Owl Army was rapt, focused on Annabeth as she gave feedback. "Do you think that move will work in a battle room full of opponents?" Annabeth barked, an eyebrow raised. "Or against the Titans? Are you playing a game, or are you training for a war, soldier?"

"Er, training for a war," Nico said.

"Great, let's try that again," Annabeth said. She checked her watch. "Five minutes left. Let's go!"

When practice was over, Percy hung back. Annabeth was still floating in the center of the battle room, slowly tumbling head over heels, lost in thought.

"Hey," he said, drifting next to her. "Good practice."

"Yeah," she said absently.

"You're doing great, you know," he said. "I don't think many brand-new commanders start out winning, much less with a three-battle streak."

"It's fine," she said. "We need to keep it up." She launched herself toward the gate, landing deftly on her feet and taking her helmet off. "I'm going to retire."

Percy landed beside her, taking off his helmet and making a face at her. "You haven't eaten dinner."

"I have a stash of snacks in my cabin." Percy gave her another look. "Please don't make me go hang out in the mess hall," she said, slumping in exaggerated protest. "I've had enough commander-ing for the day."

"Okaay," he said. "I'll walk with you."

He took her hand somewhere between the battle room and the Owl Army barracks. She didn't let it go until they came to the commander's cabin.

At her door, Percy hesitated before leaving her.

"Hey…it's weird, right? That we're training this way?" Percy said. "That we're needed to fight the Titans, but the teachers won't even tell us anything about them?"

Annabeth's brow tightened. "I think about that all the time," she whispered. "I'm doing research in my down time lately, instead of the desk games. Either they don't know anything either, or they're keeping it from us. How are we supposed to strategize against an enemy we don't even know?"

Percy nodded slowly. "Maybe…maybe we're not supposed to learn anything till Command School."

"Mm." Annabeth sighed. "I guess we'll find out."

They won their next battle against Dolphin handily. Pollux tried and failed not to look put out as Annabeth shook his hand at the end.

"Good game," Percy said, grinning at his former commander. Pollux rolled his eyes and mumbled something as he shuffled away.

Owl Army gathered at the exit, holding their sweaty helmets and waiting to be dismissed to shower and eat. Annabeth addressed them matter-of-factly.

"Good battle, Owl. Clovis, we'll need to work on your timing, but that was much better than you did in practice this week. Kayla, remember to stay connected to Victoria during the star formation. But great work, everyone. Get cleaned up and rested for practice tomorrow."

The army dispersed, tired but glowing at their commander's praise. Percy turned to Annabeth with a grin. "That's six wins in a row, Commander Chase."

She pressed her lips together to hide a smile. "Is it?"

"Pretty impressive."

"Whatever," she said. "I have some ideas to help the B toon—"

"Pathetic," said a new voice from around the corner.

Percy frowned. "What?"

Luke came into view, crossing his arms. "This old and this smart and still letting them use you," Luke said. "I'm disappointed in you." His usual snark was completely drained from his voice. He looked at Annabeth coldly.

Annabeth looked pale and angry. Percy noticed her hands were shaking.

"Hey," he said, stepping in front of her. "Watch it."

"This isn't about you," Luke said.

"Percy, you don't know—" Annabeth whispered.

"I do know," Percy said. "He doesn't get to use that against you."

"He doesn't know," Luke said, his eyes sparking. "Not everything."

"I know you're full of shit," Percy said. He rested his hand on Annabeth's elbow, as if preparing to dive in front of her. "Let's go, Annabeth."

They were halfway to her cabin before she seemed to come back to herself. "I'm so sorry," she said.

"He's a jerk," Percy said. "Don't listen to him."

"You know about Thalia?" Annabeth asked. She sounded like she had a headache.

Percy nodded. "Luke told me back when we were in Snake Army together."

Annabeth turned away. "God."

Percy took her hand. "Hey…"

"I didn't want it to happen. I didn't," she pleaded.

"It's not your fault. What are you talking about?"

"It's my fault. I was stupid. My hubris—"

"It was Luke," Percy said. "Not you."

"I got between them," Annabeth said, and he could see the tears glazing her cheeks now. "I got in the way, I made it worse. Luke wouldn't have hurt her on purpose, it was because I got in the way. That's what he meant, me letting them use me…I was the reason he couldn't get away from the teachers."

