Hi all, I mentioned it in an upload in another story, but I apologize for being a bit absent over the last several weeks. I had two major family emergencies pop up that took priority over basically everything over the last several weeks. Thank you for your patience, and I hope to get back to posting more regularly soon. Hope you all enjoy the latest update. as always thanks for the positive support!

~secrethalfblood

Lpov

I stepped out of the door to the mortal world surprised, and a little disappointed, when I realized James wasn't on the other side.

He hadn't come to pick me up today, not that he was really required to do it, and Harper had texted me saying he was busy, which he probably was. Looking back, it probably wasn't normal for either one of them to escort visitors to the library almost time they visited.

Still…

I wasn't exactly a visitor, was I? And I'd sort of enjoyed what little time I'd spent with him out in the mortal world away from everything going on in the library. It wasn't that I didn't like it here, in fact, I'd come to like it a lot and it's staff. There was something about seeing him in the outside world though, that made someone like him a little more approachable. Maybe because it was neutral space, not 'his territory', as Harper would have put it. When it was just the two of us, it was easier to forget exactly who and what he was, why the camp and the gods were so afraid of him. Here it seemed like there were almost constant reminders. Angry hunters, unruly guests, books with volatile magic that tried to attack unsuspecting readers, discussions between the staff about just how much they were willing to admit to when Olympus was expecting a call. It was an uncomfortable reminder that despite the friendly treatment from all of them, I was still a bit of an 'other' here. Not exactly unwelcome, but certainly not fully involved and I wasn't sure what to think about it.

It didn't feel like that when it was just us two, especially out in the mortal world away from the magic and the gods. It wasn't until he'd passed on the opportunity that I realized just how much I'd enjoyed talking to him like that, but I guess maybe he didn't see it that way.

I felt a twinge of discomfort at this, one which I was determined not to examine too closely.

I'd always known James could be charming when he wanted to be, despite seeming to want to less and less these days, but I'd thought I'd known him well enough at this point to tell the difference. What was real with him and what was an act. But maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought I did. Maybe, now that I was working here and could be left to my own devices a little more, he didn't feel the need to make sure I wasn't uncomfortable or wandered into a section where I got in over my head.

This thought brought up an uncomfortable question for me that I wasn't sure if I wanted answered, especially if it was something I didn't want to hear. But I couldn't help but wonder all the same.

Had James's kindness to me simply been a professional courtesy?

Disappointed was definitely the word. Maybe even crushed. And despite how pathetic I knew it was, I couldn't help but feel it.

I reflected on this as I walked up the spiral steps with a little less enthusiasm than I normally would have.

I knew it shouldn't matter to me this much. I could travel through the doors perfectly fine on my own, and really, James or Harper coming to get me in the first place was so I'd get used to traveling through them. Not seeing him now however was still a bit of a blow. I'd gotten so used to his presence lately, and I hadn't heard from him since the last time I'd been at the library.

He hadn't responded to the text I'd sent him from the animal shelter. I wasn't super familiar with his phone habits, but the silence felt unusual. We were friends, right? Friends usually spoke with each other. I'd thought we'd been getting along, and now that he'd gone quiet I felt as if I'd suffered a case of emotional whiplash. I'd gone from hearing his super messed up life story, feeling as if I knew him and things about him that almost no one else did, to nothing in an instant. Complete radio silence.

I didn't like it.

I guess maybe he didn't like me as much everyone had thought.

'Or you had hoped.' A chastising, almost Kelly like voice said snidely from the back of my mind as I continued up the steps that were almost familiar to me now, and made my way to the main part of the library.

'Or maybe it was none of these things,' I countered, pushing the thought out of my mind, trying to be realistic.

Maybe it was exactly as people said. James liked me. He liked me as he had before. A talkative little healer he had some level of affection for, but never really took all that seriously.

'Gods.' I thought remembering what he'd said about me and Lucy having things in common.

What if James had more patience with me over the general public because on some level, I'd reminded me of his sister…

It was a miserable prospect. A humiliating thought that I tried bury as I stepped into the main hall.

But speaking of Lucy...

"Great, you're here!" said a familiar voice and I turned to see her beaming at me as she waved from one of the aisles, clearly waiting for me. "You're just in time. Did you bring a change of clothes?"

"Yeah." I said gesturing towards my book bag over my shoulder. "I saw your text, but why-?"

