THE NEXT MORNING, leo found the secret entrance almost immediately.

"oh, that's beautiful." he maneuvered the ship over the ruins of epidaurus.

"thank you," karina replied as she sat beside him at the helm, smiling into her coffee.

leo said nothing in reply, and instead took the mug of coffee from her hands and downed it all in one gulp, handing it back to her mindlessly.

karina gaped at him, holding the empty cup. "who do you think you are?"

"leo valdez."

she turned away, not even angry anymore. "i should've seen that coming," she muttered, getting up to stand at the mast.

the argo II really wasn't in good shape to fly, but leo had gotten her airborne after only one night of work. with the world ending tomorrow morning, he was highly motivated.

he'd primed the oar flaps. he'd injected styx water into the samophlange. he'd treated festus the figurehead to his favorite brew— thirty-weight motor oil and tabasco sauce. even buford the wonder table had pitched in, rattling around belowdecks while his holographic mini-hedge yelled, "GIVE ME THIRTY PUSH-UPS!" to inspire the engine.

now, at last, they hovered over the ancient temple complex of the healing god asclepius, where they could hopefully find the physician's cure and maybe also some ambrosia, nectar, and other supplies.

next to her and leo on the quarterdeck, percy peered over the railing.

"looks like more rubble," he noted.

"good observation, percy," karina said encouragingly, patting his shoulder. he gave her a sideways glare in return, elbowing her side softly.

his face was still green from his underwater poisoning, but at least he wasn't running to the bathroom to upchuck quite so often. between him and hazel's seasickness, it had been impossible to find an unoccupied toilet onboard for the past few days.

annabeth pointed to the disk-shaped structure about fifty yards off their port side. "there."

leo smiled. "exactly. see, the architect knows her stuff."

the rest of the crew gathered around.

"what are we looking at?" frank asked.

"ah, señor zhang," leo said. "you know you're always saying, 'leo, you are the only true genius among demigods'?"

"i'm pretty sure i never said that."

"i think you dreamed it, valdez," karina said with a mock pout, and he shot her the middle finger.

"well, turns out there are other true geniuses! because one of them must have made that work of art down there."

"it's a stone circle," frank said. "probably the foundations of an old shrine."

piper shook her head. "no, it's more than that. look at the ridges and grooves carved around the rim."

"like the teeth of a gear," jason offered.

"and those concentric rings," hazel pointed to the center of the structure, where curved stones formed a sort of bull's-eye. "the pattern reminds me of pasiphae's pendant: the symbol of the labyrinth."

"huh." leo scowled. "well, i hadn't thought of that. but think mechanical. frank, hazel . . . where did we see concentric circles like that before?"

"the laboratory under rome," frank said.

"the archimedes lock on the door," hazel recalled. "it had rings within rings."

percy snorted, pulling karina's back into his chest. "you're telling me that's a massive stone lock? it's, like, fifty feet in diameter."

"leo might be right," annabeth said. "i'm ancient times, the temple of asclepius was like the general hospital of greece. everybody came here for the best healing. above ground, it was the size of a major city, but supposedly the real action happened below ground. that's where the high priests had their intensive care, super-magical-type compound, accessed by a secret passage.

percy scratched his ear. "so if that big round thing is the lock, how do we get the key?"

"way ahead of you, aquaman," leo said.

"okay, do not call me aquaman. that's even worse than water boy."

karina craned her head to see look at him. "you don't mind when i say it," she whispered with an amused smile.

percy glanced down at her, a small smirk on his face. "you can call me whatever you want," he said quietly.

karina's smile widened. "oh, so i can call you my little bi— "

percy clamped his hand over her mouth. "not that," he said with wide eyes.

she grabbed his wrist and removed his hand from her mouth, an amused smile present on her face. "okay, aquaman."

leo turned to jason and piper. "you guys remember the giant archimedes grabber arm i told you i was building?"

jason raised an eyebrow. "i thought you were kidding."

"oh, my friend, i never kid about giant grabber arms!" leo rubbed his hands in anticipation. "it's time to go fishing for prizes!"