Percy grabbed one of her hands, gently pulling her to face him. "None of that makes sense. Do you hear yourself? You were a kid. You were trying to help. Luke and Thalia were the ones fighting. Luke is the one who hurt her. He's wrong to blame you."

Annabeth didn't seem to have the ability to form words anymore, but she kept shaking her head. Percy wrapped an arm around her, pulling her forehead to his lips, and they stood in the hallway for a bit, the only sound Annabeth's stifled, shaky sobs.

"Another battle? Two days in a row?" Nico said the next morning as the rest of the Army scrambled to get dressed around him. "That can't be right."

"Let's go," Annabeth said. "I want flash suits on in ten, everyone at the gate in fifteen. Where are Katie and Clovis?"

"Breakfast," Victoria said, scowling. "None of us have had it yet."

"And you're going to have to wait a while yet," Annabeth said. "Victoria, go get them."

"Why would they give us two battles in a row?" Kayla complained as Victoria dashed out the door. "They never do that. We weren't expecting it. It's not fair."

"I don't know," Annabeth snapped. "Do you want to float into the battle room and explain to Cow Army how unfair it is? Maybe they'll surrender and let us take the win because the teachers are unfair, right?"

Kayla shrank a little, and Percy thought he saw a flicker of regret on Annabeth's face, barely discernible. He cleared his throat, and she looked at him and softened.

"I don't know why they're doing this," Annabeth said. "I just know I expect my army to win."

"We will, boss," Kayla said.

They did.

Three days and three battles later, Annabeth wasn't at dinner. Percy came to her cabin afterward, gently knocking on the door. "It's me," he said.

"Come in," she said. Percy entered to find her sitting cross-legged on her bunk, staring into space. The room smelled faintly of shampoo and her wet curls hung in her eyes. Percy resisted the temptation to push them out of her face, taking a seat on the floor beside her bunk instead.

"How is everyone else doing?" Annabeth asked.

"They're exhausted," Percy said. "Same as you. Morale is...low."

"I wish I could fix it." Annabeth shook her head. "All this time I wanted to prove to my mother I could lead. I didn't think she would sabotage me."

Percy frowned. "You think that's why they're doing it? Sabotage?"

"No, I don't know. Maybe it's a punishment," Annabeth said, squeezing her pillow. "For letting Athena down."

"Me or you?"

Annabeth smiled. "Both of us, probably, don't you think?"

Percy slumped his shoulders. "I don't get it. If she prides herself so much on wisdom, why is she trying to burn out an entire army of her best soldiers? It seems like she should be too smart for spite."

"I'm sure it's part of some plan," Annabeth said. Her voice was weary. She ran a hand over her damp curls and left it on the back of her neck, as though she couldn't hold her head up without it. "I'd hate to find out what the rest of it is."

The lights dimmed—the final warning before lights-out. Percy grimaced. "I guess I'd better head back," he said, getting up off the floor. "We need to be well-rested for whatever they throw at us tomorrow."

Annabeth hesitated. "Or you could stay here."

"What?"

"Just sleep in here."

Percy frowned. "That has to be against some rule."

"The halls are going to be completely dark in a minute," Annabeth said. "You won't be able to make it back."

Percy knew she was right. And he also knew, although she wouldn't admit it, that Annabeth didn't want to be alone.

Percy started to stretch out on the floor. "You don't have to do that," Annabeth said. He looked at her quizzically. At that moment the lights went out and the room went pitch-black. At once Annabeth found his hand, gently pulling him onto the bunk with her. "Come here."

He settled onto the thin mattress, his arms twisted around his commander, and they drifted off together.

The lights flashed, the alarm screeched, and the soldiers landed in a heap past the gate, a win secured—technically.

The battle room was quiet as Boar and Hawk Armies processed what had happened, then their voices rose in protest. Owl Army had bypassed every soldier in the battle room and sent five of their soldiers through the enemy gate, ending the battle without engaging a single opponent in combat.

Annabeth removed her helmet, her sweaty curls standing in a comical shape. She was spitting mad.

"How was this a fair battle?" she shouted.

"Cool it, Annabel," Dionysus said, bored. "I wouldn't be so bold about fairness after a move like that."

"Bullshit!" Annabeth said. "Bullshit. Two armies at once? Two armies who haven't had a battle all week, while we've had one every day for eight days? My soldiers are exhausted. They are falling asleep in the showers."

