It didn't take too long for the trio to find a nice open park area with a picnic bench, and in the dying light Percy pulled a pen and some paper out of the backpack. She pursed her lips, considering what to write before getting started.

To, Carter, Sadie, mom and everyone,

Please don't panic too much about me. I'm safe enough for now. I know you're probably freaking out and for all I know you think I'm dead but I'm not. I don't know what happened after I was knocked out other than that I was kidnapped. I hope Bianca got everyone out okay though.

Sorry I know this probably doesn't make much sense to you. It's a lot at the moment but I really am okay. I managed to escape from where I was being held with Artemis and Luke, shocking I know. He's helped me. I will come home soon I promise but I have things I have to do before I can. There's this whole prophecy thing. It's really complicated. But I need you to not do anything stupid yet. I know this looks like an attack on the House of Life by Greeks but it was Kronos behind it. And Alina Menshikov. She's his daughter. She hates me for the obvious reason and I have no doubt she wants to destroy us. We can't let her. So please please please keep the House of Life from declaring war. The last thing we need now is a fight against them.

There's so much more I wish I could write but I don't have much time and I'm struggling at the moment.

And I need to tell you something important, and it'll be hard for me to find the words. Even thinking about it makes me want to shut down but I can't right now. I'll let myself grieve later.

Desjardins came to the dance. He came to warn me because he'd discovered that it was Alina who cast that tracking spell like, two years ago. And he was there when Alina made her move. She drugged me and blocked my magic- I have it back now but there wasn't much I could do. He tried to help me escape, he tried to save me but she killed him. She killed him and then I blacked out. I don't know if you already know. I don't know if you found his body or not but if you have please make sure he goes home. Please make sure he gets treated with all the respect he deserves.

Percy faltered, closing her eyes tightly and gripping her pen hard- maybe a little too hard but she didn't care as she desperately tried to force back the tears, flinching slightly when she felt Luke's hand landing on her shoulder and squeezing, clearly in an attempt to comfort her.

"Are you okay?"

"I-" Percy took a deep breath, wiping her face with the back of her hand to clear away the tears. "I will be fine. Thank you though." she sniffed, "For asking."

"Is the letter done?" Artemis tilted her head, "I'm most curious to see you give it to a cat." which made Percy snort.

"Almost. Just need to sign it and fold it up." she did so carefully, and once it was folded she wrote the names on the front once more before pushing herself to her feet and looking around.

Thankfully it didn't take her long to spot a cat- an orange tabby cat padding along up an alley.

She lurched to her feet quickly, darting after it, "Tsk tsk." she called softly, "Here kitty kitty, here-" which got the cats attention, and Percy managed to approach, holding out a hand to let the cat sniff it before she murmured softly, magic in her tones as she did. And the cat sat, intelligent eyes staring at her almost curiously.

"Here." she murmured the word, holding out the folded up letter to the cat, who took it in it's mouth delicately, giving a small nod. "You take that to your mistress for me please. Take it to Bast. She'll know where it needs to go from there. From one of her kittens to another."

And the cat seemed to almost nod it's little head, turning around and trotting away happily even as Percy heard Luke and Artemis coming to a stop behind her even as Percy straightened up and brushed herself off, turning to look at her two travel companions.

"I have to admit." Luke spoke up slowly, "That's definitely on the list of strangest things I've ever witnessed."

"Mortals." Artemis scoffed, "You find such small things strange-"

"As opposed to... whatever the fuck you're classed as now?" Luke shot back, "Don't act high and mighty. You're a mortal now too, in case you've forgotten that."

"I swear to all of the fucking gods, Greek and Egyptian, I will punch you both in the fucking face if you don't stop acting like five year olds!" Percy had to stop herself from shouting at the two idiots.

That at least shut them both and Percy took a deep, steadying breath, "Good. Thank you." she ran her fingers through her curls, tugging slightly when her fingers got tangled in them. "Now we need to head on down to the beach and I'll lead the way to the caves where I think the scythe is. Is there any problem with that?" she crooked an eyebrow at them and Luke shook his head quickly.

"No problems here."

"Good, and you Artemis?"

"No." Artemis' voice was more annoyed than Luke's had been- Luke's had had just a tinge of nervousness in it. But then he knew she had the strength to pack a punch and a half since they'd fought before.

"Very good." Percy adjusted her sweater, before nodding to herself "Now let's head down to the beach." her eyes landed on the box that Artemis was carrying- still unopened, "And let's crack open the Loukoumades while we have the chance." she leaned over slightly, lifting the lid of the box and plucking one of the pastries out, popping it into her mouth and letting out a happy noise as she chewed and swallowed. "Ah yes, they're just as good as I remember-"

"Oh come on-" Luke plucked them from the box, "They can't be-" he paused as he took a bite- his eyes widening at the taste, he chewed, swallowed and then- "Holy fuck they are that good."

