-Carter Kane-

We waved the Eighteenth Nome goodbye, leaving on good terms of course. Once I managed to settle my thoughts, Vika stood innocent no matter what I see of it. Therefore, I apologized, which she simply waved off and promised to see me at the next meeting.

"Carter," Sadie hesitated to started, "how should we bury him?"

I sighed and turned to see the demigods and our initiates still lingering around him, mourning. "I'm not sure," I admitted, my voice wanting to break. "I don't even want to think about the mess we are in."

Sadie attacked me with a hug, crying on my shoulder. I hesitated out of alarm, but started rubbing her back out of reassurance as I started to cry myself.

"Is this the way we wanted to celebrate such a fantastic victory?" My eyes widened as I turned to see him grinning towards us.

"How the-" I started.

"Let's just say a long list of family members got pissed off and sent me back," he summed up.

And, well, both my sister and I tackled our uncle in response, nothing else needed to be said. Apparently, Jason and Percy suggested camping on the mountainside, probably the best idea with how tired everyone has been over the past few days. Moreover, it gave all three of us a chance to bond even more before we go our separate ways.

Sadie was pulled away from us by Hazel and Piper, leaving Amos and I by the fire he made. A few feet away we could hear Walt and Felix playing freeze tag with a good portion of the demigods. And Felix was taking it literally by making a sheet of ice for everyone to slip on.

"I see that Vika didn't want to hang around any longer than she needed to," Amos started.

"Um, funny story with that," I started nervously.

His right eyebrow rose questioningly, "You didn't-"

"She took your place protecting Alyssa," I started, "and you were just lying at their feet. I jumped to conclusions." I sighed as I poked a stick into the fire. "I apologized once it settled though. She seemed like she didn't care."

Amos smirked a little. "Vika is far more forgiving than her older brothers," he informed. "She had to be to get to where she is."

"Brothers?" My eyes widened to the thought of more Menshikovs.

He rolled his eyes. "She's the only one left, calm down," he reassured. "Anyways, I'm glad to see we can keep on good terms like this," he admitted as Frank transformed into a penguin to sneak on Felix.

"I'm surprised they still have energy after the fight," I added.

Amos laughed a bit. "You're young; you can run around after a long fight like this," he added. "This is a good sign too; you may have achieved the impossible again."

"You mean we," I corrected.

He rolled his eyes in reply, "I'm not the one who figured it possible if you remember."

Silence with the exception of Felix screaming to a penguin chasing him, more than likely Frank. "You let Julius take credit for everything, didn't you?" I asked, peering over to Amos as his gaze stayed on the fire before us.

"It's the job of the younger siblings to support the oldest," Amos replied. "Sadie knows, it's something you just accept with a shrug and pat your own back."

"Making your comment about Julius being an ass ten times more accurate," I recalled our talk in the Hall of Ages.

Amos faced me with a hard look, "You shouldn't be talking so badly of your father, Carter. And I only called him that because he has a nasty habit of rubbing salt in the wound."

We left the topic at that, I really don't like agitating Amos, especially with Set around. He reached out with his right hand to let it hover over the flames. "We have a long couple of days ahead of us."

His tone sounded sad, which my eyes saddened in reply, "Yeah, but at least peaceful."