"And yet you've won every battle. I've never seen anyone so successful and so furious about it," Dionysus said. His tone was dry but flames had started to smolder in his eyes. "If you don't like how the game is going, you're welcome to take a few steps back and train with the launchies. They're almost as whiny as you."

Annabeth heaved her helmet at the wall, grunting as it clanged, and walked out. The rest of Owl Army followed her out, leaving without shaking hands with their opponents. Clarisse, the Boar Army commander, glowered dangerously as they passed.

"Hey," Percy said softly when her cabin door opened. "Got a minute?"

She left it open and flung herself onto her bunk. "No, but you can come in anyway."

He closed it carefully, then squatted on the floor by her head. "I just need you to be aware that things are about to get hairy."

"Obviously," she said.

"No," Percy said. "I mean…with Clarisse specifically. She's not happy about the end of that battle with Boar and Hawk."

Annabeth frowned. "Okay, so she can join the club. I'm not sorry for calling out clear bullshit."

"I'm not criticizing you," Percy said. "It's just that she's making it pretty clear she's going to come after you. I'm worried."

"I can take Clarisse."

"Of course you can," Percy said patiently. "But she and her cronies could still gang up on you. Take you by surprise."

"I'll stay alert."

"And…Annabeth, you're exhausted. You're not on your A-game."

"Gee, thanks."

He spoke firmly. "You shouldn't go anywhere alone for a while."

Annabeth scoffed. "What, you're going to babysit me?"

"We're going to babysit Clarisse," Percy said. "Nico's on it. We've got eyes on her everywhere. We're just going to escort you when you have to go somewhere."

"You're going to follow me from the gym to the mess hall to my cabin? How is that not babysitting?"

"All we'll be are extra eyes for you," Percy said. "And fists, if it comes to it."

Annabeth huffed, but her hands were curling into the sheet beneath her. "I don't need you guys to do that."

"Annabeth, she could really hurt you."

"Thanks for the confidence."

"Annabeth."

She looked him in the eye and had to look away almost immediately from the intensity of his earnest gaze. He reached up and touched her clenched hand lightly, and she relaxed it so he could hold it. She forced herself to look at him again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I don't want to lose you. I can't...I can't stop thinking about what happened to Thalia. Please let us look out for you. Just till this blows over. Please?"

Annabeth looked down. "Okay."

Annabeth let her soldiers escort her around for the rest of the week, stuffing down her annoyance at the lack of independence and privacy. Every morning she woke to Nico half-asleep outside her door, ready to accompany her the moment she left her cabin. Every evening Percy walked her to her door, gravely reminding her to message him if she needed to leave for anything. A cushion of her soldiers separated her from everyone else in the mess hall at every meal.

Annabeth knew they were trying to protect her, but she was losing her mind.

She managed to slip away from her army after dinner. She would catch an earful from Percy later, but she wanted to go to the bathroom alone, for god's sake.

Annabeth luxuriated in washing her face with the thin hand soap, feeling the water roll back down her arms, trickling into her sleeves. She tried to imagine the water soaking into her skin and restoring her energy. She didn't think she had ever felt so exhausted in her life.

She leaned forward, holding on to either side of the sink, and focused on breathing in and out. In. Out. In —

"Well, finally! I've been trying to get a minute with you all week," said a sneering voice.

Clarisse. And here Annabeth was, cornered and alone in the bathroom. Shit .

Annabeth turned slowly. "Hello, Clarisse. How've you been?"

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" Clarisse said, crossing her muscular arms over her chest. "Or should I just kick your ass?"

"It wasn't personal, Clarisse," Annabeth said calmly. She backed away slowly, her mind racing. There was very little in the bathroom to use as a weapon. "It was about the game."

"You don't think I get how personal the game is?" Clarisse snarled. "My dad's watching every move I make. You humiliated me."

"We were all humiliated," Annabeth pointed out. "It was a humiliating battle."

"Please," Clarisse said. "Must have been real humiliating to walk out of a battle with a win on the board against two armies at once. Bet you cried all the way home."

"I wasn't the one who pitted two armies against one," Annabeth said. "The teachers are the ones who insulted you. Be glad you didn't lose to us fairly. I did you a favor by cheating."

"You smug little worm. You'll regret this!" Clarisse said, lunging at her.

"No! " Percy cried, tackling her from behind.

"Percy?" Annabeth gasped. She yelped as Percy and Clarisse's entangled bodies crashed into her. All three of them fell to the wet floor, clawing and punching. Annabeth found Percy's arm and hauled them both to their feet, pulling him back, away from Clarisse.