COMPARED TO the other modifications leo had made to the ship, the grabber arm was a piece of cake. originally, archimedes had designed it to pluck enemy ships out of the water. now leo found another use for it.

he opened the hull's forward access vent and extended the arm, guided by the console monitor and jason, who flew outside, yelling directions.

"left!" jason called. "a couple of inches— yeah! okay, down. keep it coming. you're good."

using his trackpad and turntable controls, leo opened the claw. karina watched as its prongs settled around the grooves in the circular stone structure below.

"okay, little buddy." leo patted the archimedes sphere. "this is all you."

he activated the sphere.

the grabber arm began to turn like a corkscrew. it rotated the outer ring of stone, which grinded and rumbled but thankfully didn't shatter. then the claw detached, fixed itself around the second stone rising, and turned it in the opposite direction.

standing next to karina and leo at the monitor, piper kissed him on the cheek. "it's working, leo. you're amazing."

"i wouldn't go too far," karina teased, and piper laughed.

leo grinned, and it seemed like he had joke he was about to say, but it sort of died in his throat. "yeah, well . . . thanks, beauty queen."

below them, the last stone ring turned and settled with a deep pneumatic hiss. the entire fifty-foot pedestal telescoped downward into a spiral staircase.

hazel exhaled. "leo, even from up here, i'm sensing bad stuff at the bottom of those stairs. something . . . large and dangerous. you sure you don't want me to come along?"

"thanks, hazel, but we'll be good." he patted piper on the back. "me and piper and jason— we're old pros at large and dangerous."

karina raised an eyebrow. "jason? large and dangerous? the boy could barely stay up past eleven a year ago."

leo snorted and pointed at her. "and that's what i call— character development."

piper shook her head. "no. he's still asleep by eleven thirty."

karina grinned, and frank held out the vial of pylosian mint. "don't break it."

leo nodded gravely. "don't break the vial of deadly poison. man, i'm glad you said that. never would have occurred to me."

"shut up, valdez." frank gave him a bear hug. "and be careful."

"ribs," leo squeaked.

"sorry."

karina gave leo and piper both long hugs, and annabeth and percy wished them good luck. then percy excused himself to go throw up.

karina grimaced. "i should probably . . . " she pointed her thumb behind her shoulder in the direction of where percy went.

annabeth nodded, giving her a thumbs up. "yeah. probably should."

karina raced off after him, following the sound of coughing and hacking until she reached the bathroom, and she internally grimaced at the sound.

she hated throwing up.

"uh . . . " karina knocked softly on the door. "percy? you okay?"

she heard another gag. "yeah" he croaked. "just throwing up my entire body weight."

karina sighed and shook her head, slowly craning the door open to see percy hunched over the toilet, his forearm resting against the top while his other arm held his stomach. he didn't lift his head up or make any eye-contact, and honestly, karina was glad that he didn't. she might've thrown up on her own if she saw any . . . remnants on his face.

she grabbed a washcloth from the drawer and put it under the sink, drawing cold water onto it. then, she kneeled down beside him, reaching over the lightly press the cold compress against his forehead.

percy exhaled softly, leaning into the cold cloth. "thank you," he whispered. "i . . . i know you hate vomit."

karina kept her eyes off the toilet, and instead focused on the hair products in the shower behind him. "it's okay," she replied. "i don't mind."

percy scoffed softly, and flushed the toilet, grabbing the cold washcloth from karina as he leaned away from the toilet, taking deep breaths. "sure you don't," he said with a small, sarcastic smile.

percy scooted backwards on the hard tile floor until his back was pressed up against the wall, and karina soon followed, their shoulders touching as they stared in front of them.

karina smiled. "i would mind if it was anyone else," she replied. "but i'll make an exception for you."

percy chuckled softly, grabbing her hand. "you treat me so well," he said amusedly.

"i know."

they stayed in comfortable silence for a while, percy still unsure of whether or not he was done throwing up his organs or not, and karina just staying there for moral support.

but, while percy reached up to readjust his camp necklace, his fingers caught hold of something cold, and metal— and all of a sudden his heart dropped.

