•as the world caves in•

•sad talks•

"Yeah, I told him I was sorry for yelling and blaming him, and he seemed to understand, but I know he's definitely still in that headspace."

"Sit with him at dinner tonight and just act like everything is okay, so that he knows you're not holding this against him. Invite Thalia too if she would like that, but I suspect she might need more alone time."

I nodded. "Thanks, Silena, you're the best."

She kissed my forehead. "Of course, Coriane. Get some food and then sleep."

I sat with Percy during dinner like Silena said, and it was kinda awkward because the Hunters were being really loud and couldn't read the room of everyone being quiet.

Chiron formally welcomed the Hunters and announced the capture the flag game, and we were dismissed. I was exhausted which meant I fell asleep super quickly.

•.•.•.•

The next morning, Percy told Grover and I about a dream he had. He saw Annabeth on a mountain and Luke was there, and she held something up for him.

"Sounds like Atlas," I muttered. "But if he's out of his prison..."

"We can't jump to conclusions about this," Percy said. "It'll just make us more stressed."

"Well, Zoë had a dream last night." Grover said. We looked at him. "I don't know exactly what it was about, but at three in the morning she looked panicked and demanded to speak to Chiron at the Big House. She was upset so it was hard to understand, but it was something about Artemis being introuble and needing the Hunters. Then Chiron refused to let them leave until Artemis allowed them to, and Zoë was all like 'How are we supposed to get orders if she's lost?'"

"Woah," I sighed. "You don't mean she got kidnapped, do you?"

"How could you kidnap an immortal goddess?" Percy questioned.

"Well, it happened to Persephone." Grover pointed out.

"She's like, the goddess of flowers."

"Springtime!" Grover frowned.

"Not to mention, Hades completely ambushed her and now for half a year she's stuck down there with her only freedom being Elysium." I glared at Percy. "She should be here with her mom full time."

He held his hands up. "Okay, sorry. But, Artemis is much more powerful, who could kidnap her?"

"Kronos?" Grover suggested.

"He can't be that powerful already, can he?"

"Your dreams must be connected," I said, watching the satyrs and nymphs run around in the frozen meadow. "Whatever is going on with Artemis must be connected to whatever is happening with Annabeth and Luke."

"I'm gonna talk to Zoë," Percy announced.

"Before you do," Grover said sheepishly. "You remember what you said, how it was weird the Hunters just happened to show up at Westover Hall? I think they might've been scouting us."

I felt my face pale as I realized what Grover was going to say. He handed Percy a brochure for the Hunters; the exact one Annabeth had tried to give me forever ago.

"I don't understand," Percy mumbled, gripping the paper.

"I think maybe Annabeth was thinking about joining."

Percy snapped his head to me. "Did you know?"

I gave him a sheepish smile. "Yeah, but it's her choice."

"Did you want to as well?"

"I... maybe!" I huffed. "Percy, this whole demigod thing has done horrible things to Annabeth and I. We've suffered losses that we shouldn't need to endure at our age. The Hunters could offer us the way out of this miserable life."

Grover snuck away as Percy dropped his shoulders and wrapped his arms around his knees, much like I was.

He sighed. "But what about Grover, what about me?"

I glanced over at him. "What?"

He had this unbearable look of hurt across his face. "You'd be leaving both of us behind. We'd never see you two again. We wouldn't have any more quests together, no more school, no more summers."

"You actually enjoy school?" I snorted.

He had a stupid smile. "I enjoy it with you. We get to wander the halls during our study hall, we don't care what anyone thinks because we have each other. We go to those stupid dances together and make a somewhat normal life outside of camp and our demigod duties. I'd miss that. I'd miss you."

I bit my bottom lip and rested my head on my knees, looking at how his expression seemed to soften once he got it out.

"I'd miss you too, Percy." I smiled. "I'd miss everything you listed and more. I think I'd be more lonely as a Hunter than at school."

He rested a hand on the grass. "If you join, I'd be upset, but if I had a chance to live a somewhat normal life running around with a god and some other boys, I think I'd take it too."

I looked at his hand before placing mine on top of his. "I'm not sorry for not telling you, about Annabeth or I thinking about it, but I'm sorry that you had to find out this way, and that it upset you. I wish we could've talked about it some other way."

He stared at our hands. "Thanks, Cor. I'm gonna go find Chiron and talk to him about the dream, and find Zoë. I'll see you before the game tonight?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that. I hope you can find them."

He stayed for a moment longer, as if he had more to say or do, but he slowly removed his hand and got up. I looked at where it was before going to find Silena.