twenty eight
return to camp

LENNON STARES AT THE DOOR before her, taking a breath before knocking. A painfully long minute goes by before she hears footsteps behind the door. Finally, it opens and a woman with black curly hair stands before her.

"Hello," the woman smiles.

"Hi, um, I'm Lennon. One of Emelee's—"

"Ah, Lennon," her voice has a hint of recognition. "Emmie has told me all about you!"

The nervousness leaves Lennon's face as she gives the woman an easy smile. "I wanted to talk, um, to Em. About Camp,"

Emelee's mother's smile drops slightly but she opens the door wider for her to enter. "Come, I'm sure it's important," She closes the door behind Lennon and calls up the stairs for Emelee. She turns back to Lennon and says, "I'm Em's mother, Christine,"

"Nice to meet you," Lennon smiles.

She gestures towards the end of the hallway which Lennon presumes is the kitchen. "Let's get you something to eat while we wait on Em,"

Lennon recalls Emelee once telling her that her mothers didn't know the specifics of what it was like to be a half-blood. They knew about the monsters and that the camp protected half-bloods, but they didn't know the extent of the danger. Lennon's not even sure they know there is a war going on.

"Who was it, babe?" A blonde woman sits at the kitchen island, glasses on her nose, typing away at a computer. Lennon picks up the southern twang in her voice.

"One of Em's siblings, Lennon,"

The woman looks up. "Oh, we've never gotten to meet her siblings. It's nice to meet you, honey," she pauses and says. "Is there something wrong?"

For a second Lennon is frozen, she has no idea what to tell her. How can she tell Em's moms that she is trying to bring Emelee back to a war? How can she say she's only bringing danger to their doorstep?

"Angie I'm sure there's nothing wrong," Though she looks at Lennon a bit worriedly as if she could see right through all her anxiousness. "Lennon, I just put some Bagel Bites in the oven. Is that okay, or would you like something different?"

She shook her head. "No, uh, that's fine,"

"Lennon?" Em appears in the doorway, having come downstairs. "What are you doing here?"

Lennon's hands go clammy as she anxiously fiddles with them, nervous energy buzzing. She blinks, quickly gathering her composure, "We need to talk,"

Em goes silent, glancing at her mothers.

From her computer, Em's mom Angie hums. "So Lennon what's your favorite subject?"

"Mom!" Emelee frowns.

"Well, you're not being very conversational dear,"

Lennon blinks again, feeling it would be rude if she left her question unanswered. "I like reading?"

"Mom, she doesn't do regular school like me," Em says pointedly.

"Well if you told us more about your friends at camp—"

Em moves towards Lennon and grabs her hand. "Me and Lennon are gonna go talk upstairs," she glances over at Lennon and pointedly asks, "It's super important right?"

"Well, yeah it is," Lennon nods.

"Wait Emelee, I'm making bagel bites," Ms Christine says.

"We'll be back down. Come on Len," she says pulling her with her upstairs.

Lennon follows Emelee to her room. The first thing she notices is the baby pink color of the walls, which Lennon assumed was painted years ago. Plastered over the rose-colored walls were dozens of band posters: from No Doubt to Lauryn Hill to Fiona Apple. Her wire bed frame is tucked in her corner and makes space for the desk that carried her record player, a bookcase so full the books were stacked atop the rows, and a sleek Yamaha keyboard— all nestled on one wall. Propped up against an empty wall was a faded blue beanbag chair.

Standing there Lennon couldn't help but imagine would it would be like to have a space— no, a sanctuary— like this. All her own. Then she remembers that she did once have room to herself back in California when she was much younger and untouched by the cruel reality of the world she was born into.

"Your room is really cute," Lennon says after a beat of silence.

"Hm? Thanks," Em says absentmindedly. "But Len, why did you come here? I made my decision,"

Lennon frowns, wary of where the conversation would lead. "Emelee we need you at camp," She watches the girl glance at the sword that stuck out like a sore thumb in the teenager's room, propped against her bookcase.