"Come with me." She said grabbing my hand and dragging me passed Harper's desk, towards a door I realized I hadn't been through, and down a set of stairs.

"Today's training day."

"Training day?" I asked confused as the stairs opened into a wide space with blank walls, a sectioned closed off with what looked like reinforced glass.

The area looked utterly bizarre in the context of the library, sort of like a gun range that had been hollowed down to it's fundamental structures, and I saw Harper, hair pulled back, in what looked strangely like running gear.

This hurt my brain a little. Despite Ashton being an athlete, Harper didn't really seem like the type of person who worked out. But here she was in running shorts and an athletic top, looking for all the world as if she was about to take part in one of the shelter fundraising races Anna and I ran in every year.

Well, I ran them. Anna mostly collected numbers and flirted with guys who didn't mind screwing up their mile times to talk to a pretty girl. Then we got brunch after. It was a good system for both of us and it was for a good cause.

Lucy, I now realized, was also dressed for a workout in leggings and a T-shirt but James, who was in his usual spot within Harper's orbit as she stretched, looked pretty normal. Blank t-shirt and jeans, he wasn't armed however.

He nodded when he noticed us, but didn't say anything as we reached the bottom of the stairs. I tried not to take it personally. He hadn't said anything to his own sister after all, and Lucy grinned.

"You ever seen two freakishly powerful demigods try to kill each other?"

"What?"

"James makes us spar at least once a month." Harper said sounding unenthusiastic, pulling her arm across her body no doubt attempting to stretch her triceps. The gesture was half-hearted at best telling me while she knew stretching was important, she hadn't completely committed to the idea. "Sometimes once a week if he's feeling more paranoid as usual. It keeps him happy."

James shot Harper an impatient look, but didn't respond to the provocation.

"He makes you?" I asked raising an eyebrow at Harper.

Wasn't she in charge around here?

"He whines if we don't." Lucy said giving her brother a smug expression who rolled his eyes.

"One day, something is going to happen and you two will be thanking me."

"I hate to break it to you brother." Lucy said sardonically. "While this might be useful for Harper, if 'something happens'," she put air quotes around the words. "I'm not much use to you. In fact, if you two aren't here, I'm probably a goner."

"Don't say that." He muttered quietly while Harper, who'd walked over to a table I hadn't noticed, tossed something to her.

"Brilliant." Lucy snickered catching the item and flicking her wrist.

The metal that shot from the handle was glowing a familiar bronze and I realized it was a collapsible baton, the kind you used for self-defense.

"Let's get you done first Luce." James said mechanically as the two walked towards the center of the room.

Harper gestured for me to join her as she leaned against the edge of the table, her expression one of mild interest as her gaze settled over her friends.

I watched curiously as the pair faced off, Lucy surprisingly effective and ruthless with her baton.

"My dad's military, or was." Harper explained when she saw my expression. "He taught Charlie and I a few things growing up, even before we trained at camp. He did the same for Lucy and James. Though, I think he mostly wanted to see how many things James could destroy with a single punch. A lot by the way."

"Anything cool?" I asked with interest as James caught the baton and easily tossed his sister over his shoulder.

She got right back up and came at him again with a manic screech, and I could tell he was trying not to laugh. Both of them were grinning.

"He did put a dent into an old tank." Harper said watching the fight, her tone thoughtful. "It didn't crack though. Might of if he'd had a second shot. That was a few years ago though, he probably could have destroyed it now."

I could tell James was having to slow down his reflexes to give Lucy even a chance at hitting him and be able to spar in any meaningful sort of way, and I realized how odd it was to see him actively decide to let her almost make contact.

"How'd your dad have access to a tank if he's retired?" I asked raising an eyebrow and she shrugged.

"He's still got friends. Old contacts, collogues. That sort of thing."

"Give that back!" Lucy shouted as James held her weapon just out of her reach and she jumped for it. "James!"

He laughed, dropping the weapon, and put an arm around her shoulder before pulling her in to kiss the top of her head with obvious brotherly affection and ruffled her hair.

"Good work, Luce."

"I dislike you." she muttered irritably, retrieving her weapon off the ground and walking back towards us.

"You love me!" he called after her.

"Because I have to!" she shouted and he grinned.

"Guess that means I'm up." Harper said with a sigh grabbing a dagger off the table behind us as Lucy approached.

"You're going to love this." Lucy said excitedly, returning the baton to the table, and I watched with interest as the two walked into the section of the room behind the glass.

