He peaked over. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't understand it. The wording is…confusing. Difficult."

"Yes well, it was written by someone who believes in confusing and difficult things. Aldous Huxley was a humanist, Satirist, paci—" Realization set in and he stopped suddenly. "Sorry…I didn't mean to—"

She shook her head. "No, it's fine." It wasn't his fault that she didn't know what those words meant. She hadn't gone to middle or high school because she was constantly on the run; she hadn't had any chance to act like a normal human; Human. She scoffed at the word. But you aren't even human; you're not even a demigod. You're a vessel, an object. And she was being hunted down by her own siblings who didn't even consider her a person, rather something they were trying to kill.

Sometimes Eirene didn't think it was fair, and sometimes she didn't understand. Why was she the one cursed with this impossible fate? If her purpose here on earth is just to be a vase that holds the river's essence, why was she released onto earth? Why wasn't she just kept on Olympus to be safe and happy, not having to deal with all these useless emotions? Despair, anger, hope, love, happiness, they were all useless to someone like her. She couldn't build a family, or get a job or even go to school. She couldn't do anything those emotions were useful for, so why have them at all? What sort of sick joke is Zeus playing?

And without any warning, tears were falling down her face. She was rushing to wipe them away before Andrew noticed, but he had already been staring at her and was now as alarmed her tears.

"Oh gods, what's wrong? Is it something I said?" He moved closer. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything…"

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. The tears kept falling, and she didn't know how to stop them, so she covered her face and let them fall. Andrew felt flustered, they were boys who didn't know what to do when they saw a girl crying; and he was one of them. He thought he should say something, but thought better of it and just kept quiet. Then with an almost grudging sigh, he pulled her into a hug, holding back a wince. She was a bit taken aback, but she didn't move.

Only the goddess of time would know how long they stood there until Eirene finally stopped crying and Andrew pulled away. He was quiet for a second, and then spoke up.

"Have you ever heard of an iris message?"

She nodded.

The sun was out so he took out a diamond and made a rainbow, throwing a drachma through it. "Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering."

A water-like blurry image appeared behind the rainbow and Andrew spoke: "Camp Half-blood, Samantha Nagasaki."

The image cleared, and a confused Sam was looking back at them. When she recognized Eirene, a smile appeared on her face. "Eirene!"

"Sam!"

"Oh gods, Eirene are you alright? Is the quest going well?" She looked around their surroundings. "Where are you guys?"

"I think we're in the desert." She couldn't hold back the smile spreading on her face.

"Desert?" Sam questioned.

"Don't ask," Andrew answered, reverting back to clutching his arm.

Sam wanted to ask what was wrong with him, but she was too excited on seeing Eirene to focus on anyone else right now. "So how's the quest going?"

Eirene thought about that question, and wanted to laugh. "Swell, really. We've been attacked more times than I can count and got thrown off course completely. Also I got my ring stolen, Andrew broke his arm, and oh yeah," She tugged on her shirt that had been charred to the point where it was no longer a t-shirt but a crop-top. "We've had accidents with fire twice, and probably need another change of clothes." She chuckled again, baffled by their bad luck. "So, really swell."

"Holy Hera, that bad?"

Eirene nodded. "But I don't want to dwell on today so much so…how are things over at camp?"

Sam pondered for a moment before going off on the details. "Well it's been a day since you left, and Clarisse is still calling foul play, saying things like you were given an unfair advantage, but no one's really listening to hear except for the Ares cabin. Ever since Connor left, the Hermes's have been a bit weak in their pranking game. It's like Travis is only half-good by himself." She chuckled. "Plus they were caught, and were given stable duty for a week."

Eirene laughed at the thought of Travis cleaning out horse dung. "Does Travis miss Connor?"

Samantha shrugged. "You know how brothers are, it's only been one day and he's pretending like he's liberated, but I can tell he misses him."

Eirene nodded. At least she could report back to Connor with news of his brother. "What about the others?"