"I'm done. I'm done with the monsters and the fighting and the friends dying. I just wanna be regular,"

"And what about everyone else? Camp is losing people. We won't have a chance against Kronos' Army,"

Emelee sighs and sits on the edge of her bed, patting the spot next to her. As Lennon sits down she says, "Maybe it's time for the time of camp to end. All things change, maybe this is just next on the list,"

Lennon looks at her in confusion. "How can you say that? Your family is at camp,"

"No, Lennon my family is here," she snaps.

She froze, letting the words sink in. Lennon thought of her siblings in Apollo cabin, who all care so deeply for one another. Did all their time together mean nothing to Emelee?

Emelee quickly reaches for her hand. "Not like that. You guys at camp are my family. My siblings. But I also have two moms here and... I want to grow up here. I've already spent 8 years at camp, maybe I want something different."

"But the war," she says. Ugly red-hot feelings of anger and frustration that Lennon coached herself to lock away on the ride there threatened to boil over.

"I don't want to fight a war,"

"You don't have a choice,"

Emelee raises a brow at her. "Yes, I do. I choose not to fight the gods' war,"

"You sound like the half-bloods who turned,"

Emelee sighs, "It's not like that, Len,"

"Halfbloods are being killed in this war. We're getting hurt by it. Maybe this is the gods' fight but like it or not it's become ours too,"

"Who's fault is that?"

Lennon shoots up, taken by irritation. "Would you rather have joined Kronos? Take a stance against the gods and tear down everything good established?"

"Is it all good if it's why Lee is dead?"

The room goes silent. It's what they've all been questioning. How— in a world full of powerful, reality-bending gods— could Lee be dead? It's the secret thought threaded into all their words and actions after their brother died. It was the reason Lennon wanted to bring Emelee back to camp and the reason Emelee had left in the first place.

"Lee is dead because half-bloods joined Kronos and helped him bring a war to camp's borders. Kronos killed Lee,"

Emelee frowns. "Please, Len. I don't want to fight. Can you try to understand?"

"What I understand is that you're being a coward," there's a stunned silence in the air before she continues. "You keep making all these excuses about why you left camp but I know you Emelee. You're scared to lose someone else, so you're avoiding the pain altogether by leaving camp. Will you feel better when you get the news that someone else died? If Will died? If I died? How will it feel to know that maybe you could've been there to save us?"

Lennon claps a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. She watches as Emelee looks at her stunned. Her eyes watering.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't... I didn't mean it—"

"No, Lennon, you didn't mean to say it aloud, but you've been thinking it,"

Lennon feels horrible. The worst part was that she understood why Emelee didn't want to come back to camp. She had every right to leave camp regardless of Lennon's opinion. She takes a seat next to Emelee.

"I'm sorry. Yes, some of those things have been on my mind. I understand. I understand it all, I just can't agree," she takes her sister's hand. "I know it's asking way too much. I'm not sure if it's even right of me to ask but I can't stop thinking about camp. All those people there.

"I've been going on dozens of recruitment missions. Finding more and more half-bloods. And all of them are so young. As young as you and me when we got to camp. And all I think about is how they're going to have to fight. They don't even get to try at a normal childhood because they're thrust into the half-blood world. If we can fight and finish this world, maybe they don't have to grow up so fast,"

She looks at Emelee, who's watching her.

"I understand if you don't want to come back but... please, camp needs you,"

There's a long bout of silence and Lennon is sure she'll decline again.

"I'll come back," Lennon just nods slowly. "Only for the summer. Hopefully, we can end this all but after that? I'm coming back here. I wanna try for college or... something different,"

"Em—" Lennon begins.

"I know I'm being selfish. I don't regret it but just allow me this small selfishness,"

Lennon nods, glancing around Emelee's room. She hasn't had a room of her own in years, and hasn't even had the possibility of a normal life dangled in front of her. Maybe if she had a home and a full family waiting for her she'd leave everything behind too.

Emelee gets up and grabs a duffle bag from her closet. Sheepishly she says, "I had a bag packed. I didn't think I'd ever go back to camp but... I couldn't help it,"

At that, Lennon smiles a bit. She watches Emelee grab her sword and glance over her shoulder at her. "Len, are you okay?"

