to go. The smell was almost too strong for him, and he found himself thoroughly grossed out. He looked to his right to see that the daughter of Zeus wasn't fending well, either. She looked seconds away from throwing up.

Cleaning up the field wasn't enough of a punishment in Tantalus' eyes. He was forcing the two of them to wash dishes after dinner as well. He claimed the poor birds were frightened by something Thalia had thought, and had proceeded to attack. Percy knew she could talk to birds and other creatures of her father's domain, but he wasn't so sure that they could read her thoughts.

The son of Poseidon chuckled softly, remembering his response to the new activities director. He had told Tantalus to go off and "chase a fucking donut," which had only served to anger the director even further. It had roused a laugh out of Thalia, though, and that had sort of made the risk worth it.

He felt the daughter of Zeus approach him, and quickly flung another bird into the wheelbarrow. She smirked aloofly at the display, although her face betrayed her false indifference. He could tell she didn't like the punishment any more than he did. If it were possible, she hated it even more.

"It's a blow to your pride, isn't it?" she remarked, setting her hands on her hips. "I know it is to mine. There's no sense in us doing this."

When they were finished, they began transporting the wheelbarrows to the kitchen. The only thing on Percy's mind was the fact that Tantalus wanted to cook the corpses they had just spent hours picking up. It was perverse, wicked and wrong and every possible way. What was with that guy? He must've had a really rough childhood.

Wheeling in the last load of dead bird, Percy wiped the sweat from his brow. "So, what do you think he wants these birds for?"

Thalia snorted. "Well, he's either going to train them to cook, and have them make us dinner…or they are dinner."

Percy scrunched his nose. "That's repulsive."

"You know, I'm pretty sure that's the biggest word I've ever heard you use."

"I'm not eating dinner tonight," the son of Poseidon claimed as they headed into the pavilion. Campers were already at their tables, anticipating their meal. Percy didn't think he could stomach the bird meat. He had to pluck their bodies from the ground.

"Me either," Thalia agreed, lightly patting his shoulder to say goodbye. She walked to her table, taking a seat on the empty bench.

Percy found his way to his seat, his eyes still observing her. He shook his head at his actions, turning to look at his other friend, Annabeth. She flashed him a timid smile, brushing a lock of honey golden hair behind her ear. He sent her a half-hearted smile in return, no fully understanding why he couldn't display a genuine grin.

Tantalus clanged two glasses together, instantly grabbing every camper's attention. He smiled like a reptilian, his dark eyes scanning the sea of timid faces. "To celebrate the victory of Clarisse La Rue at the first chariot race, we will be serving a three course meal. Anyone up for bird?"

The Ares cabin cheered loudly, and Percy couldn't help but envision them all as hungry cavemen. Clarisse rose from the table, bowed, and quickly sat back down with red-tinted cheeks. Most of the cabins clapped appropriately, Percy included, but the daughter of Zeus didn't bother looking up from her table.

Annabeth, wearing a scowl, clapped slowly. Connor and Travis weren't paying any mind to what was going on around them, Castor and Pollux were trading whispers, and some daughters of Aphrodite were staring blankly over at Clarisse. The son of Poseidon didn't get why others were acting that way. He was angry at Tantalus, but he was still respectful enough to applaud Clarisse.

Annabeth was probably sore from losing and bitter about the race. Connor, Travis, and the sons of Dionysus genuinely didn't care, and the daughters of the love goddess were most likely planning something mischievous. Percy didn't bother wondering what the girls were plotting—they were always trying to hook campers up or break them apart.

"Raise your glasses, campers, and be merry this evening!" Tantalus urged, charging for a fried wing, only to have it leap away from him. He grumbled to himself as the campers were handed their full plates. "Dig in."

Thalia winced as she shoved her gloved hand into the lava, scrubbing at a dirty platter. Tantalus had sentenced them to kitchen duty again, something she had seen coming. Tyson had gleefully volunteered to help them, and even Annabeth jumped at the opportunity. The daughter of Athena was standing beside Thalia, passing her dishes. Percy and Tyson were separating the dishes into designated bins.

