Marcus stood, arms crossed, gazing down at the meeting table in the Big House.

"You can have a seat, you know."

Marcus turned his head, watching Chiron wheel himself slowly into the meeting room. Perhaps it was the early hour, perhaps it was the weight of everything happening in the Camp, but Chiron seemed to have aged a century overnight. Marcus couldn't help but spend a moment studying his mentor, seeing the weight he carried weighing heavily on his shoulders. His brown hair was flecked with gray, and the lines on his face were more noticeable this morning.

"Couldn't help but notice Chastity isn't here." Marcus said in response.

Chiron nodded, a slight smile touching his features. "Yes, I thought it best for this conversation to be one without an audience. We haven't been on the same page for a while, and I'd like to fix that."

Marcus nodded, sliding out a chair and finally taking a seat. "It does seem to be a perfect time for that, considering we seem to be entering the end game."

Chiron's eyes searched Marcus' own. "Something is different about you, Marcus. Considering all you've seen, I wouldn't have been surprised if your confidence had been shaken, if you were angrier than ever, yet here you sit, calm and collected. Perhaps it would be best if you tell me exactly what's been going on with you, and this time, no more secrets."

Marcus hesitated. It wasn't that he had lost trust in Chiron, but with everything that had happened recently, he didn't know what to share and what to hold back. If he should keep some of his new skills to himself until the moment they're needed.

A strategist knows when and where to use their resources, and trust is a valuable resource. Perhaps now is the time to use it.

Marcus couldn't help the small smile coming to his face. It was almost as if he could hear Athena in his mind, guiding his own thoughts.

"That might be for the best, but some things aren't exactly easy or quick to tell." Marcus said.

Chiron nodded and leaned back in his wheelchair, steepling his fingers together and gazing at Marcus over them. "Well, I'm as comfortable as can be at the moment. Tell me everything."

And so Marcus did. He told Chiron about his interactions with the Goddess of Mad Rage, about his fears and worries, about his conversation with Alicia in its entirety, about his training with the Goddess Athena, even about Aphrodite practically appointing him as Chastity's Protector. He confessed about his feelings for Maddie and Chastity, different as he now knew them to be, being used to manipulate him. He informed Chiron of Elliot's miraculous survival, or more accurately, betrayal, and of Kelly's ghost appearing to him in the Underworld. And finally, he told Chiron about the incident with Eros. He was unsure whether the centaur already knew, since the incident had happened only that morning, but decided to tell his perspective, in case there was some detail that could be important that had been missed.

Even when he had finished, Chiron didn't speak, instead taking his time to study Marcus. For what purpose, Marcus wasn't sure, but at this point there was nothing Marcus could do to affect whatever outcome would be coming his way.

Every strategy has some element of risk.

He had gambled with Chiron's trust before, whenever he had gone against the centaur's wishes. For some reason, this made him more nervous. He was gambling not that Chiron would no longer trust him, but that the trust he had left was enough.

"You've grown." Chiron said suddenly.

Marcus blinked. "Huh?"

Chiron chuckled, leaning forward in his wheelchair and resting his palms on the table in front of him. "There was a time I would ask you for the truth, and you would provide only what was necessary in that moment. Whether to avoid consequences, or to sway the conversation to your point of view, you would never provide more than what was needed. I believe that's perhaps the first time you've given me the entire truth without prompting, and without withholding. You've demonstrated that you trust me, Marcus. And so, I've decided to continue to trust in you."

Marcus didn't know what to say. He had always had a feeling Chiron saw more than he let on, but for the old centaur to openly admit how easily he had seen through Marcus… How much has he known… and for how long?

"While news of the interest the Goddess of Madness has taken in you is troubling… and Elliot's betrayal even more so… I would say some questions we've had hanging over us for some time finally have answers." Chiron continued thoughtfully. "Our spy has finally revealed themselves, which they wouldn't have done unless they had been convinced their victory was certain, and it seems that, for the moment, those plans have been at least delayed."

"But with Elliot presumed dead, it's not like he could just walk into Camp and strike up a conversation."

"Not in human form perhaps," Chiron tapped the table thoughtfully, "but Elliot is able to take an animal's form, a gift from his father I would assume. After all, in dreams, we are able to be whatever shape we choose."