She blinks, "Yeah, I'm fine," she pauses and then says ashamedly, "Except for that outburst. Em, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said those things,"

"It opened my eyes," she says, lacing up her boots. "Tough love does work sometimes,"

"It doesn't feel good though," Lennon frowns.

Em smiles at her. "That's because you're incapable of being mean to people. You're practically a ball of sunshine,"

Lennon struggles to produce a smile on her face. She doesn't feel like a ball of sunshine. She's constantly fighting the lethargic pull of sleep, fearing the dreams that may meet her. She rarely wrote music anymore. Her siblings would pull her into whatever fun activity they planned and she wanted to enjoy it, she really did. But she felt like an empty husk of herself, a lonely ghost haunting a house once filled with light. That's when she would paint a smile on her face and play the character of the Lennon she once knew herself to be. She's not exactly sure who she is now.

She spends most of her free time at camp in the training arena beating away at a wooden figure. Every time her sword cut into the wood with a dull thud, she thought of sea-green eyes.

Feeling all of these heavy emotions, Lennon forces a faux chuckle from her throat and says, "You guys always say that,"

"Because it's true," Em says then sets the duffle bag on her bed, looking at Lennon. "But really, are you okay? You look like you've barely slept,"

Lennon curses herself for not putting on enough concealer. She'd run out this morning. "I'm sleeping Em," she lies. "Even if they're not the smoothest of dreams,"

Em hums. "We should probably go downstairs now. I have to tell my moms,"

It was hard having to explain to Emelee's moms and Lennon felt even worse as they settled into the car. She thinks of Emelee's moms and the framed pictures on their wall. Had Lennon just possibly taken their daughter away from them? If Emelee were to die in this war it would be all Lennon's fault.

She thinks of the photos she'd seen on Em's wall, the ones she'd tried to ignore. Photos of Em with her school friends, smiling wider than she'd ever seen her. Unlike Lennon, Emelee had a life outside of camp. Was she wrong for taking her away from it?

Thinking of this reminds her of Percy, who she rarely saw anymore. It was likely more her fault than his. She'd stopped Iris messaging him and planning hangouts in the confines of New York City under the guise of constantly being away on recruiting missions— of course, he didn't know that she volunteered for all the missions. He was away from camp, enjoying the last bits of normalcy he'd get before he turned 16. He was prophesised to die and he needed all the distraction he could get. He deserved some semblance of a mortal life, even if it meant he spent most of his time with Rachel rather than Lennon. She'd rather him be happy than be trapped in the world of camp.

An ugly, hurt part of her resented his opportunity to live a normal life. Just like Emelee, he had a place outside of camp to call home. He had friends that weren't Lennon that made him smile despite the war brewing. She could never provide any escape from the violence and the mourning and the prophecies and the death. Being around Lennon would only remind Percy of the sand running out in the hourglass of his life. He would be happier away from her.

Her thoughts swirl unendingly in her mind, eventually carrying her off into a rare sleep. In her dream she finds herself sitting in a fast food booth across from her father. She stares at him in confusion as he gets his order taken by a glowing figure.

She can see his mouth moving but his words are muffled like water in her ears.

He turns his eyes on Lennon and her ears ring to life as he says, "Len what do you want to order?"

She doesn't respond, just creases her brows in confusion. "Dad?"

"She'll get the usual," he waves the waiter off and then looks at her. "Wow kid, you've gotta sleep more. Dreams are really our only form of communication with how busy things are nowadays. Seriously, I've been waiting for you to have a dream for a while,"

"Sorry?" Lennon says, still at a loss for words. She takes in her surroundings and realizes where they are. "Are we at In-n-Out?"

"Yes, you like this place right?"

She and her mother would always come here when she was younger before she left for camp. "Um, yeah I do."