"oh my gods," he muttered in shock, and turned his eyes down to see the glint of emerald green flash across his face.

"what?" karina asked, turning to him in confusion. "are you going to throw up?"

"maybe," he mumbled, and quickly began to unclasp his necklace from around his neck, depositing the other charms around the ring into his hand so that he can grab it.

from karina's angle, she couldn't see the necklace, or what he was trying to do with it, so she just stared at him in confusion, her face blank.

"i— " percy stumbled over his words as he grabbed the ring and proceeded to put his necklace back on. "i had completely forgotten." he shook his head at his own embarrassment. how could he have forgotten this?

"forgotten what?" karina asked.

percy turned to her. "this."

he held out the ring in his fingers, and karina's mouth suddenly felt dry. her eyes zeroed in on the intricate vine-like band that held the course-cut emerald gem in the center, and realization flooded through her.

"how . . . " she shook her head, looking up at him. "what— ?"

"it fell off your hand when i fell into tartarus," percy said. it'd become easier for the both of them to talk about what had happened that night in arachne's den without getting emotional. "and . . . i held onto it the whole time i was down there."

karina blinked, and slowly grabbed the ring, staring at it with such shock that he almost thought that she was going to be mad at him.

"i thought i had lost it forever," she mumbled, slowly putting the band on her ring finger.

percy shook his head again. "i can't believe i forgot to give it back," he said gravely. "it was so important to me down there. and— and it made me feel like you were down there with me."

karina looked up at him, her heart feeling heavy in her chest at the reminder of everything percy went through. "i'm sorry i wasn't," she whispered, and percy's eyes widened.

he scooted closer to her, shaking his head. "i never wanted you down there with me. not even for a second."

karina raised her eyebrows. "gee, thanks, percy."

percy exhaled loudly, stumbling over his words. "no, no— not like that, rina. gods, you know how much i wanted to be with you when i was in tartarus? i— i meant that i would never want you to go through what i went through down there . . . ever." he paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "i would never wish that upon you." he said the last sentence in a quieter tone.

karina's heart felt heavy in her chest. "i would never wish that upon you either," she said softly, rubbing her thumb under his eye. "i never meant to let go."

percy smiled sadly. "it was the only way, rina," he reassured, leaning back to take in her whole face. "i made the choice to let go. you would've lost your arm if i didn't."

at the remembrance of the injury, she subconsciously traced her hand over the scar, feeling the sensitive skin underneath her fingertips. it burned slightly at her touch. "i know," she said. "i just feel like it should've been me instead."

percy's heart dropped to his stomach. he couldn't believe what he was hearing. to hear karina say that she believed it should've been her to walk through the deep depths of hell instead of him— it almost sounded completely insane. he couldn't even begin to fathom how much guilt he would feel if he'd let karina fall instead of him. he wouldn't be able to live with himself— especially since he knows what she would've went through, alone.

"don't say that," percy said hardly. "it shouldn't have been any of us, rina. but it had to be someone. and i would've have been able to live with myself if i let you fall with me."

"how do you think i felt?" karina said, her voice cracking slightly. "i had to be up here— alive and breathing— while you were down there. a— and i had no idea if you were alive or not. i had to force myself to keep going for you, when i didn't even know if you'd be waiting for me on the other side. all because i had to let go."

percy swallowed thickly, seemingly losing his voice. he couldn't respond— and instead he pulled karina close into his chest, leaning back against the wall as she wrapped herself tight around his body— taking in the scent of the sea that emitted around him. he knew that comforting her with words wouldn't be as efficient as using his body— wrapping his arms tight against her just to show physical touch was all they would need.

"you don't have to worry about it ever again," he said softly to her as he ran his fingers through her hair. "i'm not leaving you— not until our time is up."

"— which won't be for a while." he finished, and karina couldn't find it in her to smile, knowing that sooner or later, her time would be up as well.

and percy wouldn't be joining her.

WHEN JASON, LEO, and piper returned, the crew gathered in the mess hall and got filled in with new information.

