Sorry to keep you all waiting so long, I started camp and my power was out so I've had less time to write. Here is a slightly shorter chapter than normal, but the next chapter should be posted a lot sooner – I've already started it. Hope you enjoy!

Katie's POV

Much to my relief we made it to the ferry with limited difficulties. In an effort to save money for tickets, we walked most of the way to the ferry stop, despite the constant longing for a taxi. We made it just as the sun was setting over the water and our view from the benches we decided to camp out on was absolutely breathtaking. I managed to fall asleep quickly – my whole body was fatigued – but Dolos didn't visit me like I had expected, even though I hadn't completed my dare for the day. He was giving me more time, I realized. Not out of kindness, but he figured that the more I mended my relationship with Travis, the worse it would be when I betrayed him. As my eyes fluttered open when some chattering tourists walked by I could feel the dread beginning to sink in.

Today I would be destroying Dolos once and for all. But, in order to fool this master of deception and trickery, I would have to destroy some friendships very important to me.

The ferry ride was calm but painfully so, like the period of stillness and silence before a war. It wasn't hot out, yet I could feel beads of sweat forming all over my skin. I saw Connor out of the corner of my eye and my heart fell in my chest as I watched him and Travis laugh at some lame joke. I didn't want to lose those two. As much as they drove me crazy, I honestly loved them to death. I will explain everything after. I decided. They will understand. But part of me was worried that they wouldn't. I had put them through too much, stretched them too thin to expect forgiveness.

As the boat slowly pulled up to the dock, the sweat beads filled and trickled down my forehead almost like tears. We got off the ferry and Connor lead us around mobs of people up to the road that would lead us to the entrance of the prison.

"Sorry kids." a blonde tour guide with green pants chirped, jumping up out of nowhere. "We had some issues with a couple of the cells; the prison won't open for another half an hour. We appreciate your patience."

"Oh ma'am, please." Travis suddenly blurted. "We were here yesterday with our brother – Uh – Tyson. He left his teddy bear in one of the cells. If we wait until the prison opens we'll miss our flight." He smiled at the lady sweetly. "Please? He refuses to sleep without Bear Bear…"

The lady sighed. "I suppose if you know where it is I could take you in quickly."

"Thank you so much." said Connor.

The lady (her name tag read Susan) nodded to another guard as she took us up a slight hill to where the entrance of the prison was. We entered and were immediately grateful that we hadn't decided to wait with the other tourists. The place was a mess.

Dirt and broken glass lay all over the ground. A couple of the cells had bent bars as if the Hulk had tried to drive through. The walls were littered with graffiti – some not-so-friendly Greek words.

"What happened in here?" Travis asked, looking around the room.

"We had a break in a couple of nights ago – the jail's been closed for a few days." Susan explained solemnly. "Every morning the guards show up and the people who had been on night shift are tied up and locked in a cell."

"That's awful." I muttered.

"I know." she agreed. "We'd hoped it would be safe to open for the public today, but I guess we were wrong." She turned and smiled at me. "But it will definitely be open tomorrow."

I thought about what she'd said as I stepped over a suspicious pile of something brown. So the jail has been closed for a couple of days. I recalled. So why did Susan believe us when we said we had left the teddy yesterday? Suddenly it occurred to me.

She didn't.

"Connor, Travis, RUN!" I yelled, turning on my heel as fast as I could. I heard footsteps behind me but not as many as I should've. I skidded to a stop and Connor almost ran into me.

"Where's Travis?" I huffed.

When he shrugged, we turned around just in time to watch Travis shove Susan against the door to a cell. A loud clang rang down the hallway and I flinched.

" Where are they." He demanded. "And what are they planning."

To my surprise Susan didn't even bat an eye. "I don't know who this 'they' is you speak of. Would you mind letting go of my shirt?"

"She was playing us." he growled. "The entire time she was playing us like a violin."

"It sounds like you've had a rough week sweetheart, why don't you-"

"And you're in on it too!" he shouted.

Susan just smirked. "Correct, although I'm not sure if you'd consider being 'in on' a plan the same thing as being the mastermind behind it."