"Something has been bothering me," Annabeth said randomly, dropping a glass into the sink.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Thalia mumbled, beginning to wash it.

"You said you encountered Lamia," the blonde demigoddess said, sighing. "Do you know her story?" Thalia shook her head. "Lamia was a mistress of your father."

Thalia snorted. "That's not unusual."

"Hera, of course, was jealous. So, like any other reasonable goddess would do, she killed Lamia's children and turned her into a vampire-like monster. In old tales, she fed off of children. Hera cursed her with the inability to close her eyes, so she would always obsess over the sight of her dying kids."

The daughter of Zeus visibly cringed. "Hera's a crazy one. That does explain something about Lamia, though."

"What?" Annabeth asked, furrowing her blonde brows.

"She tried to bite my neck, but her hand started burning once she touched the mark," Thalia explained, gesturing to the glove-covered tattoo. "Lamia started screeching about Hera, and how I was a servant to her or something."

"Monsters are devious, but I have a feeling she wasn't saying that to get to you," Annabeth said, shaking her head. "Hera has made you something to her. She may not have made you a servant, but she most likely connected you two in a way. Her enemies can't kill you. Sounds a bit suspicious to me."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would she want to keep me from being killed?"

"Protecting her wasn't her intention," the blonde answered easily. "That was just a benefit of whatever she did. I'm not sure what that mark does, but I know for sure that it's not meant to protect you."

Thalia frowned, scrubbing country-fried Stymphalian bird from a plate. Nothing was making sense to her, and it was bothering her. She wasn't a daughter of Athena, but she liked to know what was going on around her. If something involved her, she wanted to be informed about it. Thalia was tired of all the mystery. She wanted to know what Hera desired of her.

The daughter of Zeus handed Percy the clean plate. He took it with a boyish smile before he dried it with a towel and surrendered it to Tyson.

"What do you make of that dream Percy had?" Annabeth asked suddenly, passing the daughter of Zeus a dirty plate.

She dunked it in the lava before lifting it out and scrubbing. "What dream? The one with Grover?" The daughter of Athena nodded. "I'm thinking that it is somewhat of a concern. Percy would know if it wasn't a prophetic dream."

'You're right." Annabeth passed her another dish. She leaned behind Thalia and whistled loudly. "Hey, Seaweed Brain, switch with me. You aren't getting those dry enough!"

"What?" the daughter of Zeus asked, only to receive no reply.

Percy stood to her left, and they watched as Annabeth began drying the clean dishes. "What's up with her?" the son of Poseidon asked, his eyebrows drawn together.

Thalia shrugged. "No idea. We were just talking about Grover."

"My dream?" he asked. She nodded. "I'm worried about him. He's out there, Thalia. I know he is. I had another dream about him last night."

The daughter of Zeus looked to him in surprise, accepting the dirty goblet he was holding. She dunked it beneath the lava, before tapping Annabeth on the shoulder. When the blonde glanced at her, she said, "Percy had another dream about Grover."

"What happened?" Annabeth inquired, intently drying a bowl.

"Grover was actually talking to me. He said a Cyclops," Percy lowered his voice, not wanting to grab Tyson's attention, "had captured him. Grover formed an empathy link with me, to let me know what was going on. He said something was on the island—something powerful and natural—and it attracted satyrs looking for Pan."

"Empathy link?" Annabeth asked. "That's extremely dangerous! Does he realize—"

"You're missing the point, Annabeth," Thalia interrupted. "Let him finish."

The blonde glared, but stopped lecturing. Percy released a breath of air. "The Cyclops trapped him, but Grover fooled him into thinking that he was a female Cyclops. They're getting married."

Annabeth scoffed. "Please tell me that's not the point."

Thalia shook her head. "Percy, back track a little bit. What was that thing about attracting satyrs?"