"i don't like it," jason said. "the way asclepius looked at leo— "

"aw, he just sensed my heartsickness." leo tried for a smile. "you know, i'm dying to see calypso."

karina turned to leo, her eyes shining with sadness, and when they made eye contact— leo's turned sad as well. he knew what he was going to do— he was going to make sure karina didn't die. she deserved so much more than to die now. he knew how much she'd been through— losing percy, losing her sanity to gaea, losing her own childhood to a lifetime of pain and suffering. she deserved to be happy after this war. he wanted to see her happy, and free from this ever eternal suffering. and with this plan, it would happen.

he was going to make sure of it.

but, karina didn't know that. and she never would until he was already gone.

"that is so sweet," piper said. "but i'm not sure that's it."

percy frowned at the glowing red vial that sat in the middle of the table. he rested his head on karina's shoulder. "any of us might die, right? so we just need to keep the potion handy."

"assuming only one of us dies," jason pointed out. "there's only one dose."

hazel and frank stared at leo, and jason, percy, and piper turned to karina.

karina looked down. those three demigods staring at her— jason, percy, and piper— were the only three in with her when the giant told her of her fate. about how only gaea could die if she did, and how she must make the ultimate sacrifice in order for humanity to survive. they all refused to believe it— trying to wire their brains to believe that the giants were just trying to distract them, and make them surrender. but karina knew it was true. she always did. she just never wanted to accept the fact that she wouldn't have a happy ending.

but, in doing so, she was allowing everyone else to have a happy ending— and that's all she cared about.
as long as her friends survived— she would do whatever it took.

she was going to make sure of it.

percy pulled karina closer to him, kissing her forehead softly, and she wrapped her hands around his right hand— keeping them interlocked together.

"we have to keep our options open," piper suggested. "we need, like, a designated medic to carry the potion— someone who can react quickly and heal whoever gets killed."

"good idea, beauty queen," leo lied. "i nominate you."

piper blinked. "but . . . annabeth is wiser. hazel can move faster on arion. frank can turn into animals— "

"but you've got heart." annabeth squeezed her friend's hand. "leo's right. when the time comes, you'll know what to do."

"yeah," jason agreed. "i have a feeling you're the best choice, pipes. you're going to be there with us at the end, whatever happens, storm or fire."

leo picked up the vial. "is everyone in agreement?"

no one objected.

leo locked eyes with hazel. you know what needs to happen.

he pulled a chamois cloth from his tool belt and made a big show of wrapping up the physician's cure. then he presented the package to piper.

"okay, then," he said. "athens tomorrow morning, gang. be ready to fight some giants."

after dinner broke up, percy went straight to bed— trying to convince karina to join him. she refused, insisting that he needed a good night's sleep without her there to distract him from that.

but, later that night, instead of sleeping, karina found herself standing at the front railing of the ship, staring peacefully at the clear night sky— the stars shining brighter from their place in the ocean than when she was in san francisco.

the wind bristled against the thin tank top was wearing, along with her sleep shorts, which were hanging loosely on her hips. but, the chilly wind didn't bother her— it was a nice change to the usual blistering heat that she was blasted with during the day.

she let herself grow relaxed in the presence of only the night sky and stars— and caelius, who was snoring quietly behind her, the metal chicken bone that leo made for him hanging half out of his mouth as he drooled in his slumber.

this time of night had always been her favorite. it was a time where silence was the only thing keeping you from greeting distracted, or off track. no animals were in sight, no sea monsters attacking them at first sign, no chaos or destruction. it was simply . . . nothing.

and karina loved it.

hearing soft footsteps behind her, karina turned to see annabeth walking out from the helm, her hair falling gracefully against her shoulders, wearing an oversized shirt and shorts. she looked like she had just rolled out of bed— but karina knew better. she knew that annabeth was working into the late hours of the night, staying awake just as karina did. it almost gave the daughter of ceres a sense of comfort— knowing that she wasn't the only one who stayed active in the late hours.