"Good. Now I'm not sure how these places work but I have something to talk to you about so let's speed this along." He snapped his fingers and the glowing figure reappeared with a tray of food. A platter of burgers, fries, and drinks was placed in front of them. A cup of what looked like Gelato was placed in front of Apollo. When he noticed her confused look he said,

"I had to pass through Italy to visit a sibling of yours. I've been craving gelato ever since,"

She blinks not sure what to say. "Not that it's not nice to see you but... why am I here? I'm sure you have more important war prep to do,"

And just like that, his face darkens, as if he had grave news to deliver. It reminds her faintly of two years ago when he'd told her of her curse.

"I'm sure you've felt the shift in energy. That foreboding feeling?"

Lennon did. She tried to ignore it, assuming it was just her anxiousness towards the upcoming war. But it was like an incurable virus that crawled into the edges of her mind over and over. Clinging to and infecting any positive thoughts she has. Just when she thinks it's gone, it creeps up on her again. "Is it a side effect of my curse?"

The expression on her father's face worries her. "It is your prophecy. A part of it is coming to pass. I'm sure you know what it means,"

She does. She's been trying for so long to pretend her intuition is wrong. Trying to convince herself she's being paranoid but she knows what it means. "I'm going to die soon aren't I?"

Apollo nods slowly and he can barely look at her without an intense sadness. "I can't... I can't tell you everything. Fate works in its own ways and to disturb it would be to cause further pain. But... yes you will die soon,"

Suprisingly Lennon doesn't feel an intense wave of emotions. Subconsciously, she thinks she's accepted this fact a long time ago. Nothing is squeezing her heart and wringing it out. If anything, she feels a sense of calmness to know the meaning of all her feelings.

"I want you to keep this and don't lose it. It's important," he pushes a golden drachma across the table with the image of a rising sun. "Lennon, listen. Everything happens for a reason. I cannot tell you why now but your death is a part of fate's course. Trying to prevent it may make things worse,"

"I wasn't going to," and then almost as an afterthought, she says, "Prevent my death. I won't try to stop it," She picks up the drachma and slips it in her jacket pocket, assuming it'll follow her to the real world.

Apollo watches her with intense sympathy, or maybe it's pity. She's not sure but he looks at her as if he's been through this before. Lennon supposes he has encountered dozens of other cursed children like her.

"I'm sorry Lennon,"

Despite everything she smiles. "It's not your fault. It's just fate,"

She doesn't remember anything else that happens because she is shaken awake by Emelee, who sits next to her frowning. Outside the car windows, the strokes of day are fading to a murky night.

"We're at camp. I didn't want to wake you but I'm sure you'd rather sleep in the cabin,"

Lennon stretches, still in a bit of a daze as she says, "I've got things to do anyway. I've slept for long enough," She patted her jacket pocket and felt the imprint of the golden drachma her father gave her.

"You slept for a car ride," Emelee says simply.

"I'm fine,"

"Bullshit. Was it a nightmare?" Lennon shakes her head but Em continues to press. "I'm serious Lennon, are you okay?"

She sighs. "I'm fine Em. It was um... a dream from dad," Emelee opens her mouth to say something but Lennon cuts her off. "Please don't tell the others. They'll just worry,"

"Was it a bad dream?"

"No, but you know Julian and the others. They worry too much," she offers her sister a smile to seal the lie. Telling her siblings that she would die soon wouldn't do anybody any good.

☼

Lennon was gaining a killer headache. In a sleepy haze, she had awoken to Micahel nudging her out of bed, telling her that Percy was back and they had a war council to attend. Never mind the fact that she wasn't a senior counselor, she had somewhat become an honorary member.

She was angry at herself for sleeping so long, sleeping through Percy's arrival at camp. And now her brain ached as she sat next to Michael who was arguing with Clarisse. He had updated Lennon on what she'd missed in her sleep as they walked to the big house. It only took a glance around the room to notice Beckendorf's absence and Silena staring vacantly at the Ping-Pong net with puffy eyes. So much death.

"It's our loot!" Michael yelled, standing on his tiptoes so he could get in Clarisse's face. "If you don't like it, you can kiss my quiver!"

Around the table, people were trying not to laugh – the Stoll brothers, Pollux from the Dionysus cabin, Katie Gardner from Demeter. Even Jake Mason, the hastily appointed new counselor from Hephaestus, managed a faint smile.

