If Only

Where You Go, I Go

Annabeth 

Percy opened his blue binder to the front page. At the top, the page read 'The Well of Apate'. I knew Apate was the Greek goddess for deception, but I had never heard of a well named after her. 

Further down on the page, there was a picture of a tree nymph, with a name and address beside it- "Maple: Half-Blood Hill Forest, 50 N Rock Pond ." The nature spirits write addresses by the forest they live in, followed by the nearest identifying feature, such as a pond with an overhang, in this case, and then a number of steps in a cardinal direction from the feature. For example, if I was looking for Maple, I would go the woods next to the training arena, then find a pond surrounded by rocks or with some other rock formation, then take 50 steps to the North. 

Beneath the picture, there was a quote,  presumably from Maple. 

"Haven't you ever heard of the Well of Apate, the goddess of deceit, daughter of Night? When Apate was betrayed by her Mother, she collapsed over an old, dry well, and cried into it. She cried for hours. When the sun set, she stood up and decided she was done being a goddess, and transformed herself into a young human girl. The well she left behind was filled with her tears, and now the drinker of the well can transform themselves into anyone or anything they desire. To change back, all they have to do is cry, and instead of her the drinkers' tears, they will be Apate's tears." 

I looked up at Percy. He nodded, grimly, and turned the page. 

The next page was titled APATE. The entire page was full of stories of her back round, finishing the story Maple left off.

"...After leaving the well, Apate visited a small village, where she was welcomed. She danced and laughed for the whole morning, but in the afternoon, all the children left, pulled away by parents with lists of chores. She grew bitter from their seeming betrayal, and changed into a bird to escape the sadness. She flew all afternoon, and was happy, until the evening, when she grew cold. She was unhappy with her form, and shifted yet again, this time into a fierce lion with a thick pelt to keep her warm. She roared at the setting sun, feeling empowered. She raced across the plains. Then Night came. She was angry at her daughter, and searched for her, but Apate transformed back into the small girl, tricking her mother into thinking she was a sacrifice sent from the village for the Great Goddess of Night. When Night attempted to consume her soul, she shrunk into a small insect, so tiny her mother could not see her. When Night realized she had been decieved, she was enraged. She cursed her daughter to never be able to be stay in one form, having to constantly shift. From then on, Apate became the goddess of deception and deceit, fooling humans to satisfy her thirst for justice."

The next page was a map, covered in red circles. So was the next page, and the one after that. 

Percy gently took the binder back, and flipped to the end. 

"This is how I've been keeping myself from collapsing. I went to check locations while you were in Boston, and now I'm going to go again." He must have seen the look of dread on my face.

"I'll only be gone a couple of weeks, and then I'll come back for a while," he hurried to say. I started to laugh. 

"You think I'm upset because you're leaving again? Although Sally certainly will be. I hope your not planning on going anywhere dangerous. " 

"Oh no, just different places that could be home to the well," He reassured me, "You don't need to worry about me."

 Once again, I start to laugh. He looks at me oddly. 

"Seaweed Brain, did you really think I'd let go without me?"