ғʀᴏsᴛʙɪᴛᴇ - 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐋𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐔𝐒

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

ʟɪᴢ

Annabeth paced the room as Liz tried to explain. Liz had to fight the urge to chew her fingernails as Annabeth rubbed her temples anxiously.

"But four is against the rules. It makes the quest instantly more dangerous," Annabeth said.

Liz sighed. "I understand that, Annabeth. I'm not excited about it either. But Hera sent Teddy to tell me. I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important."

"I mean, it makes sense. The child of snow probably means you." Annabeth stopped pacing for a moment, putting her hands on her hips. "But it said you'll have to face your creator. Are you sure you want to do that?"

Liz put her hand up to her lip, subconsciously chewing her nails. Even with Liz's fantastic memory, she had forgotten that part. Now she really wasn't as excited to go on this quest.

"See?" Annabeth proclaimed, taking Liz's silence into account. "Not to mention, I'm worried about sending four off."

"That's not likely to be a problem. You know I'm less trackable during the winter. But if those three do have to face Khione, who better to help them than her daughter?" Liz replied, trying to convince Annabeth.

"Except she's never once visited you, and she didn't even claim you. Do you really think she cares that you're hers?" Annabeth countered.

"She's vain, Annabeth. She'll jump at the opportunity of claiming me as her daughter if I'm some sort of hero."

"I just don't know, Liz," Annabeth said. Her voice was exhausted.

"Annabeth, I'm perfectly capable of handling myse-"

Annabeth cut Liz off abruptly, her energy wild, anxious, and upset. "I know you can! I just can't lose another friend!"

Liz stopped chewing her nails, straightening her back. Percy's disappearance has been hard on everyone, but of course Annabeth had been hit the worst. They'd been through so much together, sacrificed for one another.

"Annabeth, I know..." Liz brushed an anxious hand through her dark hair. "I know it's hard not having Percy here. But I swear to you, I will make it back. And who knows? Maybe you'll have found Percy by then."

"I'm sorry," Annabeth took a deep breath, looking ashamed. "I'm sorry. I'm just so worried about him."

"Knowing Percy, he probably got lost in the middle of Arkansas or something," Liz tried to joke. She'd never been very good at the humor aspect of life, mostly just the death-staring and intimidating part.

Annabeth chuckled lightly, sniffling. "If Hera sent Teddy for you, you should probably go."

Liz stood, brushing herself off. Her eyes shot to the bag in the corner of the room and the scrawled list on the table.

"Are you going to be okay?" Liz asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine. Plus I've got to talk to Jason, tell him you're going."

"I appreciate this, Annabeth. It..." Liz hated the mushy stuff, but she tried to find the words. "You know."

"Yeah." Annabeth nodded. Liz stepped out the door of the Athena cabin, trudging through the cold morning air.

She sighed as she walked back to the Poseidon cabin. Now that she'd gotten Annabeth's approval, she had to pack.

She didn't want to lie, she knew she would be out of place. Liz barely knew the three kids going on the quest, and they were all best friends. They'd all had connections before they'd arrived. Not to mention, that Leo kid was absolutely unbearable.