Lennon just winced, massaging her temples. They were arguing over Silena who sat silently between them.

Lennon frowned and glanced at her brother, beginning to scold him for his inconsideration. "Micahel—"

"Stop it!" Lennon's head snapped in the direction of Percy's yelling voice. "What are you guys doing?"

Clarisse glowered at him. "Tell Michael not to be a selfish jerk."

Lennon frowned. "Clarisse—"

"Oh, that's perfect, coming from you," Michael interrupted.

Her eyes trailed to Percy as they began arguing again. He looked taller. His sea-green eyes met her and Lennon looked away.

"The only reason I'm here is to support Silena!" Clarisse shouted. "Otherwise I'd be back in my cabin."

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked.

Pollux cleared his throat. "Clarisse has refused to speak to any of us, until her, um, issue is resolved. She hasn't spoken for three days."

"It's been wonderful," Travis Stoll said wistfully.

Lennon gives him an exasperated look.

"What issue?" Percy said, confusion knitting his brows.

Clarisse turned to Chiron. "You're in charge, right? Does my cabin get what we want or not?"

Chiron shuffled his hooves. "My dear, as I've already explained, Michael is correct. Apollo's cabin has the best claim. Besides, we have more important matters—"

"Sure," Clarisse snapped. "Always more important matters than what Ares needs. We're just supposed to show up and fight when you need us and not complain!"

Lennon frowned and said, "It's not like that," just as Connor Stoll muttered,

"That would be nice,"

Lennon sent him a scolding glare.

Clarisse gripped her knife. "Maybe I should ask Mr D—"

"As you know," Chiron interrupted, his tone slightly angry now, "our director Dionysus is busy with the war. He can't be bothered with this."

"I see," Clarisse said. "And the senior counselors? Are any of you going to side with me?"

She glanced around the room, her eyes falling on Lennon who met them. She gave her a pleading look, urging her to get over her anger. They were in the midst of a war and they needed to stay unified. But, Lennon didn't speak in her favor. She was still from Apollo cabin and the chariot was rightfully theirs.

Lennon could feel Percy's eyes on her but she didn't look his way.

"Fine," Clarisse turned to Silena. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get into this when you've just lost... Anyway, I apologize. To you. Nobody else." Silena didn't even seem to register her words. Clarisse threw her knife on the ping-pong table. "All of you can fight this war without Ares. Until I get satisfaction, no one in my cabin is lifting a finger to help. Have fun dying."

No one said anything as Clarisse stormed out of the room.

Finally, Michael said, "Good riddance,"

"Are you kidding?" Katie Gardner protested. "This is a disaster!"

Lennon just dropped her head into her hands willing her headache to go away.

"She can't be serious," Travis said. "Can she?"

Chiron sighed. "Her pride has been wounded. She'll calm down eventually." But he didn't sound convinced. "Now, if you please, counselors. Percy has brought something I think you should hear. Percy— the Great Prophecy."

Lennon lifted her head to see Annabeth hand him a rolled parchment. She meets the blonde's eyes as she sends her a look that says You okay?

Headache. She mouths back.

Beside Annabeth, Percy had begun to read the prophecy.

"A half-blood of the eldest dogs..."

"Er, Percy?" Annabeth interrupted. "That's gods. Not dogs."

"Oh, right,"

Lennon watched Percy worriedly. His reading tended to get worse the more nervous he was. She could only imagine how he felt as he began to read the prophecy about him. It reminded her of when she'd stumbled into the attic and learned of her prophecy.

"A half-blood of the eldest gods
Shall reach sixteen against all odds..."

Lennon studied his face as he hesitated, staring down at the words on the parchment. Percy seemed older than the last time she saw him. Her eyes trailed to his lips as began to read again and she remembered the taste of sea salt from when he kissed her back in the forges. Lennon blinks stunned by her thoughts and looks down at the table.

"And see the world in endless sleep,
The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap,"

"Percy," Chiron urged. "Read the rest."

He took a small exhale and then finished the prophecy.