They seemed to talk for a moment, maybe setting up some sort of parameters for a fight when suddenly, without warning, Harper struck, driving the point of her dagger towards James's face with merciless speed. He caught her wrist easily and twisted it until she dropped the blade.

I expected Harper to cry out in pain but she'd already caught the dagger with her free hand and stabbed towards his abdomen with a cruel precision of movement, that for a moment, had a flash of fear go through me even if I knew it couldn't hurt him. I didn't need to be worried however, invulnerability or not.

James moved so fast, I almost didn't see it and the next thing I knew Harper had been thrown into the wall.

"Predictable." He chided and Harper glowered at him

She threw the dagger which he caught easily, his fingers curling around the blade, his skin unblemished and he shook his head.

"Sloppy Harper."

She made an irritated noise and launched herself at him, going for the dagger and he easily blocked each of her strikes.

"You can hit harder than that." He said dropping her to the ground and she kicked, trying to swipe out his knees.

She almost managed it.

"You've got to be faster than that."

She'd managed to get a hold of the dagger he'd dropped blocking her punches and thrust it at his calf, he managed to kick it away just in time and grinned.

"Better. Start using your brain more."

"Screw you!" Harper said clearly getting irritated and Lucy let out an enthusiastic squeal.

"Ooooo she's getting mad."

"This is vicious." I said as James kicked out and Harper hit the glass again, letting out a series of swears unusual for her. I didn't blame her, it hadn't been a soft landing.

Frankly, I was amazed she got back up.

I'd seen sparring get out of hand in the arena, and some of the fights during capture the flag looked down right murderous, but I'd never seen a fight as nasty as this one. It was brutal. James and Harper were friends. Best friends. But as the continued to grapple I couldn't help but think Lucy was right, and that they looked as if they were trying to kill each other.

"It's alright.' Lucy said when she saw my surprise. "This is normal. James usually has to get her pretty upset before she really starts."

"Starts what?"

"She doesn't want to hurt him."

"Hurt him?" I asked as Harper was rag dolled yet again into the glass, but something about her expression had changed.

"Alright." She muttered and I noticed when her fingers dug into the floor under her, the concrete cracked. "You really want to do this?"

"I don't have all day Davis!" James jeered.

"Go to hell James."

"We usually don't do this when Ashton is around." Lucy said quietly. "He might find it upsetting."

Harper threw her back a hand and I felt my eyes go wide as the glass behind her shattered and soared straight at James jagged tips pointed towards him.

"That's what I'm talking about." He said with a laugh, but the floor had erupted from under Harper launching her towards him.

He caught her out of the air and threw her, but she thrust out a hand, and several wires tore through the ceiling.

She caught them, slowing her fall and with a whipping motion, they shot after James who this time, looked a little caught off guard.

He managed to grab the dagger that had been abandoned and sliced through the wires but already Harper was on the offensive, he'd been forced back into a corner and the wall as well as one of the sheets of glass closing in on him.

He swung his fist and the glass shattered only to catch Harper's arm just as it flung towards him.

She'd managed to grab the dagger again and it's point an inch from his throat.

He looked down at the blade for a second, then grinned.

"Excellent." He said with approval. "Nice work Davis, you almost-"

But the door to the last remaining glass wall flew open quickly, catching James off guard and throwing him off his feet.

I watched shocked as Lucy laughed and Harper glared at James who, for the first time in a while, looked a completely stunned.

"I am not sloppy." She muttered resentfully, crossing her arms over her chest and he grinned.

"What? Was that over the line?" he asked and she glowered at him.

"I think we can put that one in the win category for Harper." Lucy said smirking as Harper helped James up, and while she still looked annoyed, she didn't seem too upset.

"We're tied." He said in dismay.

Harper put her hand to the wall, her face the picture of concentration as slowly, the room started to repair itself.

"Looks like it's your turn." Lucy said smiling at me and I looked at her in shock.

"My turn?" I asked astounded. "What? I have to fight James?"

Did they want to kill me?

"We all have to." Harper said dully. "Otherwise he's insufferable."

I looked around the room uncertainly, which were hardly ideal conditions for a bow. Even without his board sword, James was a close combat fighter, something I wasn't the best at. A big open space like this was his preferred environment, and unlike Harper, I couldn't throw that environment back at him.

