Please listen to this song while reading this chapter.

The song is called 'Stranger' by Katie Costello. Put it on repeat.

I'm serious. Listen to the song. It helps pull the whole mood together.

Also, please drop me a review about what you think. I've noticed a drop in reviews. I'm glad that I'm able to get some, maybe two per chapter, but I've been getting a lot of Author and Story Alerts (which I'm thankful for! Thanks, guys!), but hardly any reviews. Tell me what you think!

Let it commence.

Percy

I sat in my cell, knees pulled up to my chest. My head was in between my legs, and my arms were wrapped around them.

I didn't know how long I sat in my cell. It could have been several days. I tried thinking of every possible way to not give Annabeth the Lethe. But Octavian was right. I had no idea where Annabeth was being held.

I thought about dumping the Lethe out, but then Octavian would know and Annabeth would be killed.

They had put me in a new cell, and there was no water dripping in this one.

I was completely hopeless. I had just accepted the inevitable. Annabeth was going to lose her memory. I was defeated.

The vial of Lethe disgusted me. I had put in a corner, as far away from me as possible. The sight of it made me feel sick.

I suddenly lifted my head. An idea had just struck me. While digging through the cell earlier, I had found an old piece of parchment and a pen. It was hidden underneath the pile of straw, and there was a simple note on it:

For those that need it.

It was left behind by the person before me from however long ago.

I glanced at the Lethe. For some reason, I had a feeling that soon I would be getting a taste of the Lethe, too. Octavian had looked too smug when I had agreed, and the more I thought about it, the more obvious it was.

Annabeth and I were going to forget each other. Forget everything. Except, I had the harder part. I had to tell her I didn't love her anymore before wiping her memory.

I remembered what Annabeth had told me when we were building the Hypnos cabin. The branch dipped in Lethe was sitting on the mantelpiece. I had stared at it, and Annabeth told me that it was the symbol of Hypnos.

I was jolted from the memory by footsteps coming down the hallway.

Diving across the cell, I grabbed the parchment and the pen. I started to scribble circles in the corner until the pen worked. I then quickly scrawled a short message on the parchment and stuffed it in my pocket.

I then put my head in my hands, praying to any god that would listen.

Please. Help me. Let this work.

The door squeaked open and I heard someone walk in the cell. I didn't look up.

"Well, well. Looks like the famous Jackson is finally speechless."

I refused to answer. I heard Octavian crouch down in front of me.

"I've finally broken you. You know that, right? Understand that if you don't do as I've said, you'll both die," he whispered.

I didn't respond. He sat there for a minute before getting up.

"Take him to the other prisoner."

I felt guards come over and put their hands under my arms, hoisting me up. I remained limp, trying to cause as much annoyance as possible.

"Ah, ah." Octavian walked over to the corner where I'd hidden the Lethe. "You don't want to forget this." He pressed it in my hand. I almost groaned with the stupidness of the pun.

We walked through several corridors, and stopped in front of the same door I'd almost escaped through.

A blindfold was shoved over my eyes, and I was led away from my prison.

The sunlight was blinding, even with the blindfold on. I stumbled over rocks and a cobblestone pathway. The strangest part was that the outside was completely silent. I could hear no birds and no demigods talking. The quietness pressed on my ears. It was eerie.

Soon I was descending a staircase. The steps seemed to go on forever, and I tripped when we hit the bottom.

I was extremely aware of the note in my pocket. I prayed that they wouldn't search me when I'd get to Annabeth.

The blindfold was removed, and I was again lead through more corridors and tunnels. Torches lined the walls and they flickered menacingly.

We arrived in front of a thick door with two guards on either side. My heart was racing. I had no idea what to say to her, what to do. I just hoped that the note would work and explain everything.

"Open the door," Octavian ordered. One of the guards sprang to life and swung the door open.

The inside of the cell was almost completely dark. I could see a silhouette of Annabeth sitting in the corner, her back turned.

"You have a visitor, Miss Chase," Octavian said. She didn't move. He came behind me. "Do it," he whispered. "Convince me. If not..." He let the threat hang. "I'll be watching."

He shoved me in, and I stumbled and fell to the ground. The door smashed shut and the only light came from a small barred window at the top of the cell.

I groaned, and Annabeth finally turned.

Her face looked shocked when she saw me. My heart clenched painfully when I saw dried blood in her hair and on her forehead. She had several bruises on her cheeks. I almost started to cry. My heart was shouting at me, telling me not to do this. Tell her that you love her!

"Percy," she whispered. "Why? How-"

She crawled forward, her eyes shining. I lay there, not knowing what to do. I closed my eyes, hoping the tears wouldn't fall. I felt her rough hand caress my cheek, and my skin tingled underneath.

I suddenly felt her lips on mine, and it took all of my self-control not to kiss her back. I was frozen, an internal battle going on between my mind and my heart.

Do it, I heard Octavian's voice say.

"Percy, are you alright? What did they do to you?" I felt a finger wipe a tear away from my eye. Apparently closing my eyes didn't stop the tears from falling.

I opened my eyes and saw her leaning over me, fear on her face.

They'll kill her.

I grabbed her wrist and pushed it away from me. I sat up, and she moved away.

"Annabeth."

Convince me.

I hardened my face, trying to look disgusted. My heart was ripping.

"Percy, what's-"

"Don't talk to me."

Shock flickered across her face, and she looked hurt. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"I don't under-"

"I'm done, Annabeth. We're done. I don't-" I faltered, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Convince me.

I glared at her, praying this would save her life. "I don't love you anymore."

My heart broke in two.

I was broken.

I almost cried while writing.

~littlebitclever