The days that followed were filled with hushed phone calls, urgent meetings at Camp Half-Blood, and a heavy silence hanging over the Jackson household. Sally and Paul kept Estelle shielded from the growing tension, filling their days with normalcy – school lunches, trips to the park, and evenings huddled together with Estelle's drawings plastered on the fridge.

Meanwhile, tension crackled between Annabeth and Chiron. The weight of their shared secret was a constant companion. Annabeth grappled with guilt and fear, replaying the scene of the attack in her mind. Why hadn't she done more? How could she have let Luke, even a twisted version of him, stand by while Estelle was in danger?

Chiron, ever the wise mentor, offered solace but didn't shy away from the truth. "Kronos will exploit your weaknesses, Annabeth. We can't underestimate his cunning."

With a heavy heart, Annabeth delved deeper into her memories, piecing together the manipulative tactics Luke, or rather Luke's twisted form, had used. Every visit to watch Estelle from afar, every whispered threat, all pointed towards a larger objective.

One night, as Sally tucked Estelle into bed, Annabeth sat by Chiron at the camp fire, a fire that mirrored the turmoil within her.

"He didn't just want to see Estelle," she realized, a chill running down her spine. "He was studying her, learning her routine."

Chiron's ears twitched. "What do you mean?"

"He talked about her potential," Annabeth continued, her voice tight. "About how she could be a powerful weapon."

The implications were clear. Kronos wasn't just interested in toying with them emotionally; he saw Estelle as a potential asset in his upcoming war. An unsettling thought rose in Annabeth's mind. Luke, in his twisted loyalty, might even agree with him.

"We need to warn the others," Chiron said, his hooves hitting the ground with a determined rhythm. "We need to make sure Estelle is protected before Kronos makes his move."

A plan began to take shape. Letters, disguised as homework assignments, were sent to other demigod children across the country. Messages were relayed through trusted nymphs and satyrs, each thread weaving a web of information around Kronos's plot.

Meanwhile, Sally and Paul, unaware of the full extent of the danger, felt a growing unease. Strange shadows seemed to linger at the edge of their vision, deliveries went missing, and Estelle mentioned a "scary man" watching her from outside the park.

They contacted Chiron, their voices filled with a mix of fear and determination. It was time for a change of strategy.