He sighed. "He didn't say much. Whatever it was, it's smells as powerful as Pan does. That's the trap. Satyrs go to the island thinking they will find him. Instead, they find some Poly-guy. Grover said something about the Sea of Monsters."

"Polyphemus," Annabeth said in realization. "The Sea of Monsters…oh gods."

"Odysseus," the daughter of Zeus noted, not meaning to say it aloud. "He jammed his eye with a giant wooden thing, right?"

"If we're talking Homer, yes," the daughter of Athena said. "Anyway, if that's true…if Grover has found it, there might be hope for the camp."

"Found what?" Percy asked, cringing in disgust at the sight of leftovers. He scraped them off into the trash before passing the plate on.

Annabeth groaned, rolling her gray eyes. "I'll give you a hint. What do you get when you skin a ram?"

"A subscription to Reader's Digest?"

"A mess?"

Thalia and Percy glanced at each other before bursting into laughter. Annabeth exhaled loudly in annoyance, stomping her foot.

"I think yours was closer," the daughter of Zeus joked.

"I'd hope so," Percy said, chuckling.

"You get a fleece. And, if that ram just happens to be golden…?" Annabeth hinted, raising her eyebrows.

"The Golden Fleece," Percy remarked. "Are you serious?"

"Remember the Gray Sisters? They said they knew the location of the thing you seek. They brought up Jason, who they told how to find the fleece nearly three-thousand years ago. You do know the story of Jason and the Argonauts, don't you?"

Jason. Thalia grimaced, scrubbing a plate so hard it caused the lava to squeak. "Yeah," she said. "Everyone knows his story. I was read Medea once."

Percy nodded. "The movie with the clay skeletons."

"Percy, you're hopeless. Thalia, don't be so hard on the plate," Annabeth instructed. "There were these two children of Zeus, Cadmus and Europa. They were going to be sacrificed, but then they prayed for Zeus to spare them. He sent them Chrysomallus, the flying golden ram. It carried them all the way to Colchis in Asia Minor. Well, it carried Cadmus, anyway. Europa fell off during the journey, but that's not really important."

Percy nudged Thalia playfully. "It was probably important to her," he murmured, but Annabeth heard him and glared.

"The point is," the daughter of Athena growled. "Cadmus sacrificed the ram to the gods when he arrived in Colchis, and hung the fleece in a tree in the middle of the kingdom. It brought prosperity to the land. The animals no longer grew ill, and the plants were greener and healthier. The kingdom was safe from plagues. That's why Jason wanted it. It could cure lands, strengthen nature—"

"Heal Thalia," Percy interrupted, meeting the eyes of the daughter of Zeus. "Heal your tree."

Annabeth nodded. "It would strengthen our borders. But, it's been missing for centuries. Tons of heroes have searched for it, to no avail."

"Grover found it," Thalia stated. "We could kill two birds with one stone."

Percy pretended to gag. "Let's try and avoid talking about killing birds. I've had enough of that to last me a millennia."

"It's too coincidental. What if it's some kind of trap?" the daughter of Athena proposed.

Percy smirked. "No way!"

Thalia hesitated. "I think Annabeth is right, Percy. It's too perfect. Almost like it was planned."

Percy frowned. "What other choice do we have? Are you two going to help me or not?"

Annabeth scowled. "Percy, it's dangerous. We'll have to fight Polyphemus. There are some things even two children of the Big Three can't do. We'll have to go into the Sea of Monsters."

"Where is that, anyway?" Thalia asked. Annabeth shot her a look, making the daughter of Zeus feel incredibly foolish. "What? I know what it is. I just don't know where it is."

"The Mediterranean?" Percy guessed.

"No...well, kind of. But, no," Annabeth replied, succeeding in confusing her two friends. Thalia was pretty sure the blonde had started speaking another language, and not one they could understand. "Like everything else in our world, it shifts with Western Civilization. It used to be the Mediterranean."

"And now it's…?"