It also, wasn't very realistic. Not for me anyways.

"Do I have to fight him here?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't you?" Harper asked sounding a bit puzzled as James exited the glass room and made his way towards the conversation.

"I don't really do hand to hand combat." I pointed out.

"James isn't going to hurt you." Lucy assured me. "If he was actually trying against me I'd be a pancake."

"That's not the point." I said very aware that Harper was frowning, looking at me with an odd sort of interest. "It's just not very realistic. I wouldn't fight someone like James head on. It's not the sort of combat I do." I explained. "I'd lose. There's no point in training that way. Even if I did get better, what's the difference between lasting two seconds in a fight versus three?"

"Well then," James said a little impatiently, raising an eyebrow. "What do you suggest?"

It was the first thing he'd said to me since I'd arrived, in a while actually. His tone was cool, almost distant and I felt anxiety welling within me at it, causing me to hesitate.

"Give me a second."

I pulled out the phone Harper had given me and clicked on Ashton's contact.

"Hey Lib," he asked sounding surprised and I turned away from Lucy's curious gaze as well as Harper's and James's intent ones. "What's up?"

"Hey." I said feeling a little foolish for a second before deciding to press on. "Do we still have that paint ball equipment in the cabin? The modified stuff?"

"It should be floating around somewhere." He said thoughtfully. "Scattered, but I don't think anyone got rid of it. Why?"

"I'm going to pick some of it up."

"For any particular reason?" he asked good naturedly.

"Well," I said a bit awkwardly, glancing over my shoulder at the library crew before turning away again. "I'm going to try and shoot James. It's training day apparently and-"

"You don't have to justify it." Ashton said and while I could tell he was trying to keep his tone neutral, I could almost hear him grinning over the phone. "I completely understand. I'll gather what I can find. He's not an easy target though Lib, even I've never hit him. The hunters haven't either."

"I know that. I don't expect to actually hit him." I said rolling my eyes then feeling a bit suspicious. "How many times have you tried?"

"Less than the hunters probably." He said with a chuckle and I frowned. "I'll see what I can do though."

"Cool I'll see you in a minute."

"Bye Lib."

The call ended and I turned to see all three of them were looking at me with varying expressions.

Lucy curiosity, Harper as if she was debating the merit of this idea. James just looked annoyed.

"Paint ball?" he asked. "Really?"

"No," Harper said eventually. "I've seen the equipment she's talking about. She's right, it's modified. They've got some pretty wicked stuff, which Chiron told them they were supposed to get rid of."

The expression she shot me was meaningful, but she looked a little amused and I grinned somewhat sheepishly.

"Yeah… well." I shrugged. Some of the guns had been expensive… We weren't just going to throw away good equipment. "What would the library look like in an emergency?"

…

An hour later, I was looking around the main hall with interest. Emergency lights were flashing, throwing a red glow over the shelves who's books had been locked behind heavy metal grates of celestial bronze. Flood lights were trained on the floors, which I was willing to bet Harper could as easily as she did the rest of this place, as I took in the terrain around me. Memorizing the lay out.

I'd stashed a series of weapons around the library in strategic locations that James was not allowed to know and Harper, apparently, couldn't tell. It was a blind spot that seemed to have disturbed her, realizing that even if she could track people in the library. She couldn't track their weapons.

I had a gun slung over my shoulder, and two strapped to holsters attached to my belt.

"I have such a crush on you right now." Lucy said grinning at me. "You're like a blonde Laura croft."

"Thank you?" I asked uncertainly as Harper laughed and James just… stared at me.

"It is a bit weird seeing Libby decked out in weapons." Harper said, but she was grinning.

She looked at her best friend.

"Don't you think?"

He didn't answer.

"James."

"What?" he asked blinking and looking at her, his something off in his expression but I wasn't quite sure as to what.

"You ok over there Jamie?" Lucy asked smirking and he shook his head.

"This is ridiculous."

To my very great surprise however, Harper disagreed.

"I think it's a good idea." She said with a shrug said. "We've already learned from it and she's right. There's no point in training hand to hand if she's never going to fight that way. She should practice what she would do in an emergency."

"What's the parameters?" he asked with a sigh, still sounding a bit off.

He didn't seem to be in the mood to talk to me still, and while he hadn't been rude, it seemed as if the patience he usually had with me was gone. Was I finally starting to annoy him after all?