Marcus nodded. It made sense when put in those terms. "And another of the N.O. Gods have finally shown themselves."

"Indeed. Though, the fact that it was Aphrodite's own child is of concern… as is the idea that one of our own had been taken in by him so handily…"

Marcus shook his head. After his training with Athena and his own run-ins with Lyssa, he knew how easy it was to be taken in by a God's words, and how hard it was to defend one's mind against them.

"It's his nature." He said. "Eros is a master of seduction. It wouldn't be too difficult to tell Chastity exactly what she'd want to hear in a moment of weakness and draw her away from her mother and to himself. Thankfully, that problem has been addressed."

"As you say." Chiron nodded, a smile on his face once again. "Another Champion on our side. That makes for a total of three, I believe."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. He had guessed at Phillip being Artemis' Champion, so Chiron's passing confirmation was to be expected, and Chastity was now a given, but who…?

"Maddison." Chiron said, answering Marcus' question before he was able to ask. "Perhaps the one who has been a Champion for longer than any other, though that would depend on if we count the hundreds of years Phillip was cast into the future or not."

Marcus was stunned. It had never occurred to him that Maddie was a Champion. He had always considered Ares' "blessing" on her to be a curse, something to be controlled and avoided unless necessary. But put in another light, it was the very essence of War. The berserker frenzy, suppressing all of the emotion that would typically hold a warrior back, while enhancing their own ferocity.

"That's why you wanted her kept back." Marcus said. "Because you knew she was Ares' chosen Champion. Even back when she was a kid, you wanted her trained for this war, long before any of us knew it was coming."

"That's not entirely true." Chiron said thoughtfully. "But a Champion of Ares appearing was most definitely a sign of a war brewing in the near future, so I took precautions as needed."

"Does she know?"

"Perhaps. I'm sure she would be able to guess if she wasn't already aware. But I'm afraid there's simply too much happening too quickly for her and I to have had a moment to sit down and talk, like we are now. Perhaps once we're finished here…"

A more polite dismissal than I probably deserve, all things considered. Marcus stood, nodding.

"One more thing, Chiron. I'd like to speak with Hunter again. He knows more than he's letting on." And if my hunch is correct, I'll be able to get it out of him… Whether he wants to tell me or not.

Chiron studied him carefully, a small smile appearing after a moment. "Even if I said no, you would find your way to him eventually, wouldn't you?"

Marcus returned his smile with one of his own. "Of course. But considering I have a watcher who'd report my wrongdoing just to get me back for the Underworld, I thought it best to go through the proper channels this time."

Chiron chuckled before his face became serious once more. "Ah, yes. That reminds me. It appears that nearly every member of your group has gathered their own Artifact at this point, with the exception of yourself."

Marcus nodded, running through the list in his mind.

Jason. With Torrington's Book, any illusion he created had the potential to become reality.

Phillip. A bow touched by Artemis. While he was sure he hadn't seen all of its powers at work, what he had seen of its accuracy and ability to split arrows was powerful enough already.

Chastity. With Orpheus' Lyre, her already powerful magic would be improved exponentially, not to mention she now had her Mother's strength to tap into.

Maddie. Ares' own Champion, now wielding the Spear of Leonidas. Marcus was sure if any half-blood would be able to unlock its potential, it would be Maddie.

Marcus hesitated. What about Joel…?

"I'd say we've corrected the power balance." Marcus said with a smile, suppressing his curiosity. Time to figure out what I don't know later.

"Perhaps. But there's still more we could do." Chiron reached under the table and brought out a wrapped bundle. "We must use every tool at our disposal, and while I may not have approved of the way you acquired this Artifact, I still truly believe you are the best half-blood we have to wield it."

Marcus took the package from Chiron's grasp, unwrapping it to reveal the Yankees Jacket he knew to be Annabeth's Wings, fresh as if it had just been made. Crafted by a favored child of Athena, blessed with Zeus' lightning, Marcus had been on the receiving end of their power enough to know just how great a show of confidence and trust was being shown to him in that moment. Marcus nodded to Chiron, pulling the jacket on, marveling at the softness of the material as he did. He knew the jacket doubled as a form of armor, and so had expected it to be heavy and stiff, but it felt as light as the air itself, barely heavier than his own shirt.

"Thank you, Chiron." Marcus said simply.