Disclaimer: I don't own PJO. Sorry I was gone for so long guys. My computer crashed at the same time that I was admitted to hospital with pneumonia. Not an auspicious start to the New Year.

Chapter Nineteen

A Message From the Wild

If there's one thing the Olympians really know how to do, it's party.

The Nine Muses acted as DJs, and it didn't take long for Ana and I to realize that you heard whatever you wanted to, at whatever volume. For example, I was listening to Nickelback, my favourite band, while Ana claimed to be hearing this Irish band called the Script that she'd recently fallen in love with after Lou introduced her to it. It was brilliant. There were no arguments, no fights to change the radio station. Just requests to crank it up a bit more.

Apollo himself treated Ana, taking her aside before the party started and healing her with a few hand waves. Unfortunately, some of the bones in her left wrist had been shattered into dust over her time in captivity, and even he was unable to regrow them. It would have to be amputated, news that nearly made me get sick from horror. He recommended speaking to his children and the members of the Hephaestus Cabin about getting her a prosthetic. To her credit, Ana simply nodded and thanked him for his help, not letting a single sign of distress show itself on her elegant face.

I had the random thought, as I looked at her, that she looked like a princess. Regal and beautiful, with the weight of thousands of lives resting on her shoulders.

Dionysus went around growing refreshment stands, a beautiful and young looking woman clutching his arm. His wife, Princess Ariadne. For the first in history, Ana and I saw a smile on the camp director's face. We both bemoaned the lack of photographic evidence, knowing that no one at camp would ever believe it.

Nectar and ambrosia overflowed from golden fountains, and platters of mortal snack food crowded the banquet tables. (Naturally, Ana and I shoved as much of our favourites into my backpack as we could. Take opportunities where you see them, right?) golden goblets filled with whatever drink you desired (Ana even sipped some alcohol, spat it out and said she didn't see what the fuss was all about. Personally, I agree. Being drunk is a terrifying prospect for a half-blood.)

Grover trotted around with a tray-sized plate filled with tin cans and enchiladas, and his goblet was full of double-espresso latte, which he kept muttering "Pan! Pan!" into like an incantation. The two of us hung out on the sides of the party, feeling uncomfortable but unable to leave yet. Especially when Aphrodite sauntered up to us, hips swaying seductively. She greeted us and then proceeded to reveal what her 'gift' had been. It wasn't as bad as I had expected it to be.

Turns out, my Mental Ana, was actually Ana. She had seen pretty much the entire quest through my eyes, and I had picked up on her own mental comments about the events as they happened. Thankfully, we were no longer so deeply connected, but we would apparently know if the other was in danger. It was a bit like having our own empathy link.

"You're welcome," Aphrodite winked at us after explaining, before strolling off to drag Ares onto the dance floor with her. Ana and I looked at each other, Ana cradling her arm to her chest protectively.

"I guess we owe her some sacrificed salad," she muttered.

"I suppose," I agreed. "So you saw everything then?"

"Pretty much. It was a good distraction, anyway."

I swallowed, scanning her anxiously. "What did they do?"

Her expression darkened. "It could've been a lot worse," she replied vaguely.

I left it at that. She clearly still wasn't ready to talk about any of it yet, and here, surrounded by gods who kept coming up to congratulate her on not being disintegrated (obviously they all wanted her to thank them for being so gracious as to let her survive the sin of being born) was not the time to talk about this stuff anyway. I felt a powerful presence approaching at the same time as Ana did, and we both stiffened in unison.

"You won't let me down, I hope," a man's voice came from behind us. Turning, we found ourselves looking at Lord Poseidon. He was ignoring me totally, smiling at Ana.

She shifted uncomfortably, adjusting her arms so they were crossed and raising her chin. "My lord," she greeted him carefully.

I could see how uneasy she felt. We both knew just how much Poseidon had put himself on the line by vouching for Ana and the Ophiotaurus. It would've been much easier for him to simply let her and Bessie be executed. Ana clearly wasn't sure how to cope with what could be interpreted as her father actually caring about her.

"Hello Ana," he said. "You have done well."

"I didn't do much," she snorted, her eyes darkening and shifting to the side for a moment before returning her gaze to her father. "I won't fail," she promised.

He nodded. I wasn't about to claim any understanding of the gods, but I wondered (and I knew Ana did too) if he had doubts. I certainly didn't.

"Athena's traitor daughter was once one of the most promising heroes of your generation," he informed us. I clenched my jaw. "She was her mother's greatest pride. Just bear that in mind, Ana. Even the bravest can fall."

"Ana's nothing like Chase," I growled, angered at the comparison. Ana shot me a sharp look, silently reminding me that disintegrating me was a lot less politically complicated than disintegrating her was. Poseidon glanced at me briefly, hmming mildly before looking back.