"Well," I said feeling uncomfortable. "Realistically, if I was an intruder or something. Harper would be the target, right?"

But Harper shook her head.

"If something happens, our priority is to protect the collection and Lucy. And you if you're here." She argued her tone clinical, but not apathetic. It simply sounded as if there was no doubt in her mind that this was and always would be the case. "No offense, but it's what they'd be here for, and the easiest ways to get it. James and I are tougher to get through, and we're last priority when it comes to safety."

I could tell by his expression James wanted to argue this point, most likely thinking she should be a bit higher up on the list, but he didn't say anything.

"Besides, Harper can't be in the drill. She knows where everyone is when they're here." Lucy pointed out. "It's not exactly fair."

"What happens if Harper's incapacitated?" I asked feeling my brow furrow.

"Then we're in real trouble." Lucy said with a frown.

"Lucy, and you finds somewhere safe." James said looking at his sister seriously. "I go after whatever's in here."

"So if Harper isn't the target, what would it be?"

"Information." She answered as if this should have been obvious.

"So then realistically, Libby should be trying to get somewhere and steal something." Lucy said and an idea popped into my brain.

"The Labyrinth." I said and the all looked at me in surprise as I turned to James. "You said there was a book in there, right?"

"He what?" Harper asked furiously rounding on James who winced.

"It just sort of happened Harper…"

"What else did you tell her?" she asked glaring at him and he hesitated for a moment, looking uncomfortable before admitting.

"She knows what's on the top floor."

"Excuse me?" Harper almost shouted. "James what the hell-"

"I'm not going to tell anyone." I assured her, a little hurt at the look of genuine distress that crossed Harper's features.

"Libby." She said putting her hand to her head looking tense. "It's so not about that… Those books-"

"I think we're getting away from what's important here." Lucy said tactfully, breaking up the argument, pressing her palms together if she was praying. "Which is James," she grinned at her brother gesturing towards him with her folded hands. "Getting hit by paint balls."

I grinned.

Harper was still looking at James however, and it was obvious the pair were having some sort of silent communication.

"It is a good idea." Harper said eventually, looking away from James and back at me. "Libby tries to get to the Labyrinth. James tries to stop her. Both are trying to take each other out. Libby, is fifteen minutes enough time for you to set up and find a starting point?"

"Yeah." I said nodding, a gesture she mirrored.

"Alright. James will start by the doors. I'll sound a signal when the drill starts."

"Good luck." Lucy said brightly as James automatically started walking towards the exit. Harper shot him an exhausted look before following, and I had a feeling whatever they hadn't been talking about, was about to come back up.

Lucy, who seemed to be thrilled with the turn of events, shot me a wink and skipped after them, chatting animatedly about what she clearly expected to be an interesting spectacle.

I looked around the room for a moment, feeling a bit apprehensive, the red light casting a sinister look to the library that was strangely… familiar.

Something about the eerie glow was brining on a strong sense of déjà vu, but I wasn't sure why. It felt like I'd been in this situation before, but I didn't know how that could be possible.

I shook my head and waited a few seconds after the door shut, before looking over my shoulder and getting to work.

I'd just doubled checked the magazine on one of the hand guns, grinning at the hot pink paint capsules, and settled myself into a more comfortable position lying flat along one of the taller shelves in the world history section. It was far enough back that it would be difficult to get to through the shelves, but with an open view of the door to the main hall through a space I'd cleared on the shelf in front of me through the grated bars. The one that was the tallest.

I pulled the hood of my jacket up, grateful I'd thought to bring it with my change of clothes so the light wouldn't reflect off my hair.

My heart gave an anticipating pound as suddenly, a siren went off, blaring obnoxiously loud like a fire alarm you often heard in public buildings. My pulse shot straight up as almost instantly, the door flew open and James stepped through.

'Not a clear shot.' I thought in disappointment as he walked into the room, and I forced myself to breathe in time with the noise of the siren. Both to lower my heart rate, but because I was convinced he would hear it if he got too close.

I watched as he moved through the rows, his eyes narrowed, seemingly irritated and I grinned, figuring I knew why.

James was a close-range fighter, used to using his enhanced speed and physical strength to overwhelming his opponents before they knew what, or even who, had hit them. It was clear however, as he walked, his pace increasing, that just like in his everyday life, in combat he didn't like to be kept waiting.

But I continued to do just that, controlling my breathing as he darted among the shelves, casing the area, obviously looking for anything out of place.

