When You're Gone

In The Name Of Love

"Do you," Hazel breathed, "think it's over?"

Piper's expression answered her question. The one Hazel thought that she would never get the chance to ever find out, but she did.

Romans and Greeks around all stared at each other, unsure of whether to continue bashing each other's heads out or hug it out. Neither seemed appropriate.

Then slowly, one by one, the Romans dropped their weapons. The Greeks all seized fire and awkwardly patted the Romans on the shoulders, as if they were simply best friends apologizing from a fight caused by ice-cream.

Piper fell next to her. "Man, I thought I would never see the light of day."

"We all did," Hazel agreed.

They laid there for some time, taking in the free and somewhat fresh air – ignoring the smell of smoke – while just relaxing. It was rare that they had any breathing room.

Piper shot up, startling Hazel. "What about Reyna?"

They ran to the Big House, where Annabeth was keeping Reyna in check.

***

Hazel and Piper threw the doors open.

"Where's Reyna!" Piper demanded.

Annabeth's arms were crossed as Reyna was talking to Chiron. She was holding an excellent poker face, but her eyes held the same sorrow she had when her faithful Pegasus, Scipio passed.

"I was wondering in whether if you had started to celebrate without me." Annabeth grinned bitterly. "We're having Percy's burials tonight... I just contacted Sally."

"Percy's mom?" Hazel asked.

"Yes," Annabeth said. "I just hope the rest of our friends survived."

As she said this, she glared accusingly at the Roman praetor. Reyna returned a withering stare.

"Anyway," Reyna started, "I believe... I owe you an explanation of sorts."

"You tried to kill us," Piper said flatly.

Reyna looked slightly ashamed. "Gaia promised me I wouldn't be alone. She said she wanted me to be her... companion. And Venus's curse..."

Piper cursed in Ancient Greek. Hazel had her share of court with the love goddess, and it wasn't the most pleasant experience. It involved eagles and Percy being badass and tea cakes in the end.

"It's fine," Annabeth said. "All of us make mistakes. Now it's just the matter of convincing the entire Camp Half-Blood."

Hazel looked around. "Has anyone seen that new camper? Celeste?"

Piper blinked. "Haven't seen her since the war started."

Annabeth stared at Reyna.

The praetor shrugged. "Never heard of her name in my life."

"Great," Annabeth muttered. "We have a Nico 2.0."

Hazel chuckled. After all the hardships they'd been through, they were finally at the end of their journey.

She glanced at the centaur, who was observing them in absolute silence. Chiron seemed to be pleased of the dispute between camp leaders being settled so soon.

Despite their victory, they all knew victory came with a heavy price. Hazel's mood went from dread to an entire new level of pure grief.

For starters: Connor Stoll died saving Travis from one of the Roman bombs. Holly and Laurel both were stabbed to death. Drew had an arrow sticking out of her neck. Dakota's mouth was no longer stained with Kool-Aid but with blood.

The casualties were heavy. Even worse when Gaia had first awakened.

"Oh, God." Hazel chewed her lip as Harley was rushed into the infirmary by Kayla, who was missing his foot.

She was like an outsider. Not a speck of blood on her armour, her skin clean. Everyone else was battered up and wounded, rendering Hazel to feel like a puppy in a sea of cats.

Still, Hazel knew that the dead were never truly gone.

They were in Elysium, all waiting for them, or going for rebirth. Either way was the afterlife of demigods.

She was so caught up in her misery that she jumped when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Hey," Celeste said.

Hazel stared. "You? Where were you?"

Celeste was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and jeans despite the heat of the residue fires. (Grover screeched when his fur caught on fire as Gleeson Hedge ran after him with a bucket of water.)

"Stuff," she said. "Your visit at the Isle put Percy in agony. Gaia is dead but Percy is not. You turned him into a restless spirit. Revenge."

"Revenge?" Hazel's eyes bulged. "For what?"

"At the Gods." Celeste glanced up to the sky. "His pain is immense. You cannot complete his burial rites or he will curse your camp. Both Roman and Greek. He will stop at nothing until he detroys them."

Hazel didn't know what to feel. She'd dealt with Gaia and now Percy? His undead soul? How was Annabeth going to react to this?

"Don't fret. It's not easy," Celeste snapped. "I watched your battle. Your prophecy has yet to be completed. The test and nightingale haven't been solved. Go to Tartarus. Put Percy to peace."