p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Thalia had to fight back a snarl; her expression overcome with rage, a storm of fury brewing inside her. Eventually, it melted away as she remembered the consequences. The teenager could not act rashly and had to follow her sister's lead. Thalia had been a member of the Hunt for decades and had to show patience, but the events she'd witnessed had left her infuriated. Shaking off the rest of her irritation, the trusty Lieutenant of the Hunt followed her superior./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Do you believe her, Lady Artemis?" Thalia asked her half-sister, the huntress having been silent since leaving the palace./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Khione is an excellent liar and a master manipulator, but she was genuinely surprised when we mentioned the incident. I'm positive she was not involved." Artemis answered. Thalia groaned disappointment etched on her face. "I was hoping it was her."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Thalia, we can't let her get under our skin, besides, this presents worrying implications," Artemis continued. "The amount of mana used is immense. Only the gods themselves, are capable of using it. That is troubling, to say the least. Someone was powerful enough to release an attack with that much strength, and the sheer force and damage it caused is something we have never encountered. Khione would be powerful, but not to this extent."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"The duo walked on in silence, both pondering the situation's implications. They could not afford a repeat of the last Gigantomachia; the losses that they'd suffered were still fresh in their minds. If this was an attack, then the gods had to prepare. The snow continued to fall, the wind blowing across the land, the two huntresses unaware of the pair of eyes watching them. A form shrouded in white watched the hunters, the being's face obscured by the storm. It was silent, a sentinel observing./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"-X-/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"It was night, the moon illuminating the forest. The campfire was dim, the smoke rising lazily. A lone girl, dressed in jeans and a hoodie, stood near the flames, her eyes closed and arms crossed. The fire reflected the shadows across her face, her features sharp and angular. Long blonde hair flowed past her shoulders, and the girl looked like a goddess in her own right./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"She opened her eyes, the grey orbs piercing the darkness, her eyes focused on the burning flames. "Where are you, Percy? It's been years." Annabeth was worried about her boyfriend, her lover, the man who had become the center of her world. She hadn't seen him since they'd parted after the battle in Greece against Gaia and her children, the giants. Since then, there has been no communication./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Annabeth was the last to see him; that encounter had provided little insight into where he'd gone. She'd spent weeks tracking him down, and her efforts had been fruitless. He had vanished. Her frustration grew each day, and her emotions had begun to overpower her logic. She knew the 'why,' everybody did. Percy's mortal family had been killed, a desperate last attempt by Gaia and her spawn to break the man. It had worked, and his grief had consumed him, the pain causing him to go into isolation./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Percy was gone. His name was known throughout the world; he was a hero. Everyone on Earth, both demigods and mortals, knew the name. The son of Poseidon, the slayer of Kronos and Gaia, and the one who'd united the long warring camps. He had become an icon, a symbol of the new era. A hero was not a hero without the support of his peers, and he'd earned the respect and love of the masses. It was impossible to imagine how many people would've died during the final battle without him./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Percy was a symbol, and he was loved. However, he was also a symbol of hate. To his enemies, he was the most significant threat in their lives, the man who had defeated them repeatedly. To the monsters and the evil, Percy was the nightmare they'd dreaded and the reason for their deaths. In the wake of his disappearance, the forces of evil had begun to rally. There were rumors of a new monster, a titan or giant, emerging. Attacks on both camps had become common, and the forces of Olympus were preparing for another war./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"War was not the worst thing that could happen. Percy's absence had left the gods in disarray. It was an unspoken truth that his presence, and the loyalty he'd garnered, had kept them unified. With Percy missing, their infighting had returned. It was nothing like the time before Percy, but arguments and debates were becoming more frequent, and the threat was a real possibility. The gods had united in their hatred of Gaia, but they had done so through Percy's influence, and without him, they were vulnerable./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"If a war started and the gods became involved, it would be devastating for everyone. It would not just be demigods and mortals at risk. It would involve all of humanity. The gods would fight amongst each other, and the damage would be felt everywhere. The mortals were unaware of the danger. For years, they'd been protected from the horrors of the supernatural world, but if a war were to break out, they'd have no choice but to get involved. It was a terrifying thought./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"There was no way to tell when, or even if, the next war would occur, but the prospect was a reality and the driving force for the search for Percy. Three decades had gone by, and his absence had taken a toll. Without him, there was no guarantee the next war could be stopped. The gods were searching for him, and so were the demigods. Allies, friends, and foes were scouring the globe, looking for him, but their efforts had been fruitless so far./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"A twig snapped, the sound pulling Annabeth from her thoughts. She reached for the dagger strapped to her leg, and a figure stepped out of the forest, her hands raised in the air. "Easy, Annie. It's me." The blonde sighed, letting her weapon return to its sheath. "I could have stabbed you, Piper." She spoke, her voice calm. "And stop calling me that."