I held my breath as he wandered to the corridor that bordered my camped position, and I thought I heard him mutter.

"Where are you Lib?"

He walked under one of the flood lights, and did a double take, just as I had hoped. Spotting the single pink ball I'd left for him to find.

He hesitated, frowning before looking around and muttering to himself.

"There's no way she'd be this care-"

But I'd already summoned my bow, and shot through the glass of the flood light above him.

He let out a cry of surprise, as it buzzed and popped, hopefully disorienting him more than the average person with his heightened senses. I fired five shots in rapid succession all in different directions as I dropped off the shelf and he darted out from under the sparks.

He heard the shots and dodged before they hit, which I'd expected him to, but when he looked up to determine the direction they'd come from, he saw himself in the center of five paint splatters. Spaced so he couldn't determine their point of origin.

"Clever." He muttered sounding annoyed, but also a bit admiring.

I couldn't see his expression, I'd crawled towards the end of the row and hidden behind the edge of the shelf, but it almost sounded as if he was smiling.

"At least I know you're on this floor!" he called as I continued to breathe in time with the alarm.

It was clear he was trying to provoke me and draw me out, and I grinned, holding my breathe as he walked passed the shelf.

'Not for long.' I thought as he moved on.

I waited counting off two minutes in which was sure he'd gone to search the final section of the room, before I quietly got to my feet and crept towards the end of the row.

I couldn't see James, but that wasn't my main priority at the moment.

I let out a breath and took aim at the water bottle I'd used to prop open the door to the stair well, then shot it, causing the door to slam shut with a loud noise that rang out over the floor.

I ducked behind the shelf again as James, quick as lightning came tearing past, obviously taking the bait thinking I'd gone towards the stairs.

I debated on if I could manage a shot to the back, but decided against it remembering how easily he'd caught the pen Lucy had thrown at him, and that hadn't made any noise.

Instead, I dropped the mid ranged rifle and summed my bow again, shooting out the card reader as the door swung shut behind him, effectively locking the door.

I banished the weapon, picking up the rifle again and firing rapid shots at the narrow window in the door, obscuring the view with paint as the handle rattled. Then sprinted out of the aisle taking out as many of the emergency lights I could with the hand guns, and chucking them in opposite directions when they ran out of paint balls before diving under Harpers desk.

There was a sounding of shrieking and buckling metal as James managed to break down the door.

It hadn't expected it to hold him back for long, but it got me to the radio I'd wanted.

I waited for another siren blare to switch it on and set the channel.

"Harper's going to be mad about that." I said into the microphone and I heard my words accompanied by my own voice from three different directions.

He darted to the closest talkie, and tried to respond, but I'd already turned the volume down.

"Not as mad as Allison." He shouted and I had to bite my lip not to laugh. "She's the one who will have to fix it."

"Ready to give up?" I asked hearing him smash the talkie against the wall, having switched the channel, I heard it come from the direction of the device I'd taped to a lamp.

"How many of these do you have?" he asked the room at large and I heard another smash.

A third channel.

"Like I'd tell you."

"Did you really set this up in fifteen minutes?" he asked and I didn't answer this time as he approached the talkie on the other side of the room.

"What? No answer this time Lib?" he asked with a laugh. "Are you close by?"

I abandoned the radio. And scaled the shelf to the vantage point I'd originally wanted, but knew would be too obvious to spot the second he stepped into the room.

"You'll run out of tricks eventually." He said walking down the main corridor in the direction of Harper's desk.

'Perfect.' I thought lining with the sights of the sniper rifle waiting for me at the top of the shelf.

I noticed there was a bronze plate on the strap that crossed his chest, attached to the scabbard on his back just above his heart. It glinted eerily in the crimson light, and I figured it would be good target practice for the final shot.

He was walking slower now, clearly trying to spot anything that might have been a clue as to my location.

"You can't hide forever Libby!"

He caught sight of the radio and made towards it.

"I don't have to." I said and as he turned I fired two shots, one to the left of him and one to the right, both just barely wide, forcing him to doge, then change direction almost immediately herding him towards the center of the aisle.

He was off balance now and just as I was about to take the final shot, he looked up, and his gaze met mine. They were wide in surprise and as my finger gripped the trigger, certain of hitting my target.

A wave of fear washed over me, so intense, the force felt almost physical. Not entirely certain as to why, at the last second I adjusted my shot, hitting him in the left shoulder. Not a fatal shot, but it had hit.

