༄ 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓, grover underwood

𝐗𝐈𝐕. 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄.

Me, Grover, Percy and Annabeth are on Half-Blood Hill. Annabeth is standing by a tree, her hand resting on it gently. Me, Grover, and Percy are just looking at her, about 6 feet away from Annabeth.

"She's really gonna miss that tree, huh?"

Percy inquires. I raise an eyebrow, a bit grumpy and extremely sleep deprived. I got no sleep. I'm too worried about my dad.

Grover looks at Percy for a moment. He then starts speaking.

"When Annabeth first arrived here with Thalia and Luke, they were being chased by monsters. Agents of Hades. Sisters."

"Furies,"

Percy says. I look up at hearing my step-fathers name. He sounds like a dick already.

"Mrs. Dodds?"

I look at Percy, shocked.

"Yes."

Grover says, then looks at my shocked face, and pales a bit.

"You know Mrs. Dodds?"

I ask. Percy looks at me.

"Mrs. Dodds? Yeah. She was my teacher at Yancy Academy."

I look at Grover.

"Percy went to Yancy and you never told me?!"

Grover gulps.

"It slipped my mind...?"

Grover tries. Percy looks at me, then at Grover.

"How do you know Yancy?

He asks. I look at Percy.

"I went there before I got expelled by a certain someone."

I say, looking directly at Grover. He smiles sheepishly.

"Look, I had to, okay? But that's not we're talking about right now,"

Grover says, before continuing the story of how Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth got to camp.

"One of the Sisters, or Furies, was our algebra teacher. Alecto. Thalia turned back to fight to buy her friends some time. Her satyr Protector tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen. So, at the last moment, Zeus intervened to save her life, and... changed her form."

Grover finishes. Percy looks at him.

"The most powerful being in the universe's best idea to save his daughters life.. was to turn her into a tree?"

Percy questions. I just rub my eyes, not in the mood for this. I got about 3 hours of sleep, at most.

"She was the bravest demigod I knew,"

I hear, and look up to see Annabeth approaching us from Thalias tree.

"She fought valiantly, and she met a heros fate."

"...She met a pinecones fate."

Percy says, motioning at Thalias tree. Annabeths mouth opens to say something, but nothing comes out. She closes it, and I can tell she's fuming inside. Grover looks at Percy, with a "Why would you say that?" look. I don't say anything, too tired to deal with Percy and Annabeth.

"Forbidden children are always in danger, even the strongest ones. Even Thalia. And you are not Thalia. Do exactly as I say, and maybe you survive this. Kaylee, don't think this isn't about you, too,"

I look up, confused.

"Are we clear?"

Annabeth questions. When none of us say anything, she turns around and starts to walk down the hill. Soon enough, me, Grover, and Percy start to follow her.