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Piper laughed, the melodious sound filling the space around her. She was a beautiful woman with an infectious smile. Her clothes were a mix of leather and denim, and her hair was tied in a ponytail, the chestnut strands swaying as she moved. "I could have dodged." Piper McLean was a daughter of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and desire. The daughter of love was the opposite of her mother, with a warm and compassionate personality, not vain and selfish. She was a constant in Annabeth's life, one of the few willing to sacrifice years of her life to search for her friend./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""So, no luck on your end? You're back sooner than I expected." Annabeth's grey eyes flashed as Piper nodded. "We've scoured the entire coast. He's not anywhere, and if he's trying to hide, he's doing an excellent job. I have to ask though, Annabeth. None of the gods granted him immortality, and he's been gone for so long, and we've had no contact. What are the chances..."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""No," Annabeth snapped, the fire crackling with her emotion. "I refuse to accept that. He's not dead. Percy promised me." Piper shook her head. "You know he keeps his promises, Piper."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""I know he does, and he'll keep this one. If he's dead, it'll be because he had no other option." Piper's voice was soft and comforting, the daughter of Aphrodite's charmspeak soothing the anger Annabeth had felt. "But, we've searched everywhere. We've exhausted every possibility. If he's alive, he isn't in the Americas." Annabeth shook her head, denial evident in her face./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""No, that doesn't make sense. He can't fly, Zeus wouldn't let him, and he would've been sensed if he used any waterways." Piper nodded, the same thoughts going through her mind. "It doesn't make sense."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""He could be using a different method. Something we aren't aware of, maybe?" Piper asked. Annabeth shook her head once again. "No, he's a demigod. He's limited by his blood."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""He's Percy, and we've already seen him defy expectations," Piper responded with a small smile. "I mean, who would have guessed that we'd ever be in love with him? Not me." Annabeth covered her ears. "That's /spanem style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"my/emspan style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true" boyfriend you're talking about. Stop. We've been over this. Ddon't say that he's attractive. He's mine, remember?"/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Oh, please. Since Jason's break-up with me, Percy's become the number one heartthrob among the camp. You should see the Aphrodite girls. I've never seen anyone drool so much. If they were dogs, they'd be howling." Annabeth glared at her best friend. "What? I'm just telling the truth. Besides, they're not wrong." Piper chuckled. "Anyway, what's the plan?"/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""I have no idea."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Do you believe her, Lady Artemis?" Thalia asked her half-sister, the huntress having been silent since leaving the palace./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Khione is an excellent liar and a master manipulator, but she was genuinely surprised when we mentioned the incident. I'm positive she was not involved." Artemis answered. Thalia groaned disappointment etched on her face. "I was hoping it was her."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Thalia, we can't let her get under our skin, besides, this presents worrying implications," Artemis continued. "The amount of mana used is immense. Only the gods themselves, are capable of using it. That is troubling, to say the least. Someone was powerful enough to release an attack with that much strength, and the sheer force and damage it caused is something we have never encountered. Khione would be powerful, but not to this extent."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"The duo walked on in silence, both pondering the situation's implications. They could not afford a repeat of the last Gigantomachia; the losses that they'd suffered were still fresh in their minds. If this was an attack, then the gods had to prepare. The snow continued to fall, the wind blowing across the land, the two huntresses unaware of the pair of eyes watching them. A form shrouded in white watched the hunters, the being's face obscured by the storm. It was silent, a sentinel observing./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"-X-/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"It was night, the moon illuminating the forest. The campfire was dim, the smoke rising lazily. A lone girl, dressed in jeans and a hoodie, stood near the flames, her eyes closed and arms crossed. The fire reflected the shadows across her face, her features sharp and angular. Long blonde hair flowed past her shoulders, and the girl looked like a goddess in her own right./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"She opened her eyes, the grey orbs piercing the darkness, her eyes focused on the burning flames. "Where are you, Percy? It's been years." Annabeth was worried about her boyfriend, her lover, the man who had become the center of her world. She hadn't seen him since they'd parted after the battle in Greece against Gaia and her children, the giants. Since then, there has been no communication./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Annabeth was the last to see him; that encounter had provided little insight into where he'd gone. She'd spent weeks tracking him down, and her efforts had been fruitless. He had vanished. Her frustration grew each day, and her emotions had begun to overpower her logic. She knew the 'why,' everybody did. Percy's mortal family had been killed, a desperate last attempt by Gaia and her spawn to break the man. It had worked, and his grief had consumed him, the pain causing him to go into