I wasn't sure why it felt significant, but it did. Or why, though James was the one with paint on him, I felt as if I was the one who'd just dodged a bullet.

We simply stared at each other for a second, the drill that had seemed so light hearted, suddenly not feeling so much like a game anymore.

He looked down at his shoulder, and the vivid splash of pink splattered on his shirt, then back at me, his expression wary.

"That wasn't your first target, was it?" he asked quietly.

"No." I admitted uncertainly, sliding off the shelf and landing lightly on the ground.

I looked at the plate a little more closely, and was shocked to see that it wasn't just bronze, but celestial bronze.

"Why'd you switch at the last moment?" he asked insistently, almost as if he were demanding to know.

"I-" I stammered. "I don't know."

Normally I didn't hesitate, but the second I'd lined up for the shot something had felt horribly wrong.

He looked at me intently for a moment, almost as if he wasn't sure if I was lying or not, but then seemed to realize what he was doing and relaxed.

"Guess you beat me." He said quietly as I approached him, still feeling a bit uncertain. As if I'd done something wrong, but I wasn't sure why or what it could have been.

I'd been trying to shoot him after all, that was the whole point. So why did I feel like a major crisis had just been narrowly avoided?

Unable to help it, I felt my eyes lock on the bronze plate.

"What is this?"

I'd only now noticed that it was engraved with a familiar symbol. Caduceus, the snakes wound around the winged staff on which rested the symbol of an owl. The imagery was plane enough, Hermes and Athena, and I felt myself blush a little as I realized what that meant. Suddenly, my question felt far too personal, but James didn't seemed to mind as he answered.

"Harper gave it to me." He explained. "My first birthday after we all moved in here. She hates celebrating her own, but doesn't let ours slide. Tempered by Hephaestus himself, ironically enough."

I noticed along with the symbols, there were names etched into the metal. Two were excepted. Harper and Lucy. One however, wasn't.

"Who's Emily?" I asked uncertainly.

He hesitated for just a moment, before saying. "Emily is my mother's name."

I felt a pang of shock go through me as I realized what the commonality was.

These were the people that he loved, and with that realization came another, that that list of people was heartbreakingly small.

"Do you ever talk to her?" I asked hesitantly.

I knew I shouldn't have asked. This was diving way too far into James's personal life and I wasn't even sure how much he liked me, but again, I was surprised to find that he answered.

"Not really no, at least not directly. She knows Lucy and I are alive but…"

He shrugged looking a little uncomfortable and I had no idea what to say.

I was spared the need when the door to the main hall opened, and both Lucy and Harper themselves walked in.

"I figured it was over." Harper said shrugged. "You both had stopped moving."

"She got you!" Lucy shouted excitedly jogging over to James examining the paint before letting out a triumphant laugh. "I knew it! She totally got you!"

"Yes." He said composedly. "But she didn't get to the Labyrinth, which was the objective."

"Doesn't matter if your downed." Harper pointed out. "She could throw a parade if she liked on her way in."

She looked around at the library.

"This was a good idea Libby." She said. "I wouldn't have thought of this."

"I'm sure you-" I started but James cut my off.

"She's right."

He glanced at me, his expression guarded but there was something else under it. Something I couldn't explain, but I found my pulse had jumped higher than it had at any point in the last hour when his gaze met mine.

The moment didn't last however.

"We need to talk about this." He said looking at Harper who was still glancing around. "Clearly there are blind spots in the security system. Allison can come in and-"

"Talk to Libby." Harper agreed with a nod. "Call her. Luce."

"Yeah boss?"

"Pull up the library's blue prints at my desk, all of them. Libby, come with me."

She said gesturing to follow her and I realized she was walking back to where I'd started at the beginning of the drill.

"You're really going to let me look at the blue prints of this place?" I asked in shock, considering how freaked out she'd been about me even knowing what was on some of the levels earlier.

"You are going through every floor of this place and telling me everything James and I missed. I want you to tell me everything that just happened, step by step. And what was going through your head."

"Why?"

"Because I was wrong." she said her tone a little amazed and looking at me. "I didn't think you'd actually hit James. I didn't even think you'd come close."

She shook her head.

"Libby, I owe you an apology, I underestimated you." she said quietly looking around at the library. "But it's a mistake that I intend to learn from."