"Well again, it's only been a day so not too much has happened, but Heather has been a lot feistier. She's more brutal in combat and has had her no-nonsense face on today. I don't want to assume it's because of Damien but…most likely it is."

Damien. Eirene shuddered. There just wasn't something right about that guy. "And what's Damien been up to?"

"Oh, he's still as mysterious as ever. He's constantly shadow-traveling, to freak people out. Though he hasn't flirted with anyone since the blow up with Heath…" Sam brushed the topic away. "He doesn't really matter. In fact, the one who should be asking the questions is me." She looked over Eirene's shoulder to Andrew. "What's wrong with him?"

"Ah…his arm was hit…by a piece of metal." Eirene saw the questioning expression on Sam's face and elaborated. "We were taking the bus and came across a couple of Stymphalian birds—"

"Stymphalian birds?"

"Yeah, have you heard of them?"

Sam paused. "Yeah I have, it's just that…" She looked worried. "Those are high-ranking birds. They wouldn't usually go for demigods unless ordered too."

"That's the theory we're playing with." Andrew commented.

Eirene pondered over this for a moment, remembering what Bia had told her. It was most likely that those birds had been sent by her other sisters; intent on destroying her. Her facial expression slightly changed, and Sam caught it.

"What's wrong? Did something else happen?"

Eirene wanted desperately to tell her. But she knew she couldn't, and didn't even entertain the thought for long. She shook her head. "No, nothing else." Then another memory that had been itching at her mind shined through. "Actually, earlier today we met two girls, I'm not sure of their names…" She thought hard for a bit. "Scarlet, the red one was. The other one had…glasses. What was one's name with glasses?"

She turned to Andrew but saw that his eyes were shut tightly and his hold on his arm had become harsher. She felt a pang in her chest and a need to help him, but knew it would bruise his ego to for her to notice his pain. So she ignored it. Instead, Sam answered her question.

"Carrie?"

"Yes! That was it!" And then realization set it. "Sam? How do you know her?"

Sam seemed to be contemplating how to go about telling this news. "They're on our list of humans who have the sight."

"List? You guys have a list for that?"

Sam nodded, and then changed her face into one of regret. "Actually, I've met them before." And then her picture started to fade, waiver in and out.

"Sam? Sam what did you say?" The speech was slurred too, and Eirene could barely hear her friend's words. "Sam!"

"Time's running out." Andrew checked his pockets. "I don't have any more drachmas."

The Iris message faded out completely; disappeared. Eirene sat dumbfounded for a moment, not really sure what to do and already missing her friend. She then turned sharply to Andrew. "You guys have a list?"

But she saw that he looked on the verge of unconsciousness and rushed to his side before he fainted, putting his arm around her. He tried to push her off, feebly. "I'm fine," He breathed. "You should go back to the tent."

"Why do you insist on handling yourself when you're in such obvious pain?" She softened her voice; not wanting to show her clear annoyance at Andrew's faltering façade. "You don't need to act like nothing hurts. You're still half human, it's normal to hurt."

They sank to the floor together, Eirene still under Andrew's arm. "I just…I just don't want to seem weak. I'm not weak." He breathed, as if he was reassuring himself and not her.

"You aren't weak." She repeated. "Today's events showcase that. Why would you ever think you are?" But it seemed her softened voice only agitated him.

"Please just—just come off it." He shifted away from her and removed his arm. "Forget I ever said anything."

They sat in silence for some while, Eirene silently brewing over the mystery that was Andrew Parker. They were times where he seemed firm, cocky and arrogant. Times where the way he acted, and even the way the look he wore on his face, confirmed that he thought highly of himself. But then other times, when they were talking or pausing at a hotel, his exterior melted away and he just looked sad; sad and disappointed, and ridden with guilt; like he was always thinking of some far off memory. It were the times like this that he seemed the most like a little boy, and times like this Eirene found herself most drawn to him.

But for now she found it best to change the subject. "So…you guys keep a list?"

{Author's note: Sorry for the major hiatus...but i'm back. And I have plenty of new chapters for you all to indulge in. Updates will be on Saturday/Sunday from now on.}