Very rushed update as I'm really unwell and looking at the screen hurts. I'm sorry but no replies today! I love you though.

It was difficult just to get Bianca to chew and swallow the Ambrosia, but thankfully Thalia managed after what felt like a lifetime.

Percy was sure she'd never be able to forget those horrible minutes, her hand pressing hard enough against the wound to cause pain as Bianca cried and whined, too overwhelmed by the pain to understand what Thalia was trying to do.

At least once she'd swallowed the Ambrosia Percy could feel the bleeding slowing further, though Percy had been doing a good job of slowing it with her powers. If she hadn't been she was pretty sure there was a chance that the daughter of Hades would have been visiting her father again very quickly. As it was Bianca didn't stay conscious for long after eating the ambrosia- her body went limp moments later, head lolling in a way that made her look like a puppet with her strings cut, her usually warm olive skin had gone a deathly pale color that did not suit her.

Once Percy felt the blood slowing she leaned back, snatching the wet cloth from the bowl that Zoe had fetched for her, carefully pulling Bianca's jumper away from the area, wiping at it and cleaning away the blood to show the wound- which was, thanks to the ambrosia, slowly starting to heal. It would take time due to how severe the wound was but Bianca would be healed, probably by the next day.

Percy took a deep breath as she leaned back, closing her eyes.

"It's healing." Her voice was quiet, "It's healing."

"Oh thank Hades." Thalia's voice cracked a little, "I- holy shit that was scary."

"We should still cover and bind the wound." Zoe spoke up, "There's a first aid kit upstairs."

"Get it then." Percy took a deep breath as she pushed herself to her feet. "I'm gonna go get some air." Before anyone else could say anything Percy was moving out of the living area towards the back of the house, and she quickly found a back door with a key in the lock. She turned it, unlocking the door and slipping out quickly, taking a deep breath of cool air as she shut the door behind her and took several steps before lowering herself to the ground, forcing herself to breath and letting herself shake.

Bianca had come close to dying. A girl Percy saw as a little sister had almost died in her arms because she'd been distracted with another monster. She closed her eyes tightly, crossing her legs and bracing her elbows against them, pressing her face into her hands.

Her hands which were covered with Bianca's blood.

Fuck. Fuck she'd promised Hades she'd look after Bianca and Nico and Bianca had nearly died on her watch. The very feeling made her sick to her stomach. It was her responsibility. She was the leader, the one with the experience. She was responsible for the others- other than maybe Zoe but even her to an extent. The idea of failing them… it scared her.

She wished Piper and Annabeth were there. She wished she had them with her to hold her and help her pull herself together.

But they weren't. They'd been separated and now getting back to them was her responsibility. She should have been more prepared. She shouldn't have spent that extra time talking to Triton. If she hadn't maybe she'd have avoided the run in with the Manticore and the skeleton warriors.

"Hey-" Percy almost jumped at the voice. She hadn't heard the door opening, but she turned her head, gaze focusing on Grover. The Satyr looked a little nervous. He was gripping his rasta cap tightly, twisting it in between his hands. "Are you okay?"

"I-" Percy gave a little cough, to clear her throat. "I'm fine. I just needed a little air after that. It was crazy y'know?"

"It wasn't your fault." Grover blurted the words, his face going red. "I mean- I- uh.. it wasn't your fault. What happened to Bianca."

"I wasn't-"

"Satyrs are empaths." Grover gave a sheepish look, "I can sense the guilt." He moved to join her, dropping onto the cold floor next to her. "And it's not your fault. They showed up like, minutes after you went into the water Percy. The fact that we got away at all was pretty lucky."

"They didn't know you were in the aquarium though-"

"No, no they did." Grover pulled a face, "You didn't spot the skeleton dude watching the aquarium I guess. They could smell us, they couldn't smell you. I bet the Manticore would have completely ignored you if you hadn't come to the aquarium. They were looking for a girl with white hair I guess."

"Still I should have-"

"Should have what?" Grover snorted, "You might be a badass magician and a big three kid but you can't do literally everything dude. Besides you're still recovering from extreme magical exhaustion or whatever right? Pretty sure if anyone else tried to take on Atlas like you did they'd be dead. Bianca's going to be fine and she'll be fighting fit within a few hours thanks to you getting the bullet out and slowing the bleeding. Don't be so hard on yourself Percy."

"This- it's not like it was the last few times. When I was with Piper and with Annabeth."

"Because you don't feel responsible for them in the way you feel for us." Grover nodded. "I get that. Miss War Vetran at ten years old-"

"I mean one could make an argument for at nine because I'd consider it a small war against Set really-" Percy's lips twitched slightly as Grover laughed and bumped his shoulder against hers.

"That's better."