isolation./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Percy was gone. His name was known throughout the world; he was a hero. Everyone on Earth, both demigods and mortals, knew the name. The son of Poseidon, the slayer of Kronos and Gaia, and the one who'd united the long warring camps. He had become an icon, a symbol of the new era. A hero was not a hero without the support of his peers, and he'd earned the respect and love of the masses. It was impossible to imagine how many people would've died during the final battle without him./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Percy was a symbol, and he was loved. However, he was also a symbol of hate. To his enemies, he was the most significant threat in their lives, the man who had defeated them repeatedly. To the monsters and the evil, Percy was the nightmare they'd dreaded and the reason for their deaths. In the wake of his disappearance, the forces of evil had begun to rally. There were rumors of a new monster, a titan or giant, emerging. Attacks on both camps had become common, and the forces of Olympus were preparing for another war./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"War was not the worst thing that could happen. Percy's absence had left the gods in disarray. It was an unspoken truth that his presence, and the loyalty he'd garnered, had kept them unified. With Percy missing, their infighting had returned. It was nothing like the time before Percy, but arguments and debates were becoming more frequent, and the threat was a real possibility. The gods had united in their hatred of Gaia, but they had done so through Percy's influence, and without him, they were vulnerable./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"If a war started and the gods became involved, it would be devastating for everyone. It would not just be demigods and mortals at risk. It would involve all of humanity. The gods would fight amongst each other, and the damage would be felt everywhere. The mortals were unaware of the danger. For years, they'd been protected from the horrors of the supernatural world, but if a war were to break out, they'd have no choice but to get involved. It was a terrifying thought./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"There was no way to tell when, or even if, the next war would occur, but the prospect was a reality and the driving force for the search for Percy. Three decades had gone by, and his absence had taken a toll. Without him, there was no guarantee the next war could be stopped. The gods were searching for him, and so were the demigods. Allies, friends, and foes were scouring the globe, looking for him, but their efforts had been fruitless so far./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"A twig snapped, the sound pulling Annabeth from her thoughts. She reached for the dagger strapped to her leg, and a figure stepped out of the forest, her hands raised in the air. "Easy, Annie. It's me." The blonde sighed, letting her weapon return to its sheath. "I could have stabbed you, Piper." She spoke, her voice calm. "And stop calling me that."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Piper laughed, the melodious sound filling the space around her. She was a beautiful woman with an infectious smile. Her clothes were a mix of leather and denim, and her hair was tied in a ponytail, the chestnut strands swaying as she moved. "I could have dodged." Piper McLean was a daughter of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and desire. The daughter of love was the opposite of her mother, with a warm and compassionate personality, not vain and selfish. She was a constant in Annabeth's life, one of the few willing to sacrifice years of her life to search for her friend./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""So, no luck on your end? You're back sooner than I expected." Annabeth's grey eyes flashed as Piper nodded. "We've scoured the entire coast. He's not anywhere, and if he's trying to hide, he's doing an excellent job. I have to ask though, Annabeth. None of the gods granted him immortality, and he's been gone for so long, and we've had no contact. What are the chances..."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""No," Annabeth snapped, the fire crackling with her emotion. "I refuse to accept that. He's not dead. Percy promised me." Piper shook her head. "You know he keeps his promises, Piper."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""I know he does, and he'll keep this one. If he's dead, it'll be because he had no other option." Piper's voice was soft and comforting, the daughter of Aphrodite's charmspeak soothing the anger Annabeth had felt. "But, we've searched everywhere. We've exhausted every possibility. If he's alive, he isn't in the Americas." Annabeth shook her head, denial evident in her face./span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""No, that doesn't make sense. He can't fly, Zeus wouldn't let him, and he would've been sensed if he used any waterways." Piper nodded, the same thoughts going through her mind. "It doesn't make sense."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""He could be using a different method. Something we aren't aware of, maybe?" Piper asked. Annabeth shook her head once again. "No, he's a demigod. He's limited by his blood."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""He's Percy, and we've already seen him defy expectations," Piper responded with a small smile. "I mean, who would have guessed that we'd ever be in love with him? Not me." Annabeth covered her ears. "That's /spanem style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"my/emspan style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true" boyfriend you're talking about. Stop. We've been over this. Ddon't say that he's attractive. He's mine, remember?"/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Oh, please. Since Jason's break-up with me, Percy's become the number one heartthrob among the camp. You should see the Aphrodite girls. I've never seen anyone drool so much. If they were dogs, they'd be howling." Annabeth glared at her best friend. "What? I'm just telling the truth. Besides, they're not wrong." Piper chuckled. "Anyway, what's the plan?"/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="background: transparent; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""I have no idea."/span/p