First in a series of books based on the Percy Jackson books from Annabeth Chase's perspective. This one follows the Lightning Thief but also includes her early years with Thalia and Luke. I am sticking as close to the books as possible though I did borrow a few things from the TV show where it worked better. Series notes: Book One: Riptide by Annabeth Chase - Complete Book Two: Backbiter by Annabeth Chase - Complete Book Three: Scythe by Annabeth Chase - Complete Book Four: Palinode by Annabeth Chase - Complete **Trigger warnings - there are minor amounts of emotional neglect, abuse, spiders and self-harm throughout**

Is it an invasion if they're already here? Six months have passed and Iris and Jonas have reached a conclusion about their future, one that will leave many unhappy. Left alone in the Society by Jonas, Iris finds herself "blackmailed" by Colton when she stumbles in on him. Dying inside, Colton is fed up with being melodramatic. His cousins have had enough. He's the Beta, and it's kind of difficult to intimidate peasants when he's bemoaning his fate in life. When an accidental photo of Vienna with the Prince and Princess of France appears in a newspaper, Colton is determined to have Vienna back, traitor or not. His family's not in charge of him. The Society isn't either. And if they are, he really doesn't care anymore. When Iris (and Bently) discover Colton's plan, Colton forces them to come with him to France so they don't divulge his future whereabouts before he can depart. Once there, Iris finds Erik in a worse state than when she last saw him, while Colton and Vienna. . . well who knows if they'll ever actually get back together. They've got about as many problems as Iris and Erik. Every moment Iris is in France she grows more anxious that Jonas will find out where she is, but when dead bodies start showing up with Expiration Dates tattooed on them, the monarchy forces the Beta to take action, sweeping Iris into a dangerous invasion for Earth amidst the glittering, bewitching lifestyle of the French court. Highest ranking: #6 in Scifi