"i figured you'd still be awake," annabeth said as she leaned her forearms against the rail, mimicking karina's position.

karina smiled amusedly. "you'll always find me around here somewhere after midnight, annabeth."

she chuckled and nodded her head. "fair point."

karina looked over to see annabeth looking off into the distant sea, the water being illuminated by the glow of the moon. but, she could tell something was wrong. her eyes had a stormy look in them— like how they always did when something was bothering her. and her posture was tense, along with her facial features, as if she were trying to prevent herself from frowning.

but then, karina realized. "you know, don't you?"

annabeth turned to her, her eyes shining with devastation, and she nodded. "i . . . i figured it out earlier this week."

karina looked away, trying to keep herself from growing upset. annabeth was a smart girl— she knew that there was no way that karina would be able to survive to the end of this war. no matter what leo, or anyone else did— none of it mattered. it all came down to karina, and whether or not she would be brave enough to make the sacrifice.

"i wasn't going to tell anyone," annabeth said quietly. "percy, leo, piper, everyone . . . they all have false hope that we will all survive this. they all want to believe that what the giants have said, and what has been predicated for you . . . is wrong. but— " she paused, her head dipping down. "but, there isn't any other way." her voice fell quite as she spoke again, and karina knew that she was holding back tears.

karina, despite feeling her shoulders tense up as tears began to well up in her eyes, turned her body to his side so that she was facing annabeth. "everyone has made sacrifices on this quest," karina began slowly, watching annabeth lift her head up to face her. "you and percy almost sacrificed your lives to open to doors in tartarus, leo sacrificed his happiness with calypso to come back to us, frank put his life on the line to unchain Death, hazel complied to hecate's orders and wishes in order to lead us to the doors of death. jason and percy fought in the colosseum in order to get dionysus's blessing to kill the giants— we've all put our lives on the line for this quest. and now . . . now it's my turn."

annabeth shook her head. "you've made so many sacrifices already," she said. "i can't— i can't just live with the fact that you think your time hasn't come yet."

karina smiled. "my time has passed a long time ago," she replied softly. "i got to be praetor for new rome, which had always been my goal since i joined the legion. i met percy, who has made me want to rip my hair out but also want to melt on the spot all at once. i met you, and everyone else, who have become my closest friends— my family. i became a better version of myself— not someone who's scared of power, or sticking up for themself. because of this quest, and you guys, i turned into me. and now . . . this is the final part. it's time where i show myself just how much i've grown— and who i've become."

by now, tears were already flowing down annabeth's face, and as soon as she stopped talking, she pulled karina into her arms, wrapping herself tight around her as she cried. karina felt tears slip out of her eyes as annabeth hugged her— the two of them embracing in the comfort of each other.

"i can't lose you, karina," annabeth said through tears, her voice thick with emotion. "i've only known you for two months, but you've become one of my closest friends. a— and i don't want that to end now."

karina restricted herself from crying out loud. "it's going to be okay," she reassured, her voice shaky. "everything . . . everything is going to be okay."

annabeth pulled away, shaking her head. her cheeks were tear stained, and splotched red. "no, it's not," she whispered. "you don't realize how important you are to everyone— especially to percy." she sniffed, and more tears sprouted out of her eyes at the mention of him. "you . . . you were the first person he has ever truly loved in a way that didn't mean family. i know he loves me— and i love him, but it's different. with you . . . he sees you as the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with. to grow old and have children with. believe me— he's told me." she swallowed thickly, holding back more tears. "if you die, karina . . . he'll never be the same."

karina's bottom lip trembled as she thought about what would happen to percy if she died. she couldn't imagine a life without him, now— she'd never thought about the future before percy showed up in her life. but now, she already knew what she wanted.

and she couldn't have it.

"he'll move on," karina whispered, but it sounded like she was trying to reassure herself more than anyone else. "he will."

annabeth shook her head. "but will anyone else?"

karina, despite trying her best to not let out a sob, felt more tears slide down her cheeks. "there's nothing i can do to stop it," she said with trembling lips. "gaea . . . gaea has already made her decision to take my body. there's no other choice."

annabeth let out a small sob, and pressed her forehead against karina's, both of their eyes looking directly into each other's. "it's not fair," she said, her voice quiet and soft. "the gods have failed us again."

karina nodded, her eyes looking down at the dark wooden floor of the ship below her. "and they will never stop," she said. "until all of us are dead."

