Hey, everybody! Thanks bunches for the reviews! As promised, I'm updating again nice and soon. So Happy Friday! :D This chapter's pretty short, but it kind of sets the tone for this set. You'll see what I mean.

Enjoy!

XXXVII
PERCY

Later that morning, a few hours after what should've been sunrise, Camp Half-Blood had their first big campfire in over a month.

Sure, they'd lit fires from time to time during the war. But with everything going on, attendance was never mandatory or even encouraged like their daily gatherings before. It was just something to do if you were between shifts on guard duty or had time to kill before a training match at the arena. There would hardly be more than ten or fifteen kids present at a time. But even in their increased urgency and fear, the campfire on the morning of Saturday, July 30th was the closest thing to a normal event that had happened in what felt like a lifetime.

Every Greek camper who wasn't confined to the infirmary had gathered at the amphitheater. Usually they sat in groups according to cabin. But this time, everyone was jumbled together—one group of one family. It was odd, but at the same time strangely heartening. Romans were mixed in among them as well, though only the ones who weren't otherwise occupied. After all—the burning of burial shrouds was a Greek tradition.

Percy sat next to Annabeth and listened numbly as Piper recited a few forced words about both Drew and Leo. He still couldn't believe this had happened. They'd lost not one, but two campers in the same night—including one of Percy's best friends. Erebos's threat still weighed heavily in his mind, reminding him that every hour of inaction brought him closer to losing someone else. Annabeth hadn't been wrong when she'd told him to slow down and consider their options, but the problem was that those options were running out. A painful lump formed in his throat as Nyssa stepped forward to help Piper lay the shrouds—pale pink silk embroidered with a white dove for Drew and alternating red, orange, and steel-gray chain links for Leo—over the fire. Watching them melt and burn made him feel sick. He didn't want to have to see any more burial shrouds go up in smoke.

All around people were muttering quietly, looks of fear or sadness on their faces as they consoled or discussed the situation with their neighbors. The crackle of the flames joined the chatter as they blazed, casting flickering light across the darkness and throwing the spectators in eerie, dancing shadows. Percy tried not to think of Leo when he stared into the fire, and judging by the way a few of his friends were obviously avoiding it he wasn't the only one.

"This is a waste of time," Reyna said in a low voice to Jason. Sitting in the row in front of them, Percy frowned in mild annoyance. Feeling Annabeth tighten her grip on his arm, he turned around on the bench in time to see Reyna stand up and signal to the Romans seated around her. "Let's get back to work."

Jason didn't respond, but stood up slowly as she turned to leave. She pushed between Percy and Lou Ellen and stepped over the lowest bench, dropping onto the ground and looking irritated.

"Hey," Percy said sharply, pulling his arm from Annabeth's hold and rising to his feet. "How about showing a little respect? This is a funeral, you know."

Her eyes narrowed just barely, but rather than respond she turned on her heel and marched away. He probably should've let her go, but the built-up tension in his body and mind were too volatile, and her attitude was making him angry. "Hey!" he said again. "Reyna!" A few people around them were looking around at the disturbance, but Percy didn't care. He went after Reyna and caught up with her just outside the amphitheater, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her to a stop.

Reyna spun around and glared at him. "This may come as a shock to you, Mr. 'Watch-me-protect-everyone-from-every-danger', but people die in war. End of story. I don't see why something like this is necessary when we have more pressing things to worry about."

"You may think this is a 'waste of time'," Percy argued, a little surprised at how harsh and cold she sounded, "but it's a tradition we aren't letting go of, war or no war. I figured you'd understand that. You might be serious, but you never did strike me as the heartless type."

Her eyes flashed. "Heartless? I—" Her voice broke off abruptly and she shook her head, momentarily anxious expression hardening once again to a blank mask. "I didn't want this any more than you did. But wasting our time crying over the deaths of soldiers—"

"Of friends," he corrected her. "Maybe you didn't know Drew, but you can't tell me Leo meant absolutely nothing to you after everything we've—"

"It doesn't matter!" Reyna leaned toward Percy threateningly, her eyes suddenly so full of some unreadable, fierce emotion that he took an unconscious step backward. She opened her mouth to speak, but someone else suddenly shouted "Stop it!" and they both turned to see that Annabeth had followed them out of the Amphitheater.