"You look very like Sally," he told her, making Ana stiffen.

"Thank you," she replied curtly. "There's no one I would rather be compared to."

"She was a queen among mortals," Poseidon continued, looking wistful. "I offered to take her under the sea and build her a palace, but she refused."

"That would have made her miserable," Ana nodded. "She didn't want charity."

"A queen among mortals," he repeated, before changing the subject. "Nakamura and Chase sail from San Francisco with the remains of Kronos even now. They will retreat and regroup before assaulting you again. I will do my best to destroy their boat with storms, but they are making alliances with my enemies, the older spirits of the ocean. They will fight to protect them."

"Annabeth is alive?" I blurted out. I hated how instantly relieved I felt. Ana, knowing me far too well, grabbed my hand and clutched it tightly for support.

"How is that possible?" she asked. "Falling from that height should have killed her!"

Poseidon looked troubled. "I don't know, Ana, but beware of them. They are more dangerous than ever. And the golden coffin is still with them, still growing in strength."

"What about Atlas?" She pressed, while I stared at the floor with a tense frown. "What's to prevent him from escaping again? Couldn't he just force some giant or something to take the sky for him?"

Poseidon snorted in derision. "If it were so easy, he would have escaped long ago. No, my daughter. The curse of the sky can only be forced upon a Titan, one of the children of Gaia and Ouranos. Anyone else must choose to take the burden of their own free will. Only a hero, someone with strength, a true heart, and great courage, would do such a thing. No one in Kronos' army would dare try to bear that weight, even upon pain of death."

"Annabeth took it to free Atlas, and then she held the lives of everyone in California hostage to make me take it." Her voice held a cold fury I had never heard from her before, and I gave her a quick, worried look.

"Yes," Poseidon mused. "Annabeth Chase is… an interesting case."

I think he wanted to say more, but just then, Bessie started mooing from across the courtyard. Some demigods were playing with his water sphere, joyously pushing it back and forth over the top of the crowd and laughing in amusement at it.

"I'd better take care of that," Poseidon grumbled. "We can't have the Ophiotaurus tossed around like a beach ball. Be good, my child. We may not speak again for some time."

And just like that he was gone. Ana turned to me, face pale and strained.

"Let's go home."

Fully in agreement with her, I wrapped an arm around her waist to help support her and we made our way back to the elevator. Just as we broke through the crowd, another voice stopped us.

"Your father takes a great risk, you know."

Turning, we found ourselves face-to-face with a grey-eyed woman who looked so much like Annabeth I almost called her that.

"Lady Athena." I tried not to sound resentful, after the way she'd written Ana off in the council, but I guess I didn't hide it very well. Ana's face was blank, her lips pressed tightly together.

She smiled dryly. "Do not judge me too harshly, half-blood. Wise counsel is not always popular, but I spoke the truth. You are dangerous." That statement was directed at Ana, who narrowed her eyes as she replied in a curt tone.

"You never take risks?"

She nodded. "I concede the point. You may perhaps be useful. And yet… your fatal flaw may destroy us as well as yourself."

Ana went stiff at that. Neither of us knew what her fatal flaw was. Personally, mine was that I had 'excessive wrath' to quote Chiron. I let my anger and resentment control me and blind me. It had caused problems in the past. But Ana, I was never sure, though we had certainly tried to figure it out. It was always vital to recognize your flaws, or else they could be easily used against you.

Athena looked almost sorry for her, but I knew it had to be faked. After all, Athena was known for her cruelty towards, well, everybody, but especially children of Poseidon. And given the goddess of wisdom's current disgrace over her daughter's actions, well...

"Kronos knows your flaw, even if you do not," she said. "He knows how to study his enemies. Think, Anaea. How has he manipulated you? He uses your loved ones to lure you into his traps. Your fatal flaw is personal loyalty, Anaea. You do not know when it is time to cut your losses. To save a friend, you would sacrifice the world. In a hero of the prophecy, that is very, very dangerous."

Ana balled her hands into fists, glowering furiously at Athena. "That's not a flaw," she spat. "Just because I want to help my friends—"

"The most dangerous flaws are those which are good in moderation," Athena replied coolly. "Evil is easy to fight. Lack of wisdom… that is very hard indeed."

Ana didn't reply, her scowl deepening.

"I hope the Council's decisions prove wise," Athena pursed her lips. "But I will be watching, Anaea Jackson. Should you begin to waver in your loyalties…"

She fixed Ana with her cold grey stare, and, watching the stare-down, I realized what a terrible enemy Athena would make, ten times worse than Ares or Dionysus, or any other god Ana had angered. Athena would never give up. She would never do something rash or stupid just because she hated you, and if she made a plan to destroy you, it would not fail. I shuddered in fear, thinking of the stories of what she had done to those who angered her. Her punishments were vicious and cruel. I was terrified at the thought of Ana facing that wrath.