"A single choice shall... shall end his days.
Olympus to per– pursue –"

"Preserve," Annabeth corrects quietly. "It means to save."

"I know what it means," He grumbled.

"Olympus to preserve or raze."

Lennon had read the prophecy before when she and Annabeth had begun researching the Labyrinth. And before that, scattered in the lyrics she wrote in her weathered songwriting journal. Still, hearing it now set an icy fear in her heart. Will Percy die soon, just like her?

"Raise is good, isn't it?" Connor asks, breaking the silence that settled over the room.

"Not raise," Silena said, her voice hollow. "R-a-z-e means destroy,"

"Obliterate," Annabeth said. "Annihilate. Turn to rubble."

"Got it," Percy said with a steely voice. "Thanks."

Chiron closed his eyes as if he were saying a prayer. "You see now, Percy, why we thought it best not to tell you the whole prophecy. You've had enough on your shoulders—"

"Without realizing I was going to die in the end anyway?" He interrupted. "Yeah, I get it."

"Percy," Lennon spoke up, finally meeting his eyes. "Prophecies always have double meanings. Maybe it... it might not mean you literally die."

"Sure," He says dismissively. "A single choice shall end his days. That has tons of meanings, right?" There's this look in his eyes that makes her brows furrow in concern.

"Maybe we can stop it," Jake Mason offered, offput by the odd tension between the two. "The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. Maybe we could find this cursed blade and destroy it. Sounds like Kronos's scythe, right?"

"Perhaps we should let Percy think about these lines," Chiron said. "He needs time—"

"No," He folded up the prophecy and shoved it in his pocket. "I don't need time. If I die, I die. I can't worry about that, right?"

He looks away from her and doesn't meet her eyes. Instead, he looked ahead, his jaw clenched. It was right then that Lennon decided she wouldn't let Percy die. His death wasn't definite like hers, maybe she could save him. It was an easy decision, Lennon wasn't even surprised by how easily she'd come to it.

"Let's move on," Percy continued. "We've got other problems. We've got a spy,"

Michael scowled. "A spy?"

Percy told them what happened aboard the Princess Andromeda— how Kronos had known they were coming, how he'd shown Percy the silver scythe pendant he'd used to communicate with someone at camp. He retold the story all while avoiding Lennon's eyes.

Silena started to cry again and Lennon looked at her sadly as Annabeth put her arm around her shoulders.

"Well," Connor Stoll said uncomfortably, "we've suspected there might be a spy for years, right? Somebody kept passing information to Luke— like the location of the Golden Fleece a couple of years ago. It must be somebody who knew him well." Maybe subconsciously, he glanced at Annabeth, but Connor looked away quickly. "Um, I mean, it could be anybody."

"Yes." Katie Gardner frowned at the Stoll brothers. She'd always seemed to dislike the two. "Like one of Luke's siblings."

Travis and Connor both started arguing with her. The back and forth reminded her of the headache that was thrumming in her brain.

"Stop!" Silena banged the table so hard her hot chocolate spilled. "Charlie's dead and... and you're all arguing like little kids!" She put her head down and began to sob.

Hot chocolate trickled off the ping-pong table. Everybody looked ashamed.

"She's right," Pollux said at last. "Accusing each other doesn't help. We need to keep our eyes open for a silver necklace with a scythe charm. If Kronos had one, the spy probably does too."

Michael grunted in agreement. "We need to find this spy before we plan our next operation. Blowing up the Princess Andromeda won't stop Kronos forever."

"No, indeed," Chiron said. "In fact, his next assault is already on the way."

Percy scowled. "You mean the 'bigger threat' Poseidon mentioned?"

Lennon glanced over at Annabeth who gave her a look before looking to Chiron. They'd talked about it and even discussed whether they should tell Percy. But Lennon was adamant on letting him live in mortal normalcy and Annabeth couldn't argue.

"Percy," Chiron said, eyes passing over Lennon before he looked at Percy. "we didn't want to tell you until you returned to camp. You needed a break with your... mortal friends."

Lennon busies herself, toying with the end of her braid.

