The Battle for Olympus

Annabeth

"I dunno about you guys," Piper said, "but I'm bored out of my mind." She was flopped across the couch, her legs over the armrest.

"Because Leo ruined our deck of cards to impress a girl," Annabeth muttered, not glancing up from her piece of paper.

"Hey, did you see the way she was looking at me? Besides, we can only play so many games of rummy," Leo said. "Where are we with the plan?"

Annabeth sighed. "Nowhere. If I had a map of New Rome, I could figure something out. Leo, you could get us out of this room, right?"

"Of course, there's not even a deadbolt."

"And Piper, you could charmspeak any guards we come across?"

Piper grinned. "Of course."

"Then we just need a guide," Ananbeth said. "And unfortunately, we have no way to contact one."

"You're also forgetting we're in the most heavily guarded place in New Rome," Piper said. "How can we even pretend we have a chance?"

Annabeth smiled coldly. "Because we have me. And between my plan, Leo's skills, and your charmspeak, we have a real shot."

"And you trust Hazel and Frank?" Leo said.

"You heard Frank when Piper asked. And besides, we have no choice. Percy's out there somewhere, and I have to find him. I will find him. Getting out of here is the first step."

"If you're confident," Piper said, "then so am I. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? We get caught and come back here?"

Piper was right, their room wasn't so bad. Three meals a day, fresh legion clothing, they were comfortable but bored.
The doors above them banged open and Reyna descended, dressed in gold armor and flanked by three guards.

Annabeth instantly knew something was off, Reyna's eyes were red and her mouth was set in a hard line.

"There's been a new development," Reyna said, her voice scratchy like she's been crying. "Guards?"

Two of the guards advanced towards Annabeth and grabbed her arms, pinning her between them.

"What- hey!" Piper said. "What are you doing?"

Annabeth wriggled in their grasp. "Reyna! What-"

"It's time you started giving me what I want, Miss Chase," Reyna said, stepping closer.

"But- we had an agreement!"

"That," Reyna said, "was before your boyfriend killed one of my best friends."

Ananbeth's breath caught in her throat. "Percy? He-he couldn't have. He's not like that!"

But the pain in Reyna's eyes told Annabeth she wasn't lying. How could he have done that?

"My soldiers saw him. Which means the Greeks attacked first, and you three are now prisoners of war." Reyna stepped closer still and drew her gold knife with a shing! "You needed a knife to your throat to talk? Here it is. You're going to tell me everything I need to know about Camp Half-blood, or I'll kill you and hunt your boyfriend for sport."

Annabeth swallowed, Reyna's blade resting just next to her neck. Maybe Annabeth had underestimated the extent of Reyna's agreeableness. Or Reyna was just hurting and itching for revenge. Whatever the case, this was a very dangerous situation.

"I told you before, I would die for Percy," Annabeth said, fighting to keep her voice level. "And I would die for my home."

Reyna's eyes narrowed. "You're telling the truth. That's fine." Reyna took her knife from Annabeth's neck. "But I wonder, will you let your friend die too?" Faster than Annabeth could blink, Reyna grabbed Piper and spun her around, putting her some kind of a chokehold with her knife to Piper's neck. Piper froze.
.
Annabeth's breath caught in her throat. "Leave her alone, Reyna. She has nothing to do with this."