Ana stayed silent, her expression going neutral as we watched Athena disappear back into the crowd. As soon as she was gone, we hurried into the elevator, eager to escape before any more gods popped up to speak to Ana.

Compared to Mount Olympus, Manhattan was quiet. Friday before Christmas, but it was early in the morning, and hardly anyone was on Fifth Avenue. Argus picked up Ana and I at the Empire State Building and ferried us back to camp through a light snowstorm. The Long Island Expressway was almost deserted.

As we trudged back up Half-Blood Hill to the pine tree where the Golden Fleece glittered, I half expected to see Thalia there, waiting for us. But she wasn't. She was long gone with Artemis and the rest of the Hunters, off on their next adventure.

Chiron greeted us at the Big House with hot chocolate and toasted cheese sandwiches. We sat with him and some of the other senior campers—Beckendorf, Silena, and the Stolls. Even Clarisse was there, back from her secretive scouting mission. I knew she must've had a difficult quest, because she didn't even try to punch me, and gave Ana as tight a hug as Silena did. She had a new scar on her chin, and her dirty blond hair had been cut short and ragged, like someone had attacked it with a pair of safety scissors.

"I got news," she mumbled uneasily. "Bad news."

"I'll fill you in later," Chiron said with forced cheerfulness. "The important thing is you have prevailed. And you saved Ana!"

Ana flashed me a grateful smile, while I tugged her to lean against my side and munched on my sandwich, rubbing her arm as she rested her head against my shoulder.

"Yes, but Chase and Nakamura are still out there," I told him, making him sigh and Ana grimace.

"Well, we still have time to get them," she said hopefully. "I won't turn sixteen for two more years, after all."

Chiron's expression was gloomy. Sitting by the fire in his wheelchair, he looked really old. I mean… he was really old, but he usually didn't look it.

"Two years may seem like a long time," he said. "But it is the blink of an eye. I still hope you are not the child of the prophecy, Ana. But if you are, then the second Titan war is almost upon us. Kronos' first strike will be here."

"We can hardly pretend now," Ana mumbled under her breath. "Even the gods know we're at war." she looked up at Chiron. "Why would he care about camp?" She asked, wrinkling her eyebrow. "We're not immortals. Surely he'll focus on the gods, not us."

"But the gods use heroes as their tools," Chiron said simply. "Destroy the tools, and the gods will be crippled. Annabeth and Ethan's forces will come here. Mortal, demigod, monstrous… We must be prepared. Clarisse's news may give us a clue as to how they will attack, but—"

There was a knock on the door, and Nico di'Angelo came huffing into the parlour, his cheeks bright red from the cold.

He was smiling, but he looked around anxiously. "Hey! Where's… where's my sister?"

Dead silence. I stared at Chiron. I couldn't believe nobody had told him yet. And then I realized why. They'd been waiting for us to appear, to tell Nico in person.

That was the last thing I wanted to do. But I owed it to Bianca.

"Hey, Nico." I got up from my comfortable chair. "Let's take a walk, okay? We need to talk."

He took the news in silence, which somehow made it worse. I kept talking, trying to explain how it had happened, how Bianca had sacrificed herself to save the quest. But I felt like I was only making things worse. Then again, I knew that nothing I said could make things better. Nico had lost his only family and nothing would fix that.

"She wanted you to have this." I brought out the little god figurine Bianca had found in the junkyard. Nico held it in his palm and stared at it.

We were standing at the dining pavilion, where we'd last spoken just before I left to go on the quest. The wind was bitter cold, even with the camp's magical weather protection. Snow fell lightly against the marble steps. I figured outside the camp borders, there must be a blizzard happening.

"You promised you would protect her," Nico said.

He might as well have stabbed me with a rusty dagger.

It would've hurt less than reminding me of my promise.

"Nico," I said, my voice strained. "I promised that I'd try and I did. But Bianca gave herself up to save the rest of us. She—"

"You promised!"

He glared at me, his eyes rimmed with red. He closed his small fist around the god statue.

"I shouldn't have trusted you." His voice broke. "You lied to me. My nightmares were right!"

That worried me. "What nightmares?"

He flung the god statue to the ground. It clattered across the icy marble. "I hate you!"

"Nico, we didn't find a body-" I knew it was a bad idea, Bianca was almost certainly dead, but I tried to give the grieving child some hope anyways.

"She's dead." He closed his eyes. His whole body trembled with rage. "I should've known it earlier. She's in the Fields of Asphodel, standing before the judges right now, being evaluated. I can feel it."

"What do you mean, you can feel it?"

Before he could answer, I heard a new sound behind me. A hissing, clattering noise I recognized all too well.