Percy's eyes were on her as he said, "Tell me what's happened,"

Chiron picked up a bronze goblet from the snack table. He tossed water onto the hot plate where they usually melted nacho cheese. Steam billowed up, making a rainbow in the fluorescent lights. Chiron fished a golden drachma out of his pouch, tossed it through the mist, and muttered, "O Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, show us the threat."

The mist shimmered, depicting the familiar image of a smoldering volcano— Mount St Helens. Once again Lennon couldn't help but think of the heat of the forge as Percy pressed his lips to hers and— The side of the mountain exploded and fire, ash, and lava rolled out. A newscaster's voice was saying: " —even larger than last year's eruption, and geologists warn that the mountain may not be done,"

The explosion was much worse than last year's. The mountain tore itself apart, collapsing inward, and an enormous form rose out of the smoke and lava like it was emerging from a manhole cover. The giant was bigger than anything Lennon had ever seen. She couldn't make out its exact form through the ash and fire, but it was vaguely humanoid and unimaginably large. Lennon thinks of the time she drove by the Chrysler building and it was surely dozens of times bigger than that. The mountain shook with a horrible rumbling as if the monster were laughing.

"It's him," Percy breathed. "Typhon."

Chiron simply nodded. "The most horrible monster of all, the biggest single threat the gods ever faced. He has been freed from under the mountain at last. But this scene is from two days ago. Here is what is happening today." Chiron waved his hand and the image changed.

Lennon had seen the footage from two days ago but not this. Not the bank of storm clouds rolling across the Midwest plains, bolts of lightning flickering within them. Lines of tornadoes destroyed everything in their path – ripping up houses and trailers, and tossing cars around like toys.

"Monumental floods," an announcer was saying. "Five states declared disaster areas as the freak storm system sweeps east, continuing its path of destruction." The cameras zoomed in on a column of storm bearing down on some Midwest city. Inside the storm, Lennon could see the giant— just small glimpses of his true form: a smoky arm, a dark clawed hand the size of a city block. His angry roar rolled across the plains like a nuclear blast. Other smaller forms darted through the clouds, circling the monster. There were flashes of light, and Lennon realized the giant was trying to swat them. Lennon squinted and realized it was a golden chariot that she saw flying into the blackness. Then some kind of huge bird, like a monstrous owl, diving in to attack the giant.

"Are those... the gods?" Percy questioned.

"Yes, Percy," Chiron said. "They have been fighting him for days now, trying to slow him down. But Typhon is marching forward – towards New York. Towards Olympus."

"How long until he gets here?"

"Unless the gods can stop him? Perhaps five days. Most of the Olympians are there... except your father, who has a war of his own to fight."

"But then who's guarding Olympus?"

Connor Stoll shook his head. "If Typhon gets to New York, it won't matter who's guarding Olympus."

Lennon could see the cogs turning in Percy's brain. What was he thinking?

"It's a trick," He said. "We have to warn the gods. Something else is going to happen."

Chiron looked at him gravely. "Something worse than Typhon? I hope not."

The gods' forces were occupied, concerned with Typhon. But then where was Kronos? Lennon thought of the sunken ship. What if that's exactly what the Titan wanted? What if his sights were set on something else?

"We have to defend Olympus," Percy insisted. "Kronos has another attack planned."

"He did," Travis Stoll reminded him. "But you sank his ship."

Everyone was looking at Percy but Lennon glanced at Annabeth. Then Percy glanced to the both of them and the three shared a look. They were thinking the same thing: what if the Princess Andromeda was a ploy? What if Kronos let them blow up that ship so they'd lower their guard? For a moment it was like things were normal and there wasn't a mountain of metaphorical space between Lennon and Percy.

"Maybe you're right," He said. Lennon could tell he didn't believe it.

"Well," Chiron said, "I think that's enough for one night."

He waved his hand and the steam dissipated. The stormy battle between Typhon and the gods disappeared.

"That's an understatement," Lennon could hear Percy mutter.

And the war council adjourned.