Thalia cleared her throat. "Funky things go on, wherever it is. The Mist probably masks the monsters and whatnot. The Devil's Triangle?"

Annabeth nodded. "Bermuda Triangle. Roughly it goes from Miami, to Bermuda, to Puerto Rico and back again."

"Okay…so we know where to look," Percy said, nodding to himself. "That gives us a pretty good idea."

The blonde shook her head. "Percy, the area is huge. Finding a tiny island amidst the Sea of Monsters…it's like finding a kernel of corn in a hill of Legos. We have no idea where to start looking."

30, 31, 75, 12. That was in the Bermuda Triangle.

"Speak for yourself," Thalia grumbled, washing the last dish of the night. "Don't you remember what the Gray Sisters said? They're coordinates to the island. They have to be."

"30, 31, 75, 12," Percy recalled. "Gods. You're right."

"30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 75 degrees, 12 minutes west," Annabeth informed, her eyes lighting up. "Thalia, how did you figure that out?"

"Don't sound so surprised," the daughter of Zeus scoffed. "As for how, though, I can't honestly say I know. It just kind of popped into my head. Hey, can you pass me that spray bottle?"

Percy handed her the bottle, although he looked slightly bewildered. "We need to get a quest," he said.

"We'll have to get through Tantalus first," the daughter of Athena warned. "We need to get his permission. I highly doubt we'll receive it, though."

"What if we call him out in front of everyone at the campfire tonight?" the son of Poseidon said. "He'll feel pressured. He will have to agree."

"Maybe," Annabeth said, trying to hide her hopefulness. Thalia smiled. "Let's get this last plate done."

By the time the four of them got to the campfire, the Apollo cabin had already begun leading the sing-along. They struggled in vain to lift the spirits of the camp, singing traditional Greek hymns and spoofs of common camp songs.

Thalia sang half-heartedly, her words mere mumbles. "The fulfiller who whispers words of wisdom to Themis…"

"The mistress served by unseen guests, nurses handsome heroes to rest," some kid from the Apollo group sang loudly.

Thalia realized that she had been singing something completely different. Blushing, she turned her gaze to her combat boots. When she glanced up again, she noticed Percy was staring at her strangely.

"What?" she muttered, suddenly defensive. "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Don't worry, I don't sing the songs they do, either," he whispered to her, sending her an amused grin. She punched his shoulder hard, drawing a wince from him. "Geez! Don't abuse! I didn't hear the words, if that comforts you at all."

"Whatever," the scoffed, playing off her embarrassment.

The flames danced slowly, turning a dreary gray. The fire was so pitifully warm that it was almost cool, and it only rose to three feet. Dionysus grumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, and stood from his stone seat. He shot Tantalus a disgruntled look before marching to the Big House.

After the last song—Down by the Aegean—was over, Tantalus sighed in feigned joy. "Well, that was simply lovely!" The activities director smiled coldly at the campers. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule."

"Sir," Percy cut in, earning him a threatening eye twitch from Tantalus.

"Our kitchen boy has something to say?" he taunted, causing some children of Ares to snicker.

Thalia clenched her fists, but tried to distract herself from getting too angry. She didn't like when people picked on her friends, and she would be damned if she was about to sit back and let it happen. The daughter of Zeus stood, watching as Percy and Annabeth did the same. Thalia glanced around at the timid faces.

Many of the demigods feared her—namely, the children of the more domestic gods. Their parents didn't represent outstanding power or military prowess, making the half-bloods struggle to obtain higher respect. The demigods always fixed her and Percy with the same look of vigilance, as if they feared one of them would one day wake up and feel like destroying the entire camp.

She knew none of them would dare stand up and protest her. She hadn't necessarily earned their respect, she just had it. Parentage was paramount in their society, and it decided everything at camp. It wasn't necessarily fair, but it was easy. Everything about a demigod was traced back to their godly parent. For instance, if a camper disrespected her, it was a sign of disrespect to Zeus. It was like that for every demigod, but some gods were considered weaker than others. It wasn't right, but it was the way things ran in the mythological world.