Which made Artemis pull one from the box and sampled it, nodding slowly as she chewed and swallowed before- "I must admit they are good."

"Oh wow." Luke rolled his eyes, "High praise from the high and- ouch!" Percy had reached out and punched his arm hard, and Luke scowled at her as he rubbed his arm. "Did you have to do that?"

"I made it clear what'd happen if you kept being dumbasses. You're lucky your arm was closer-"

"I doubt you're even tall enough to reach-" he blinked, seeing the look on Percy's face before, "I take it back. Sorry!"

"Good boy." Percy's voice was sickly sweet, "Now let's go shall we?" she turned and headed onwards, leading the way through the streets towards the beach- the sun was setting over the waves, and Percy's breath caught slightly at the view.

Gods above but it was beautiful- the soft oranges and pinks made the ocean glow almost as if it was on fire itself, the sea sparkling. And she could feel the call in her bones. Feel the urge to run into it, to dive and swim until she couldn't see land, to meet the fish and the creatures of the sea. She pushed it back, forcing herself to turn her gaze away, not letting her reluctance show on her face. "It's this way." she nodded down the beach towards the rocky cliffs which housed so many caves that Percy hadn't gotten the chance to even think about exploring them all.

As she did she shoved her hands into her pockets once more, strolling across the sand with ease until the sand gave way to small stones- and then gradually to larger stones and rock pools, climbing over and around them with practised ease, glancing back every few minutes to see Luke and Artemis following her closely- though in Luke's case without quite the same level of elegance as she had.

"I would say take your shoes off because it makes it easier sometimes." Percy called back, "But some of the rocks are sharp and you'd be liable to slice your foot open."

"It doesn't help that it's getting harder to see them." Luke piped up, "Can you summon a light again?"

And Percy paused, glancing up towards the sky. He wasn't wrong it was starting to get dark. They would need the light soon enough anyway. And a light was a small enough think.

She made quick work of summoning one, enchanting it to float a little higher than her head a couple of foot behind her. And once that was done she forged onwards once more as they approached the rocky cliffs. "The cave is the third one along." Percy called back to them as she saw the edge of the first cave coming into view. "I remember it really well."

"Mykonos seems to have found it's way into your heart."

"Can you blame me?" Percy glanced back at Artemis, "It's beautiful. I travel a lot, but there are some places that I just have to come back to- woah-" Percy twisted and lunged quickly, catching Artemis when her foot slipped on one of the rocks and steadying her. "Be careful Artemis."

Artemis let out a frustrated noise. "I would never have slipped in such a humiliating way when I was a goddess. And if I had it wouldn't have mattered-"

"Well you're not for now." Luke's voice was incredibly frustrated too. "Don't whine about being mortal to two people who are mortal- or mostly mortal-" he paused, "Or... whatever the fuck you are, no offence-" that was directed at Percy, who let out a bright laugh despite the fact that his words could easily be taken as an insult. "Well I like to consider myself a supreme badass of a being but technically-" she paused, "Uh... actually I would rather not have to think about that technicality thank you." she wasn't immortal or anything. But did being the living embodiment of Chaos allow her to technically be called a mortal? She was undoubtedly one of if not the most powerful mortals alive.

Nope, nope she didn't want to think about that right now she had other things she needed to deal with. "Anyway-"

"Smooth subject change." Artemis remarked, voice heavy with sarcasm, which earned her a poked out tongue from Percy.

Still, they kept moving onwards, Percy proving to be the most proficient at clambering over the rocks- likely due to Artemis being unused to the mortal body she was currently trapped in and Luke simply not being used to the terrain.

And as the sun kept sliding from view and the stars slowly started to show themselves Percy reached the the third cave- it was smaller than the first two- and shorter too- Luke and Artemis would both have to duck to get inside, though Percy didn't need to. It opened up once a person was inside though.

And it was dark inside, truly dark. Percy took a moment, bracing her hand against the rock of the entrance as she glanced back at Artemis and Luke. "Are you two ready?" her voice was soft, "I only went in so far last time. It didn't feel right. I doubt the scythe wants us to find it."

"We don't have much choice." Luke pointed out, "I don't like this but if I want to fix things this is the only way."

"We will do what must be done." Artemis gave a short nod.

And Percy took a deep breath before carefully making her way into the darkness of the cave.

One way or another, when they returned they wouldn't be empty handed.