Now, I know what you're thinking. Andy, why didn't you just shadow-travel off Thorn's back like you always do? Or why didn't you kill him?

There are simple answers, surprisingly. You don't hear those words too often in the whacked up world that we live in. Anyways, I couldn't shadow-travel or mist-travel off of Thorn's back, because whatever darkness we'd plunged into wasn't natural.

I couldn't control it.

As for the killing matter, the size and intelligence of a monster equals the difficulty it takes to kill. Since Dr. Thorn is one of the smarter monsters and is as big as a lion, something like a few arrows to the hide or being stabbed in the back wouldn't prove fatal unless someone had managed to severely injure an internal organ or blood vessel.

So, as I'd expected, I was captured by Dr. Thorn.

When we landed wherever it was that he brought me, he bound my hands together with rope laced with Celestial bronze. I swore under my breath when I saw the bronze strands entwined with the rope. The blessed metal would prevent me from using my powers, and with the way my wrists were awkwardly bent, I wouldn't be able to cut through the ropes unless I broke my wrist in about twenty different places.

"What is this?" a low rumbling voice asked, like the earth had turned to Jell-O beneath my feet. "This is not a child of the Big Three."

I glanced down at my bracelet, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw my knives sheathed on my wrist. I didn't want Dr. Thorn to accuse my being a daughter of Hades if he noticed that I had stabbed him with Stygian iron, a metal only children of the Underworld or those who Hades permitted can wield.

"I know, General. They escaped with that infernal moon goddess," Dr. Thorn spat bitterly, rubbing at his neck, where a Hunter had nailed him with an arrow.

"So, you've failed." The General was not amused, his tone of voice alone being cold enough to drop the temperature of the room a few degrees.

"We can still use the girl." Dr. Thorn shoved me forward, and I spat in his face, earning myself a slap. My face snapped to the side, the skin stinging, but I didn't even flinch. "She is friends with many of them, including Artemis herself."

"Is that so? Well, perhaps you aren't completely useless. Bring her forward at once!"

Before Thorn could continue shoving me around, I walked forward on my own accord, holding my head up high. I wasn't going to show the General any fear, not if I could help it. Thorn trailed right behind me, pressing his thorn-tipped tail right against the small of my back, daring me to try anything suspicious. If he was so afraid of me, then maybe he should've bound my legs, too.

"She's ancient, for a demigod that is," the General said, observing me like a specimen under a microscope. "Nineteen or twenty. But I haven't the slightest idea about your parent. Hephaestus, perhaps? Maybe Nemesis or Hecate?"

"Who is your mortal parent, girl?" Thorn growled, digging in the tip of his tail hard enough just to break through my skin. I felt his poison enter my bloodstream instantly, gritting my teeth to prevent showing my discomfort.

"I don't know," I snapped. "I was abandoned at an orphanage as a newborn."

"Have you been claimed?"

"No."

"How do you know the children of the Big Three?"

I stayed silent. Thorn dug his thorn in deeper, causing for a thin stream of blood to start oozing down my back.

"How do you know the children of the Big Three?" Thorn asked again, his teeth clenched together as he tried to torture the information out of me. Good thing Ares and Artemis both taught me how to withstand torture that was way worse than what Thorn was doing to me at the moment.

"That's enough, Thorn," the General said, scowling at the Manticore. "She's clearly not going to say anything about that. Follow me, dear, I have something to show you."

With Thorn still trailing behind me, I followed the General out of the dark room he'd been holding me in. Now in the sunlight, I finally got a good look at him. He was tall and muscular, with light brown skin and slicked-back dark hair. He wore an expensive brown silk suit like the guys on Wall Street wear, but you'd never mistake him for a broker. He had a brutal face, huge shoulders, and hands that could snap a flagpole in half. His eyes were like stone, like he'd stared Medusa in the eye and only partially turned into a statue.

We walked past a garden and up a hillside, stopping at the top. Looking at the ground, I realized exactly why the General wanted me here.

Because laying under the weight of the sky was none other than Kyle Martin.

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for him?" I asked the General. "He's a monster that tried to kill my friends multiple times."

"A-Andy, please help m-me," Kyle begged, his voice impossibly tight as his entire body trembled under the weight of the sky. In the middle of his brown hair was now a streak of gray, like his little sister had taken a Hot Hues and dragged it across a single piece of his hair.