Campers were separated according to their parentage, rather than skill. Dionysus and Chiron claimed that the chores were straight and even across the board, but they really weren't. Children of the Big Three—namely, Percy and herself—were given tougher jobs that often required more strength and endurance. If there was a nest of monsters near camp that needed to be cleared out, the two of them were sent out. If they weren't there, Clarisse and two of her brothers would take the job.

Children of Demeter were supposed to brighten the land, and the Apollo cabin provided entertainment during campfires and other events. The cabin of Aphrodite allied with the children of Athena (which was certainly rare) to organize ceremonies and the like. The sons and daughters of Hephaestus supplied generic training weaponry and devices. The only thing cabins shared with one another was the obligation to keep their spaces clean.

"We know how to save the camp," Thalia said, getting straight to the point before Annabeth could beat around the bush. The fire burned a bright yellow, and the flames rose a few feet. "We discovered where the Golden Fleece is."

Orange flames flittered ten feet high. Tantalus started to interrupt, but Percy already started to tell everyone about his dreams of Grover and the Cyclops Polyphemus. Annabeth retold the story of the Golden Fleece, informing the campers of its abilities.

"Golden Fleece," murmured Beckendorf. He nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that could heal the camp. That could save Thalia's tree."

Connor winked at the daughter of Zeus. "I was starting to worry about my girl."

Thalia didn't bother to argue, knowing that he was only joshing. Percy tensed beside her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's nonsense," Tantalus scoffed, shaking his head. "We don't need saving." All eyes turned to him, and he began to fidget uncomfortably. "Besides, the Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location—"

Thalia smirked, unable to fight back her inherited arrogance. "We know exactly where it is."

"Oh, is that so? Where, pray tell?"

"30, 31, 75, 12," Percy snickered at the director's look of confusion. "They're coordinates, off the coast of Florida." He looked to Thalia. "I guess you and I both have a knack for latitude and longitude, huh?"

"So, you two are like living, breathing Garmin—"

"Travis, shut up," Connor said, shoving his brother with his shoulder.

"We need a quest, Tantalus," Thalia said, raising a dark brow.

"A quest," Annabeth murmured. "We need to get the Golden Fleece."

"Now, hold on just a damn minute…" Tantalus began, but was soon interrupted by the chanting of the campers.

"We need a quest! We need a quest!" they chorused. The flames rose even higher, reflecting the hopes and urgency of the camp.

"It isn't necessary!" Tantalus argued, looking lost.

"We need a quest!" they cried again, their voices even louder than before. "We need a quest!"

"Fine!" Tantalus growled. "You brats want me to assign some stupid quest?"

"Uh, yeah," Connor remarked, rolling his eyes. "Wasn't the screaming clear enough?"

"Here's your sign…" Malcolm muttered from beside Annabeth, causing many of his siblings to laugh aloud.

"Very well. I shall authorize a champion—one who has taken great measures in order to defend and bring honor to this camp—to go questing for the Golden Fleece." He glared at the three scheming demigods. "The champion will be permitted to take two companions, and consult the Oracle. I think the choice is fairly obvious."

Thalia saw the devious glint in his otherwise trepid eyes, and immediately came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to choose her or her friends.

"Clarisse, you shall lead this quest."

The children of Ares roared loudly in excitement, slapping their sister on the back to congratulate her. Clarisse stood up, looking incredibly stunned. The fire displayed several different colors as confusion and disappointment fled through the crowd. Clarisse physically swelled with pride, placing her hands on her hips.

"I accept the quest!" she declared, puffing out her chest even further. Her siblings cheered and egged her on, stomping their boots against the ground and annoying the hell out of everyone.

"The dream came to me!" Percy argued, his face growing red in frustration. "I should be the one to go on this quest!"

"Sit down!" Sherman yelled. "You had your chance last summer!"

"He just wants another chance to shine," snickered his brother Mark.