"You're a good friend Grover." Percy gave a wry smile, tilting her head so that she could lean it on his shoulder- or she tried to. And when she failed she gave a little scowl and grabbed his arm, yanking him down slightly, "There." She rested her head on his shoulder as he yelped.

"What the-"

"You're too tall. I had to make you lean to the side so I can get comfy."

"You-" Grover laughed again, shaking his head, "You know for a famous person you're a little bit of a weirdo."

"All the best people are weird." Percy closed her eyes.

"Uh huh. You keep telling yourself that weirdo." Even so he slid his arm around her, helping support her weight as she leaned against him. And Percy must have been far more exhausted than she realised because she found herself slowly drifting off. And she didn't have the energy to fight the darkness that swallowed her.

Percy found herself on Mount Tam again. But not with Alina and Atlas. No. No she was in the cell that she and Artemis had escaped from.

It should have been empty. But it wasn't. Percy wanted to scream at the sight that met her eyes.

Carter and Sadie, slumped on the ground, tied in thick rope, gags in their mouths. They were out cold, Percy could tell that from one glance.

And it got worse somehow because the others were there too. All bound and gagged so securely that they could barely even wriggle.

At least the others weren't knocked out. Though Percy noticed cuts and bruises on Piper and Annabeth that Alina would pay for next time Percy saw her. Because there couldn't be anyone else responsible. It had to be Alina. There was no other explanation. And Carter and Sadie were out cold, which probably meant that she'd somehow managed to drug them like she had Percy.

That made Percy's chest go tight.

She'd been out for days with those drugs, and she had a lot more divinity, a lot more raw power than Carter and Sadie. What sort of damage could it do to them? The idea of her brother and sister being seriously hurt made Percy want to claw the other girls face off with her bare hands. Made her want to rip and tear and rend until there was nothing less.

She curled her fingers into fists, gaze flicking over the group again. Artemis was sporting a nasty looking black eye and probably some other injuries beneath the ropes and Luke had a jagged gash on his head from where someone had clearly hit him. But at the very least it seemed that everyone was alive. And Carter and Sadie's breathing seemed steady enough so she needed to try and focus, try not to let the anger boiling her blood in her veins make her say or do something stupid. Mostly do because she was seriously pissed off.

How had they gotten captured? What had happened after the groups had parted?

She looked around- and if this was a dream maybe… she moved towards the wall, reaching out- and her hand slipped through it as if there was nothing there.

Well that was good.

She glanced back over her shoulder, biting her lip hard.

She hated leaving them in the room. Hated the idea that she wouldn't know what was happening to them but if she could get more information then she would. She had to.

So she slipped through the wall, padding her way through the reforming halls of Mount Orthys, making her way to a room she hadn't been in before- the throne room clearly, based off the black marble dais that was forming rock by rock, upon which rested, where a throne would probably usually be, a golden sarcophagus.

Percy scowled at the sight. And at the sight of Alina, clearly in the middle of talking.

"-the older siblings here we'll be able to use them as bait easily. They'll probably not even wake up before Percy Kane arrives Lord Kronos. I know it didn't go as plan and you want the daughter of Zeus too but the plan can still work. We'll use Artemis' divinity and when Percy Kane arrives to rescue her precious family and friends we'll use her as the sacrifice to power your revival. And if she doesn't come, well you have two of the most powerful Magicians to have ever lived here to sacrifice. Your return to full power won't be challenged. And even if we can't capture her, once the spell is started there's no stopping it. The magical barrier can only be breached by your own power-"

And oh. Oh oh oh. That was perfect wasn't it. That explained why the scythe was so important. It was Kronos' scythe. Kronos' magic powered it. Percy had to resist the urge to pump her fist.

Alina and Kronos had no idea just who was coming for them both. She was going to make them regret everything.

"The girl has an annoying gift for meddling in my plans." Kronos' voice was a growl. "I want her as the sacrifice to power my return. I want an ultimate victory. You will see to it Menshikov. Or I will ensure that you suffer greatly in turn. The power of Chaos will be mine. This little brat who thinks she can cause me trouble with no consequence will pay the price for her impudence."

"Oooh." Percy snorted, rolling her eyes. "Real nice way to talk about your granddaughter there old man."

"Of course lord Kronos." Alina's expression tightened, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. Clearly she didn't appreciate the way the Titan was talking to her "I've sent your monsters to track her and those demigods down. Soon enough we'll have them all here I assure you. And with the Kanes… not only will you destroy your rebellious children but the House of Life will fall at our feet."

And Percy felt a tight sickness in her stomach.

Because if anything did happen to Carter and Sadie… if the worst happened then the House of Life would fall into chaos.

And she was fairly sure the rage she'd feel would be to blame.