June 2006

"Would anyone like some tea?" Kiara's mum asked halfway through the front door.

"Mum, we can't stay. We're on a quest."

"I know that Kiara. Just rest a moment. You will not get much after this." Kiara's mum said cryptically leaving the door open behind her.

Kiara ran a shaky hand over her face and let out a breath. "Just fifteen minutes, okay everyone? Then we get back on track."

"If you're sure," Percy muttered looking around like Lamia would pop out of the bushes at any second.

Kiara went last up the stairs. It was barely any cooler through the door but it felt like they had stepped into a whole other world. Bikes of all sizes leaned against the wall by the elevator no one dared to use. Kiara could hear piano from the floor above them and laughing children in the distance. If she just closed her eyes she could pretend she was just an ordinary mortal going home. But the dream was just that, a dream. Kiara could feel her dagger at her side and the scrapes on her palms.

"Hurry along dear," Kiara's mum called down the staircase.

Kiara took the steps two at a time. "I'm here, mum. We can't stay long."

"I will not make you late," Hope said as Kiara hesitated, her fingers tightening around her backpack strap. "Leave that, Kiara."

Reluctantly, She set it down. The weight of the bag—her weapons, her supplies, everything she needed to survive—left her feeling exposed. She shook off the thought, following her mother into the living room.

The apartment was exactly as she remembered it: orderly, filled with art, and buzzing with quiet energy. But the sight of Percy and Annabeth perched tensely on the sofa broke the illusion of normalcy.

"Thank you for helping with the monster," Annabeth said over her cup of tea.

"Lamia and I are not so different," Hope murmured. "We've both lost much. But unlike her, I choose not to take."

"Without you we would have been goners," Grover added, taking a nibble out of a napkin.

"I did not do much," Hope replied, settling into a chair with practiced grace. "Mother Hecate does not like her children to fight. That much, we both understand."

"Does that mean you're a half-blood too?" Percy's eyes kept flicking between Kiara's mum and away.

Her mum caught him, a sad smile settled on her lips. "Hello, Percy. I am Hope, Kiara's mum. I am not a half-blood but merely one lucky enough to have been blessed by Hecate."

"But how do you know my name?" Percy leaned back slightly, his fingers brushing the edge of his pocket where Riptide rested.

"I know far too much, dear one. Knowing rarely solves problems," she murmured, her finger tracing one of the scars fracturing her face. "Trust me, I've learned that the hard way."

Annabeth's fingers tightened around the teacup, her knuckles whitening. "What do you mean by that?" she pressed, her voice edging on sharp.

"Mum-"

"Hush, I will say no more." Hope blinked her cloudy blue eyes.

If someone saw Kiara and her mother from a distance they might have been mistaken for sisters, but a second look would deny that. Their matching dark hair and stature was marred by the scars that ran over Hope's face and Kiara's arms.

Annabeth's fingers drummed against her cup, her jaw tightening. "I don't understand," she pressed. "What could possibly be wrong with knowledge? Knowing always helps."

"It is rare that something is "always"," Hope cautioned.

Kiara could feel the others grow tense. Annabeth's gaze darted between the exits. Percy's knees stopped bobbing up and down ready to move at a moment's notice. Even Grover nervously fiddled with the pillow next to him.

They watched her mother's every move. Kiara knew that sometime along the line she had become less mortal but watching through another's eyes she could not ignore the way her mum's eyes followed their movements a little too fast. Like she could see what they were going to do before they even thought of it.

"Watch out for the crossroads," Hope warned without prompting.

Hope sighed softly, her shoulders relaxing. A soft light seemed to emanate from her as she ran a hand over her face. The scars shimmered and faded, replaced by smooth, youthful skin. A warmth filled the room stroking their heads.

Kiara's heart ached. She was the only one who would ever see the shake in her mother's hands or her eyes which never stilled. The magic was wonderful but the cost was heartbreaking.

Percy leaned back against the sofa, his posture loosening. "Thanks for the tea," he said, his voice sheepish as he tried to stop staring at the scars that disappeared.

While Percy finally relaxed, Annabeth remained upright, her fingers tapping a quiet rhythm on her knee. She hesitated, then nodded. "It's... nice here."

Grover let out a contented sigh, nibbling the last corner of his napkin as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Mum, we've got to go."

"I know." Her mother sighed but a smile graced her face. "It was so lovely to meet you all. Please do not hesitate to call."

The others thanked Hope and left the apartment, their voices fading down the hallway. For a moment, it was just Kiara and her mother.

"Thank you, mum." Kiara knelt, wrapping her arms around her mother. For a moment, the weight of the quest, the monster, and the fear melted away.