Thalia frankly couldn't stand the two. If they weren't harassing vulnerable campers, they were rattling on stupidly.

Clarisse glared at Percy. "I accept the quest," she repeated, gritting the words through her teeth. "I, the daughter of Ares, will save this camp."

The buffoons started up again, cheering and clapping louder than Thalia was able to think. Annabeth began to protest, which of course led her cabin to back her up. The daughter of Zeus held her head in annoyance whenever all of the campers began to ally and take opposing positions. Why couldn't their discussions at camp ever be civil and conclusive?

"Silence, you brats!" Tantalus cried. "Sit down, and I'll be kind enough to tell you a ghost story."

Thalia shook her head in aggravation, storming away from the campfire. Fuck him. He must have had a marshmallow shoved up his ass, if he thought she was going to stick around and hear him prattle. She walked into her cabin, slamming the impressive doors shut behind her. She scanned her cabin for something to throw.

She didn't bother to process what was going on as she tore a wing from a bird statue and flung it across the room. She knew how heated and flushed her cheeks were before she bothered checking in her bathroom mirror. Why couldn't anything go smoothly for once? She had so many things going wrong in her life. There was too much stress, even for her to be able to handle. It was a tough pill for her to swallow, but she was having great trouble dealing with it all on her own.

Thalia sat down angrily on the small bed in her little alcove, setting her face in her palms. Before she could ponder any longer, the doors to her cabin flew open. Instantly, she was on her feet with her fists raised. Percy marched over to her, before beginning to pace the small length in front of her. She didn't ask him what was wrong, because she suspected he was seconds from revealing it to her.

"Annabeth is going with Clarisse!"

"What?" Thalia questioned, almost numbly. There was no way the daughter of Athena would go on a quest with Clarisse. That was turning her back on them, in a way.

"Clarisse chose her, because Annabeth is knowledgeable about the Sea of Monsters. Annabeth tried to say no, but Tantalus said that it wasn't her decision. She and Silena Beaugard are being forced to go!"

"We can't go without Annabeth!"

"We couldn't go anyway," Percy snapped. "What? You think we'll be able to just up and leave, and be just dandy on our own?"

"Well, yes," a voice called, "that's the idea, son of Poseidon."

The two of them turned to see a teenage boy dressed in white, doting wings and a quiver full of pink arrows. The daughter of Zeus kept herself from grimacing at the sight of the god. He was certainly a sight for sour eyes, but she knew who he was.

"Eros, I presume?" she said, scratching the back of her head.

He smirked, but nodded. "Children of the Big Three are so disappointing. I expected Lord Eros."

"Lord Eros, I presume?" Percy corrected, sending her a wry grin.

The god laughed. "Yes, yes," he said. "Now, on to business. You wish to travel to the Sea of Monsters, yes?" The demigods nodded timidly. "Yo! I got just the things. Are you ready for this?"

Thalia shrugged. "Uh, I guess."

He reached into his quiver but before he could pull anything from it, his cell phone rang. He hurriedly dug it from his pocket, excusing himself. "It's mother," he whispered to them, answering the call.

Percy barely managed to hide his scoff, nudging Thalia with his elbow. Eros got a call from his mother? How awkward.

"Yes, mother, Psyche and I are still going strong…no, no, the snakes you sent did nothing to harm either of us…I'm sorry for not asking for your blessing. Well, no, I do not believe it was right of you to punish her exactly…yes, yes, mother knows all. Fine…if we hold a banquet in your honor? Mother! Bah, curses! I will get back to you…love you, too…yes, I have clean underwear. Bye."

Thalia clutched her abdomen, doubling over in her laughter. Her chest was in extreme pain, but she couldn't stop. Percy turned red, unsuccessful in trying to muffle his chuckles.

Eros shrugged carelessly, unaffected by their laughter. "Moms, right? What can you do? Eh, now where were we?"

Thalia willed her laughter dead, catching her breath. "Clean underwear?"

