The Forest of Athena

-2-

Piper walks quickly back upstairs, and I'm about to hurry after her when Percy starts to take a stroll.

"Percy, please. The quicker we're in, the quicker we're out."

He looks at me with his sea-green eyes. They're filled with strength and hope, but also hurt. I immediately know what he's going to say.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me," his voice is small. "I could've helped come up with another idea. We could... I don't know... let you stay here. Someone could stay with you. Four of us would be enough!"

"Percy, we both know after what I've just told you that four isn't enough. I've done it once, I'll do it again. The most important thing is that we get Frank back."

"Don't be a hero," he says, which surprises me. I said this to him right before Kronos. I smile as I reply,

"Who, me?"

Percy sighs wraps his arm around my shoulder.

"Do you wanna tell the others?" he asks me.

I know that we'll have to. If we have any chance of getting out alive, it's telling them I could break down at any moment in there. Revealing a weakness. It's not even like it's an enemy. Not like it's my mom. Or Luke. But I don't want to appear weak to anyone, at all.

"No," I reply, sounding sure. I'm not sure if I am.

I quicken my pace to get with all the others. Better to see it and get it over with. We won't be there for long. I won't be there alone this time. I'll have Percy. And everyone else. It doesn't make me feel any better. I'm still shaking as I greet everyone else.

"How long 'til we land?" Percy asks.

Leo is quick to reply, "We should land right about-" he pulls a lever. "Now!"

As we pull down, I see my first glance of the Forest. Not exactly inviting. My stomach clenches, and I realize I'm shaking harder than before.

"You okay?" Piper asks me as she wraps her hand round Katoptris.

"Fine," I reply. "Just cold."

We land abruptly, all of us falling over into one another. As I land on top of Jason, I hear Percy clear his throat a little louder than necessary. I pull myself off Jason, and he laughs, looking at Percy's jealous expression. I walk over to my boyfriend and kiss him.

"All better now, Seaweed Brain?" I laugh.

"No," he says, but he's smiling.

"Guys, as much as I find this endearing, Frank's out there somewhere. We can't waste anytime," Hazel's voice cracks as she says this. She's near tears, I can tell.

"We'll get him back," I tell her. "We got Percy back, we got me back. We can get Frank back, no problem."

She smiles gratefully. I remember exactly what she's going through, not knowing whether or not I'd ever see the person I love above all others again.

"So, what's the plan?" Jason asks us all, but, of course, they all look directly at me.

"Well it's a..." I gulp as I start to explain. "A big place. All of together probably couldn't cover it. Idealy, we'd like to have us all search it alone. But we don't know what's out there, so it isn't a good idea at all. I say we have three groups of two. We could cover all that ground a lot quicker. Just make sure everyone has a weapon.

"Also, it seems like there's a route much more dangerous than others. I'd suggest we choose the strongest fighters to take this route-" Everyone looks to Percy and Jason. "But it's Athena we're talking about. Knowledge is power to her."

"So," Leo interrupts. "We want me and Piper to go out there!"

We all laugh, but Percy quickly says, "It's obviously me and Annabeth."

"I wouldn't mind having a new quest, thanks very much!" Jason says back to him.

"She said strong, Jason! I've defeated a Titan, so it's probably me."

Percy would probably let Jason if he wasn't so protective. And if I hadn't told him.

"You only want to go so that you can have some fun with your girlfriend!"

Percy scoffs.

"Well you've done it once before!"

"We didn't do anything," I interrupt.

"Jason, come with me," Piper says. I suspect she may be putting a bit of charmspeak into the sentence, as it does the trick completely.

"I guess it's me and you then, Hazel," Leo says.

Hazel nods, and then asks a question I didn't think about: "How are we going to communicate with each other? To let the others know when we've found Frank."

Stupid. Athena's voice echoes through my mind again. How did I not think of that? Percy sees my stumped face and looks at Leo.

"I might have something," he says, and he runs off, finding his stuff.

Without Leo there, the atmosphere is suddenly more serious, which makes me realise that even his presence adds happiness to the atmosphere. I look around and see that Hazel is sitting next to Piper, talking quietly, her eyes glassy. All Piper can do is listen; she isn't her mother. She can't make Hazel's love any easier.

When I look, at Percy, I expect to see him looking at me, about to say something that completely changes the way I think, to make what we're about to do easier. Instead, I see him glaring daggers at Jason. Jason glares back.

I pull on Percy's arm.

"Cut it out," I try to demand it, but I've been strong for too long. My voice cracks.

Percy instantly looks at me and wraps his arm around my waist.

"We'll be fine. I promise," he says, smiling.

Leo comes back out a second later with three walkies talkies.

"They aren't brilliant, but they'll do. Just click this button to talk to us, this one to end it. All of them are connected; you can contact all of us at once, not just one of us. One for each pair."

Leo throws us all a walkie talkie. Hazel looks at all of us, silently pleading.

"Let's get going," Piper says. "Good luck guys."

Her and Jason get off the Argo II and head for the left.

The remaining four of us get off. Hazel and Leo go right, leaving me and Percy to go directly ahead.

"You ready?" he asks me, taking my hand.

"Yes," I say, finally allowing a single tear to slip down my cheek.

"Let's go."