𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 ✦ JACKSON

𝐱𝐢. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝

"What lady?" Thalia asked.

Ares glanced at her. "Well, well, I heard you were back."

He lowered his sword and kicked Percy down onto his back.

"Daughter of Zeus," Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good company." He looked over at me.

"Rayn," he forced a smile. "What a nice surprise..!"

"Hooray.." I crossed my arms. "Guessing your girlfriend's in the car?"

He nodded proudly at the thought of his girlfriend. "She wants to meet Percy. Not any of you. Especially not these." He pointed his sword at Zoe and Bianca.

"I'm not leaving you alone with him." I said as sternly as I could.

He shot daggers with his eyes in my direction, then turned to the others. "Why don't you get some tacos? This won't take long."

"The taco place is closed," Grover managed.

With a flick of the gods wrist, the taco shop was brand new. "Now, go."

"Like I said," I walked closer to Ares. "I'm not leaving you with Percy."

Ares cracked his knuckles. "You little-"

"Rayn, it's fine," Percy dusted his top off. "I'll handle this."

I was about to object but I saw the shimmering image from the camp forest. I started to advance towards it.

"Rayn, where are you going?" Thalia asked.

"One second, I'll meet you guys, uh, there," I gestured my hand for them to go to the taco shop, and nobody objected.

The shimmering image led me where nobody could see us, I thought it was a trap until I realized who it was.

"Chase?" I asked.

He turned around and smiled, but before I could speak again, he was gone.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Percy°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"What did she want with you?" Bianca asked, after I told them about Aphrodite.

"I'm not sure," I lied. "She said to be careful and not take anything from the junkyard."

Zoe narrowed her eyes. "The goddess of love would not make a special trip to tell thee that. Be careful, Percy, Aphrodite has led many heroes astray."

"For once, I agree with Zoe," Thalia said. "You can't trust her."

They all stared at me and I was desperate to change the topic. Then I realized something. "Where's Rayn?"

"I'm not sure," Grover looked around anxiously. "She walked a different way from us, she was meant to meet us at the taco place but..."

I looked around frantically. "You let her walk away, on her own?"

"Calm down," Thalia said. "She wouldn't go far, she's able to take care of herself."