"No." I turned to the General again. "What exactly am I doing here?"

"You're giving me a chance to see what kind of person you are, Andy," the General said, pleased as punch that Kyle had let my name slip. "And from what I witnessed, you're cruel, ruthless, unforgiving, all great qualities in a leader."

"Um, thanks?"

"You would've fit in amongst the rest of us in this army, but alas, you aligned yourself with the gods, and for that, you must pay."

The next thing I knew, the General swept me off my feet with a swift kick and basically punted me next to Kyle. He groaned and rolled to the side, the weight of the sky landing directly on my back.

I began sweating almost immediately, the sky weighing a billion times more than anything I'd ever lifted before in my life. I adjusted myself to get on my knees, letting the weight rest on my shoulders and hands more than my back.

"Go to Tartarus!" I shouted at the three men, who had been watching me in amusement.

"Oh, Andy," the General cooed, trying to caress my face. I tried to bite his finger off, earning myself my second slap from the General. "I already have."

The three then walked a few feet before disappearing in a swirl of dust, probably heading for their base in Washington D.C. Gods, I hope Artemis gave Apollo that note by now. Zoe and Bianca can't be allowed on this quest, not if I'm to do my job right.

I don't know how long I was holding the sky, but I knew my strength was already fading. Every breath I took hurt, like I was being forced to breathe while Irish-step dancers used my back as a stage while my stomach rested on a bed of broken glass.

No, I told myself, sweat pouring down my face, I wasn't going to die like this. Damn these Celestial bronze ropes, or else I would've gotten the shadows and some plants to help bear the load.

Apollo, I thought internally, pouring my heart and soul into my prayer, did you receive my message?

Yes, I did, Andy. Care to explain what the Hades you mean by "Watch Artemis closely?"

That's what I mean. Don't lose sight of your sister. Dangerous things are stirring, and if we are to get anywhere in terms of preparation for war, we need her to be safe.

You know she doesn't like my presence.

I'm willing to take the blame, Apollo. Please, for the love of Olympus, don't let Artemis out of your sight.

…

You lost her already, haven't you?

I can't see her. It's like my Oracle's blocked or something.

No, I'm afraid that would be the Mist.

How do you know that?

Because as far as I know, you have no idea where I am, and I'm looking at her right now.

Wait, where are you, Andy? I can't see you, either.

I have to go curse out some Titans now, can't talk.

Andy?

Sorry, Apollo.

Andy, don't you dare-!

Like I told Apollo, I was staring directly at Lady Artemis, who was bound in Celestial bronze chains. Her silvery dress was completely in tatters, barely preserving her modesty. Ichor stained her forehead and her arms, signs that she had fought off capture for a while before either being outnumbered or ambushed. Behind her stood the General and Kyle, Backbiter glinting in the latter's hand.

"How's our mortal guest?" the General asked.

Kyle knelt down next to me, reaching a hand forward like he wanted to take my temperature. I guess he underestimated my endurance, because the second he got close, I tried to, and succeeded, in biting his hand. I cringed as the taste of his blood filled my mouth while he staggered back, wiping his bloodied palm against his jeans.

Artemis was smiling at me from her chains, but the second the attention returned to her, she went back to sneering at the men.

"My guess is that she's much weaker, but she's clearly still conscious and alert. Not to worry, though, it's only a matter of hours before she goes catatonic."

"Want to bet?" I said, venom dripping from my voice as I glared at Kyle. He sneered in reply.

"You heard the boy," the General continued, disregarding my previous statement. "Decide!"

Artemis took a good, hard look at me, her expression morphing from one of anger and concern in a matter of seconds. "How dare you torture a maiden like this!"

"She will die soon," Kyle said nonchalantly, tossing Backbiter back and forth between his hands. "You can save her."

"Artemis, don't you dare," I groaned, feeling as if my ribs were catching fire. "I can do this."

"Free my hands," Artemis said despite my protests. I shook my head, weakly mumbling, "No," but she didn't care.

Kyle then slashed at her chains, severing them with Backbiter in one deft stroke. She then moved next to me, taking the burden of the sky.

Let go, she told me, her eyes showing how exhausted she really was. I will not have you die due to stubbornness.

And I refuse to be used as bait. I will stay with you until I'm physically unable to.