Percy's nose was bleeding. He was panting. "I came as fast as I could," he said. "Nico was tracking her but we didn't realize you'd gone to the bathroom. Then we couldn't find you…"

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said. "I shook Katie and Victoria off. I shouldn't have."

Clarisse was getting to her feet across the bathroom, holding the side of her head where it had hit the floor. She grimaced but looked as mean as before, standing between them and the exit. "I'll kill you too, Jackson. I've been sick of your shit for a long time."

"Let us pass, Clarisse," Percy said. "It's two against one. I don't want to hurt you."

Roaring with rage, Clarisse launched herself at Annabeth again. Percy jumped into her way, throwing his fist into Clarisse's face with a crunch. With an oof she fell again, her feet slipping on the wet floor, her head bouncing sickeningly off the tile.

"Oh my god," Percy said, holding his fist. He crouched, hyperventilating, and bent his head over like he was going to be sick.

Annabeth looked at Clarisse's form on the floor. She wasn't moving. Annabeth grabbed Percy and pulled him out of the bathroom as quickly as possible, her stomach heaving.

"Help! We need help! We need a medic!" she screamed into the empty halls.

"Why, do you think?" Nico's voice was hollow, flat. Percy didn't ask what he meant.

"Why do you think?" Percy said, returning the question.

"I only have guesses."

"Guess, then."

"They say they need us to fight the Titans," Nico said. "They're using us."

"Using us up," Percy said. "Because they know they don't need us for much longer."

Nico frowned and rolled over to look at Percy on his bunk. The older boy had returned from the infirmary earlier that evening, looking haunted and empty. Clarisse was still there, being treated for the injuries he'd inflicted on her. Now Percy was staring blankly at the ceiling, his hands folded on his forehead like his head was splitting. "What do you mean?" Nico said.

"Don't you feel it? We're building to something. It's not about the game anymore." Percy closed his eyes. "The teachers aren't playing a game."

Nico tried to process this. "I don't know what you're saying."

"I pulled up records. They've never done this before. They've never assigned an army this many battles. They've never given a commander this many enemies, and they've never had one beat as many as Annabeth has."

"Right," Nico said. "She's the best."

"Right, but they've also given her this army intentionally. They loaded things her way, but then they loaded everything against her, against us. Nico, they're testing us. They're trying to break us."

Nico shook his head. "But you guys...you're Percy. She's Annabeth," he said incredulously. "They can't break you."

Percy cracked a smile. "They kind of have."

The door to the Owl Army barracks opened at six a.m. sharp. Assuming Annabeth had arrived, the soldiers quickly sat up, some already groaning under their breath about another battle. But the figure in the doorway was Athena.

"Percy Jackson," she said, her voice sounding too big in the small metal room. "Leave your things. You're graduated, effective immediately."

"What?" he said. A buzz spread throughout the room.

"Silence," Athena said, and a hush fell immediately.

"We don't graduate till we're sixteen," Percy said.

Athena flashed her steely eyes at him. "You'd best heed me."

"What about Annabeth?" he said desperately.

"She'll be there," Athena said. "Now, are you going to come with me, or are we going to have a problem?"

The shuttle to Command School was completely empty. Every cabin was unoccupied except Annabeth's and Ares's. The vessel was quiet enough that every creak echoed through the space.

Annabeth walked into the kitchen, where Ares was tossing sandwich ingredients onto a plate. "Why is it just me?" she asked.

"What d'you mean?" Ares replied, sounding disinterested.

"Athena told me three of us were graduated," Annabeth said. "Why aren't the other two here?"

Ares snorted. "Please."

"What? Percy and Clarisse aren't coming?" Panic started to rise in her throat.

"Percy will be coming as soon as he gets a grip. Pathetic ."

"He is not pathetic. What do you mean?"

"Kid had a breakdown as soon as Athena tried to get him in the shuttle. He's taking a little vacation to Earth to visit his mommy." Ares opened a bag of sour cream and onion chips, the kind that Annabeth hadn't seen since before Battle School. The pungent smell in the small, metallic kitchen made her stomach turn.

"Do you swear he's safe?"

"Yes, he's safe." Ares crunched on a chip and spoke around it, his words muffled. "Which I assume you're asking because you know why Clarisse isn't here."