He glared, but it looked more playful than anything. "Gifts," he said, recalling it on his own. "I bring you gifts to assist you in your quest. Most of them our courtesy of my father?"

Percy scowled. "Ares? No thank you."

Eros chuckled, shaking his head. "No, not Ares. Hermes."

Ares? Where had Percy heard that from? Her father had taught her that the parents of Eros were Aphrodite and Hermes. Maybe there were rumors? It wouldn't surprise her.

"If one of you says whore, I will end you," Eros threatened, his voice and gaze suddenly dark. "My mother is not and never will be a whore. She falls in love and indulges in it. She does not go around sleeping for money, nor does she toss her body in every man's bed. Do I make myself clear?"

Yeah-huh, momma's boy. "Loud and clear."

"Crystal."

Eros released a breath of air, as if he had just removed a great burden from his chest. "Okay, next line of business. Gifts!"

He dug around in his quiver until he pulled out a slender, steel canister. It was decorated with crimson and gold ancient scenes—Hercules slaying the Nemean Lion and lifting the three-headed dog Cerberus.

"That's Hercules," Percy said. "But—"

"Don't ever look a gift horse in the mouth," Eros cut him off, laughing at his own pun. "Get it, horse? Because you're the son of Poseidon?" When the demigods only stared blankly at him, he sighed. "Anyway, this is a collector's item from Hercules Busts Heads, the first season. Hermes was obsessed with it. Compliments of him, of course."

"Why didn't Hermes bring it here?" Thalia asked. "Why send you as his message boy?"

"He's busy," Eros supplied, but it was obviously a fib. "Gods are always busy. Constantly doing things. Immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. We work extra-overtime and don't get pay for it, either. Next gift."

He tossed Percy the thermos, and he easily caught it. He observed the lid, his eyes widening. "It works as a compass!"

Eros raised a brow. "Clever. I didn't realize that. The intended purpose is a lot more complicated, though. You ever hear of the gift of Aeolus?"

Thalia nodded. "Strong winds from all four corners of the world. It's supposed to propel the owner across the sea."

Eros frowned. "Okay, so maybe it's not so complicated."

"Sorry."

"Yeah, yeah," he brushed off. "Whenever you use it, only uncap a tad. If you don't, you could release all four winds at once, and that…you don't want that." He reached into his quiver and pulled out a bottle of chewable vitamins.

"Are those shaped like monsters?" Percy asked, bewildered. "What the hell…"

The god nodded, looking slightly impressed. "Yeah! Minotaur and the Furies. Sweet. These are from Hermes himself, of course. No other background source. Anyway, these aren't your average iron supplements. They are extremely potent. Only take one if you really, really need it."

"Really need it?" Thalia repeated. "Well, how will we know that? We don't even know what they do."

"Take one of these and you'll feel like yourself again," Eros claimed, smiling devilishly. He threw the bottle to her, and she instantly scanned the ingredients. "Nothing out of the ordinary," he assured.

"We appreciate the help and all," Percy said, biting his lip. "But, why do you and Lord Hermes wish to help us?"

"You know…Grover isn't the only lost soul that needs saving, and both Hermes and I realize that." Eros looked at them almost timidly, and Thalia could tell that it wasn't a common expression for him. "The two of you can save many more."

"Luke?" Percy gritted through his teeth. "You want us to save Luke?"

Thalia turned her gaze to the floor of her cabin. Percy harbored great hatred for the demigod son of Hermes, and she didn't exactly share that animosity. Luke had been her best friend once upon a time, and she couldn't really bring herself to completely hate him. But, she was the daughter of Zeus, and she knew who her enemies were. She wasn't intending to bribe Luke back to their side, because she knew that he was determined. It would be a waste of time, and fruitless hope would cloud her judgment.

"Luke hates his father. He can't be saved. He wants to tear Olympus down stone by stone, Lord Eros. Even if we could find him, there's no hope," the son of Poseidon argued, although it looked like he was trying to convince himself.