KARINA WASN'T SURPRISED when the snake people arrived.

all week, she'd been thinking about their encounter with sciron the bandit, when she stood on the deck of the argo II after escaping a gigantic destructo-turtle and piper made the mistake of saying, "we're safe."

instantly an arrow had hit the mainmast, an inch in front of her nose.

everyone learned a valuable lesson from that: never assume you're safe, and never, ever tempt the fates by announcing that you think you're safe.

so when the ship docked at the harbor in piraeus, on the outskirts of athens, karina resisted the urge to breath a sigh of relief. sure, they had finally reached their destination. somewhere nearby— past those rows of cruise ships, past those hills crowded with buildings— they would find the acropolis. today, one way or another, their journey would end.

but that didn't mean she could relax. any moment, a nasty surprise might come flying out of nowhere.

as it turned out, the surprise was three dudes with snake tails instead of legs.

piper was on watch while everyone else geared up for combat— checking their weapons and armor, loading the ballistae and catapults.

karina sighed. "percy, do you still not know how to put on armor?"

percy looked to her— his breastplate was lopsided on the right, and it hung off his shoulder like an oversized plate. "uh . . . "

she sighed. "just come over here."

percy watched her with a pout as she readjusted the straps on his shoulders, annabeth snickering behind them at the fact he still had to have someone help him.

"uh . . . karina, annabeth?" piper called.

annabeth, percy, and karina came to her side.

below them, karina spotted three snake guys slithering along the docks, winding through crowds of mortal tourists who paid them no attention.

"oh, great," percy said. "dracaenae."

annabeth narrowed her eyes. "i don't think so. at least not like any i've seen. dracaenae have two serpent trunks for legs. these guys just have one."

"you're right," percy said. "these look more human on top too. not all scaly and green and stuff. so do we talk or fight?"

karina studied the snake guys. the one in the lead held his head high. his face was chiseled and bronze, his eyes black as basalt, his curly dark hair glistening with oil. his upper body rippled with muscles, covered only by a greek chlamys— a white wool cloak loosely wrapped and pinned at the shoulder. from the waist down, his body was one giant serpent trunk— about eight feet of green tail undulating behind him as he moved.

in one hand he carried a staff topped with a glowing green jewel. in his other, he carried a platter covered with a silver dome, like an entrée for a fancy dinner.

the two guys behind him appeared to be body guards. they wore bronze breastplates and elaborate helmets topped with horsehair bristles. their spears were tipped with green stone points. their oval shields were emblazoned with a large greek letter K— kappa.

they stopped a few yards from the argo II. the leader looked up and studied the demigods. his expression was intense but inscrutable. he might have been angry or worried or terribly in need of a restroom.

"permission to come aboard." his rasping voice made karina think of a straight razor being wiped across a strop.

"who are you?" piper asked.

he fixed his dark eyes on her. "i am kekrops, the first and eternal king of athens. i would welcome you to my city." he held up the covered platter. "also, i brought a bundt cake."

piper glanced at her friends. "a trick?"

"probably," karina said.

"at least he brought desert." percy smiled down at the snake guys. "welcome aboard!"

kekrops agreed to leave his guards above deck with buford the table, who ordered them to drop and give him twenty push-ups. the guards seemed to take this as a challenge.

meanwhile, the king of athens was invited to the mess hall for a "get to know you" meeting.

"please take a seat," jason offered.

kekrops wrinkled his nose. "snake people do not sit."

"please remain standing," leo said. he cut the cake and stuffed a piece in his mouth before anyone could warm him it might be poisoned, or inedible for mortals, or just plain bad.

"dang!" he grinned. "snake people know how to make bundt cake. kind of orangey, with a hint of honey. needs a glass of milk."

"snake people do not drink milk," kekrops said. "we are lactose intolerant reptiles."

"me too!" frank said. "i mean . . . lactose intolerant. not a reptile. though i can be a reptile sometimes— "

"anyway," hazel interrupted, "king kekrops. what brings you here? how did you know we'd arrived?"