You will die; the boy wasn't lying about that.

Then so be it.

I knew I had surprised Kyle and Atlas when I didn't drop from exhaustion. Good, I thought, they had no right to judge what my limits are simply because I'm a girl. Everything hurt, and sweat poured in rivulets down my face, making it impossible for me to see clearly.

But I didn't care.

Atlas began chuckling. "You are as predictable as you were easy to beat, Artemis."

"You surprised me," Artemis said, her voice strained. "It will not happen again."

"Indeed it will not," Atlas said happily. "Now you are out of the way for good! I knew you could not resist helping a young maiden. That is, after all, your specialty, my dear."

"You called me ancient!" I roared, earning a swift kick to the side. I paled when I felt my grip on the sky loosen, but I went back, the weight settling back onto my shoulders.

"You know nothing of mercy, you swine," Artemis spat.

"On that," he said, "we can agree. Kyle, you may kill the girl now."

"Try, and I'll bite something more important than your finger off," I threatened, causing Kyle to flinch and pale. Some hotshot.

Kyle hesitated – a good decision on his part. "She-she may yet be useful, sir. Further bait."

"Bah! You truly believe that?"

"Yes, General. They will come for her. I'm sure."

"Then she can remain here, a prisoner of the sky's burden like me. I'll send dracaenae to guard her when she finally falls. If she survives her injuries, you may keep her alive until the winter solstice. After that, if our sacrifice goes as planned, her life will be meaningless. The lives of all mortals will be meaningless."

Kyle bent down and tried to move me from the sky, but another growl from me, and he was practically running back down the hill, wanting to get as far away from me as possible.

"You will never find the monster you seek," Artemis said. "Your plan will fail."

"How little you know, my young goddess," Atlas cooed, like we were ignorant babies. "Even now, your darling attendants begin their quest to find you. They shall play directly into my hands. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a long journey to make. We must greet your Hunters and make sure their quest is…challenging."

He then began to laugh, walking backwards as he was consumed by the dust for the second time that day.

"Stupid buffoon," I hissed, my wrists aching from the awkward way they were still bound. "Do you mind cutting the ropes, Artemis?"

She shook her head weakly. "They have stripped me of all my weapons."

"Well, I still have mine."

Her eyes flashed with curiosity. Where? she asked.

My bracelet. Pull on the raindrop charm.

I held my bound hands towards the goddess, watching as she hesitantly pulled on the charm. Instantly, it transformed into a dagger in her hand. Before the dracaenae guards could appear, Artemis cut the ropes tying my hands together. I spared a brief second to rub my wrists before pressing the button on the dagger's hilt, returning it to its charm on my bracelet.

Handy little bracelet you've got there, Artemis noted. What else do you have?

Four daggers, a bow, my sword, and two hunting knives. I can add more if I want, but that's what you'll typically find me armed with. And the charms are so inconspicuous that no one really pays them any attention.

I wouldn't have known that is where you kept your weapons had you not shown me. Did you create the bracelet yourself?

Yes. I found an old spell book in Athena's library and got one of my Hecate friends to help enchant the bracelet.

Does Athena know about the spell book?

I asked to borrow it. She didn't ask why I needed it.

I know this is strange, but how are you still awake? Even as an Olympian goddess, I'm extremely taxed. Although being trained by us, you're still a mortal.

Talking distracts me from the pain. As long as I can focus on anything else, I'll be fine.

You're much stronger than you appear to be, Andromeda. You'd make a fine Huntress.

Artemis, you know I'm flattered, but Zeus has forbidden it. I'd love to be with the Hunters, but there's no point in pining after something I know I'll never have.

The goddess went silent afterwards, like she was having an internal argument with someone else through telepathic communication.

Gods, this was going to be one hell of a week.

I don't know how this was physically possible, but I somehow managed to fall asleep while holding the weight of the sky. The guards had thought I finally passed out, but when they couldn't move me, they realized I was merely sleeping and left me alone.

I didn't remember if I dreamed or not. If I had, the message had been interrupted by the amount of pain I was in, which was still as persistent even while I slept.

"How long was I out?" I asked Artemis, practically on my stomach at this point. But I knew if that happened, I'd be completely crushed, so even though this was the most agonizing thing I'd ever experienced in my life, I forced myself to my knees.

"Four days."

Never mind, I guess I did pass out.