"That's enough," she said sternly as she approached, an anxious look in her eyes. "Fighting is the last thing we need to be doing right now."

"Come on, Reyna," Jason said as he too appeared beside Annabeth. Behind them, other people were slowly trickling out of the amphitheater. "We've got work to do. You said so yourself."

"Right," Reyna said shortly. She turned and stalked away without another glance at anyone, and Jason sighed shortly and exchanged a weak, sad smile with Percy and Annabeth before following her.

Annabeth rounded on Percy immediately, crossing her arms and shooting him her best What-in-the-name-of-Zeus-were-you-thinking? glare.

"What?" he said defensively, still more than a little irritated. "Don't go throwing this all on me." Reyna had never been the most empathetic of people, but she hadn't ever stood in the way of or deliberately argued with any of the Greeks' customs or traditions before. What had gotten into her that she suddenly couldn't cooperate anymore?

Annabeth gave a short sigh. "Of course not, it's just… Try to cut Reyna some slack, okay? You know she has a difficult time expressing how she feels."

"Cut her some slack?" Percy repeated in disbelief. "Annabeth, Leo's dead! A-And she's acting like—like she doesn't even care! How can I—?"

"Trust me, she cares. More than you know."

Percy frowned. "What's that mean?"

"Reyna and Leo…" Annabeth stopped and shook her head with a low sigh. She blinked, her eyes looking suddenly watery, and said in a defeated sort of voice, "Look, it doesn't matter. Just please, Percy, give her space. She has to deal with this her way. …We all do."

The negative energy seemed to sweep out of Percy's body all at once, leaving him feeling tired and dejected. He reached out and pulled Annabeth into him, feeling her wrap her arms tightly around his back as she leaned her head against his collar. "I know," he said languidly. "You're right. As usual."

She gave a weak chuckle and leaned back to look up at him. "You should get some rest."

"But I'm not—"

"Seaweed Brain, don't even try to say you're not tired. You've been up all night and—might I remind you—you did fight two drakons yesterday. Now you're picking fights with people. You're exhausted, and you need to sleep." She pulled out of his arms and instead reached out to take his hand. "Come on, I'll come with you. I could use some time off, too."

He smiled, realizing that this was one of those times when she wouldn't take no for an answer. Besides, maybe she had a point. His head had ached constantly since the fight against the drakons, a persistent reminder of Erebos's lingering threat. He'd wondered more than once if the minor head injury he'd suffered sparring with Frank and Hazel had weakened his mind and made it easier for Erebos to find him and deliver that message, whether or not that made any logical sense. He was worried that sleep would only serve to open his mind even more, like he'd be inviting Erebos to contact him again. But regardless, trudging around the camp tired and irritable wasn't a great idea. And it was still early. A few hours of rest hopefully wouldn't hurt.

The quick walk across the camp seemed to last far too long. Before Erebos's message, handfuls of people could be seen milling about, killing time chatting with one another or playing games. Now, though, it looked like everyone was busy. The youngest campers—children from New Rome and little kids the satyrs had brought through the borders—weren't even out and about like usual. The place felt more like a wartime refugee camp than ever.

A few other people were resting in Cabin Three when Percy and Annabeth arrived, which wasn't unexpected. Despite the fact that at least half the beds were empty, Annabeth followed Percy to his bunk in the corner and lied down beside him on top of the blankets—which also wasn't unexpected. After spending so many nights together in the deepest part of the Underworld, sleeping alone just didn't feel right anymore. To Percy, the night felt darker and colder now without Annabeth beside him, and she seemed to feel the same way. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, or anything they needed to talk about. It just was. And when she pulled his arms around her and rested her head on his chest, he found it easier not to think about all the madness and heartache the war was constantly bringing them. And he was able to finally achieve a bit of the rest he didn't want to admit he desperately needed.

Short shorty short... Next two chapters are longer and more exciting, I promise. But in a slightly different way than usual. Want 'em up quick? How 'bout some reviews? :D

Thank you all! Later days!

-oMM