"i know everything that happens in athens," kekrops said. "i was the city's founder it's first king, born of the earth. i am the one who judged the dispute between athena and poseidon, and chose athena to be patron of the city."

"no hard feelings, though," percy muttered.

annabeth elbowed him. "i've heard of you, kekrops. you were the first to offer sacrifices to athena. you built her first shrine on the acropolis."

"correct." kekrops sounded bitter, like he regretted his decision. "my people were the original athenians— the gemini."

"like your zodiac sign?" percy said. "i'm a leo."

"no, stupid," leo said. "i'm a leo. you're a percy."

"no," karina said. "you're a cancer."

"i have cancer?"

"will you three stop it?" hazel chided. "i think he means gemini like doubled— half man, half snake. that's what his people are called. he's a geminus, singular."

"yes . . . " kekrops leaned away from hazel as if she somehow offended him. "millennia ago, we were driven underground by the two-legged humans, but i know the ways of the city better than any. i came to warn you. if you try to approach the acropolis above ground, you will be destroyed."

jason stopped nibbling his cake. "you mean . . . by you?"

"by porphyrion's armies," said the snake king. "the acropolis is ringed with great siege weapons— onagers."

"more onagers?" frank protested. "did they have a sale on them or something?"

"the cyclops," hazel guessed. "they're supplying both octavian and the giants."

percy grunted. "like we needed more proof that octavian is on the wrong side."

"that is not the only threat," kekrops warned. "the air is filled with storm spirits and gryphons. all roads to the acropolis are patrolled by earthborn."

frank drummed his fingers on the bundt cake cover. "so, what, we should just give up? we've come too far for that."

"i offer you an alternative," said kekrops. "underground passage to the acropolis. for the sake of athena, for the sake of the gods, i will help you."

karina slowly slipped her hand into percy's, and they both looked to each other. there was something in the kekrops voice that karina didn't like— that razor-against-strop tone, as if he were preparing to make a sharp cut.

"piper knows too," percy whispered in her ear. "look at her face."

karina looked to piper and saw her eyes staring calculatingly at the snake king. her face remained stoic, and unconvincing, but karina could tell she knew something was up.

"what's the catch?" piper asked.

kekrops turned those inscrutable dark eyes on her. "only a small party of demigods— no more than four— could pass undetected by the giants. otherwise your scent would give you away. but our underground passages could lead you straight into the ruins of the acropolis. once there, you could disable the siege weapons by stealth and allow the rest of your crew to approach. with luck, you could take the giants by surprise. you might be able to disrupt their ceremony."

"ceremony?" leo asked. "oh . . . like to wake gaea."

"even now it has begun," kekrops warned. his eyes turned to karina. "i know you have felt it, daughter of ceres. the earth trembling within you, your powers growing stronger to resist. she is fighting for release. we, the gemini, are your best chance."

karina heard eagerness in his voice— almost hunger.

percy looked around the table. "any objections?"

"just a few," jason said. "we're on the enemy's doorstep. we're being asked to split up. isn't that how people get kill in horror movies?"

"also," percy said. "gaea wants us to reach the parthenon. she wants our blood to water the stones and all that other psycho garbage. won't we be playing right into her hands?"

annabeth, piper, and karina caught each other's eyes. annabeth asked a silent question: what's your feeling?

kekrops offer made sense. at least, it sounded like the least suicidal option. but karina was certain the snake king was hiding his true intentions. she just didn't know how to prove it.

but, apparently piper did.

she began to sing a song, and the kekrops stared at her in wonder. he began to sway. everyone listened, transfixed.

she finished the first verse. no one spoke for a count of five.

"pipes," jason said. "i had no idea."

"that was beautiful," leo agreed. "maybe not . . . you know, calypso beautiful, but still . . . "

piper kept the snake king's gaze. "what are your real intentions?"

"to deceive you," he said in a trance, still swaying. "we hope to lead you into the tunnels and destroy you."

"why?" piper asked.