"Jesus Christ," I muttered under my breath.

Artemis raised her eyebrows at me. "Did you just swear with another religion's main figure?"

"Force of habit. Grew up in a Christian orphanage."

"I see. And do you still believe in the Christian God?"

"Busting out the hard questions, huh?" I chuckled softly. "I do. I mean, if the gods and Olympus exist, why can't He? Don't get me wrong, I was never super religious to begin with, but I'd like to think there was a benevolent creator of the universe."

"And what of Chaos?"

"What about them? Sure, they might be the creator as well, but they've proved to be temperamental. Sometimes, when they're happy, they'll bless entire planets. If they're upset, they'll wipe out an entire galaxy. The Christian God wouldn't do that, and that's where I stand on the subject, so can we please talk about literally anything else? You have no idea how awkward it is talking to a god about God."

Artemis laughed at my discomfort, a breath of fresh air after all the misery we'd been through.

"Maybe you'll finally tell me what that letter to Apollo was about," Artemis said innocently.

"I can't, sorry," I said, a rueful smile on my lips.

The Fates said I could finally reveal my secrets to everyone once I had fixed all of Rick Riordan's mistakes. Unfortunately, their approximate date was 2012 at the earliest, possibly even 2013. To put this in perspective, it's 2007 at the moment. That means another five or six years of secrets that I have to keep undercover.

"Then talk to me about college. Tell me what about it is so special that half the council was willing to fight Father for you to go."

I told her about all my classes and teachers, about my clubs and friends. I even told her about my new research, making sure to keep the details as short and sweet as possible, because earlier when I'd been talking about the four nitrogen bases that make up DNA, her eyes had glazed over in boredom. And that had been the simplest part of the entire thing.

Much to Artemis' relief, I shut up the second I sensed people approaching. The sky seemed to grow more agitated, causing me to groan as I felt the bones in my back crack. Did the weight of the world just get heavier, or am I crazy?

"Andromeda, let go," Artemis pleaded. "You won't survive this much longer. It's a miracle you've made it five days as it is."

I shook my head. "I won't give Father the opportunity to kill me himself. I'd rather be crushed by the sky."

Before Artemis could continue arguing, I heard a girl shout, "My lady!"

"Stop!" Artemis shouted. "It is a trap. You must leave now."

The girl, who I struggled to recognize as Zoe, was crying, tugging at the chains that bound Artemis' legs together. The next thing I knew, my body went limp as someone pulled me out from underneath the sky, a groan escaping Artemis' lips as she held the burden by herself.

I felt weightless, like my body was going to float into the sky and never come back down. Someone was forcing me to chew on a square of ambrosia, using a strip of my ruined shirt to wipe the sweat off my forehead.

"Get up if you can," another girl told me, her silver clothes as bright as a beacon to my eyes. "This is not a place to die."

I couldn't get up past my knees, feeling extremely light-headed and weak. All my strength and energy had been poured into maintaining the weight of the sky on my back, meaning if I so much as tried to tap into my powers, I'd pass out right then and there.

"Andy," I heard Percy gasp. "You're alive."

"So much faith," I said, trying for a smile. But I'm pretty sure it looked more like a grimace.

"Ah, such a touching reunion," Atlas growled behind us, Kyle standing on his immediate right and a man in black body armor stood on his left. The girl who'd helped feed me ambrosia, Atalanta, paled, her grip tight on her bow.

Atlas made a gesture to one of the dracaenae that had been tasked with bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. She came to me, slapped some handcuffs on my wrist, and forced me back onto the ground, laying face first in the dirt. Then, I felt the tip of a sword on the back of my neck.

"Kyle," Thalia snarled. "Let her go."

"That is the General's decision, Thalia. But it's good to see you again," he responded, way too casually for someone threatening the daughter of his employer.

Thalia began cursing him out, biting her tongue after Kyle began adding pressure onto his blade.

The General chuckled. "So much for old friends. And you, Zoe. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

"Do not respond," Artemis groaned. "Do not challenge him."

"Leave her alone," I spat, earning myself a mouthful of dirt.

"I think you should learn your place, Andy," Kyle cooed, kicking me in the ribs. I hardly flinched. Being kicked in the ribs was nothing compared to holding the sky.

"Wait a second," Percy said. "You're Atlas?"