I drew my sword and Nico gasped. I whirled and found myself facing four skeleton warriors. They grinned fleshless grins and advanced with swords drawn. I wasn't sure how they'd made it inside the camp, but it didn't matter. I'd never get help in time.

"You're trying to kill me!" Nico screamed. "You brought these… these things?"

"No! I mean, yes, they followed me, but no! Nico, run. They can't be destroyed."

"I don't trust you!"

"Nico please!"

The first skeleton charged. I knocked aside its' blade, but the other three kept coming. I sliced one in half, but immediately it began to knit back together. I knocked another's head off but it just kept fighting.

"Run, Nico!" I yelled. "Get help!"

"No!" He pressed his hands to his ears.

I couldn't fight four at once, not if they wouldn't die. I slashed, whirled, blocked, jabbed, but they just kept advancing. It was only a matter of seconds before the zombies overpowered me.

"No!" Nico shouted louder. "Go away!"

The ground rumbled beneath me. The skeletons froze. I rolled out of the way just as a crack opened at the feet of the four warriors. The ground ripped apart like a snapping mouth. Flames erupted from the fissure, and the earth swallowed the skeletons in one loud CRUNCH!

Silence.

In the place where the skeletons had stood, a twenty-foot-long scar wove across the marble floor of the pavilion. Otherwise there was no sign of the warriors.

Awestruck and terrified, I looked to Nico. "How did you—"

"Go away!" he yelled. "I hate you! I wish you were dead!"

The ground didn't swallow me up, but Nico ran down the steps, heading toward the woods. I started to follow but slipped and fell to the icy steps. When I got up, I noticed what I'd slipped on.

I picked up the god statue Bianca had retrieved from the junkyard for Nico. The only statue he didn't have, she'd told me. A last gift from his sister.

I stared at it with dread, because now I understood why the face looked familiar. Why Bianca and Nico had both seemed familiar. I'd seen it before.

It was a statue of Hades, Lord of the Dead.

Ana helped me search the woods for hours, but there was no sign of Nico.

"We can't tell Chiron," Ana muttered. "Gods this is a disaster. Why can't the gods keep their word? Even Hades broke the oath! Gods!"

"I don't think Hades broke the oath," I corrected her, remembering my conversation with the other questers back in the desert.

"What?"

"He's definitely their father," I agreed, "but Bianca and Nico have been out of commission for a long time, since even before World War II."

"That's right," Ana realized. "They were stuck in the Lotus Casino, weren't they? But how did they get out?"

"Bianca said a lawyer came and got them and drove them to Westover Hall." I ran a hand through my hair, frowning deeply. "I don't know who. I don't think Nico understands who he is. But you're right that we can't go telling anyone. Not even Chiron. If the Olympians find out—"

"It might start them fighting among each other again," Ana finished. "That's the last thing we need."

"You know this means it might not be you right?" I said abruptly. "It could be Nico."

Ana shook her head. "It has to be me," she insisted. "Nico's only a kid. It has to be me."

Her jaw was tense, and I knew what she was thinking. Nico was a grieving boy, naïve to the world both mythological and 'real'. Adding the weight of the entire world to his shoulders was a cruelty that Ana would never allow. Never mind how cruel it was to her, Ana would always put others ahead of herself. In retrospect, I couldn't believe that I hadn't figured out Ana's fatal flaw earlier. In hindsight, it was so obvious.

I wasn't sure Chiron believed the story that Ana and I told him. I think he could tell I was holding something back about Nico's disappearance, but in the end, he accepted it. Unfortunately, Nico wasn't the first half-blood to disappear.

"So young," Chiron sighed, his hands on the rail of the front porch. "Alas, I hope he was eaten by monsters. Much better than being recruited into the Titans' army."

That idea made me really uneasy. I almost changed my mind about telling Chiron, but I didn't.

"You really think the first attack will be here?" Ana asked.

Chiron stared at the snow falling on the hills. I could see smoke from the dragon guardian at the pine tree, the glitter of the distant Fleece.

"It will not be until summer, at least," he said. This winter will be hard… the hardest for many centuries. You two should rest, and train hard. You will need it."

Ana opened her mouth to speak, but whatever she was going to say was interrupted by Grover, who stumbled out of the Big House with wide eyes and a pale face, tripping over tin cans. His face was haggard and pale, like he'd seen a spectre.

"He spoke.'" Grover cried.

"Calm down, my young satyr," Chiron said, frowning. "What is the matter?"

"I… I was playing music in the parlour," he stammered, "and drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee! And he spoke in my mind!"

"Who?" Ana demanded.

"Pan!" Grover wailed. "The Lord of the Wild himself. I heard him! I have to… I have to find a suitcase. Quickly! I need to go!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I said. "What did he say?"

Grover stared at me. "Just three words. He said, 'I await you...'"