The Truths Spoken In The Sea Of Lies

Rhea crashes her funeral

Rickroll surprise,

Sally and Rhea talk,

Meeting Rachel.

***

Hours later, Rhea's raft washed up at Camp Half-Blood. The familiar shoreline of Long Island appeared up ahead, and a couple of friendly great white sharks surfaced and steered her toward the beach.

"Oh sea how much I have missed you!" Rhea put her hand in the water petting the sharks in the process.

When she landed, the camp seemed deserted. It was late afternoon, but the archery range was empty. The climbing wall poured lava and rumbled all by itself. Pavilion: nothing. Cabins: all vacant.

There was smoke rising from the amphitheatre, and she made her way to it.

"Never gonna say goodbye~

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you~"

She could hear the end of a song that was too familiar to her from afar while making her way to the amphitheatre. Oh, she will laugh about it for a long time. As she got there she heard Chiron making an announcement.

"—assume she is dead," Chiron said. "After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked her best surviving friend to do the final honours."

Nobody noticed Rhea. They were all looking forward, watching as Annabeth took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it on the flames. They were burning her shroud.

Annabeth turned to face the audience. She looked terrible. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but she managed to say, "She was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. She..." Then she saw Rhea waving at her, and her face went blood red. "She's right there!"

Heads turned. People gasped.

"Sup." Rhea raised her hand.

"Rhea!" Beckendorf grinned.

A bunch of other kids crowded around Rhea and clapped her on the back. She heard a few curses from the Ares cabin, but Clarisse just rolled her eyes.

"Why is it when you disappear you come back wearing a chiton?" Clarisse crossed her arms as she looked at Rhea's outfit.

"I can't help it." Rhea shrugged.

Chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him.

"Well," he sighed with obvious relief. "I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me—"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Annabeth interrupted, shoving aside the other campers.

"Beds empty! No note! Car gone!" Rhea mumbled.

Annabeth hugged her so fiercely that she nearly cracked Rhea's ribs. The other campers fell silent. Annabeth seemed to realize she was making a scene and pushed Rhea away.

"I—we thought you were dead, Seaweed Brain!"

"Yeah ... sorry," Rhea said. "I got lost in the road of life."

"LOST?" she yelled. "Two weeks, Rhea? Where in the world—"

"Annabeth," Chiron interrupted. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"