"So, even the stupidest of the heroes can finally figure something out. Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans and terror of the gods. Congratulations. I will kill you presently, as soon as I deal with this wretched girl."

"You're not going to hurt Zoe," Percy promised. "I won't let you."

"You have no right to interfere, little hero. This is a family matter," Atlas sneered.

"A family matter?"

"Yes," Zoe said bleakly. "Atlas is my father."

"A terrible one at that," I added, dodging another kick to the ribs. Luckily for me, the clearing we were in was surrounded in mist – both the mortal and magical kind. Mist meant water, so I tried using it to regain enough strength to not be a dead weight when the final battle began.

"Let Artemis go," she demanded.

I heard Atlas walk over to the sky. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

"Don't!" I shouted. "It won't help."

"I forbid you from offering," Artemis added, taking a moment to glance at me, worry evident in her eyes.

She was right; I should've died days ago. Although being a daughter of a Titan, I knew that didn't make me invulnerable to every Titan punishment. Hell, if a child of Atlas couldn't tolerate the weight of the sky, how was I, a daughter of Kronos, supposed to?

I glanced up behind my, noticing that Kyle was no longer focused on guarding me. I bit my lip as I dislocated my wrist to pick the lock of my handcuffs. Once I heard the soft click that signaled the lock was undone, I popped my wrist back into place, biting back a cry of pain again.

Percy went to challenge Atlas, Thalia lunged towards Kyle, and Atalanta headed for the man in body armor. That left me to deal with the six dracaenae women, who had pulled out their swords and were standing in front of the sarcophagus, preparing to defend it with their lives.

I summoned Epithymia, my muscles burning merely from the weight of my own sword. Once I got out of here, I was going to get a full body massage with Leah. Gods know I deserve something nice for once.

I waited for the snake women to make the first move, easily dodging a sloppy attempt to run me through. I whirled around, slicing through the rookie who'd made the mistake, the five remaining dracaenae hissing in anger.

They didn't attack one-on-one, the rest of them rushing forward, screaming that they'd avenge their fallen sister. I was acutely aware of everything else going on around me as I parried and dodged strikes that would've killed me if I hadn't caught them in time.

Thalia had backed Kyle up to the edge of the cliff, her electric blue eyes glowing with rage as she used Aegis to push him back. Percy was now holding up the sky, allowing for Artemis and Zoe to team up against Atlas. Atalanta was holding her own against the man, but a dark red splotch stained her parka, and from the way her attacks were slowing, I knew she'd been hurt.

I killed another dracaena, causing her to explode like a piñata. The remaining four dracaenae cursed me out, but they picked up each corner of the sarcophagus and bolted back in the direction of the Princess Andromeda. Had I been at full strength, I would've knocked the four dracaenae and the sarcophagus over the edge of the cliff, but my crazy burst of adrenaline was already starting to fade, leaving me light-headed again.

Not yet, I told myself, charging towards Atalanta. The man hadn't been expecting me, fully focused on fighting off the Huntress's knives, so I was able to knock him out by slamming my hilt against the back of his head.

"Thank you," Atalanta said, her voice tight with pain. One of her hands was firmly pressed against her chest, where she'd been hit.

"Let me help," I said, moving to get my bag.

She shook her head, pushing my hand away. "There's no time. Lady Artemis needs help."

"Zoe, no!" I heard Artemis yell, and I saw Atlas lift his burly hand to backhand Zoe into the forest.

"No!" I shouted, instinctively throwing my hands up in the direction of the Titan.

Adrenaline surged through me again, giving me just enough power to freeze time for a split second. This gave Zoe enough time to back out of the way before I lost control, collapsing to my knees yet again.

Now I've done it, I told myself, unable to catch myself before I landed on my side, panting heavily. "Help…her," I said to Atalanta through unsteady breaths.

"What about you? I'm not going to leave you here to die."

"I'm…fine. Go, please."

She wasn't happy about leaving me by myself, but she darted next to Artemis, helping drive Atlas back towards the sky. I was able to watch as Atlas took back his burden, Percy rolling to the side like a log, groaning as he lay there for a few seconds, trying to regain his bearings.

"Kill them!" I heard some of the monsters roar. I guess Thalia had finally kicked Kyle off the cliff.

"Artemis!" Percy shouted.

I felt myself get scooped up into someone's arms and finally passed out.