"Of course, my darling," Hope whispered, her voice soft and full of unspoken love. She drew back, her hands lingering on Kiara's shoulders. "Wherever you walk, I will always feel the path beneath your feet."

Kiara swallowed hard, her throat tightening. "I'll be careful. I promise."

Hope smiled, her gaze steady despite the faint tremor in her hands. "I know you will."

Kiara lingered for a moment longer before standing and heading to the door.

-o-

The walk from her mother's apartment to the Greyhound station was unnervingly calm. All of them were on lookout for any monster that might be lurking around the corner but there was nothing. Just busy New Yorkers rushing about their day and loud kids basking the summer sun.

At the station, they split into pairs: Percy and Annabeth immediately started arguing over snacks, while Grover stuck close to Kiara as they approached the ticket counter. Grover kept frantically looking around as if any second Lamia or something else would snatch him up and carry him away. Needless to say they were all a little nervous.

The two of them walked up to the counter.

Grover gave a little wave. "Hello, four tickets to Los Angeles, please."

"Identification?" The man looked bored, barely glancing at them through the plastic divider.

Grover hesitated, glancing at Kiara who froze.

He coughed, "Identification?"

"Identification." The man repeated sharply. "Look kid, you can't buy a ticket without identification. Where's your mom?"

Kiara focused on the thin Mist hanging around Grover and pulled. The Mist clung to him like smoke, twisting and swirling lazily but with some coaxing it floated towards the cashier.

"You already took it," Kiara insisted, snapping her fingers.

"I did?" The man blinked, a haze settling over his expression.

Kiara nodded, her heart pounding. "Yes. You did.

"I guess I did." The man hesitated. "Cash or Card?"

Kiara winced before snapping once more. "You take drachmas."

"We take drachmas."

Grover handed over the coins, and the man slid four tickets across the counter. "Bus leaves in half an hour."

Grover and Kiara suppressed their sighs of relief until they left the line.

"That was close," Grover muttered, his eyes still darting around the station. "I think I'll check on Percy and Annabeth. Make sure they haven't burned the place down yet."

Kiara called after him, "Make sure they don't cause a scene."

Kiara watched him go, then turned toward the mailbox on the corner. A familiar flyer caught her eye: a grainy photo of Percy, the words "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?" typed in bold beneath it.

Her jaw tightened as she ripped the flyer down. She reached into her bag, pulling out a heavy envelope, and dropped it into the mailbox.

Behind her, the others regrouped. Percy stopped beside her, his gaze drifting down the street like he could see his mom's apartment from here.

Grover approached, resting a hand on Percy's shoulder. "You want to know why she married him, Percy?"

Percy stared at him. "Were you reading my mind or something?"

"Just your emotions." He shrugged. "Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?"

"Your mom married Gabe for you. You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. The guy has this aura… Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him on you, and you haven't been near him for a week."

"Thanks," Percy grumbled. "Where's the nearest shower?"

"You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you."

Percy's expression froze.

"She was a smart lady," Grover continued. "She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy. If that makes you feel any better."

For a moment, Percy did not respond. Then he took a deep breath and turned back to the street.

"She deserves—deserved—better than him."

Kiara searched for something to say but came up empty.

"The buses are arriving," Annabeth offered, breaking the silence. Her fingers twisted the handles of the plastic bag, the crinkle of the material sharp against the quiet.

Percy straightened and turned back to them. As the sunlight broke through the clouds, Kiara blinked—and for a fleeting second, she saw a different Percy. His hair streaked with gray, his eyes shadowed with the weight of countless battles, of losses and victories only he could understand.

"Let's go," he said, his voice steady in a way that didn't quite match the boy she thought she knew.

He started toward the buses, his steps purposeful. But then, as if remembering something, he turned back to them with a familiar, easy smile.

"You ready?"

"Ready, "Grover answered.

"Lead the way, O fearless leader," Annabeth teased.

Kiara stepped forward. "Of course."

-o-

The rain started up again as they made it to the bus. As they stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air.

"What is it?" Percy asked.

"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."

The ticket checker looked at Kiara and her group when they went up to scan their tickets. "Where's your parents?"

"Already got on the bus." Kiara pointed at Percy. "This one wanted snacks."

"What were their names?"

Grover's head picked up again and he searched the crowd. He gave a worried glance to Kiara who smiled at the man. "Clara Lark and Julian Fenn."

The man frowned but let them pass.

"How'd you know?" Percy asked. "Is it an Apollo thing?"

Kiara laughed. "At the ticket counter I heard a couple talking about hyphenating their last name when they get married. No powers involved."

They worked their way towards the back of the bus. They sat in a row of empty chairs and stowed their backpacks. Annabeth kept slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh.

As the last passengers got on, Annabeth shot up and whispered to Percy.

An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse.

Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat.

Malice rolled off them, smothering the bus. Kiara did not need to look over at Grover for confirmation. The Erinyes blocked the front of the bus.

The bus pulled out of the station, and they headed through the slick streets of Manhattan. "She didn't stay dead long," Percy said. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Fur-"

Kiara cut her off. "Don't say their name."

"Ok, The Kindly Ones. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?" she suggested.

It was not there anymore. By that time, they were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminded him. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"

She thought about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof . . . ?"

They hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.

Mrs. Dodds got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the rest-room."

"So do I," said the second sister.

"So do I," said the third sister.

They all started coming down the aisle.

Kiara slipped her knife out of its sheath. A bow would be no use on the bus.

"I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?"

"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."

"But you guys—"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."

"I can't just leave you."

"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"

Percy hesitated but took the hat. The moment it touched his head he vanished.

Kiara just hoped he went up to the front.

Alecto stopped a few rows ahead of them and looked at the empty seat. Apparently she didn't see anything. She and her sisters kept going.

As they walked down the aisle they shed their shells. Kiara shoved Grover down and motioned for Annabeth to do the same.

But it was no use.

The Kindly Ones had caught their scent. They screeched, lashing their whips over their heads, burning the inside of the bus.

Alecto screamed, reaching for them. "Where is it? Where?"

The other people on the bus were screaming, cowering in their seats. They saw something.

"He's not here!" Annabeth yelled. "He's gone!"

Annabeth drew her bronze knife. Grover grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it. Kiara braced herself against the chair and held out her dagger.

"Give it!" The Fury screeched.

Kiara shoved the monster back with a kick. "We don't have him."

She pulled Grover out behind her and Annabeth slipped around them as well.

The enclosed space was horrible for fighting with only enough space for two people to stand shoulder to shoulder. They were stuck at the back with nowhere to turn. Burning plastic filled the cabin, charred marks marring the seats they had been sitting in a second ago.

Then the whole bus swayed. Kiara's feet were knocked out from under her and she lost her grip on the seat next to her. The Furies tumbled over, smashing into the window and fracturing the glass.

And then it got worse. Kiara huddled down against a chair as the bus careened through Lincoln Tunnel. Annabeth pressed against her side as a burning whip barely missed their heads. Bags fell off the overhead compartments, tangling with the mess on the floor, tripping the Furies. It was absolute chaos.

The bus hit a tree. Kiara tasted blood in her mouth as she scrambled up, swinging out of the way of

The Furies regained their balance. They lashed their whips at Annabeth while she waved her knife and yelled in Ancient Greek, telling them to back off. Grover threw tin cans.

"Perseus Jackson," Alecto's voice sounded like she had been gargling fire. "You have offended the gods. You shall die."

"I liked you better as a math teacher."

She growled.

Annabeth and Grover moved up behind the Furies cautiously, looking for an opening. Kiara stepped on one of their whips. The sole of her shoe burned as she pulled it away. Tisiphone spun and glared at her reaching with clawed hands.

Percy took out his sword.

Alecto and Megaera hesitated.

"Submit now," Megaera hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal torment."

"Nice try," Percy yelled, stepping forward.

"Percy, look out!" Annabeth cried.

Alecto lashed her whip around his sword hand while Megaera lunged at Percy. Annabeth jumped on Alecto's back pulling her away. Percy fought off Megaera.

Kiara glared at Tisiphone, raising her dagger, "He hasn't done anything."

"He took it," Tisiphone spat, swiping at Kiara's head.

She ducked and swung her blade upwards hitting the grey flesh of the Fury's arm.

She pulled it back, the wound oozing dark tar. "You'll pay for that, half-blood."

A dying screech filled the air. Percy stared at the pile of golden dust for a moment, gripping his sword tighter. Then Tisiphone's screech snapped him back into the fight. He raised his sword as Tisiphone reached her sister's killer. Kiara took the advantage and tore at her wings.

The Fury's eyes burned as they glared into Kiara. "You will get your punishment in Hades!"

"Ow!" Grover yelled, ripping Alecto's whip out of her hands. "Ow! Hot! Hot!"

"No," Kiara grunted, stabbing her in the chest. The Fury clawed at her arm as she disintegrated into golden dust.

Kiara winced at the pain shooting up her arm tucking it tight against her side. She didn't have time to examine it—Alecto was still thrashing in the aisle.

Alecto was trying to get Annabeth off her back. She kicked, clawed, hissed and bit, but Annabeth held on while Grover got Alecto's legs tied up in her own whip. Kiara grabbed one of Alecto's leathery wings, twisting it hard to keep her off balance. Annabeth leapt free as Kiara and Grover shoved the Fury backward. Alecto tried to get up, but her wings smacked uselessly against the seats.

