"I'm sorry," Katie said. "I know what it's like to lose a sibling in a battle. Anna sounds brave. But your mother sending you here was the right idea. This is an amazing place to call home. When things get tough, we help each other out."
"Yeah, I guess, by the way how many children of Titans are there here?"
"Two that I know of," Katie replied. "Sebastian and Senterpi, kids of Mnemosyne and Chaos respectively, well...now three, if you include you."
"Oh damn it, once I have my things I have to leave."
"What?" Katie was startled by his sudden change in attitude. "Why?"
"My mother and Chaos get on like a house on fire, and have you ever seen a house on fire? I have, not pretty." Liam was looking around as if he was scared for his life, which he was. "Bodies all over the place, screaming and death."
Katie frowned, "I've seen Senterpi around. He's not that bad, honestly. Plus, it's very unlikely to happen inside of camp. You don't always have to follow in your parents' footsteps."
Now it was Liam's turn to frown, "No you don't understand Chaos has put a price on my head. Total Immortality and Total Power. He needs the power of Order to have full power and HE has my sister and my sisters' sword. Those thugs that shot me were from HIM."
Katie suddenly looked towards the closest window, "So you're saying that Chaos has your sister? And now you think Senterpi is here to get you?"
She still wasn't too sure, but she kept her eyes out for anyone who would decide on listening in or watching.
"No, he doesn't know that I'm here yet. My paranoia knows no depth. If he knew he may report to his father." Liam said. "As for my sister, Chaos says that if I join him he will let her go, he sends me dreams of her screams but I can't go without mother's promotion. She is dead but Chaos has her."
He knew that he could trust no one, not even Katie or Seb. But he could pretend, very well.
Katie looked out the window thoughtfully, "I might be able to help with the dream problem. The Hypnos cabin...no, the Morpheus Cabin would help better. I could take you to Aly. She's one of the best in the camp."
"Mother won't tell me where she is, if it can be traced I will find her and I will save her.
"So let's go to the Morpheus cabin. Aly's bound to be back soon. And by the way, I hope you do realize something. Since you came here, you're not alone on things anymore. I want to help you find your sister, even if it means going on a quest," Katie told him.
"Ok but are you sure? It will mean leaving your boyfriend behind." Liam grinned at this remark and leaned back, expecting a flurry of abuse, he hoped he wouldn't be disappointed. He hadn't been insulted in quite a while.
"Travis is not my boyfriend!" Katie's eyes narrowed and she instantly went defensive at mention of the Stoll brother she often fought with. "He's just so...ugh! I would have no problem at all leaving him here!"
A small part of her mind begged to differ, but she quickly blocked it out, only thinking of the many pranks that had been played on her and her cabin.
"And you! Don't bring him up, you idiot! Travis Stoll is not my boyfriend."
As a final resort, she crossed her arms and frowned.
"Sure, sure... but seriously, you should be sure about this. I'm worried about this. You shouldn't come." Liam was far more serious now but much warmer to; maybe he could trust this girl.
"I will and I am," Katie decided with a determined grin. "And don't try to sneak out in the middle of the night or something. That would just piss me off and I'd have to hunt you down myself."
Liam was put at ease from this reply "I'll think about it, but do you really think you can find me? I survived for 8 years on the streets, forging alliances, fighting off Chaos goons and fighting off everything else. Some of the hunters ... well Artemis hired me to save them. You could hunt me down but you couldn't take me down. In here I'm trying to be good but out there I fight for my life and for that of my sister and out there I would kill you if startled. Just saying. Anyway we had better go and find this Ally don't you think?"
Katie grimaced, "I've been through a few bad things too, Liam. I'm not scared of Chaos. Anyway, Aly's cabin is this way."
And she led him towards the Morpheus cabin.
Following, Liam had a chance to ponder the way he looked at the world. Chaos had created it but he/she/it didn't control it. A child of Chaos wasn't a bad thing if he turned out to be good and have knowledge of his father's plans. "What happened to you?" he asked, only just hearing what she had said.
"Well, it's not just my experience. It happened to the whole camp. Have you heard about the second Titan war?" Katie asked.
It was weird to think a child of a Titan, who wasn't much difference in between their ages, didn't know about the war with the Titans. Had Liam fought with the enemy? Katie highly doubted it. He might have, but it would have been for a good reason.
"I know. I fought in it. Me and Anna, side by side. "Liam replied. "We protected the innocent, fought those who would kill them."
All this was true, the truth showed in his eyes.
Katie nodded, "So did we. Forty campers and the hunters, fighting against all the monsters. Do you really think that everyone would have made it out alive? I lost a few siblings. My 11-year-old sister Rose died in that war because I couldn't reach her to help in time."
"No, we fought for those who were sleeping stuck in burning houses. We brought them out and kept them safe, that is why no one died. I am sorry for your losses we always lose the ones we love. Always." Liam said, compassion burning in his eyes, compassion and anger and sadness.
Katie nodded in agreement. She looked up as they reached the Morpheus cabin and she stepped up to it. She raised a fist and knocked on the door.
"You'll like Aly. Don't worry."
"I hope so." Liam looked nervous, "I hope she can understand what I plan to do. If she can't track my sister, then she will help me track her."
"Aly's the best," Katie told him, a smile on her face. "In fact, she-"
"Hey Katie-Kat!"
Her smile instantly went upside down and she pretended not to hear him as he called for her. Unfortunately, Travis didn't get the memo and jogged over.
Liam looked across the field, careful not to notice the deep blush on her face. "I'll just go and find Seb," he said and moved to leave.
"No, you don't need to leave," Katie said quickly. "Travis should."
Travis grinned, "What's the matter, Katie-Kat? Don't want to introduce me?"
"No," Katie blurted out, her cheeks turning a darker shade of red by the minute. "I mean, Liam, this is Travis Stoll."
Liam grinned, easy but the same way a tiger grins before it kills. "Hello Travis, I'm Liam son of Themis and just one thing don't tell the Chaos kid I'm here."
He thought for a moment then shook his head.
Katie rolled her green eyes, her embitterment quickly transferring over to annoyance.
"Senterpi," She reminded Travis. "The child of the Titan."
"Oh," Travis looked over at Liam, mentally preparing himself for the yelling Katie was about to do. "Why? Does little Katie-Kat have a crush?"
The yell didn't come instead Liam sat and told Travis the problem. "No, it's just that Chaos has put a price on me and my sword but it can only be collected by a Chaos minion. So don't bother trying."
Travis had smirk on his face as he looked past Liam, "Looks like my little sister didn't have much of a problem."
Katie smacked Travis's arm and glared at him before she too looked towards the skipping girl coming their way. She had a sword in her hand, the exact one Liam had described.
"Found it," She trilled as she came up, a grin on her face.
"Wonderful, here's your pay," he passed over fifteen mortal dollars. "Did you have any luck finding the arrow? It doesn't matter that much but it has me blood on it and I need all of it. Sorry it's mortal cash but Mother didn't give me anything else." He cradled the sword as one would a child then strapped it to his back.
Sierra took the money and decided, "Here"
She pulled the arrow out of her backpack and handed it to Liam. Katie smiled at her, earning a scowl from Sierra.
"Don't expect me to help all the time."
Then, she skipped off again.
"She makes me so proud," Travis faked a sniffle and pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.