"the earth mother has promised us great rewards. if we bring her the child of ceres, and spill your blood under the parthenon, that will be sufficient to complete her awakening."

percy's hand tightened around karina's, and she just stayed silent, listening to what else the snake king had to stay.

"but you serve athena," piper said. "you founded her city."

kekrops made a low hiss. "and i'm return, the goddess abandoned me. athena replaced me with a two-legged human king. she drove my daughters mad. they leaped to their deaths from the cliffs of the acropolis. the original athenians, the gemini, we're driven underground and forgotten. athena, the goddess of wisdom, turned her back on us, but wisdom comes from the earth as well. we are, first and last, the children of gaea. the earth mother has promised us a place in the sun of the upper world."

"gaea is lying," piper said. "she intends to destroy the upper world, not give it to anyone."

kekrops bared his fangs. "then we will be no worse off than we were under the treacherous gods!"

he raised his staff, but piper launched into another verse of "summertime."

the snake king's arms are went limp. his eyes glassed over.

piper sang a few more lines, then she risked another question: "the giants' defenses, the underground passage to the acropolis— how much of what you told is true?"

"all of it," kekrops said. "the acropolis is heavily defended, just as i described. any approach above ground would be impossible."

"so you could guide us through your tunnels," piper said. "that's also true?"

kekrops frowned. "yes . . . "

"and if you ordered your people not to attack us," she said, "they would obey?"

"yes, but . . . " kekrops shuddered. "yes, they would obey. four of you at most could go without attracting the attention of the giants."

annabeth's eyes darkened. "piper, we'd be crazy to try it. he'll kill us at the first opportunity."

"yes," the snake king agreed. "only this girl's music controls it. i hate it. please sing some more."

piper game him another verse.

leo got into the act. he picked up a couple of spoons and made them do high kicks on the tabletop until hazel slapped his arm.

"i should go," hazel said. "if it's underground."

"never," kekrops said. "a child of the underworld? my people would find your presence revolting. no charming music would keep them from slaying you."

hazel swallowed. "or i could stay here."

"me, percy, and karina," annabeth suggested.

"wait," percy interjected. "didn't the snake guy say that gaea wants karina brought to her? she shouldn't go if gaea is asking for her."

"we need karina's knowledge of the earth," annabeth reminded him, her eyes glancing at karina knowingly, their conversation from last night popping up in her brain. "and she's by far the strongest one of us here— if the kekrops somehow attack us, she'd be our best bet at surviving."

"yes," kekrops hissed. "that girl is the only one capable to defeating us. bring her . . . she will be the one gaea wants."

percy's jaw tightened, and he glared at the snake king. karina's kissed his cheek. "it'll be fine," she reassured the group. "i won't let gaea capture me, or any of us."

"um . . . " percy began again. "just gonna throw this out here again. this is also exactly what gaea wants— you and me— karina or annabeth— our blood watering the stones, et cetera."

"i know." annabeth's expression was grim. "but it's the most logical choice. the oldest shrines on the acropolis are dedicated to poseidon and athena. kekrops, wouldn't that mask our approach?"

"yes," the snake king admitted. "your . . . your scent would be difficult to discern. the ruins always radiate the power of those two gods. and . . . and the daughter of ceres would be masked by the scent of the earth that is constantly shrouding the shrine now."

"and me," piper said at the end of her song. "you'll need me to keep our friend here in line."

jason squeezed her hand. "i still hate the idea of splitting up."

"but it's our best shot," frank said. "the four of them sneak in and disable the onagers, cause a distraction. then the rest of us fly in with ballistae blazing."

"yes," kekrops said, "that plan could work. if i do not kill you first."

"i've got an idea," annabeth said. "frank, hazel, leo . . . let's talk. piper, can you keep our friend musically incapacitated?"

piper started a different sign: "happy trails," while annabeth, hazel, frank, and leo left to talk strategy.

"well." percy rose and offered his hand that wasn't holding karina's to jason. "until we meet again at the acropolis, bro. i'll be the one killing giants."

6688 words

help this book is almost over i'm gonna start
screaming

also the parallels i made between leo and
karina's mindsets make me 🤣☹️😐