Annabeth's eyes filled with furious tears. She turned away, unwilling to let Ares see weakness, but it was too late. He chuckled.

"Yeah, your boyfriend fried her. She's headed back to Earth too, but she won't be having a beach day."

Annabeth's throat started to close up. "That's your daughter," she said in a tight whisper.

"We weren't close." Ares inspected a particularly large chip. "Don't tell the kid what he did when he gets back up here, though. We need him in one piece, and he's way too fragile to handle that shit."

"What, killing ?" Annabeth was having trouble controlling her voice. "I'm so sorry that your child soldier is distressed. Did the teachers even bother trying to monitor the Clarisse situation? Would you have let her kill me if he hadn't stopped her?"

Ares gave her a cheeky grin. "Look, kiddo, think whatever you want of us. But we'll look like cute little puppies once you start having to deal with Titans."

Annabeth lunged forward, seizing his arms and throwing him back against the metal wall with a thud. He was so much larger and stronger than she was that she shouldn't have stood a chance, but he also thought of her as a little girl, and she pressed the advantage while he was stunned.

"Where is Percy?" she demanded through gritted teeth.

Sally hadn't known what to think when they told her she could see Percy. Her heart had leapt at first, but fear and doubt rushed in just as quickly.

"It can't mean anything good, can it?" She held the letter up for her boyfriend. "I'm to offer 'encouragement' before he takes the next step in his education. This has never been part of the plan before."

Paul frowned at the OF logo at the top of the paper. "You have more experience dealing with them than I do."

"You'd be surprised," Sally said, shaking her head. "They have my child and I've barely heard anything from them in three years. And they told me I wouldn't lay eyes on him again until he was eighteen…"

"Well, look, they're offering a chance to see him, yeah? So you can see for yourself if anything's wrong. You can ask him how he is," Paul reasoned. "It's better than the time they asked for a letter with no context or anything, right? You know what kind of thing you're probably getting into now. Or you can find out."

"Yeah," Sally whispered. She read the letter again, trying to find new meaning in any of the words.

"Are you going to go?"

"What?" She looked up. "Of course I'm going to go. And if they're keeping him against his will, I'll scoop him up and run. I don't care how much treason they charge me with."

The water was calm and glassy. The air was cool, a breeze barely blowing through the trees. Quiet birdsong rolled across the lake as the sun retreated. But Sally wasn't looking at the view. She drank in the sight of her son as he paddled them across the crystal surface.

He looked older, of course. But his expression had changed, too. Something innocent and hopeful in her son's eyes was gone far too soon. Sally's heart twisted painfully.

"This place is nice, Percy," she managed to say. "It's peaceful."

Percy didn't smile, but his face, tan from the sun, softened a little. "It is," he said. "I've been spending a lot of time swimming."

"It's lovely." Sally leaned back in the boat. "I bet it's nice to get fresh air after so long, isn't it?"

"I'm going back," Percy blurted. "They want me to keep training."

Sally inhaled. "I know."

"You're probably supposed to tell me it's time to go now, aren't you?"

Sally's eyes filled. "They want me to, yes."

"Do you actually think I should go?"

Sally looked at the water. No!, she wanted to scream. "I'd love for you to come home, Percy. But I can't tell you what choice to make."

"They seem to think they can't win without me. And Annabeth." Percy shook his head. "But she's in."

"Why is she in?"

Percy shrugged. "Titans, I guess. Aren't we all in because of them? And…Athena's her mom. She wants to prove herself to her."

"Isn't she as burnt out as you are?"

"She has to be. But it doesn't stop her." Percy tossed a stone into the water. After a moment, he said "I can't leave her alone."

Sally was quiet. Then she said, "If Annabeth wasn't a factor, what would you decide?"

"I would go home," Percy said. "Unless they forced me to go back. I would be done. I would stop being this. I wouldn't think about beating people anymore. I would find a place like this and I would just live." He sighed.

"But she is a factor?"

"Of course." Percy shrugged, seemingly at a loss for words. He looked at the water, reflected so perfectly in his eyes that it was like he was part of it. "I...I don't know how I can keep doing this. But I can't leave her."

Sally reached out and took his hand. "I'll support you either way," she said. "I understand if you have to go on training. But I would be glad to have you come home. No matter what, you can always come home."

Percy didn't meet her eyes. She squeezed his hand tighter, put more urgency into her voice. "Percy, please listen to me, okay? The outcome of this war is not on you."