Lies [Sequel to Secrets]

Part Thirty:

Part Thirty:

In his head, Michael had already gone over multiple ways to kill Kelli. There were so many ideas floating around in his brain, he could've written an entire 500 page book on the subject! Yet unfortunately, he didn't have enough time to sit down and write a book.

"Um, Michael," Alex asked warily, her brown eyes flashing with concern and worry. "Do you know this, uh ..."

"Empousa." Kelli said, giving Alex an evil smirk as she said it. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Alex slowly started edging away. "No, but-"

Michael suddenly began smiling. He knew just how he was going to defeat her. "Of course I know her. She's my girlfriend."

Zoe, Alex, Sammy and Charlie all looked horrified. They exchanged glances and exclaimed at the same time: "She's your what?!"

Kelli looked at Michael with complete loathing. It was obvious she wasn't happy, but before Michael could say anything else, she too, smiled. "Oh yeah, we're totally dating."

The next move was already in his mind. "Are you sure we're dating, honey?" Michael did his best to pour emotions and charmspeak into his words, wearing him down slightly but also praying that it would work.

Something in Kelli's expression changed. She no longer smiled spitefully, instead it was a clean, natural, full smile. "Babe, I can say with no regrets that I'm your girlfriend." Behind Kelli, the monster army stirred and growled in disapproval. Several Dracaena hissed and stomped their tridents against the ground.

"If you truly do love me, then swear on the River Styx that you'll do anything I say." Michael said, and behind him Sammy gave a soft 'oh!' in understanding.

Kelli's eyes flashed with anger, but her mouth spoke before she could react. "I swear on the River Styx to do anything you ask me." Thunder boomed in the distance.

Michael laughed. "Do you know what you've gotten yourself into, honey?"

Kelli was seething. She gave him an icy glare. "You - you little trickster! You've never used those powers before on anyone, yet now you're taking it out on me! Heed my advice now, demigod: Olympus is destined to fall. The mortal world is becoming restless. The Olympians can't rule the world much longer. Is defeating my master really the right choice? Your petty gods will crumble, yet you're still protecting them?!"

"Hey, Kelli?" Michael growled. "Do me a favour and shut your mouth, then you can lead your army over there." Michael pointed to the edge of the cliff to their left. It was at least a hundred feet drop down, and certain death awaited those who slipped.

The monster army growled, banging their weapons together and baring their teeth. Kelli hissed. "How dare you, demigod scum!" But she turned around and spoke to her army. Michael recognised the way she used charmspeak to control them. The army obeyed, marching towards the edge. One by one, they jumped off it. After the last cyclops had taken the plunge, Kelli stomped back over and stood, fuming, directly in front of Michael.

"Babe, you look hot when you're angry." Michael flirted, staring at her fiery hair and mismatched legs.

"Oh yeah? Do you want to see parts of me that are even hotter?" Kelli whispered, trying to trick Michael to fall for her, but he knew better. He would not be fooled by Kelli.

"Are you sure?" Michael smirked. "Can you stay absolutely still while I take a better look at you up close and personal?"

Kelli growled but then stood still. Michael approached her and put his hands on her arms. He leaned in close to her face like he was going to kiss her, but then as fast as lightning, unsheathed his sword and sliced her in half.

Zoe gasped. She cautiously walked up behind Michael and put a hand on his shoulder. Together, they watched the golden dust from Kelli's remains litter the ground.

"She wasn't actually your girlfriend, right?" Michael swore he heard a hint of jealousy in Zoe's voice.

"No." He sighed. "Before I came to Camp Half-Blood, she tricked me into attacking my classmates at my school with a gun. But since my grandmother is Aphrodite, I was able to resist the charmspeak long enough to escape, and ever since I've sworn revenge on her."

Alex stepped forwards, grinning. Charlie and Sammy were quick to follow her forwards.

Michael looked from Zoe to Alex who both had mischievous looks on their faces. "You're never going to let this down, are you?"

"Of course we're not going to tease you." Zoe scoffed in a sarcastic way.

"Yeah, we definitely won't tell the whole world about it." Alex added. The girls gave each other high-fives.

"But seriously, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen." Zoe said.

"Yeah, it was like magic." Charlie agreed, slapping Michael on the back in a brotherly way.

"Lets get back to the quest." Sammy said. No one disagreed.

•••

Mia Grace hugged the wall as she crept down the hallway towards the kitchen where her parents' voices were echoing from.

"Jason, I know how you feel. I want another kid too, but there's nothing we can actually do to stop the whole thing with my previous pregnancies." Mia's mother sounded sad - almost tired.

"Pipes, I know how hard it is for you. Three miscarriages isn't something to brag about. And then there's the whole thing with Jasmine. The Apollo cabin have no explanation as to why you couldn't have another child before, so we can only hope." Jason also sounded sad.

Mia's mind whirred. Even for an eight year-old, she was still pretty smart. She remembered five years ago when her parents and her older brother Michael had gotten excited, but then about a month later become really sad suddenly. Mia hadn't understood it at the time, but now she knew what had caused it - or at least, she had an idea.

"Jason, it could happen again. I don't want our baby to die." Piper said quietly. "I'm two months along now - it could happen any day."

"I know, I know. I'm happy about it, and you know Michael and Mia are lonely. Except I just hope we can come up with a solution for Mia's eyesight."

Mia turned her head towards the ground. A year ago, Mia had been in a car accident with a friend when they were going home from school. Her friend had walked away unscathed, but the crash had damaged one of Mia's eyes. Her right eye was completely blind, and it was starting to spread to her left. Jason had begun to slowly teach Mia braille - the language of the blind, which was simply just raised dots on paper - in case. But so far, Mia could still see clearly through her good eye.

Mia walked into the kitchen. Her parents jumped. They were both sitting at the dinner table holding hands.

"Hey Mum, Dad, what were you guys talking about?" Mia asked, plopping down in her father's lap.

Her mother seemed uncomfortable, but responded anyway. "Well, you know how your father and I want to have another baby?" She asked. Mia nodded enthusiastically, knowing what was coming. "I found out today that you're going to be an older sister!"

"Yay!" Mia cried, clapping her hands. She hated being the youngest, and a new brother or sister would mean someone to play with.

Piper smiled. "And tomorrow we're taking you to the infirmary to see if there's a way to fix your eye."

"Double yay!" Mia leaned back into her dad's chest and Jason put his arms around her.

"Oh, and I have some more news. Lily's mother Annabeth came back today."

"Really?" Jason asked.

"Really." Piper beamed.

It seemed that things were looking up for the Grace family.