Eros flashed a wistful smile. "I'll tell you what I told my father, Perseus. Can I call you P.J?"

"No."

"P.J," the god said, "one thing about family? You can't give up on them. It's not an obligation, it's like a golden rule. No matter how hard you try, you can never fully turn your back on your family. Luke…he's family." He turned his baby blue gaze to Thalia. "We jump through hoops for family."

"Luke betrayed everyone! He hates the Olympians," Percy said.

"It doesn't matter if your family hates you, embarrasses you, or doesn't appreciate you. Hades! My own mother was out to get my beloved wife, but that doesn't stop me from loving either of them. Do you understand what I'm saying, P.J?"

Percy sighed, reaching out for Thalia's free hand and squeezing it. Eros smirked at the display, but kept quiet. "N-no. I don't think I do."

Eros shrugged. "Give it time, then," he said, flexing his beautiful white wings. "I must be going. Here, take these bags with you."

With a wave of his hand, three duffel bags appeared in front of them. "Three?" Thalia asked, eyebrows furrowed. "Why three?"

The doors once again flew open, and Tyson stood in the doorway. Percy quickly let go of Thalia's hand, not wanting his brother to get the wrong idea again. "Friends!" the Cyclops called gleefully.

Eros raised a brow and lowered his voice. "Does that answer your question, doll?" Thalia didn't bother to reply. "The bags are waterproof, of course. There is a ship not too far from here. Go to the ocean, and if you pray dutifully enough to your fathers, you might be able to make it."

"My father? What would my father do to help us get to the ship?" Thalia asked.

Eros shrugged. "Supply an airplane? I don't know. Do I look like Athena to you?"

"Wait!" Percy said. "We can't do this! I haven't even agreed to go. We'll be banished from camp if we go."

"Yes, brother," Tyson approved, nodding slowly. He stomped his way over to the demigods, waving in the god's face. "Hello."

"Hello there, Cyclops. How are you?"

"I am good!"

"That's fabulous to hear," Eros said, smiling. He turned to Thalia and Percy. "Such a teddy bear! I must be on my way. You have approximately five minutes to get out there and on the ship. Harpies will come for you after that. May the gods be with you, cousins."

Eros shimmered in the cold air and vanished from sight, leaving the demigods in immense confusion. Percy frowned, looking down at his thermos. Thalia strung a yellow duffel bag over her shoulder and watched as Tyson followed her example immediately.

The son of Poseidon scowled. "We can't do this."

"Can't we?" Thalia countered, raising an eyebrow. "Come on. I know that rebel is in there somewhere," she joked, punching him in the chest. "Ready for another adventure?"

Percy tried to keep his expression straight, but a silly smile broke through. He nodded quickly, snatching his bag up and shoving the thermos into it. He strung it on his shoulder and gave his brother a high-five before leading his friends outside.

Before Thalia could close the doors to her cabin, a sparkle caught her eye. The demigoddess leaned down and picked the object from the grass, bewilderment lacing her brow at the sight of it. It was a thick gold band—a ring, she realized—with ancient script engraved around half of its surface. She couldn't decipher the text, as it was worn and fading.

Percy noticed a scrap of paper lying on the grass and lifted it, handing it to her. "You read it," he said. "I have a feeling it's for you. Being outside your cabin and all."

Thalia nodded, accepting the parchment. She unfolded it, her eyes slowly processing the cursive words.

The Ring of Gyges. Without the assistance of the daughter of Athena, you're going to need this. Slip it onto your ring finger, and adjust it whenever necessary. Simply twist it until the words are facing down. Use it during your time of need, and use it wisely.

Thalia smiled slightly, before she willed the expression from her face. She knew it was her father who sent the ring. It had to have been. She wondered why he hadn't visited her. Was there some kind of trouble on Olympus? Had any of the other gods discovered his breaking of law?

The daughter of Zeus didn't know what the Ring of Gyges was or what it did, but she was eager to find out.