With one swift move she grabbed Travis by the collar spun him around into the cell door and took a step backward, an evil glint in her eyes.

"Back off young demigod; it's my turn now. For years I've been stuck in your stupid camp, my severed body in jars in a musty attic."

"That can't be…" Connor whispered. "She was killed!"

"Who is she?" I hissed.

The demon herself answered my question. "I am Kampe, Daughter of Gaea and Tartarus, and I do not deserve to be stuck in such a dreaded place for all eternity."

"You can't be Kampe." Travis said blatantly. Briares pelted her with rocks, we burned her, and stuck her ashes in a jar in the attic of the Big House."

Susan snorted. "Don't be stupid little demigod, you didn't even retrieve half of me from under the rocks." she laughed. "I may be a little burnt but, by no means am I dead!"

As if to prove her theory, she suddenly began to grow. Her pale skin turned green and her eyeballs appeared to roll back into her head, leaving behind two pale, milky orbs. Snakes sprung from her scalp, their blood red tongues licking furiously at the air, and her green pants began to morph into the legs of a dragon and the tail of a scorpion. Animals began to emerge from her waist, snarling at Travis threateningly.

However, just like Travis had said, they had burnt a good amount of her and hid her up in the attic. The animals at her waist had blackened or mostly destroyed faces. When she lifted her wings one had a huge chunk missing from the middle. The scorpion tail bridging from her back had been reduced to a spiky looking stub.

"She's weaker." I said to Connor.

"She is." he agreed. "But let's not take our chances. Travis, run!"

Travis didn't need to be asked twice. With one terrified look at Kampe he took off towards us, his legs nearly blurs. Connor and I ran away in a similar manner. I heard Kampe roar behind us. Connor and I were less than five feet from our way out when we heard an ear curdling scream from behind me. I whirled around and felt my stomach drop to the dirty prison floor.

The beast had Travis by his arm. His bad one that had gotten burned in the fire at the hotel. It had definitely healed since then, but it was still delicate.

"Oww!" Travis yelled in pain and the serpents in Kampe's hair hissed mockingly.

"Sadly, the man wants you alive." Kampe explained, honestly sounding disappointed. "Though I'm sure later you'll make a great snack for my pets!"

The burnt animals at her waist cackled and nipped at Travis's clothes, tearing the fabric. With a similar sounding laugh, Kampe held Travis's arms behind his back and began to drag him away.

"We have to save him." I said to Connor, beginning to jog after them.

He held his hand out to stop me. "No, Katie, not yet. We need to think this through. It just doesn't make sense." He motioned for me to follow him and with one backwards glance at Travis and Kampe I obliged.

He led me out onto a large balcony in the back of the prison. The wind ripped at my clothes and hair as I followed him over to the railing, staring out at the water. Connor had a look in his eyes I couldn't quite place. He looked at me and I suddenly understood why he didn't want to go after Travis right away.

"He wanted him alive." I stated, my brain working on processing what this meant.

"Exactly." Connor said. "Which means that he isn't bringing us here to kill us. He wants to use us for something."

"He's been using us for things for a long time." I admitted, and before I could change my mind I leaned over and kissed Connor right on the lips.

Katie's POV (I know I'm not changing but I figured this would be more dramatic)

Throughout the past two days I had pictured the look that would appear on Connor's face when I kissed him. Every time it caused nervous shivers down my spine and made my throat close up. My heart would start beating a mile a minute and I would feel a wave nausea wash over me; it was such a bad feeling.

But the real thing was so much worse.

His face got red almost immediately but it was out of anger, not embarrassment. His fists were clenched at his sides and thunder rumbled somewhere nearby, mimicking Connor's temper.

After a moment or two, he regained his composure. "Let's go save my brother." he instructed, his voice low and steady. "And then maybe you could explain why you did that."

I gulped down my embarrassment and spoke through my fear.

"How are we going to save him?"

Connor stared at the building with the same look he'd held in his eyes before I kissed him. "I have an idea… Let's hope it works." He walked back towards the door and I finally recognized the look in his eyes.

Determination.