☼

Lennon told Michael to walk ahead to their cabin while she waited on the Big House porch for Percy to finish returning the prophecy to the Oracle. Annabeth had passed her on her way out, giving her a wry look at the sight of her leaning on the porch railing.

"What?"

Annabeth just shrugged her shoulders with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Nothing,"

It was obviously not nothing but Lennon didn't say anything else as Annabeth walked the trail back to her cabin. Lennon was watching the sun dip below the horizon creating a swatch of pinks and blues in the sky when she heard the porch door open.

She looked over her shoulder to see Percy standing in the doorway, a stunned look as if he was surprised to see her. Maybe it was the pink hues in the sky but it almost looked as if a blush was creeping on his cheeks. Had he been looking for her?

No, she thought to herself firmly. Don't be stupid.

"Hi," she said softly. "I was... waiting for you,"

"Ah," he nodded. He closed the door behind him and took the spot next to her, mimicking her stance and leaning on the railing, elbows resting on the cracked white paint.

"How are you?" she asked.

"As good as I can be, all things considered,"

Lennon nodded and awkwardly kept her eyes focused on the horizon, sure that if she looked at him, she'd think of that moment in the forge. She can feel his eyes on her, looking over.

"Lennon," She likes the way her name sounds when he says it. Soft and sweet and so caring. She does her best to not let her mind wander to the possibility that maybe he felt the same way as her. "Are you okay?"

She shrugs, stealing a glance at him. "Just a little headache,"

"Oh," he pauses and then, "Um, you weren't there when I got to camp... Annabeth said you were asleep?"

Lennon watched a tree nymph chase away a woodpecker near the tree line and then disappear into the woods.

"I drove to... to talk to Emelee. Well, really, to bring her back to camp. She lives in New Jersey. I was just a bit tired."

That wasn't what he seemed to be asking. "I thought maybe you were... I don't know, avoiding me. I haven't talked to you in a long time," His eyes were back on the horizon and off her.

"I'm not avoiding you. It's gotten busy, all the recruitment missions, trying to find half-bloods before Kronos does," She steals a glance at him as he watches the sky. "Plus I'm sure it hasn't been too bad, you have Rachel,"

She hadn't exactly intended to talk to Percy about the redhead (like, at all) but she also didn't mean anything bad. She liked Rachel. She was fun and excitable and pretty. How could she ever dislike Rachel?

"Yeah," he says simply. "Rachel's great,"

Rachel's great. Of course, Rachel's great, Lennon thought the same. Great, great, great.

Then he clears his throat. "Julian said you don't sleep much anymore? Have your dreams gotten worse?"

She shook her head. "He's exaggerating. I sleep,"

"And your dreams?"

"They're the same,"

"Are they?"

She turns her head to him. "What?"

He meets her eyes and it looks as if he's searching her face for something. "You don't talk to Julian about your dreams anymore. You don't talk to Annabeth about them anymore. Everyone is worried about you,"

"I'm fine. I don't talk about my dreams because there's nothing to talk about. They're worried for nothing," she gave him a look. "You'd know that if you were ever at camp. But you're not, which is fine. But stop assuming,"

He raises a brow, unbelieving. Lennon fights the urge to look down at his lips or her mind would spiral to the same place it always does. "Well, if you were ever there to talk to me maybe I wouldn't have to make assumptions," he says sharply.

He has this odd, pleading look in his eyes that confuses her so much. Talk to me, his eyes pleading.

Lennon turns away to the horizon once more. "I don't want to talk about this,"

A beat and then he says firmly with a tone of irritation. "Fine,"

"Fine," Lennon repeated setting her jaw.

"It's been a long day. I'm gonna head to my cabin,"

"Okay," she replies. She watches as he leaves, descending the porch stairs and following the trail to the cabins. Not once does he look back and a small part of Lennon aches because maybe she hoped he would look back. When his figure was gone in the distance and almost all the lights of the day had been extinguished, Lennon finally stepped away from the railing and followed the trail to her cabin.

AUTHORS NOTE:
long time no see, very sorry abt that lol. anywhooo welcome to the first chapter of act three aka the last act!!! starting strong with angst and it's only gonna get worse from here.