A strange chill ran up Kiara's back, like a warning. She flinched but pushed Annabeth and Grover toward the exit.

"Zeus will destroy you!" Alecto promised. "Hades will have your soul!"

"Braccas meas vescimini!" Percy yelled.

Thunder shook the bus. Kiara flinched before jumping over a suitcase and pulling Percy over.

"Get out!" Annabeth yelled. "Now!"

They rushed outside and found the other passengers wandering around in a daze, arguing with the driver, or running around in circles yelling, "We're going to die!" A Hawaiianshirted tourist with a camera snapped Percy's photograph before he could recap his sword.

Kiara pulled them all back from the man. "Don't take-"

"Our bags!" Grover realized. "We left our—"

BOOOOOM!

The windows of the bus exploded as the passengers ran for cover. Lightning shredded a huge crater in the roof, but an angry wail from inside told Kiara Alecto did not go down as easily as her sisters.

"Run!" Annabeth said. "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"

They plunged into the woods as the rain poured down, the bus in flames behind them, and nothing but darkness ahead.

-o-

Kiara pulled a roll of bandage out of her bag. She winced as she pulled the fabric around her wrist. Gripping one side with her teeth she tied it tight above her elbow. The ache in her arm throbbed with every movement, but she shoved it aside.

Grover was shivering and braying, his big goat eyes turned slit-pupiled and full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."

"Come on! The farther away we get, the better." Annabeth pulled him forward.

"Our money was back there," Percy reminded Annabeth. "Our food and clothes. Everything."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight—"

"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?"

"You didn't need to protect me, Percy. We would've been fine."

"Sliced like sandwich bread," Grover put in, "but fine."

"Shut up, goat boy," said Annabeth.

Grover brayed mournfully. "Tin cans . . . a perfectly good bag of tin cans."

"I still have my bag," Kiara offered, trying to ease the tension. "It's not much, but at least it's something. I think I have some snacks in here."

Her voice trailed off as the mud crept closer to her shoes. She could already imagine the stench if they got soaked. Lovely.

After a few minutes, Annabeth fell into step beside Percy. They whispered heatedly, their words swallowed by the storm, while Grover pulled out his reed pipes. He blew a note that was more squawk than melody.

"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried. "If I could just remember a 'find path' song, we could get out of these woods!"

Instead of finding a path, Percy immediately slammed into a tree.

Grover blew another note, a flat squeak that made Kiara wince.

"Maybe put that away for now," Annabeth muttered, rubbing her temples.

"I'm just trying to help!" Grover protested.

"Maybe, you could try again when there isn't rain in the pipes," Percy offered, dodging a low-hanging branch.

Kiara rolled her eyes and dug a flashlight out of her bag. Of course, it didn't work. After a few hard smacks and a threat to drop it into the Hudson, the beam finally flickered to life, casting a dim glow.

The rain pounded around them, soaking through their clothes and plastering Kiara's hair to her face. The cold wind bit at her skin as they pressed onward, the flashlight's beam cutting weakly through the dark woods.

A few more miles in the rain and Kiara felt like laying down in the mud and let her body decompose. The snacks were all eaten, hours ago and the ground had started trying to suck them down. For each step she had to fight against the rain, and the wind and the mud, and the exhaustion. Kiara swore she had been sleepwalking at some point.

"Do you smell that?" Percy asked, stopping mid-step and sniffing the air.

"The pollution?" Grover muttered, his nose wrinkling as he glanced at a shoe float by.

"No," Percy said slowly, tilting his head. "It's... cheeseburgers. Like, really fresh ones. Grilled onions and everything."

Kiara straightened, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Cheeseburgers? Percy, are you hallucinating?"

Percy frowned but kept looking. "No, I'm serious. Can't you smell it?"

"Wait, I think I do." Annabeth peered into the darkness. "It's coming from that way."

"Guys, I don't know a random cheeseburger in the middle of the forest?" Grover sniffed the air. "That's not normal. Something is off."

"There's no harm in checking," Percy insisted. He turned to Kiara. "Even if there isn't, at least we're still walking in the right direction."

"I guess. But Grover might be onto something. Finding food in the woods is strange."

"Well so is being the child of a god and here we are," Percy countered.

"Ok. But if it's nothing we should still try to make camp. It's getting late."

"Come on then. Cheeseburgers here we come!"


Early Chapter!

I have never been more productive than exam week. Ever. I wrote all of this in four days. Can you believe that?

Any who... I'm going on vacation for the next two weeks so the likelihood of a chapter being out then is near zero(sadly). So here you go.

Sorry for making you wait. Hope you enjoyed this in the meantime.

Any questions are welcome. Thanks for reading!

- Natalie